(AllHipHop) New Orleans rapper Turk is in the middle of a legal battle with his former label Cash Money Records. The original member of the Hot Boys is suing the company for unpaid royalties connected to his musical works with CMR.

[ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: More Details About Turk’s Lawsuit Against Cash Money Revealed]

While Turk still calls Cash Money founders Bryan “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams his brothers, the “Wodie” performer views the lawsuit as a necessary final option to recovering money he believes is due to him. Turk was just a teenager when he joined the label, and he now recognizes he was not fully aware of the inner workings of the music industry at that time.

“When it came down to business, there are things that we didn’t know coming into the game as youngsters. Throughout the years of reading, researching and seeing the numbers are not adding up, it’s like, ‘Oh yeah, something’s going on,'” Turk tells AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview. “Of course, I was incarcerated, so there wasn’t too much I could do. My whole plan was to come home, get back with Cash Money, get the Hot Boys reunion going, and get back with the old family.”

Taking Baby and Slim through the court system was not Turk’s ideal method of resolving the situation. But ultimately he hopes his financial struggle with Cash Money will serve as a lesson to young entertainers that only see rap star’s glamorous lifestyle. For Turk, his story is a cautionary tale on the importance of understanding how the business side of the music game works.

“We’re young when we come in the game, and we’re impressed by the watches, necklaces, earrings, and grills. We’re impressed by that, but you gotta think about if your kids are going to be set for life. Or are you just selfish, and you just want to live for the day?” says Turk. “You gotta know. You gotta set up things. That’s how the white folks do it. I’m not racist, but they set up stuff for their kids and pass it down the line. We as a race have to come together and keep on doing what’s right. And get away from all the bulls**t.”

To read Turk’s full interview with AllHipHop.com visit here.