I didn’t want us to drag this out because I wanted him to know we weren’t the type to be vindictive enough to play with his lifeline like that.
“You mean from your old life?” He threw up his chin quickly and I could see he was almost too proud to even admit that out loud. “I’mma tell you something we had to tell ‘Ness. People in your old life ain’t gone always cheer for you. They not gone understand how you have to move now that you’ve elevated your position in this world. You got a lot more to lose than before. This shit blows up and then you not a regular nigga no more. You gotta move smarter and protect yourself. That ain’t you switching up, that’s you being smart.”
“Ain’t nothing wrong with being on the block or hanging out or being with your niggas. But when your niggas ready to bestupid you gotta remove yourself. And some of them ain’t gone like that. I’mma keep that shit real. But somebody that’s really about you ain’t gone let you fuck this opportunity up. But the people who really down for you, your set, gang, whatever will protect your name and your brand because they care about you and want more for you. They not gone be on no crabs in the barrel type shit. They more than happy to help you up because they know when you elevate you not going to have a problem lifting them up with you. This big nigga right here did that shit for me no questions asked. He took a charge and never folded and so you damn right when he got out he was set. And he returned the favor with this music shit.” Trav had been in the thick of shit consistently so he had more weight in this situation. “Anybody who ain’t moving like that, let them fall to the wayside.”
“I feel you. And I appreciate y’all coming to check me out. Bringing me out here and shit. It’s been good to not have to worry about…shit anything or anybody for a minute.”
The kid smiled for the first time and I was thankful that we’d been able to give him a minute to breathe. Life in the trenches could get overwhelming, especially if you couldn’t get a break from the people you surrounded yourself with. I’d gotten lucky because I’d jumped into the game with Trav and he never folded. We were going to have each other’s backs no matter what came our way. And it had been proven time and again.
“Ain’t shit. But remember that everybody ain’t gone be for you.”
I looked at Travis curiously because he was hammering that point home. I wasn’t sure if it was because of what went down with Lyric or if he knew more about this man’s life than he was letting on.
“It’s hard to hear but harder to experience. We’d rather teach you that than have you live it. The people closest to yousometimes they only close to you so they can twist that knife in your back.”
He was watching me thoughtfully while I spoke and then he revealed something that might be a problem for him. “My best friend and my girl ain’t really tight with each other.”
Me and Travis traded a look again before he spoke up. “And why is that?”
He laughed but I could tell that it wasn’t something he felt was really humorous. “They say the other ain’t really right for me.”
“You trust your gut. Don’t blind yourself to their bullshit but peep shit for what it is. Don’t let love or loyalty have you looking out for other people before yourself.” I laid out that advice and knew that the ball was in his court.
“So what you think? We can start with getting your mixtape mastered, see how that goes and move from there when you ready…”
He looked at Trav and I saw he had shrunk back again. “How much is this gone run me? Y’all not doing shit for free.”
“We asked you for anything yet?”
He shook his head at me and I wasn’t going to let up because he needed to understand how shit really moved with us. “Nah, but—”
Trav motioned between the two of us before he spoke up again. “We hunted you down, right?”
A quick nod but the apprehension at the question was still there.
“Yeah.”
“And said we wanted you to be our artist, right?”
Again he nodded at Trav’s question but this time with less reluctance.
“Yeah.”
“Could’ve sworn I told your ass we were different. You must not be listening. Ain’t no upfront money you gotta pay. We not too proud to spend money to earn it. We trying to give niggas an opportunity however that looks. And yeah, we went to be profitable, but it won’t be on the backs of our people. Have y’all walking around broke and slaving to make rent. You really must not have heard of us.” Travis was irritated again and I knew he felt as though our integrity was being put into question.
I switched gears so that they both could cool off. “How much you make in a year?”
He smirked slightly, and an arrogant look crossed his face. “Legally or—”
I knocked my knuckles on the table cause I wasn’t going to play games with his ass.
“Give us a number. I don’t give a fuck. We trying to help you eat.”
“About fifty when it’s all said and done.” I had to set my CEO hat to the side for a second because there shouldn’t be any nigga on the block, let alone one that was also working a legit job, that was only making fifty. Whoever we handed this shit off to was gone have a few areas they could spread out to if them niggas from Vine were getting starved like that.
“Cool. We gone hand you a fifty thousand dollar signing bonus and a fifty thousand dollar advance.”
“That’s a hundred thousand dollars.” He was looking at the two of us like our asses couldn’t add.
