12 IT’S PARTY TIME!
(Korey)
I left my mom’s house still pissed. I walked into my closet and started pulling out shit. I grabbed a new pair of One Family jeans and coordinated it with a nice matching One Family tee shirt and a pair of Tims. Jay called me from his cell phone, telling me he was about a block away and for me to come out side. We all met up, jumped in Jay’s G ride and spun off to the party, arriving there just shortly before midnight. When we pulled up we could see that the club was already packed.
I was really hoping Jay was gonna be able to get us in the club without paying too. Well, I guess he really is as good as he says, because here we are all up in this mafuckin’ club clubbin’ it up! I hadn’t been out in a while so I felt a little out of place as me, Jay, Ivan and Raheem made our way through the massive crowd. We got here just in time for the show too because the music stopped suddenly, and the crowd began to flock towards the front of the club area. “Come on y’all let’s get a better look.” Ivan said as he moved up with the crowd. I couldn’t see that well from where we were standing. A male figure stood on the stage holding a microphone in his hand.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Fabulous Funnel nightclub!” “Dam this feels like daja vu.” I thought to myself. “Tonight we got one of the hottest rap groups to ever bless this stage! We got the Born Criminals up in here tonight y’all! I’m seeing we also got a lot of other celebs up in here tonight too! Big shoutout to the LOX, I also see DMX is in the building. I see you too over there Nicki! I wanna give a major shoutout to all of yall up in here tonight! But first I wanna bring out the man of the hour! We got a big bash going on up in this here tonight yall! So y’all ready!?” The crowd responded with cheers. “So now I want us all to come together and sing a super big happy birthday to our man Xaviar before he comes out with Cipher and Righteous! Ladies and gentlemen, thugs and thuggettes! I give you! The Borrrnnn Criminalllls! Come on, sing along! Everybody sang happy birthday and cheered as The Born Criminals walked out onto the stage. The announcer handed the microphone to Xaviar.
“Word up word up! I wanna thank y’all all for comin’ out tonight and showin’ a grimey mafucka like me mad love, even though I don’t give fuck about none of y’all mafuckas in here!” He yelled into the microphone. The crowd responded with cheers and laughs. “Nah I’m just bullshittin’, but yo, on the real, on behalf of me, and the rest of the Born Criminals we wanna thank y’all for all the mafuckin’ support, as well as helping make our joint go platinum! Aight check it out we gonna come back out and kick somea that hardcore shit for yall in a little while, so y’all enjoy y’all selves till then iight, One!”
His voice echoed throughout the club as they exited the stage. The music started playing again and the crowd began to move back onto the dance floor. Me, Jay, Ivan and Raheem went over and sat at the bar. Jay ordered a round of beers and some shots of Hennessey. The bartender brought us the beers and gave each of us a shot of cognac. Jay grabbed one of the shots and held it in the air. “I wanna pose a toast! A toast to movin the fuck up to bigger and better things! Nameen!?” He yelled as he put his glass forward towards ours.
“Bigger and better things,” Ivan repeated and we all touched shot glasses and downed our shots. “Aughhk!” I said as the cognac slid down burning my throat. So I chased it down with a big gulp of my beer. “Yo, it’s mad packed in here! Look at all the honeys, damn! I wish we could take all these bitches home right now! Especially her! Look at her!” Ivan pointed while screaming over the loud music. There were lots of very attractive women in the club tonight, walking past us as we sat at the bar drinking. “Deezam she holdin’, wit ass like her mama gotta be a donkey or something, dammm!” Ivan added. “Well, what the hell yall expect!? It’s a birthday party for a platinum status rap star on a Saturday night! Yo look y’all! Ain’t that DMX over there!” Raheem said. “Where!?” Ivan asked as we all looked around the club. “Right there, over there!” He yelled over the music as he pointed into the crowd.
“Hell yeah that’s him! Damn, I still be bangin that nigga shit too!” Ivan yelled. “Oh, you star struck now nigga! You might as well go and take a bow in front of that nigga or somethin’ the way you starin’ at him all Cupid like that!” He added. “Well I don’t know about y’all but I’m about to go do a little mingling with some stars and what not! Hey yo look right there!” Raheem yelled as he grabbed the back of Ivan’s head and neck and pointed into the crowd. “Ain’t that Lil Kim right there, over there!? Raheem pointed. Now that chick right there, that’s all Hardcore material for real!” He added as he let go of Ivan and strutted into the crowd. “Where? I don’t see nobody, wait for me yo!” Ivan said as he followed behind Raheem into the crowded club. Jay and I were sitting at the bar when this chick strolled up and sat next to me. I overheard her ordering a drink as the music jammed on. “Excuse me, can I have an Almond Joy please!?” She ordered. I glanced over towards her direction. She was fine as hell too, not as fine as my Sinnimin but she did look good. She looked over at me and smiled. “How are you!?” She asked loudly over the club’s loud music.
She looked like the type of chick that wouldn’t just up and speak to a guy, so I was kinda caught off guard. I caught a quick glance at her body and could see that she had the kinda body that would make other chicks look twice. “Hey how are you!?” I replied. “Fine, and you!?” She smiled again. “I’m aight, but I’d probably be better if I had one of those drinks you just ordered. What was that you said, an Almond Joy!? I’m sorry, what’s your name!? My name is Korey but most people call me Da Mann!” I said loudly over the music as I held my hand out for a shake. She shook my hand and moved in closer towards me. “My name is Simone it’s really nice to meet you Mann! Oh an Almond Joy is just some rum, some amaretto, some crème de cocoa brown, not the clear kind and some milk. She said as she moved even closer to me.
“Oh yeah, that crème de cocoa stuff sounds good. You come here a lot!?” I asked. “Not much, you? I bet you probably come here all the time to try to pick up some of these chicks in here don’t you?” She asked as she grabbed her drink off the bar top and began sipping on it. “Nah, I spend most of my time at work or with my girl! I might write a little music sometime.” I said. “Oh you write music what kind, do you sing? Because I dance. I been in a few videos, if you make a video can I be in it!?” She asked. Hell, I was at a lost for words. This chick was coming at me hard as hell on some video chick type shit, and I ain’t even made a song yet. I was thinking before hearing my name being yelled out. “Yo Mann!” I heard someone yell. I looked around and saw Jay signaling me to come to him. “Oh I gotta go it was nice meeting you Simone.” I told her abruptly then left to follow Jay.
“Gunna! Yo Gunna!” Jay yelled as he made his way through the thick crowd. I finally caught up to him as he was greeting his friend. “What’s goin’ on Gunna!?” asked Jay. “How you my nigga!?” Gunna responded as he and Jay embraced. “I’m iight, so how that album comin’ along!?” Jay yelled. “What!? I can’t really hear you out here come back here to the V.I.P., I ain’t with all this yellin’ shit!” Gunna said as he led us to the V.I.P. area. He managed to shake a few hands and sign an autograph as we followed behind him. When we got to the V.I.P. Gunna ordered a few bottles of champagne from the lounge. “What up Jay, What happened?” I thought you was gonna comin to the studio that day.” He questioned. “I was, but some other shit came up and I fucked around and lost my phone and your number was in it. Yo, I want you to meet my cousin Mann I was telling you about.” Jay said. Gunna shook my hand and stared at me for a few seconds while nodding his head. “So you say he can flow huh?” He asked Jay as if I weren’t even there. “Hell yeah, all he needs is a little exposure and some studio time, oh, besides a record deal.” Jay said.
Gunna reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card and handed it to Jay. “Yo we up in the studio all this week and next week, yall can stop by anytime. Just make sure you call first. I’ll check your cousin ou
t, and if he’s as good as you say he is, on the strength of you Jay, I’ll throw him on a cut on my next joint word up. Yo Mann, I just met so I don’t know you, but if you ever make it big and I hope you do. This nigga Jay, your cousing right here would make a helluva manager cause yo, he be every fuckin’ where and always big uping you my dude.” He said. “Yo, I just had beef with some nigga in the bathroom. This nigga comes up to me poppin’ all kinds of crazy shit, talking bout I betta stay away from his bitch, stop calling her and all kinds of crazy shit. I had to tell that nigga, I said nigga fuck you and your stinkin’ ass bitch nigga, I don’t know what bitch that nigga was talikn’ about. I know mad bitches son. Shit is crazy hectic when mafuckas know your face son. That’s the down side to this super star shit niggas like us be living. A nigga can’t do shit on the down low no more.” He complained as he drank from his bottle, then handed both me and Jay a bottle of champagne. “Yo Jay gimme a call, you can stop by anytime fam.” Yo Mann, nice meetin you too son. I wish you mad luck, I’ma get up with y’all later.” Gunna said as he walked away with a few of his dudes. I was trying to remember if I’d ever seen my man Gunna’s video or something because I couldn’t remember him. Like I said, it’s already about a million other rappers out there already. I thought as Jay slid over to where I was.
“You see Mann? Now you see why I always be tryin’ to get you to come with me sometimes when I be comin’ to these parties. My man Gunna already made two albums that almost went platinum, but most of his record sales came from overseas. You ever heard any of his songs or seen any of his videos?” He asked. “Nah.” I responded. “Damn nigga, where the hell you been!? Yo Mann you gotta keep up with that kinda shit if you wanna be a rapper my dude! I know you heard him say he gonna put you on one of his joints on his next album tho’. Make sure you’re ready when we go up in that studio nigga! This might be the exposure you need to get somethin jumpin’ off. Now even though my man Gunna ain’t go platinum in the U.S. yet, he probably will soon because he ain’t never quit! But you gotta start somewhere and every little bit helps cuzo you feel me?” Jay explained.
“I’m sayin’ tho’ Jay, how you get to know him all goody like that, like y’all knew each other for a long time or somethin’.” I said. “Nah, we don’t be chillin’ like that, and I ain’t even known dude that long either. That’s just politickin’ Mann. You find out where them niggas gonna be performing, or where they hang out. Then just make it your business to be there, and when you see ‘em just go up to ‘em and run your mouth. You gotta understand, these niggas be real busy and always in studios and writing music, or on the road. They got families and kids and always makin’ moves n shit like that. So they don’t have time to be paying attention to whoever’s paying attention to them. You gotta find them niggas and get in wherever you can fit in, feel me? Sometimes they might talk to you and sometimes they don’t be beat. You just gotta keep poppin’ up where they be and show mad love. If niggas got love for they fans and most of them do, it’ll come out eventually.
“Just keep runnin’ your mouth that’s the only way you gonna find out. That’s how I do it, and it ain’t fail me yet.” Jay explained as he took a big gulp of champagne from his bottle. Shiiit, a nigga can get used to this V.I.P. shit, this is sweet. I thought as I looked around and observed the scene. I saw 50 Cent and some of his G Unit niggas, I saw Common and Mos Def at a table, Lil Kim and Nicki Manaj not far from each other. I saw Fat Joe and a few of his dudes too. Damn, I saw Nas kickin it with my man from Brand Nubian and KRSONE. Everybody was either sitting around the lounge talking or standing in small groups conversating, but one thing was certain, and that was nobody in the V.I.P. area was dancing and everyone was sipping on some either some wine or champagne, no beers and none of that cheap shit like I be buying.
I noticed there were a lot of other celebrities on hand, and Jay seemed to make it his business to be seen by as many of them as he could. I started imaginaging how it might feel to be a rap star. You know? Signing autographs, having pictures taken, being known by millions of people and the V.I.P. treatment all day. I began imagining me living the life of a platinum rapper. With a crazy hot ride and big mansion type house with a crazyass pool, but that fantasy was quickly interrupted when I saw the Born Criminals come into the lounge.
They were headed towards where I was standing. I looked over at Jay who was standing a few yards away talking to a woman. He had his back turned to them as they slowly made their way towards me. Suddenly everyone began to cheer and clap as the Born Criminals made their way through the lounge. I watched Jay turn around and smile as they got closer. “Happy birthday my nigga!” Jay said loudly. I was startled that Jay, my first cousin was as well connected like he was, unless he really didn’t know them and was running some of his game on them. “Jay Swift, what’s good baby, now how come I knew we was gonna see yo’ ass up in here tonight?” Xaviar said. “That’s because I get around like Tupac my nikka.” Jay responded as he and Xaviar embraced. “Yo Ciph, yo Right look who’s here!” Xaviar yelled. Cipher and Righteous came over to Jay and gave him handshakes and hugs.
“Yo what’s good y’all, yo this my cousin Mann right here I was telling y’all about before.” Jay introduced. They all shook my hand. “What up Jay? We goin over there to our area to sip on some of that complimentary Cristal they got chillin for us come on, you and your cuz can chill with us for a while before we get ready to perform in a few.” Xaviar said as we all walked over to their reserved area and sat down. I was beginning to feel the effect of the champagne as me and Jay sat drinking with the group. “Hell yeah ha ha, I remember that time this nigga Jay right here climbed up on stage when we was performing at the Palladium. The bouncers got him off stage one time, and I don’t know how, but somehow this nigga got backstage, came into our dressing room and still managed to get some pictures of us. This nigga was a mafuckin Paparazzi before there even was a mafuckin Papparazzi. Talkin bout, I need this picture for my little brother in the hospital. We knew you was lyin, sneaky ass nigga ha ha ha.” Xaviar joked.
They all laughed, and I was bugging at the way Jay seemed to be so popular to so many of these celebrities. They was telling me some stuff about my cousin Jay that I had no idea about. Jay never told me about any of this. I thought as I chucked in amazement of how cool they all seemed to be. I guess Jay really do be makin moves like he says he does, hmmm, I’m impressed. I thought. “Yo, but it did feel good to know that we had that effect on some people. I mean to go through all that just to show love to us, now that’s a true fan.” Cipher said. “Yo Jay, I wish you coulda been there when we was on tour over in Japan. Now that shit was crazy. So we was over there right, and some other group was performing that night, these Japanese mafuckas, and the whole fuckin crowd man, I mean the wholllle mafuckin crowd dawg, like damn near a hundred thousand mafuckas.
They all started screamin some Japanese shit over and over and over, so I asked this Japanese cat, like yo what they sayin?” And he told me that what they all was screamin, Born Criminals! Born Criminals! Born Criminals! So I was like, Wow, that’s what a nigga call love son, Japanese style, word up.” Righteous said. Xaviar put his arm around Jay and said. “Yeah Mann, your cousin Jay right here, he was like our number one fan for a minute, it’s cats like him help who put us on the map. Cause yo, this country was born on criminology, starting with this monetary system that we’re all enslaved to. So believe it or not, we’re all criminals in some way or another, but if some folks say if I stole something, then that makes me a criminal, right? but they stole. So what does that make them huh? Righteous? Hell no they definitely not righteous!” Righteous interrupted. “So why should I be--- so I’ma take what da fuck I want ---and I wants da moneey--to complete my cipher!” Cipher interrupts. “Yeah, Cipher that’s me! Now watch me complete this cycle---cause that’s what I was Born to do--and every once in a while we just might start a fight or 2, or 3 or 4 or more because we are…” Xaviar and Righteous joined in. “B.C. Born Criminals ROX we w
on’t STOP--till’ the last shell POP and the last nigga DROP! There’s a criminal being born everyday so---that’s why we say!” The whole lounge joined in. “FUCK IT! WE WAS BORN THIS WAAY!”
Woww! I thought as everyone cheered and was having a good time as we all drank, and I was feeling a little drunk off the Cristal, up in this V.I.P. lounge, with mad rap celebs ‘n shit. Chillin. Damn! This is the mafuckin high life ain’t it? I could get used to this shit real real fast. These Born Criminal mafuckas are cool peoples, so I’ma kick back and peep this shit out and learn me some shit tonight. Whoa, am I drunk? I thought as I listened on. “Yo we was just talking about yo ass tha other day right Ciph?” Xaviar added. “Yeah X was sayin’, I wonder what ever happened to that nigga Jay Swift. Now that nigga know how to crash a party fo’real. We just knew we was gonna see yo ass somewhere when we was on tour. I ‘m surprised you didn’t stowaway somewhere on our plane overseas.” Cipher joked.
“Shit I wish I could move around like that. Y’all know I’m down with y’all 100%, but yo my cousin Mann right here, he got mad skills too Cyph, he writes his own shit too y’all.” Jay continued. Oh shit! No Jay not telling them about me. I thought, but yes he was. I mean these mafuckas are major platinum status cats, MTV, BET, worldwide & universally renowned, and Jay is over here telling these guys about Me? I was getting nervous so I kicked Jay in his leg so he would shut up. “Ouch!” Jay yelled. “Born Criminals up in two minutes!” yelled one of the stage crew members. “Okay we up in two y’all!” A guy yelled as he walked up to the table. “Oh yeah Jay, this is our manager Kenny Artwell.” Xaviar said. “Yo Kenny, this is my man Jay and his cousin Mann.” “DA Mann, is his name.” Jay interrupted. “Nice meeting you guys but we gotta go B.C.” Kenny added. Cipher and Righteous gets up and leaves. “Yo Jay, y’all niggas be good!” yelled one of them as they exited. Xaviar slid out of the lounge chair booth.
Introduction To Hard 2 Da Kore (Hard2daKore Book 1) Page 9