𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐲, 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 ¹

nineteen.

CHAPTER NINETEEN
moving in

Jamal

next day

Jamal was in the studio, and he brought Mateo with him today like he promised. Mateo wasn't helping him with the lyrics though. Jamal was just showing him the song he had made for Cookie, and asking for his opinion. He came up with a perfect song title too. Mama.

Mateo was ready. "Alright, let me hear this masterpiece."

"How do you know it's a masterpiece if you haven't heard it?"

"Because everything you create is a masterpiece."

Jamal chuckled, appreciating that compliment. He didn't get compliments like that often because Lucious wasn't supportive of his work. That was why he was glad Cookie was back, and he knew she was gonna love the song.

Jamal played a little bit of the song for Mateo because it wasn't complete yet. Mateo absolutely loved it. "Okay, that is the best song you've ever made."

Jamal didn't believe that at all. "Now you're flattering me."

"No, seriously. I loved it, and Cookie's going to love it too."

Jamal smiled. "I know she is. I wanna perform it for her."

Mateo had an idea. "You know what you should do? You should perform at that new club that's opening up."

"New club?"

He nodded. "Yeah. There's a new club opening up this weekend. Some Empire artists are going to be performing there, including that Tiana girl and your brother, I think."

That sounded about right. "Oh yeah, Hakeem said something about that."

"Really? I'm shocked."

"Why?"

"Because you two aren't that close," Mateo pointed out.

Jamal shrugged. "Hakeem likes to brag about how he's more successful than me, which I don't know how. His music is garbage."

Mateo laughed. "That's mean."

"I'm serious. Even Ma heard his music, and she was pissed."

Mateo agreed. "Yeah, he's not the greatest, but you should ask Lucious if you can perform for Cookie."

"That'd be great if I didn't have to ask Lucious."

"Ask me what?" Lucious asked from the doorway. They looked at him and he was pissed now that he had seen Mateo. "Why is he in my studio, Jamal?"

Here we go. "Dad, chill. I'm showing him my song. We're not getting it on."

Lucious' ears perked up. "You finally came up with something? Let me hear." Jamal played him the song, and he didn't seem happy at all. "That's...that's about Cookie? You wrote a song about your mother?"

"I did."

"Why?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Because she deserves it."

"That's gonna be on the album?"

Jamal nodded. "That's the plan."

Then Mateo spoke. "He wants to perform that song at the club that's opening up."

Jamal hissed at him. "Mateo."

"No, Jamal. He needs to know."

"Jamal can perform as long as it's a different song," Lucious announced.