Fireworks 1 and 2

Jungle: Chapter Ninety-Eight

    "Last night, a phenomenon happened. Not only did Mia Thomas, an up-and-coming artist in her own right, drop heat - but Drake, the 6God himself dropped a little bit of fire. Now...let me be the first to tell you that I'm generally not a fan of his slower songs, the songs where he's singing. If you're a rapper, be a rapper. If you're a singer, be a singer. None of that one foot in, one foot out bullshit. But this song that Drake released, though...I gotta admit, right out the gate I'm feeling it."

    "Really, Charlamagne? Now you wanna start digging his ballads?"

    "This one is different, though," Charlamagne said. "This one is epic, Angela. 'Everything to Me' is the type of song you'll hear at wedding receptions ten years from now. He thought he was going to do that with 'Hold On We're Going Home,' but I'm still trying to figure out what the fuck that song is even about. This song, though - it slaps. It's a hit. It's what every woman wants to hear from her man. It's dope. I don't know what else to say. I always have to keep it a hunned. Past ballads...not really a fan of. Sorry, but I'm just not. This one though? I feel like I could play this one in the background on me and my girl's anniversary, and her legs will just...fall open for me. You know? Gotta give it to Aubrey, he's really done it this time. And I haven't even touched on the song that Mia let out yet."

    "Mia has been through a tough time in the wake of the attack in New York," Angela informed their radio audience. "There is talk that she's going to interview with Diane Sawyer about what happened to her. I'll definitely be turned into that interview. But imagine our surprise when last night, word on the street was that Mia was going to release some flames that go a little bit into that attack. Further imagine our surprise when the track dropped not five, six hours after those rumors started."

    "So Mia and Drake have done something pretty amazing here," Charlamagne said. "They are undoubtedly the next big power couple at this point. As a power couple, they have released songs at the same time. Same time, you heard me? Most hip hop insiders would advise a power couple not to do this, since you are potentially competing for the same top spot, but Drake and Mia have said 'Fuck all of that.' They both dropped fire. Both tracks dropped, exactly the same time. They're both dope. Mia's voice is raw on the track. She's trying something a little different with the rapping. Never thought I'd see her rap. It seems like she's coming for Nicki's spot."

    "There can only be one Nicki," Angela told him. "And wait a minute - I thought you didn't like it when someone raps and sings."

    "Women can get away with it, though," Charlamagne said.

    "Uh-uh, backtracking," Angela accused.

    "It's a double-standard, I know," Charlamagne admitted. "But ever since the days of Janet Jackson, where she kind of walked the tightrope between singing, rapping, and crooning - or was it orgasming into a microphone...ever since then, women have come along and adopted their own style that incorporated both. You've got singers like Aaliyah, who mastered it. Singers like Jhene Aiko. They made their own styles with it. And for some reason that's okay with me. I don't know."

    "Hypocrite," Angela muttered.

    "I may have to take that title," Charlamagne allowed. "But let me get to who I'm awarding the Donkey of the Day: anyone who doesn't like these two tracks that Drake and Mia have blessed us with. I'm telling you. Drake has been the man to watch for a while. He never fails to give us something new. But him and Mia together? Shit. Invincible. Fucking invincible. I mean, look. The nigga killed a man just to protect her. See what I mean? Invincible. I don't know. Call in. Let us know your thoughts on 'Violated' from Mia and 'Everything to Me' from Drake."

    "The two perform tonight in Chicago, and if we can trust the rumor mills, then Drake and Mia have something very special in store for Chicago."

    "Chiraq, you mean," Charlamagne corrected.

    "Shut up, Charlamagne. Anyway...we're waiting for your calls. Light the lines up."

                                                                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Drake thought it was best for Mia to kick off the show with her new song. It was high-energy and would drive the crowd wild. He planned on kicking off the second half of the show with his song, since it was slower paced.

    The stage was dark. No lights. She could make out the shape of FutureThePrince over near the turntables, but even Drake wasn't onstage with her. She stood on the stage alone, in front of a crowd of screaming fans - many of which who couldn't even see that she was on stage. She looked out over the audience, sprinkled with cell phone lights. She held her microphone at her side, trying to steady her breathing. Debuting a new song was quite nerve-racking. She didn't know how everyone was going to take it. She didn't know exactly how well she would perform it.

    Standing in the middle of the stage, she closed her eyes and listened to their chants. She listened and remembered the videos she'd watched the previous night.

"It happened in a dark alley. I stepped outside of the club for a smoke, and there was a guy just standing there. Looking at me. I thought he was just your typical creep and didn't really pay any attention to him, but then he came up and started talking to me. He was very touchy-feely and I didn't even know him, so I tried to get back inside the club...but the door was locked. Then he was forcing me to the ground. I screamed, but he covered my mouth so tight that hardly any sounds came out. After it happened, so many people around me blamed me. They said that I was the one who went to the club in a short skirt. I was the one who was out in an alley by myself. But now, I don't like to go out anymore. I stay in. In my home, at least I feel safe. I feel like someone can't get to me."

"I was maybe nine or ten years old. My aunt's latest boyfriend made me and my cousin read romantic scenes in books, and showed us X-rated movies. Then one day he made a move on me. My aunt walked in and took a hammer to his hand, but I'll never forget that day. Now whenever a man tries to touch me, I get freaked out. I can't help it. It never feels right, no matter how nice the guy is. No matter how much I like him. I'm twenty-five today and I still haven't gotten over it. There are days when I feel like I never will."

    Mia raised the microphone to her mouth.

"Why oh why is this world so saaaaaaaad?" she cried out.

    The audience instantly quieted, save a few excited screams.

Why oh why can't we just love each other?

Protect ourselves, and our sisters and brothers?

Why oh why can't we just live in peace?

Is that so much to ask? When will the pain cease?

Whhhhhhy oh why, why oh why?"

    One lone stage light flashed on and shone on her. She moved across the stage.

"In a world like this, it's easy to distrust and become jaded,

That's what happens when someone is violated."

                                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Drake approached FutureThePrince's booth and stood watching Mia with his arms folded across his chest.

    "What is she doing?" FutureThePrince hissed at him.

    "She's going off-script," Drake responded. And does she look beautiful as ever doing it. We and everyone else in this stadium with us, is watching the birth of a star.