50 Shades of Drake 1 and 2

50SOD II: Chapter Ninety-Two

    "Thank you for coming." Aubrey stood at a podium before a crowd of news reporters, journalists, and other media personnel.

    When Aubrey Drake Graham, former entertainer and current media mogul, called an impromptu press conference, every journalist in the local area dropped what they were doing to attend.

    Brian and a few other executives and consultants stood off to the side, there largely for moral support and to show the media a united front.

    After a day of endless meetings, conference calls, and thinking on his own, Aubrey decided to take the plunge and address the media's allegations publicly. The statements that he released to the press were doing nothing to help his company. If he was going to help his company survive these scandals, then he had to suck up his pride and speak to the media and the public. The words and truths and assurances included in those statements... everyone needed to hear the words come from him.

    "I've invited you all here today to talk about the recent allegations brought against Graham Enterprises." He adjusted the microphone and squinted against the camera flashes aimed at him. "Our accounting practices have been called into question. An internal investigation is still being conducted, and trust that this issue is an extremely high priority. Just like you all, I am eager to get to the bottom of this.

    "Throughout the years, ethics have been a strong focus for my company. Ask anyone who currently works for Graham Enterprises, and they will tell you that I go above and beyond to make sure each and every employee feels appreciated. We make frequent contributions to a number of charities. We, as a company, are not looking to cheat the consumer. We, as a company, are not looking to cheat our employees. We, as a company, are not looking to cheat anyone out of anything."

    More cameras flashed and there was a low murmur in the audience.

    Aubrey glanced back at Brian, who gave a slight nod. Then he turned back to face the journalists. After having avoided them for so long, being in a room full of them made him feel anxious, but this was something that he had to do. The future of his company and the future of tens of thousands of employees was on the line. So he surged on, despite the anxiety that was growing within him. "Now...these are sentiments I have expressed in the statements I've released to the press. You, the press, have said that my statements aren't enough. I can understand that. Lately I've kept myself in the background. In the scheme of things, I have allowed my company's work to do the speaking for me. I became used to letting my company's work do the speaking for me, but I realized that in a case as sensitive as this, showing my face, and letting you see my sincerity, is important. I get that." He lowered his eyes and cleared his throat. "I expect for the investigation we are conducting to be complete within the next few weeks. No matter what is discovered, I will make sure that you are updated. I know that it is important for you to know the results."

    A journalist raised her hand.

    "I will take questions when I am finished speaking," he told the journalist. "Before I take questions, there is another topic that I want to touch on."

    He heard one of the reporters say, "Here it is. This is it. He's going to mention it."

    The muscle in Aubrey's jaw twitched. His throat started to close up, and he cleared his throat again. I don't know if I can do this. He just barely resisted the urge to look back at Brian again. It struck him that it would have helped to have Destiny here cheering him on, encouraging him. Looking out into the diverse sea of eager faces, he licked his lips and summoned up every ounce of bravery he could find within himself. "A video was released recently. In this video, I was caught in quite the compromising position."

    There were a few chuckles in the crowd.

    "I'm not sure who released this video or why, but the actions contained in the video were personal. Private. Never meant to see the light of day." He gestured with his hands as he spoke. "As you all know, in situations like this, executives or CEOs tend to speak to their board, or their public relations team for counsel. They do this so they can receive coaching on how they should come off to the press and the public. I, of course, did the same thing. I have an amazing team, standing behind me right now. This is a team whose judgment I trust immensely. Some of the members of this team thought that I should apologize for what you all saw on that video. Apologize and vow to never conduct such heinous acts ever again. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told those advisors who felt that I should apologize for my behavior."

    A low buzz started in the crowd; they were hanging onto every word he was saying now, practically drooling and chomping at the bit to hear what he was going to say.

    Aubrey looked a few journalists in the eye. "When I was an entertainer, there is one key element that set me apart from other rappers. Not two. Not three. Not ten. One. And that one thing was that I made a conscious decision to just be myself. That's it. I didn't come out claiming to be a gangster, even though some people said I should. I didn't write rhymes claiming to be anything other than exactly who I was. Ever since I was a child, I've been very self-aware. I've always known my faults and my strengths. For the most part, I had a sense of my likes and dislikes. I never compromised any part of myself for the sake of money, wealth, or fame.

    "You're probably wondering what this has to do with my current situation. And to that I say, well, if you've seen what is on that video, you've gotten a look into some of my personal preferences. I can't apologize to you for what you saw on that video because that apology wouldn't be genuine. What you saw on that video is a part of who I am. I can't promise to you that I will stop doing what I did on that video, because it would be a lie. I'm going to continue doing what I want to do. That video showed details of my private life, my life apart from Graham Enterprises.

    "What I can promise you is this: I will refuse to allow my personal life to get in the way of serving my duties at Graham Enterprises. I can also promise to you that I am stepping up to the plate and assuming personal responsibility for getting to the bottom of the unethical account accusations as quickly as possible. I can vow that I will always strive to be the best leader of what I consider to be one of the best companies in North America. Those are the promises that I can make to you and honestly, those are the only promises you should really care about."

    The low buzz evolved into a roar.

    He tilted his head forward. "Thank you for hearing me out. And now, I believe we're going to open the floor to answer some questions."

    At this point, Brian stepped forward to stand beside him.

    The journalists clamored over each other with their arms outstretched. Many of the hands reaching for him held voice recorders.

    Aubrey pointed at one of the journalists. "You. Your question?"

    Jeremiah Tiggs, the dark-haired intern notorious at Graham Enterprises for falling asleep in meetings, handed a microphone to a short, stout dark-skinned woman with braided hair. "Yes, my name is Alecia MacDonald. CTV Toronto News. Who is the young woman in the video with you?"

    A slow smile stretched across Aubrey's face. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Do you really think I'm going to answer that question? That shouldn't be the media's focus. The media's focus should be on how Graham Enterprises is performing as a company. I intend to try to keep my private life private - as much as I can, anyway. Next question."