Fireworks 3 and 4

Chapter Thirty-Seven

    Award shows felt like glamorous high school reunions. People who couldn't stand each other once upon a time blowing each other air kisses or giving each other daps or fist bumps to greet each other. Industry politics were seamlessly weaved in and out of conversations, or avoided by those who'd rather not play by the rules. You had the stars who wanted to be in front of all of the cameras, regardless of the politics they had the play, and the stars who hid in the bathrooms with their flasks in tow, until it was absolutely necessary for them to be seen.

    Even if you tried to keep to yourself, someone else would spot you, squeal your name, and make the biggest deal out of greeting you - as if you were long-lost friends who needed to catch up. All done for the sake of cameras. Publicity, publicity, publicity. There was no business like show business.

    Donning a chic, fun little black dress designed by Christian Soriano, Mia made a beeline for her assigned seat.

    "Mia!" A loud female voice called out.

    Mia twisted around in her seat and laughed at the teetering Dominican princess making her way over. "Cardi, oh my God."

    "I had to come over and say hi," Cardi B. said, hugging her. "Us bitches have to stick together, you know?"

    "Your album was so dope," Mia gushed, hugging Cardi back. "I think you shocked a lot of people."

    Cardi grinned as she pulled back from the hug. Her dark hair was pulled up into a high pony. "I tried to take my time wit it you know? Like...I knew people were going to try to come for me if I gave them some sub-par shit. I wanted to surprise them, to show them that I can hold my own."

    "You definitely did that."

    "You're one to talk, bitch, that last hit you put out?" Cardi wiped her brow. "Let's just say that jam almost had me and Offset working on baby number two."

    Mia laughed and shook her head. "When are we working together, girl?"

    "You know how to reach me, so stop playing," Cardi said, pointing at her as some industry random approached her. Cardi frowned. "Don't you see I'm talking to my bitch? Interrupting a conversation over what?"

    "We will talk later," Mia said, raising her hands in a defensive gesture. "It's all good."

    "Call me, bitch!" Cardi called over her shoulder.

    Big Sean leaned forward and tapped Mia on the shoulder. "There's something you don't see in the hip hop industry too often," he remarked, much to his girlfriend Jhene's amusement.

    "What's that?" Mia asked him.

    "Females uplifting each other," he replied, leaning back in his seat.

    Mia smiled and turned around to face the stage. "Well, this is the dawn of a new fucking day," she said as the lights dimmed.

~~~~~~

    "Here at the MTV Music Awards, we've introduced two new categories," Jared Leto announced, effortlessly reading off of a teleprompter. "They are the Best Male Rap/Sung category and Best Female Rap/Sung category. These categories were created to highlight the artists who are able to seamlessly showcase skills in both the rapping and singing arenas. There is one well-known male rapper who made rapping and singing his trademark."

    Mia shifted uneasily in her seat.

    "A well-known male rapper who never shows the hell up," someone muttered under their breath.

    "It's true," Jared said with a half-shrug. "This particular rapper is someone we don't get to see often here at the MTV Music Awards. He decided to make an exception this year, though. And he had a few things he wanted to get off his ch-you know what? I'll just let him tell it. Introducing to you, the man who has already won tonight's award for Best Male Rap/Sung: Drizzy Drake."