Fireworks 3 and 4

Fireworks: Forever Chapter Eight

    "How are you holding up with everything I've told you?"

    Mia wanted to laugh out loud. How was she was holding up? She was barely able to keep herself upright. Throughout the duration of her career, she'd kept tabs on how to be a bad bitch, how to be a boss bitch. The wind knocked a bit out of her sails when she realized that there were powers that be controlling some of the biggest stars like puppets. "I'm...I'm managing."

    Drake continued staring at her, trying to gauge her real response. He was smart enough to know that no one just managed information like the bomb he'd dropped on her. "You don't have any questions for me? Not one?"

    "You didn't answer the question I've already asked you," she pointed out. "Which was, what favors have they asked of you?"

    He turned his head and stared straight ahead. 

    "A part B to that first question is, you're really going to allow them to maneuver SZA and place her smackdab in the middle of our relationship? Do you really think that's wise, considering the fact that we've already been to hell and back?" The moment she saw him open his mouth, she raised an index finger into the air. "Address the first question before you try to attack the second."

    "In the beginning, the things they wanted were suggestions," he started slowly, still staring straight ahead. "They'd say things like, 'Do you know what would be cool? If you and Nicki were an item. You're on the same label, you have the same mentor, you're touring together. Putting you two together would be easy and it would be epic.' Little did they know, I was already crushing on her at the time. Already flirting with her and trying my hand at..." He glanced at Mia out the corner of his eye and thought twice about finishing that statement. "Anyway, little things like that made sense. It was a boatload of free press. The same voices got in her head, too. Gave her a bit of a complex. They would tell her how beautiful she was, but didn't she think she'd be even more beautiful if she had more curves? She was perfectly fine the way she was. Literally, fine as hell the way she was. But these guys...they just have a way of planting these seeds in your head that fuck with you."

    Disgusted, Mia held her tongue. 

    "There have been so many naturally beautiful women who were made to feel less than, because of these little whispers in their ears. Just a little hint suggesting that they weren't good enough as God made them. The public knows the complex this industry can give women...what might not be quite as clear, is that those same insecurities can fester in the men as well. I came into the industry as I was, this lightskinned kid with an acting background. A dorky kid who had a bit of a glow-up." He chuckled to himself. "Here they'd come in my ear again, talking about how I was a good-looking guy. Don't be ashamed of it. Lean into that. If it wasn't image shit, it was strong suggestions as to other artists I should collaborate with. Initially, the artists were new to the same label. The label just wanted them to get some press, some word-of-mouth. Anyone who worked with me seemed to get a little bit of recognition and these guys keep a roster of the most influential artists and entertainers. When they have an artist or product they want to push on the public, they access that list to see who they should assign the task of promoting that artist or product."

    "And you didn't tell me these things earlier because you thought you were protecting me?"

    "It's wild - there come points in my career where I finally feel like I've reached a level of stardom where they can't touch me," he stated. "For the past few years, they've left me alone. They were still strongly encouraging other artists to do their bidding, but they stopped suggesting shit and just let me do me. This has happened a few times in my career, where they leave me alone. I assume it's because they know I have a certain amount of power and influence, so they have no choice but to let me do me. Then here they come after years of silence, with a new set of instructions. This time, I thought I'd really reached that level. There was no pressing need to tell you about that side of the industry and without a pressing need, I thought it better to keep you out of that mix." With a sigh, he stood from the bed. "To this day, I feel guilt for not protecting Nicki more. They really had her going through it, and then she'd step onto a stage and perform the same night after having to hear their bullshit. I should have gone to bat for her. Back then, I figured I was too much of a nobody to make a difference. Wayne had our backs when he could, but he can only do so much when it comes to these guys. These guys own the industry, baby - and not just this industry. The way it was explained to me, the economy is this huge, complex machine that works together in intricate ways. If one of those industries experiences a huge upset, that could cause the rest of the economy to topple or cave in on itself. Most products that we look around at, are made to have a failure point. Cars are made to fail. Are we capable of manufacturing cars who barely need any service at all? Yes. Will we make them anytime soon? No. Why? Because the economy relies on auto parts and mechanics and auto service companies. The entertainment industry is experiencing some upset, with a higher number of artists wanting to remain independent. The guys sitting at the top seem to be doing everything in their power to slow that upset."

    "You've promoted independent artists and worked with them," she reminded him. "You've featured them on your radio show, you've done features for them."

    A sad smile curved his lips. "I love the concept of independent art," he said. "Art untouched and unblemished by capitalism. Art in its raw form, as the artist intended. You introduce business into the mix and all sorts of adjustments begin to happen. A singer wants to drop an original song, but the label believes the lyrics won't appeal to the masses. The lyrics must change. The singer is too talented and people won't be able to competently sing along at concerts or karaoke events. It's suggested that the singer scale down the vocals a bit, make them more 'accessible.' Easier for everyone to sing. Not everyone is meant to be Mariah Carey, even if you have the vocals to back it up. We only need one Mariah Carey per label, per quarter dropping music. They break everything down and bastardize it until the point when that original piece of art is no longer recognizable. So, it's like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. I love original art and want to support it until my dying breath, but I'm also an artist signed to a label. As an artist signed to a label, I agreed to certain contract conditions. Because I'm an artist signed to a label, it's in my best interests for that label to do well. As a human being who prefers to remain alive, it's in my best interests for that label to do well."

    "Do you really think they'd hurt you if you didn't give them what they wanted?"

    He gave her a long look. "I miss the days when I didn't know who these men were, the days when I didn't understand just how vile people could be. But the type of men we're talking about? They'd hurt me for the fun of it because they could, whether I give them what they want or not. That is the reality of who we're dealing with, which is why to answer your Part B question..."

    She was already shaking her head before he continued the statement.

    "We have no choice, babe. We have to let them maneuver who they want to maneuver. If they've given me a script to act out, I'm going to act it out. It would be my suggestion to you, that you do the same."