𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘

September (2024)

Chapter Twenty | September (2024)

It was a whirlwind weekend for Honey and Joe as they jetted off to the bustling city of New York for a packed schedule of high-profile entertainment events.

Their first stop was the prestigious Bloomberg Power Players summit, where Joe and legendary wrestling manager Paul Heyman took the stage to discuss the meteoric rise of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and its plans for a major shift in the coming years.

As the symposium kicked off, Paul immediately commanded the audience's attention, opening with an impressive breakdown of WWE's financial performance.

He proudly cited a recent JohnWallStreet article that showed the company had doubled its profits since 2019 - a feat he credited to three key individuals.

First, Paul praised WWE President Nick Khan for his savvy business leadership, then highlighted Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque (also known as Triple H) for his creative vision. But the true star, according to Paul, was Joe himself - or as he referred to him, "the biggest box office attraction in sports entertainment history."

Indeed, Joe's rise to superstardom as the dominant WWE Champion, known by his ring name Roman Reigns, has been a major driver of the company's success. And the announcement of an even bigger milestone only further cemented his status - the landmark $5 billion deal to move WWE's flagship program, Monday Night Raw, to the Netflix streaming platform. Joe called it the "biggest deal ever" for the organization, marking a monumental shift after over 30 years on linear television.

With the move to Netflix, Joe and Paul discussed the potential for WWE's product to take on a more edgy, boundary-pushing tone. "There's gonna be a nice little range there that we can play with and push the envelope in certain senses," Joe mused. However, he was quick to emphasize the importance of staying true to WWE's core values and established culture. "But I think we need to stick to our values and morals that we set in place and the culture that we have now," he affirmed.

After the Bloomberg event, Honey and Joe made their way to another star-studded industry gathering - Billboard's 2024 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players celebration. Hundreds of high-profile artists, executives, and other luminaries from the music world descended upon the Times Square EDITION hotel for a night of networking, performances, and the presentation of prestigious awards.

Honey, herself an R&B/pop sensation songwriter who was starting to transition to singer, was on hand to support her manager, Rachelle Jean-Louis, who was honored as the 2024 Executive of the Year.

In a heartfelt speech, Honey became visibly emotional as she detailed Rachelle's enduring journey to the top of the industry, making sure to shout out her mother in the audience for the integral role she played in Honey's upbringing.

The event also featured the presentation of the coveted Artist of the Year awards, with Megan Thee Stallion and Playboi Carti taking home the honors. Other notable attendees included Offset, Kevin Liles, David Banner, Saint Jhn, NLE Choppa, and Sierra Lever - a true who's who of the current R&B and hip-hop landscape.

As the Billboard bash wound down, Honey and Joe shifted their focus to the final event on their agenda: the first of four electrifying nights that music icon Usher would be performing at Brooklyn's Barclays Center as part of his "Past Present Future" tour.

From the moment Usher took the stage, the energy in the arena was palpable, with the superstar seamlessly blending his classic hits with tracks from his recently released ninth studio album, "Coming Home."

Throughout the two-hour spectacle, Usher serenaded the audience with timeless songs like "U Remind Me," "Love in This Club," and "U Got It Bad." But the show truly reached a fever pitch when Usher invited some very special guests to join him onstage.

First, he welcomed actress Taraji P. Henson and City Girls rapper Yung Miami whose real name is Caresha, who danced and sang along as Usher performed his and Honey's new duet, the sultry R&B slow jam "Sunset."

The excitement only continued to build as Honey herself emerged, harmonizing with Usher as the two traded vocals on the sensual track. And just when the audience thought the surprises were over, Usher pulled out another ace, bringing out fellow New York icons Fat Joe and Ja Rule to perform a medley of their collaborative hits, including "Lean Back" and "What's Luv?"

At one point, the show even took on the vibe of a makeshift strip club, with a dancer and pole appearing on a small stage as Taraji, Caresha, and Honey enthusiastically threw fake $100 bills emblazoned with Usher's face into the air.

The crowd roared their approval, completely captivated by the electrifying spectacle unfolding before them.

As the night drew to a close, Honey and Joe undoubtedly left the Barclays Center feeling energized and inspired. They had witnessed firsthand the immense power and influence of the entertainment industry, from the business acumen of WWE's leaders to the unparalleled artistry of musical icons like Usher.

And for Honey, the experience was a testament to her growing stature in the industry, as she stood shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the biggest names in music, her star shining brighter than ever.