The Come Up

Chapter 35 - Cursive

"She's done it again, Tony. Both Chanel's freestyles are in the top 5 most played songs on iTunes, and the new single Cursive is spreading through the streets like fire." Radio DJ, Sylvie speaks on Hot 99. 

The van bobs and glides with the road and Devin sits next to me with a pleased smile on his face. One a little bigger than mine. 

"Straight out of Brownsville, always knew Brooklyn held the most talented." Tony responds. 

"Hell yea." I speak excited under my breath.  

Blaco is in the back dealing with paper work I've been told not to worry about, he's also been on the phone with different radio DJs who have been trying to interview me since Pop Off Freestyle got the buzz. 

The two stop talking and the beginning of Cursive starts up for the third time in the last hour. I quickly go to my snapchat and hit record as the excitement steadies itself through my veins. 

I click the large button on the bottom of the screen and scream as loud as I can. 

"I'm on the radio Mama, I made it!" I laugh. 

I let go of the recording button and it plays back. I post it to the 50,000 snapchat fans and continue dancing to Cursive. 

The mixture of conscience rap and old school hip hop felt so natural to me. I was pleased to have it as the single, especially considering there were three other songs I created that didn't even come close to this one. People accepted the simplicity of it and Flex made the beat while Mac mixed and mastered it. I didn't know it would get this reaction from people so fast. 

The mixtape is well on the way to being legendary. 

"That beat is insane man, everything you needed." Devin comments as the song dies down to an end.

"I know, Flex went hard." I shriek. 

I've made a lot of money the last few days, mostly from the Pop Off Freestyle streaming. Every time I look at my bank account, another thousand dollars gets added. I send some money to Ma and Trevon's family when I can, Blaco and Atlantic Records profit a god percentage of it. 

My stomach grumbles and the van bobs as it rides over possibly a small animal. 

"Yo, where are we going again? Cause I feel like we just driving  deep into the mountains." I say sipping my water. "Black people don't be in these parts."

"You have a small performance at a legendary place called Cooley's. Do the freestyles and Cursive and then we will head out. This is easy money and exposure." Blaco says patiently. He had probably explained this to me twice already. 

I've never heard of Cooley's but everyone else in the car did and they were visibly excited to go. 

I'm suppose to be opening up for an alternative rap band called Purple Kush. I feel that we have been driving for close to two hours and not only am I starving but my bladder was struggling against it's capacity. 

I squeeze my thighs together.

"I remember when I used to get that response." Devin says quietly. 

"What?" I ask annoyed. "Me almost pissing myself?" 

He  shakes his head. "Never mind." 

"Good cause you sound crazy." I chuckle. 

"Here." Big says as he pulls the van into a large parking lot. The place is huge. It takes some time for my eyes to adjust to the darkness outside but I realize that we are at a University.