Unapologetically Me

A Silenced Gift

© 2017 D.S. Little

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. Copyright law.

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Jericho

"Run that back." I told my engineer Brendan Powell and producer, Richie Beats. "I need to hear that one again." I closed my eyes as the track began to play with my raw lyrics laced over the driving beat. Something was missing but I couldn't figure out if it was something in the actual track or if it was my hook or my lyrics in general.

"It's not there yet." I said when the song finished playing.

"I think the hook needs something.'" Richie said into my headphones. Richie had been with me since I started rapping and produced most of my beats. I loved working with him because he was just as hungry as I was. He was from the Bronx and girls found his mix of Puerto Rican and Black to be irresistible.

With my pad in front of me I began to go over what I felt was missing. As we began to change some of the lyrics I looked up when I heard other voices in the studio. When I saw Nas, I immediately removed my headphones and stepped out of the booth.

"Yo!" I said giving the legendary rapper and my mentor, dap and a hug.

"I heard you was making some fire in here and I came to check it out." He told me.

"Trying to." I told him sitting down in one of the open chairs. "Aye, start that over."

Brendan pressed a few buttons and then we all began to nod our heads as the new song I was working on began to play. I looked over at Nas. His eyes were closed as if he was trying to fully digest every lyric in the song.

Nas was my favorite emcee of all time and to be discovered by him was still a dream I couldn't believe came true. To have his stamp of approval meant more than any amount of record sales I had.

When the song finished Nas opened his eyes. "Son, that's it right there."

"I feel like it's not there yet." I told him rubbing my beard.

"Lyrically, you killed it." Nas said with a nod. "The only thing I can see you messin with is that hook, but leave the rest of it alone." He began to laugh. "Shit, I might have to jump on that track with a verse."

"You already know!" I told him not trying to get too excited about it.

No matter how hard you were, when you were in the same room with someone you looked up to, you couldn't help but turn into a kid. If he wanted a verse on every song on my record I would be cool with that. That's how much my love for Nas was!

"How's the rest of the album?" He asked nodding at the board.

"I wanna add bout four more tracks, but it's pretty much done."

"Let me hear something else." Nas said leaning his standing body against the long table. Brendan began to play track after track for Nas and he gave me notes after each one.

"What you thinking for the title?" Nas asked sitting down in the chair next to me.

"I was thinking Jaren vs. Jericho." I told him plainly.

"Aite, explain to me what that means to you. You know you're not the first to do an album like that."

"To me, Jericho is the lyrical genius who made it and Jaren is that ballplayer and hustler who is still grinding to make it." I explained.