"Sometimes they grimy, speaking on they own people. They snake you if they have to, raised tattoos."
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Sitting on the black, plastic milk crate Nas watched Dave rehearse for his set. He would be one of the opening acts for his show. The first show would be in Philadelphia; it was close enough for him to be able to perform then head back home after. Kairi sat on his lap, a capri sun juice in one of her tightly clenched fists. Dave's voice echoed around the stadium, catching his daughter's attention, her eyes glued onto his tall body moving across the stage. Nas smirked at her, he remembered bringing his daughter on the road. The way she looked up at him in amazement was something he missed seeing in his children.
"My youngin just came from up north, he want to park shit. Tryna teach him something bout life and how we started. Lower class poverty, homies from jail calling me." Dave rhymed as he abruptly stopped turning around to face the sound engineer. "I'm hearing a lot of distortion in my earpiece. The sound is off, you gotta fix this T." Terrell nodded walking over to him taking the piece from his hands and disappearing off stage. Dave walked over to Nas and grabbed his daughter out his arms. Kairi smiled up at him grabbing onto his nose. "You ready for tonight?" Nasir asked him. This would be the first tour he would be on that involved him to cross state lines. The tour was a great chance for him to get exposure, he was on the grind taking as many shows as he could. He was stacking as much money as he could in case his court case didn't go as planned.
"Hell yeah, Imma lil nervous though." This was the first time he would be performing an album that had yet to be released. His first mixtape Hate Me Now got him the exposure he needed but now he was ready to go worldwide. He wanted to be as big as Nas, he craved that recognition. His goal was to become a household name, he didn't want to be known as the troublemaking, drug dealing youth from Harlem. He wanted to set a good example for his daughter, he wanted to be the kind of man his girlfriend would be proud to have. He was taking all the lessons Nas was giving him and internalizing them to better his craft. "They gone love you. Long as you stay true to the words you spittin' they gone gravitate to it."
Louie was walking around snapping images of people assembling equipment. Turning towards the woman on his left he nodded to the two men conversing. "Go over and get that." The woman looked at him unsure, "Their conversation looks kinda private." Louie rolled his eyes, she was a newbie to his company. He hated to repeat himself, especially to people he signed a check for. She would be shadowing him for the week he had agreed to assist Ashanti with her 'project'. Snatching the video camera out her hand he pushed the Nikon into her chest, "Can you handle this then?" He sneered. The woman nodded wide eyed before turning and going backstage to snap photos of the clothing the designer had sent over for Nas to wear.
Hopping off the stage Louie squatted down and pointed the camera into their direction; the newcomer caused the men to halt their conversation and stare at Louie. "Who this?" Dave asked. Louie momentarily froze at the matching screwed up faces both him and his child had. "I'm Louie, Ashanti asked me to help out while she's on vacation." Louie said adjusting the lens to fit them all into the shot. Dave nodded and looked back to Nas, Kairi was still looking across at him now sipping her juice. "What's your preshow routines?" Louie asked still aiming the lens onto the two men, "Schmoking!" Dave yelled making Kairi jump then laugh at his voice. Nas rubbed his hands together, "I listen to music, get a massage, eat a good meal. By the time I'm on stage I'm comfortable ready to give my all."
