章 68: Post
As the Austin sun climbed higher in the sky, Arell stood before a mirror in a high-end boutique, adjusting the collar of his newly chosen navy blazer. The events of the previous night - the thumping bass of Club Nouveau, the blur of faces and handshakes - felt distant now, replaced by a sharp focus on the day ahead.
He paired the blazer with a white t-shirt, dark jeans, and Jordans. A silver chain glinted at his neck, completing the look that walked the line between casual and professional.
Geoffrey appeared at his side, nodding his approval. "Time to go."
They stepped out into the warm Texas morning. A sleek black 2013 BMW 7 Series waited for them at the curb, Craig Kallman's choice of rental gleaming under the sunlight.
Arell's eyes widened slightly as he took in the car. He slid into the passenger seat, the leather cool against his skin.
As Geoffrey navigated through the bustling streets towards the convention center, Arell found his thoughts drifting to the car. "I need one of these," he said, more to himself than to Geoffrey.
His manager's eyes remained fixed on the road, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Let's see how SXSW goes first."
Arell shifted in his seat, the leather creaking softly beneath him. He turned to Geoffrey, his mind shifting from the car to the business at hand. "How's it going with those new signings we've been talking about?"
Geoffrey kept his eyes on the road, weaving through the Austin traffic with ease. "Becalis flew back to New York yesterday," he said. "Her lawyer's going over the contract now. Should hear back in a few days."
Arell nodded, drumming his fingers on the armrest. "What about those other two we discussed? Cochise and... what was his name again?"
"Juice World," Geoffrey supplied. "I've managed to track them both down. Cochise is promising - raw talent but needs some polishing. Juice WRLD, though..." He paused, a hint of excitement creeping into his voice. "That kid's something special."
"For real?" Arell leaned forward, intrigued. "You think we can get them?"
Geoffrey shrugged, navigating a turn. "It's early days. I'm working on setting up meetings, feeling out their interest."
The convention center loomed ahead, a complex of glass and steel. Geoffrey pulled into the VIP parking area, the BMW's engine purring to a stop. As they stepped out, the Texas heat hit them like a wall.
The plaza in front of the center was a sea of people - tech enthusiasts in graphic tees, suited executives, and everything in between. The air buzzed with excitement, punctuated by the occasional whir of a drone overhead or the beep of some new gadget being demonstrated.
Arell and Geoffrey made their way through the crowd, their VIP passes granting them swift access to the main building. Inside, the noise level dropped, replaced by the hum of air conditioning and the murmur of sophisticated conversation.
The interior was a maze of exhibition halls and conference rooms. Sleek displays showcased the latest in AI, VR, and technologies Arell couldn't even begin to name. He found his head swiveling, trying to take it all in.
"Man, this is wild," he muttered to Geoffrey. "Feels like I stepped into the future or something."
Geoffrey nodded, consulting the event map on his phone. "Elon's keynote is in the main auditorium. This way."
They navigated through the throng, occasionally stopping as someone recognized Arell. Geoffrey fielded most of these interactions smoothly, keeping them moving towards their destination.
The main auditorium was already filling up as they arrived. Rows upon rows of seats faced a large stage, dominated by an enormous screen. The crowd here was a mix of tech industry bigwigs, journalists, and a smattering of celebrities - Arell even spotted a few familiar faces from the music world.
Geoffrey led them to a reserved section near the front, where they found their seats. As they settled in, Arell leaned back, taking in the atmosphere.
"You think Elon's gonna announce something big?" Arell asked, his voice low.
Geoffrey shrugged. "Who knows with him? Could be a new Tesla model, could be plans to colonize Mars. That's why everyone's here - you never know what you're going to get."
As the seats around them filled up, Arell found himself fidgeting. He was used to being on stage, being the center of attention. But here, he was just another face in the crowd, waiting to be amazed. It was a novel feeling, and not an unpleasant one.
As the auditorium lights dimmed, a hush fell over the crowd. The massive screen flickered to life, displaying a sleek SpaceX logo. A moment later, Elon Musk strode onto the stage, dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans. The audience erupted in applause.
"Thank you, thank you," Elon said, waving to the crowd. "It's great to be here at SXSW. We've got some exciting announcements today, but first, let's talk about the future of transportation."
For the next hour, Elon detailed Tesla's plans for expanding its Supercharger network and unveiled a prototype of the Model X SUV. He then shifted gears to SpaceX, discussing the company's progress on reusable rockets.
As Elon spoke, Geoffrey leaned close to Arell, his voice low. "See the guy three rows ahead? Gray hair, blue blazer? That's Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari."
Arell looked intrigued. "I have no idea who or what that is."
Geoffrey chuckled. "And over there," he pointed discreetly, "that's Felicia Day. You know, from 'The Guild'?"
Arell squinted, trying to make out faces in the dim light. "Hmm, no idea who that is either."
On stage, Elon was building to his big announcement. "Now, I know many of you have been wondering about our plans for sustainable energy beyond transportation. Today, I'm excited to introduce Tesla Energy."
The screen behind him changed to show a sleek, wall-mounted battery. "This is the Powerwall," Elon explained. "A rechargeable lithium-ion battery designed to store energy at a residential level for load shifting, backup power, and self-consumption of solar power generation."
As Elon delved into the technical specifications, Arell leaned towards Geoffrey. "You getting all this?"
Geoffrey nodded, his eyes still on the stage. "It's big. This could change how we think about energy consumption in homes."
Elon continued, "The Powerwall comes in 10kWh weekly cycle and 7kWh daily cycle models. Both are guaranteed for ten years and are sufficient to power most homes during peak evening hours."
As the presentation went on, Geoffrey kept pointing out notable attendees to Arell. "There's Kevin Rose, the Digg founder. And I think that's Alexis Ohanian from Reddit a few rows back."
As Elon wrapped up his presentation, the auditorium erupted in applause once more. "Thank you all," Elon said. "We'll be demonstrating the Powerwall in the exhibition hall. I hope you'll all stop by."
As the lights came up and people began to file out, Geoffrey turned to Arell. "Ready to do some networking?"
Arell nodded, straightening his blazer. "Let's do this."
They made their way into the bustling hallway outside the auditorium. Geoffrey spotted a familiar face and steered Arell towards him. "Pete Cashmore, founder of Mashable," he murmured to Arell before making introductions.
"Mr. Pete Cashmore," Geoffrey said, shaking the man's hand. "This is Arell, an up-and-coming artist I'm managing."
Pete smiled politely, shaking Arell's hand. "Nice to meet you. Enjoying SXSW?"
"Yeah, man, it's great," Arell replied. "Never seen anything like it."
Pete nodded, his eyes already scanning the crowd. "Well, enjoy the rest of the conference," he said, before drifting away to speak with someone else.
Geoffrey and Arell continued to work the room. They had a brief chat with Gary Vaynerchuk, who seemed more interested in talking about his wine business than Arell's music. Amanda Palmer, the musician and Kickstarter pioneer, engaged them in a lively discussion about crowdfunding in the arts.
Not every interaction went smoothly. When they approached Steve Wozniak, the Apple co-founder was deep in conversation with a group of developers and barely acknowledged their presence. Similarly, when Arell tried to strike up a conversation with YouTube star iJustine, she smiled politely but quickly excused herself to take a phone call.
As they made their way towards the exhibition hall, Arell's excitement was tinged with a hint of frustration. "Man, it's tough out here," he said to Geoffrey. "Some of these people don't even want to give you the time of day."
Geoffrey patted him on the shoulder. "Welcome to the industry. Here, you're small fish in a very big pond. But don't worry, we're not here for them. We're here to learn, to see what's coming next. That's how we stay ahead of the game."
Arell nodded, taking a deep breath. "You're right. So, what's next?"
They moved through a few more events, attending various panels and discussions. Each session left Arell feeling more inspired but also more aware of the immense competition in the tech and music worlds. The presentations on cutting-edge VR, AI advancements, and the future of social media were fascinating, but after a while, the hustle and bustle of the conference started to wear on them.
Geoffrey glanced at his watch. "How about we take a break? There's another venue nearby with live performances. Might be a good change of pace."
Arell agreed, and they made their way to a smaller, more intimate venue on the outskirts of the main conference area. The atmosphere here was more relaxed, with a mix of people lounging on couches and standing near the bar, enjoying the music. The stage was modest, with a simple setup and dim lighting that gave the room a cozy, laid-back vibe.
As they settled into a spot with a good view of the stage, a series of pop and indie artists performed, each bringing their unique sound. Arell found himself enjoying the variety, appreciating the talent and passion of the musicians.
Then, a young white guy with cornrows took the stage. He had an easy confidence about him, wearing a loose-fitting shirt and jeans. Arell raised an eyebrow. "Most white people can't pull off cornrows, but he looks good with it."
The guy introduced himself as Post Malone and started performing a song called "White Iverson." The smooth, catchy beat filled the room, and Arell was immediately hooked. The lyrics resonated with him, and he found himself nodding along:
"Saucin', saucin', I'm saucin' on you
I'm swaggin', I'm swaggin', I'm swaggin' oh ooh
I'm ballin', I'm ballin', Iverson on you..."
As the song continued, Arell leaned over to Geoffrey. "Who is this? He's got something."
Geoffrey pulled out his phone and quickly looked up Post Malone. "Says here he's got one song out. This one. 'White Iverson.' It's got 6k views on YouTube."
Arell's eyes lit up. "We need to sign him."
Geoffrey looked surprised. "You sure? He's pretty new."
"Man, his voice," Arell said, shaking his head in admiration. "It's got this... I don't know, this raw quality to it. But smooth at the same time, you know? And the way he blends genres - it's fresh."
Geoffrey nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "You're right. There's something there. His stage presence isn't bad either, especially for someone so new to the game."
Arell turned to Geoffrey. "We gotta talk to him."
Geoffrey hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, let's go meet him. But remember, we're just feeling things out for now. No promises."
They made their way towards the backstage area, flashing their VIP passes to the security guard. As they approached, they could hear excited voices and laughter. Post Malone was surrounded by a small group of friends, all of them riding the high of the performance.
As Arell and Geoffrey drew near, Post looked up, his eyes widening slightly in recognition. "Hey, you're Arell, right?" he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Man, I loved you're disstracks."
Arell felt a surge of pride at being recognized. "Thanks, man. That means a lot. Your performance was fire. 'White Iverson' - that's a hit right there."
Post's grin widened. "Thanks, bro. Means a lot coming from you." He turned to his friends. "Guys, this is Arell."
One of Post's friends, a tall guy with an easy smile, stepped forward. "I'm Jason DeFord, but everyone calls me Poo Bear. I helped Post with some of the production on White Iverson."
Another friend, a shorter guy with a snapback, introduced himself as Rex Kudo. "I worked on the beat," he explained.
Geoffrey stepped forward, extending his hand. "I'm Geoffrey, Arell's manager. That was quite a performance you put on, Post. How long have you been making music?"
Post ran a hand through his cornrows, looking a bit sheepish. "Man, I've been messing around with music since I was a kid, but I only started taking it seriously a couple years ago. White Iverson - that's my first real track."
Arell's eyebrows shot up. "For real? That's impressive, man. What got you into music in the first place?"
Post's eyes lit up. "Oh man, where do I even start? I grew up listening to all kinds of stuff. My dad was big into country, so I got a lot of that. But then I discovered hip-hop, and it was like a whole new world opened up. Guys like 50 Cent, Kanye, they really inspired me to start making my own stuff."
Geoffrey nodded, his interest clearly piqued. "And where do you see yourself going with your music? What are your aspirations?"
Post looked thoughtful for a moment. "I want to make music that breaks boundaries, you know? I don't want to be boxed into one genre. I want to blend styles, create something new. And honestly? I want to make it big. I want my music to reach people all over the world."
Arell and Geoffrey exchanged a look. There was an ambition and a raw talent here that was hard to ignore.
"Well," Geoffrey said, his tone carefully neutral, "have you thought about signing with a label? Getting some professional management behind you?"
Post's eyes widened, darting between Arell and Geoffrey. "I mean, yeah, that's the dream. But I don't have an agent or a manager or anything. It's just been me and my boys so far." He gestured to Poo Bear and Rex.
Arell leaned in, his voice low and intense. "Look, man. I think you've got something special here. We'd be interested in signing you."
The excitement in Post's eyes was unmistakable, but there was a hint of caution too. "For real? Like, this isn't some kind of joke?"
Geoffrey stepped in, his tone reassuring. "It's not a joke. We're very interested. Of course, there would be a lot to discuss - contracts, terms, all of that. But we believe in your talent, and we think we could help take your career to the next level."
Post looked at his friends, who were nodding encouragingly. "Man, this is... this is huge. I mean, I want it. I definitely want it. But I don't know anything about contracts or negotiations or any of that stuff."
Arell put a hand on Post's shoulder. "Don't worry about that right now. We're just starting the conversation. Take some time, think it over. Maybe talk to a lawyer if you want. We're not trying to pressure you into anything."
Post nodded, still looking a bit dazed. "Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. Man, I can't believe this is happening. I mean, I hoped something like this would happen someday, but I never thought it would be so soon."
Geoffrey pulled out a business card and handed it to Post. "Here's my contact information. Take a few days, talk it over with your friends and family. When you're ready, give me a call, and we can start discussing the details."
As they said their goodbyes and started to walk away, Arell could hear Post and his friends excitedly discussing what had just happened. He turned to Geoffrey, a smile on his face. "I think we might have just found our next big star."
Geoffrey nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Could be. But remember, there's still a long way to go. Signing is just the beginning. We'll need to work hard to develop his talent, build his brand, get his music out there."
Arell's smile widened. "I know. But that's the exciting part, isn't it? Taking raw talent and helping it grow into something amazing."
Geoffrey shot him an amused glance. "You're still developing, yourself."
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Released the first chap of my new novel, navigate using the message from my profile, if need be
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