Chương 41: Performing
I was taught to never snitch, stayin' true to my knowledge."
As T.I's voice boomed loudly throughout the Tabernacle, Arell nodded along to the beat, feeling the thrum of the bass in his chest. He glanced at Adolph, who was checking his setlist and talking strategy with their crew.
T.I. had requested more time on stage and since Arell was practically the newbie here, they decided to to cut his set down from six songs to four, which meant he had to do last minute changing to his track list.
Arell adjusted his mic and turned to Adolph. "So, I'm starting with Loyalty Ties, then Blue Balenciagas, I'll do one of my songs, Who's This Girl, and finish with Slimed In."
Adolph nodded, his gold chains catching the light. "Yeah, I just listened to Slimed In, it has that trap vibe, so it'll transition good into my set. I'm thinking I'll kick it off with Preach. That should keep the energy high."
Arell extended his hand, and Adolph grasped it in a firm, reassuring dap. "Good luck, man," Arell said.
"You too, bro." Adolph replied, a confident smile on his face.
Arell made his way over to Geoffrey, who was waiting nearby. Geoffrey placed both hands on Arell's shoulders, looking him squarely in the eyes. "You ready?" Geoffrey asked, his voice steady and calming.
Arell took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "I'm nervous," he admitted.
Geoffrey's expression softened into an encouraging smile. "Good. That means you care. Now, let's do a quick breathing exercise to center you."
Geoffrey guided Arell through the exercise, his voice calm and measured. "Close your eyes. Inhale slowly through your nose, hold it for a count of four, then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat."
Arell followed the instructions, feeling his heartbeat begin to slow and his mind clear with each breath. The noise of the backstage faded into the background as he focused on the simple rhythm of his breathing.
"Good," Geoffrey said, his hands still steady on Arell's shoulders. "Remember, this is your moment. You've worked hard for this. Go out there and show them what you've got."
Arell opened his eyes. "Thanks, Geoffrey. I needed that."
Geoffrey gave his shoulders a final squeeze. "Anytime. Now, go kill it."
As Arell turned back towards the stage, T.I. was wrapping up his set, the crowd's cheers growing louder with each passing moment. The stage crew moved quickly, preparing for Arell's performance. The intro to "Loyalty Ties" began to play, and Arell felt the familiar surge of adrenaline.
This was it.
Arell took a deep breath, feeling the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
He stepped onto the stage, greeted by a wave of curious yet subdued faces. The spotlight hit him, and for a brief second, everything seemed to stand still. Then, the music took over.
Arell rose the mic to his mouth, his voice steady.
"This loyalty ain't for show, blood thicker than the automatic, For my brother I'm gon' spin, yeah, get them racks and we gon' win, yeah."
"I be on the dark side of the road, to many stories untold, Ocean waves crashin' outside, can't drown the noise in my head."
"Same damn thoughts on repeat, like a record left for dead, it's a hollow victory, a victory lap runnin' all alone."
"This pressure's got me tweakin', paranoia to the bone…Sipping lean to numb the ache, no…, the drugs ain't helpin' no one."
"Lost in a world of expectations, where the party's never been fun. Lost in a plastic world, where the real feels like a loan, Trapped in the System's matrix, but used to be stuck to that code."
"You touch my circle, my tribe, the ones who feel the same love for me? this Draco singin' soprano, leaven' your whole block in flames."
"Spinnin' out of control, yeah, this world ain't the same. My head poundin' like a bassline, need some clarity to gain."
The crowd listened attentively, their initial reservation beginning to melt away as Arell became more expressive.
As he continued, he looked out at the sea of faces. Some were nodding along, others were starting to groove to the beat. He could feel the energy building. The more he gave, the more the crowd responded.
"Spin the world, spin the world, spin the world," he chanted. "Retaliation ain't a phantom, Catch 'em slippin' that's my anthem, leave 'em drownin' in the static, that boy gon' turn to a phantom!"
Arell spat the lines with conviction, his movements becoming more fluid.
As he continued with "Loyalty Ties," he could feel the shift happening. Faces that were once curious and reserved now reflected the energy he was pouring into his performance. The audience was nodding along, their bodies swaying to the rhythm.
He looked out at the sea of faces, making eye contact with individuals, feeding off their energy. The connection was palpable, and the crowd's response grew more enthusiastic with each verse he delivered. By the time he reached the chorus again, the audience was chanting along with him.
"Spin the world, spin the world, spin the world," he chanted, and the crowd echoed back. "Retaliation ain't a phantom, catch 'em slippin' that's my anthem, leave 'em drownin' in the static, that boy gon' turn to a phantom!"
As Loyalty Ties echoed through the venue, he seamlessly transitioned into "Blue Balenciagas." The familiar beat dropped and those who knew the song cheered loudly, while others quickly caught onto the infectious rhythm.
Arell began to walk around the stage.
"I caught an opp, now I got blood on blue Balenciagas, up that forty, let that pistol sing a melody."
Arell's confidence soared higher as he delivered each line. The audience responded with equal enthusiasm, their cheers and chants filling the space between his words. He had successfully won them over, and as he moved into the chorus, the entire venue seemed to vibrate.
As "Blue Balenciagas" reached its peak, Arell felt the audience fully in sync with his performance. He had made his mark, and now it was time to take things up a notch. The lights dimmed slightly, and the intro to his next song began to play.
The beat started with the pulsating rhythm, of You Don't Know Me by Armand Van Helden. The crowd's anticipation grew as many recognized the sample.
Arell's voice cut through the music, smooth and confident, "Sunshine in the studio, blinds wide open."
"Got that summer vibe flowin', yeah, the mood is smokin'"
"Got trips I done planned for the whole weekend."
"My baby never going nowhere modest."
"I be fresh as hell that's why she want it."
The beat seamlessly transitioned into the regular Who's This Girl rhythm, maintaining the infectious groove of the sample. The blend of the two tracks created a fresh, electrifying sound that had the crowd instantly hooked.
Arell moved across the stage, the lights flashed in sync with the beat, illuminating his every move.
"Huh, Ice on my body, I got the cutter."
"Baby want cutter, Baby want soul, but it's too much for her to handle on her own."
"I be on my own…"
"Lost without you, baby, guidance in your grasp."
"Its a late night, relax and just have a blast."
"Jet lag city, yeah, I'm always on the dash."
"But when I'm with you, baby, time just seems to pass."
"Before I die, I'm tryna cuff you, baby, for real." He noticed he gradually become more comfortable rapping in high notes.
"Hopin' we don't have no babies, just keep it how we feel"
"Don't even wanna go back home, escape's the only thrill."
"But if you leave me, baby, my heart gone spill." The audience was fully engaged, their hands in the air, singing along to every word.
The chorus hit, and Arell's voice slowed, becoming more emotive. "Yeah, lost in the darkness, baby, guidance in your eyes," he sang, his delivery slow and heartfelt. "The whispers of the devils, they only bring lies. Built a name from nothin', yeah, the struggle never dies. Baby I need your love, tonight I'm tryna rest."
The crowd joined in, their voices blending with his, creating a powerful, unified sound. Arell could see multiple people in the audience holding up their phone lights, swaying with the music. The sight was exhilarating, and for a moment, everything seemed to drown out.
As the chorus repeated, the crowd's voices grew louder, more confident. "Yeah, lost in the darkness, baby, guidance in your eyes. The whispers of the devils, they only bring lies. Built a name from nothin', yeah, the struggle never dies. Baby I need your love, tonight I'm tryna rest."
As the song came to a close, the crowd erupted into applause and cheers. Arell stood at the center of the stage, taking in the moment.
He took a moment to look out at the sea of faces, illuminated by phone lights, feeling a profound sense of accomplishment.
He raised his hand to signal for quiet, and the crowd gradually settled. "Y'all came to get turnt, so I'ma get y'all turnt!" Arell shouted, his voice full of energy. The crowd erupted into cheers, their excitement building even higher.
The stage lights dimmed, and a dark, menacing beat began to pulse through the speakers. The beat for "Slimed In" started that set an intense, trap vibe.
"Shout out Young Thug!" he exclaimed, his voice resonating with respect.
"I'm just on some slime shit," Young Thug's voice said, the beat still building. "I'm back on that slime stuff, you know what I'm sayin'? I don't care nothin' 'bout this superstardom shit, you know what I'm sayin'? Yeah, yeah. That's on God."
The crowd immediately recognized Young Thug's voice and erupted into cheers. As the drums kicked in, the menacing beat hit harder, driving the energy to a new level.
Arell transitioned into his own lyrics. " Yeah, yeah. All my hoes gettin' slimed in. Niggas ain't on no slimy shit. All my hoes from Thailand. Ho know a nigga got a water wrist."
"All my hoes in the widebody. Pick my ho up in the widebody. Eat it right up and don't cry 'bout it. All my hoes get time out."
The dark, trap beat pulsed through the venue, syncing with the crowd's energy.
The crowd was fully immersed in the performance, their cheers and chants filling the air between Arell's lines. "White on your toes, that's good manners. Chanaynay black, goin' bandana. All my hoes take the whole thing. High-top Maybach, cocaine."
As "Slimed In" progressed, Arell felt the crowd's energy surge with each beat. The dark, trap vibe had taken hold, and the audience was fully immersed in the performance. When Young Thug's verse began, the crowd erupted even louder, recognizing his voice again.
"Sippin' lean, watch it drip down slow, (Yeah!) Diamonds wet, yeah, they all aglow."
"Foreign coupe (Skrrrt) paint job lookin' like snow. Got that top down, let the haters all know."
"Wrist on froze, (Brrr) time irrelevant, bought the whole damn Patek store."
"Slime on my tongue, yeah, that's the only language I speak. They see the slime drip, know they can't compete."
"Run up on the gang, that's a suicidal thought. Got that green on me, pockets always on fire, bought."
"They slither and they slimy, phonies tryin' to mimic. Real slime symphony, ain't nothin' synthetic."
"Slatt, I'm drippin' slime, can't you see the wave? Real bad bitch she want Thugger, tell her behave."
"Every move I make, yeah, it's just how I behave. Money in the bank, but I'm still in the streets."
"Pretty white hoe, put my toes on her teats."
"Whole Gang lit they swagged... out (Bling!) Whole team hit she get ran... out. If I touch that hoe that's sumn she could brag...bout."
The crowd went wild, their cheers deafening as Young Thug's verse ended and Arell began rapping again
As "Slimed In" began to fade out, the beat seamlessly transitioned into Young Dolph's "Preach." The crowd's excitement grew even more as they recognized the intro. Arell raised his hand in a triumphant gesture and began to walk off the stage.
As he walked towards the side, he extended his hand to Young Dolph, who was making his way onto the stage. They exchanged a firm dap, to which the crowd's cheers followed as Arell exited, their applause and shouts echoing through the venue.
Young Dolph took the mic, the crowd's energy was at its peak, and he wasted no time in seizing the moment. "Preach" started strong, and the audience responded with enthusiasm, their hands in the air, moving to the rhythm.
Arell stood just offstage, watching as Young Dolph took over, feeling a sense of pride and satisfaction. He had delivered an unforgettable performance, and the crowd's reaction was proof of his hard work and talent. As he walked backstage, Geoffrey was there to greet him, a proud smile on his face.
"You killed it out there, Arell," Geoffrey said, giving him a supportive pat on the back.
Arell grinned, still riding the high of the performance. "Thanks, man. That was incredible."
Arell took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline begin to fade, replaced by a sense of accomplishment.
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