"Yo, brother APLUS."

"Yo, Jazzy, Dame, you're Biggs, aren't you? When did you get out of prison? ”

On January 4, '98, Song Ya, Shakira, and Linda arrived at the headquarters of Metropolitan Records early in the morning, not far from the old New York branch of the original parent company, Metropolitan Communications Company, and had not moved the nest since the 80s, and rented it for a long time on the top two floors of an eight-story old brick and concrete building facing the street, which has nothing to do with Metropolitan Insurance and Metropolitan Opera in New York, with one name with Capital Cities and the other two with Metropolitan.

Song Ya bumped fists, hugged, and pounded shoulders with them. A tall and fat old black standing behind Jazzy and Damon Dash should be the last Biggs to be released from prison, Song Ya has long known that he is quite famous in Brooklyn, and he is the one in charge of doing the dirty work in the snake trio in front of him, and he does have the aura of a ruthless character.

"It's been out a long time ago." Biggs replied angrily.

The Jazzy brothers have entrenched the headquarters as their nest, and their own office for Roc-A-Fella Records has been housed, with a beautiful brass plaque at the door, and a small radio station with a broadcast studio next door.

The other blacks who looked at him with curiosity were probably also the followers of the Roc-A-Fella trio, or record company employees.

"Hey, Matthew."

Next door on the other side is Matthew Norris's Music World Entertainment Record Office, and Song Ya shakes hands with the other party again.

Although historically an unsuccessful old and dilapidated record company, Met Records was backed by the wealthy Metropolitan Communications in its early years, and later owned by ABC Television Network and Disney.

"Shakira." Songya introduces Shakira to them, "What about NAS them?" ”

"It's still early, they won't be here until at least the afternoon, and there's a welcome party in the evening."

Jazzy was wearing a fancy skateboard-style jacket, a lot of big thick gold chain gold watches, and after owning a platinum record and getting the signing fee for the pen exchange, he should have lived a very prosperous life throughout ninety-seven years, and after Brooklyn native Biggie hung up, because the bragging daddy's base camp was in Harlem, his influence in Brooklyn was getting bigger and bigger, and he did have more and more of a rap boss's temperament, "You've never been here?" He asked.

"Not really."

Soon after the official handover, he was shot, and Song Ya had no chance to come over to inspect.

"Wow, let me show you around your own company?"

"Yes."

"This floor is the office space, here is the little radio station that Damon and I started, we spend most of our time here, and here is the storage room, the staff's office? Small meeting room? The recording studio and mixing studio are upstairs......"

The record store in the morning is deserted, and the old-fashioned decoration style makes the corridor dim and cramped? Jazzy pushed open office doors as he led the way.

Always have the feeling that the sparrow is small and has all the organs? Song Ya seemed to have returned to Lao Qiao Records in a trance, or the small place that A+ Records rented in the early years? Of course, it's a lot bigger than Old Joe's records, but the overall atmosphere of the hip-hop labels really doesn't make much difference with each other.

This is basically the world of black musicians as well? Just watching the lively Jazzy follower start to continue to set up the bar? Busy moving wine to the Internet café.

Hip-hop artists like Daddy Bragga, NAS and Jazzy who are popular in the local area usually also work as party planners, and many New York stars, not limited to black and record stars, also come to them for parties, from DJing and singing to party service and drinking? They are the best at stir-frying the atmosphere.

Bragging dad once got too hot because of a party? There have also been stampedes.

"Haven't you and Foxy Brown been platinum certified yet?"

Song Ya asked, pointing to the empty wall.

"No, damn the RIAA is too bureaucratic." Jazzy scolded.

"Linda, remember to push them." This is the scope of responsibility of his boss and president, Song Ya instructed Linda behind him, "By the way? What about little Foxy Brown? ”

"All the same, come in the afternoon or evening."

Jazzy takes the way upstairs? Greeted by his and Foxy Brown's debut poster, and then the Destiny True Girl Group? William Adams group, stupid punk group.

The goofy punk duo finally don the modified motorcycle helmets they saw in the I Feel It Coming music video.

Song Ya feels good? In the chaotic ninety-seven years of his own complete hand-throwing? And everything is still in order when the former president is unreliable.

"Ahh APLUS！ ”

Beyoncé: They rushed out of a room with a sign on the recording, screaming? The five girls surrounded him, ignoring Shakira and happily bouncing around his arm.

"Hello."

Song Ya hugged them and scratched little Emily's nose again, "How are you doing here?" ”

"Not bad."

The cousin replied, "Everyone is waiting for you." ”

"OK, let's get to work first."

The main purpose of coming here was to help the Destiny True Maiden record Worth It, "You wait for me for five minutes." "He punched the musicians who came out again," Jazzy. "Let him take the star-studded self around the rest of the studio, mixing studio, and other offices.

"How long has it been since no one has come in here?"

After Linda opened the president's office with the key, a musty smell wafted from inside, and Song Ya fanned the wind in front of her nose with her hand.

"It's been locked up for months since the former president was fired, right?"

Linda went in and opened the windows for ventilation, and Song Ya looked inside, it was also the old layout, the boss's desk, sofa, and messy honor corner......

"Forget it, let's record first."

Song Ya took off her trench coat and hung it up for Linda, asked her to find someone to clean up, rolled up her sleeves, and walked into the recording studio where the Destiny True Girl Group had just come out.

This is the largest recording studio owned by Metropolitan Records, and the mixing console and other equipment have been updated by the start-up capital of the merger of A+ Records and Disney early last year, and Song Ya walked in as if he had stepped from the 70s to the 90s.

There is a rare white man in the company sitting in front of a computer processing audio, and black people playing music and white people playing high-tech have gradually become the new trend in the record industry.

"Hurry up." Matthew Norris pushes his daughter into the recording studio.

The other girls of Destiny True Girl Group, as well as the musicians and Jazzy, followed.

"Find your own place to sit, don't be inhibited." Song Ya let Shakira go to the couch and walked to the mixer by herself.

Damon Dash, Biggs, Matthew Norris and the followers they didn't know, the control room was crowded with people who had nothing to do with it, and the eye-catching little brother brought wine to everyone from the wine cabinet, and took ice cubes from the Xiaoice box, bickering with each other, chaotic but also lively.

Song Ya watched all this silently with both hands on the mixer, no one dared to be so unruly when he recorded songs on A+ records, but ...... It's not bad, but now I don't feel like I'm reliving the old days.

"Let's get started." He saw through the glass that the studio was ready, and said to the tuner.

"OK, ready to ......," the tuner said as he pressed the intercom and spoke into the microphone.

“Give it to me I'm worth it……”

Beyoncé and Emily sang along with the melody, and there was a difference between the processing and the distribution of the lyrics of the group members and the original song, Song Ya was not in a hurry to adjust, and touched her chin and listened silently first.

“Okay， I tell her bring it back like she left some……”

Jazzy's RAP part has a bit more of a dragging feeling than the original singer, but it's not bad, he should be stronger than the original singer.

"OK, the problem is mainly at the end of the word, you, do these rhymes, you do this...... Jazzy, your wid it second stanza should be playful once, change the key, sing like this......"

After listening to the song, Song Ya pressed the intercom, officially started working and demonstrated in person, no one would challenge himself in the studio, including Jazzy, who obediently modified as required.

Shakira handed over a cocktail.

"You drink, I don't drink."

The body has not yet recovered to the perfect state of twenty swords, and Song Ya is definitely not drinking for the time being.

Shakira went back to the couch and chatted with the other idle people, all young musicians of the same age, and they quickly became acquainted.

Song Ya's ears also automatically filtered out these noises.

"Very well, let's go through it again."

"Again, this time little Beyoncé you ......"

"Emily, why does it make me feel weird every time it's your turn?"

"Cheer up and sing!"

It's a saliva song that integrates pop style, the singers are very perceptive, Beyoncé should have practiced for a long time after getting the song, and after more than an hour of high-intensity adjustment by Song Ya, the effect is already very satisfactory, and he spends most of the time training Emily, who is relatively lagging.

"Take a break?"

Linda saw little Emily's mouth pursed, and she wanted to cry or not, so she came over to relieve the siege, "The person you want to interview has arrived." ”

“OK。”

Song Ya glared at little Emily and agreed.

Linda took a fancy to and accompanied the En Vogue group through the first half of the nineties, a producer with this kind of qualifications, even in the New York music industry, it is difficult to find a leak, and what is even more satisfying for Song Ya is that the other party does not mix on the streets, and is a middle-aged black man with a traditional style.

To be the executive vice president and music director of APLUS's record label, Fang Fang is naturally more willing, and when he came to find a job this time, he also brought Song Ya's 'old friend', a retired former colleague, Atlantic Records executive Steven to help add guarantees.

"Wow, wow, wow......"

Steven looked at Song Ya and praised again and again, "Do you remember when you went to Atlantic Records to audition for APLUS in the nineties, when we signed you Hoho, I don't know what the scene would be now." It's been more than seven years in a flash......"

Wasn't it you who picked my nose at me at the time? Song Ya still remembered that the old man hated himself as a half-breed at the time, "Yes, it's been seven years Steven." ”

"The first time I saw you, I vaguely knew that you would be where you are today, APLUS." The old man said again.

"Haha......"

Song Ya smiled and stretched out his hand to the future executive vice president and music director of Metropolitan Records, "This position is yours, you can move into this office, I won't be here most of the time." Of course, I don't like to be hidden...... You're also only responsible for most of the day-to-day work, and all major decisions have to be signed off by me, which will be detailed in the contract. ”

"NO PROBLEM, THANK YOU MR. APLUS." The other party hurriedly promised.

"You know how to deal with street rappers like Jazzy, right?" Song Ya asked.

"Of course, he has a bit of prestige in New York, and Jazzy respects him." Steven replied helpfully.

"OK, then I'm fine."

After dividing the management by two, Song Ya went back to work, and by noon, Jazzy had already set up the party, and some guests, such as NAS, Foxy Brown and other New York singers, had arrived one after another.

"Why have you been behaving with Lil lately?"

Song Ya asked Foxy Brown with a small disposable meal, "I remember that you two are not classmates?" The relationship was good before. ”

"Nabi Pond ......"

Foxy Brown is still the old-fashioned street girl, and she scolds when she opens her mouth and says a lot of bad things about Lil King.

"Daddy Bragging now needs the help and endorsement of Biggie's widow Feth Evans, so Lil-King has been squeezed out of Bad Boy Records......"

NAS explained in his ear that the braggart dad used Fes Evans whether it was his new album or the release of a commemorative album for Biggie, who died in Los Angeles, and he also needed Fes Evans to help win over Biggie's fans, so as Biggie's junior before his death, the former Biggie's group Junior ... A. member Lilking naturally didn't get any better, and she has signed to another New York label.

So now the stable alliance formed by braggart daddy, Jazzy, NAS and others to dominate New York, in addition to local competitors like B-GOD and Wudang Gang, also needs to suppress Lil King to please Faith Evans.

And a group of macho gangster male singers are inconvenient to compete directly with Lil King, as a rap female singer who also has a platinum record, this responsibility naturally falls to Foxy Brown.

Except for the battle of will, Foxy Brown himself should not have a deep grudge against Lil King, and is a bit suspected of being used as a gunman.

Song Ya observed Foxy Brown, who was scolding triumphantly and seemed to be happy because he had the upper hand over his former best friend, and pouted and didn't say anything more, he didn't bother to get involved in this kind of thing, so he didn't bother to persuade him.

"APLUS, SOMETHING...... Is it convenient now? ”

Damon Dash came over and offered to talk alone.

"Come on."

Song Ya happily led him into the president's office.

"It's still a matter of wine, did you know that A+ Wines gave all the long-term marketing contracts to Seagram?" Damon Dash asked.

"I know, I haven't asked about it yet." Song Ya replied lightly.

"Hey, APLUS, I warned you a long time ago, those old old-fashioned people from Seagram can't do this business at all!"

Damon Dash immediately complained loudly that he was indeed prescient about the matter, "Our gray goose vodka is now just a big road item on the supermarket wine shelves, and it's not cool at all!" ”

"The output in Huaguo is getting higher and higher, and the high-quality route can't go on."

Song Ya smiled, he hadn't seen Reese, who managed A+ Wine, and the two old ministers who had been poached from Seagram, but after waking up, he could generally grasp the business situation, "Style still can't be a French after all." ”

Continuing to fight with competitors three-color vodka, it is estimated that they will still lose in the end, so they simply distribute the goods directly, and Song Ya thinks that this decision of Reeser and others is not wrong, but the fault is that they took advantage of their coma to sign all the sales channels to Seagram, or an ultra-long-term contract.

"No, no, you're wrong, I don't think we can't do it." Damon Dash shook his head, "At least not in New York, it's still too late, you put me in charge, I can do it." ”

Song Yacai didn't want to be taught a lesson by him, although it was his idea to enter the wine industry at the beginning, "Don't worry about this matter anymore Dame, I will deal with A+ Liquor when I go back, wait for the news." ”

"But what we agreed before, I'm in charge of the market in New York." Damon Dash was not at all clever in this matter, and continued to chatter.

"So they've signed all of them to Seagram, what can I do? I was unconscious! I'm not God! ”

Annoyed to death, Song Ya waved his hand impatiently, "Okay, let's go out, Dame, I don't want to talk about these little things today." ”

"It's a trifle to you, it's not to me!"

Damon Dash got up indignantly and walked away.

"What's wrong with him?" Shakira came in and asked.

"Whatever."

With such a big business, I always take into account the emotions of these people, don't think about anything else every day, Song Ya pulled the Latin girl into her arms, "Wow, my mouth is full of wine, I drank a lot, right?" ”

"Hmm......"

"OK, it's almost done, take care of the master tape."

In the afternoon, Song Ya pushed the door out of the recording studio, only to find that there were more people in Met, and the leaders of the New York hip-hop circle, who had a better relationship, had basically arrived, and the focus and center of the audience was definitely a braggart dad, he was sitting on the sofa outside with a big man's face, and the bodyguards on duty were scattered around the party on guard.

"If he wants our support, he must first prove to me that he is an enemy of Sugnet, OK? I want to see action, or I won't praise him. ”

After experiencing life and death with Biggie, he also became a billionaire and released a blockbuster solo album, bragging about Daddy's aura is countless times stronger than when he was pressed to the ground by a silencer and beaten, he is talking to a black man who is bent over and humble, "Don't want to take my resources for nothing." ”

“Yo。”

According to rumors that Linda heard, Daddy Bragging and the Cripples had issued a 'Kill Order' to the gunman who killed Biggie and Sugnette, but was there really such a thing? It's a bit of a momentum......

Look at the fact that he has dragged 250,000 or 80,000 now, why hasn't he been killed by Sinaloa a long time ago? Song Ya greeted him in her heart.

"HA, APLUS, HOW'S IT GOING?"

The two hugged affectionately.

"Okay, let's talk?"

“OK。”

The two bumped fists and greeted the people in the party all the way to the president's office.

Song Ya had a good attitude towards the people who might take over the shares of the Inner City Broadcasting Company, and went straight to the point, and briefly said that he was going to sell part of his shares during a private meeting in the office.

"So it's a business of more than 10 million?"

Daddy braggart had been involved with Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons, and LL Cool J, "Do you have any other buyers besides me?" He asked.

"You can guess who the black circles that can take over these shares are very small."

They are all smart people, and Song Ya is too lazy to play any hypocritical tricks, "I have informed you that you can compete, then it will be on a first-come, first-served basis, and you can also cooperate, but don't make things too complicated, in short, in April...... No, I'm going to finish this by March. ”

It depends on the braggart daddy's own heart, if he wants to continue to expand his influence in the black elite circle, then buying these shares will be decisive and cement his position as the king of New York, Song Ya knows that in a sense he is following his own path of success, but he doesn't care much, as long as he can afford to pay it.

Thousands of pounds are big business for a bragging dad who is a billionaire, but it's just a drizzle for a billionaire himself.

The braggart dad figured it out after a little thought, "Haha! No problem! He laughed and stretched out his hand, "Let your people give me the offer, I'll go back and find someone to study it, and I'll give you an answer soon." ”

"OK, that's settled."

"It's settled."

The two shook hands wrist-style, hugged again, and pounded each other's vests.

"BY THE WAY, APLUS, AREN'T YOU GOING TO MIX POP MUSIC IN THE FUTURE? Classical Symphony ah? The song you had before you were shot was really stylish, Baba Yetu Yetu......"

The two walked out of the office and bragged that Daddy was in a good mood and casually sang Baba Yetu, "I'll get a vote for that song at this year's Grammy Awards, maybe you can do me a favor too, we don't have a conflict." ”

He should refer to his award-winning album No Way Out and the single I'll Be Missing You, which has the tendency to mourn Biggie, and Song Ya heard Linda say that he won nine out of ten awards.

"I'm not going to the awards scene, the Grammy jury doesn't like me, and I don't like them."

Song Ya replied frankly: "Of course I will ask Linda to help you." ”

"Yes, just with your words."

Daddy Bragging suddenly found everyone outside holding wine glasses, standing in place and listening to the music quietly, "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked his attendant.

The attendant didn't speak, pointing his finger at Song Ya.

At the end of the extra-long prelude of more than a minute, Song Ya's fast-talking rap came out of the party stereo, "This is the return of the king of APLUS, Get UP!" Whatever! It's always more realistic to get up now and run down the next road than to look for resonance online, and I will walk with pride and humility when I go to a second-hand store......

"Is this your new song?" Bombart Daddy asked in a whisper.

"Yes, the first single of the three majors, Can't Hold US, is a bit rushed, it's not the final version yet, first do underground distribution on the radio station, create momentum, and I will release a new album this year."

Song Ya replied.

When the chorus's deep bass sounds, people should be able to realize that this is a great song, and they all turn their eyes to themselves, and the party crowd begins to cheer loudly, twisting their bodies to the powerful melody, and Beyoncé and other girls also look at it with starry eyes.

"The lyrics are very appropriate." The braggart dad hid his mixed negative emotions and squeezed out a smile to compliment, "The style reminds me of a second-hand store, that's the first song you created, right?" It's a cool response. ”

The kings of the east and west coasts hung up, but I didn't expect the king of the Midwest to come back from the dead......

He thought to himself.

"Of course, it's a bit weird to commemorate this, but today is the first anniversary of my shooting."

Song Ya smiled and took the wine glass handed by Shakira, and hugged her very relaxed to listen together.

'My city is my backer, and if I get knocked down, they catch me, and then I learn the [fo] lesson and come back.'" ’

'Can you go back?' Now is the time! It's tonight, and we're going to fight until the last minute! ’

So let's raise our hands and swing, even the ceiling can't stop us! ’

At the end of the song, Song Ya raised his wine glass high, "To the whole world!" He shouted, "I'm back!" I am back! ”

“YEAH！ Oh yes! ”

“YES！”

The party atmosphere was instantly ignited, and people cheered wildly like beasts.