Singing Apathies
folder
Romance › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
863
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Romance › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
2
Views:
863
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Singing Apathies
Singing Apathies
Chapter 1
The night air was warm and muggy and it was one of those nights where all who had to tolerate it considered moving to cooler states. I stood with stern features against a graffiti brick wall, a high top clad shoe braced against the bricks behind me allowing me to lean back and adding a look of calmness to hide my nervousness. I scanned the alley over black shades and lowered my coal eyes to glance at my left foot, which remained on the oily street surface. My white Nikes had seen better days but then again, so had I. It had been a month since I had made the decision to leave my mothers house to come out to this rotten city known as Baltimore. Sure, I liked my friends and I had even found a nice hole in the wall apartment to call home when the landlord wasn’t on me to pay the rent or wasn’t threatening to call the cops and kick me to the curb. I lifted a muscled arm to wipe sweat from my slick brow and then kicked off of the wall so that I stood up straight as the sound of footsteps approached. At that moment the backdoor four steps over me opened.
“Yo! Naijai. Man says he’ll give you a chance tonight.”
A chance! That was something. I had stood outside at the backdoor to Orphen since twelve this afternoon and just about all of this evening hoping that Eddie had as many connections as he bragged about. Eddie stood smiling, his brilliant white teeth shone like some exotic jewels hidden in the darkness of the night with the moonlight shinning down on them. His skin was only a shade or two darker than my own. Eddie was a tall slender fast talking and fast working piece of man. He knew he was at the top of the list for best looking African American man in Maryland. He knew his title was no where near the leagues of Sisqo, the singer he admired but he strutted through the streets like it was. The sad thing was he even went as far as to copy Sisqo’s hairstyle, silver paint and all. He didn’t keep it long. He’s now stylin’ some nice corn rolls. It matched his new style. He was in what the gang and I called his “suit phase”, showing off his black suit and matching satin vest and jacket. He had earned these niceties being someone’s errand boy. Who’s? I didn’t know. All I knew was his “connections” could help me in my rap career.
“Naijai, you coming or are you going to stay out there and sweat it out?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”
After entering through the backdoor I was shown to the back of the stage where I managed to find a sink and some paper towels in a small closet sized bathroom. Everything in downtown Baltimore seemed to be small and cramped.
I wet a few paper towels that I had to yank and pull from the dispenser which had to be older than my mom. I cleaned off my old Nikes the best that I could before throwing the now oily and blackened paper towels into the small metal trashcan in the corner beside the toilet. Both the trashcan and the paper dispenser looked like they had once belonged in a school bathroom. Hell, the paper towel dispenser even had “Class of ‘01’” scratched into the left side of it. I chuckled to myself as I straightened my Ravens jersey and then pulled up my dark blue jean shorts.
I exited the bathroom and stood in the waiting area watching as another act ended and a white man in his early or late thirties came through the crack in the curtain carrying a saxophone in his sweaty hands. Murmuring voices, an echoing introduction and the occasional warming up of the voice and instrument all blurred into one confused sound and soon even that disappeared as I closed my eyes. I felt my breathing even out into a steady rhythm and I felt my face become even more intimidating as any signs of a smile left my face and eyes.
“What’s wrong with him?” I heard a small stout guy ask aloud to what seemed anyone who would be willing to answer.
“My man Naijai’s just pumping himself up. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Wait til you see him on stage. He’s the shit!”
I looked up and watched as the man looked from Eddie, who had answered his question to me and shrugged, “You got some freaky friends Eddie. Better hope boss man’s impressed. He brought out the big guys tonight.”
The stout man wiped nervously at his balding head with a once white hanky that was now disgusting shades of brown and yellow, “Mind you, their not here for your friend. Some kid has been real popular and has attracted lots of attention, even the media kind.”
“Who’s out there?” Eddie adjusted his vest as he didn’t much care but merely making idle chit chat.
“I saw Dean from Crypt records and Eric his main talent finder. Rumor also says that Keon from B.H.Y. is out there. Their new but they’re picking the best for their label.”
“You hear that, Naijai? Make yourself known tonight and you won’t have to worry about bills for the rest of your days. It’ll be diamond caps and Kristal from now on.”
I closed my eyes taking a deep breath and then opened them again, looking towards the stage as clapping and hollering followed the last act. A young man passed me quickly. It was a brief glance but one that left me breathless. This man couldn’t be older than me and yet he had such a presence and confidence that you felt it as he moved past you. I felt a tinge of jealousy towards him.
A young woman clad in what was practically a negligee stepped out from the stage curtain and flipped long blonde hair locks from her blue eyes.
“Is there a Neigh-jay here”, she asked batting long mascara layered lashes.
“It’s Nigh-Jay, and yes he’s here”, replied Eddie smiling brightly.
The girl was evidentially Eddie’s type. She was skinny, big breasted and looked sluttish. He didn’t care what color your skin was or where you came from. If you were any of the above things then you were Eddie’s type. He loved arm candy. That was where we differed. He preferred big breasted women and I preferred tight abed men. Eddie didn’t know that. Not too many of my friends or family did either. It’s hard being black, gay and trying to start a rap career.
I walked towards the curtain and stood near the stage entrance and listened as the MC announced talked to the audience. He said my name and I calmly walked out and took the microphone as it was thrust at me. When the music started I began to let my thoughts pour out of me like some invisible volcanic eruption and molded them into the beat and rhythm. As I rapped I prayed to anyone that was listening that this would be my last time performing as an amateur.
Chapter 1
The night air was warm and muggy and it was one of those nights where all who had to tolerate it considered moving to cooler states. I stood with stern features against a graffiti brick wall, a high top clad shoe braced against the bricks behind me allowing me to lean back and adding a look of calmness to hide my nervousness. I scanned the alley over black shades and lowered my coal eyes to glance at my left foot, which remained on the oily street surface. My white Nikes had seen better days but then again, so had I. It had been a month since I had made the decision to leave my mothers house to come out to this rotten city known as Baltimore. Sure, I liked my friends and I had even found a nice hole in the wall apartment to call home when the landlord wasn’t on me to pay the rent or wasn’t threatening to call the cops and kick me to the curb. I lifted a muscled arm to wipe sweat from my slick brow and then kicked off of the wall so that I stood up straight as the sound of footsteps approached. At that moment the backdoor four steps over me opened.
“Yo! Naijai. Man says he’ll give you a chance tonight.”
A chance! That was something. I had stood outside at the backdoor to Orphen since twelve this afternoon and just about all of this evening hoping that Eddie had as many connections as he bragged about. Eddie stood smiling, his brilliant white teeth shone like some exotic jewels hidden in the darkness of the night with the moonlight shinning down on them. His skin was only a shade or two darker than my own. Eddie was a tall slender fast talking and fast working piece of man. He knew he was at the top of the list for best looking African American man in Maryland. He knew his title was no where near the leagues of Sisqo, the singer he admired but he strutted through the streets like it was. The sad thing was he even went as far as to copy Sisqo’s hairstyle, silver paint and all. He didn’t keep it long. He’s now stylin’ some nice corn rolls. It matched his new style. He was in what the gang and I called his “suit phase”, showing off his black suit and matching satin vest and jacket. He had earned these niceties being someone’s errand boy. Who’s? I didn’t know. All I knew was his “connections” could help me in my rap career.
“Naijai, you coming or are you going to stay out there and sweat it out?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m coming.”
After entering through the backdoor I was shown to the back of the stage where I managed to find a sink and some paper towels in a small closet sized bathroom. Everything in downtown Baltimore seemed to be small and cramped.
I wet a few paper towels that I had to yank and pull from the dispenser which had to be older than my mom. I cleaned off my old Nikes the best that I could before throwing the now oily and blackened paper towels into the small metal trashcan in the corner beside the toilet. Both the trashcan and the paper dispenser looked like they had once belonged in a school bathroom. Hell, the paper towel dispenser even had “Class of ‘01’” scratched into the left side of it. I chuckled to myself as I straightened my Ravens jersey and then pulled up my dark blue jean shorts.
I exited the bathroom and stood in the waiting area watching as another act ended and a white man in his early or late thirties came through the crack in the curtain carrying a saxophone in his sweaty hands. Murmuring voices, an echoing introduction and the occasional warming up of the voice and instrument all blurred into one confused sound and soon even that disappeared as I closed my eyes. I felt my breathing even out into a steady rhythm and I felt my face become even more intimidating as any signs of a smile left my face and eyes.
“What’s wrong with him?” I heard a small stout guy ask aloud to what seemed anyone who would be willing to answer.
“My man Naijai’s just pumping himself up. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Wait til you see him on stage. He’s the shit!”
I looked up and watched as the man looked from Eddie, who had answered his question to me and shrugged, “You got some freaky friends Eddie. Better hope boss man’s impressed. He brought out the big guys tonight.”
The stout man wiped nervously at his balding head with a once white hanky that was now disgusting shades of brown and yellow, “Mind you, their not here for your friend. Some kid has been real popular and has attracted lots of attention, even the media kind.”
“Who’s out there?” Eddie adjusted his vest as he didn’t much care but merely making idle chit chat.
“I saw Dean from Crypt records and Eric his main talent finder. Rumor also says that Keon from B.H.Y. is out there. Their new but they’re picking the best for their label.”
“You hear that, Naijai? Make yourself known tonight and you won’t have to worry about bills for the rest of your days. It’ll be diamond caps and Kristal from now on.”
I closed my eyes taking a deep breath and then opened them again, looking towards the stage as clapping and hollering followed the last act. A young man passed me quickly. It was a brief glance but one that left me breathless. This man couldn’t be older than me and yet he had such a presence and confidence that you felt it as he moved past you. I felt a tinge of jealousy towards him.
A young woman clad in what was practically a negligee stepped out from the stage curtain and flipped long blonde hair locks from her blue eyes.
“Is there a Neigh-jay here”, she asked batting long mascara layered lashes.
“It’s Nigh-Jay, and yes he’s here”, replied Eddie smiling brightly.
The girl was evidentially Eddie’s type. She was skinny, big breasted and looked sluttish. He didn’t care what color your skin was or where you came from. If you were any of the above things then you were Eddie’s type. He loved arm candy. That was where we differed. He preferred big breasted women and I preferred tight abed men. Eddie didn’t know that. Not too many of my friends or family did either. It’s hard being black, gay and trying to start a rap career.
I walked towards the curtain and stood near the stage entrance and listened as the MC announced talked to the audience. He said my name and I calmly walked out and took the microphone as it was thrust at me. When the music started I began to let my thoughts pour out of me like some invisible volcanic eruption and molded them into the beat and rhythm. As I rapped I prayed to anyone that was listening that this would be my last time performing as an amateur.