The Publicist

Industry Heauxs

JAZMINE P.O.V. -

Our day started at five am, with me, Aug and DJ going on interview runs.

That was after an already long night of pigging out on hotels vending machine snacks, because none of us were feeling this food. We all sat in the hotel lounge sharing each others snacks.

Now it was time for the show.

"Jazz you gotta catch my shit man. I ain't a damn acrobat. I can't keep holding it."

Aug told me as he stood in front of his band. They were trying to jump up and he wanted me to catch a picture of them in the air.

"Okay. Do it one more time."

"Tell me when you ready."

"Aight 1,2,3, go."

They jumped up and I caught the picture.

"You get it?"

"Yeah." I showed him the picture.

"Aight Desiree and Candace y'all get in this one."

Desiree and Candace stood in the front with Aug, while the band stood in the back.

"Do a pose or something. Y'all look so dry." I laughed, looking at them just standing there with no experession.

They all gave lively poses and I take the picture.

"5 minutes." D came down the hall towards us.

"Aight. Circle up." Aug told everybody.

We all got in a circle for prayer, a ritual Aug and his team did before every show. I grabbed Candace's and DJ's hand and we bowed our heads.

"Dear God we come to you today asking you to bless our voices and bodies so that we can give these people a great show. We thank you for the opportunity to use our talents to bless others. And we ask that you allow the crowd to be on our side. Amen." Aug concluded the prayer.

"Squad on 3." Era yelled. "1,2,3."

"Squuuuuuuuuuaaaaaddddddd!" Everybody yelled, except DJ.

"My ears are ringing." He put his index finger in his ear like he was trying to rid it of water.

"Shut up." I shook my head.

The band and the dancers went down the hall toward the stage and Big T escorted Aug behind them.

"Jazz y'all can see the show either on the side of the stage, but the view isn't all that good. Down in the front in the pit area or you can come with me to the back by the control booth."

"What you want to do?" I asked DJ.

"We can go to the pit."

"Aight. We gon meet back here after Usher's performance." D pointed to Aug's dressing room.

"Okay."

We waved goodbye to him and went out to the pit of the stage. That's the open area between the stage and the gate that separates the crowd. Aug was already on stage singing Work feat Roscoe Dash.

It was pretty amazing to see him perform on stage for the first time. He brought so much energy to his performance. And had an extremely personable presence that was best shown when he talked to the audience.

It felt like he really knew everybody in the audience and was talking to them as friends. The crowd seemed to be into him too, which was great to see. Because earlier he expressed he didn't know how an international crowd would take to him.