The Hood Will NEVER Love You (HDLY#3)

chapter fourteen

"What happened to Carmel?"

Train knew that question was going to be asked as soon as they arrived at the recording studio complex. The name branched and indented in the front of the building acted as a living tribute to the person that coined the phrase and made it's own entity.

Train, for the meantime, just ignored Charmaine's question and continued along inside with her and Tamel in tow. Train, however, knew that question would have to be answered. Unfortunately he wasn't the one to answer it. Train never really knew what happened to Carmel. Train left King's estate with Charmaine and never looked back. He figured Carmel escaped too. He had asked Tamel about her and Tamel just stated he didn't see her at the compound.

Train knew his half-brother was lying. Train knew Tamel never really liked Carmel even though she hung in their circle. Train also knew Tamel only kept her around because of her brother. Carmel knew too much to be discarded with. She even knew Train's dirty secret even though she never disclosed it to Tamel.

Train chose a studio booth room to hold their meeting instead of the offices that Tamel and he officially had in the building. Train had to admit that he also wanted to be a music producer. He loved the music mogul Timbaland and wanted to be just like him on the music tip. Before he was a fan of Timbaland, he was a monster follower of Dr. Dre, from the group NWA, who became a huge musical mastermind in his own right. Train remembered telling Tamel when they both in the Boys Juvenile Detention Center as teenagers that he wanted to be like Dr. Dre and that if he ever got real money off hustling, he would open his own recording studio like Master P, another Hip-Hop genius and entrepreneur.

When Tamel surprised Train with the building, but most importantly, the name, Train knew it was because Tamel remembered Train's dream. Train loved it and couldn't wait to go inside and start playing with the soundboards in different booths and hooking up the microphone. Train even made a quick record with a ten minute rap that Tamel, miraculously, made a beat for.

Tamel had set up an office for Train and made him Director of A & R (Artists and Repertoire). Tamel didn't give himself a title even though he made a small office in the building as well. Train was to run the company with the assists of talented individuals that Tamel had either snagged from other companies offering more money and up and coming stars that was hungry to get into the business. Tamel wanted his brother to live the dream that he was told about since they were little youngsters.

Seeing Train planning with the panels on one of the soundboards that were in the recording booth they were in made Tamel smile. He never seen Train as happy as when Train was working the mixer. Charmaine stood in awe as Train just started fiddling with knobs and music filled the room with an intense beat. Charmaine started nodding her head as Train put his big Beats by Dre red headphones and really started working the switches on the panels.

"You see this little nigga had to show off," Tamel smiled,

"Fuck you," Train said then went back to his music.

Charmaine looked around. She had never been in a recording studio. She had seen plenty on television but it looked more surreal in person. Charmaine was hypnotized by it just as much as Train was.

Train took off his headphones and looked at Charmaine. "You want to get in the booth?"

"I thought we was came here to talk," Charmaine answered. "I mean we..."

"We can talk later," Train said. "Get your bony ass in the booth and do what you do. What can you do? Sing? Play piano?"

"Rap," Charmaine replied then giggled.