Sky's The Limit

xl

forty | crystal

There was a lot going on.

There was Yo! MTV, of course. Duh. But besides that!

We were in talks for our first video shoot. "Sugar Hill." We wanted to film it in Brooklyn, on the streets with the people. No traffic cones, no holdin' up life as we knew it. Just us, some cameras, and the borough.

But there were obstacles that came with that.

For one, 'Shaan had a self-imposed curfew, so any shots we wanted past sunset was an automatic no-go. It seemed like his paranoia was dimming his long-awaited yearning for the spotlight.

Two, we'd have to wait on permits to film on the streets— permits that the label should've already had, but whatever.

Three, we couldn't come to an agreement on the director. The label already had somebody lined up, but Will fought viciously for a vision that the slated director simply wouldn't be able to bring forth.

"If we can't get fuckin' Ralph McDaniels and fuckin' Classic Concepts then I might as well do the shit myself!" was Will's final word on the matter before we came to a standstill.

Since then, we've heard no word on a video. I was starting to think that the label wasn't fuckin' with us anymore because of that.

But with our televised interview still greenlit, my worries were appeased— at least for the moment. And as long as that was still happening, we had an understanding that the music would still be happening too.

So, once our obligation was fulfilled with MTV, the group consensus was that the summer would consist of a full studio lockdown.

No parties. No playin' around. No cypher-hopping. No nights off.

We were even making arrangements to sleep in the studio for the next two months.

Finishing the album was the number one priority.

But of course — of fucking course! — that would come with its own set of problems too.

But let's not get into that just yet because even as all this "Iron Vacation vs. Eudora Records" and "Iron Vacation vs. itself" bullshit mounted, it was my growing concern for home life that gnawed at the folds of my brain.

Maceo had been helping me figure out how to get Tiffany officially in my custody. However, after a brief sighting of Daniels and Cavelli, it became abundantly clear that the feds were closing in on Maceo.

Yet, it was like nobody knew it but me.

As much as I wanted to warn him, I could never get him alone long enough to do so. Whether it be Tiffany or work, something would always snatch my attention or my time. And, he was just as busy trying to stay afloat with his day-to-day life.

At this point, it would only be a matter of time. The unpredictability of life rendered me helpless.

Tiffany's excited squeal dragged me out of my thoughts. "Oooh, you're gonna be on TV, Cris!"

"It's crazy, right?" I shook my head.

"Stay still so I don't mess this up," she ordered with a meticulous hand shaping my finger waves.

"Is Xena coming over?" she asked.

"What— it ain't enough just to hang with me anymore?" I joked.

She giggled in response while I surfed the channels on my new television.

"She should be on her way though. She told me she'd be wrapping up recording around this time," I answered.