Defending Our Empire

I'm Made for Your Desires

Opening the door, they walked in. She was in the middle of her last track when she finally noticed Lucious standing with someone familiar. "Cut cut cut. Lucious who did you just bring into my session?" Pushing a button, he smirked. "Come here babe. Say hi." She glared at him, rolling her eyes. Taking the headphones off she walked out. "Cook you remember-" "Philly Street!!? When did you get out boy!?" She squealed giving him a hug. "Not too long ago. How you been Cookie?" "Pretty damn good aside from Lucious working my nerves." "When did he ever not?" The two laughed. "What are you doing in these neck of the woods?" "Figured I'd catch up with some old friends you know. Shit different now."

"Very much so. You look good though." "Shiiiit we need to be talking about you." "Ayye don't make me put you 6 feet under. You know I don't play that," Lu jokingly threatened, knowing he was dead ass serious. Philly put his hands up in surrender. "Ignore him. He just mad I'm aging backwards." "No doubt. But your sound is nice. This going on your album?" "Yeah the last track before I'm done. Wanna hear it?" "Hell yeah. You know I used to love hearing you on Lucious old mixtapes. Best thing he ever did." "You ain't never lied," Cookie mumbled as she hit replay. "Why don't you add a little choir hum to the background of your bridge. It'll carry your vocals over the beat so you're not getting drowned out by the bass."

Cookie poked her lip out as she made the changes and played it back. "Okay Philly Street. I like where your ear is at. So what's up? You coming over to Empire as a producer?" "Nah. I think I'm done with this part of my life you know." "You don't have to give up your love for music just because things took a different turn." Philly waved her off. His love for music made him lose a chunk of his life. "Cook's right. You might not want to be the artist anymore but you can make some artists. You still got a hell of an ear. How about we fund you?" "What you mean Lucious?" "Like a community center or a school. Teach and groom some future hit makers and leave your mark. A way to give back to the community."

Looking between the two, Philly thought on it. He could do something a tap bit different with his time. "Let me sleep on it for a day." "Definitely. You call me when you make a decision. Let me give you my number." "Thanks man. I should get out of here. Yall got things to do. I'm just in the way at this point." "You're always welcome here. It's really good to see you," Cookie mentioned as she gave him another hug. "The feeling is mutual. Imma hit yall tomorrow." "Alright man. I'll walk you out," Lucious offered. Once Philly Street was gone, Lu headed back to studio 4. Watching Cookie mixing in the lab had him concealing a semi. "You miss me that bad?" He whispered in her ear, his body hovering over her. "Uh get the fuck off me! Don't nobody miss your punk ass!"

"Your songs are telling on you." "I will shelve this album so fucking fast if you don't move!" She growled up at him. He chuckled and moved, taking a seat next to her. "Why was Philly Street really here?" She asked without hesitation. She knew Lucious. He only offered random off the wall shit when he did something fucked up. Philly Street wouldn't put that together though. He was street smart but some things didn't always click. He was definitely one to believe someone's words easily versus reading the room to see they're lying through their teeth. "That $400,000 you left me with when you got locked up?" Cookie hummed, feeling the bullshit rising. "I went through that withing weeks maybe a couple months." "Lucious-"

"I'll explain. We all know my head wasn't screwed on too tight. I was getting raked by producers, the fuckers who printed my CDs. That money flew out of my hands so fast it was crazy. Like I blinked and was broke. So Bunkie told me about how Philly Street was robbing banks to fund his shit. I'm sure he was suggesting that we robbed a bank but that was too dangerous and dumb in my opinion so I said let's just hit Philly Street. Found out he was throwing a kickback and busted through the doors." "He could've killed you!" "Could've had his ass not been high on coke with ass in his hands. The shit was too fucking easy. I made the moves I needed and that album finally got released. We took some major chances on Paid In Cash. You and me. That's why it's my favorite album to this day."