*5 weeks later*
YOUR P.O.V.
I was in The Loft studio in Detroit and I was 1/4 of the way into finishing my album. I was currently working with Noah “40” Shebib. He was like a best friend I hadn’t seen in a long time and I loved his sound and when we worked on my other albums, we got on so well, his vision was perfect for what I wanted on my new album.
I was in the studio with my big bro Drake too and he was finishing his recordings for the chorus and his verse in the booth while I waited in the chair next to 40. I was feeling so sick and while I was putting a hold on my retching, I was tapping away at my phone, tweeting to fans, retweeting the people on my TL and updating my tweets and texting back and forth with Daniel. He finished in Toronto 2 weeks ago and now he was back recording in NY while I was in Michigan.
40- Y/N…?
Y/N- *still looking at phone* Mm-hmm?
40- *snatches your phone* You focused?
Y/N- Hey!
40- *looks at your phone* Oh so *baby voice* You’re texting Diggy?
Drake- *comes out of booth* Lovey-dovey birds!
Y/N- Shut up! Least I have somebody!
40- *laughs* You working on the lyrics?
Y/N- I should do that…*reaches to take phone*
40- *holds phone away* Uh-uh, this is staying with me till we’ve finished today!
Y/N- Fine! I’ll focus, I promise…play the beat back for me again…
40- *plays the whole song back*
I corrected, altered and fine-tuned the lyrics I had written down on my notebook while listening to the beat, while trying to refrain from throwing up all over the studio and myself. I wrote the lyrics for this song myself and the lyrics tied in with Drake’s verse and the chorus which he’d rap and sing too. Like my other albums- Blank Canvas and Mind/Matter- I wanted some of the songs to have a message and to tell the story of who I am and what was really on my mind.
I sat on the leather sofa against the wall scribbling notes and making amends on my huge notebook. I wore black jeans, a cream fluffy jumper and my black and white Nike hi-tops and I wore one of Dig’s black snapbacks backwards.
40- Thought of an album name yet?
Y/N- *looks up* I’ve skipped that step. Everything else is moving forward except that
Drake- *walks over you* What do you want the album to mean, what are you getting out?
Y/N- I just..I want this album to show that over the last 4 years, I know how to play this game, I don’t want a pop sound. I want a hip-hop and R&B. That I’m not pretentious or naive in this industry.
40- Just write down the words that remind you of the album and what you want, and go from there, everything you feel. *looks at your notebook* You finished tho?
Y/N- *clears throat* Yeah, lemme get in there…
I got in the booth and recorded my verses and backing vocals on the song called “In Too Deep”. I was so unhappy with my voice cause I had a bit of a cold and it was affecting my singing and rapping, but 40 and Drake said it matched the mood of the song: deep, dark and low-tempo sound of the song, so I continued with their guidance. It took me 2 more hours to finish all the choruses and backing vocals, it didn’t help that I’d been here since 12pm and my voice just wasn’t pulling through and I was feeling sick too.
The assistants in the studio and some of Drake’s crew offered to get us some late lunch and I gladly agreed and asked them to bring me a honey and lemon tea as well as the burger feast Drake requested for all of us.
Y/N- I’m just happy you guys came out here to help me record. You’re used to Toronto aren’t you?
40- Yeah, but Detroit’s cool no my usual place but I ain’t even mind. It’s getting my expertise!
Drake- I’d do anything for my lil sis anyway! You seen your concert dvd yet?
Y/N- Nah, I’ve seen the trailer for it, we’re getting the first copies when I’m back in Cali to approve it.
Drake- When’s that?
Y/N- I don’t even know man…*laughs*…been back and forth with everything, I have to check with my manager, *holds head* I’ve lost track of everything lately…excuse me…*gets up and goes to the toilet*
*10 minutes later*
Y/N- *throwing up in toilet*
??- *someone comes through toilet door* Y/N?
Y/N- Oh my God, don’t come in, I’m not well
??- Yeah, it sounds like it…
Y/N- I’ll be out in 2 seconds…*stands up and flushes the toilet*
Y/N- *looks down and smoothes dress* *looks up* Sean? Sean!! *hugs him* You made it!
Big Sean- *hugs you* Of course I did, I said I wanted to record wit you. *breaks hug* How ya been Brit?
Y/N- *laughs* I’m real good, I don’t feel well at all tho.
Sean- I know, I heard…
Y/N- *washes and dries* But studio’s going well, I finished with 40 and Drizzy, but I might wanna revamp what I did.
Sean- Drake said y’all went AWOL before we came in. Is I.D. here yet?
Y/N- I ain’t even know, let’s go see…
We walked back into the living area of the studio and Drake and his crew, No I.D., 40 and Trey Songz were all there waiting for me so they could start. Drake’s crew brought back burgers and there was so much, enough that everyone could eat three times, and now I was starving.
Y/N- Hey guys *hugs and greets everyone*
Trey- *laughs* Only girl in the room!
Y/N- *laughs* Shut up, I’m still the best! *to ID* What you got for me?
ID- Beats of course…
ID took us all in the studio, hooked up his laptop and played us his beats. I couldn’t stop nodding along, I loved them all, but I only picked 4 that stood out. 40 pitched in and helped him mix a few things around with the help of some technical speak.
The first song was called "You Sayin". I interchanged between helping Trey and Sean record our lines in the booth, 40 and ID mixing things around and eating burgers and sipping my tea with Drake and his crew. I had such a fun time, it was like being in a room full of greats.
I got my phone back from 40, finally, and I checked it then took so many pictures of myself, our progress and everyone and I took several of me, Drizzy, Trey and Sean and posted one of them on Instagram and called it "We’re back innnn". We were in the room for so many hours that I lost track of time and my sickness disappeared after I ate.
Sean- Damn, if I knew we’d be here for so long, I would’ve brought Ye with me, he’s in the city too
Y/N- You here tomorrow?
Sean- Damn right
Y/N- Bring him! It’ll be nice to meet him. I’ll be here with ID, Blaze and Trey, you should come too cause we need to finish things up.
Sean- I’ll be here then! What time?
Y/N- Er…*turns to ID* ID, what time we getting here tomorrow?
ID- 2 o’clock, and Hit-Boy’s gonna be here…
Y/N- Cool! *turns to Sean* Yeah, bring him at 3 when we’re in full swing.
Trey- Hey, y’all going AMAs?
Sean- Hell yeah
Y/N- Yeah, I’ve been nominated
Trey- I’m proud of you sis! *spuds you*
Sean- *laughs* You performing too?
Y/N- You are, but I did last year, I can’t do this year again, too many commitments right now to practise for that
Trey- Yeah, we get that
Sean- For sure *points at booth* you finished?
Y/N- Naaaah, lemme do that *picks up notepad*
I went into the booth and ID and 40 played the music back to me with Sean and Trey’s recorded lyrics in it too and I sung my parts of the chorus, despite my voice. After another hour of singing and rapping my part, we all left the studio and it must have been almost 10pm when we finished and I was so tired but so hungry.
I said my goodbyes to everyone and I got my chauffeured car back to the hotel I was staying in in Detroit. I recently got my license and I was legally allowed to drive, but I didn’t want a car now, especially as I didn’t know the area of Detroit, maybe in Cali though… I got in my hotel room, changed into my PJs, grabbed my laptop and I skyped Diggy- he was online.
Diggy- *on Skype* Hey babe *smiles*
He was sitting up on his bed, shirtless and a bit sweaty. His smile made my night and it still gave me butterflies
Y/N- Hey baby, how was today?
Diggy- It was really good, I was recording with Mindless today, so er, yeah we had a lot of fun..*smiles* what bout you?
Y/N- I was with 40, Drake, Big Sean, Trey and No ID today. It was so much fun
Diggy- You in a room full of niggas yeah?
Y/N- *laughs* you sound like Drizz!
Diggy- You weren’t answering my calls or texts earlier…
Y/N- Really? *pulls phone out* When di…Ohhhh
Diggy- Yeah.
Y/N- I’m sorry
Diggy- What happened?
Y/N- I was texting you then 40 took away my phone cause I wasn’t focusing and didn’t give it back to me till later, but when I had it, it never said I had missed calls and now I see ‘em…
Diggy- Okay.
Y/N- You’re not mad are you?
Diggy- No, it’s just you’re alone in a room full of guys and you’re not answering my messages. I mean what am I meant to think?
Y/N- I didn’t think of it like that, I’m sorry, I wouldn’t want you to do that to me
Diggy- *smiles uneasily and looks away from the computer*
Y/N- What’s up, what did you record today?
Diggy- Just like, some things and going in an—
??- *high pitched voice* Dig! What you doing! *giggles*
Y/N- Erm..who th—
Diggy- *ends skype call*