I chewed my gum steadily as I walked slowly up the aisle in the liquor store, my eyes on the headphones that I probably couldn't afford. But I wanted it and what I wanted... I got.
So, I looked up at the owner who was already eyeing me, then I looked over at my younger brother. He gave me a slight nod before walking to the counter and starting a conversation with the owner. During that time, I snatched the box off of the shelf and shoved it into my backpack, adding some hot Cheetos for my brothers good services.
Once I was done, I started over to the counter with a watermelon Arizona. "Yo, how much?" I asked, sitting it on the counter top.
He looked at me harshly before spitting out. "One fifty." I nodded and pulled out a dollar and some change before handing it to him, then grabbing the Arizona and starting out.
"Hey, whats in the bag?" I heard and on that note, I quickly ducked out of the store and started hauling ass down the street. "Come back!"
I wasn't worried about my brother since he knew the route opposite me, he wasn't a dummy.
After a good five minutes of ducking and weaving through my city, I landed in an alleyway where he was waiting. "Took you long enough." He said with a chuckle.
"Shut up, Kai." I pulled his chips out and tossed them to him before we both started the walk home. "So, Maru and I got a party tonight." I said, spitting out my gum before tossing a chip into my mouth. "It's at Paulo's house, suppose to be lit."
"Shit can I come?" I gave him a look and he smacked his lips. "Come on, I can sneak past ma."
"I'm sure your ass can." I shoved him playfully before looking over my shoulder when I heard a whistle. An older man, someone we knew well, waved at us and we both stopped as he caught up to us. "What's up Tre." He gave us both a bro hug before crossing his arms with a smirk.
"Sup youngins, where y'all headed this late?"
"Back home, we just left the store." He gave me a look and I chuckled. "I'm for real, Tre."
"Yeah, those chips look a little dirty, y'all better be staying out of trouble." He looked at my brother and shook his head. "Tuck that rag in, boy."
"Man Tre, I'm reppin' my shit." I snorted and pushed Kai's blue rag down his pocket before he got his ass bodied by an OG. "What? You act like you don't ride."
"I do nigga, but I also listen to my elders." I said and slapped the back of his head.
Tre shook his head before giving us both a dap. "Y'all be safe man, the streets ain't safe."
"Alright cuh." Kai said and I pushed his young ass forward, starting back down the alley to our house. "Okay but for real, can I come to the party?"
"Yeah but you better not make me look bad."
After the rest of the walk, we made it to our pale pink house where my big brother stood, pacing the stoop. Once he saw us, he let out a breath of air before rushing down. "Do you know how many times I called you both?!" He exclaimed, slapping both our heads.
"Aye man." I winced and rubbed the area he hit. "What's up? It's only nine."
"Yeah and the party starts at ten."
I waved my hand and walked into our house, the smell of chicken wafting into my nose suddenly. "Mama I love you!" I called out loudly, rounding into the kitchen where she was with a phone to her ear, a spatula in the other. I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before leaning back against the counter. "You got some for me?"
"Does it look like I'm done?" She retorted and poured water over the rice. "Well you tell her ass that's why she still on welfare." I furrowed my eyebrows and leaned forward to see who she was on the phone with but she shooed me off. "Hikaru, go do something." She said, shrugging me off of her.
"I just wanted to show some love." I said with a sigh before pushing off of the counter and walked to my bedroom where Maru was already sitting. "Bruh, I swear we'll be on time; just chill." I assured, pulling my outfit out for the night.
"Yeah well you've gotta set your your shit still when we get there." He said with a sigh.
After pulling off my clothes, I changed into some beige khakis, cuffing my pants of course, with a black and white striped guess shirt. I paired it with my black converse and a simple gold chain before facing Maru with my hands up. "See? Done already."
"Yeah yeah, let's go." After filling my duffel bag up with the equipment, I slung it over my shoulder and followed him out of the room to the kitchen. "Alright ma." Maru started as he placed a kiss on her cheek. "Don't wait up."
"Uh uh where y'all going?" She asked, scowling when I snagged a chicken from the napkin it was on.
"We have another party tonight. Two fifty a piece baby." I responded as I took a bite. "Mm this shit hit mama."
"Watch your mouth, girl." I raised my hands playfully before catching Kai sneaking out of the house with a backpack on. Smirking, I backed out of the kitchen as she laid her ground rule. "No driving drunk, don't get no girls pregnant, and stay out those fucking streets, Y/n. Don't think I don't see those cuffed pants."
"I know mama, don't worry." I swung the door open and jumped off the three steps, seeing Kai leaned against the car door. "Aye, if ma ask where you at.. I ain't bailing your ass out."
He waved his hand as he typed on his phone. "Not worried about her. Felicia is gonna be at the party and you know she suckin' the souls out of me, nigga."
"Yeah she gonna suck your ass right to the hospital with all the dick she hop on." He gave me a look as I shrugged. "You know it's true."
"Alright, y'all ready?" Maru said as he tossed me the car keys after popping the trunk. I put my set up in before closing it, then getting behind the wheel. "Hit it, Hikaru." I gave him a look and he playfully raised his hands. "I'm just playing damn."
"Only my mama can call me that." I grumbled before putting the car into gear. "Where's the party at again?"
"Oh my God."
-
That show was in full swing, Maru was giving everybody a party while I was behind the turn tables, keeping it all up to pace. This was my specialty.
Ever since I was young, I loved making music. Not in the sense of singing or rapping (though I did rap just a tiny bit when I felt compelled to), I mean.. I genuinely loved taking random things, mashing it together, then calling it music. From banging on pots and clinking my moms antique glasses with a knife just to record it all.. making it sound awful but in my ears, it was art. I loved creating sounds. After living in Japan with my dad until I was fourteen, we moved back to the states with my two brothers to live with my mom in Long Beach, California for reasons I didn't feel like reliving..
That's when I got my first turn table. It's quite the story but I'll just give a watered down version.
Long Beach is basically Crip city, that's a gang if you didn't know. I met some guys at a party and they tried to fuck with me, not knowing I was basically a master in Judo for the fifteen years I spent in Japan. I ended up breaking arms and shit and Tre, the guy from earlier, saw the whole thing.
End of story, he said wanted to put me on to the set so my first hit was a home invasion. And what did I find? A brand new boxed DJ set. Usually the most expensive shit was given to the ones who've been in longer than I have but, with my earned respect, Tre let me have it. And that's when all this music shit started.
Not gonna lie, I was shit at first. I couldn't mix shit for about six months until I found some videos on YouTube. That was probably my biggest mistake. After learning how someone else turned tables, I copied their style for a solid year and a half which got me absolutely nowhere. It wasn't until I Dj'ed at a party and sucked ass so bad that I nearly threw my set away when I got home.
My mom didn't take that lightly. She whooped my ass for trying to throw away a two thousand dollar set up then had a serious talk with me... after I finished crying.
She said, and I quote, "I did not name you Hikaru for nothing. I saw you would be a beacon of light so you're going to. Now wipe your face and go practice." Ever since then, I found my own style, my own vibe.. I found me. Like she said, I cleaned myself up and stayed up until four in the morning that night, working on my craft.
In the middle of me mixing, my big brother Maru came in with a bandana around his head and a jean jumpsuit. (He was very into Tupac at that time) Then, he just started rapping over my instrumentals.
So just like that, Nami was formed. My brother and I became our own group with no genre. We did rap, a little bit of R&B, some jumping shit if we felt like it. We didn't put a label on ourselves like I did when I was sixteen, we were just Nami, a wave with no destination.
And I'd say we were doing pretty fucking good for ourselves. We were what was know as 'hood famous.' We always were booked for house parties, school functions, we even did bingo once. Don't question it.
"Yo it's been fun y'all but it's time for the last song before I jet." Maru said as he walked across the mini stage that didn't provide much space for room but he made do. I adjusted my new headphones and clicked on the computer as I went to the song."Y/nn.. drop that shit."
I nodded and moved over to the beat pad as I started tapping the intro. Somehow, the crowd immediately knew what song we were placing and they all started cheering. Chucking under my breath, I put the beat on loop before quickly setting the mic up to face me so I could do the Ad-libs.
"Ooh, ooh, ayy (Rich) I got two hoes, light skin, and chocolate (What?) Throw the gang when I walk in through my block lit (Block lit)."
I watched as the crowd bounced around to the song, me watching them as I moved over to the piano quickly and added to the snare in the background.
About halfway through, it was my verse so I grabbed the mic and turned my hat backwards, standing on top of the table as I came in on my verse.
"I'm the reason why lil' mama got that ass so thick. She done heard a lotta stories 'bout this cash I get. She done heard lotta stories 'bout this dick I slang. She wanna suck a nigga ding-a-ling-a-ling-a-ling." Maru chuckled as I thrusted the air smoothly before hopped down and walked towards the stage in a shuffle-slash-dance.
"What you gon' do?" Maru said with a nod.
"I might let your friend hit it, gotta share the rock. I done hit every bitch in your hair salon." I then stood at the edge of the stage, smirking as their hands shot up and reached for me. "I hit the windows and to the walls, lil' bitch.
I know you got a man, you need to pause, lil' bitch. I'ma hit that shit until he calls, lil' bitch."
I crouched down, making eye contact with one girl in particular who bit her bottom lip, eyes raking down my body. I finished off the rest of my verse as we practically eye fucked each other. "If you wanna fuck me tonight, I said it already. I need I.D., I ain't no R. Kelly." I then stood up and bounced back to the tables as Maru came in with the hook.
"Aight we out. One time for the man of the hour. Happy cake day bro." Maru said to Paolo who held up a solo cup in return. "Nami the tape out now on all platforms, check us out. But the party not over yet so Y/nn, play that shit!"
I clicked the button to DJ the rest of the party while Maru hopped off and went to have his own fun. I didn't really mind, parties weren't my thing anyways. DJing them was.
Once I pulled off my headphones, I felt a hand softly grab my arm and I looked over to see the girl from the crowd. "Hi, I'm Tatiana." I smiled and shook her hand. "You're really good at what you do."
"Really? We haven't even seen the bedroom yet." I joked and she giggled before pushing a curly hair behind her ear. "Y/n." I responded before simultaneously transitioning another song in smoothly.
"If you don't mind, what are you?" I furrowed my eyebrows and she quickly added to it. "I mean like, your race. You and your brother look like some mutts."
"Oh that's nice." I said with a snort. "But uh dad's Japanese and black, my moms black and Asian too but I don't know from where." Her eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, they were both on some shit- hold on a sec." I quickly pulled my headphones on and focused on mixing up Highest In The Room and Pure Water before I dropped the beat on the Migos song, making the house go apeshit. Then, I pulled the headphones down. "But yeah, that's about it."
"That explains the thick hair." She said as she ran her fingers through my locks in a flirting manner. "You outta let me braid it sometime."
"Yeah?" I said with a smirk. "You braid good?"
"Oh yeah. I can see you with a couple braids, not a lot. Just to keep down while you rage out or whatever." I snorted and looked back at the crowd. "I'm serious."
"I believe you, Tatiana." When she pulled off my hat and placed it on her head, I gave her a look. "We ain't that close now, girl."
"Yeah.. but it gives you a reason to find me." She winked before climbing off of the booth stage and getting lost in the crowd. I shook my head softly before putting my focus back on this party so I could get my damn hat back.
And I almost did. Once the clock struck three and the party was over, I quickly started to pack up my shit, seeing Tatiana talking with a few girls by the front door.
"How much did this set cost?" I looked up and saw a mid aged man running his fingers over my deck. "Looks expensive."
"Yeah, I wouldn't know." I mumbled and slid my headphones into my backpack. Once I looked up, he gave me a confused look. "You the feds?" I asked at his sudden misplacement. A forty year old, suited man at a high school party. Hell Nah.
"No." He said with a chuckle. "I was at a friends when I heard you and your brother rapping so I just stuck by. You guys are good." I slowed down my movements with furrowed eyebrows.
"Thanks.." I mumbled and finished packing up. When I raised my gaze, he was still standing there, hands crossed behind his back. "Alright cuh, you kinda freaking me out. What's up?"
He chuckled under his breath before pulling a jet black card out of his jacket pocket and handing it to me. "Give me a call.. I like the direction of Nami." Then he walked away.
Frowning at his creepy ass, I looked down at the card and that's when it all hit me suddenly.
Interscope Records
Oh.. fuck.
___
OKAY OKAY THE OFFICIAL CHAPTER WILL BE PUBLISHED ON CHRISTMAS CAUSE IM IMPATIENT DO HERE, ENJOY THIS