Collaboration One
*NOTE* I do not claim to know the celebrities mentioned below or their sexual preferences. This fictional story was written solely for entertainment purposes only and does NOT imply the sexual preferences of said celebrities or anything about their personal lives. Enjoy!
The rain was unrelenting in Los Angeles, California as Nelly made his way from his limo in the parking lot into the recording studio where he would be lacing down some tracks for his new album. He ran through the pouring rain with his Vokal jacket over his head. As he passed through the glass doors of the recording studio, he saw no one in the reception area.
"Shit!" he muttered as he shook his jacket and beads of water crashed onto the floor. "Damn they better still be here."
He looked around at the darkened room where he was and found a hallway to go through. He headed though the building, still shaking his jacket and shirt to relieve them of the rain water. He soon became lost as he'd never worked in this studio before. He looked around and still saw no sign of anyone as a loud crack of thunder boomed outside and a streak of lightening illuminated the darkened recording studio. He reached into his jacket pocket and got out his two-way. He flipped it open and dialed a number from memory. He slowly started walking deeper into the studio.
"Hey! You guys still here?" he asked.
"Yea I just left the reception area. Where are you guys?"
"Oh aight. I'll be there."
Nelly ventured deeper into the building and up three floors on the elevator until he reached his destination. He shook hands with his two producers and then took his jacket off and draped it over a chair. He hurried into the recording studio, ready to do his thing. He began warming up as the two producers began to work. Nelly spat a few random lyrics, to check that the machines were all working, and then proceeded to lace his first track.
"Oh shit! That's gonna be a club jam fa' sho!" Nelly said in his strong southern accent.
"Yea that shit's poppin'," one of the producers said.
"Aight lets' see how much more we can do tonight cuz it's getting late," the other producer stated.
The three men went to work producing the tracks and completely lost track of time. With five tracks locked down, Nelly glanced at his Rolex and saw that it was almost two in the morning. He was getting tired but managed to put down another track before he came out of the recording booth. He discussed some verses and lyrics as well as beats with the producers and was all ready to leave.
"Aight boys. I'll catch ya'll later," Nelly said as he shook both of their hands.
He grabbed his jacket off the chair and made his way out of the studio into the hall. As he walked toward the elevator he noticed that it was raining even harder than before and lightening strikes were more frequent. The studio was darkened as he made his way into the elevator. He pushed for the lobby in the elevator and got out his two-way and quickly began typing a text message. The elevator stopped one floor down and the door opened. Nelly didn't notice who stepped in as the elevator closed shut again.
"Working late shawty?" T.I. asked as Nelly clicked his phone and put it away.
"I could ask you the same thing durrty," Nelly looked up and smiled. "What up man?"
"Working. Ya know," T.I. said as he grabbed Nelly's extended hand and shook it.
"Yea. I just laced down a couple of tracks for my next album."
"Yea me too man."
"So that's why you here so late?"
"Yea, that and I like coming to the studio when no one else is around ya know. I get to concentrate and shit."
"Fa' sho."
The two men continued to talk about their tracks, comparing lyrics and even had a minor verse battle as they made their way out of the elevator and into the very darkened reception area. Both men stared outside as the rain smashed into everything in its path.
"Aight durrty I'll catch ya later," Nelly said as he stuck his hand out for T.I. to shake.
"Peace shawty," T.I. said as took the older rappers' hand into his once again.
Nelly stared at T.I. as he rushed into the rain and made his way towards his black limo. As his limo pulled off, Nelly finally saw his limo and once again placed his jacket over head and darted towards his limo. He told his driver to take him back to his hotel and closed his eyes and rested his head on the seat as the rain slammed onto the car. He began saying lyrics in his head. This is how he made up all his verses and eventually made his songs. While most people wrote down their verses, Nelly would just make them up in his head and keep saying them over and over.
Through the long ride to his hotel he came up with the basis for two more songs. He began working on a third song when his mind ran on his encounter with T.I. He was a little taller and more built than T.I. but he noticed that the younger rapper was getting very cut and muscular.
"What the fuck!?" Nelly said as he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. "What the hell was that?"
Nelly rapidly searched his mind for an explanation for what he was just thinking about. One minute he was about to create another song and the next, he was thinking about another man. He was confused as he saw his limo pulling into his hotel. He gave his driver five hundred dollars and put a hat on, so he wouldn't be recognized, and quickly made his way into the hotel. He walked up to the counter where the clerk was sleeping.
"Yo! Wake up bud," he called to the clerk.
"Oh I'm sorry. How can I help you?"
"I need the key to my room. It's the penthouse suite."
"Okay, I need your ID please."
"No prob," Nelly said as he quickly pulled out his ID and handed it to the young clerk.
"Okay Mr.---"
"Just call me Nelly durrty."
"Alright!" the clerk said with great excitement in his voice. "Your room is on the thirty-second floor sir."
"Thanks kid."
"I hate to bother you but can I have your autograph?"
"Anything for a fan," Nelly said as he signed a piece of paper that the clerk slipped to him.
He took his ID back as well as his hotel key and carefully made his way to his room. He slid his key card and opened the grand oak doors to his luxurious suite. He carelessly threw his jacket on a nearby chair and walked into his room. He threw his hat on the bed and took off his still damp shirt to expose his smooth, well developed upper body. He sat on the edge of the bed as he began unlacing his shoes. He slid them off as well as his socks and just fell over onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He shut his eyes and just let his mind wander wherever it wanted to. His mind continued to reel as he came up with more and more lyrics. Although Nelly loved the spotlight, he also loved time alone to think and relax. His mind kept spinning as lyrics kept formulating themselves.
About twenty minutes later he emerged from his deep state of thought and sat up on his bed. He noticed that it was almost four in the morning as he went to look out the window. Outside was looking nastier than ever with the rain and lightening still ruling the sky. He made his way into the bathroom and didn't even bother to close the door behind him. He unbuckled his belt and slid his pants off his narrow waist. He threw them over the towel rack and his boxers were soon to follow. He stepped into the shower and adjusted the temperature of the water until it was warm and then stepped under the shower head. The warm water crashed onto his tattooed skin as he began to clean himself.
"Damn I'm tired," he said as he emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
He thoroughly dried himself off and slipped on a clean pair of boxers and just hopped into the king sized bed. He placed his phone and wallet on the nightstand and turned off the lights. He stared up at the dark ceiling once again as his mind came to life again. This time however, he wasn't making up verses but just thinking about life in general. He let his wander freely and it soon made up a frame of a young man. This strangers' face and body was darkened but Nelly could see that he had a hat on. As he began to focus his mind he made out the stranger.
"What the fuck?" he asked himself as he jumped up on his bed in the dark. "Why am I thinking about that nigga?"
He put the light back on and just laid there in bed thinking about T.I. He did like the younger rapper's lyrics and beats but he wasn't thinking of that. His mind kept focusing on when their hands touched and how soft his skin was and how firm his handshake was. Nelly was confused. He had no idea what he was feeling. This was the first guy he ever thought about that way.
"I'm just fucking tired!" he said to himself as he got up and went to turn off the lights.
Nelly awoke the next morning to the ringing of his two-way. He felt around the bed for it but didn't feel anything. He then remembered that he put his cell on the nightstand and reached over to grab his phone. He grabbed it but missed and it slid off the table and hit the ground. He finally sat up on his bed and grabbed the phone from the floor. He clicked it open and looked at who was calling him.
"Hello?" he spoke into his phone.
"Hey mom. What's up?"
"Naw I can't come see you for a couple of weeks cuz I'm in L.A."
"Yea I'm recording tracks and doing some press."
"Aight mom. I love you too. Bye."
Nelly plopped back down into his bed and stared at the ceiling once again. His eyes shifted to the window and he saw that there were still rain clouds outside but rain wasn't falling. He looked at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was 9AM. He had only gotten a couple of hours of sleep but he really didn't feel tired. He got up and made his way to the bathroom. He started to brush his teeth as he came back into the bedroom and flicked on the huge plasma screen TV. He clicked it on to MTV and the news was going on as he made his way back to the bathroom.
He continued to brush his teeth and wash his face. He heard Eminem's "Ass Like That" video come on as he hopped out of his boxers and into the shower. He took a quick shower because he had to be across town in a half an hour. He grabbed his towel and began drying his head and face. He stepped out of the bath tub and walked past a full length mirror and stopped. He back tracked to the mirror and began checking himself out.
"Damn I am one good looking man," he joked as he gazed at every inch of his toned body in the mirror.
He continued drying his skin as he walked back into his large master bedroom. He went to his suitcase and got out another pair of boxers and put them on. He found a pair of Vokal jeans and slipped them on. His attention was suddenly shifted from his clothing to the TV. He sat on the edge on the bed as his eyes were glued to the TV. T.I.'s video for "You Don't Know Me" came on and Nelly just stared at the plasma screen. At first Nelly was just listening to the lyrics but then he completely tuned it out and started looking at the rapper. He looked at his body movements and actions in the video. He looked at his face and thought it was cute.
"Dammit! What the fuck is wrong with me?" he asked himself in his mind as his two-way rang.
"Yea?"
"Aight I'll be down in twenty minutes."
"Peace."
He finished watching the video and quickly put on a muscle t shirt and his shoes. He got up and got his wallet off the nightstand, put his two-way in his pocket and grabbed his hat off the bed. He clicked the TV off as he made his way into the kitchen. He made himself a bowl of cereal, that he ordered last night, and began eating it as he stared outside at the gloomy L.A. sky. He kept eating as his mind ran on T.I. again. His face and body was now etched into Nelly's mind and he couldn't stop thinking about him; the contours of his face, his well developed body, his cute smile.
"Shit!" he yelled as he dropped the bowl into the sink. "Damn I can't believe this."
His mind kept racing around T.I. as he made his way out of the suite and into the elevator. He carefully placed the hat over his face so his eyes would be shielded from anyone noticing him. He really didn't feel like mingling with fans right now because of everything that was running through his mind. He stood quietly in the corner as it made its way to the lobby. He quickly walked out of the hotel and found his limo with the driver holding the door open for him.
"Thanks man," he said as he stepped into the limo.
He took his hat of and threw it on the other side of the limo. He couldn't stop thinking about the younger rapper but he would have to try to because he was on his way to do a talk show. He closed his eyes, leaned forward and placed his hands over his head. He felt the limo began to move as he started thinking about anything but T.I. He was nervous about what was going on inside him. He didn't know what it was and was almost scared.
It had started to rain lightly as Nelly made his way out of the television studio where he just had an appearance on "The View." He was cautious only to talk about his album, his music, and his fans. He avoided every question about his personal life because he himself didn't know what was going on with that aspect of his life anyway. It was around 1:30PM in the afternoon when Nelly made his way back to his master suite at the top very of the hotel. He flicked his shoes off and threw his hat, two-way, and wallet on the bed as he went to the phone.
"Yes hi! I would like to order lunch."
"Okay I'd like the grouper fillet with the mixed greens salad."
"Fifteen minutes? Okay thanks."
He hung up the phone and felt too lazy to change his clothes so he just jumped onto the bed and clicked on the TV. It was still on MTV from the night before and Nelly wasn't interested in the video that came on so he changed it. He flipped through the channels, stopping occasionally if something looked interesting. He stopped on BET and watched as his video for "Country Grammar" was the flashback joint on 106 & Park. He continued to watch it and reminisce about his first video when he heard a knock on the door.
"I'm coming," he hollered out as he made his way to the door.
"Here you are sir."
"Thanks man."
He patted the younger man on his shoulder and slipped him a hundred dollar bill. He pushed the cart into the room himself and placed is by the bedside. He then sat on the bed and began to eat while still watching BET's top ten countdown. He finished his lunch quickly because he was hungry and put the cart outside his door and made his way back to the bed. He positioned himself on the bed and finally began concentrating on formulating lyrics because he would be going back to the studio later tonight. He heard a crack of thunder as his mind went rampant on words. After hours of laying there with his eyes shut and his mind reeling, he came up with the basis for another three songs. He was excitedly working on the fourth song when his two-way rang and interrupted him. He felt around the bed for it.
"Yea?"
"Ay you still coming to the studio later tonight?" one of his producers asked.
"Yea but it's raining like hell. I might be running a little late."
"Okay. If you get there before us then just wait for us okay."
"No prob durrty. Later."
He clicked his phone and looked around to the clock and saw that he still had a couple of hours to kill. He got up, tossed his phone on the bed and went to the window. Although most people hated it, Nelly loved it when it rained. He loved just staring out the window when it was raining and letting his mind wander wherever it wanted too. He leaned up against the wall and stared out at the muggy, dark gray L.A. sky. He watched as the water droplets fell at a fast speed and crashed into everything below them. He rested his hands on the sill and leaned forward, still staring outside.
"Dammit," he thought to himself.
He went to the bed and plopped down on it. He was enjoying his down time relaxing as he shut his eyes and just listened to the rain crashing against the window. The room became completely silent as Nelly concentrated on his thoughts. He was so far away that he didn't even hear the rain or the lightening that was wreaking massacre on the outside sky. His thoughts ran over his life. He was blessed to be doing what he was doing and although seemed cocky on the mic, he was extremely humble. He started thinking about the other night in the studio. His was so passionate when he was laying down tracks, he lived and breathed the music industry. His mind walked him through the darkened studio as he found himself in the elevator once again.
"Fuck!" he said out loud as he was startled awake by his thoughts. "What's up with this shit."
He went to the bathroom and washed his face. He stared at himself in the mirror and his mind rummaged for an explanation to what just happened. He kept coming up blank as his phone echoed form the other room. He grabbed a towel and wiped his face as he made his way back to the room and grabbed his phone.
"What?"
"Your limo is ready for you sir."
"Aight."
Nelly gathered all his thoughts and stored them away as he went and changed his clothes. He grabbed his jacket off the chair as well as a hat and very expensive pair of Fendi sunglasses. He put them on in an attempt to hide himself and he grabbed his phone and wallet. He snuck out of his room and used the back exits to make it to the limo that awaited him. When the driver saw him emerging from the hotel, he quickly got out and ran to him with an umbrella on his hand.
"Thanks," Nelly said as he got under the umbrella with the driver and walked towards the limo.
The drive took longer than expected because of the rain. Nelly looked out the window and saw that it was getting visibly darker on the L.A. skyline. He looked at his two-way and saw that it was eight. He told his driver to be back around two for him as he grabbed the umbrella and quickly made it to the glass front doors of the recording studio. This time, however, there was a receptionist present and Nelly greeted her.
"Hey! Are the producers that I'm working with here yet?" he asked the young girl.
"No. They called and said that they would be later than expected sir. I'm sorry."
"No problem. And you can call me Nelly."
"Okay."
"Is the studio I got still being used?"
"No sir---I mean Nelly, it's all ready for you."
"I can go back there and wait for them right?"
"Yes. That's not a problem."
He smiled at the receptionist and made his way through the familiar path to his rented part of the studio. He got into the same elevator as he did the night before. He stood on the left side, as he did before, and closed his eyes as the elevator began to move upward. The elevator stopped on the floor above and opened. A man entered and just nodded at Nelly as the doors closed behind him. Nelly got off on the floor above and made his way to his deserted studio. Inside the studio, there was a huge glass wall that overlooked L.A. The rain was beating effortlessly against it as he made his way to it and stared outside.
Nelly hated this feeling. He hated being confused and not knowing what to do. He thought that he would lose his mind if he didn't find some clarity soon. He kept staring out the window into the rain, as if it would somehow give him the answers he were looking for. He stayed in his own world for a long time and finally snapped out of it when his two-way vibrated in his pocket.
"Yea?"
"Aye! Where you at?" Murphy Lee's voice came back.
"I'm about to go record some tracks durrty. Hit me back later."
"Aight man one."
He didn't know how long he was staring out at Los Angeles but the producers still weren't here. He got tired of waiting in the studio so he left. He headed back to the elevator as it headed down. On the floor below his, the elevator door opened again and another man entered. Nelly looked through his sunglasses and saw T.I. at the of the corridor, talking on his phone, his back to him. Nelly instantly became attentive of the younger rapper as he made his way out of the elevator and sat on a bench that was close to it. He fixed his hat and sunglasses to cover as much of his face as possible as he waited. A few people passed him on their way to the elevator among other places but no one seemed to notice him. The hallway became quite as T.I. ended his phone call and headed back into the studio.
If you have any questions or comments you can e-mail me at jc71883@hotmail.com