IMOLE (LIGHT): THE DARK MUSIC WORLD
CHAPTER 3
“Hello, is this Imole?” the voice from the phone asked
“Yes, you are speaking with Imole” I replied with a shaky voice.
“I heard your freestyle and it was really good” the voice said
“Freestyle?” I asked myself while struggling to think of the freestyles he heard and how he heard it. Although, I’d done a lot of freestyles, very good music.
“Hello, are you there?” The voice asked bringing me back to myself
“Yes, yes I am still here” I replied
“So, the Marlian Record Label will like to sign you, meet me at . . . . place tomorrow to seal the deal if you are interested”
The call ended and before I knew it, I was on the floor already. I was practically rolling on the floor. I got up and started jumping and dancing. It was indeed a happy moment for me.
My street guys were just admiring me. A lot of them wanted to be me at that moment.
Then I rushed home and told my family and those I considered close friends. They were all happy for me. The true happiness on my family faces really meant a lot to me.
The thought of a new life, no poverty, no lack, no more staying without food, no more Landlord’s embarrassment. A new life, riches, all these and more continued to replay in my mind as I couldn’t stop myself from smiling throughout that night.
I could barely wait for the morning to fully break. I hurriedly went to one of my friend’s barbing saloon and shaved my hair again, even though It wasn’t long that I shaved the hair.
All I could think of was how I can really look my best for the person that God want to use to answer my long lasting prayers.
So, I took a shower and then I wore my best dress and shoe and then I went to the address the voice mentioned to me on the phone.
I saw a lot of guys and girls when I arrived at the location that was given to me on the phone.
I was entertained, celebrated and treated like a brother even before I signed the deal.
At last, I signed it and then he said
“Welcome to the Marlian Record Label, we are now officially BROTHERS”
That statement made me so happy, that even while I was shaking hands with him, I didn’t know when I just started blushing.
They all hugged me and ordered for more drinks to celebrate the signing of a new brother. They were so nice and amazing people.
Although, at first I was a little bit shy to mingle with them but I later found my feet and then I typically joined in the celebration.
After the whole celebration, happiness and stuff; I returned back home with so much smile that I didn’t realized how I kept on greeting people on the street both old and young.
I was walking, shaking hands and hugging people randomly because of how my heart was filled with joy and fulfillment.
I didn’t even knock at our door. I went straight in and knelt before my family.
“Dad, Mom, brothers, I’ve made it! Dad, Mom, your son will soon be known by the entire world. Our suffering is over patapata. Your son just signed the deal to supreme greatness” I screamed out loud.
They all stood up and began to hug me and then each other while thanking God with tears in our eyes for coming through for us.
It was a great day. My family shall finally rest.
Hmmm… I really thought there will be a day that all my pains will go away. Days that I will only party with my family and friends.
I thought my grace was AUTO (automatic)
Little did I know that I just signed a deal to great sadness and untimely death.
After I signed the contract and the whole honeymoon ended. I was called to record my first single in the studio but before then, I was carried into a different room where a lot of things were kept in place that looked horrible and alien to my understanding.
“Come on in”
I wad urged in by one of the men in the room but it took me some time to be able to take a step.
“You can have your sit”
I gently sat down but my head kept turning three-sixty. I was given birth to in a very humble and poor home and on top of that my father is a Pastor, I was in the choir.
So with all of these, I knew that something may go wrong. Although, there were a lot of luxury around me, it got me freaked out but more than that I was more freaked out by the things that were in the separate room.
“The boss will soon join us” the man said to me and from his voice, I could tell that he was the same person that spoke to me on phone. I thought he was the owner of the Label but I was wrong. There’s someone called THE BOSS.
I sat and kept waiting. I could here voices from downstairs and around the rooms. The house was a wonder. It has everything needed in it.
All of a sudden, everybody that were in the room stood up uniformly. I gently joined them to get up even though I didn’t know why they were standing. It was not until I raised my head up that I saw a man with dreads and chains and tattoos standing right in front of me.
“You are Imole, right?” The man asked
“Ye… Yes I am” I stuttered
“You can sit down” the man said and then I gently took my seat and bowed my head while deeply praying in my heart.
“I’ve heard a lot about you and what you’ve been doing in the street. You have cool lyrics and you do good music. I’m impress”
“Thank you boss”
“It’s nothing. You see, my name is N-Man and I am the founder of this record label and I am glad and happy that you signed a contract with us. You are now part of this amazing family and we are always here for you”
“Thank you Sir and I’m glad for this great privilege”
“You don’t need to thank me. All I want is your loyalty and your good music and you will also write songs for us because I can see that you are good with words”
“I hope I can be of help Sir”
You will, you will but I need you yo do something for me”
At that moment my mind jumped.
“What is it Sir?”
“We have a family meeting in the third sitting room tomorrow night. I need you to come because that will be the final contract you will sign before you begin work and please don’t worry you will be rich and famous. You won’t suffer any more”
That statement “you won’t suffer any more” made my heart jumped because I really don’t want to suffer and so I agreed to go to the house the next day to sign the second contract.
I made sure I dressed well that night. My father didn’t like the fact that I was going for a meeting at night. From the way he was looking, you will know that ot doesn’t sound right to him.
“Imole, how many times do you have to sign a contract? I thought you’ve signed it already?” My father asked
“Yes I did but the Boss told me that there’s another to be signed tonight and then my work will start. So, I have to just check it out”
“Hmmm….”
“Don’t worry Sir, I will be fine. They are all nice people”
“If you say so. Just make sure you be careful. I don’t want to hear stories”
I laughed and went out. I arrived at the house and then I was ushered into another separate room.
What I saw in the room was disturbing.
There were several other people in the room. They all stood in circular form and a container that carries fire was kept at the middle of the circular formation. Their heads were all bowed even when I entered, they didn’t raise their head.
I looked further and then I saw the one they call the Boss. He was the only one with his head up. I wasn’t afraid but at the same time I wasn’t comfortable.
I noticed another boy, from the way he was looking I could easily tell that he was a new comer just like me and obviously we signed the first contract the same day.
“To the New comers, WELCOME” The Boss said as only I and the other boy raised our heads to look at him without evening knowing how to respond but then he continued.
“I am happy to welcome you both to this family. You’ve successfully signed your first musical contract and you were able to sign the contract because we found out that you guys are good with music.
No matter how good you are, you can’t really go far with your music without a serious record label like ours but then, we just don’t succeed in music even with record labels because there are other things we must put in place and that is why you are here tonight. Are you following?”
We both raised our heads and looked at him.
“Ye.. Yes Boss” we answered the same time
“You see, in big record label like ours music is not the only thing that brings money. We also have to use the opportunity and or privilege to do other things such as (he walked to a table close to where we formed the circular shape and opened a very large container that was on the table) this!”
We raised our heads and to our shocking surprise, we saw different kinds and types of hard drugs together with guns.
My heart began to beat faster and I could almost hear the heart beat of the other guy.
A lot of thoughts began to go through my mind.
“Why are they with guns and drugs? I thought they do only music?”
“You see these things here, they are our back end business and they are more beneficial than music. Music is more like a cover up” the boss said as he brought me back to reality.
I and the other guy just stood like dumb guys. The other guy also couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“So, for you to begin working in this label, you must sign and agree to do this business with us as a family and you must agree to keep your mouths shut about it and you must do all you can to make this business succeed whenever you are called upon.
So, move forward and come drink what is in this cup”
I hesitated and then I looked at the other guy, he was still standing. Suddenly, all the troubles, poverty, lack, hunger and so many other things that I and my family passed through; they all began to rush down my memories and that made me so desperate and then I went straight to the boss but then what I saw in the cup made me paused.
Tbc
