Prologue
"You been on my dick, nigga.
You love my dick, nigga."
- Nas
"Five minutes til soundcheck!"
Riley Freeman stood behind the curtains, bobbing his head to the beat his homeboys were making.
He'd been grinding for forever, working hard to make sure Huey and his Granddad never wanted for anything, not that they'd ever asked- or accepted.
They ain't give a damn what he was goin' through. Instead, they'd told him to keep the 'Thug Reezy Bullshit' far the fuck away from them.
Not that he minded.
This was where he belonged, right here on stage, being the star he was always destined to be.
Not in funky ass Woodcrest, laying low like a bitch.
"Yo, yo, yoooo make some noiseeeeee!" The host hollered into the mic.
The crowd's applause grew quiet, waiting for something to happen.
"Now, I know ya'll waiting for MakeShift to come out and finish." The host paused, waiting for the crowd to get hype again.
"Helllll yeah!" They chorused, eagerly doing the chant they'd rehearsed earlier. "Hell yeah, muthafuckaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Devon laughed, nodding at them. "Aight. Ya'll remember what Daddy taught ya'll. I dig it."
They all laughed.
"Now, MakeShift dissed another popular rapper I just so happen to be cool with." Devon paused when a few boos rang across the audience. "Whatever, niggas! Ya'll know that's my boy!"
They applauded, cheering again.
"And he's here….tonight."
The room fell silent again, and Riley could hear murmuring in the audience.
"We about to see a response in real time ya'll!"
The curtains flew open, and the crowd went wild, screaming his name.
"Give it up for my nigga, my brutha, the best to ever do dis shit, mane! THUG REEZAYYYYYY!"
Riley made his way onto the stage, playing with the beat as he lit into the diss track.
You throwin' names, then fix ya aim, get ya shit straight,
I been the realest in the game, you been a deep fake.
"OHHHHHHH!"
The crowd gasped when Riley motioned to his debut album fit, the one MakeShift had started wearing recently in an attempt to freshen his look.
Callin' me suburban when you clearly confused,
Get ya mind out the gutta, I been payin' my dues.
"Yeaahhhhhhhh!"
He smirked when MakeShift made his way over to Devon, staring at Riley taking over his show. "Nigga what the fuck!? Yo ass did this shit, bruh?!"
While you were playin' house, I was packin' the heat!
When you was playin' rough, I was changin' the streets!
"Ohhhhhhhhhh!"
I'm the realest in the game, you just eatin' off me!
Cuz ya wish ya was me, see my face in ya dreamz.
Riley twirled around and snatched off his shirt, causing the crowd to go crazy as he slammed his hands on his chest, spitting harder and harder.
Ya girl hit me up, sayin' youz a fraud,
How you can't hold her down, now she callin' me God.
He put his hands in the air, grinning as he hyped up the crowd for the bridge.
You think ya real clever, but youz a sad joke,
Got shit to say online, when we barely even spoke.
"AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
I'm the truth, I'm the light, I'm the undisputed,
You the past, you the shadow, mane you clearly deluded.
He stopped center stage, the spotlight on him as the music cut off in time for him to finish acapella.
It's Thug Reezy,
The name that you can't escape
Consider this ya final warning,
Cuz' I'm sealin' your fate.
Peace.
He closed his eyes, dropping the mic on the ground as he listened to the crowd cheering his name while the DJ blared the air horns.
"THUG REEZAYYYY! REEZZAYYYYYYY! REEZAYYYYYYYY! REEEEZAYYYY!"
He felt the change in the air, felt it suddenly go tense in the midst of their chanting.
Riley opened his eyes, watching as MakeShift and his crew shoved Devon backwards.
They all began reaching into the waistbands of their jeans, pulling out their weapons before yelling something to him.
Time stopped moving.
And suddenly, Riley could see everything clearly.
The blood pooling beneath his friend, the gun in his hand that he'd whipped out on instinct, and the other guns facing him, right before all ten niggas and his crew pulled the trigger.
He could hear the screaming before the bullets hit his chest, hear MakeShift laughing.
"Whose fate is sealed now, nigga?"
And then, the pain kicked in.
Author's Note:
I know, I know.
But in my defense, this has potential.
There's never really been a Jazmine and Riley story.
So I figured, why not give it a try?