The Hidden Genre (C. H. H. Ain't Dead 01)

chapter twenty

THE LIGHT post flickered with more frequency as if it tried to mimic everyone's panicked hearts. Were they about to witness an internationally known local artist get schooled in his backyard, or would the celebrity increase the fame in his reputation? It sure was a mountain to climb. Recently, Luke was known for music, not battles. This was a completely different ball game. But the streets never cared for excuses from the victims in its path.

   “What's it gonna be, Chase?” asked Cash Money.

   “Don't you see it? I'm famous, you’re not a threat,” said Luke, “time is money, so spending it on you will just put me in debt.”

   “Oh, snap,” the words jumped out amongst the laughs.

   Cash Money looked around and licked his lips as if he needed someone to sponsor him with something to eat, never mind a deal. He had the spotlight like he wanted, so why couldn't he think of a reply? It wasn't his style to delay. Everyone waited, but his hand twitched to grab the strap rather.

   “I think you’re scared of me,” he finally said, “last time I checked, I released my album on time, unlike you.”

   The crowd was hostile with their reactions, there were no friends here. All eyes turned to Luke, they wanted him to wipe that smug off his opponent's face. But at the same time, they wanted Cash Money to respond afterward like nothing happened. This crowd wasn't loyal to anyone anymore, all they really wanted was entertainment.

   The celebrity chuckled. If that’s what they wanted. That’s what he would give them. Luke knew how to entertain people; he did it for a living. However, his friends were worried to how he would go about this entertainment. The streets were short tempered and not very forgiving.

   Like a real hater, Cash Money brought up the past, but he wasn't lying. Luke’s album was late and Decep Records refused to give a reason to the public. The artist’s career was believed to have ended before it started. An anticipated failure.

   But then Luke! Chase! Conquer! happened. It sky rocketed all types of rating to a point that it was believed, if the album wasn’t so successful, the label would have crashed had they given no explanation, to the fans, to why the album was delayed.

   Luke intensified his glare at the opponent who self proclaimed victory. He walked towards Cash Money with purpose and the crowd made way for him as if he was royalty. Then again, compared to them, he was. They were being disrespectful when they should have been honoured to be in his presence.

   “Don't do this, bro,” said Isaac.

   “He's not worth it,” tried Margarette.

   “You are correct, he isn't,” said the celebrity, “but I need to make sure he knows that.”

   Luke halted. Cash Money's smug faltered. The celebrity was up to something. He searched his pockets as if he lost something. But the opponent was having none of it. He steadily reached towards his belt. Finally it was found.

   “Congratulations, Cash Money,” Luke whipped out a few hundred stakes he drew earlier, before the bar visit, and put it in his opponent's pocket, “considering that your album didn't do much for you financially, I was seriously voting for you to lose against Mkay. Guess you proved me wrong, Payton.”