Black Gold's Ambitions

Miles Carter leaned back in his sleek leather chair, eyes half-closed as he massaged his temples. The constant hum of activity outside his office was a reminder of how fast-paced the world of music could be. As CEO of Black Gold Records, he was used to juggling a million things at once, but today was particularly chaotic. He stared at the computer screen in front of him, a pile of emails and project updates waiting for his review.

"Another day in paradise," he muttered under his breath, pushing the chair forward and scrolling through the endless emails. Marketing strategies, upcoming artist tours, licensing deals—it was all routine. But his mind kept drifting back to a moment from last week, the moment that had shaken up his well-oiled machine of a label.

"Resurrection."

That music video.

The mysterious rapper with the gritty and somewhat laid-back delivery. The raw energy. Miles had known right away that Ty the phoenix, whoever he was, had something special. Not just talent, but the potential to blow up in a way the industry hadn't seen in a while. The hunger behind that verse? It was rare to find that level of authenticity. It reminded Miles of the early days—back when he was just starting Black Gold, signing hungry young talent who had everything to prove.

He smiled to himself, remembering the decision he made on a whim after watching the video. He had called in his secretary, Sandra, and told her to make it happen.

"Sign this kid. I don't care what it takes."

Just as the thought crossed his mind, the door to his office opened, and Sandra stepped in. She carried a folder in her hands, walking with purpose, her heels clicking on the polished floor. Miles could tell from her expression that the meeting was about to get serious.

"Mr. Carter," Sandra started, her voice professional but with a hint of urgency, "I've finalized the contract with Tyler. Everything's signed. We're officially bringing him onto the Black Gold roster."

Miles nodded, leaning forward with interest. "Good. Really good. I knew that kid was going to be something special. What's the initial buzz looking like? How are people reacting to 'Resurrection'?"

Sandra pulled out a tablet and handed it to him. "The numbers are through the roof. Streams are climbing steadily, and social media is blowing up with speculation about his identity. Everyone's curious about who Tyler is, but more importantly, they can't stop listening to the track."

Miles swiped through the stats on the tablet, eyes lighting up as he saw the streaming numbers and the sheer volume of reactions across social media platforms. This was better than he had anticipated.

"Perfect," he murmured. "This is exactly what we needed—a fresh face with mystery, someone who can shake things up."

But Sandra didn't look entirely pleased, and Miles noticed. He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair again. "Something on your mind?"

Sandra hesitated for a moment before speaking, her tone more cautious. "It's just... there's been some tension within the label. Ever since we started pursuing Tyler, a few of the other artists have expressed concern."

Miles frowned. "Concern? About what?"

Sandra sighed, setting the folder down on his desk. "It's not about Tyler directly, but the atmosphere has shifted. You know how Black Gold operates. We've built this label around signing established names—artists who already had a degree of fame or success before coming to us. People like Trey Monet and Rina Blaze came to us when they were already making waves in the underground scene."

She paused, watching his reaction before continuing. "Tyler is different. He's not part of that world. He's new, unknown, and hasn't had the kind of backing or track record that most of our other artists have had. Some of them are worried that the label is shifting focus. They're not used to the idea of us developing raw talent from scratch. And to be honest, neither are our execs."

Miles processed the information quietly. It was true; Black Gold had never really been about developing unknown artists. They were known for snapping up stars before they went mainstream, for polishing rough diamonds that were already visible. But Tyler represented a gamble. A calculated risk that could change the trajectory of the label if it paid off.

"I get it," he said finally, his voice calm. "The other artists are nervous because they feel threatened. They don't know who this kid is or what he's bringing to the table."

Sandra nodded. "Exactly. And you know how it is in this industry. Competition is fierce, and everyone wants to be the next big thing. The idea of someone unknown like Tyler getting a spotlight this big, this fast, is unsettling for them."

Miles leaned back, considering his options. "Let them be unsettled," he said finally. "We can't afford to play it safe anymore. If we want to stay relevant, we need to take risks. Tyler's hungry, and that's what we need—someone with that raw energy who's ready to go all the way."

Sandra nodded, though her expression was still cautious. "I understand. But we need to be careful. This can't feel like we're giving Tyler special treatment, or we risk alienating the rest of the roster."

Miles chuckled. "They'll get over it once they see how much he's bringing to the table. Trust me, if Tyler blows up the way I think he will, the rest of the artists will be lining up to collaborate with him."

He glanced down at the folder Sandra had left on his desk, the final contract sitting neatly inside. A small thrill of excitement ran through him. He'd taken a chance, but he had a good feeling about Tyler. The kid had come out of nowhere and already had the streets talking.

"Sandra, I want everything ready for when Tyler comes in to sign. We're going to make sure this deal is airtight. And once he's on board, we're going to put the full weight of Black Gold behind him."

Sandra gave a small nod, though the concern still lingered in her eyes. "I'll make sure everything is in place, Mr. Carter. Just... be prepared for pushback from the others. Not everyone's going to be happy about this."

Miles waved a hand dismissively. "Let them grumble. We didn't get to where we are by worrying about what other people think. We're here to make stars. Tyler is just the beginning."

As Sandra turned to leave, Miles leaned forward once more, a grin spreading across his face. He had a feeling that Tyler's rise was going to shake things up in ways none of them expected.