**Chapter 178: The Underhanded Fight (Extra 510 for the Leader)**

Leaving the office, Link arrived at the recording studio. The studio wasn't far from the company, just about three kilometers away on Manhattan's Sixth Avenue—a twenty-minute walk or a short subway ride.

At the studio, Mars, Wiz Khalifa, B.O.B, Philip, Ali, and Lana were all present.

The studio had more than just recording rooms and music rooms; it also had a lounge, a bar, and other amenities. The group was in the bar area, smoking and drinking, filling the place with a smoky haze.

Link knew this was just the lifestyle of musicians, so he didn't stop them. Restricting smoking and drinking would be like limiting their freedom, and most people wouldn't want to work with such a company.

Link had only one requirement: no drugs or firearms in the studio. Those who couldn't comply would have their contracts terminated.

He remembered that Mars and Wiz had both been caught with drugs by the police and had their arrests exposed by the media.

"Link, want a drink?" Wiz Khalifa asked.

Wiz, sporting three dreadlocks, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of golden whiskey in the other, looked like a seasoned smoker at just 22.

Although Wiz wasn't officially part of Link's music team, he agreed to sign a two-album contract with Link Music at Link's invitation.

Similarly, B.o.B was also involved. Link recalled that B.o.B was one of the original singers of the hit "Nothin' On You," and he paid a million dollars to borrow him from Atlantic Records to help with Mars's new album.

"No thanks! When I drink, I end up fighting, so it's best if you don't let me near alcohol," Link joked.

"Yeah, better not let you drink. If you get drunk, none of us could handle you together," Wiz replied with a laugh.

Lana handed him a bottle of plain water and said, "Boss, you're here suddenly. Any instructions?"

Link glanced at her. Lana, who rarely wore skirts during recording sessions, was dressed in her usual jeans and artistic T-shirt, with lighter makeup than before.

"Lana, I've told you to just use my name. Calling me 'boss' makes me feel like an ugly capitalist," Link said with a shake of his head.

Everyone laughed.

Lana smiled and said, "Link, I call you 'boss' out of respect. You're so impressive, with so many top-level skills. I look up to you as an idol."

"No need for that respect. Don't forget, you're a few years older than me," Link replied with a smile.

Lana pouted, "A woman's age is a secret, okay?"

Link smiled lightly and turned to Mars, "Bruno, how's the recording for the rap singles going?"

Aside from recording "Lighters," they were also re-recording several songs from Mars's playlist and some rap songs Link had written. Mars, Wiz, and B.o.B were collaborating on them, with Mars's album planned for release at the end of the year.

Mars scratched his curly hair and said somewhat awkwardly, "The re-recording of those songs is going smoothly. We finished them in the past few days, and now we're arranging the track 'No Problem.'"

Link nodded. The track "No Problem" was a single Link wrote for Mars and his collaborators.

The rap portions of those singles had too many lyrics and were quite chaotic. He had supplemented them based on his own experiences when writing. After handing them to Mars and the others for revisions, they had modified "Lighters" and "I'm The One."

Originally, "I'm The One" was a 2017 single by Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and Asher Roth, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for two weeks. After modifications by Link, Graham, Mars, and others, it only reached number one on the rap chart and peaked at third on the Hot 100, indicating their modifications were somewhat lacking.

"Link, are you planning to release the new rap singles now and compete with Jay-Z and others?" Wiz asked.

Wiz was part of the West Coast rap scene. The rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rap had persisted since the deaths of Tupac and B.I.G. Tupac, born in New York and moved to Los Angeles, became the leader of West Coast rap and led it to prominence. B.I.G, from New York, broke the West Coast's dominance and was hailed as the "East Coast Hip-Hop Savior."

After Tupac's attacks on B.I.G. led to the East Coast-West Coast rap feud, which resulted in bloodshed, both Tupac and B.I.G. were murdered in drive-by shootings in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, respectively.

Snoop Dogg was Tupac's close friend, and Jay-Z was B.I.G's classmate and subordinate. After the deaths of these rap giants, the animosity between East Coast and West Coast rappers persisted, with few collaborations.

Wiz, being a friend of Snoop, was naturally unconcerned about collaborating with Link. However, the East Coast rap scene was extremely strong, with top stars like Jay-Z, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent. The West Coast scene only had Snoop Dogg as a major name, with Link's team not matching the East Coast's strength.

Engaging in a battle with the East Coast at this time seemed hopeless.

Link shook his head. He wasn't interested in getting involved in the East Coast-West Coast feud or challenging Jay-Z and others at this moment.

"I'm just asking. After the recordings are done, let's release 'Lighters' and see how the fans react. It's also a way to promote Mars's new album."

Link said.

"Boss, when should we release it?" Mars asked.

Link looked at him helplessly. Despite emphasizing that they should use his name, they still hadn't changed their ways.

"With the current chaotic rap scene, let's wait two more weeks," Link suggested.

"Boss, I think releasing it now is also fine. The rap charts are full of top stars—Jay-Z, Kanye, you, Wiz, Eminem, T.I., Drake. Mars and B.O.B are newcomers, and releasing a single now might not guarantee a chart position," Mars said.

"Bruno, you need to be more confident. 'Lighters' is an excellent song. The lyrics and music by the boss are great, and your collaboration with B.O.B is also fantastic. The chances of making the charts after release are very high," Lana said, looking at Link with a smile. "Link, if we retreat now, won't it seem too weak? You're a world champion; Tyson can't even beat you."

Link shook his head. "Even the greatest boxer can't dodge bullets. It's better to be cautious. We're in New York, where their fans are more numerous."

"Link is right. We're all newcomers with shallow roots in the music industry. Engaging in conflicts with them isn't worthwhile and could label us as racists," Mr. Graham said from the doorway.

Link also considered this and then said to Ms. Anna:

"Leak some information to the media that we originally planned to release the second rap single this week. Given the current chaotic situation, releasing the song could cause unnecessary misunderstandings. For the greater good, we've decided to delay the release of the new single until mid-June."

"Link, is this really necessary? If word gets out, people might think you're soft. Aren't you worried about your fans protesting?" Wiz Khalifa asked, propping his legs on a low table and blowing smoke rings.

"It's fine! We've already lost, and losing a bit more face isn't a big deal. Besides, as a singer, strength is the most important. Good songs don't need to worry about lack of fan support."

"Boss, I think you're right. I support you," Lana said with a wink and a smile.

"Thanks!"

Link smiled lightly and clinked his water bottle with hers.

Mars and the others also expressed their support for his decision.

That day, Link Music announced through the media that they would not engage in conflicts with East Coast rappers. Consequently, they decided to postpone the release of their planned second rap single from this week to mid-June.

In the announcement, Link Music detailed the creation process of "Lighters," a rap song Link wrote in March. Eminem had participated in writing and revising it. Initially planned as a collaboration between Link and Eminem, it didn't work out for various reasons. The track was now being handled by the newly signed artist Bruno Mars and rapper B.O.B., with Mars recommended by Eminem.

The release date was set for June 15.

After Link Music's concession, fans of Jay-Z and Kanye celebrated by popping champagne and mocking Link as a 'soft' champion on Link's Twitter and fan sites.

Despite this, many black fans were still dissatisfied. They felt that "Lighters," performed by two newcomers, wouldn't affect the dominance of Jay-Z's "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" on the rap chart.

Link Music's move was seen as a publicity stunt to arouse curiosity about their single and continue competing with Jay-Z and Kanye. If they truly had no intention of competing, they should have postponed the release for several more months or even until next year.

(End of Chapter)