Last Day in Austin Texas
Arell let out a small laugh. Geoffrey always had a way of cutting through the noise. He locked his phone, feeling a pang of disappointment that he'd have to wait to find out what happened next in the anime.
He took a moment to compose himself before heading to the venue. The Mohawk was the last stop on his SXSW journey, and he needed to be fully focused. He straightened his jacket, checked his reflection in a nearby window, and then made his way to the car.
As he drove through the bustling streets of Austin, the anticipation for the night built within him. He parked a few blocks away from The Mohawk, preferring to walk the rest of the way to take in the vibrant energy of the city. The air was filled with music, laughter, and the occasional shout as festival-goers moved between venues.
Arriving at The Mohawk, Arell was greeted by a flurry of activity. The venue was packed with people, a sea of faces illuminated by the stage lights. He made his way through the crowd, exchanging nods and quick greetings with a few familiar faces.
Backstage, Geoffrey was waiting with a look of mild exasperation mixed with relief. "You made it," he said, clapping Arell on the shoulder. "Just please tell me you didn't do anything stupid."
Arell shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "Nah. I was just chillin'. Watched some anime to pass the time."
Geoffrey raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Anime, huh?."
Arell leaned against the wall, feeling the tension ease out of his shoulders. "I'm good, Geoff. Just focused on the performance."
Geoffrey nodded, satisfied. "Alright, then. Let's get you prepped."
The backstage area was a hive of activity, with artists and crew members bustling about. Arell felt a familiar buzz of excitement as he slipped into his pre-show routine. He warmed up his voice, ran through some breathing exercises, and did a few stretches to loosen up.
Geoffrey handed him a bottle of water. "Hydrate."
Arell took the bottle with a grateful nod, drinking deeply. "How's the crowd looking?"
Geoffrey glanced at his phone, checking the live feed from the venue. "Packed. They're ready for you."
A stagehand appeared, giving Arell a five-minute warning. "You're on in five, man. Ready?"
Arell took a deep breath, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline. "Yeah. Let's do this." He hyped himself up, feeling the energy course through his veins. "Last one, let's make this good," he muttered to himself, bouncing on his toes.
As he heard the intro beat of "Blue Balenciagas," he ran onto the stage and jumped as the first beat dropped. The crowd erupted in cheers, instantly recognizing the opening lines.
"We gon' pull up with them sticks and hop out with them choppers
Walking out the ten in blue Balenciagas..."
The audience sang along, their voices blending with his as the bass reverberated through the venue.
"I caught an opp, now I got blood on blue Balenciagas
Up that forty, let that pistol sing a melody..."
The crowd was fully engaged, their hands in the air, swaying to the beat. Arell could see the excitement on their faces, the recognition of each line fueling their enthusiasm.
"Fuck all of that talking, we can go to war
Leave your brain marinating on the boulevard..."
Arell's delivery was on point, his voice powerful and commanding. He owned the stage, moving with confidence and charisma. The lights flashed in sync with the music, creating a dynamic and immersive experience.
"I got something that'll put you out your misery
Seven point six two, five point five six's, two-two-three..."
He shouted out key lines, the crowd echoing them back with fervor.
"With that K, broad day, we hop out and spray
Young nigga world, young nigga way until my dying day..."
The crowd's energy was infectious, and Arell fed off it, his performance growing more intense with each passing second.
"You ain't 'bout that action, boy let's not pretend
Caught you lacking after school and shot at all your friends..."
The crowd went wild, their cheers and shouts filling the air. Arell continued to perform, his movements fluid and precise, his voice resonating through the venue.
"We gon' pull up with them sticks and hop out with them choppers
Walking out the ten in blue Balenciagas..."
As the song came to an end, Arell took a moment to catch his breath, the crowd's applause and cheers washing over him. He grinned, feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride.
"Thank you, Austin!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the noise. "Y'all are amazing!"
The crowd roared in response, their enthusiasm palpable. Arell took a moment to soak it all in before transitioning to his next song.
He launched into "Granny Crib," the beat dropping heavy and hard. The crowd instantly recognized the track, their energy spiking once again.
"Came a long way to a mansion crib I had roaches out my granny crib..."
Arell's voice was raw and powerful, the lyrics resonating deeply with the audience.
"Jumped into the streets on accident
Police snatched me up they better not ask me shit..."
The crowd was fully engaged, their hands in the air, swaying to the beat.
"I don't want no Quads I want some Actavis I bet that nigga won't lack again..."
The lights flashed in sync with the music, creating a dynamic and immersive experience. Arell's movements were fluid and precise, his voice resonating through the venue.
"On my dead body I remember wakin' up and seeing a dead body..."
The crowd went wild, their cheers and shouts filling the air.
"I remember selling weed inside some Ed Hardy's My homie he the police he might be fed probably..."
Arell caught his breath, sweat glistening on his forehead, as the last notes of "Granny Crib" reverberated through the air. The crowd's cheers washed over him, a tidal wave of energy and excitement. He could feel their anticipation, their eagerness for more. He glanced backstage at Geoffrey, who gave him a thumbs-up, urging him to keep going.
Arell raised his hand, signaling for silence. The crowd hushed almost instantly, hanging on his every word.
"Y'all want one more?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face. The roar of the crowd was deafening, a unanimous demand for an encore.
"Alright, let's do this," Arell said, nodding to the DJ. The beat for Slimed In began to drop, the familiar rhythm sending ripples of excitement through the audience.
Arell stayed silent for a moment, nodding his head to the beat. The crowd grew louder, recognizing the song. He held the mic out to them, challenging them to take the lead.
"I'm just on some slime shit
I'm back on that slime stuff, you know what I'm sayin'?
I don't care nothin' 'bout this superstardom shit, you know what I'm sayin'?
Yeah, yeah
That's on God
Yeah, yeah..."
The audience shouted the lyrics with fervor, their voices blending into a powerful chorus. Arell watched them, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He fed off their energy, feeling it pulse through him.
"All my hoes gettin' slimed in
Niggas ain't on no slimy shit
All my hoes from Thailand
Ho know a nigga got a water wrist..."
He joined in, his voice blending with the crowd's, adding depth and intensity to the performance. The beat hit harder, the bass shaking the floor as Arell moved across the stage, his every gesture amplified by the crowd's response.
"All my hoes in the widebody
Pick my ho up in the widebody
Eat it right up and don't cry 'bout it
All my hoes get time out
All your hoes gettin' slimed out..."
Arell jumped, the stage lights catching the movement and casting dramatic shadows. The crowd mimicked his energy, jumping along with him, their collective movement creating a wave of motion through the venue.
"The AP store, we buy 'em out
Marni on Marni, go head first
All my hoes wear Chanel sandals..."
Arell moved to the edge of the stage, reaching out to the audience, their hands stretching towards him.
"White on your toes, that's good manners
Chanaynay black, goin' bandana
All my hoes take the whole thing..."
He let the crowd take over again, their voices filling the space. He watched them, his heart pounding with the rhythm, feeling the raw power of the shared experience.
"Scorchin' fire, no Pyrex
Hit me on WhatsApp, direct..."
Arell moved back to the center of the stage, his movements fluid and confident. He held the mic to the crowd, letting them shout the lyrics.
"Kitkat pant, went chocolate
Patek water, I train her
Pass that bag, I train her
Cuban, let's link, I chain her..."
The crowd's energy surged, their voices growing louder. Arell matched their intensity, his voice cutting through the noise.
"Dog food, probably got pain in 'em
Curved that goofy, he ain't him
Told you these hoes on my time
Put him on ice, go Einstein..."
The beat hit harder, and Arell felt himself getting lost in the music. He moved across the stage, his every step echoing the pulse of the crowd.
"Yeah, yeah
All my hoes gettin' slimed in
Niggas ain't on no slimy shit..."
The final beats of the song echoed through the venue, and Arell stood at the edge of the stage, soaking in the moment. The crowd's cheers were deafening, a wall of sound that washed over him.
He took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "Thank you, Austin!" he shouted, his voice carrying over the noise. "Y'all are amazing!"
The crowd roared in response, their enthusiasm palpable. Arell took a moment to soak it all in before nodding to the DJ. The beat faded out, and he stepped back from the mic, taking a final look at the sea of faces before him.
He ran off stage, his heart pounding with exhilaration. Geoffrey was waiting for him, a wide grin on his face.
"Great performance," Geoffrey said, clapping Arell on the shoulder. "You absolutely killed it out there."
"Thanks, Geoff," Arell replied, a satisfied smile spreading across his lips. "The crowd was lit tonight."
Geoffrey nodded, his excitement palpable. "Also, I tweeted this," he said, handing Arell his phone.
Arell glanced down at the screen and saw a tweet from his official account: "New song dropping in an hour."
"Fair Trade?" Arell asked, looking up at Geoffrey.
"Yep," Geoffrey confirmed, his eyes gleaming. "It's fully edited and ready to go. We're dropping the song now. Your buzz is insanely high right now, and we need to capitalize on it."
Arell felt a rush of adrenaline at the news. "That's perfect timing," he said, nodding in approval. "The crowd was hyped, and this will keep the momentum going."
Geoffrey grinned. "Exactly. We need to ride this wave and keep pushing forward. Your performance tonight was incredible, and this new release will only add to the excitement."
Arell took a deep breath, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration. "Let's do it," he said, his voice resolute. "Let's drop the song and keep this energy going."
Geoffrey quickly pulled up the necessary files on his laptop, making sure everything was set for the release. "It's all ready. Just say the word, and I'll hit publish."
"Go for it," Arell said, his confidence unwavering.
Geoffrey nodded and hit the publish button. Within seconds, the new song "Fair Trade" was live on all major streaming platforms.
"Done," Geoffrey said, looking up at Arell. "The song is officially out."
As they stood there, basking in the success of the night, Arell's phone buzzed with notifications. The buzz around the new release was already building, with fans and industry insiders alike sharing their excitement on social media.
"We're already trending," Geoffrey said, showing Arell the rapidly increasing engagement on Twitter and Instagram. "The buzz is insane."
"Check this out," Geoffrey said, showing Arell a tweet from Travis Scott: "This song made me horny."
Arell chuckled. "Travis knows how to hype a track."
More tweets poured in, and the reactions were overwhelmingly positive:
@Raptatic: "Said he put some money on my head, I guess we gone see. I won't put no money on his head, my niggas owe me" 👀 Is that a Lil Reese diss? #FairTrade
@JHead: "And the dirt that they threw on my name turned to soil and I grew up out it" This is tuff, Arell. 🔥🔥
@MusicLover: "I don't know who love me, but I know that it ain't everybody. I can never love her, she a busy body. Baby, if you want me, can't be turnin' up with everybody, nah. Can't be fuckin' on just anybody, yeah." So he's not dating India or Miley? #FairTrade"
@DripGod: "Travis Scott murdered this verse, Arell better step up his game 🔥🔥 #FairTrade"
@Kamilah: "@DripGod Just FYI, Arell is the only credited composer on this track. That means he wrote everything, including Travis' verse."
@DripGod: "Wait, what? Arell wrote Travis' verse too? 🤔"
@Kamilah: "@DripGod Yup. That's what being the only credited composer means. He's responsible for the entire composition."
@DjAkademiks: "Just saw that Arell wrote the whole Fair Trade track, including Travis' verse. That boy's talented!"
@TheRealRapGod: "Arell's flow on this track is insane! The way he switches up his delivery is so impressive."
@Almetrop: "This track is a banger! It's going to be on repeat for me all day."
@MusicCritici: "While I appreciate the energy and production on this track, I find the lyrics to be a bit problematic. #FairTrade #Arell"
@Lenarmar: "@MusicCritic I respect your opinion, but I think the lyrics are a reflection of Arell's experiences and reality. It's important to see the world through his perspective."
@TheRealMVP: "I've been following Arell's career for a while now, and I'm so proud of how far he's come."