Seeing Leon's dismissive attitude, Phil said seriously, "All the big shots in the industry will be there. This is a huge opportunity for you to show your face."
"Most importantly, resources! Your career is just starting. There's nothing more important than valuable resources!"
Phil's lecture didn't move Leon.
The hierarchy in the entertainment industry is rigid. Without a profit motive, A-list superstars wouldn't waste a second on a nobody.
Even if a small-timer hangs out with a big shot, at best they're just a glorified bag carrier—like Kim Kardashian was for Paris Hilton back in the day.
"This year's awards should have no suspense. The Grammys earlier this year were basically Beyoncé's personal coronation... The VMAs will follow the same script."
2010 was undoubtedly the Year of Beyoncé. She released god-tier tracks like Single Ladies and Halo.
Destiny's Child swept ten nominations at the 52nd Grammy Awards and ultimately took home six heavyweight trophies.
Phil sneered. "Not necessarily... Lady Gaga is the biggest X-factor. Let's wait and see."
"Lady Gaga?"
This somewhat weird name wasn't unfamiliar to Leon.
Whether in the ghetto alleys or inside the Roc Nation offices, almost everyone in society was discussing this woman with her bizarre, exaggerated style.
From high-end nightclubs in Manhattan to cheap hooker joints in the hood, almost everywhere you went, you could hear the melody of Poker Face.
This level of popularity was undoubtedly phenomenal.
The only thing that could arguably rival it in ubiquity was probably Kesha's TiK ToK.
"Anyway, this is an opportunity you absolutely cannot miss!"
Under Phil's persistent persuasion, Leon scheduled his attendance at the MTV Video Music Awards.
This meant his schedule in September would be extremely tight. After performing at the Made in America Festival, he would have to fly non-stop to Los Angeles.
During this time, production on Cardi B's debut album was basically finished. Leon left the remaining post-production work entirely to Phil and Davis, because his own new track hadn't made any progress.
Lenny didn't dare sign off on Leon's request immediately. What kind of clout did a rookie have to get Hollywood's new goddess to appear in his music video?
But ultimately, with Beyoncé's support and Robbie's own strong insistence, the deal went through.
She would fly to New York in a week, with a shooting schedule of only two days.
And for just those two days, her fee was a staggering $80,000—and that was a heavily discounted "friendship price" Robbie fought for against her management team!
Kendrick Lamar naturally came packaged along with Robbie as a "free gift."
The anticipated scene of Jay-Z and Dr. Dre being at each other's throats didn't happen. The two moguls weren't opposed to collaboration between the new generation at all; in fact, they expressed a positive attitude.
Those grudges and disputes from the gangsta world of the last century were long gone.
In this era, hip-hop is purely business!
Those nrs with diamonds in their teeth aren't going to kill each other over ridiculous "respect" issues anymore.
---
A day later, after finishing his last live house tour stop in New York, Kendrick appeared in the Roc Nation recording studio as agreed.
"Everything about this piece is perfect. I don't want a single letter changed."
"Fk, bro, don't you know that's a disgrace for a rapper?"
Unsurprisingly, Kendrick expressed strong resistance regarding the lyrics credit. But when he heard the beat and the lyrics, he was shocked speechless.
The street life described in the lyrics perfectly matched his upbringing in the gang world of Compton.
Kendrick gritted his teeth. "I think I fell for Robbie's trick... Alright, bro, I can use your lyrics, but my name must be on the songwriter credits!"
"Of course!!" Leon excitedly high-fived Big Dog beside him. The toughest problem in the recording process was finally solved!
Forget putting Kendrick's name on the list; even if he wanted to add his grandma, Leon would agree without hesitation. As long as it didn't affect his cut of the money.
The final contract stipulated that Leon would symbolically cede 1% of the copyright to Kendrick.
This 1% might not yield much actual revenue, but it was proof of Kendrick's contribution to the work.
Most importantly, both parties enjoyed equal performance rights. This meant that both Leon and Kendrick could perform this work solo at commercial gigs.
With the collaboration details settled, recording entered the fast lane.
Leon's performance was as stunning as ever. Aside from some instability in his falsetto, there was nothing to criticize.
Besides his natural talent for infusing emotion into his singing, the professional vocal training he received at Roc Nation recently had qualitatively improved his skills.
He was originally worried about whether Kendrick could perfectly handle the dense lyrics in the rap section.
Not because he doubted Kendrick's ability, but because in the original version from the Inspiration Refresh, this section was performed by at least five people.
But once Kendrick's verse started, Leon realized how ridiculous his worry was.
I got the squad tatted on me from my neck to my ankles
Pressure from the man got us all in rebellion
We gon' go to war, yeah, without failure
Do it for the fam, dog, ten toes down, dog
A full dosage of detrimental dysfunction
I'm dying slow but the devil tryna rush me
See I'm a fool for pain, I'm a dummy
Might cut my head off right after I slit my throat
Kendrick's delivery was impeccable. Even the tightest transitions were handled smoothly, never sounding rushed.
Big Dog, who claimed to have seen countless rap geniuses, was also stunned by Kendrick's performance. "Fk bro, he's practically flying on the beat..."
"No! He's raping the beat!"
Aside from some minor pitch flaws and breathing issues, their collaboration was nearly perfect!
"Don't worry about those little details; I'll fix them in post," Big Dog said excitedly to Kendrick. "Lil bro, I can't imagine Jay-Z's face if he saw your performance."
"To make you stay, he'd put a Glock to your head. You might never make it back to Dre..."
The recording wrapped up in this cheerful atmosphere. Next came the detailed optimization.
Big Dog tried adding more elements to the arrangement, making it closer to the version in Leon's mind.
Ring, ring, ring—
Just then, Leon's phone rang. It was Robbie.
"I'm already in New York~ But why is no one here to pick me up?"
This question caught Leon off guard. According to the agreement, Robbie and her team were booked for tomorrow's flight.
"Sorry, I thought you were coming tomorrow... Do you want me to pick you up now?"
Robbie's playful laughter came from the other end. "Because I changed my ticket, dummy. My manager only gave me two days, and six hours are wasted just on the plane~ This way we can spend more time together~"
"Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Robbie."
"Are you busy right now?"
Leon glanced at Kendrick and Big Dog, then said into the phone, "Well, I'm technically free..."
"Then can you go shopping with me to pick out some underwear? I'm on Fifth Avenue."
"Underwear?" Leon hurriedly covered the phone, looking shocked.
Robbie sighed. "I was in such a rush to catch the plane that I forgot to pack any underwear..."
"I can't just wear one set the whole time, right? I'm going to be in New York for a while."