Tuesday, August 7, 2012

INTERN DIARIES Pt.3 Continued...

                           INTERN DIARIES / INDUSTRYINSIDER PT2CONTINUED.





         By the time that Monday morning came around for my first day at the office  I was so excited and  exhausted from a weekend of Partying and  hanging out wit my cousins Saquan , Payne , Mont  anyone who knows us knows how draining it can really be . I  remember waking up from the Hot rays of the sun seeping through the blinds of  the bed window of Paynes room were I was sleeping on the bed  Payne had fell asleep on the couch   the night before playing playstation on the big screen TV. I woke up around 630am  I  already had my clothes laid out from the night before  for all the obvious reasons I didn’t want to be running around  like a chicken with its head cut off in the morning . So all I had to do when I wake up was to  go in the shower and be on my  way to supthin and linden to catch a dollar cab . Payne only lived about a 5 minute walk from supthin and linden soo I didn’t  have to rush but I wanted to be prepared Simone told me 8am sharp and I know she meant business . When I arrived at Jamaica station it was already about 80 degree’s it was literally blazing. Noreaga’s “ Nothin” was the theme music on the way to the ave that hot morning . I was wearing a fitted Nets hat with the matching Mitchell and Ness Jersey with a pair of  jeans that were clearly too big for me and a pair of White air forces.  I thought since I would be interning at  a hiphop label I better fit in a sacrifice being  to be myself . When I got on the E train I was  more that happy to be out of that hot sun and all that heat beating down on my face. The E train was the closet I was getting to air conditioning for the time being . That train couldn’t have gone any faster since I was there early  I got  on the express E train to the city  I didn’t know why they called it express it only skipped about 5 stop’s , but I guess anything is an improvement when your trying to get somewhere in a hurry.          

             When I finally did arrive  in Manhattan I was once again reminded of hot  it was outside and it was going to get even hotter . I walked down 25th street when I got off the  train , just as I was arriving in front of the  building were there Violator offices were  I noticed a lady  walking  a Couple of  feet in front of  me , I had a funny feeling that  this was Mona’s assistant that Simone was telling me about , Simone never did  give me a name on her and I should have asked  I was  jus excited I got the internship , you could say I was living in the moment. By the time I had arrived at the door the Lady I assumed to be  Mona’s assistant was already in side the building  typing on her motorolla 2way pager and  chatting on a flip phone . she was talking very fast and  it seemed as though she was a little under pressure , “ Yes Mona , I will have it done ,  I will check on it , Stuttering with her words Alright when will  you be in  “she asked  she waited for a response  Ok  she replied  looking somber and hanging up the flip phone but still sending messages on her   pager  when she looked up we made eye contact , She said  “good morning “  I replied good Morning!  better yet HOT morning “ She laughed  and said yes its soposed to be 92 degree’s today  , then I said Hi Im Johhny  and your Mona Scott's  assistant  right ?. She  replied Yes Im  “Donna “  she Extended her hand to shake mine , after we shook hands  and exchanged words  I explained im the new intern  she replied , Yes ! I know I just received  word from Simone via email . After she spat that bit of information at me we headed towards the elevator doors  before I knew it we were at the office Glass Windows . As we entered the office Donna went directly to the left to Mona’s Office  opened the blinds straightened up the area were Mona had left some cigarette buds  in an ash tray  Turned on  a laptop that was at the desk, Donna then Gave me a brief lesson on the Switch board and how to work it the faster and most effective  way. She told me You always answer the phone with an Aggressive Opening “ VIOLATOR” then  take   the appropriate notes or transfer the call to the proper exstention. Donna then proceeded to show me around the office were she strategically pointed out were certain peoples office was  and  who would be sitting were and what to expect when certain people were in the office. We walked around the office from front to back she  explained to me were the fax machine and printer’s were and were the one and only bathroom was .                                             


          Donna then proceeded to tell me that usually after she arrived Violators A&R guy “ Dre”  would be in shortly after her I later learned  he  would also be from  South side Queens . Donna  was also  from queens but  she lived in Lefrak City in Corona .  Just like Donna warned me  Dre arrived  He also had a key  He went straight into his office which was located  on the right  near the entrance , as soon as Dre closed the door he began to listen to what sounded liked Demo’s from rappers  non of which sounded to promising . in any event , just as I was getting comfortable sitting at the front desk  Simone came Strolling in she was  wearing a brown sun dress with  matching sandals  a  Monogram gucci bag and  sassy attitude to match . Simone always greeted you with a smile , that is if she liked you , Once I buzzed her in  I scooted over to the chair next to the one I was sitting in  Simone wanted me next to her soo I would be “ on call” to run any errands she needed to be executed .  My first Task of the day was to take a package to  Night time Disc Jockey  Kay Slay aka the DRAMA KINGS apartment   He lived in the city  in a very nice luxury high rise , Simone handed me a envelope she explained  this is for “ slay”  she jotted down an address and sent me on my way . When I stepped outside I  had forgotten how extreamely Hot It was outside . The heat of  2002 summer is something I would never forget .  I didn’t know what to expect from  slay  I had only up until this time  heard his voice on the radio , from his  voice I knew he would be tall big and black  and I was right ! what I wasn’t expecting was him to be nice . He was !  When I entered his building the Non  English speaking Spanish door man tried to ask me who I was  coming to see  I must have had to say Kay slay one million times before he pressed a bunch of buttons on a switch board and got slay on the line , the door man hung up  the phone  told me the floor number and I  headed towards the  elevator  the elevator ride was short he only lived on the 20th floor or so , as I knocked on the door surprisingly  enough I wasn’t nervous  slay opened the door he was gave me a warm welcome he said “ yo wut up “   you Simone dude right ? I said yea im  her intern he said  ok cool ! I handed him the package he told me be careful out there in the heat   he offered me a glass of water but I said no thanx  we exchanged the typical hood handshake he said “ good looking” and shut the door .  When I arrived back at the office it was about noon , I saw some black SUV’s outside so I assumed someone important was either already upstairs or  about to head upstairs after me . When I got upstairs  Simone buzzed me In she asked me did I find the building  ok  I told her Yes ! she then signaled for me to come sit next to her so she can prep me for the phones and learning how to work the 2way pager  , Just as she  was about to give me my first lesson on the phones  No other than  Busta Rhymes Comes over and gives  Simone a big kiss on the cheek ,  I didn’t even see were he came from  But I did hear him before I saw him,   homeboy is as loud and is as animated as he is on his records and his music videos . At this time Busta had a hot single with P.diddy called “ Pass the Couvesier “  I loved that song . it was  definitely a club banger . Busta had a lady with him  and  one of his sons , Simone later explained to me that the lady he was with was his hair stylist who twisted his locs for him when he was in NewYork .Simone said to me  “ I cant belive he pays her 500 dollars to twist his hair that’s a rip off”” I don’t even pay that much for my weave “ she mumbled under her breath.  Busta was about to leave  the building  for an appearance later that night on the WWE  ,his son seemed so excited that his father was going to be on the WWE , you know those little kids love that wrestling . 
      


      I wasn’t to fond of wrestling because I knew it was just Entertainment and everything was rehearsed . Just as Busta was leaving to get on a tour bus that was parked downstairs  I was sent on another “errand run” this time it was  to go get Simone some lunch from down the block , so me  Busta , busta’s son  Spliff star and busta’s hair stylist all jammed in the elevator. Busta  seemed to  be cool ,   I never got introduced to him but that was  by choice ,he was very intimidating  not threatening but intimidating he was 6ft something he had locs and he was talking real loud with someone on a cell phone . through the corner of my eye I could see he handed his hair stylist something that looked like a pack of “backwoods”  to put in her purse . im   guessing that’s were he kept his weed supply, the hair stylist didn’t mind taking it thought but it didn’t seem like miss thing had a choice in the matter ,  she took the  pack of backwoods and  put it  in the bottom of her bag re applied lipgloss and put on a pair of shades  .  Busta saw me looking so I quickly looked the other direction .   The elevator doors opened and I was the first one out of there .. thank god I thought to my self ,  the last thing I needed was Busta rhymes to cuss me out for being a nosey intern . As I exited the building  the air was a little cooler the wind was blowing the summer time air finally felt good for the first time that day .  Simone was very specific of what she wanted to eat . there was this bodega that had a small buffet  she explained she wanted  “fried chicken cullet with mash a   salad with romain lettuce ceasar dressing and two fiji waters  “. And  said I could get whatever I wanted  I got the same thing as her except for all the extras. As I  gave the cashier the money  and waited for my change I made sure I had gotten everything I was asked to get .  I doubled and tripled checked ! . When I arrived back upstairs Simone wasn’t at the receptionist desk so I had to wait to be Buzzed in , as I waited on the other side of the glass door  this short  light skinned woman with curly hair  buzzed me in , she said  Hi who are  you here for .. I said  Oh   Im Johhny  the new intern.........

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