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you’re speaking to the best of them right now. I manage Sha Diamond and Jay’Son, who are two R&B singers, as well as a rap group called Dash. I also have tons and tons of producers under my belt.” He then lifted the platinum necklaces that hung over his chest to show me the words written on his T-shirt. “See, the name of my record label is Never Broke Entertainment—NBE all day, every day, shawty.”
    “So will you manage me?” I eagerly asked, feeling quite enthused. “I was in a group back in Pennsylvania and we did very well. I wrote, arranged, and sang just about ninety-nine percent of the songs on our album. However, I had some problems with my previous manager, who was also the mother of one of the girls in the group. Her husband was our crooked-ass entertainment lawyer and the rest is history.”
    “So basically they fucked you over, huh? That right there was a conflict of interest from the jump. You should have found yourself a lawyer who had no other ties to or interest in the group except you.”
    “Fucked me over? Fucked ain’t even the word. Fuck insinuates that it was consensual. Those motherfuckers raped me and took everything I owned. So I’m back at square one looking for a managerand ready to get back into the studio to do it all over again. Anyway, that’s all in the past, and I’m looking into the future now. My name is Melissa, and you are?”
    He rubbed his big belly and replied, “Just call me Fatz; everyone does.” He began to laugh so I joined in.
    “So Fatz, can you add me to the roster of clients you’re representing? I write my own lyrics and could sing bells around anyone you put in front of me, even Sha Diamond and Jay’Son. I’m not afraid of competition, so I’ll fight and do just about anything to defend my talent.”
    “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? Listen, my truck is parked over in that garage across the street. I have some instrumental tracks inside. If you can sing over one of those tracks and convince me to take you on, then you got a new manager, and trust me, your name will flood these streets like a rainstorm.”
    “Oh, that’s not a problem. Let me listen to those tracks. I bet they just might be my first singles on the album.” I was aggressive but I knew I had to impress this man. I was not leaving this situation without knowing that I gave it my all. We walked into the garage and he hit the alarm on his black Cadillac Escalade. The rims on that truck were damn near taller then me; they were huge, I tell you. As soon as we got inside he popped in the CD and a banging-ass track began to play. The beat was sick as hell, and I knew that it had to be mine right away. Knowing that Atlanta loves that dirty south sound, I quickly began to think of lyrics that would make the crowd want to jump to their feet and dance. I listened for less than one minute and began to freestyle to the beat. “Boy, the way you got me krunking on the floor, no joke, I’m craving more. After the club, tell me where you wanna go: my place, your place, maybe the mo.” I was singing my heart out and getting into the track as if it was already mine.
    “Damn! Shawty, you can really sing. No lie, at first I thought you were all looks and no talent because we see a lot of that outhere. But you, you can really sing and you’re gifted. Did you just make that up or was it already written?”
    “No, I just thought of the melody and lyrics now. See, I told you I could sing. All I need is a trustworthy and dedicated manager. If you’re loyal to me, then I promise I will be extra loyal to you, if you know what I mean.”
    Fatz sat back in his seat and looked deeply into my eyes. “Well, I think I know what you mean but you can get more in depth so that both of us can be on the same page,
if you know what I mean.
” To be honest, I knew the game pretty well because I’d been playing it for a while now. Fatz seemed like a very confident dude. But I knew my skills. If I gave a little,