Read Larger Than Lyfe for Free Online Page B

together?”
    “Andre’s team worked directly with the hotel’s event planners,”Keshari said, looking around, appreciating Andre’s usual attention to detail.

    She lifted a glass of the bubbly Cristal from the tray of one of the passing waiters and took a sip. Misha enjoyed a couple of the tiny canapés, then gulped a glass of the expensive, chilled champagne as she simultaneously began giving the eye to a tall, dark and handsome player for the Sacramento Kings.
    Definitely not a woman to waste any time, Keshari thought as she watched the familiar “mating ritual” go into effect. Misha’s latest conquest strolled over and exchanged words with her. He greeted Keshari warmly. Then he and Misha slid off toward the dance floor. Keshari laughed to herself as Misha shimmied to the music, teasing her rhythmless giant of a partner as she strategically rubbed parts of herself against him and then danced away again.
    Keshari spotted Rasheed the Refugee in a corner outside near the pool, giving an interview to a writer for
VIBE
magazine while members of his entourage sat at tables all around him. LTL’s PR department had advised Rasheed’s managers to have Rasheed do the interview that night at the platinum party for his hugely acclaimed third album,
Ghetto Proverbs
, where he could be seen basking in the overwhelming success of his creative work. Rasheed, dressed in oversized, navy military fatigues and expensive combat boots, possessed the calm, collected, and regal demeanor of African royalty. He was warm and engaging, a natural conversationalist. He wasn’t the bling-bling persona that seemed to prevail in current hip-hop. He was the West Coast’s version of the East Coast’s “Nas.” His music was all about Black consciousness. He gave a strong, unapologetic, political voice to the art form of hip-hop and he compelled mainstream America to think seriously, at least for a moment, about the state of things in the U.S. and beyond. He was one of the smartest brothas Keshari had evermet. He could speak with depth on everything from American politics and economics to Nostradamus and Illuminati.
    Rasheed had been a force in Los Angeles’ hip-hop underground for several years and had built a strong following before signing with Larger Than Lyfe Entertainment. His controversial debut album turned him into an overnight, nationwide sensation. He sold a record-making 1.5 million units in the first two weeks of the release of
Land of the Lost
. His second album made him a superstar. To date, he’d sold 1.6 million units of his third album,
Ghetto Proverbs
, and SoundScan was still counting. He was asked to make appearances on everything from
The TODAY Show
to
Larry King Live
to discuss his scathing indictments of George W. Bush and his entire family, racial profiling, affirmative action, reparations, and the September 11th tragedy.
    He stood poised as if he was prepared to do battle, a serious, contemplative expression on his face, the night lights of West Hollywood serving as the backdrop, while the
VIBE
photographer captured shots of him. Keshari couldn’t be any prouder of him. His success was her label’s success and they’d accomplished that success by dropping pearls of wisdom into consumers’ ears at the same time that they entertained them with lyrical genius and hit-making tracks from some of the hottest producers in the industry. Of all the artists on the LTL roster, Rasheed the Refugee was, hands down, her favorite.

    The party was the typical L.A. affair—too much money and ego concentrated in one place, executives networking, industry gossip everywhere, rap stars holding court with their entourages, nursing snifters of cognac while typing on iPhones, Sidekicks and BlackBerrys or arranging booty calls on their cell phones, and music video models sprinkled throughout, working the scene like professionals, hoping to leave that night with somebody with clout.
    Keshari began making her way through the crowd,