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cycat4077 · 4 years

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Reunited

Summary: You reconnect with an old college friend only to find that your past comes back to haunt you. Set during summer 2016 (S17). Pairing: Sonny x Reader Warnings: Mild cussing, some angst, some feelings and dialogue (sorry) Words: 3247 AO3 here

Part 8 of the Changes verse. Masterlist here if you're interested :) (Could probably read as a stand alone fic if you’re not into series.)

A/N: I really wanted to give my main character a friend and ‘Sydney’ popped into my brain. Also, do y'all remember back in 2015 when Sonny said he had an ex at the LAPD? Yeah, me too. So I took the liberty of using it :P Sorry this fic is kind of meh (On a separate note, the pic doesn’t necessarily mean the reader is blonde. I just thought a Sonny hug would be fitting!)

"Sydney?" you question, walking slowly up to the blonde who stands collecting her order at the campus coffee shop.

Immediately she spins on her heels and her face lights up with recognition. "Oh my goodness!" she exclaims, raising her arms to embrace you.

You and Sydney had graduated together from the master’s of education program; she, with a background in English lit and you, in biology. Despite being from different disciplines, you often worked on projects together and used your contrasting perspectives to bounce ideas between brains. As a result, Sydney became a close friend. But, as too often happens when people part ways, life whizzed by quicker than the two of you could stay in touch.

Now however, as you set foot on your new campus for a summer orientation workshop, you are thrilled to see a friendly and familiar face.

"What are you doin’ here, girl?!" she asks with the same enthusiastic energy you remember her for.

"New job!" you reply cheerfully.

"Ahh! That's awesome!" she squeals. "It'll be like old times! I've been in the English department for a few years now and I just love it."

You smile fondly. "I always knew you'd move back here.”

"Yup! You can take the girl outta the city…and all that stuff,” Sydney sweeps her silky locks behind her ear, “but I am surprised to see ‘little miss rural’ out this way!"

You raise your hands and shrug. "Me too! Though, opportunity knocked and I couldn't turn it down. Actually, this is my second teaching gig in Manhattan. I won't name names, but I got booted from my last one when a prof crawled out of retirement." You frown towards the ground, the wound still fresh.

"Bastards," Sydney mumbles under her breath. "That musta been rough, but I'm glad you're on the rebound." She offers you a hopeful smile. "You liking NYC then, since you ended up sticking around?" "It's alright. Different,” you admit. “I just moved in with my boyfriend though and he's slowly but surely converting me."

Sydney lets out another delighted squeal. During your college days she was always trying to get you to date. You told her about your past and she swore to avenge you. Unfortunately, her best efforts involved dragging you to parties and other social events where ultimately you ended up preventing her from making the bad decisions. Still, she cared about you and her genuine excitement over your relationship success makes you realize just how much you had missed her.

"I'm so happy for you! Is he cute? Is he smart? Does he work on campus?" She stretches her neck to look behind you as if Sonny is tucked away nearby.

You chuckle. "Nuh-no. He's an SVU detective. That's how we met actually." Her face falls with worry and you quickly elaborate. "I took a summer job there last year and we just clicked. He's really great." You smile proudly, stopping yourself from bragging Sonny too much.

"Aw, hon, I'm so excited for you!"

"Thanks! Hey, are you still with Geoff?"

"Hell no!" she fires quickly. "Caught that ess-oh-bee sneaking around behind my back so I kicked his ass to the curb. But it’s fine. I'm enjoying the single life and New York has just what I need!"

You smile. Same old Sydney. "Well, I'm glad you're all right and I'm thrilled we're here together! We have a lot of catching up to do! In fact, you should come by our place sometime."

"Absolutely! I'd love that!” she grins enthusiastically. “And that means I'd get to meet the man who swooped my shy science-nerdette off her feet!"

A blush creeps over your cheeks. "Did I mention he's an amazing cook?"

Sydney covers her heart like she's been shot. "You did now! So, I'll be holding you to a meal, you here me?" She glares playfully at you as she backs up towards the door.

You laugh and wave her goodbye. Sydney turns into her smiling self as she spins around and leaves.

-x-

"Wheh!" huffs the blonde standing in the doorway to your apartment. She’s just gotten her first glance at Dominick "Sonny" Carisi, Jr. "Ya didn't tell me he was such a looker!”

You swat her arm playfully. "Down girl."

"Hey there," smiles Sonny as he lumbers towards the front door. He's dressed himself in a pressed shirt and slacks for the occasion and he looks absolutely gorgeous. "I'm Sonny, nice ta meet ya," he continues, extending a hand in greeting.

"Ooh, Staten Island," she remarks, accepting his gesture. "Nice to meet ya too. I'm Sydney."

Sonny chuckles and points out her accuracy with a raised finger. "That Brooklyn I hear?" he counters.

"Sure is!" Sydney releases a laugh that’s as smooth and as charming as she is.

"Come on in," Sonny gestures towards your cozy little apartment. She steps forward, making herself at home just as she would always do when the two of you would visit somewhere new.

The evening transpires with a lovely dinner followed by story swapping, playing catch-up and allowing Sonny and Sydney to get acquainted. As the evening wears on however, an uneasy feeling settles in your stomach.

Of course, it's wonderful to have Sydney back in your life – she’s one of the few people with whom you had allowed yourself to really open up. But as you listen to her and Sonny talk about growing up in the Boroughs, it's hard not to feel just a little out of place. There's so much you don't understand. So much that you don’t share in common with them. The best you can do is smile and nod along as the conversation flows.

Sydney is an extrovert through and through. She converses with others easily and can win them over with her natural charisma. Sonny too has the gift of the gab, and the pair seem to be hitting it off really well.

By now you’ve lost track of what they’re saying, instead listening to your inner voice. It's selfish and petty to be feeling this way, but there's a small part of you that is sad...jealous, you suppose. Maybe Sonny would prefer to have someone who knows what it’s like to grow up in the city surrounded by a bunch of siblings. Someone who is talkative and charming instead of quiet and shy. Not only that, but Sydney is gorgeous, with her luscious blonde hair and winsome smile. She always draws the eye of every person in a room. You don’t resent her for it by any means, it's just that you’ve never been in a relationship when she was around and so you’ve never had to worry about a significant other falling for her.

Were you that insecure about yourself that you could feel this way? That you had to worry your boyfriend, your Sonny, would be swept off his feet? It wasn't fair to either of them. Sydney has always been kind to you and you hate feeling any jealousy towards her. But worst of all, it’s not fair to Sonny. You know he loves you. He doesn't care that you’re not a supermodel and he is genuine when he tells you that you're beautiful. He loves you for who you are…No other guy has ever done that before. And that's why you're so torn up right now. You shouldn't be feeling jealous or worried, yet you are and it makes your stomach churn!

"Doll?" a soft voice startles you from your thoughts.

"Hmm?" you respond, trying to act casual.

Sydney jumps in. "We’re comparing notes on the best hidden gem restaurants around the city and Sonny says you love a little Italian spot in Tribeca.”

"Oh yeah,” you mutter. “Great alfredo."

Sonny’s brow knits, clearly sensing something is off. His blue eyes narrow and lips purse. "It's a bit pricey," he states, putting an arm around you. The action knocks you off balance as he draws you to him. "But I like ta spoil my girl from time ta time." Sonny unleashes one of his signature smiles, squeezing you ever so slightly in hopes of easing whatever seems to be on your mind.

"Aww, you two!" coos Sydney affectionately.

-x-

It's late evening by the time Sydney is thanking you for dinner and heading home. You and Sonny work in silence tidying up after your guest. And in that silence, your mind once again resorts to fabricating nagging thoughts of Sydney and Sonny. Moments are replayed with emphasis on how naturally they seemed to get along. But it’s that same silence which causes Sonny to speak up.

"What's wrong, doll?" he asks, pausing to lean up against the counter.

"Huh?" you reply with confusion.

"Somethin's up. I can tell. You were kinda distant earlier too." It’s not a question; he knows you too well.

"Nothing," you lie, trying to refocus on wiping down the table. How can you admit any of this to him?

"Tell me. Please," he begs, bending his head down to try and meet your gaze.

"I don't know,” you wring the dishtowel in your hands, “it's just…I kind of felt out of the loop sometimes tonight."

"Whaddya mean?" his eyebrows shoot up with concern.

"Well, you and Sydney hit it off so well..." Your voice trails off for a moment before you finally meet Sonny’s blue eyes. "Sydney's beautiful and charming and easy to get along with.”

“And you're not?”

The bluntness of his question hits you like a ton of bricks. “But…but she's from here,” you argue, tears starting to prickle at your eyes. “That's one thing I'll never have in common with you!”

Sonny stares at you in utter disbelief. “Doll,” his voice drops down to a soft note, “that means nothin’. I love that you're from outta town. You're more naive to the city ‘n I can see that there's still things about New York that excites ya. The lights on Broadway or the view of Lady Liberty in the harbor. Your pretty eyes absolutely light up! It’s so easy to get lost in the hustle ‘n bustle, but you remind me to stop ‘n appreciate all the little things too.”

Sonny’s now standing directly in front of you. He grabs your hands in his. “And don't even get me started about havin’ things in common.” A cheerful smile forms on his lips and his eyes crinkle at the corners. “You ‘n I share odd tastes in movies ‘n we're both suckas for nostalgia when it comes ta music. But that's just the tip of the iceberg! The most important thing we share is our values. Family is priority numba one, ‘n you have no idea how long I've waited to meet someone who believes that too. It…it hurts me knowin' that you would ever doubt my love for ya.”

Those words cause you to fall apart and the tears you’ve been holding back trickle down your cheek. You cram your eyes shut, heart aching over the thought of making Sonny feel any pain. At the same time however, he also deserves to know why you still have your doubts.

You open your eyes to a warm hand caressing your cheek. It’s a gentle nudge to have you look at him. You find Sonny searching your features, so you interlace your fingers with his and gently tug him towards the sofa.

Sitting down beside you, Sonny gathers your legs to place atop of his. The closeness makes you feel safe as you mentally prepare yourself to tell all. You take a deep breath and glance up to a loving, encouraging smile pasted across on your boyfriend's features. “Sometimes I get worried that I’ll scare you off,” you tell him.

Immediately he interjects, rubbing your knee soothingly. “That’s nonsense, doll.”

“I know,” you say half-heartedly, “but it’s more to do with my own self-doubt.” Sonny’s expression saddens and he reaches out for your hand. You take it, linking your pinky with his. “Back when I was a biology student, there was this guy taking the same classes as me. He was a year or two older and we got along really well. We shared a lot of common interests. You know, movies and sports and all that stuff. It led us to spend a lot of time together during our free periods. He started doing these little things that seemed so affectionate. For instance, trying to sit tight beside me or asking to hold my hand. He paid me all kinds of compliments and even told me I was beautiful. Needless to say, I fell for him hard.” You pause, fiddling with Sonny’s finger. You had forgotten how much this all hurt to talk about.

Rubbing a hand across your forehead you continue. “One day, I worked up the courage to ask him out. But that’s when things spiraled downhill. He got really defensive and flat out said that he didn’t feel anything for me. That all the little things which I thought meant flirting were actually meaningless and, that I was crazy for thinking otherwise. To add insult to injury, he also said I was too young for him.” Sonny’s shoulders drop and he squeezes your hand a little tighter. “All I could manage was a lame ‘okay’ and left. I cried for weeks and it really threw me through a loop. I’ve been insecure about my feelings ever since. I felt humiliated and embarrassed for being fooled by his charms and for allowing myself to love him. So, I just buckled down and focused on my education, never really trusting myself to openly fall in love again. I was scared of making the same mistake – that is, until I met you.”

With your soul bared, Sonny swiftly pulls you into a hug. He holds you tight, warmth surrounding you as if he hoped it would melt away your pain. You press your face into the crook of his neck, giving him a soft kiss.

Sonny leans back, trailing his hands down your arms. “None of that was your fault, sweetheart,” he reassures. “That guy was a prick who needed ta lead ya on ta make himself feel important. Guys like that enjoy havin’ a girl’s affection, but the moment ya had the balls to tell him how ya felt he was too insecure ‘n pushed ya away. But y’know what?” he pats your arms lightly. “That’s his loss because ya have the biggest heart of any person I’ve ever met. N’ I’m lucky to be the one who gets ta be on the receiving end.”

His compliment makes you smile sheepishly. “Thank you, Sonny.” You truly love this man with all your heart. “I’ve tried not to let it affect me – affect us – but it’s one of those things that festers in the back of your mind.”

“I know,” he agrees. “It’s normal.” You watch as he looks away for a moment and swallows thickly. “I neva told ya this before, but I went through somethin’ like that myself…”

With Sonny being a chatterbox and sometimes oversharing information, it comes as a surprise that he too is guarding a part of himself. You flash him a reassuring smile, once again linking your fingers as a silent offer of your support.

And so, he begins. “I spent a year in California when I got out of the academy. There was this rotation at the LAPD ‘n I was young ‘n thought it would be really cool to get outta New York. Turns out I immediately fell head over heels for one of their young detectives. One bat of her eyelashes ‘n I was a goner. We ended up askin’ each other out ‘n life seemed great. Fancy dinners ‘n presents I couldn’t really afford. But at the time, it all seemed worth it because we were happy.” Sonny turns shy as he speaks and you feel a twinge in your gut. It had never occurred to you that he had been in love before you came along.

He looks up to the ceiling as if he dreaded the next lines of his story. “Then my contract was up. I thought we were a strong enough couple to stick together, so I asked her to be move back to New York with me. I said that we could be closer to my family ‘n that they were dyin’ to meet ‘er. But…we didn’t see eye to eye on that.” Sonny releases a sigh. “Yeah, she told me that she moved to LA to get away from family n’ that she loved it too much out there to up and leave. I was dumb ‘n in love ‘n I just didn’t get it. I offered to stay with her instead but she gave me the ol' speech: Yourra nice guy, Sonny, but we have different paces to life. It would never work out.”

You whisper his name, heart shattering on his behalf. He looks to you with a furrowed brow and continues. “I gave her my whole heart ‘n she wasn’t even willin’ to make an effort to keep us togetha. I don’t like to admit it very often, but I was a mess. I flew back to New York ‘n not long after joined law school. Then I ended up bouncin’ around the Boroughs until I met you.” Sonny’s face warms. His eyes sparkle and he unleashes a smile. “Now the whole world seems right! We can be ourselves around each other. I know I have my flaws, but you’d never judge me for ‘em. Instead, ya love ‘em too ‘n I hope ya know that it’s a two-way street from me.”

Now it’s your turn to smile. You remove your legs from him to cuddle under his arm. Sonny wraps around you and kisses the top of your head. “I love you, Sonny,” you mouth into his chest.

“Love ya too, sweetheart.”

You lean back to caress his cheek with your palm. “I think we have another thing in common,” you offer and Sonny peers at you inquisitively. “We fall in love easily.”

Sonny chuckles. “Yeah, it’s like you’re divin’ into tha deep end head first, but ya only find out it’s too shallow once you’re already leapin’.”

You nod your head in agreement. “It’s funny how that stuff always lingers with you. Like a scar that keeps scabbing over. When you jump off the swings as a kid and scrape your knee, you’ll see that scar afterwards and your brain reminds you to never do that again! It’s a shame that the same thing happens when your heart gets hurt. I always felt like I was scared to put myself out there over the fear of being heartbroken again.”

Sonny hums understandingly. “But,” he says, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, “when the right person comes along, all that hurt disappears. Because this time,” he smiles affectionately, “when you jump off the swing, there’ll be someone there to catch you.”

Your serious faces contort into goofy smiles. “See? What did I tell ya, doll? We’re so alike that we even share a knack for makin’ up dumb analogies.” Sonny’s eyes once again crinkle at the corners and he shifts to kiss your temple.

Leaning into his touch, you close your eyes and savor the moment. It feels good to clear the air like this and to be able to forge a connection that’s just that much deeper.

---

Hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you’re interested in being part of a tag-list. Any and all feedback is loved :)

Part 9, “Stuck-On Cheese” is up here

#sonny carisi x reader #sonny carisi #sonny x reader #sonny carisi x you #sonnyshine of my life #law and order svu #the changes verse #svu fanfiction #changes #I'm having a bad day please go easy on me :'(#I'm also too shy to ask ppl if they want to be tagged so please if you do bash me over the head and let me know #my fanfic

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topweeklyupdate · 6 years

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TØP Weekly Update #67: I Don’t Want the World to See Me (10/19/18)

I say “they’re back, they’re really back” every week, but I only say it because it’s true. Our band kicked off the first tour of the Trench Era with gusto this week, and that’s only just scratching the surface.

This Week’s TØPics:

The Bandito Tour Begins

Additional Tour Dates Announced

Jim Dun

More Interviews with the Band

And MORE!

Major News and Announcements:

Again, there’s not an awful lot of “news”, mostly just developments happening in real time. That said, there is one notable piece of intel, as the band added another three dates to the second North American leg of their tour: namely, a second show in Toronto, a concert in Newark to further serve that densely-populated metropolitan area, and a show in San Antonio to show Texas some love. You can register for those tickets now, so get to it!

The Shows:

The Bandito Tour kicked off in Nashville last Tuesday, and it was incredible. Of course, not everyone was totally pleased with it: Some people thought there were too few songs from Trench, while others were heartbroken that too many old favorites were knocked off. For that first point: nine out of fourteen of the new songs made their way onto the setlist, one more than the eight songs from Blurryface that landed on the first headlining show in Australia that era. Granted, those shows were significantly shorter than the current arena shows, but those songs also had much less competition for space. Point is, there’s still plenty of time for “Chlorine” to make it on the setlist, clikkies.

As for the second point... listen, I’m gutted for everyone who didn’t get a chance to sing “Migraine” or “Guns for Hands” this week. But if they could play “Taxi Cab” after five years of acting like it didn’t exist, they can- and will- play those songs again. I promise.

The setlist was comprised of:

Jumpsuit

Levitate

Fairly Local- The first full performance of the song since 2015, complete with a reveal of a scissor lift under Josh’s drum kit and a “Hometown”-disappearing act.

Stressed Out- Introduced by a cute video of a flying red beanie to give Tyler a chance to run back to the stage, culminating in it descending from the sky for Tyler to wear.

Heathens

We Don’t Believe What’s On TV- Complete with Nigel introducing Josh with a romantic poem and Tyler’s now-customary first speech to the crowd.

The Judge

Lane Boy- Josh’s flying drum platform gets an extra light display at the end.

Nico and the Niners- A runway out to the b-stage descends from the heavens and hangs over the crowd; Tyler performs the rap there and finishes at b.

Taxi Cab- Tyler Joseph asks the thousands of people in the audience to sit and listen to this nice piano song his dad likes, causing us to drown in our tears.

Neon Gravestones- A transparent curtain imposes giant ghostly images of the band over the b-stage, while a gorgeous moving light display hangs overhead.

Bandito- The debut of this song was accompanied by another incredible light show and displays of soaring vultures. Notably, the first verse was cut, seemingly just to keep up the pace.

Pet Cheetah- Tyler and Josh head back across the runway to finish the sick beats, the pit drops like nobody’s business.

Iris- The band brings out the openers to play this Goo Goo Dolls classic, infusing it with incredible emotion and a killer uke arrangement. So far, Tyler’s been introducing it as the soundtrack for Josh’s childhood “firsts” (first kiss, first Fun Dip, etc).

Hey Jude- The bands perform one of the greatest songs of all time.

Holding On To You- Now with more pretty stars

Ride- Now without a drum island

My Blood- Now with SKELETON HOODIES and holding on to the crowd harmony conducting from The Complete Diversion.

Morph- Tyler does his best rap thing while Josh busts out his most technical drum island yet.

Car Radio

Leave the City- Replacing “Goner” for the encore, Tyler leans in hard for audience participation.

Trees- Now with imagery reflecting Josh’s tree tattoo. The keyboard is also placed above the car, which rises dramatically from the ground in the middle of the song because Tyler’s just extra like that.

Tyler’s Trees Speech in Nashville was a full one. After acknowledging earlier in the show that he and Josh were really nervous about getting this one right, Tyler thanked the opening crowd for giving him the experience of hearing “Leave the City” sung back at him for the first time, lampshaded how ridiculous the production value of the shows has gotten, gave Nashville-native lighting director Shap some grief, and joked about how he only messed up the second verse from “Morph”, so there’s some room for improvement.

Interviews and Other Shenanigans:

The biggest interview from this week was the band’s feature with The New York Times, which did not go too awfully in-depth in terms of revealing information that we didn’t already know but was still one of the more well-written pieces on the band I’ve seen in some time. The article takes their art and artistry seriously, covering their oft-repeated backstory with reverence fitting a band that has proved themselves time and again to be worth that consideration. The descriptions of Tyler and Josh read as totally on-point to their personalities, and there’s a cool revelation that Tyler’s kept an encouraging voicemail from Chris Martin on his phone since 2016. The highlight for me, though, is the absolutely crushing ending where Tyler responds to a question of his mental health by answering “I’m OK today.” It’s a mature and sobering outlook on his future struggles with his mental health; I hope he stays OK for many years to come.

Oh, and Jim Dun’s Instagram page is now public, so you should definitely go splurge through a year’s worth of cute dog photos featuring Josh, cameos from Brendon Urie, and snarky comments from Mark, Brad, Debby, Jenna, Jordan, Abigail, and friends. Josh even gave a little interview with Global K9 Protection Services talking about his relationship with his pup. Jim will be joining the gang on tour, so we’re sure to get plenty more adorable puppy action in the weeks to come.

Chart Performance:

Well, it looks like my suspicions last week were correct: Trench fell just shy of securing a #1 spot in the States, losing out to A Star Is Born’s soundtrack. But that’s no reason to be gloomy- last week was still the band’s biggest sales week ever, selling 135,000 albums and earning an additional 40,000 equivalent units in streams and other avenues of listening. And hey, they were the #1 album in Australia! That’s pretty cool.

As far as individual songs go, things continue to look pretty rosy. The album release boosted “Jumpsuit” and “Nico and the Niners” back to the Hot 100 at #79 and #95, respectively, while “My Blood” was able to debut at #81 off of the music video. Below the Hot 100, “Morph” and “Chlorine” managed to sneak onto the Bubbling Under chart at #6 and #12 respectively.

The songs impressed more individually down on the Rock Charts. Every single track from the album made it onto the Hot Rock Songs chart, which combines every source of music consumption with a similar formula as the Hot 100. Most of this can be attributed to streaming- nine songs from Trench made their way onto the Rock Streaming chart versus only two new arrivals to Rock Sales. “My Blood” is also continuing to gain radio momentum; we’ll see if that’s enough to keep it around next week.

Upcoming Performances:

With the Bandito Tour fully underway, let’s look to the week ahead to see what communities the band will be sharing their music with and try to determine if we might expect any surprises.

Show 3: Enterprise Center, St Louis, Missouri (10/19)

Capacity: 22,000

Tonight, the band returns to St. Louis, a city they’ve visited many times in the past. They played this venue at their last show here in 2016, albeit when it was under the “Scottrade Center” name.

Show 4: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (10/20)

Capacity: 17,500

Twenty One Pilots have never played this venue before, because it didn’t exist the last time they toured; heck, it didn’t even exist when they announced this one! The brand-new Fiserv Forum, built as the new home for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, opened just last month with a concert from The Killers and has already hosted a number of other artists. It should make for an incredible show, even more so because it will be the band’s first ever arena show in the city.

Show 5: XCel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota (10/21)

Capacity: 13,000

The band also played this venue in their last visit back in 2016. Not much else to say, so... moving on!

Show 6: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio (10/23)

Capacity: 20,000

Tuesday’s show in Cleveland will be the closest thing to a hometown show the band will play until their two announced concerts in Columbus next June, nearly nine months from now. As a result, expect to see plenty of family members in attendance (and maybe an on-stage cameo from Zach to perform his verse from “Kitchen Sink”). It’ll definitely be a real special night.

Show 7: Little Caesar’s Arena, Detroit, Michigan (10/24)

Capacity: 22,000

Wrapping things up, Twenty One Pilots will be playing their first show in Detroit proper since 2015, and their first ever arena show in the general region. This is another relatively new facility that only opened in September of last year, the harshest season of the hiatus. Hopefully those Ohio boys put on a good show for my Michigan kin.

It was another incredible week. I can’t wait to see how these shows continue to grow and evolve in the weeks and months to come. Let me know when you all get the chance to see them. Until then, power to the local dreamer.

|-/

#twenty one pilots #trench #tyler joseph #josh dun #bandito tour #billboard #a star is born #my blood #top weekly update

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richmegavideo · 6 years

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Nas & Travis Scott Discuss The Power Of Hip-Hop & Why Its Messages Cannot Be Stopped

Erick Sermon sometimes gets more credit for his production than his rhymes. However, for more than 30 years, the double-threat has penned some lyrics that are forever tattooed on the Hip-Hop consciousness. That has been true with EPMD, Def Squad, and alone. The MC who once proclaimed “I wish music would adopt me” has more than proven his dedication.

Now, only two months removed from a freestyle single that saw him pair with DJ Gumba on “CHILL” (embedded below) the Long Island, NY spitter is at it again. Appropriately, “Give It To Em,” a signature Erick Sermon-produced track, bleeds the funk and flair we’ve grown accustomed.

Erick Sermon & Big K.R.I.T. Join Forces To Celebrate Southern Women (Audio)

After warming up his vocals and shouting out his return to form alongside Gumba for the second time in as many months, the legendary talent takes time to address emcees who have lost their way. “Ya time’s up/ you were hot a couple of summers / Yes, the kids used to look up to you / What happened? (that’s not the way to do it) ya singin’ now, you ain’t rappin’,” spits the Green-Eyed Bandit.

Immediately after that, he admits to being a workaholic – a trait that has seen him continue to push the envelope in various musical environments (Fresh, Priority, Dreamworks, Universal, etc.), and collaborations, including his most renowned days with EPMD. More than 30 years removed from his first musical endeavor, work ethic is something The Green-Eyed Bandit’s still respects:

“I love my job, yes, I go to work all the time / I puts in hours with the rhyme / So when I relay it, no need to okay it / They play it when I say it / Any place they’ll pay it / The Rick Rubin of the new school… but who cares, new cars are driven / They ask for more, and more is what I give em.”

Erick Sermon Details EPMD’s Terrible 1st Contract & How They Got The Big Payback

Having been away from the game since his 2015 release, E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception), E Double provides a fitting reminder of his consistency as he cruises through the second and final verse:

“I stepped away from the game / I wanted back the fame / I wanted back the name / Holla back, I’m the same with a stack / I’m the same in person when I rap / The same muthaf*cka in the trap / I got money, but no need to waste it / I did buy my girl a new bracelet / But not from Jacob, somebody else laced it.”

Diamond D’s New Album Features Erick Sermon, Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli & More

“Give It To Em” and “CHILL” are fitting appetizers to the main course that will be his eighth solo album, Vernia, an ode to his grandmother who died two years ago. The record, which he began recording around the same time period, boasts features among the likes of Styles P, AZ, Shaquille O’Neal, David Banner Too Short, Devin The Dude and more. Last month, E-Double released the Big K.R.I.T.-assisted “That Girl.”

If Gumba and Erick Sermon’s working rapport feels just right, expect more. The Long Island-bred DJ is set to combine the aforementioned tracks with other Def Squad efforts to produce an official mixtape featuring the entire crew.

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#BonusBeat: DJ Gumba and Erick Sermon’s “CHILL”:

Erick Sermon & Big K.R.I.T. Join Forces To Celebrate Southern Women (Audio)

Erick Sermon Details EPMD’s Terrible 1st Contract & How They Got The Big Payback

Having been away from the game since his 2015 release, E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception), E Double provides a fitting reminder of his consistency as he cruises through the second and final verse:

Diamond D’s New Album Features Erick Sermon, Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli & More

DJ Premier Discusses The Making Of Gang Starr’s Hard To Earn 25 Years Later

#BonusBeat: DJ Gumba and Erick Sermon’s “CHILL”:

In 2017, Nas and Travis Scott worked together alongside DJ Khaled for video single “It’s Secured” (embedded below). On paper, these artists may seem to represent different corners of Rap music, even while both have close collaborative ties to Kanye West.

Nas burst on the scene in the early 1990s. His debut album, Illmatic, appeased many purists, from The Source magazine to the readers of Ambrosia For Heads (who crowned it the Greatest Rap Album Of All-Time back in 2016). Nas’ most beloved music fits in the canon of East Coast boom-bap. The 45-year-old MC paints vivid pictures with words. Although he tends to shun the spotlight at times, his art often presents introspective lyrics deal with a bygone era of New York City, street crime, and overcoming a grim existence to becoming a mogul.

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Meanwhile, Travis Scott is from Houston, Texas. His music often defies genre. This 26-year-old sings, raps, and sometimes breaks into an all-out Rock Star display in his elaborate stage shows. Scott has a child as well as an ongoing relationship with Kylie Jenner, making him part of the globe’s most prominent celebrity family. Last year’s Astroworld topped the charts with a concoction of music that blends Rap, R&B, Psychedelic Rock, EDM, Screw music, and more. AFH selected it among last year’s best.

However, Nas and Travis Scott have plenty in common, as a conversation moderated by Playboy‘ Marcus Reeves shows. These two artists sit together in the back of a Bentley with L’s burning. Their discussion is about Hip-Hop, and how it continues to evolve and move with the same principles and purpose.

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Scott praises Nas’ era. “I’m guessing Hip-Hop used to be about bars and just a unique flow over beats. It was like straight soul, and man, you’re telling your story; it was just bar to bar, killing it, and not really about anything being catchy. It was just really raw,” he says. “The past generation knocked down so many doors where, you know, they were spitting a lot of pain, man. They was dealing with a lot of police stuff. We’re still dealing with that now, but it wasn’t so free. Now we got more of a voice at the label. We can kind of put out our own music whenever. You and I could do a song during this interview and upload it right now if we wanted to.”

Nas reacts, “That’s right. Being an MC or a rapper, you got to change with the times. I can stay me, sure, but the challenge is to stay with what’s going on. If you look at the great ones from back then, a lot of them have four albums; they had short careers. That’s changed now.” He also comments, “You said it was once about writing down the pain and all of that. Nowadays the pain has changed. We’re after different things. We broke past the barriers. We understand what we need to do and we’re in control of what we’re doing, and no one can stop it now. No one can tell us what to do, what we can’t do. Rap music can’t be stopped now.”

Nas Demands A Second Look At His Album With A Stunning Short Film (Video)

Mentioning Scott’s action figure, Nas tells Travis he wishes he could execute things like that during the ’90s. He also explains how he admires the artist’s attitude towards the spotlight. “You [have been] doing something I wish I did when I was in my twenties, which was not giving the camera much. If you go back to one of the interviews I did on Video Music Box, I don’t look at the camera that much. Through the years, I would do award shows or whatever, and then I would skip the red carpet. The record label would be mad at me, that I’m up here and I’m selling all these units, and I won’t even walk the carpet. When you cover your face, so you don’t look down, I think, Damn, I wish…I live vicariously through you when you do that, bro, because I feel you on that. You [are] here to do the music and leave your stain on this world. Whether you be in front of them cameras or not, you don’t even care.” Scott agrees, despite his defacto celebrity status. “I don’t care. That’s my whole sh*t, bro. It’s about the music. I just express what a kid my age is going through in a time.”

Scott goes on to describe his expressive nature. Whereas Nas has made songs like “Sly Fox” and “What Goes Around,” Scott admits that he is careful to be about activism in his bars. “I wouldn’t say I don’t feel compelled to speak on political issues; sometimes you just don’t want to speak too much on stuff you don’t know much about. It’s not like I’m not thinking about what’s going on in the world. I’m an expressive artist, but with media and sh*t, it gets misconstrued. As I’m sitting with you right now, I’m still figuring this out, you know?”

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Nas responds, “Politics definitely affects the way I think, but the way I write is my day-to-day life. I did a song talking about daughters, because I have a daughter. ‘Daughters’ was nominated for a Grammy. I feel it—that’s why I wrote it—but I had no idea it would be acknowledged like that when it came out. So I write about day-to-day stuff, and I don’t plan to write anything political, because then it’s forced. It ain’t a natural expression.” Moments later, he adds, “Ray Charles and Billie Holiday and all of those great acts were entertaining and going through worse times than now. They were inspiring us. When Michael Jackson did Thriller, that was during Reaganomics. He gave us something to look at other than the politics, the propaganda, the lies. He gave us inspiration.” He praises efforts like Astroworld in a challenging political climate. “The politicians want our full attention. They’re hustling. I’m not getting caught up in that. I make music about life, and life comes before politics.”

The conversation closes with the two men talking about the sport of Rap. “This sh*t is a blood sport,” says Nas. “This sh*t ain’t easy. This is one of the hardest games ever. I love it right now because it’s testing you. What are you made of? Can you survive? What do you have to offer in 2019?” The MC who famously called sleep “the cousin of death” has not shifted his stance. “Because the moment you sleep, the moment you blink your eyes too long, your spot is taken. And that’s the excitement of it.”

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Travis reacts, “There’s no barrier. There’s just so much of a flow of things that we’re trying to—we’re gettin’ it out, and we’re expressing it in a different way: what’s happening during our time in life, what’s happening in the streets.”

Heads who want to see vintage footage from Video Music Box can experience and support it at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 30-day trials.

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#BonusBeat: DJ Khaled, Nas, and Travis Scott’s “It’s Secured”:

youtube

Nas Sounds Truly Inspired On A Beautiful New Song With Amy Winehouse

Cormega Breaks Down His Evocative New EP & Why The Fans Matter The Most

Nas Demands A Second Look At His Album With A Stunning Short Film (Video)

Travis Scott’s Sick New Visual Shows How Great Music Videos Can Still Be (Video)

Dave Chappelle Teaches Will Smith How To Do Standup Comedy (Video)

Heads who want to see vintage footage from Video Music Box can experience and support it at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 30-day trials.

Andrew Yang Is The Rakim Of Politics (Video)

#BonusBeat: DJ Khaled, Nas, and Travis Scott’s “It’s Secured”:

youtube

The post Nas & Travis Scott Discuss The Power Of Hip-Hop & Why Its Messages Cannot Be Stopped appeared first on .

from WordPress http://www.richmegavideo.com/nas-travis-scott-discuss-the-power-of-hip-hop-why-its-messages-cannot-be-stopped-2/

#Hip Hop

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richmegavideo · 6 years

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Nas & Travis Scott Discuss The Power Of Hip-Hop & Why Its Messages Cannot Be Stopped

Erick Sermon & Big K.R.I.T. Join Forces To Celebrate Southern Women (Audio)

Erick Sermon Details EPMD’s Terrible 1st Contract & How They Got The Big Payback

Having been away from the game since his 2015 release, E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception), E Double provides a fitting reminder of his consistency as he cruises through the second and final verse:

Diamond D’s New Album Features Erick Sermon, Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli & More

DJ Premier Discusses The Making Of Gang Starr’s Hard To Earn 25 Years Later

#BonusBeat: DJ Gumba and Erick Sermon’s “CHILL”:

Erick Sermon & Big K.R.I.T. Join Forces To Celebrate Southern Women (Audio)

Erick Sermon Details EPMD’s Terrible 1st Contract & How They Got The Big Payback

Having been away from the game since his 2015 release, E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception), E Double provides a fitting reminder of his consistency as he cruises through the second and final verse:

Diamond D’s New Album Features Erick Sermon, Pharoahe Monch, Talib Kweli & More

DJ Premier Discusses The Making Of Gang Starr’s Hard To Earn 25 Years Later

#BonusBeat: DJ Gumba and Erick Sermon’s “CHILL”:

Nas Sounds Truly Inspired On A Beautiful New Song With Amy Winehouse

Cormega Breaks Down His Evocative New EP & Why The Fans Matter The Most

Nas Demands A Second Look At His Album With A Stunning Short Film (Video)

Travis Scott’s Sick New Visual Shows How Great Music Videos Can Still Be (Video)

Dave Chappelle Teaches Will Smith How To Do Standup Comedy (Video)

Heads who want to see vintage footage from Video Music Box can experience and support it at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 30-day trials.

Andrew Yang Is The Rakim Of Politics (Video)

#BonusBeat: DJ Khaled, Nas, and Travis Scott’s “It’s Secured”:

youtube

Nas Sounds Truly Inspired On A Beautiful New Song With Amy Winehouse

Cormega Breaks Down His Evocative New EP & Why The Fans Matter The Most

Nas Demands A Second Look At His Album With A Stunning Short Film (Video)

Travis Scott’s Sick New Visual Shows How Great Music Videos Can Still Be (Video)

Dave Chappelle Teaches Will Smith How To Do Standup Comedy (Video)

Heads who want to see vintage footage from Video Music Box can experience and support it at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 30-day trials.

Andrew Yang Is The Rakim Of Politics (Video)

#BonusBeat: DJ Khaled, Nas, and Travis Scott’s “It’s Secured”:

youtube

The post Nas & Travis Scott Discuss The Power Of Hip-Hop & Why Its Messages Cannot Be Stopped appeared first on .

from WordPress http://www.richmegavideo.com/nas-travis-scott-discuss-the-power-of-hip-hop-why-its-messages-cannot-be-stopped/

#Hip Hop

0 notes