The one wedged between the two women said something to them that had them climbing up with him and we moved aside so they could file out.
“Ay, I’m not going to repeat myself. I’ve got work to do.”
“But Drix?—”
“Move yo’ mouth less and them ashy ass feet more, lil mama.” He turned back toward the soundboard and started pressing buttons.
“We thought?—”
“Rome, get yo’ homegirl before shit goes left,” he warned without looking back.
Rome hopped up and closed in on them.
“Ay, come on, y’all. It’s always a pleasure to see y’all but y’all heard my brother. He has work he needs to do and the last thing we want is for him to start tripping.”
The women grumbled but headed out. Rome collapsed onto the couch and got back to doing what he was doing.
Drix finished then turned back toward us.
“I heard y’all old shit and narrowed the choices down to three different beat options for y’all to hop on,” he announced. “Go ahead and have a seat while I cue up the first one.”
“You listened to our music?” Retta asked as we walked further inside and sat on the couch together.
“I don’t work with nobody I don’t research. I don’t have time to waste.”
“So, you liked our work?”
Drix lifted an eyebrow. “It was alright but that shit can use some work for sure.” He looked between us. “Who is who?”
“I’m Retta,” she said immediately. “And this is Charm and Myome.”
He nodded at that. “Alright. Well, Retta, you can get yo’ verse off and shit but don’t put yo’ ass on this mothafuckin’ chorus.”
“We haven’t even written the song yet.” Charm forced a lil smile.
“Exactly. I’m telling you how to format it before you even start. I’m not signing off on bullshit with my name.” He looked at Retta. “Your verses are cool and you have an a’ight voice but that chorus shit ain’t for you.”
“Okay.” Retta nodded.
“Cool.” Drix pressed more buttons on the soundboard and an instrumental started.
We sat in silence while it played. Then he played the second and third.
Charm, Retta, and I looked at each other.
“Alright. Majority rules,” I said. “Countdown from three and we’ll hold up our fingers for the beat we want, one through three in chronological order.”
“Alright.” They nodded.
“Three… Two… One.”
All three of us held up three fingers and we nodded in unison.
“Can we use the third beat?” Charm asked.
“Sure. Let me start it over for y’all. Y’all need anything to write with?”
“Nah. We’ll use our phones,” I said.