consideration

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By February, N.W.A and the Posse wasn't exploding just yet, but it was bubbling under. The buzz was real. People were finally starting to whisper their names outside of just Compton-at swap meets, barbershops, late-night radio shows. No big magazine write-ups, no huge venues... not yet. But the energy was there. Like something was about to shift.

It was the kind of slow come-up that made you hungry-and made you want to stick around just to see what happened next.

Tonight was one of their first real performances for a packed crowd. Nothing fancy. A mid-sized club where the speakers rattled the walls and the air smelled like sweat, hair grease, and secondhand Mary Jane. But to N.W.A? It was everything.

Backstage, it was chaos. Cables everywhere, Dre arguing with a sound guy over the levels, Ren half-dressed, digging through a bag looking for his missing chain.

Eazy was pacing like a general ready to lead his troops into battle, while Cube stood near the mirror, adjusting his hat and mumbling his lines.

Korina was there too. She wasn't part of the crew-not officially.

But at this point, she may as well have been. She knew where the secret door to backstage was.

She knew who liked their headphones loud, who needed gum before going on, and how to duck when a mic stand came flying mid-rehearsal.

She walked in cool, confident, wearing a jacket just a little too big for her frame, headphones resting around her neck like a quiet flex.

She moved through the chaos like she'd done it a hundred times-until she bumped into Yella, almost knocking his coffee from his hand.

"Damn, girl!"

"My bad," she grinned. "You walk like a linebacker."

"You walk like you own the place."

"Do I not?"

Yella blinked-then burst into laughter. "Okay, I'll give you that one."

They started talking from there-just jokes at first. Yella teased her about her height. She called him a wannabe sex symbol. He responded by pretending to pose, chest out, lips pursed.

"You're a mess," she giggled.

"And you love it."

They stood there longer than either planned-talking about random things, sharing stories, tossing insults like siblings. It was easy with Yella. Effortless. Light.

And then Eazy's voice rang out.

"Yo! Everybody!"

They turned to see him standing up on one of the big black boxes backstage, his arms open like a preacher mid-sermon.

"This ain't Madison Square Garden," he began, "but it damn sure ain't no backyard cookout either. This sh*t matter. These people out there? They here for us. Ain't no radio playing us yet. Ain't no white execs giving a damn. But them folks out there? They do. So don't give 'em 80%."

Everyone quieted down. Even Cube stopped fidgeting.

"Tonight," Eazy said, voice low but full of fire, "we show 'em who we are."

The boys started nodding. Dre muttered something to himself, then stood up. Ren popped his chain on. The vibe shifted.

As they walked toward the stage, Korina stayed back, still smiling from the speech. That was Eazy's charm-he didn't just talk. He made you believe.

Just as the lights dimmed, someone tapped her shoulder.

"Look who the hell it is."

Korina turned and gasped. "......?!"

...... was a familiar face from a long time ago a-back when Korina was just another girl with big dreams and a sharp mouth. They hugged hard, catching up fast.

"What you doin' here?" Korina asked.

"I style for the opener. But girl, I saw you in the corner talkin' to DJ Drip-Too-Much or whoever he is now."

Korina laughed. "Please. That's Yella."

"Oh, I know," Shonda said with a grin. "He look better in person."

They stood near the back, catching up while the boys took the stage. The beat dropped. The crowd erupted.

Korina didn't even realize she was swaying along until Shonda nudged her.

"You smiling real hard right now."

"They sound good," Korina replied.

"You proud of 'em?"

She thought for a second. "Yeah. I am."

After the set, they came back drenched in sweat, high off adrenaline. Korina greeted them all with hugs, daps, and soft teases about who messed up what line. They were too amped to care._______________◍⁠•◍✧__◍⁠•◍✧⁠________________:

The studio had mellowed out. Lights dimmed low, ashtrays filling up, and the smell of weed and sweat lingering like the end of a party.

A slow, looped instrumental beat pulsed in the background while Dre hunched over the mixing board, tapping buttons with increasing frustration.

Korina sat sideways on the couch, one leg tucked beneath her, nursing a half-warm soda with a crooked straw.

Her boots were unlaced and her denim jacket hung off one shoulder. She watched the boys move like pieces in a puzzle-each one different, but still somehow fitting.

Ren and Yella were mid-spades match, cursing under their breath and tossing cards like dice.

Cube had his notebook open, mouthing lyrics silently. Eazy, as always, was lounging like royalty-legs stretched out, shades on despite the dim, and a quiet little smile playing on his lips.

Then Dre cut the beat and let out a long sigh. "This shit still don't feel finished."

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Ren laid his cards down. Cube glanced up.

"It need another verse?" Cube asked.

"Nah," Dre said, spinning his chair halfway around. "It's the hook. Ain't hitting. It's dry. Needs sauce."

"Michel'le?" Ren offered, already knowing the answer.

"She not comin' tonight," Dre muttered. "I don't fuckin feel like waitin'."

"Then let it ride without a hook," Cube shrugged. "Just let the bars breathe."

"I been lettin' bars breathe all week," Dre snapped. "I want this one to sing. Something catchy. Something smooth."

"So sing it then," Ren grinned.

"F**k outta here," Dre laughed.

That's when Yella leaned back and looked at Korina like he just remembered something. "What about her?"

Korina blinked. "What about me?"

"You got a voice," he said. "Don't front."

"I was barely humming," she said defensively.

Eazy chuckled. "Sounded like more than humming to me. Thought the radio came on."

"Oh my God," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Nah for real," Yella pressed. "You always got a melody in your head, I seen it. Why not jump in?"

"I didn't come here to record," she said, adjusting her jacket. "Y'all wild."

"Yet you always here," Ren muttered under his breath.

She turned her head toward him slowly. "You got something to say?"

Ren leaned back, smirking. "I'm just sayin', you always hangin' around, always close to the smoke but scared of the fire."

"That's real bold coming from somebody who swears he's hot sh*t just 'cause he memorized a few verses."

"I write my sh*t."

"I ain't doubting that. But don't act like you built this whole place with your bare hands."

The room got real still. Dre glanced up, surprised by the tension. Cube looked over, pen frozen mid-thought. Even Yella stopped fiddling with his cards.

Eazy tilted his head, watching her with new eyes. Not amusement-curiosity. Respect, maybe.

Ren held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. All I'm saying is, you could step up. If you wanted to."

Korina glanced at Dre, then back at Yella, then at Cube-who was now avoiding her gaze altogether. That said enough.

Her eyes finally settled on Eazy, who gave her a soft shrug, like: Up to you.

Her fingers tapped the side of the soda can. "Y'all really tryna peer pressure me into this?"

"Not pressure," Dre said, "just... opportunity."

Yella grinned. "We offerin' you a key to the damn kingdom."

"More like a guest pass," she muttered, but she was smiling now.

"Come on, Korina," Eazy said low, voice velvet. "Ain't nobody tryna force you. We just... see somethin' in you."

That part hit different.

She looked at him, surprised by the tone. He didn't say it like he was playing. He said it like he meant it. The air between them thickened again.

"...I'll think about it," she finally said, voice barely above a whisper.

Yella clapped dramatically, like she just announced a record deal.

Dre nodded, satisfied. "That's all I needed."

Ren smirked. "Bout time."

"Don't get used to it," Korina shot back, but she couldn't help the tiny laugh that escaped.

Then Eazy leaned in closer, voice low just for her. "You're already in it,you with this shit , you know that, right?"

She turned her head slightly. "In what?"

He tilted his head, smirk lingering. "This world. This energy. This whole shit. You talk like you on the outside looking in, but you're not. You're in the middle, Korina. Front and center."

She stared at him for a beat too long. Something warm stirred in her chest, somewhere between pride and danger. That same thrill she felt earlier, only now, it pulsed a little deeper.

"But I ain't know shit about music" I said.

"Stop lying you been helping us write and produce for a while now" Dre said smirking.

"Ok but real shit I got a problem with my voice"I complained.

"What's the issue?"Ren asked facing my direction.

"I've said this before,everytime I try singing my voice ends up sounding too soft and it sounds as if ok forcing to sing it sounding like I'm drained."

"Well then I guess we've just got soemthing to work on"Dre said again not seeming to give up.