Game Over (18 page)

All types of crazy thoughts started
swirling inside my head. I wished my new life and relationship would backfire. The boredom was killing me that badly. I couldn’t believe that I’d moved hundreds of miles away from home for a man I was barely getting to see and I couldn’t even get any sex from. We had been together at that point for six months and still no damn sex. What man goes that long without pussy? I dealt with it though.

Anyway, a new year finally dragged its way around. 2008 came and I was growing tired of our long distance relationship. I was also growing tired of sneaking back and forth to
Miami but I refused to stop. Shit, Miami was where everything was. Sad to say, it was also where I began fooling around behind Skip’s back. He was a Jamaican. I met him in a club one night. I fell for his accent and explained to him that I was in a relationship, still our relationship took off quickly and my lies to Skip became more frequent. I also began hanging out with Dorell Wright of The Miami Heat. It was nothing serious though; we were just chilling.

I felt bad
for cheating on Skip. Truly I did, but the long distance thing just wasn’t cutting it with me. My body and soul needed some attention. Skip wasn’t giving me neither. What did he want me to do? Wait on him? I had needs, but I held on.

I saw Pecas at Wet Willies.
He was head of promotions for Fab’s projects when I worked for him so he and I had history. The timing was perfect. He told me he had heard I was messing with a ball player, frowning about it the entire time. I played it off like everything was good, not wanting to put my personal business out there. Immediately, I let him know I was interested in getting back in the industry. He agreed and suggested that I work on building my resume more.

“Yeah, I know you’re used to having your own,” he said. “I can hook you up with Ted Lucas over at Slip-N-Slide Records.”

At that time, Slip-N-Slide wasn’t popping like Roc-A-Fella or Bad Boy. They only had Trina and Plies. Rick Ross was there and beginning to bubble but he was nowhere near the huge success he now is. I was still grateful though. Anything would be better than nothing. I just needed to get back in the swing of things before I went crazy.

I really did miss the business. I missed the lights. I missed it all. Being with Skip showed me that. My life somehow had become super boring and too damn predictable. There was no excitement and no surprises. I realized that I’d gotten with Skip because I was at a vulnerable point in my life. I was tired of the game. But that was
then
. This was
now.

Anyway, just like he’d said, Pecas hooked me up with Ted Lucas. I found myself sitting with him at Olive’s on
South Beach, expecting some country dude with dreads, gold teeth and his pants hanging off his ass. Or maybe even a nigga who favored Trick Daddy, since at that time a lot of people thought Trick Daddy owned the label. My expectations turned out to be all the way off the mark. Ted Lucas was tall, handsome and well mannered. He spoke properly and professionally. He definitely wasn’t what I expected of a Hip Hop CEO—nothing I’d seen since Dame.

Ted asked me about myself and my experience. I told him about my job with Fab and let him know that was how I knew Pecas. I also ran down the long list of people and companies for which I’d worked. He seemed impressed and wanted to know more. I explained to him why I had moved to
Orlando, had begun spending a lot of time in Miami, and gave him a little info about my relationship with Skip. I told him that the job would have to be a secret because he didn’t really want me working in the industry. I let him know that although being the girl of an NBA player was cool, I needed my own. I wasn’t used to being a housewife. Ted understood. The two of us talked for nearly an hour. When we were done, he said he hadn’t made a decision yet about the job but he would let me know soon.

That Monday morning Ted called me and told me to stop by the office, which was located on
South Beach. Tiana, a friend of mine from New York was hanging out with me at the time. I headed over to the office to meet with Ted. When I got there, he told me his assistant had quit that very morning. And instead of looking for an office manager, he was now looking for an assistant.

My experience with Fab had intrigued Ted. During the interview back at Olive’s, I had explained my duties for Fab in detail. I’d told him all the extremes. He knew that I would be able to fit perfectly. He wanted me to start that Monday morning. That meant I would have to find a place in
Miami and get settled. No more driving back and forth from Orlando. I was now an official Miami resident.

Just like that, I was Ted’s assistant. Immediately, I discovered it was nothing like the job I had with Fab. There were no toting guns, no strip clubs, no buying weed, no hanging out in the studio. It was all professional and legitimate. The pay wasn’t that good but it was much more than what Fab had paid.

The day I started, Trina’s album had just been released a few weeks prior so I jumped in immediately. Just like every job before that one, I worked hard and went the extra mile. At Slip-N-Slide I was beginning to learn the mechanics of the business and running a label. I worked on artist’s agreements, scheduled hair and make up for the artists, paid their stylist and anyone else who needed to be paid. I was even learning exactly
how
to get the artists on the radio. At every other job, working with the artist, we just showed up at the station ready to get on the air. With Slip-N-Slide I learned what led up to it. I also learned what it really took from a label’s view to promote an artist or album, where as before, we just spent the label’s money. I felt like I had truly arrived.

The experience intrigued me. Ted was taking me under his wing and teaching me so much that I had never known about this game. He was showing me the other side of the music industry. An exceptional business man, he wasn’t too crazy about the spotlight. He could do without it. As I said before, a lot of people thought Trick Daddy owned the label. That was fine with Ted. It allowed him to stay behind the scenes and handle business.

Of all the CEO’s I’ve come across in the industry, by far Ted was the most interesting. I mean, this cat was so different from anyone I’d met before or since. There were no e-mails or texts coming to him from other women. He didn’t hang out and party. He didn’t pop pills or smoke weed. This cat was just unreal. I had never known men like him existed. My admiration grew.

A new side of the industry wasn’t the only thing Ted brought into my life. He also brought God into my life in a way that changed me. After working with him for just two weeks, he invited me to church with him and his family. I’d been to church with Chrissy and Raheem back in
Harlem a few times so I missed going. I took Ted up on his offer. The experience brought something out of me.

While sitting in church, I started crying and couldn’t stop. I didn’t know why. I did know, though, that maybe it was time to reevaluate my life. Also, maybe it was time to start going to God for help and advice instead of my girls. When I left that day, I saw my relationship with God a lot differently than before.

From that point, I began praying to God and talking to him much more often. I needed guidance for the future and I had faith he’d provide it. Honestly, I looked back on my life and didn’t like what I saw or who I’d let myself become. I really wanted to be a better human being. I really wanted to be the best Winter I could be. I started going to church regularly and even got baptized. If I didn’t show up for church, Ted would text me immediately. I swear, it was like he was retraining me on life. He was just that influential. I’ll forever be grateful to him for that.

Church and
Miami changed me a lot. I finally realized it was time to leave the past in the past. The selfish person I’d been back in New York needed to stay back there. With Miami as my new home, I now had a chance to open a new chapter of my life and write it much better than the previous one. I was focused on it. Sadly though, as God had entered my life, someone else was about to be excluded from it.

                                               
               ***

Eve
ntually, summer rolled around. In July of ‘08 Skip and I went to Vegas for his birthday. His daughter accompanied us too. The three of us stayed at the Luxor Hotel. We were there for three to four days. Skip sponsored an AAU team there so we attended a few of their games, spending time together. We also did a lot of shopping, including me taking his daughter to Lens Crafters to get herself a new pair of glasses. Of course Skip took me shopping too, ending with the comment, “This is the first time I ever bought a woman a bag besides my mother.”

Whatever
, I thought.

The next night, we decided to leave Skip’s daughter in the hotel room and go out. We hit the club. While there, I bumped into Angie Martinez. The two of us chatted for a moment. I also saw Pec
as. We spoke. Then out of nowhere I got the scare of my life.  My heart jumped into my throat when I saw who walked in the door.

It was Dw
yane Wade.

Dwyane
was there with Gabrielle. I wasn’t sure if he knew about me. I wasn’t sure if Dorell had told him about me or by chance had showed him some pictures of us. Panicked filled me as I wondered if my cover was about to be blown. Thank God it wasn’t. Dwayne didn’t know my face, at least not at that time. The night ended up running smoothly with Skip and I enjoying ourselves. Deep inside, I kept my fingers crossed about how things would go down once we got back to the room.

Skip and I headed back to the
Luxor. His daughter was asleep when we got there so I decided to make a move on Skip tearing at his pants. He was drunk so my hope was to take advantage of him. Quickly, he turned me down.

“We’ve been here for
two days,” I told him. “It’s your birthday and we’re coming up on our one year anniversary. Can I get some sex?”

Once again, he turned me down.

“Not tonight, baby. I want us to wait. When we do it, I want it to be special.”

I couldn’t believe this dude. Was he fuckin’ serious? Something wasn’t right, I accepted at that point. Men just don’t turn down
ass. Something was definitely wrong with that picture. Either he was getting major ass from another chick or….

Maybe he wasn’t that into me.

20-
Another Season

The seasons changed again.

By Fall Skip had slowed down on the money he was sending me. For the entire time I’d been in Orlando he’d been sending me stacks every month faithfully. But all of a sudden, once he found out I’d been working at Slip-N-Slide he began sending less money and hadn’t given me a reason. The nigga had downsized me. It didn’t make sense. First he wanted to deprive me of dick. Now he wanted to play games with the money. What in the hell was up with him? Rather than dwell on it, I just realized I had to do me and get back on my grind.             

Christmas of that year rolled around. Everything at Slip
-N-Slide was going good. I decided to ask Skip for a car so I could get around better. I’d already picked out the one I wanted and was sure he would get it for me. Although he’d fell back on the five thousand dollars every month, I was still able to get money from him freely. He surprised me though when I asked for the BMW. He told me ‘no’ and offered no explanation. It was at that point I knew we were over. We were still in a long distance relationship, but his phone calls to me were even growing fewer and fewer. Now I couldn’t have a car? What was the use in being together? I tried to stick it out though. I really did.

Journal Entry

My mother could never understand the shit I go through with Skip. My step
father treats her like a queen. No worries of other women, spending enough time together- nothing. I never see him- wondering if there is another bitch. How did I end up in this kind of situation when my step-dad is nothing like this man? Should a woman want to be with a man like her father especially if he's a loving, caring and providing man? I guess I need to reevaluate my situation and get me a white man. Shit- rewind- I doubt that -I'm hooked on the brothers. I wish I could duplicate my step dad though and marry him- everything would be all better. Maybe if I drop this loser that good man will be waiting. Maybe I should find this good man first then drop the loser just in case.

Valentine’s Day 2009. It was that day that I discovered Skip was finally being traded to Orlando. He texted me saying, he was on his way to Orlando and for me to meet him there. At that moment I realized it was time to come clean about my secrets. I was still fooling with the Jamaican dude and also dating Dorell from The Miami Heat. Obviously, there was no way Skip would be able to live just four hours from Miami and not find out. I had to tell him. I owed him that. Plus, I was ready for the relationship to be over.

I went to meet Skip and told him
it was over. I told him about my relationship with Dorell…well not exactly.

“I’ve been messing with someone who plays for the Heat,” I admitted.

“Who?” he asked nonchalantly. “Is it somebody I know?”

I told him it was none of his business.
He was hurt of course and the relationship ended. Strangely, there was no yelling or screaming. I assumed it was because he was doing his own thing anyway. But one bizarre thing came out of it…

We finally had sex.

Damn, I’d waited for what seemed like forever. Now he was giving it to me on the night we’re breaking up? It was crazy. The only thing crazier though was quickly discovering what I’d been waiting for all that time really wasn’t worth waiting for at all. The sex was a huge disappointment. It was horrible. Wow, so not worth the damn wait.

Back on my grind at Slip
-N-Slide things moved at a rapid pace. Ted learned that a good friend of his, Shakir, shot and killed himself. My heart nearly dropped to my shoes after hearing the news. I couldn't believe it. I had a million questions, wondering why he would take his own life. I’d heard the rumors about what had possibly gone on…but knew nothing factual. The entire situation truly affected me. I immediately went into prayer. I knew a lot of men in the industry who had as much if not more pressure than Shakir. That situation taught me to get my shit together. I vowed to live life to the fullest and work was first on my agenda.

After that whole ordeal
I approached Ted and asked for more responsibilities within the company. I knew I was destined to be more than an assistant. Although working with Fab had given me experiences most will never have in their lifetime, I needed more. Eventually Ted gave me what I needed.

A chance.

An opportunity.

He
had a new artist named Shonie who he was trying to shop to a major record label. He gave me full responsibility over her project: wardrobe, radio, street team, promo tours etc. I put my best foot forward and started working with Shonie on a regular basis, putting my all into her. I was still Ted’s assistant so I had my plate full, working crazy hours, learning more and more about the business.

Journal Entry

 
 
Ted finally came to his senses and gave me Shonie. I'm ready. I like her and I think she can be really big in the industry. But of course no extra pay and added work. The story of my life but I'm ready to handle the responsibility and show what I can do. I'm sure I'll have to call in favors from my people in the industry but shit what else do I know them for and after all the shit I've done for them it's time to call in the favors. I've never been the one to shy away from a challenge and I'll take this one head on. I can't let Ted down he's taught me so much and I owe him for that. I think God put me in this position to show my talent and skills and I'm going to go super hard and get Shonie signed. From this day forward I will eat, sleep and shit Shonie making her top dog at Slip-N-Slide.

Shonie had a record Ted wanted to record but we needed a rapper to seal the deal. Being the fast-paced thinker that I am, I quickly came up with a few artists I could reach out to. Fabolous entered my mind instantly and ultimately became the label’s unanimous decision. So I reached out to Fab and negotiated a fee—the family discount. Before long, I was sending parts of the record to Fab to add his verse. The fast pace in which he sent things back and the discount gave me props at Slip-N-Slide and improved our relationship.

I felt good about what I’d accomplished. All of my work, time and energy with Fab back in 2007 had not
been in vain. And I had gotten the opportunity to show that I could build an artist.

Not long a
fter Fab completed the record we worked hard at getting Shonie ready to head to New York to meet with L.A. Reid at Def Jam. I remember dressing her like she’d never been dressed before. A hair stylist and make-up artist were brought in to make things perfect. The record was so hot that I knew she’d come back to Miami with a deal.

Shonie performed a few tracks for
Mr. Reid and finally performed, “Can't Let Go”, featuring Fabolous. It just so happened, record producer and song writer The-Dream was in the building and walked in on the meeting. He and L.A. loved the record and her energy. They had also heard Shonie and Fab’s record on one of the New York radio stations. I had reached out to all my DJ homies in NY so the song played regularly on the radio.

Shonie
came back to Miami with a major record deal with Def Jam Records. I was so excited about that accomplishment and proud that I was a large part of making it all happen. That solidified for me what Ted had been preaching all along, about believing in myself and working hard. I was ready to go full force with Shonie, but little did I know Ted was in the process of hiring a new head of Marketing, Randy Acker, someone who I’d never known to do marketing at a label.

I
t was crazy how it all happened. He came in at a rapid pace, making changes, some that were called for and some that were not. Of course I flipped when he decided to take control of Shonie’s project. I thought it was a bad idea, but it wasn’t my company so I wished Randy the best and fell back. In exchange, I was given the newly signed group Jagged Edge to work with.

I was super excited to work with
Jagged Edge. They’d been in the business for several years and I’d always been a huge fan. My senses and new skills in the industry told me they could make a comeback. I wanted to be a part of it. Jagged Edge wasn't as easy to work with as I thought. The guys were easy to get along with but their management was just down right ridiculous. They were stuck in a time warp. They were expecting to get what the group got when they were selling millions of records.

I underst
ood they were well known and they’d made some of the best R&B music ever, but that time had passed. They had to prove themselves all over again; sort of like starting off as a new artist. Not to mention Ted was not going to go broke trying to make them feel like they were still with Jermaine Dupri. Ted was a smart businessman unlike others around him.

Journal Entry

I swear this industry is all smoke and mirrors. You drive a nice car, come up in here with thousands of dollars in jewelry, expensive ass clothes but the sheriff comes to the office looking for you about some shit you ow
e? I get it- you have to look nice for the camera but bitch when the cameras aren't rolling how about you pay your bills? Use some of that multi million dollar contract to get that debt taken care of. This must be serious though for the sheriffs to come here looking for you. I wonder how much I could get from world star or YBF if I leaked the story? Just kidding I wouldn't do that. Or would I? Bottom line is… stop frontin’ and pay your bills. It's easy just hire an accountant. Do you even know what that is?

After a few months I sensed that Ted wasn’t happy with the attitude and behavior of the group. They weren’t showing up at events, missing studio time, and just weren’t living up to their part of the deal. Eventually Ted stopped focusing on them, hoping they’d realize they were missing out on an opportunity so they would get their shit together. In the process of that the label wasn’t bringing in any money. Trina was spending, and Rick Ross and Plies’ checks were few and far between. Life became stressful again….and there was lots of pressure. I’d gone back to the days where I had to grind, hard. Extremely hard.

This time, I had Ted in my life and knew to pray about it.