The initial movers in the scene were artists like AZ, ROYCE DA 5'9, STAT QUO, possessing ample skill but lacking in star power. Riding the wave of "Break the wall," they expressed their hopes for Dr. Dre's return and reminisced about how they idolized Dre in their youth.
Especially AZ left his mark on "Break the wall" beat:
"Who gives a fuck motherfucker"
...
"Wave your motherfuckin hands in the air"
...
What's fascinating is that no one dared to tamper with Geon's part in the song. His vocals and lyrics seemed to move all the rappers from behind, as if they were speaking to Dre collectively, making it impossible to meddle with the soul-stirring vocals that resonated with listeners. Consequently, Geon's name and talent became known to all rappers in the U.S. hip-hop scene, yet Geon himself remained oblivious to this.
Snoop Dogg monitored the rappers' movements in real-time and discussed with Eminem from his mansion. Sitting on the sofa in his garden, tossing and catching peanuts, Snoop said,
"Most of the West Coast guys have moved, right?"
Eminem, seated on the adjacent sofa, looked at pictures of his daughter on his smartphone as he replied,
"Yeah. Even the neutral guys are on the move."
Snoop squeezed the empty peanut bag and said,
"The problem lies with the East Coast guys... How are they gonna move? Did you contact Kay?"
"I don't know. That Chinese chick said to just wait."
"Just wait? They'll move if we just sit around?"
"What do you expect from stubborn guys? If you tell them to do something, where would they go? She said they'll probably stick around for fun if we just leave them alone."
Snoop chuckled.
"What? Hahaha. That's a good quote. She may be a Chinese chick, but she's pretty sharp, huh?"
Eminem said, glancing at Snoop.
"She's not just any Chinese chick, Snoop. She's a big shot in China. She was Pantera's concert marketer, among other things. Heard about her, right? She did a guerrilla tour via SNS. She also planned the entire show and made teaser videos."
Snoop pushed up his sunglasses, resting both hands on the sofa.
"Yeah? Hm. Guess I'll have to ask for a favor when I tour Asia. Don't have her business card?"
"Hehehe, I already got one. If you need it, just ask her directly. Just contact Kay."
Snoop raised his index finger.
"Damn, you little rascal. Can't you just tell me?"
Eminem said, with an even more mischievous grin.
"Hey, I was the first one who asked for her business card, but she totally ignored me! Isn't it common courtesy to give it to me first when I'm at this level? Since she didn't even think about it, I had to ask for it first. I can't just let it slide! You gotta step up too!"
Snoop spat out an imaginary saliva on Eminem's face as he spoke.
"Ugh, fine, you little punk. I'll just get it myself. It's just a simple call to Kay."
When Snoop picked up the phone, Eminem, who was sitting next to him, noticed a mischievous glint in Snoop's eyes as if he had found an amusing toy. Seeing Snoop's expression, Eminem waved his hand as if to say, "You're such a weirdo."
"Hello? Kay? It's me, Snoop."
"Oh, yes, Snoop!"
"Uh, yeah, about that woman from the Chinese company?"
"Yes, Ms. Son Lin?"
"Yeah, her. I'm planning an Asia tour and I kinda want to borrow her expertise. Could you ask her for her business card for me?"
"Oh, just a moment..."
There was a muffled conversation over the phone, presumably with Geon beside Lin. It seemed like they were talking, judging by the distant tone. After a while, Geon's voice came through again.
"Hello, Snoop?"
"Yeah, I'm listening."
"Um... That..."
"What? What did she say?"
"She, she said you should come and get it in person..."
"What?"
Seeing Snoop's expression contorting, Eminem, who was sitting beside him, pointed and laughed, rolling around on the floor.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!"
Snoop scowled at Eminem, kicking him lightly while he was still laughing.
"Hey, quiet down! Kay?"
"Yes, Snoop. What would you like to say?"
"She really said I have to come all the way there to get her business card?"
"...Yes."
"Hmm... Got it. I'll get back to you."
Snoop hung up the phone, furrowing his brow, still glaring at Eminem, who was still rolling on the floor, chuckling through tears.
"Wait a minute. So you also went there in person and got her business card, didn't you?"
Eminem, who had been laughing on the floor, suddenly froze. Snoop slowly pointed his finger at him, exposing his misdeed.
"Haha! You rascal! You did something shameful! Hahaha!"
Eminem lay sprawled on the floor, facing away from Snoop, not moving. Snoop continued to laugh heartily, kicking Eminem with his foot.
....
A few days later, the rappers from the East Coast finally began to make their moves.
The first to respond to "Break the wall" was Mobb Deep. The duo, known for their alternating rap verses, unleashed lyrics that provoked Dre rather than showing the respect typical of West Coast rappers. However, like many others, they didn't dare touch Geon's vocals. Mobb Deep, having been inactive for a while, garnered immediate attention as one of the first musicians from the East Coast to take action, sparking interest from the public.
Geon and Ice Cube sat in the lobby of a hotel's first floor, listening to Mobb Deep's music with amusement.
"Could Dre really get angry about this?" Ice Cube chuckled, raising his eyebrows.
"Wow, feeling gangster now, are we? It's funny how you can joke about provoking Dre at this level," Geon remarked with a mischievous grin.
"It's just so fascinating to see everything unfolding as Ms. Son Lin predicted," Ice Cube leaned forward with interest, asking, "So, about that Chinese woman? It wasn't a joke this time, huh? What did she say?"
Geon chuckled before replying, "Throw a tasty morsel and the hyenas will fight over it."
For a moment, Ice Cube looked puzzled, then burst into laughter. "That's a saying! I guess she's a genius in her field too, huh?"
Geon smiled back and replied, "True. But you know what? The world should recognize that it's you who's moving us forward, not her."
Geon's expression turned slightly uncomfortable as he continued, "Yeah, I saw the articles. Sometimes I wonder if we're just painting a target on our backs."
Ice Cube chuckled, "Did you see the headline? 'A yellow wind stirred up by a genius moves dark and heavy rocks.' Even if we don't know who wrote it, that headline alone is pretty cool. So, EMPD moved today too, huh?"
Geon nodded with crossed arms, looking pensive. "Yeah, they did. But guess what? My name came up in the lyrics. Caught me off guard."
Ice Cube raised an eyebrow in surprise before playing EMPD's music on his smartphone. The beat of "Break the wall" filled the air, followed by EMPD's distinct DJ mix and their smooth, groovy rap.
"How old are we again, getting dissed by some rookie?"
"Who is Kay? Who is Kay?"
"I don't need to know some rookie's name, we're just here to talk about Dr. Dre, you little punk!"
Ice Cube burst into laughter, tossing his phone aside. "Haha, you're the rookie here!"
Geon shot him a disgruntled look. "Just a few months away from being an adult, and you're calling me a rookie? That's harsh."
Ice Cube laughed, "Hey, if they're just calling you a rookie, it means they're acknowledging you. If you were really as talentless as they claim, you'd probably be on your way to heaven by now, haha."
After sharing a laugh, Ice Cube paused and asked, "But seriously, EMPD and Mobb Deep are just the beginning. It'll take more than that for others to join in."
Geon reassured him with a confident expression, "Ms. Son Lin has never been wrong. She said the floodgates will burst open soon. With the attention we've already garnered, it's just a matter of time."
Ice Cube nodded in agreement. "Even if I belonged to the East Coast, I wouldn't miss an opportunity like this. Count me in. The real challenge is Dre. We need him to make our efforts worthwhile. Well, not that our efforts were in vain. We made some decent money from the streaming revenue."
Geon nodded solemnly. "True. We need Dre to get on board for this to be over. Ms. Son Lin said we can't predict how Dre will react. Chances are he'll just pretend not to have seen or heard anything. It'll take some serious contemplation for a businessman like Dre to make up his mind. That's on him, Ice. We've done our best."
Ice Cube looked at Geon with a serious gaze and nodded deeply.
And the next day, it finally happened. Jay-Z and Kanye West made their move. With the giants of the industry stepping in, the hip-hop scene trembled, and soon, even Drake and Method Man followed suit, with female rapper Nicki Minaj joining "Break the wall."
The whole world focused on the monumental movement in the American hip-hop scene, with news of new musicians joining the movement spreading daily.
Exactly eleven days after the release of "Break the wall," Geon received a call from Dre.
"Kay, it's me. Seems like you've stirred up quite the excitement, huh?"
At 7:30 PM, Geon Kim ascended the hill path amidst the graves of the Lincoln Memorial Park as the sun dipped low. Geon had received Dre's call around 5:20 PM. He immediately took a taxi to the location Dre mentioned and found Dre sitting alone on the grassy patch beyond the hill path.
Approaching Dre, Geon noticed empty bottles scattered around him. Dre looked at Geon with bleary eyes as he approached. Attempting to gesture towards Geon, Dre's arm fell limp each time he tried to raise it.
"Hey... K, you're here?" Dre's speech, although slurred due to intoxication, seemed coherent enough. Geon placed a hand on his waist and sighed.
"Dre, how much have you been drinking?"
Dre chuckled before raising the bottle to his lips again, taking a large gulp of alcohol. Wiping the spilled liquor with his sleeve, Dre spoke, "Was just having a drink with my son."
Pointing to his side, Dre continued, "Hey, Curtis! Say hi! This guy is K. You remember, right?"
Glancing at Dre's side, Geon noticed Curtis Young's tombstone. Dre turned to Geon and gestured, "K, say hi. Here's my son, poor soul. Endured all the hardships under a lousy father, suffered the disgraceful death of drug addiction in the end. Say hi!"
Geon sat silently across Curtis's tombstone. Geon's gaze shifted between the grave and Dre. Dre chuckled, "Why? Do you also pity this guy? Or maybe you want to ridicule him like the others? Haha."
Geon stared at Dre solemnly as Dre, raising the bottle high, toasted, "To my son! No matter what anyone says, this guy is my son, you bastards!"
Dropping the bottle to the ground after a hearty laugh, Dre's eyes met Geon's, his sadness evident. Dre gazed down at the town below, his eyes filled with turmoil. After a while of silence, Dre spoke up, "Why do you try to drag me down again?"
Geon, kneeling with his arms around his knees, replied, "You're a musician..."
"And a businessman. A single word from me could make thousands lose their jobs."
Interrupting Geon, Dre stared intently at him. Geon, meeting his gaze, continued softly, "You're also a father."
Dre remained silent, his gaze piercing into Geon. Geon continued, with a distant look in his eyes, "Our mother once said, true parents are those who embrace their children despite the world pointing fingers at them."
Dre's eyes twitched at Geon's words. Geon, not meeting Dre's gaze, continued, "I was beaten a lot by my father when I was young."
Dre chuckled, looking at Geon with a smirk, "You don't seem like someone who got into trouble. Did you ever get into any mischief?"
Geon smiled faintly, "I've never been in any trouble. I was just the target of my father's anger."
As Geon's words shocked Dre, Geon continued, "Mother was even worse than you. Despite knowing I would be beaten, I resented her for venting her anger on me. Our mother, who used to come to my room at around 11 PM, sobbing and hitting me wherever she could reach, was more detestable. It felt so insincere, just a facade."
Dre gently placed his hand on Geon's shoulder as he looked at him with pity. Geon, his face wet with tears, continued speaking without meeting Dre's eyes.
"Mother started to change when I entered high school. She was just a person, immature and imperfect. Like everyone else, she was growing into her role as a mother. At some point, to ensure her hatred towards father didn't transfer to me, she started finding her own path."
"One day, mother came to my room, knelt before me, and cried. She apologized, said she was sorry, that it was all her fault. But forgiveness didn't come easy. Outwardly, I smiled and pretended everything was okay with mother, but my heart didn't open easily. I spent the most crucial ten years of adolescence like that, so it's understandable. I've only called mother once in the past year I've been in the States, while my sister calls her every day."
"Dad also apologized to me. He said he was sorry, that it was a mistake."
Here's the revised passage:
"So, you expect me to forgive? No, I can't forgive. You call it a mistake? Could I have forgiven with just that word? I'd rather not be such immature parents than get married. But still, even so, Dre..."
"I guess I can't help but love Mom and Dad. Most of my memories are correct, but it still catches me off guard when Dad, who sent tuition fees to me before anyone else, calls. He has a lot of money, Dre. Yet he still sends tuition fees. Funny, right? My property is worth several times more than Dad's."
Tears began to stream down Geon's cheeks like chicken droppings.
"My mother... seeing her chest sink when she hears my sister tell her that Mom is sick with a cold... Am I a fool to love Mom even after being treated like that, Dre?"
As Dre leaned closer to Geon, wrapping his arm around Geon's shoulder, Geon shed even more tears as he spoke.
"My father never once thought of loving me beyond puberty. He bragged to his friends as if it were his own accomplishment. It's not funny, is it?"
Geon turned to Dre with a face soaked in tears. Dre looked back at Geon with sympathetic eyes.
"What kind of father were you to Curtis? I heard you weren't a good father. What kind of father were you in Curtis's memories?"
When Dre struggled to find words, Geon continued.
"To Curtis, you weren't the father who abandoned him until he was twenty-one. He understood your situation through long conversations with you, and the image of you depicted in his songs was a proud father himself."
Geon grabbed Dre's shoulders, turning him towards himself.
"Dre, is it okay like this? Will you just remain a mediocre father? Will you be remembered as someone like our father in Curtis's memories?"
Dre let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
"No. That can't be it, I'm sorry to you."
After Geon slowly nodded, wiping away tears and looking down the hill, Dre spoke.
"Curtis also resented you a lot after realizing your existence at the age of fifteen. Maybe when you grow older and realize you're an immature human yourself, you'll understand Dad. Or maybe not."
After wiping his stained face with his sleeve, Geon spoke.
"I hope so. The day I understand Dad will be the day I experience the most growth in my life."
Dre smiled softly, looking down at Curtis's grave, and sighed lightly.
"Can I talk about Curtis's story?"
Geon chuckled softly.
"Don't you feel the atmosphere, Dre? All the rappers are hoping for your comeback. That means the public who listens to your music is also hoping. If the public didn't care, they wouldn't move either."
Dre caressed Curtis's grave, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Curtis. Can I tell your story, son?"
Tears filled Dre's eyes.
"Curtis, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm too late, aren't I?"
Tears streamed down Dre's cheeks.
"I'm sorry for being such an inadequate father, too cowardly to face even the people who point fingers at me. Please forgive me now, even though it's too late."
Geon placed his hand on Curtis's grave.
"Curtis. Your proud father will return to you as the same person you saw. Watch over us."
Dre looked up, quietly meeting Geon's gaze. Geon smiled at Dre. After a moment of silence, both of them turned their gaze to the landscape below the hill. Without a word, Dre broke the silence.
"If we're going to do this, we'll do it right. You'll need to help."
Geon raised his thumb, revealing determination.
"Just say the word. I'll support you as much as possible."
Dre turned to Geon, shaking his head.
"It's been a long time since I made music myself."
Geon chuckled, receiving Dre's words.
"Who are you again?"
Dre looked at Geon incredulously before chuckling softly.
"Dr. Dre, man."
As if to say no more needed to be said, Dre looked straight ahead, towards the scenery in front of him.
"We're going to devour it all."