The Marathon Continues - Day 5

I remember being on that meteor-rocket thingy, feeling like the hottest thing around, with everyone vying to have me on their platform. This was before "going viral" even existed, before social media took the world by storm, before the floodgates opened, revealing that there were far more than just a handful of talented individuals. Way back when, being talented meant you were "confirmed" by Ed Sullivan, Mike Douglas, or Johnny Carson. Do I hear crickets? Yeah, I’m that old.

That was the benchmark of the time. Sure, Letterman, Arsenio, and others followed, but let's not forget the mega-trends that shaped us. Remember when vinyl records gave way to cassette tapes and CDs? Or when all that plastic surrendered to the digital age? And behind it all, let’s not forget how the agricultural age gave way to the industrial, which then gave way to the information age—and now, we’re practically sending signals telepathically (oops, getting ahead of myself).

During the creation and manifestation of my own reality, my own virality, I did it all with the help of Makeda Smith. She saw the light I carried and, by acknowledging and confirming it, she helped push me forward, just as she was leaving the entertainment game to take up pole dancing. I’m forever grateful that Makeda believed in me and didn’t demand that $7,000-a-month price tag most publicists require to get you on stages.

For an author, paying that kind of money is unthinkable. So, you have to leverage unfair advantages in relationships and whatever strategic alliances you can access. For me, that meant Makeda and other media rookies like Courtney Carreras and Pete Oakley.

I’ll never forget the woman who chased me down one night after a Tyler Perry production in Newark—the same event space that allowed me to exclusively sell my novels in their atrium.

And (wink-wink) who was I to refuse such electrifying blessings? She threw caution to the wind, driving all the way from Jersey to Mount Vernon that same night. The confirmation there in my tiny office was epic. I didn’t know she was married, just that she was in a relationship she wasn’t happy with. She quickly became my “girlfriend” when I needed it most—right when my ex-wife put me out for not earning enough to support her expensive lifestyle. But this new girlfriend also happened to be a publicist. She schooled me on the Almighty press release and poured her skills into “one-sheets” that compiled all the press I’d garnered over magic carpet ride. She whipped those press clippings into a phenomenal press kit that opened even more doors for me.

As a novelist, there’s so much we don’t know. Sure, we can write and pour our experiences onto paper or computer screens, but just like athletes and rap artists, we’re lost if we don’t understand the behind-the-scenes activities necessary to get that check. One of my unfair advantages has been my buddy, AB Butler.

Now, I’m sure I’m not the only one who chuckled when AB showed up everywhere, and we all wondered, "What does he do?"

But aside from being Chris Lighty’s cousin, AB was and is “the Plug” who embodied what Malcolm Gladwell describes in The Tipping Point as "the connector." I’m sure AB hasn’t read the book—or many others I’ve delved into—but he personifies that role. AB made me feel at home at Violator Management where I met his cousin Chris, and that meeting turned into much more than I expected. Not only did it solidify my place as the only novelist on Violator Management’s itinerary, but it also opened the door to a relationship with 50 Cent and Simon & Schuster—connections I had been already establishing.

Many don’t realize that 50 Cent was also managed by Violator, and it was AB Butler who got me into the room to meet the big dogs of hip-hop, going on multi-city tours with them. Being the fly on the wall further cemented the idea that I was meant to be here—and that I am on purpose. Wait until I tell you guys about how AB got me a sit-down, private lunch meeting with the Director of Acquisitions at HBO!

My only challenge was to remain an owner while also leveraging my skill sets to excel in the world of popularity. And let’s face it, popularity may be subjective, but it is certainly a resource when a big company is making a decision to cut the check. And while my journey has had its share of challenges, the connections and lessons learned along the way have been invaluable.

So, if you see me out here hustling, know that it’s all part of a much bigger picture. And hey, say a prayer for me. And by all means, if you see me in these Atlanta streets with my little cardboard sign, HONK 3X FOR LOVE! I NEED A MEETING WITH MISTER PERRY!

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