### Chapter 9: The Drop, The Collab, and The Fire
It was March 20, 2016, and the streets of Chicago's Southside were buzzing with a new sound that had exploded overnight. Arell Rose, still 17 years old, had just dropped his debut mixtape, *Southside Bloom*, on March 19 at midnight, right on the RAPPER System's deadline. He and Jamal had uploaded it to SoundCloud, DatPiff, and a few local Chicago rap forums, expecting a slow trickle of listens. But by the morning of the 20th, the mixtape was everywhere—shared across social media, blasted from car speakers on 63rd Street, and even spinning in barbershops and corner stores across the city. Arell's raw, heartfelt bars about his Southside struggle, paired with Jamal's gritty production, had struck a chord, and the internet was losing its mind over the new kid from Chicago.
Arell was back at Jamal's basement studio on 67th Street, the same cramped space where they'd recorded the tape, now littered with empty soda cans and pizza boxes from their all-night mixing session. His long, coiled dreads hung past his shoulders, the silver hoop earrings catching the dim light of the desk lamp, his cheap silver chain gleaming against his black tank top. His hazel-gold eyes were tired but bright with disbelief as he scrolled through his cracked iPhone 6, watching the SoundCloud plays climb—10,000, 20,000, 50,000 in less than 24 hours. Comments flooded in: "This kid Arell Rose is the truth!" "Southside Bloom got me in my feelings fr." "Chicago stand up—this dude next up!" Even Keisha had texted him, screaming in all caps: "ARELL YOU FAMOUS NOW???"
Arell's phone buzzed with a notification from the RAPPER System, the screen flaring green-purple as the system's voice filled his mind, hyped as ever. **["Yo, fam, you did it! Southside Bloom poppin' off—points goin' through the roof! Check your stats, n***a—you a star now!"]**
The holographic HUD shimmered in front of his eyes, invisible to Jamal, who was busy uploading a behind-the-scenes clip to Instagram. Arell's stats were climbing fast:
**[Arell Rose - RAPPER System Stats]**
- **Lyric Surge**: Level 2 → Level 3 (+75 Points) - Bars hit with emotional depth, undeniable impact.
- **Stage Aura**: Level 2 → Level 3 (+75 Points) - Presence magnetic, beauty and charisma off the charts.
- **Flow Precision**: Level 2 → Level 3 (+75 Points) - Delivery flawless, rhythm locked in.
- **Studio Flow**: Level 1 → Level 2 (+50 Points) - Recordings polished, vocals studio-ready.
- **Dance Moves**: Level 1 → Level 2 (+50 Points) - Stage movement natural, crowd captivator.
- **Motivation**: Level 2 → Level 3 (+50 Points) - Hustle unstoppable, drive legendary.
- **Current Points**: 525 → 900 (Mixtape Drop: +150, Viral Impact: +100, Street Cred: +50)
- **New Skill Unlocked**: Mic Dominance - Level 1 (+0 Points) - Total stage control, crowd ownership.
Arell grinned, the system's hype making his chest swell with pride. He'd hit 900 points, unlocked Mic Dominance, and *Southside Bloom* was a hit. But the system wasn't done. **["Heads up, fam—big moves comin'. Someone big wants in on your wave. Stay ready."]**
Before Arell could process that, his phone buzzed again—this time with a DM on Instagram that made his jaw drop. It was from Drake. The Drake—Toronto's golden boy, who'd been dominating the charts with *Views* on the horizon, his single "One Dance" already climbing the charts in early 2016. The message was short but heavy: "Yo Arell, Southside Bloom is fire 🔥 Heard it this morning—your bars speakin' to me. Let's collab, fam. I wanna hop on a remix. You in?"
Arell stared at the screen, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might break his ribs. Drake wanted to collab with *him*? He'd grown up bumping Drake's *Take Care* and *Nothing Was the Same*, vibing to "Started From the Bottom" on repeat while dodging trouble on Southside's blocks. Drake's music had been a lifeline, a reminder that someone could rise from the struggle and still keep it real. Arell didn't hesitate—he typed back, "Hell yeah, I'm in. Let's make it happen." He hit send, his hands shaking, and turned to Jamal, who was still glued to his laptop.
"Yo, Jamal, you ain't gon' believe this—Drake just hit me up. He wanna collab on a remix for *Southside Bloom*."
Jamal's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "Drake? Like, *Drake* Drake? Nah, bruh, you lyin'!" But the look on Arell's face—pure shock and excitement—told him it was real. Jamal jumped up, slapping Arell's shoulder. "We gotta set up the studio, man! When he comin'?"
Drake's team moved fast. By the evening of March 20, they'd arranged for Arell and Jamal to meet him at a proper studio in downtown Chicago—Electric Lady Studios on Michigan Avenue, a sleek spot known for hosting big names. Arell showed up at 8 p.m., his dreads swinging, silver hoops and chain catching the studio's neon lights, his black tank top swapped for a fresh white tee he'd borrowed from Jamal. Drake was already there, posted up in the booth, a tall, light-skinned figure in a black OVO hoodie, his beard trimmed sharp, his energy calm but focused. He dapped Arell up, his grip firm, his smile genuine.
"Southside Bloom got me, fam," Drake said, his Toronto accent smooth. "Your story, your flow—it's real. I wanna add to that. Let's call the remix *Southside Views*—blend our worlds. You cool with that?"
Arell nodded, still half in disbelief. "Yeah, let's do it. *Southside Views* sounds fire."
They got to work, Jamal tweaking the beat to add a Toronto flair—a shimmering synth line over the gritty bass, a nod to Drake's sound. Arell and Drake traded bars, their chemistry instant, their voices weaving together like they'd been collabing for years. Arell went first, his Flow Precision and Lyric Surge making every word hit hard, his Mic Dominance giving him total control of the booth.
**Arell's Verse:**
"Southside n***a, rose from the ash,
Dreads swingin' heavy, I'm built to last,
Pain in my bars, turn the struggle to gold,
17 with a dream, now the story unfolds,
System in my veins, I'm a rap machine,
Chicago to the world, livin' out the scene,
T-Bone couldn't break me, I'm harder than stone,
Arell Rose on the rise, claimin' my throne!"
The words sounded powerful, each syllable snapping into the beat with a raw intensity, the pain of his Southside upbringing bleeding through every line. His voice carried the weight of 63rd Street's hollowed-out blocks, the nights he'd gone hungry, the fights he'd survived. The rose in his name bloomed through the lyrics, a symbol of beauty carved from struggle, and his Stage Aura made the booth feel electric, even with just Drake and Jamal watching.
Drake nodded, his eyes narrowed in respect, and stepped to the mic, his flow smooth and melodic, a perfect contrast to Arell's raw edge.
**Drake's Verse:**
"Toronto to Chi-Town, we linkin' the map,
Arell got the fire, I'm addin' my stamp,
Views from the 6, but I feel your pain,
Southside stories, we breakin' the chain,
Started from the bottom, now we on the rise,
Dreads and a beard, see the hunger in our eyes,
OVO and Bloom, let the speakers ignite,
Southside Views, we takin' flight tonight!"
Drake's lyrics were slick, his voice dipping into that sing-song cadence that made him a global star, but the sincerity in his words matched Arell's grit. The reference to "Started From the Bottom" tied their stories together—two kids from different worlds, both climbing from the mud to the spotlight. The beat swelled, the synths shimmering over the bass, and their voices blended in the hook, a powerful chant that felt like an anthem.
**Hook (Arell & Drake):**
"Southside Views, we reppin' the truth,
From the block to the booth, we ignitin' the youth,
Dreads and a dream, I'm a rose in the flame,
OVO Bloom, you gon' know our name!"
The playback hit, and the studio erupted—Jamal whooping, Drake dapping Arell up again, and Arell grinning so hard his face hurt. The lyrics were powerful, the words resonating with struggle and triumph, their voices a perfect balance of raw and polished. *Southside Views* was a banger, and they all knew it.
Arell's phone buzzed, the RAPPER System's voice cutting through the celebration, hyped as ever. **["Yo, n***a, you and Drake just made magic! Points goin' crazy—check your stats!"]**
The HUD glowed in Arell's vision:
- **Lyric Surge**: Level 3 → Level 4 (+100 Points) - Bars now legendary, emotional impact maxed.
- **Studio Flow**: Level 2 → Level 3 (+75 Points) - Recordings sound pro, vocals chart-ready.
- **Mic Dominance**: Level 1 → Level 2 (+50 Points) - Stage control elite, crowd in your palm.
- **Current Points**: 900 → 1125 (Collab Bonus: +150, Track Impact: +75)
- **Next Skill Unlock**: 1500 Points (Street King - Influence over the streets, local legend status.)
Arell's chest swelled with pride. *Southside Views* dropped on SoundCloud that night, and by the morning of March 21, 2016, it was everywhere—racking up plays, trending on Twitter, and cementing Arell Rose as the Southside kid who'd collabed with Drake. The streets of Chicago had a new hero, and Arell was ready for whatever the system—and the world—threw at him next.