BET Awards, where all of Hip Hop, R&B artist, supporters and fans, take over the Hollywood streets and anything with a open venue. Venues that consist of parties, events and the VIP treatment in celebration of black entertainment.

Around this week long of events, people were scrambling to get their hands on invitation only access into the hottest parties and social gatherings, in order to hob nob or groupie up with some of the biggest celebrities in this industry. I had my mind made up, so I thought, that this would be the one year I would sit back and sleep through the anxiety of trying to be at several places in one body. I’m not quite at the prestigious stage yet, where I have the amount of leverage of having my emails flooded with invites to different events that would allow me to do what I do best, Socialize, but I make do with what I do have which are connections. Even then, my connections at times become the middle men and or women and are only in a “every man for themselves ” scenario at times. Because I still have quality judgment as to which events are solid from the fakes, I tend to weed out the ones I know are worth attending.

The struggle is real…a real headache that is.

This year, I kept my options opened. I worked by day and kept my nights open with the possibility of yet another adventure and boy did I find one. Last minute events tend to be my pet peeve.  The mental preparations of what to where, am I confirmed yet, will it be worth the night, is what I typically try to stray away from, but when I get an invitation in advance that gives me enough time to arrange my plans including my plus one, I’m ready to go.

I received a message from no other than my friend Dave in regards to an album release party at the Samsung Studios for MGK Machine Gun Kelly.

I’m not big into the hip hop and rap music, regardless if you find me doing the choreography to the newest dance craze, so I wasn’t too familiar with who this artist was. I called up my confidant and best friend Efrem, and told him of our plans. It didn’t take too much effort to get him to meet me at my house once I got off of work so that we could make our way to the party at a fashionable time.

The Samsung Studios was the same location as the E3 event I had attended within the last week, so I wasn’t expecting anything different. Just the crowd of course. Prior to the event, I Googled the artist to get a little background on his life and music and I found him to be an interesting addition to the hip hop world.

Hip hop has clearly become a welcoming platform for many upcoming artist from all different backgrounds, while race seizes to be an issue. I wouldn’t compare MGK to Eminem, Paul Wall, Mac Miller or any other Caucasian rap artist based off their skin complexions or sounds in music. MGK has a different story and  brand that allows him to separate himself from the clichés of rap artist through stereotypes. His “I don’t give a what attitude with all due respect to the industry and his fans, only becomes the grounds for why he’s reached the success and fame that he has. While I do have my preference in white guys, especially with tattoos, he didn’t quite do it for me at first glimpse. So, I’ll leave him to his fans and love interest Amber Rose.

Once we got to the event, there had already been a decent amount of people. What it appeared to be was something as a gift to his fans and supporters mixed with people within the industry. Free drink tickets were given at the door including our wristbands once confirmation for the list was given. What I was more interested in were the neon green wristbands that only a selected few were wearing. Considering there was going to be a performance and we had already arrived an hour and a half late, I wanted to be close enough to the stage to at least get good pictures. By the looks of the fans that were mixed in the crowd, they weren’t there just to stand around and sing along.

Clearly, Efrem and I were a bit over dressed. Efrem looking as if he just came from the Bahamas and myself like I was a side chick getting a promotion to become the main. Everyone else were dressed in sneakers, piercings, tattoos and T-shirts. Somewhat of a street grunge attire. I noticed that a small section of the stage area was roped off leaving that for those with the neon wristbands. Can’t really say we were missing out on anything by the looks of the few people standing there. The DJ continued to stall for time while we awaited the arrival of our artist, but I was getting antsy without a drink in hand. In the meantime, I remembered seeing another friend, Niko, outside, so I knew he was in the building. I texted  he and Dave letting them know that I was near the stage so we could all link up. While doing my normal people watching, I came across a very familiar face, but thank god it wasn’t an ex like my last run in from the E3 event. No, this time it was a face that I wasn’t too sure if it were a good thing or bad.

Tinder, oh the awkwardness of when you actually cross paths with a match you have yet to make physical contact with until you bump into the person without warning. One of the guys that I actually had an interest in was in the same building. The only problem was that, he was not at all what I had imagined. Pictures may say a lot of words, but they also are deceiving. This guy was short as hell! Granted I was wearing shoes, but even if I were to take them off, I’d still be hovering over him like a helicopter. Efrem urged me to approach him but, I was so caught off guard that I just made sure not to get in close enough eye contact.

Once we linked up with Dave and Niko, they told us they were attending another event moments after MGKs performance.

Typically, I’m not one to party hop, but I really needed to get some use out of this dress. We finally went to the open bar to grab a few drinks, as it was going to be another hour or so until the performer arrived. Open bars are the only reason why I drink, so I guess you can consider me a “social drinker”.

There wasn’t too many options in the drink specialties, but it was strong, cheap tasting and free.

Finally, MGK was in the building. The Vip area away from the stage, began to fill up with some of his entourage including the lovely and bodylicious Amber Rose. I’m not one to find much usage out of intruding myself into people’s personal affairs, but… this is a unique coupling. He’s tall and extremely lean with what I would assume a lack of body mass. I feel that with all her flesh of curves, she crush the poor guy, but at the age of 31 and he just being 25, much props to her!

hail to the panthers and cougars, I like them young too.

Elaboration;
Kittens =20’s
Panthers=30’s
Cougars =40’s
Lioness =50-60’s
Saber Tooth=70’s
Fossils =80-and bones

While MGK talked on stage for the first half of his appearance speaking about his music and struggles in life, Amber stood to the side in admiration of her new love.

If you were at all speaking while he was going over his album, trust and believe you got a mouthful …of course all with love.

I wasn’t all that in tuned with everything he was speaking about considering I wasn’t all that familiar with him other than the brief amount of research that I did in that short amount of time. So, I just took photos. Plus… I couldn’t hear him over the crowd. I inched my way closer and closer to the stage, but where I could also move around freely.

Once he started playing hits such as Till I die, the crowd went wild. He’s very involved with his fan base where he shows a deep rooted connection to those that have followed him throughout his career. It would be an embarrassment to jump on the band wagon now just for the sake of a good story, but something about his presence and interaction with his fans, began to alter my initial perception… and attractions. While I tried my best to get as many clear photos of him and the crowd, I got caught in the midst of what seemed like a tornado mosh pit of fans jumping at the hype of his very own energy.

He even took a moment to jump off the stage and into the crowd of adoring fans and I chose to take my blue dress and heels to the back at a safe distance. If it wasn’t hot enough in that building I happened to be standing in the perfect spot near the air blowers. I tried my best to get the perfect selfie with MGK in the background while he performed, but not going to lie, I probably looked like the most vain individual while my hair was blowing in the wind and all.

Here’s the funny thing about taking selfie photos of yourself. While you’re your own photographer and can see every angle, flaw and profile of your own photo, why does it take more takes just to get the right look rather than if you had another person take the photo of you? I was hilarious at how many people thought I was taking a photo of them with Amber coincidentally standing in the background at a clear shot. The lack of discretion from some of Dave’s friends of having me take several photos of them at a suggested position just to get her in the background, just seemed desperate. I hope I didn’t give that impression while I was finding the right lighting for my own self portrait. Instead, I just recorded the event moving in circles and screen shot the photos later.

Closer to the time of our next social festivity, I noticed that one of Sean Combs, (P Diddy, Diddy, Puff Daddy, Puff the magic Dragons) wing man was watching with a group of associates, but no Sean Combs himself.

With countless rap and hip hop artist in the industry, it’s hard to depict the ones who are here to stay and those who make that one hit and disappear out of this tough environment. After watching several of MGKs videos and interviews through YouTube subscriptions and Vevo, I still can’t say that I really know who MGK is as a rapper. In fact, I Wiki searched him, and found that he is a body of so many life experiences and obstacles outside the life of your average rap artist, that to only label him a rap artist when he is much more than that, would seem silly.

Would anyone have guessed that his first language was Arabic?

Not to disregard the depth to his lyrics and what they truly stand for, but to be able to separate yourself from the generalized drug abusers or having the street smarts in order gain acceptance, there can always be that added bonus that can raise a nice eyebrow of curiosity.

What I do know is that he has a good amount of “swag” standing at 6’3 tall and a humbled spirit. He definitely has a good sense of humor and sees all individuals as an equal. Lets not forget that he has a sweet tooth for chocolate after seeing photos of his precious daughter.

You know… he actually looks pretty damn good in this photo… I would.

What I found is that there are so many layers to this tattooed entertainer which actually makes him even more complex and intriguing all in one breath. Would he be considered as a cross breed between Rock and Rap, as someone like Kid Rock or Limp Bizkit? or do his fans relate to the white guy covered in tattoos and who can spit some rhymes and still rock out. Or, does the black community accept him because he can hold his own in a lemon toss?

When Life throws you lemons, just throw that crap right back and say “lace up” and make me some lemonade.

Plus he snagged Amber Rose

Who knows, but I’m curious. Either way, his followers support his lyrics and movement that already gives him a humble good lead in the game. As smart as he is, lets just hope that he doesn’t fall from the grips of all his hard work and end up like some of the Bad Boy Entertainment failures. Plan A B C… and the entire alphabet would be necessary.

“When you can be yourself,  you’re a bad mutherfucker. To wake up in the morning and you don’t have to change yourself for anyone, you can express your own feelings and wear what you want to wear and be who you want to be, that’s a bad ass mutherfucker”

Amber… don’t hurt him