DEFINING MOMENTS

The other day I was thinking about what makes a defining moment in ones life. I have seen it defined as when you face a stark choice, and the choice that you make defines what your life will be. It can also be defined as a point at which the essential nature or character of a person, group, etc., is revealed or identified.

I want to reflect back on the date of June 29th 2009. It was the 2009 BET Awards Trey Songz, Bobby Fisher (Trey's Road Manager),Troy Taylor (Songbook CEO), Mike Kyser (Atlantic Sr. VP), Julie Greenwald (Atlantic Records Co-Chairman), Sydney Margetson (VP of Publicity), High Hat (Professional Choreographer) & myself where in a small room somewhere hidden in the Shrine Auditorium. We where waiting on Tyrese and Johnnie Gill to arrive to start an early rehearsal before participating in the stage walk-thru for their O’Jays tribute. There was a feeling in the air that we where at a crucial cross roads. Trey was about to embark on his most important album in his young career. The single "Need A Girl" was out and doing well at the time but still lacked that urgency we wanted to feel in the streets.

On top of this the greatest entertainer that had ever lived, Michael Jackson, had passed 5 days before. BET staff members where running around making adjustments to honor Michael Jackson's Life. This put extra pressure on Trey, Tyrese, and Johnnie because they had to absolutely nail the O’Jays tribute in order for the O’Jays’ moment not to be completely over shadowed by MJ's passing. I remember Tyrese and Trey being a little nervous because they where not known for dancing at all. Trey starting going through the moves with the choreographer before Tyrese arrived from doing press. Tyrese arrived and jumped right in line. "Again" I heard that word at least 20-30 times. At one point I was in a chair by myself praying. I was asking God to protect Trey and let him kill this performance. I knew this would be a highly viewed show, especially with MJ's passing, which would equal the biggest look we ever had for Trey. See, the way I figured it was like this. You would have at least three generations of women looking at this show. It would be the grandmother who grew up with the O Jay's, the mom who remembered listening to the O’Jays because of her mom and the daughter who liked Trey or Chris Brown. This would make the world at least have to see Trey once before his album came out. It would make his current fans stick their chest out and make non-believers start to finally see who he is.

Johnnie entered the room shortly after my prayer and thoughts and they got in sync. We all marched to the stage and they had a decent walk-thru. They came back and went over it a few more times. Showtime! Everybody except Trey was a little nervous. Trey never really shows when he is nervous, he was definitely born to be on stage. I remember the guys going over the moves a few more times back stage. It kind of looked like what I imagined the old Motown days looking like. A group in one corner twisting, turning, singing and counting steps. I walked over to Trey and said "Good Luck. This is your time and all lanes are open". I went to take my seat next to Bobby Fisher and watched as the world got a chance to see what we all fought, slaved and believed in for five plus years, the talent of Mr. Trey Songz.

Delante "Butta" Murphy