Advertisement
Published: March 17th 2007
I want my MTV!!!
This is the MTV Studio in Cancun. From this angle, it looks crowded and packed. But believe me, there were hardly people there. It's the times that are unplanned that make any trip worthwhile. I woke up early in the hostel at Isla Mujeres and ordered breakfast. While I was ordering at the receptionists' desk, I found out I was being looked for? Looked for? By who? Not the police, I swear I didn't bring anything illegalonto the island. At least I don't think I did. No need to worry, it was Hugo, the hotel owner. So after breakfast I checked out of the hostel and went to his hotel where I left my things, borrowed his bike and rode around until it was time for my boat to go back to Cancun.
I headed back to Cancun with the intention of only staying one night. I stayed in the same hostel I stayed in my first couple of days in Cancun. In the morning I woke up to the owners showing the room around to a new client. I was in the throes of sleep so I couldn't really see him, I just knew he was tall, with a distinctly European accent. Then I passed out.
I woke up a couple of hours later to the traveller moving around in
Three 6 Mafia
I wanted them to sing "It's kinda hard out here for a pimp" but they wanted to sing their new material. They were really hyping up the backstage crowd. the bunk under me. Then he got up out of the bottom bunk, and saw me awake. But before I could close my eyes and feign sleep, he spoke.
Him: How are ya?
Me: Good.
I was too damn tired to talk to anyone, so our convsersation was pretty much one-sided. His.
Him: How long have you been here?
Me: A week.
Him: So you must like it?
Me: Yeah
Him: What have you done?
Me: Alot
Him: Have you gone to the beach?
Me: Yup
It was a really painful conversation. Eventually he gave up and left the room. I went back to sleep and woke up about 2 hours later, showered then hopped on the bus to the beach. I walked along the white sand for about twenty minutes mesmerized by the blue of the ocean. It's really gorgeous out here. As I walked along the beach, I saw a huge MTV Spring Break banner. I remembered watching the spring break shows as a kid, wishing I was there. I became excited, thinking, Ma I'm gonna be on MTV!!
The show was situated on a higher platform, off the beach. I stood on
Nick Cannon...
gettin' ready for his show! the beach watching the show, just seeing the backs of people moving around. Then I saw Nick Cannon walking around. He was there with his crew from Wild'n Out, about to do a show. I was trying to see how to get on to the studio, but not trying hard enough. I just didn't feel like it. I heard a lot of yelling and shouting from the audience, thinking it was crowded anyway.
I looked around the beach, thinking of what I was going to do next, when I saw a small drunk Mexican man, staring at me. He slowly raised his arm and pointed his finger at me. Slowly, he bent it, giving me a come here sign. Then he slowly started to make his way towards me. I panicked and flew up those studio stairs faster than a virgin boy, where I asked, OK, begged the guy to let me in. Then I pointed down to the Mexican who was clearly still trying to get at me, albeit, slowly. The guy understood and let me in, almost happily. I was surprised at how easy it was, until I saw why.
There was hardly anyone there. From
This is Why I'm Hot!!!
Me and Mims. By now I'm kinda embarrassed I didn't know who he was. He was laughin' at me. I wanted him to take off the shades, but the pic was already taken. He was a really cool guy. the beach, it sounded like there were tons of people there, but on the soundstage, there wasn't. There were barely 50 people there. The place was the size of a small retail store, no bigger. On TV , they make it seem like it's this huge outdoor party, but it's not. It seemed morelike a small house party than an MTV studio. No wonder they let me in so easily.
They needed more people! In Mexico, at this time of year, the days are hot, while the nights are cooler. You pretty much need a sweater to walk around. It was starting to get dark and on the MTV set, there was a swimming pool, not much bigger than your average backyard pool. The producers on MTV were desperatley trying to get people in the pool, to fill in the audience gap.
So they yelled out " We need people in the pool."
No one budged.
"We're not starting until we have people in this pool."
Again, no one moved a muscle. It was too cold. Even Nick Cannon joined in with the pleading, " Seriously people, we can't start the show without people in this pool".
Again, no
Lil Jon...
I think he was pretty much wasted at this stage. He was saying the funniest crap, that no one laughed at except me. His motto of the day " This shit would go over a black crowd..." action.
Finally the producers relented. " Ok, ok guaranteed face time for people in the pool. You'll be on TV". With that, around ten people jumped into the pool and the show started.
Nick cannon introduced himself and his crew on Wild'n Out, then they brought out the guest stars Three 6 Mafia. They were on for about half hour, then they did their song.
I stood on the side, with my sweater wrapped around, looking at the people shivering in the pool. You could practically hear their teeth chattering. I thought to myself, they crazy.
" They crazy right?". The voice came from somewhere next to me. I looked over and saw a young black guy with dark sunglasses on, a red NY baseball cap on, a red black and white light jacket on with long jean shorts, typical NY uniform. Immediately I started thinking of that old 80's song by Corey Hart "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night"
"Yeah, nuts." I replied.
"You should go in there", he said smiling.
"With no bikini, I dare not" I answered in a mocking tone. We both laughed then turned to look at the stage. Three 6 Mafia were still onstage
Akon
He was really nice, taking pics with anyone who asked. I waited patiently for mines...and then.... rapping.
"You like them?" The guy asked.
"Yeah, especially that whisper song. Didn't they win an Oscar for that?"
All of a sudded the guy burst out laughing. "The whisper song is the Ying Yang twins. Three Six mafia won an oscar for a song off the hustle and flow soundtrack"He couldn't stop laughing. Hey I never said I was a huge rap fan.
I asked him where he was from and he gave me this strange look. He looked at me for a good 5 seconds then told me Washington Heights in NYC.
" Are you Dominican?" Washington Heights is known for being the Dominican Barrio.
"No, Jamaican-American."
I told him I was from Brooklyn, and he told me one of his friends who was with him was from Brooklyn. He introduced us, then we just stood around listening to music. After about 15 minutes, Nick Cannon announced the next performer.
" All right ya'll he's blowin up the airwaves 'cause he's telling you why he's hot. Give it up for MIMS!!!!!!"
There was a huge applause and yelling. I turned to the dude from NY and said " I think I know this song."
"Good I better
Akon and Melissa!...
Tryin' to take it easy... After all the people, his bodyguard pointed me out and said "She's been waiting patiently, after her that's it" I was pretty lucky too. He all cheesin'. see you singin"
With that he left. I turned to look where he went, but I couldn't trace him out, so I turned my attention back onstage.
Then, the shock of the evening. The dude onstage, was the dude I was just talking to! That dude WAS Mims!
I know what you're thinking. Melissa, you mean to tell me you've never seen him before? Remember, I'm not a huge rap fan, and I don't have cable, so I never saw any video or picture. I knew the song from listening to the radio and going to different parties. He didn't have a huge entourage with him, just a couple of people, like everyone else in Cancun.
All of a sudden, I remembered the strange look he gave me. He must've thought I knew who he was!
So I'm standing there dumbfounded with a look of awe and shock mixed on my face singing " This is why I'm Hot, This is why I'm hot. This is why, this is why, this is why I'm hot", laughing at my stupidity. Mims finishes his set and comes off the stage.
"Can I get a picture with you?" I asked in a sweet voice with a smile.
He laughs then says in a mocking tone, " Now you want a picture with me."
We took a picture, made a little more small talk where I apologized for my naivete, then he left. He said he had another gig to go to. I stayed on the set to see Lil Jon on Wild'n Out, as a guest. Between takes he was a funny guy, although some of the things he said, will not make it on this blog. When the show comes out on TV, better believe it will be heavily edited.
The next day, I made my way down to the beach again, this time to watch Akon. I took Rafi with me , an Isreali who was staying at the Hostel. He helped me take a pic with Akon. We stayed for his concert which was really good. He sang all of his hits, even had some girls onstage, smacking their booty to his song.
My second day back in Cancun, and even then I knew I had to get out. But Cancun had other plans for me.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.099s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 10; qc: 48; dbt: 0.0466s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Kenni
non-member comment
Hey Mel!!!! Looks like you are having a BLASTTTT!!!! thats great..I'm loving reading it all.