May 4, 2006
By Caryn Dolley
The most surreal experience of my life. Not even in my dreams did I believe I'd get to meet my all-time favourite rock artist Pharrell Williams or legendary rapper Snoop Dogg.
Okay, yes, I admit I did dream about it, but who actually thinks it'll happen?
Even though my cynical nearly 21-year-old mind tried to convince me otherwise, that is exactly what happened.
Clad in jeans, old tackies, a track top and a black boob tube with the word Pharrell stitched across it in pink sequins, I trekked off to the People's Celebration Concert in Green Point on Monday with a group of friends.
I had planned to play it cool, but when Pharrell appeared, I officially temporarily lost my mind. I screamed, squealed and tugged at my hair.
Yes, I was a total girl about it and when Snoop Dogg was on stage, I reacted the same way.
The link between my eyes and brain was not functioning. I could not process the image in front of me ... Snoop Dogg was rapping within flinging-my-extra-top distance (it did cross my mind
to fling the track top but it was a cold night).
And oh boy, when Snoop and Pharrell sang together, I firmly believed I'd have organ failure.
Towards the end of the concert, my adrenaline levels soared and even though it was raining, I yanked off my warm top and flashed my sequins.
Just after Snoop and Pharrell had left the stage, Snoop's "uncle" picked a few girls from the screaming crowd. I knew it was my best chance to meet them, so I jumped up and down and basically went crazy.
He made eye-contact, glanced at my top and pointed at me. My friends, giving me a bit of a leg-up, somehow helped me over the barrier and from there I was hoisted (none too gently) by a security guard on to the stage.
I showed my ID to Snoop's uncle who identified himself only as "Uncle Reo". He said no under-18s would be allowed to meet the Dogg, so that left him with only a handful of us.
I asked him why we had to be a certain age but Uncle Reo just mumbled something about "Snoop's stuff".
Ushering us backstage and into a room, he told us to relax on the couch and said we should go with them to their after-party at @mospheer in Lansdowne.
As I ventured back into the passage to check what was happening, Pharrell Williams walked towards the exit. My mind went blank, I shrieked and he came over to me smiling.
He looked at my home-made Pharrell top and said: "I likes yo' top, girl."
More was to come, though. I waited for the Dogg Father. Tall, sporting massive "bling", two pigtails and eyes only slightly open (could this have been a result of smoking too much "herbal product"?), he finally appeared and sauntered over to us girls and made out an autograph at my request.
Smiling at me, he actually seemed like quite a sweet man, I thought, and maybe the whole rapper thing was just an image and marketing tool.
Then, as he exited and got into a big white van, he pointed at me and another girl and whispered something to what looked like his bodyguard.
The bodyguard then went to Uncle Reo, who invited me and the other girl to go with them to @mospheer.
He said the remaining girls would have to find their own way there and he'd then get them in for free
.
So, yes, the other girl and I climbed in the vehicle with two of Snoop's "uncles", a bodyguard and another rapper dude. And off we went, with Snoop up ahead.
As soon as the car started moving, Uncle Reo started eyeing the other girl and me. I looked at him and said I didn't think Cape Town girls were the same as the girls he was used to.
He responded with: "I'm not gonna beat around da bush or any of dat s***. We gave you a show and now we expect a show from you."
Yes, I was travelling to an after-party as part of Snoop Dogg's entourage and his uncle was figuratively spilling the beans ... and literally spilling the leaves they were openly smoking, which had that distinctive sweet smell. Bought in Cape Town, they confirmed.
After I eyed him suspiciously, Uncle Reo went on to explain to me how "it" works. He said Snoop would point out girls he wanted to join him after a concert, his bodyguard or his uncle would then fetch the girls and they would then be invited to the hotel Snoop was staying at.
At this point Uncle Reo's hand reached towards my top and I pointed out to him that I worked at a newspaper. He responded by moving towards the other girl in the car.
"We woudda showed you a good time, baby," he drawled.
I recoiled in horror (mentally and somewhat physically) at this older man who was blatantly trying to use his "status" as the uncle of Snoop Dogg.
When we got to the club, a sea of photographers met us at the back entrance (I was still in my "this is all a dream" phase). A bouncer tried to prevent me from entering but Snoop turned and said: "She's with me, it's aa-hight (alright)."
It took all my willpower not to shout: "Aaaah! I'm with Snoop, I'm with Snoop!"
We were ushered into the VIP section and I talked to Snoop before he sat down and lounged on a couch, rolling his weed.
A bodyguard said I should get a drink, they were paying for everything.
I declined and asked Snoop if he'd ever seen a Cape Town informal settlement, he said "naaaa", and when I asked him how he was enjoying the Mother City, he said it was "cool".
When the crammed VIP section started filling up, youthful girls in tiny outfits began contorting their bodies and giving Snoop lapdances as he sat and smiled.
One of them mentioned to me that Snoop's bodyguards had gone outside and picked "the pretty girls" from the queue outside to join him.
Then another bodyguard approached me, saying they wanted me to join them at the Table Bay Hotel.
They would give me a ride there but they once again had to check that I was over 18 or I wouldn't be allowed to go.
I quickly made up some excuse and found solace in a familiar face, a photographer I'm acquainted with.
Hiding behind him whenever Uncle Reo ventured near, I realised all dreams had to come to an end and the comfort of my bed beckoned.
So yes, as I looked at Snoop Dogg and Uncle Reo lurking nearby and inviting other girls to the hotel, I pulled out my phone.
The time had come to call Daddy so he could come and take me home.
  
 
|
