Viral

I sat at my desk, my fingers drumming on the edge of my laptop as I waited. It was the kind of anticipation that made every second feel like an hour. I had just uploaded my diss track to YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok—three platforms that had the potential to launch me into the spotlight. But, as the minutes ticked by, I couldn't shake the feeling that this could either be my big break… or my biggest failure.

My phone buzzed, breaking me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it quickly, holding my breath as I unlocked it. The screen flashed with the Instagram notification first.

"10 New Likes."

I opened the app, my heart pounding a little faster with each tap. The post was doing okay, maybe a few hundred views here and there. But then I saw it: the comments.

"Yo, Blaze is done for! 🔥🔥🔥"

"This kid's fire. That diss? Legend status."

"Blaze better respond or he's getting buried. Respect to Kj. 💯"

My palms began to sweat. The comments were positive—really positive. People were feeling it. I scrolled down, tapping on a few usernames to check out their profiles. Some were smaller influencers with a few thousand followers, but a few were from accounts I recognized. Rap blogs. Hip-hop heads. That's when it hit me—I wasn't just getting noticed by random people. People who knew the game were watching.

I didn't want to get ahead of myself, though. I had to keep my focus. I went back to my phone and switched to TikTok. That's where everything could really blow up.

As soon as I opened the app, I was flooded with notifications. They kept coming in, one after another—likes, shares, comments—and I had barely posted an hour ago. My jaw dropped when I saw the views—

100,000 views.

I refreshed the screen. It jumped to 200,000. And then—500,000 views.

People were reposting my video. They were dueting it. They were even adding their own edits. The more I watched, the more I realized the track wasn't just viral—it was everywhere. I checked the comments.

"Yo, Blaze better have something strong to come back with because Kj is coming for his neck!"

"This diss was ruthless. Kj's definitely the future of rap. 🔥🔥🔥"

"You hear how he came for Blaze's ego? This track is on a whole different level!"

I scrolled down further. Someone had added their own video of them lip-syncing to the track, and in the background, you could see hundreds of shares popping up. People from all over the place were reacting to it—dancing, rapping along, or just throwing up flames in the comments. The track had become a trend. People were challenging each other to post their own reactions to it. That's when I saw the post from @RapEmpire, one of the most respected underground rap accounts.

"Yo, Kj came with the heat. Blaze's days are numbered. Keep pushing, kid. 💥🔥"

I couldn't help but smile. That was validation right there. I was starting to make waves. I was starting to be recognized as more than just a kid who had a dream. I was on my way to being taken seriously.

I didn't let up. I kept checking the views, watching the numbers climb like a rollercoaster. YouTube was slower, but the numbers were still growing. 10,000 views, then 20,000. That might not seem like a lot to some people, but to me? That was proof that my track was gaining momentum. People were listening.

I opened the YouTube video and watched the comments pile in. Some were just people saying they liked the beat or the flow, but there were others that really stood out.

"This kid just killed Blaze. I've been waiting for someone to put him in his place. This is the new wave."

"Respect to Blaze, but Kj's track is next level. Can't deny talent when you hear it. 🔥🔥🔥"

"Man, I'm bumping this all day. Kj's going to be the one to watch this year."

The praise was incredible. But there was something in the back of my mind—a nervous energy. I kept wondering if Blaze would respond. Would he acknowledge the track? Was he just going to take the L and stay quiet, or was he going to come back swinging?

I didn't have to wait long for my answer.

I was sitting on the couch later that night, scrolling through my TikTok feed again, when a notification popped up. It was a new post—from Blaze.

The camera zoomed in on his face, and I could see the rage in his eyes. His crew was standing behind him, smirking, like they knew something I didn't. Blaze didn't speak right away. Instead, he grabbed the mic from one of his boys and looked straight into the camera.

"So this kid wants to step up to me?" He scoffed. "He thinks he can take me down with some weak bars? Let me show him how it's really done."

Blaze's tone was cold, mocking, but I could hear the undercurrent of insecurity. He was trying to play it off, but I knew. He was rattled.

The video cut to Blaze's crew, all of them laughing and hyping him up. Blaze grinned at the camera again, clearly trying to keep his cool.

"You know, this kid's a joke. I'm about to destroy this little wannabe, show him what real rap sounds like. Stay tuned."

And with that, the video ended.

I felt a rush of excitement—and anxiety. This was it. Blaze had acknowledged the track. But he wasn't just going to roll over. He was coming for me.

I threw my phone onto the couch and stood up, pacing back and forth in my small room. This was exactly what I wanted. It wasn't just a diss anymore. It was a battle. The tension had officially shifted. Blaze had just declared war, and now it was my turn to make sure I finished this battle on top.

Later that night, I refreshed TikTok one more time and saw the response video from Blaze had already gotten over 100,000 views. People were reacting to his words, analyzing the video, and—of course—tagging me. They were already putting pressure on him, daring him to come back with something stronger.

"Blaze said he's going to destroy Kj? I don't know about that. Kj came for his ego and hit it right where it hurts."

"Blaze needs to step up. This kid's got something real."

"Someone call the fire department, Blaze's burn is getting worse. 😂"

The internet was going wild. And the more I saw the reactions, the more I realized this wasn't just about a diss track anymore. This was the start of something huge. The conversation had shifted from who was the underdog to who would come out on top. I was no longer just the kid trying to get a foot in the door. I had just launched myself into the mainstream, and there was no turning back.

Blaze had made the first move, but now it was my turn to keep the heat coming.

I grabbed my phone, sent Rico a quick message, and leaned back in my chair.

"He's got nothing on me. This is just the beginning."

The buzz wasn't over. In fact, it was just getting started.