During a gangsta' rap session.
Me: (walk into the control room while taking a break, returning to start vocals)
Me: (Look through the control room window into the dimmly lit live room to see the rapper behind the U47 with a wide stance and a 9mm pistol in his right hand, with his arms crossed across his chest)
Me: "Is that a real gun?"
Rapper: "Yes..."
Me: "Is it loaded?"
Rapper: "Yes..."
Me: "Why are you holding a loaded gun?"
Rapper: "I'm wrapping about killing people... I want to feel like I have that power while I lay down the track. It'll sound authentic."
Me: "I'm not comfortable with this idea."
Rapper: "I'm not rapping without the Gun."
Me: (to the assistant), "get the studio manager to get their manager on the phone".
Me: "Hold on a sec..."
We ended up agreeing to me keeping the clip and all the bullets. He got to hold the gun. Ironically... the lyrics were about killing white guys. I was the only white guy in the room.... Even with the bullets, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable... I've got a picture of me with 9mm bullets lined up across the scribble strip of a VR72 somewhere. I'll have to post it some time.
They were really great guys and the album turned out good and I did 2 more records with them over the following few years. It was just that songs lyrics....