01x01 - Hard To Handle

[bunniefuu]

Nikki: Previously on "The Breaks"...

I need an MC.

I know exactly who you lookin' for.

I'm... I'm a producer.

You're a what?

I'm wanna make a record with you.

We met last summer.

I was hoping to speak with you about the position that we discussed.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.

Oh!

(women shrieking)

Remember me now?

Get this crazy bitch out of here!

Unreasonable bitch!

What?!

I am Barry Fouray's new personal assistant.

Our audience is not interested in the noise you call hip-hop.

Now, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but stick to getting my coffee.

What happened?

I got fired.

♪ I'm surrounded by darkness ♪
♪ See hallways and little tiny apartments ♪

Word!

Yo, can you get a tape and meet us at Rita's?

Geronimo had something to do Smoke getting k*lled.

(loud grunt)

(g*nf*re)

I'm glad he dead, but I ain't had nothin' to do with it.

Why should we believe that?

DeeVee, you was here all day.

Yeah, no doubt.

(g*ng Starr's "Just to Get a Rep" playing)

♪ And this is how the story goes ♪
♪ Brothers are amused by other brother's reps ♪
♪ But the thing you know best is where the g*n is kept ♪
♪ 'Cause in the night you'll feel fright ♪
♪ And at the sight of a four-fifth ♪
♪ I guess you just might ♪
♪ Wanna do a dance or two ♪
♪ 'Cause they could maybe bust you for self or with a crew ♪
♪ No matter if you or your brother's a star ♪
♪ He could pop you and jet without a getaway car... ♪

(music continues indistinctly)

How long we gonna wait, man?

As long as it takes.

That's too long.

♪ He might be loose in the park ♪
♪ Or lurking at the train station ♪
♪ Mad brothers know his name ♪
♪ So he thinks he got a little fame ♪
♪ From the stick-up game ♪
♪ And while we're blaming society ♪
♪ He's at a party with his man ♪
♪ They got their eye on the gold chain... ♪

(glass shatters)

Yeah.

Finish, wait for it.

♪ Just thinking of a way and when to get the brother ♪
♪ They'll be long gone before the kid recovers ♪
♪ And back around the way he'll have the chain on his neck... ♪

Who's the prophet?

(chuckling)

(engine starts)

♪♪
♪ Stick-up kids is out to tax ♪
♪♪
♪ Stick-up kids is out to tax... ♪
♪♪

(unzips)

(urinating)

Ay yo, Bruce.

(grunts)

♪ Ay yo, oh, man ♪
♪ You gotta get at that science for me ♪
♪ Break that sh*t down how we do, son ♪
♪ Ha, let's get 'em ♪
♪ Listen, over land and water ♪
♪ They attackin' us and lead us like lambs to slaughter ♪
♪ Leave us to hustle for grams and quarters ♪
♪ Selling it back to the fathers and the mothers ♪
♪ That can't support us... ♪

So you cool with finishing up packing without me?

Yeah, it's fine.

It's the first day. You got the listening party.

It's all good.

What's wrong with you?

Did you hear it?

Hear what?

The track. Ahm, man.

Are you high?

He wasn't high a minute ago.

Look, I sh*t you not, all right?

A car just rolled by playing the record.

The man's a dreamer.

Always has been.

Yo, Mattie Taylor just got promoted.

Really? Good for her.

♪♪
♪ Hit it ♪

Barry: Come on, man, stop sweatin' me, son.

Lil Ray: Sweating you? You owe me money, man!

Yeah, you always talk about money. You ain't the bill collector, relax!

(laughing) Say that to my face, then!

I hear you.

Come down here and say it to my face.

That's five shows a week for 32 weeks, Barry!

I already told you, man, the record label froze the money!

$20,890, Barry! You owe me money!

All right, look, Lil Ray, don't sweat me over that, I got you.

Just, look, come up here!

We can smoke a Cohiba!

I got some more honey dips coming through!

I'm not one of your dumb-ass rappers, Barry.

You know, you f*cked with the wrong one!

Hey, Lil Ray!

Lil Ray!

Hello.

Good morning, Nikki Jones! What you doing?

You walkin' up the sidewalk?

When you early, you on time!

When you on time, you are late! When you late, you fired!

(car starts)

(buzzes)

I told her to come to the hair salon with me and get her highlights done, too, but she don't listen.

Yeah.

No, yeah, she went to her friend's salon.

Now she look like a rainbow.

Where's Barry's apartment?

(phone ringing)

Girl, let me call you back.

Fouray Management, Tamika.

No, he got fired.

Barry: It's open!

Yeah.

Hey! Write this down.

$2,350.

7:00... yeah, tonight, that's for tonight.

1,700 for styling.

1,325 that I did for promotion.

1,500 that I did for the... for the photo sh**t.

And it adds up, that's...

6,000... $875.

6,000...

$6,875, that's out of my pocket.

Yeah, and I submitted the invoices.

I been submitting the invoices.

Look, look-look-look. You... no-no-no-no-no.

You guaranteed $10,000 in... in pre-release... in pre-release money and I ain't seen...

Look, dude, the second album need to be bigger than the first album.

Otherwise, he gonna look like a fluke.

So you'll pay for it!

You the label!

You call Burt. I'm not calling Burt.

No, I'm not.

And listen, when you call him, tell him if Special Ed, if his... if his listening party is wack, it's his fault.

Sweetheart, you know I need that coffee.

Black, too.

You want some eggs? You hungry?

Uh...

Uh, nah, I don't really want a naked woman making me eggs.

(laughs) Eggs is eggs. Uh, okay.

No.

Come on, man, come on, really?

Oh, my God, no, thanks.

Um...

Listen, man, no, I'm not down with the video.

Not the director, the song.

Track number one, that's the one.

Ahh, you buggin'. Call me back.

Ah, all right, Nikki Jones.

Welcome to the music industry.

You better keep up.

♪ Hot damn, hot damn, hot damn, hot damn... ♪

You need to be in the space on time for the sound check.

Makin' sure everything goin' smooth.

Call Russell, Tommy, Fab Five, Rudy and Max and when you talk to them...

Uh...

Are you paying attention?

Yes.

You sure?

Uh-huh.

Okay, because we can't have any bullshit today.

This is a very important day.

Mm-hmm. Uh, the label called.

They won't budge on the 5K.

Your 50-person VIP list is now 25.

Mother, whoo. Always somethin'.

Cut Funk and Klein.

Cut Dante Ross.

Wait, wait, I wouldn't cut Dante.

He's in A&R at Elektra.

Don't you have, like, two clients over there?

I'm just sayin'.

Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah, you're right, you're right, you're right, no, don't cut Dante.

Yeah, we don't need to make it any harder on our artists.

Speaking of which, how many people did you tell I was repping that Ahm cat?

Don't look surprised.

I got the all-seeing eyes over here, Nikki.

No, look, the song he made with DeeVee is hot.

And he's not signed with anyone.

Well, you better bring him here and have him signed by me by the end of the day if you wanna keep your job.

And cut this list down to 35.

Tamika, hold my calls.

Yeah, all right.

Unh-unh, what you doing?

I have to send a page for Barry.

Okay, now can you get out of my space?

Where's my space?

Shouldn't I have, like, an office or something?

I am Barry's assistant.

(exhales) Over there.

What the f*ck!

Oh, I'm so sorry.

What, you don't knock?

I just... I... I was told this was my...

Your what? Who are you?

Nikki Jones, Barry's new assistant.

Great, well, tell Barry we have to reshoot Dizzy Mystique's new promo photos, thanks to you.

(muttering)

(breathing heavily, muttering)

(pounding on door)

Yo.

Headmaster Prep.

Yo, you won't believe what happened the other night.

(door shuts)

I, yo...

Chuck Chillout plays our record first, okay?

And people dig it.

Like, really, really, really dig it.

Barry Fouray's, like, "Yo, get your mans down here right now.

This sh*t is hot."

Yo, yo, Barry Fouray wants to meet you.

What, that's not dope?

Nah. Give me the tape.

I... I don't have it on me.

Did I say you could play it?

No, but...

You f*cked up.

Go get the tape.

But, yo, you're dope.

You get that... like, you're really, really dope.

You could be the next...

I ain't interested in being the next anything.

Tape.

Today.

Okay.

(door closes)

(horn honking)

(music playing)

(phone ringing)

Tamika: Lenny Fichtelberg from Cold Chillin' Records, line one.

Last week, Barry expects for me to pay for one of his would-be artists, now big man Fouray can't be bothered to invite me to Special Ed's f*cking damn party, huh?

Oh, no, not at all.

Please let me assure you, Mr. Fichtelberg.

In no way is this decision a reflection on the depth of Barry's respect.

(line clicks)

(phone ringing)

Barry: You gotta cut Damita Alonzo.

Uh, okay, but she works over at the "Village Voice" which would be good for, uh...

Yeah, me and the "Voice" are massive kemosabes.

But this Damita chick, who's that?

Third string? Delete, delete!

(phone ringing)

Tamika: Call for you.

Barry Fouray's office.

man: Hey, what's up?

DeeVee, yo, look, I need you to take me to see Ahm.

Barry wants to sign him.

He does?

Yup.

Let me just tell Barry I'm going to meet him and then I'm there.

All right.

Hi, can I speak to Damita Alonzo, please?

Uh, hi, Damita, it's Nikki, long time.

Look, I'm working over at Fouray Management, and they're cancelling your access to Special Ed's listening party tonight.

I'm gonna leave a pass for you at the door under my name.

Hopefully, you can make it?

Uh, okay, bye.

Geronimo ain't coming back, Bruce.

Neither is Smoke.

So, here's the deal. This sh*t ends today.

Truce.

We should body this n*gga right now.

Truce.

Or your mama gonna have to keep her black dress on.

Understand?

♪♪

So, what's up with Kool Chip?

We're doing this new joint with Salaam and Palm Tree.

Hey, Chuck, what's happening?

Hey, Bernard, this the kid I was telling you about.

He's gonna start helping me out.

Played that PE at WPPS.

Oh, yeah, a rebel.

You must've been a real hit with Sampson.

(chuckling)

You try that sh*t over here, I woulda broke your hands.

♪♪
♪ Yo, in the morning I'm yawning ♪
♪ At noon is when I wake up... ♪

I'm telling you, man, that dude got laid out.

He lucky he's still upright.

See, I know Smoke owes on that restraining sh*t, but mother fucker violate again, we gonna have to let 'em know what's good.

I know.

Well, well, well, if it ain't Prep School.

And he comes bearing gifts.

How you doing, Ma? I'm Scooby.

What brings you to the Fort Greene projects on this fine, fine summer day?

Will you just leave her alone...

I wasn't talking to you.

I was trying to be f*cking courteous.

You need to mind your manners before I f*ck you up, man.

Uh, please forgive DeeVee.

He's just a little protective.

Hmm.

It's nice to meet you, Scooby.

You see, manners.

How you doing, Miss, um...

Nikki Jones.

Hmm.

I just wanted to see if I could talk to Ahm for a second if that's cool.

By all means, Nikki Jones.

A'ight.

Hey, Ahm, uh, this is my friend, Nikki, and, uh, she works for Barry Fouray.

You got the tape?

Uh...

Ahm, it is a pleasure to meet you.

And like DeeVee was saying, I do work with Barry Fouray.

And we would love to work with you on your music together.

You got the tape?

I have something much more important than the tape.

I have an opportunity of a lifetime.

I don't give a f*ck.

Okay.

Listen, I got the tape.

Somebody's holding it for me and I can't get it back from them until tonight.

Fastest way to get it back into your hands is if you meet me in Manhattan.

Come to Rita's, 8:00 p.m.

I'll have it, I promise.

You should at least hear what Barry has to say, okay?

Give him five minutes.

(sighs)

He's not very f*cking reasonable, is he?

Told you.

Why can't you just give him a copy of the tape?

'Cause he has the original.

He wants that copy.

We gotta get that sh*t back.

Why'd you tell him you couldn't get it to him till later on tonight?

We can go to the station and get it from Chuck and then bring it right back.

Barry wants to meet him.

Tell Barry to come here.

He's not gonna do that.

man: Yo, DeeVee!

(tires screech)

Yeah?

Hands against the car.

Wait!

What did I do?

Hands against the car.

What did I... What did I do?

You can't arrest him!

DeeVee!

Back up, back up.

What the f*ck... what is your badge number, assh*le?!

What the f*ck did you just call me?

DeeVee!

Back up!

Nikki, stop talking!

Get the tape, get the tape.

Unh!

(doors close)

(siren blaring)

Juggy? Hey, it's Nikki.

No-no-no, Dave is fine.

But... do you know any lawyers?

Really? Great.

I need a favor.

(people chattering)

Hi, I got a call about my son, Daryl Van Putten, Jr.

Van Putten? Van Putten, yes.

Let me take a look.

Daryl Van Putten, Jr.

He's being questioned. Sit down.

♪♪

Mmm, too frou-frou for Troy Huggins at Epic?

Nah, and ashier than a m*therf*cker.

He could use the lotion.

(chuckling)

Now how come y'all ain't tell me about all this?

We didn't want you raidin' it for your ladies.

Uh, how about we send a bottle of George's to Sampson King at WPPS?

Ain't sending Sampson jack.

Not till he start playing my people on the air, period.

And that go for all the rest of them f*cking radio.

Nothing but the middle finger till they give my people air time.

Now we can give Sophia Chang this white... this white wine picnic basket though.

All right.

Nikki, are you gettin' all this?

Nikki: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So, just so I'm clear, we're nixing all of radio from the list, and we're not sending gifts to them either?

Damn straight.

They're not all radio.

I'd send something to Bernard at The Ride and Joel Sakowitz at Hot 97.

You know, flies, honey.

Yeah, that's fine, that's fine.

That's fine, as long as I get to keep this one for myself and the after-party, I'm good, yeah.

Nikki, how did that meeting go with Ahm?

Great. He's stopping by tonight.

Good.

You're one of his runners, right?

One of the guys who cleans his books?

No, I-I told you guys, I'm a, I'm a music producer.

You were observed going in and out of the Fort Greene projects today.

No equipment.

Did you guys make a record?

Not enough time for that.

But perfect to shore up an alibi.

If we place Mr. Harris anywhere other than with you the day of this m*rder, my man, you are looking at five to seven.

Accessory after the fact.

They gonna eat your little candy college ass up in Rikers.

Jonah Aaron, esquire.

I'm here to see my client, Daryl Van Putten, Jr.

Hold up, hold up, your, your client?

Oh, Mr. Van Putten, yeah, I'm David's father, Juggy.

David Aaron. DeeVee's friend from GW.

David dates DeeVee's other friend, Nikki.

Right, right.

Nikki called me, panicked.

I said I'd get down here as quick as I could.

Mr. Aaron, sign right here and we'll buzz you in.

Very good. This way?

Just the lawyer.

It'll be just a minute.

Sir, have a seat.

(door opens)

Thank you, officer. Good afternoon, detectives.

My name is Jonah Aaron, attorney at law.

Mr. Van Putten is my client.

Any further questions may be submitted in writing.

Along with a subpoena.

Let's go, DeeVee.

You're hurting me!

I don't care.

Look who's here.

(exhales)

Oh!

You good?

Yeah.

What the hell is the matter with you?

Ow! I'm sorry.

What do we owe you?

Nothing.

I was disbarred 12 years ago.

You be good, boss.

Better come on, boy.

Need to get the hell out of here.

Yo! What you do!

Stay back!

Back up! Back up!

(glass shatters)

He's crazy!

What's going on?

My new boss.

Apparently, this is how he fires people.

He makes Sampson look like a p*ssy.

You sure you wanna work here?

I'm running out of radio stations.

Where else am I gonna go? What's up?

Oh, I need that tape from Chuck Chillout, DeeVee's tape.

Uh, he's going to meet his cousin.

(beeping)

Is something wrong?

Oh, I gotta... I gotta go.

Um, have Chuck Chillout bring it to the listening party, okay?

♪♪

Check, check-check, one-two, one-two, that's good?

You hear that? You can hear me?

Check-check, one-two, one-two...

Hey, stay away from those wall outlets, man.

We maxed out at 30 amps.

(hip-hop music playing)

♪ Yeah, y'all, come on ♪
♪ What, yeah, y'all, come on ♪

♪ What, come on ♪

♪ Unh, yeah, y'all, yeah ♪
♪ Yo, I was proven effective by a clinical test ♪
♪ Because some couldn't come to believe I was the best ♪
♪ So they tested me and now they in the clinic ♪

♪ They almost arrested me because I did it ♪
♪ But I didn't mean to do it ♪
♪ But you had to f*ck with me and then you blew it ♪
♪ Now you got to chew it and swallow it all ♪

♪ I guess that's the way that you bounce the ball ♪
♪ Or somethin' like that... ♪

Nikki?

♪ Your mother always told me, "Baby, hold me" ♪

Sounds different on this side, doesn't it?

♪ Extra cheese like pizza ♪
♪ You can't keep your girl because you can't please her ♪
♪ But let's get back to the fact that's been proven ♪
♪ So let me prove it, come on, let's move it ♪
♪♪

Yo, I just got off the phone.

Bug got locked up and saw that kid DeeVee at the station.

Say he was some lawyers and...

Walked out of there real clean.

He might be snitchin'.

Kid's gotta go.

(door opens)

Dad?

Yo, Ahm is dope, though.

Like, he has a great voice, great delivery.

He's a drug dealin' m*rder*r, Junior.

Let me tell you something.

When a thug gets sh*t, or worse, when a little kid gets rolled in on a gurney 'cause of a dealer's b*llet, I'm the one has to mop up the blood, me.

And here you are, talkin' about a... a great voice?

A great delivery.

Try tellin' that sh*t to those crying mothers at the hospital.

"Oh, I'm sorry, he sh*t your son but he has a great f*cking voice."

I didn't know, Dad.

Well, you shoulda.

You're smart.

Smarter than me, and I'm proud of that.

You think I b*at the sun up every morning to... to carry a mop bucket.

And then you just drop out of school.

Yeah, for what? For music?

For you to do a bid for aiding and abetting, or even worse, Junior...

Yo, can you lay off?

I'm calling your Aunt Adona in Charleston.

I'm not going to South Carolina.

Yes, you are.

And you gonna get away from this Ahm n*gga.

You're gonna do that, and you're gonna live.

Where the f*ck are you going?

I gotta go... going to get some fresh air.

See, that's your problem.

You need to sit your narrow ass down and listen for a change.

I gotta go think, Dad.

I'll be back.

Fine. You go think.

(music and chatter)

Hey, Damita, so glad you could make it.

Thanks for the invite.

So, how old is your daughter now?

1-1/2 years.

Wow.

I can't believe how quick...

Two years, Nikki.

I know, I know.

It's just, uh... Things got crazy.

(sighs)

Thanks for getting my access back.

Let me know if you're ever really ready to talk.

Otherwise...

Yo, Nikki, tell me tonight gonna be hot.

We're good.

Sound check done, drinks are flowing.

Everybody on the guest list is cool.

Ahm?

Not yet, but he'll be here.

man: Yeah, what's up, Barry?

Yo, what up, man?

Yeah, it's gonna be off the hook tonight.

Good to see you. Yeah, so...

Got it. Good.

All right.

Mm-hmm.

♪♪

(knocking on door)

♪ Well here's how it started, heard you on the radio ♪
♪ Talking 'bout rap, saying all that crap ♪
♪ About how we sample, giving examples ♪
♪ Think we'll let you get away with that? ♪
♪ You criticize our method of how we make records ♪
♪ You said it wasn't art ♪
♪ So now we're gonna rip you apart ♪

♪ Stop, check it out my man... ♪

(sighs)

I don't mean to barge in.

Yeah, why? It's your apartment.

Just, you know, I wanted to... you know.

Say bye.

Bye? Just moving to Williamsburg.

Jesus, why would anyone wanna move there?

It's not like it's Jersey.

Barely.

Do you need any help?

No, I'm good.

(music stops)

Hey-hey!

There's still some Quik left.

Now I remember when you were little, I don't know who used to drink more of this.

You or me.

You might wanna check the expiration date on that.

Expiration... expiration dates are for folk singers, David.

Expiration date, my ass.

All right.

You know, you and me...

We're, uh, we're sort of alike, you know?

Yes?

Yeah, how?

We both like Quik.

Mom says I'm more like her.

Uh, could be.

You're both awfully principled.

(sets glass down)

(sighs)

Well...

See you around.

(music and chatter)

♪ I'm your idol, the highest title, numero uno ♪
♪ I'm not a Puerto Rican ♪
♪ But I'm speaking so that you know ♪
♪ And understand I got the gift of speech ♪

♪ And it's a blessing ♪
♪ So listen to the lesson I preach ♪
♪ I talk sense condensed into the form of a poem ♪
♪ Full of knowledge from my toes to the top of my dome ♪

Don't move.

Keep doing what you were doing.

Don't move or keep doing what I'm doing?

Both, why can't you?

♪ I get paid when my record is played to put it short ♪

Okay, about earlier? I'm sorry.

Between the guest list and trying to get this artist, I didn't think.

Can't we just chalk it up as first day f*cked up the new girl?

I will do whatever you need when you have to reshoot.

Okay.

You good?

Yeah.

Damn, you clean up fast.

You waste time...

both: You waste money!

(laughter)

Don't worry about it. We all had a first day.

Thanks.

Hey, so I gotta ask, but...

Oh, the apron? Yeah.

I work at my parents' market.

I thought you were...

Technically, I'm Fouray's art director.

I sell artists, do visual concepts, graphics, all of it.

But he doesn't pay me.

He lets me use his space for free.

Hence the dark room.

Yeah, I only get money for my freelance photography.

But to my parents, I am just a stock boy.

Girl, you are one fly f*cking stock boy.

Thanks, you're not so bad yourself.

(chuckling)

(beeping)

Have you seen Chuck Chillout?

Not in the 90 seconds I've been here.

Okay, thanks.

♪ Kind of fond of Honda scooters, got 74 ♪

(distant sirens)

(horn honking)

You got the tape?

Oh, sh*t. I must've left it inside.

Yeah, Barry's got a table. Why don't you just come in and meet him?

Nah. Go get the tape.

(scoffs)

Now.

(siren blares)

Hey, you seen Chuck Chillout?

This is the problem, The Mission ain't the scene.

Come on, let's move with this.

I appreciate your passion, Barry, but we have a better chance on MTV with The Mission.

Just trust me on this, okay? Enjoy the party.

Yeah.

I got Ahm waiting outside.

Great, tell him to come inside.

Any chance you could come meet him?

He seems kind of shy.

Well, he better get over it.

Tell him either come inside or to go home.

His name ain't Prince.

All right, now, did you order my flowers?

Arriving as we speak.

Not bad, Nikki Jones. But go get your boy.

Why do I have to explain them n*gg*s that the sky is blue?

Thought you were gonna tell him no.

Tell 'em we making video.

I thought the label would do that...

♪♪

(crowd reacts)

woman: What happened?!

Turn the lights on! Turn the lights on!

Barry: Hey, hey, hey!

It's not what it looks like, I...

Excuse me, excuse me.

Hey, watch it!

Hey, be cool, everybody, don't worry about it.

The lights will be back on in a second.

Drink your drinks and you'll act like you at a high school party or something like that...

Hey, I need to take Barry outside. I need you to do me a favor.

In five minutes, don't let anybody leave.

How am I gonna do that?

You'll figure it out.

We gonna keep the lights out!

Some of y'all look better in the dark if you know what I'm talking about.

Hey, excuse me, Barry, I was thinking it might be a good idea to go out now and meet Ahm 'cause we can't really do the event in the dark.

Nah, 'cause I'm MC-ing right now...

But we got you.

Josie said she would make sure she lets us know when the lights come back on.

Plus, we got plenty of people to work the room.

But, the hottest, undiscovered MC in New York might drive away if you don't go outside.

Barry, let me talk to you...

Stop! Okay, five minutes.

He's in the black Pathfinder right out front.

Out front?

Uh-huh.

Yo, Chuck, I've been looking for you all day.

You got DeeVee's tape?

Sorry, sis, it's in my ride, but my dumb-ass cousin got it stolen in Jersey.

What?!

Sorry, kiddo.

(horn honks)

Yo, crazy how the lights went off in there, huh?

Bananas.

So, you really think your man got it?

Yo, I'm telling you, we're looking at the next Rakim.

Oh, yeah, well, where's Eric B?

Uh, family stuff, but he'll be by later.

Okay, a'ight, Nikki Jones, let me find out...

Look.

That's him?

Yo! Yo, stop, yo!

Hey, hey!

Hey, I got your tape, here.

Can you give Barry five minutes?

Barry Fouray, this is Ahm.

Ahm, this is Barry Fouray.

Yeah, I like your office.

Yeah, I'm glad you came down, you know.

The joint you and your boy did, that sh*t is dope.

Appreciate it.

Yeah, y'all working on a whole album?

Something like that.

Well, if the same thing like this first joint, then the whole sky's gonna open up to you, man.

You're gonna find yourself needing a strong team to help you handle your business correctly.

I can handle my own business.

No doubt, you can do that, but...

You know, when you dealing with a label and they steppin' to you, showing you some... advance gonna look like a lot of money.

And then they gonna try to put you in a short position for your artist share.

The what?

Artist share.

You know what that is?

It's like a, it's like a...

Are you familiar with points on a package?

I heard somebody talk about it once.

Well, it's like that except for this package don't come with the drama.

You know what I'm saying now?

And, like, the labels wanna walk you out on eight points, ten points.

Especially if you new? Forget about it.

But we, we deal with it, like, hard in that department.

We want 12 points.

We want 14 points.

You know what I'm saying? We want the advance.

But I'm willing to sacrifice the advance if it means that my artist is in the better long-term position.

You know what I'm saying?

Ain't nobody expecting this sh*t to last forever, man.

Except for me.

So you a middle man.

Not the label.

No, I negotiate with the label on behalf of the artist.

Thanks for your time, man.

No, your man ain't ready.

He's ready, you heard...

Your man ain't ready!

Outside the car, I don't know what to tell you.

♪ Five days full of sun rays I'm straight ♪
♪ Just what I needed ♪
♪ The perfect remedy from L.A. ♪
♪ All around the way to Kennedy ♪
♪ Always feels good to come back home ♪
♪ 'Cause that's where I keep my microphone ♪
♪ Unless I got a show, then my mic gotta go ♪
♪ Persistently, I consistently flow ♪
♪ Every day, morning, noon, and night ♪
♪ I be on it and yearning for my might ♪
♪ Like a drug hugging off beats ♪
♪ The highs in your eyes and the base in your face ♪
♪ I could rock a mic anywhere, anyplace ♪
♪ Even in space, think about the... ♪

I'm starting my own label.

♪ It's my only life support that I brought ♪
♪ 'Cause I don't need nothin', I make it happen ♪
♪ Y'all make it frontin' ♪

(cheering and applause)

♪♪
♪ Let me see, let me see, how shall I start ♪
♪ If I say stop the v*olence I won't chart ♪
♪ Maybe I should write some songs like Mozart ♪
♪ 'Cause many people don't believe rap is an art ♪
♪ Wake up, shake up, hypocrite look alive ♪
♪ Blastmaster KRS-One will revive ♪
♪ Four or five million still deprived ♪
♪ On how to survive wake up and realize... ♪

(coin drops)

(keypad beeping)

♪ Some people say I am truly legendary ♪
♪ But what I am is simply a black revolutionary... ♪

(door opens)

Hey.

You will not believe what went down at Rita's tonight.

(sighs)

What's up?

I talked to DeeVee.

Juggy?

You called f*cking Juggy to get our friend out of jail.

What was I supposed to do? He needed help.

Call me! Call his dad! Don't call f*cking Juggy.

DeeVee's dad wasn't home, Juggy was.

What about me, Nikki?

Come on, David. Our friend was in jail.

I'm supposed to just let him sit in a cell because you got daddy issues?

That is f*cked up.

What's f*cked up is me feeling like I'm on trial when I come home every single f*cking night.

♪♪
♪ Every day I see my mother struggling ♪
♪ Now it's time, I've got to do something ♪
♪ I look for work, I get dissed like a jerk ♪
♪ I do odd jobs and come home like a slob ♪

Want a ride, Prep School?

Uh, nah, I'm good, I'ma just...

I ain't askin'.

(train rattling overhead)

♪♪
♪ Three months later, we run our own caper ♪
♪ My family's happy, everything is new ♪
♪ Now tell me, what the f*ck am I supposed to do? ♪
♪♪
♪ That's why ♪
♪ Loves gonna get you, loves gonna get you ♪
♪ Loves gonna get you, loves gonna get you... ♪

Nikki: This season on "The Breaks"...

It's game time, baby.

Nikki: Hip-hop is gonna take over the music business.

Fouray Records is gonna be a force.

Juggy: I heard you might be adding hip-hop to your repertoire.

My chairman says there's gold in them there hills.

Listen up! I got a new label!

I'm looking for a star.

I got a question for Barry.

You a leech, boy!

You wouldn't be nothing without me!

♪ I'm a carnivore raised in the art of w*r ♪
♪ Quarterback the track ♪
♪ And make you call an audible ♪

Barry: We don't change our artists' music and image so they can fit the mainstream.

We make the mainstream flow to us.

Juggy: If you wanna make a living in the music industry?

You're gonna have to get your hands a little dirty.

♪ This bitch is more man than your bitch-ass will ever be ♪

(gasps and applause)

Yeah!

I heard your demo, and I'd like to talk to you about joining Fouray.

What exactly is Fouray gonna do for my baby?

He's gonna make her a star.

(g*nsh*t)

Got word you may know something about a homicide in Crown Heights?

No. What did you tell 'em?

Nothing.

You sure?

You lose this case, it's over, you lose everything.

You are a hustler.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

You reap what you sow.

In this business, the only color that matters is green.

Do I gotta keep looking over my shoulder?

It's New York City, man.

You always gotta look over your shoulder.

There's a lot of troubled souls out there.

Is yourself included?

Number one.

If you gon' make music, I want you to make history.

That's the program!

You either with it or you not!

(people cheering)

Nikki: Do you know how many people spend their entire lives wishing for a chance at greatness?