01x02 - Reaping and Sowing

[bunniefuu]

[MELLOW JAZZ]

♪ ♪

[MAN] Previously on Raising Kanan...

The secret language you talk
with Uncle Marv and Lou-Lou?

Ma, I'm telling you, I know stuff.

[JUKEBOX] How long you been
trying to get with her?

- Since second grade.
- Maybe you should move on.

We met at the choir competition
at City Center last week.

Sup?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

This bitch doesn't know
who she's f*cking with.

- Who you calling a bitch?
- [BARKING]

♪ ♪

- [SCREAMS]
- I'm in a specific line of work.

If it's not a problem for you,
it's not a problem for me.

I'm sorry. I got to go.

Kanan's not in this.

Kanan's you and Def Con's boy, Raq.

That n*gga been in this sh*t

before he was even in this sh*t.

[MARVIN] Unique trying to muscle his way

into our corners again.

We need to push back.
He need to feel us.

Saw Buck on your Mum's
corner on the way over.

Y'all lay back. Me and D will do this.

[g*nshots]

Who sh*t him? You or me?

You and your friends k*lled that boy

for a corner I already gave up.

- I didn't know you gave it up.
- Exactly!

You don't know, but you think you do.

[g*nf*re]

- Kanan!
- I'm good, I'm good.

Him and his boys, they got
prices on their heads.

My son don't got nothing to say to you.

Watch your back Raquel.

You wanted to be in it, you in it.

♪ ♪

[RILEYY] ♪ I'm a hustler, baby,
I'm a hustler, baby ♪

[ CENT] ♪ Yeah, I know
heartbreaks, setbacks ♪

♪ Bitch, if I crap out,
I'm sure I'ma get back ♪

♪ I been through the ups and
downs, you know I get around ♪

♪ So to me it's all a part of the game ♪

♪ If I ain't the coke man
or the dope man ♪

♪ I'm almost for sure
man, I got to take it ♪

♪ No need to say sh*t,
I'm gon' take it ♪

♪ Robberies turned homicide
it's nothin' to play with ♪

♪ Make money make, make, make money ♪

♪ When sh*t hit the fan
we'll take money, Southside ♪

♪ Beef with the best of 'em ♪

♪ Done sh*t at the rest of 'em, yeah ♪

♪ Checks I'm collectin' 'em ♪

♪ Check, boy I'm finessin' 'em ♪

♪ Bag Supreme boy, you f*ck around ♪

♪ Put a big bag on your head ♪

♪ Before the weather break you're dead ♪

♪ Let's get to it, they
don't do it like we do it ♪

♪ Nah, cop it, whip it bag it, flip it ♪

♪ Re-up, we up g'd up, what up? ♪

♪ Runnin' 'round this bitch
still not givin' a f*ck, hey ♪

♪ When it come to that paper
there'll be no complications ♪

Ha ha. That's right.

♪ Put a hole in a n*gga
right in front of you ♪

♪ Your heartbeat pacin' ♪

[RILEYY AND CENT]
♪ And it's all right ♪

[ CENT] ♪ That's how
we do it on this side ♪

♪ n*gg*s get to it on this side ♪

♪ I know heartbreaks setbacks ♪

♪ Bitch, if I crap out
I'm sure I'ma get back ♪

♪ I been through the ups and
downs, you know I get around ♪

♪ So to me it's all a part of the game ♪

♪ If I ain't the coke man
or the dope man ♪

♪ I'm almost for sure
man I got to take it ♪

♪ No need to say sh*t I'm gon' take it ♪

♪ Robberies turned homicide
it's nothin' to play with ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

[RILEYY VOCALIZING]

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[GROWN KANAN] They teach you
about this n*gga Isaac Newton.

This noise on every action
has an opposite reaction...

that's Newton sh*t.

He said that.

And that's real in the lab
and on these streets.

Everything you done come back at you.

And sometimes that sh*t come at you

while you're taking out your
garbage in front of your crib.

[RAQ] Kanan, hurry up!

[UTENSIL CLACKING]

First day back at school since...

all that went down.

Look, it's only been a few days.

It's gonna still be hot out there.

You need to watch yourself.

Yeah, yeah, I'm good.

[RAQ] You're not good, Kanan.

Not even close to good.

I'm not good, then.

Wait, you're hearing me, but
you're not listening to me.

That boy's people in a pain
that's never gonna end.

The only thing that
they living for right now

is finding out who took him from them

and figuring out how they
gonna k*ll them when they do.

f*ck it.

Maybe you should just stay home,

let sh*t rest another minute.

So you gonna keep me locked up in here

for the rest of high school?

It crossed my mind.

[CHUCKLES] Ma, I'm good, all right?

I'm missed, but I got to go.

[GRUNTS]

Eyes open, Kanan...

at all times.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOOR OPENS]

♪ ♪

[METALLIC CLATTER]

♪ ♪

[TIRES SQUEAL]

[ENGINE REVS]

♪ ♪

Kanan!

♪ ♪

- What?
- I'm gonna drive you.

Word.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[KANAN SIGHS]

Ma, when are you bringing me in?

Serious?

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

[KANAN] When we were on that
beach, buckin' off those g*ns.

You said you was gonna get me involved,

get me started in the business.

You been started, Kanan.

That's what I'm trying to tell you.

You pull that trigger, you in it.

Ain't no going back now.

People are talking, pointing fingers,

and you can be damn sure
that some of those fingers

gonna be pointed at
you and your friends.

I'm scared, Kanan.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

And I need you to be here with me

because that fear keeps
us alert and awake.

It keeps us alive.

So be scared.

Scared of them or scared
of me, but be scared.

♪ ♪

I'm scared.

[MUSIC INTENSIFIES]

[OVERLAPPING SHOUTING]

♪ ♪

Clear the way.

- Hey, let go of her hair!
- Get off!

Let go. Let...

Yo, Buck wasn't sh*t, and
he didn't love you anyhow.

He was with me the night before.

[CROWD OHS]

Oh, bitch!

Take them to my office right now!

You all have somewhere
to be, so get there, now!

- Move!
- [BELL RINGS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Davina got heart.

Fighting over a dead n*gga.

It don't get much stupider than that.

♪ ♪

I told you not to slide
them corners to Unique,

but you did it anyway.

Now he got our spots,
and Kanan's still a mark.

In other words, we gave up
all that sh*t for nothing.

[RAQ] You seen my house
recently, Marvin?

It's got slugs in it. 'Nique's slugs.

That sh*t with him needed to be deaded.

That's why I gave up those
corners, and I'd do it again.

[LOU-LOU] It was the right call.

- Fighting one battle at a time.
- Mm-hm.

Yeah, as far as these
stray n*gg*s out here

still talking about Kanan and
his crew dropping Buck Twenty,

that's another problem altogether.

You gonna pick up Kanan from school
and bring him to the stash.

He gonna post up there for a while.

Speaking of the stash, it won't be long

before ConEd realises
we stealing they power.

Been in that spot way too long.

I seen a few empty
houses closer to Linden.

Houses got us too exposed,
too out in the open.

We need cover, a front.

[MARVIN] Early Tyler
talkin' about opening, uh,

an exotic fish store,

you know, with like piranhas and sh*t.

We could keep our business in the back

with the aquariums and food or whatnot.

What the f*ck do Early
Tyler know about fish?

n*gga had a barbershop for four minutes,

and the Board of Health shut
it down because of scabies

or some nasty-ass sh*t.

Wait, what is you talking about?

I know, but wait, okay?

Well, first, it was... it was lice.

And it wasn't Early's fault.

Somebody brought their
weave in there all infested.

Them shits got all into
the walls and to the floors.

That bodega off Sutphin near Shore...

it's owned by some Colombians,
a husband and a wife.

She stepped to me a while back.

Said they're looking
for other opportunities.

So she know what we do?

Well, I heard she got a cousin
in Washington Heights,

f*ck with the Nariños.

She know hustle when she see it.

And I think she been checking
us out for a minute.

[MARVIN] Hmm.

And by the way, I'm putting together

a little somethin'-somethin'
at Lanes tomorrow night.

Let heads know we still
out there swingin'.

Wine, women, and song type sh*t.

A party?

He talking about throwing a party.

To let the streets know we
still out here making moves.

[RAQ] I'm building the business,

and you throwing parties?

If that sh*t don't say
it all right there,

I don't know what does.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Both y'all can come.

[PERSON OVER PA] Spanish Club
will meet today in Room .

The East Side Book Club
will meet Fridays

from : to : p.m.

Yo.

You all right?

Just waiting on my mum.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

I ain't see you around in a little bit.

[DAVINA SNIFFLES]

I've been out a few days.

♪ ♪

I had to watch my little sister.

My Mums...

couldn't.

♪ ♪

I've been out, too.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I got strep or something, you know.

I'm sorry about Buck.

Thanks. [CLEARS THROAT, SNIFFLES]

♪ ♪

Look, I know you two
weren't really friends...

but Buck was a good guy...

at least to me.

And I don't care if he was with Tiffany.

I just think it's mad f*cked up

to talk about somebody who d*ed.

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[PATRICIA] Like I ain't
got sh*t else to do.

Like I ain't got a life of my own.

I got to get called down here,
disrupt my whole damn day.

Patricia...

why don't you and Davina
come inside my office

where we can talk?

I am a single mother, Dr. West.

I'm raising two girls on my own.

[CRYING] Ain't no man around to help me.

Let's you, Davina, and I talk about it.

Come on, Patricia.

[SNIFFLES]

Davina.

And you, Kanan, go to class, now.

♪ Too savage for your average thug ♪

♪ Black Sun, one sh*t at love and one ♪

[MUSIC STOPS]

[BELL TOLLING DISTANTLY]

sh*t, when you said no security,

I was figuring this sh*t for a hit, man.

Spent the last minutes
circling this m*therf*cker,

making sure you wasn't
setting my ass up, Raq.

Yeah well, you won't
see me coming, 'Nique.

Still a lot of chatter

about who put down
this kid, Buck Twenty.

Yeah.

Well, ain't nobody ever
d*ed from talk, Raq.

At least not yet.

Well, that's a short stop from
n*gg*s wagging they tongues

to g*ns getting' warm.

[SIGHS] Look, I called
all my people off, Raq.

Not much more I could do.

Like I said before,
Buck's folks is angry.

And I can't be held
accountable for civilians

exercising they God-given
right to hit the f*ck back.

[SCOFFS]

You know how this sh*t work.

You know what time it is.

Streets need a body.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Some sh*t's starting to
bubble up about Buck.

My sister said she heard
them talkin' about it

while she was getting her nails done.

Until it gets to the barbershop,
no one listening.

[GROWN KANAN] When you
do what me and D did,

it feels like every n*gga clocking you,

every n*gga know.

Some sh**t like that feeling.

Not me. Not back then.

How you feelin'?

Livin'.

Kanan's all good because
he knows I was the one

that put that n*gga down.

Yo, you want him? You can have him, D.

And you ain't doin' nobody no favour

speaking on that sh*t out loud.

All right n*gga, calm down.

[FAMOUS] Oh, oh, there go the champ!

Weighing in at pounds even,

straight from the Southside,

Davina "Don't Get No Meana" Harrison!

Man, the finest girl in school,

and she can throw them hands.

Man, I'm about to be in love.

Yo, Buck just d*ed a few days ago,

and you already pushing up on her?

- [SNORTS]
- She's single.

[BELL RINGS]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[SINGER] ♪ Let me down, let me down ♪

♪ You ragamuffin girl ♪

♪ You give me fever ♪

♪ But I don't want no healer ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Come down slow come down slow ♪

You didn't touch nothing
while I was gone, did you?

Oh, no. No way.

My Grandpa Walt's about as old as you,

and I know you guys get real confused

if you don't find your stuff
just the way you left it.

Burke bringing jokes.

[TRAIN RUMBLING]

So, uh, we should...

talk to the-the mother, right?

See what she can tell
us about this, uh...

Donyell Worley.

Buck Twenty.

That's what they call
him around the way.

Don't nobody know no Donyell Worley,

but they know Buck Twenty for sure.

And his mom, she don't know sh*t.

There's nothing for us there.

Well, Captain was clear about
putting this m*rder down.

Our investigation should
start with the family.

Captain don't give a f*ck
about Buck or his Mum.

Buck's gone. There's nothing
we could do for him now.

Cap just wants us to make
sure there ain't no more

Buck Twenties dying on
the Southside anytime soon.

We're going to the tailor.

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[MAN] Hey, move down over there.

You the one hittin'
skins with my sister.

No, I think you got
the wrong guy, brother.

[MARVIN] Raq.

Raquel Thomas, that's my little sister.

My baby brother Lou-Lou told
me, uh, you all up in that.

I'm not all up in anything, man.

You g*dd*mn right about that, n*gga,

'cause I'll f*ck you up.

♪ ♪

I bet you won't.

♪ ♪

[LAUGHING]

♪ ♪

Yo, man, that was real dark
skin of you back there, man.

Listen, I'm just f*cking with you, kid.

I'm just making sure your intentions

with my sister are honorable and sh*t.

Well, when it comes to your sister,

you don't need to worry
about my intentions.

Marvin.

Symphony.

Like that name, baby.

Yo, uh, where Toni at?

In the back.

Word.

♪ ♪

Uh-huh, yeah, that's...
that's that good sh*t.

Uh, I'm... I'm straight. Thanks.

Suit yourself.

[INHALES SHARPLY]

Ahh. [SMACKS LIPS]

You know, tomorrow night's short notice.

Why don't you just do it
in some club in Queens?

Yeah, I mean, but n*gg*s love
these downtown vibes here.

It's gonna be small,

you know, just a little
get-together amongst friends.

Maybe you give us a little
corner in the spot.

I mean, you won't even
notice that we're here.

Won't take up no space at all.

Yo, you good?

I'm not sure if you're aware,
but I'm in mourning.

The dog, right?

Yeah, yo, I heard about that.

Microwave and little n*gga got radiated.

Yo, that's a f*cked-up way to go out.

Do you have pets, Marvin?

I don't believe in cleaning up
nobody's sh*t but my own.

[CHUCKLES] You're funny.

Your sister's a straight bitch, though.

You know, for a second I thought...

maybe she was the one who k*lled my dog.

Yo, Raq loves animals

and likes you, too.

Says you a tough-ass white girl,

which is real praise coming from her,

'cause Raq don't like
white girls on principle.

♪ ♪

[TONI SIGHS]

What time tomorrow night, Marvin?

Um, jump off around, like, nine, ten.

You have to pay my DJ.

Done.

But you got to save a dance for me.

I'm not very good at dancing.

Ah, don't matter.

Yo, I'm good enough for the both of us.

[GRUNTS, LAUGHS]

Im'a need you to wait in the car.

Look, I didn't go through
the academy and walk a b*at

for three f*cking years to
keep this car running for you.

See, I figured with your
old man, his brothers

and their dads being cops,

you didn't even have to
go to the academy at all.

f*ck you.

[CHUCKLES]

Now you're learning.

Don't take sh*t, not even from me.

But your ass still
gonna wait in the car.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

♪ ♪

Houndstooth 'bout to be hemmed!

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

You m*therf*ckers must
be really confused

about who I am or who the f*ck you are.

Hey, let him through, man.

He good.

You know, I would offer you
your own jacket, detective,

but this must be the only one
in the world right here, man.

The world is better for it.

Buck Twenty, he was one of yours.

♪ ♪

Well, if by one of mine,

you mean he was a friend,

then, yeah, Buck Twenty
was one of mine, man.

Rest in peace to my n*gga Buck.

Can't have no more bodies
dropping up here, 'Nique,

especially kids.

Need to talk to your girl Raq, man.

[SCOFFS]

Can we step away from the
f*cking boys choir of cr*ck?

[SCOFFS]

[CLICKS TONGUE] Hold this.

It's still a little tight
in the chest, man.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[SIREN BLARING DISTANTLY]

Look, 'Nique...

you and I,

we both know one of the
worst things ever to happen

to Southside was Raquel Thomas
taking over for High Post.

There's rules.

And she either don't know them,
or she don't give a f*ck.

Only one king could
rule a kingdom, 'Nique.

One king,

one code, one crew.

I'm betting on you.

Smart money, Detective. Smart money.

You make sure ain't no more bodies.

I'm gonna make sure you
sittin' on that throne.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[D-WIZ] Davina f*cked her ass up.

[JUKEBOX] Girls be crazy. sh*t.

Yo, we making moves
on this pizza or what?

- Let's do it.
- Hell, yeah.

- Got sh*t to do.
- Damn!

Juke and all her
top-secret plans and sh*t.

Yo, kiss my ass, Famous.

[SCOFFS] Just 'cause I got a life

outside of all you
trifling-ass m*therf*ckers

doesn't mean I got secrets.

It just means I don't want to kick it

with you tired-ass n*gg*s all the time.

[FAMOUS] Damn.

Ease up, Juke, all right?
I didn't mean nothing.

Yo, Fame, she just going to get
some extra loot for her demo.

- Ah.
- She gonna get her Whitney on,

and soon we gonna be
saying we knew her when.

[MARVIN] Yo, Kanan!

I'm here to take you to
your after-school job.

Since when you got a job?

Since his mama said so.

Word. Working man now.

Got to bounce.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

You, um, want to ride?

- I'm good.
- Yo, let's do this.

I know you good, girl.

I'm asking, you know,
if you want to ride.

Dad, I'm straight.

[RAPPER] ♪ She was quick
to get with you ♪

♪ Daddy knocked the wind up
out you when he hit you ♪

Hey, man.

I hope you're ready, man.

- Where we going?
- Your man named employee of the month.

[MAN] Im'a come back here
and kick that f*cking cat.

Some dumb sh*t.

- Oh, hi, Ms. Thomas.
- What's up, Ms. Thomas?

Where y'all heading, fellas?

We're going to play some video
games, might eat some pizza.

It's on me.

- Word?
- Yeah, kid.

- Thanks, man.
- Thanks, Lou-Lou.

Just make sure you put
in a good word for me

with your sister.

I don't even really see
too much of Jess now.

S-she be busy with school and all that.

She live with you, right?

So when you're reaching for the same box

of cereal in the morning,
just tell her I said what's up.

[CHUCKLES] J-Jess don't
even like cereal like that,

'cause, you know, dairy
be messing with her.

[LOU-LOU] I'm just
asking you to tell her

that I said what's up.

I ain't ask about her f*cking GI tract.

How's your Mum, Derek?

Kind of nervous right now.

Uh, my brother just
got back from Upstate.

Truth is I think she liked it
better when he locked up.

At least she know where to find him.

Let's do this.

[DOOR OPENS, BELLS JINGLE]

Careful out there.

- We will.
- For sure.

[DOG BARKING]

Juliana, how you doin', mami?

Hey.

[MAN SPEAKS SPANISH]

Who are you?

How the f*ck you know my wife?

I'm Raq Thomas, and this
is my brother Lou-Lou.

We wanna talk to you and your wife

about your business here

and the possibility of working together.

My wife doesn't talk business.
I talk business.

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYING]

Follow me.

[SPEAKS SPANISH]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[ENGINE IDLING]

Yo.

Where are we?

That's your new office, n*gga.

♪ ♪

[RAQ] I'd pay for the upgrades.

Reinforced door,

security cameras, all of it.

In exchange for you
letting us use your space,

we hit you off with some rent.

Hey, I want a percentage of your sales.

I'm taking a great risk letting you use

my store for this, huh?

I should be fairly compensated.

I don't know why you're talking to me.

She runs sh*t.

You may be taking a slight risk in here,

but we the ones risking
everything out there.

Unless you want to get your
ass out on that strip with us,

you don't get a piece of that.

[LATIN MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Take it or leave it,

'cause we good either way.

♪ ♪

I take it. Huh?

I'll take it. It's good.

♪ ♪

[MARVIN] From here on out,

you come here after school every day.

Your Mum said you need to
start doing your homework

while you're here.

Said you start f*cking up the books,

your Black ass back on the bench.

[VIDEO GAME ANNOUNCER] Round one, fight!

What is this? What am I doing here?

You in the nerve center, baby.

HQ, you sitting on the stash, Black man.

You the dragon guarding the gold.

Ain't that right, Scrap?

Yeah, um, dragons on
the gold, that's us.

Look, Scrappy gonna hip you
to all the rules of the game,

so listen close.

Yeah, I'll be by to pick you up later.

- What...
- You the dragon.

[VIDEO GAME SOUND EFFECTS]

[JUKEBOX] We got that Polo hotness!

Tees, sweaters, jackets!

Hey, man, how you doing?

Polo, brand-new sweaters, jackets.

- Twenty.
- Thirty.

Nuh uh, .

All right, whatever, man, .

[HIP-HOP MUSIC BLARING]

Yo, you got to work on your
negotiation skills, Twin.

I got, like, six more of them
bum-ass sweaters in my bag.

- So...
- [CHUCKLES]

Hey, yo, yo, how much for
this jacket right here?

[JUKEBOX] Two fifty.

That's-that's too much.

Keep it steppin', then.

Yo, that's that su1c1de.

Last one I got.

This sh*t's hotter than a p*stol.

You know, I'm putting
my own life in my hands

just by having it out there.

Hundred.

n*gga, I could sell you
this sh*t for, like, .

I was just showing you some love

'cause I can respect
the... the cookie, huh?

sh*t ain't bootleg, right?

f*ck out of here with that sh*t, man.

We Lo-Life crew. Come on, recognise.

From top to bottom. We in it to win it.

Yo, go talk to them
Africans down the block.

They got that knock-off
sh*t you can afford.

- [JUKEBOX] Huh?
- Ahh, man!

I knew you could appreciate
this life we livin', kid.

You right.

All right, break me off some change.

This is for you. I will
get you your change.

Why don't you try it on for us, huh?

I am gonna try it on.
I'm gonna wear this out.

You better wear it out.

[JUKEBOX] Twenty, forty...

Fifty for you sir.

Sheesh.

Oh, man. Good looking out.

- Hey, appreciate it.
- Nice doing business with you.

- Real talk.
- All right.

- All right, y'all.
- All right.

It'd be easier. Take care of that.

Whoo.

Made my money, n*gga.

Ooh, you about to get
up that studio time loot.

Yo, you know how we do.

Holla.

[GRUNTS]

How was after school?

[EXHALES DEEPLY] Boring.

We played video games, Ma.

When am I gonna get out on a corner?

Okay, you got to walk before you run.

Bumped into Famous and Derek today.

D-Wiz?

He said his big brother's
home from prison.

Yeah, he got back a couple weeks ago.

Derek got you the g*ns you
used on Buck Twenty, didn't he?

I know his brother's a wild boy.

Figure he must have gats
stashed up in the crib.

I'm not trying to get
D-Wiz in trouble, Kanan.

I'm just asking.

I want to make sure
that you guys are all

checking for each other
out there, that's all.

You only as good as your crew.

[SNIFFS] Yeah, Ma.

My crew's holding me down.

Go get washed up so we can eat.

What's today's mathematics?

I'm making the most of what we got.

Kanan stays on the stash
until further notice.

I don't want him anywhere
near the street.

Got your party tonight, right?

Oh, we about to turn
this m*therf*cker out.

Might be the time to get
your Reggie Jackson on.

[UNEASY MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Don't like it any more than you.

What my sh*t got to do
with Reggie Jackson?

What you-what you talking about?

Work.

♪ ♪

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[STAIRS CREAKING]

♪ ♪

[SCRAPPY] What you looking for?

What's behind this door?

Nothing you need to worry about.

Raq put me in here to learn
how all this sh*t work.

You supposed to teach me what's what.

Raq, also known as your Mums,

put you in here to keep your
stupidness off the block.

See? [CHUCKLES]

You so dumb, you don't even get it.

I ain't your teacher, n*gga.

I'm your f*cking babysitter. [SCOFFS]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

All right, I know you like
all that Ralph Lauren sh*t,

but you need to get some downtown style.

I'm serious.

You can't wear sweatshirts
to the Deb Ball.

You still think I'm going to
your white-people dance?

Okay, so it's not a white-people dance.

It's a white-people ball.

Ooh, I like that, by the way.

[DEBBIE HARRY] ♪ Face to face ♪

No.

I can buy it for you.

Why would I need you to buy it for me?

Oh, I just thought you just maybe...

You just thought maybe a
poor Black girl from Queens

needs you to buy her
a corny-ass T-shirt?

I'm not your ghetto
charity case, Nicole.

I got my own money, and
I can buy my own sh*t.

Laverne.

[DEBBIE HARRY] ♪ DJ
spinnin', I said my, my ♪

♪ Flash is bad... ♪

[PASSING SIREN WAILING]

Laverne!

I'm sorry.

I just thought...

f*ck.

I don't know what I thought,

but I totally get why it
would hurt your feelings.

I'm just a dumb-ass girl
from the Upper East Side.

I mean, where I'm from,
the only way to show people

you like them is by buying them stuff.

I...

By the way, that shirt was ugly.

So I wasn't gonna buy
it for you, anyway.

You said you liked it.

Ah, I like what you like.

I like you.

[LIGHT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

♪ I remember the first time ♪

♪ I danced with you baby ♪

♪ It was a slow song ♪

♪ The lights were so... ♪

You threw me in the stash
to keep me off the street.

You put me on ice.

That's exactly what I did.

[MUSIC TURNS OFF]

But before you all up and down me,

telling me how I lied to you or
how I'm not giving you a chance,

just know that I started
the same way, Kanan,

with Def Con, your daddy.

Def had me do the same thing.

Sitting on the stash,
watching TV all day long,

and it was boring as hell.

But he did it for two reasons.

First off, he did it 'cause
I was pregnant with you,

and he ain't want me out
there fighting off junkies.

But he also did it to see
if I would follow orders.

To see if I would do exactly
what he told me to do

without beefing, without
throwing up my hands.

Def Con was smart as hell.

[SCOFFS] That was your father.

And he knew that to be a good leader,

you also have to know how to follow.

You have to know how
to listen, to learn,

to accept your role, put in that work.

I'm going out. You stayin' here.

If you want, you can have
a friend sleep over.

What about D-Wiz?

Sure he wouldn't mind getting
out the projects for a night.

I bought a bootleg of
New Jack City today.

You two can watch it.

Word, I'll hit him up.

What you all dressed up for?

I'm having a night out, that's all.

I love you more than anything
or anyone, Squeeze.

You know this.

[SIGHS]

["ROCK DIS FUNKY JOINT" BY
POOR RIGHTEOUS TEACHERS PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Yo, D!

Headin' to this party downtown. Hop in.

I'm watching New Jack City
at the crib with Kanan.

[LOU-LOU] Change of plans.

Kanan gonna be there. He ain't tell you?

Not at all.

[LOU-LOU] Swear.

♪ ♪

Get in, man.

[RAPPER] ♪ Step, yeah
yeah I'm on top of it ♪

♪ I, I have to get the styles
that you be seeking ♪

♪ And the words that I be speaking ♪

♪ Poor righteous teachers
posse teaching ♪

♪ Anyone that lacks this
style that I be styling ♪

About to have the best
night of your life, kid.

♪ I'm smooth with the roughness ♪

♪ Just serving justice
suckers try to suck this ♪

♪ But, but I be scoping ♪

[SINGER] ♪ I've got a question
to ask you, baby ♪

Hey. Oh, hell, no.

Where the new guy at?

Oh, hi. Um, Symphony called in sick.

I've got someone to fill in for him,

but they won't be here for another hour,

and the doors will be
open by then. Okay.

Oh, somebody beautiful like you

shouldn't be doing all this ugly work.

Oh. Thank you, Marvin.

[SIGHS] Oh, we're just going over here.

I like the black.

Like-like a sexy witch type.

[TONI] Thank you. Yeah,
I like the black, too.

[SINGER] ♪ Time with you
is just getting me hectic ♪

♪ I need to know are we just friends ♪

♪ Or is there more that
I'm allowed to feel? ♪

♪ Let me go slow ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ ♪

[KANAN] Yo, Davina.

What you doing, Kanan?

Me and D-Wiz gonna watch a movie.

Dude supposed to be here by now.

I called him, like, twice.

Is that your sister?

Yeah, Tanisha.

Only shuts her eyes
when she's out the house.

Already figured out that
she can't trust my Mums.

You see they got a article
in there today about Buck.

In the section where they write
about the people who d*ed.

Four sentences.

That's all they got.

Buck's whole life in four sentences.

Wonder how many they'll write about me.

Hey, I've been hearing that
maybe you and your friends

had a beef with Buck?

Uh, don't listen to that, all right?

sh*t's not real.

Okay. Got to go.

I'll, uh, I'll see you in school.

It'll be a minute.

They gave me a week for
the fight with Tiffany.

All right, well, I'll be
waiting on you, then.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC BLASTING]

Yo, they out here waiting.

♪ ♪

sh*t, Marvin.

You said it was just a
get-together amongst friends.

Yo, I mean, what can I say, man?

I got a bunch of friends.

[SIGHS] Well, your friends
are gonna have to wait

'cause I have regular clientele,

and they are our number-one priority.

Hi, you two. Oh my God, Mr.
and Mrs. Fabulous, come in.

- Nice coat, sweetheart.
- I know.

Yo, listen, man, all my peoples
is on the express line.

Y'all gonna get in
real quick. I got you.

Have I let you down? I
got you, baby, come on.

Yo, my man.

I heard you looking for soldiers.

Where you from?

Q.B.

Down for whatever.

- Oh, good to know.
- [DUKE] What's up, man?

Let's get the express up in this spot.

You're gonna stand here and wait in line

like everybody else, n*gga.

- Ain't no shortcuts.
- [LAUGHTER]

What the f*ck's so funny?

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

He Black, and we Black, so
that means something to me.

Just 'cause Dinkins look like us

don't mean he actually give
a f*ck about us, sweetheart.

Word up.

Yo, when's Kanan getting here?

Oh, uh, he on his way.

Actually, have you... have
you met Amber yet, D?

Nice to meet you, Amber.

You too, baby.

You know what?

I think my boy D here

could learn something from somebody

who, uh, has your specific
kind of expertise.

I could?

Oh, most definitely.

Show him what's what, doc.

What is this, man?

Like I said, best night
of your life, baby.

[RAPPER] ♪ It describes
the kid on the mic ♪

♪ I'm the TR- , huh ♪

♪ But just call me D-Nice ♪

♪ ♪

Is everything all right
from the other night?

When you rushed out of the restaurant.

Yeah, just-just some drama
at my kid's school.

He straight.

We straight.

So I know them high-rises got a story.

- Let's hear it.
- Huh.

First ones to build a
high-rise were the Romans.

Called them insulae.

The higher up you were,
the cheaper the rent.

And then in ,

King Louis XV in France
invented the elevator.

It changed the whole game.

Rich people started to
buy up all the high-rises.

They felt safer up high,

away from all the poor
folks in the street.

And up here, you can see what's coming

before it gets there.

I'm boring you with all
my school sh*t again.

[CHUCKLES]

I asked about the buildings
'cause I want to know.

I love hearing you talk, Symphony.

Keep going. Teach me something.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYING]

By the time the public-housing boom hit

here in New York in the s,

middle class wanted to be
up in them high-rises, too.

But Robert Moses,

that dude I told you
about the other day,

he got it all twisted.

He took high-rises and turned
them into projects, prisons,

where poor people pay rent.

f*cked it all up.

And here we are.

♪ ♪

Come on, let's eat before
you freeze to death

and the food gets cold.

[SNAP!'S "THE POWER" PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[SINGER] ♪ I've got the power ♪

Oh sh*t!

♪ I've got the power ♪

[MOANING]

[BOTH MOANING]

♪ I've got the power ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I've got the power ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER, LAUGHTER]

All right, ladies.

Tell 'em you're Toni's girls.
You look fabulous.

- Yes, you do, of course.
- Thank you.

When are you gonna let me in?

You can wait your f*cking turn.

No. When you gonna let me in?

f*ck off!

Come on, baby, I'm just jok...

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Hey yo, they jumpin' Marvin, man.

Hey, Marvin can handle his
own business, all right?

- You sure?
- Yeah, I'm sure.

Come on. Let's get out
though. Excuse us.

♪ I found out ♪

♪ What I've been missing ♪

♪ Always on the run ♪

♪ I've been looking ♪

♪ For someone ♪

Your brother Marvin got a lot to say.

[JUKEBOX] ♪ Now you're here ♪

Yeah?

Most of it don't add up to sh*t.

[JUKEBOX] ♪ And you know
just what I need ♪

♪ It took some time for me ♪

♪ To see ♪

♪ ♪

♪ That you give good love ♪

♪ To me, baby ♪

Oh, I was thinking that maybe
we should take it slow.

Yeah.

[JUKEBOX] ♪ You give good love to me ♪

♪ It's never ♪

♪ Never too much ♪

f*ck that noise.

♪ Baby, you give good love ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Never stopping ♪

♪ I was always searching ♪

♪ For that perfect love ♪

[SIRENS WAILING]

[JUKEBOX] ♪ The kind
that girls like me ♪

♪ Dream of ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Now you're here ♪

♪ Like you've been before ♪

- Up against the wall!
- Let me go, man!

- [TONI] Marvin!
- sh*t.

I'm so sorry about all of this.

No one's ever fought for me before.

Hey, ain't nobody disrespectin' my girl.

[JUKEBOX] ♪ Some time for me to see ♪

♪ ♪

♪ That you give good love to me ♪

♪ Baby ♪

♪ So good ♪

♪ Take this heart of mine ♪

♪ Into your hands ♪

♪ You give good love to me ♪

♪ It's never ♪

♪ Never too much ♪

[D-WIZ] Yo, forget Kanan, man.

sh*t, he missed the best party ever!

Hey, Miss Washington.

Is Derek there?

[JUKEBOX] ♪ Now I can't stop ♪

Word. Thanks.

[JUKEBOX] ♪ Lookin' around ♪

That sh*t was bananas.

Yo.

Amber was a dime, yo.

[CHUCKLES] Yo, you got her number?

[JUKEBOX] ♪ Our love is here to stay ♪

♪ To stay ♪

[HOLDING NOTE]

♪ ♪

♪ So good ♪

♪ Take this heart of mine ♪

♪ You give good love ♪

♪ It's never ♪

♪ Too much ♪

♪ You give good love ♪

♪ No ♪

- ♪ Never too much ♪
- [ENGINE TURNING OVER]

- [SIREN CHIRPS]
- [JUKEBOX] ♪ Baby ♪

Yeah, m*therf*ckers!

Southside represent!

[JUKEBOX] ♪ You give good love ♪

[SIREN WAILING]

Home run.

[UNSETTLING MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

My son.

He's going to bed.

[GROWN KANAN] We all
know when sh*t starts.

We can point to the jump-off,
figure out the beginning.

But what we don't always
know is when it ends

or how it ends.

That's because sometimes sh*t don't end.

At least not how we think.

We start things we can't stop.
We do sh*t we can't undo.

And the only way we know it's over

is when it circles back...

when it comes all the way
around on us again.

And it's then we know,

you know sh*t only really stops

when it gets back to
where the f*ck it started.

We know we're the beginning and the end.

♪ ♪

We need a bigger move.

Some sh*t we can grow into.

You help me, I'll help you with my mom.

I want you to tell me the truth, Kanan.

Did you know that D was sh*t ***?

What's been keeping you from me?

[GASPING]

Please don't tell my dad.

Every cop and criminal
in this city knows

that Malcolm Howard
holds it the f*ck down.

[CAR CRASH, GLASS SHATTERS]