06x10 - Want This Smoke

[bunniefuu]

[JADA] Previously on The Chi...

f*ck is this for?

Think of it as an investment.

- You took money from Douda.
- No, one of his guys.

Then it's still him.

Do you want to come and work for me?

- I already have a boss.
- I know.

But who's to say how
long he'll be alive?

[ENGINE REVVING]

Go!

[TIRES SCREECHING]

[g*n CLICKING]

[PERSON] f*ck!

Oh! Shit!

Go, go, go, go, go!

f*ck!

[g*nshots, TIRES SQUEALING]

[DOUDA] Give me one reason
why I shouldn't sh**t you dead.

If you don't k*ll me, I'll owe you one.

You make her disappear,
and I'll let you live.

[DRAMATIC JAZZ MUSIC]

[MEDICAL MACHINE BEEPING]

- [ALICIA] It's time.
- For what?

For me to cash in that favor.

How close are you to Douda?

- [BIANCA] We've gotten closer.
- [ALICIA] So he trusts you.

- [BIANCA] Yeah.
- That is good to know.

♪♪♪

Our very existence is
perceived as a threat

to this world.

No matter where we go, we
live with that heavy burden.

And yet...

for some reason, we don't
talk about our mental health.

We can't just deal with the trauma

that's happening around us every day.

We have to deal with
it happening within us.

I wish...

I wish somebody would have
told me that a long time ago.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

If they had...

maybe I would have made
different choices in my life.

♪♪♪

Maybe...

maybe I wouldn't have felt so
trapped by my circumstances.

[g*nshots]

[TRUNK SLAMS]

M-maybe I'd have fewer regrets.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[TRUCK BEEPING]

Pulling prints will be
hard but not impossible.

♪♪♪

Jackpot.

I can't change my past...

but I can create a
better future for myself

and everyone else in this city.

And the only way to do that is
if we commit to going within.

I vow to show up for
those that need help,

those that need someone to talk to,

those that just need somebody to listen.

I'm here to propose...

we open a mental-health clinic
on the South Side of Chicago.

Our focus should be healing
ourselves from the inside out.

It's the only way we'll survive.

Thank you.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

You know, there comes a time
in every politician's career

- when they find their voice.
- [SCOFFS]

[MARCUS] I think you just found yours.

One day, you could run for mayor.

Oh... I don't know.

Hey, don't limit yourself.

[GROANS SOFTLY]

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

What the f*ck? Hey!

What the f*ck?

- Hey!
- [TIRES SCREECH]

[GROANS]

Get the f*ck off!

Aah!

♪♪♪

[PERSON] Go, go, go, go, go.

[DRAMATIC JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[WATER DRIPPING]

[VICTOR BREATHING HEAVILY]

[CHUCKLES]

Stupid m*therf*cker.

Did you, um...

- Did you try to k*ll me?
- Did I try to k*ll you?

n*gga, if I shot you,
I wouldn't have missed.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[LAUGHS]

- [CHUCKLES]
- Ah...

Okay, well...

Well, thank God you weren't the sh**t.

♪♪♪

[GIGGLES]

[LAUGHING]

[GROANS]

- [BOTH] Ooh!
- Whoa!

- Give me a high five.
- That's good.

- That's so cool.
- That's neat.

[ALL] Crash.

Crash.

[BABBLING INDISTINCTLY]

You're gonna have a
great day. We love you.

Love you, king, all right?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CHILDREN BABBLING]

What did he ask you to do?

- I don't want to get into it.
- You don't have a choice.

He wants me to take out Rob's mom.

- I'm not gonna do it.
- I hope not.

Look, I'm alive, all right?
That's all that matters.

Yeah, but for how long?

I'm gonna be okay.

All right? I promise.

- You can't promise me that.
- Yes, I can.

[INHALES DEEPLY] Let
me take you out, huh?

- You look good.
- I'm not in the mood to go out.

[SCOFFS] Look, we have to find us again.

How we gonna do that if we
living in fear all the time?

At some point, we got to stop
stressing and live our lives.

[SOFT JAZZ MUSIC]

- I could use a night off.
- We both could.

Where are we going?

It's a surprise.

♪ 'Cause I got it
now, unlimited amount ♪

♪ That's drivin' motivation, bitch ♪

♪ And I ain't never runnin' out ♪

♪ Y'all do anything for clout ♪

♪ Yeah, just sit and run your mouth ♪

♪ While I'm flippin', runnin' routes ♪

♪ Tryin' to buy my second house ♪

♪ They gave me a shot, they missed ♪

♪ Had to make it fit like this ♪

♪ Brand-new Rollie on the wrist ♪

♪ Darling, you ain't had shit ♪

You know, I was a little surprised

you wanted to do this.

Why?

I thought your daddy had money.

He does, but I'm not on his payroll.

♪ Darling, you ain't had shit ♪

♪ But I made it fit like this ♪

♪ Had to make it fit like this ♪

You good?

♪ Had to make it fit like this ♪

Yeah.

♪ You ain't grindin' ♪

♪ Bet they mad 'cause I
ain't f*ckin' write this ♪

♪ Always mad ♪

♪ Don't follow trends,
f*ck where hype is ♪

♪ f*ck where the hype is ♪

♪ I flip harder in a f*ckin' crisis ♪

♪ King suffice, I won't lower prices ♪

♪ Focus on flippin' the money right ♪

♪ Stayin' away from the funny types ♪

♪ They matchin' the hustle ♪

♪ Your bark is like


[PROFESSOR GARDNER] "Never
be afraid to sit awhile...

and think."

Lorraine Hansberry said that.

It always reminds me to slow down...

check in with myself.

[CHALK TAPPING ON CHALKBOARD]

My hope is that it does the same for you

in times of turbulence.

[SIGHS] Welcome to English lit 101.

In this class...

we'll be studying
many different authors.

And in time, you'll start to see

how these authors
differ from each other.

You're gonna be reading
a lot of new voices

and a lot of old ones, too.

My hope is that...

you start to wonder what
your own voice sounds like.

Now, when I say "whoop",

I need y'all to respond in kind.

- Whoop.
- [ALL] Whoop.

- [STUDENTS CHUCKLING]
- Yeah.

[CHILDREN CHATTERING HAPPILY, LAUGHING]

What makes you think

we got nothing better to
do than watch your kids?

[EMMETT] I don't think that.

Hey, hey, hey! Go in
there and put on a movie.

- And get your brother.
- No!

- [BOTH] Yeah.
- You'll be all right, man.

[FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING]

[EMMETT CHUCKLES, JADA SIGHS]

So, uh, you handle that shit
with Douda like I told you to?

Yeah.

- And what happened?
- I'm good, all right?

- He heard me.
- [SIGHS]

Look... [SIGHS]

With everything going on,
we just want you to know

that if anything should happen to y'all,

we'll take care of the kids.

Ma, will y'all stop talking like this?

Damn, you scaring me.

Hey, it's real life, son.

I know.

I just don't want to
think about it right now.

All right, you right. You right.

Go on. Go and have fun with your lady.

- We'll watch after the babies.
- [SIGHS] Thank you.

All right.

- Love you.
- Love you.

Hey, don't have too much fun out there.

Last thing y'all need is
another baby in the house.

- Right, who you telling?
- [CHUCKLES]

[MELLOW JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[SIGHS] I can't eat.

I can't sleep.

I mean, my life just feels
meaningless without her.

[JAMAL] We're here for you, bro.

I appreciate you, man.

[JAMAL] I'm still
looking for employment,

so if any of y'all know
something, let me know.

Ex-con...

that's all they see.

I know I'm supposed
to give myself grace,

but it's easier said than done.

How can we support you?

Just keep me prayed up.

Bakari?

I just want more for myself.

And what does that mean for you?

I don't know yet, but...

[SIGHS]

... I got to figure some shit out.

Victor!

- Victor!
- What?

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Is everything okay?

No, but it will be soon.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[SHAAD] Mm, mm, mm.

Mm.

Man, stop staring at my eye.

It's staring at me, n*gga.

- Me and Douda had a talk.
- With his g*dd*mn fist?

- f*ck you.
- What did he want?

Want me to stay quiet.

Well, then, shut the f*ck up, then!

- I can't let him win, bro.
- [SCOFFS] Come on, man.

n*gg*s like that always win,

'cause they ain't got shit
to lose... you know that.

Man, what's up with you and Deja?

I accidentally sent her a text
I meant to send it to Tierra.

Oh, shit.

We were only together
for one night. That's...

When?

Valentine's Day.

[CHUCKLES]

How come you ain't tell me?

'Cause it ain't had shit to do with you!

Plus, that wasn't your girl for real.

- Oh, okay. Damn.
- Mm.

Hey, man, let me tell you something.

My daddy always told me the
best way to get over a woman

is to get underneath another one.

He also used to let us smoke
Black & Milds when we was ten.

- Yeah, that's true.
- [VICTOR SCOFFS]

Hey, but you know what? I was thinking.

I mean, maybe I should play the
field a little bit, you know?

I hear there's a lot of
fish out there in the sea.

Ah, a woman like Deja don't
come around that often, bro.

Yeah, I know, but I can't sulk forever.

By the way... [LAUGHS]

[SIGHS] So you really want
to belong to the streets.

I've been wanting to belong
to the streets my whole life.

[VICTOR CHUCKLES]

♪ Key Glock's "Let's Go" ♪

♪ Get the bag, King Wonka ♪

♪ Let's go, let's go ♪

♪ Let's go, let's go, let's go ♪

♪ Let's go, let's go get some money ♪

♪ f*ck that plan ♪

♪ I told her, take this
Plan B and stop playin' ♪

♪ Stop playin', I'm tired
of buyin' jewelry... ♪

Yo, drinks is expensive as hell now!

I know it's more ice than
liquor in these damn cups!

You sound like your daddy!

[SCOFFS] Don't do me like that.

Unh! Hey!

♪ They say money talk,
put diamonds in my teeth ♪

♪ In my teeth ♪

♪ I be Louis'd down
with Jordans on my feet ♪

♪ On my feet ♪

♪ n*gg*s messed up in your
yard like trick or treat ♪

♪ You better play your cards right ♪

♪ You better not ever reach ♪

- What?
- Nothing, nothing.

♪ I put you underneath ♪

♪ Yeah, I rep that five,
but I put you six feet ♪

♪ Let's go, let's go, let's go ♪

♪ Let me tell you, I
grew up in the slums ♪

♪ Ain't had no dad, no ma,
barely had me a pot to piss ♪

♪ 'Cause I was using them pots to live ♪

♪ I ain't had no love in the streets ♪

♪ That blood like Miami Heat ♪

♪ n*gg*s had to play cards to rounds ♪

♪ They want they families to eat ♪

♪ Some days had to lay low ♪

♪ Can't trade my 50 for a halo ♪

♪ Only real n*gg*s
make it from Chicago ♪

♪ So you got stay, stay, stay small... ♪

Okay, so I think we should redo this,

so let's run it back
and then punch her in.

What you think?

Uh-huh.

Are you listening?

Yeah, but I think the verse fine.

- You overthinking shit.
- That's my job.

Excuse me, darling.

Look, I just need you to get me gigs,

not critique the music.

The music is all I have to get you gigs.

And it's good.

I mean, it's cool.

Look, I want to be a
part of something amazing.

So what you trying to
say? My shit ain't amazing?

I'm saying that it could be better.

I'm not paying you to
get on my f*cking nerves.

♪♪♪

Let's break for the night. Okay.

[MUSIC STOPS]

[SHAAD] What's up, man?

♪ I don't even try now ♪

Oh.

They definitely in here.

Hey. Hey.

What's up, playa?

♪ They ain't gon' fit on me,
they ain't gon' fit on me ♪

Damn. Hey.

♪ They ain't gon' fit
on me, so just do you ♪

♪ And I'll do me, just do you ♪

Now, you know I had to come
over here and say something

as soon as I saw you over there.

So when was your last
serious relationship?

Uh...

pretty recently, actually. [CHUCKLES]

So you out here looking
for a rebound bitch.

Oh, no, baby, I'm definitely
out here looking for love.

- You looking to get married?
- Hell, nah.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[SCOFFS]

Okay. [SCOFFS]

Oh, there she is.

Hmm.

Hey, beautiful. [LAUGHS]

- I'm Shaad.
- Netty.

Netty?

Right.

Hey, my guy.

Listen, man, whatever
this beautiful young lady

wants this evening, I'm paying for it.

- It's on me.
- Oh.

Wow, that is so sweet of you.

You mind if I put a food order in?

Oh, of course not.

You know, get you a little appetizer,

cheese plate, whatever's
on the happy-hour menu.

Okay, I'll have the
lobster bisque to start,

and then I'm gonna do the
steak and lobster dinner.

And I know I shouldn't do this,

but I'll get the bread pudding, too.

That takes, uh, 15 minutes to prepare.

I know. That's why I'm
putting in my order now.

[WAITER] Okay. Uh, anything for you?

Uh, you know what?

I'll... I'll just
probably eat off her plate.

I don't like to share food.

I'll take a ginger ale, then.

♪♪♪

[NETTY] Thank you.

[CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY]

♪♪♪

[SIGHS]

Anyone sitting here?

[SCOFFS] That depends.
Have you eaten yet?

- Well...
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

[SHAAD] I'm just
playing. Please, sit down.

[CHAIR SCRAPES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Uh, what's your name?
- Harmony.

Harmony. That's beautiful.

So what's a beautiful lady like you, uh,

out here alone tonight?

Um...

You okay?

Yeah, it's just my
ex. He's crazy as hell.

He said he'd sh**t the
next person he saw me with,

so, you know, I like to
keep my head on a swivel.

♪ Yo, I'm at the party in the back ♪

♪ Drop a couple bottles,
got me off, I'm in the back ♪

♪ Hey, I'm at the party in the back ♪

♪ Throw a couple sh*ts
and throw 'em back ♪

♪ Hey, I'm at the party in the back ♪

♪ Party in the back, at
the party in the back ♪

♪ Hey, yo, I'm at the
party in the back ♪

♪♪♪

♪ Deuces, I don't rock with losers ♪

♪ Grindin' for some more... ♪

Y'all enjoy that.

Nah, we good.

You sure?

Y'all drinks looking a little sad, man.

[LAUGHS]

Nah, we turnt.

Hey, I'm Dante.

Kiesha.

Tiff told me about you.

Just the good stuff...

I hope.

Heard you helped her get her car back.

Oh, yeah, you can tell a
Douda scam from a mile away.

Follow me.

[EMMETT] Is that right?

Yeah, y'all know how he can be, man.

Yeah, we do.

So y'all outside tonight!

- Ha ha!
- [LAUGHS]

Yeah, we like to step
out every now and then.

[DANTE] This is one
of my favorite spots.

Come about a couple times a week.

"Couple of times a week"?

I didn't go out that
much before I had my baby.

Hey, you don't look
like nobody's mother.

Fall back, n*gga.

I'm just being nice.

Yeah, like you was nice with Tiff.

Hey, let's just leave the
rearview in the rearview.

- All right?
- All right, let's do that.

- Hey, baby!
- [DANTE] Hey!

- I missed you.
- Mwah.

Missed you, too.

I'm just trying to show
my people a good time.

They don't get out much.

This is my girl, Candice.

How you doing?

All right, well, let's
have some fun then.

I heard about a new spot
that's poppin' downtown.

[DANTE] Y'all want to roll?

Yeah, let's go.

♪ Hey, yo, I'm at the
party in the back ♪

♪ Drop a couple bottles,
got me off, I'm in the back ♪

♪ Hey, I'm at the party in the back ♪

♪ Throw a couple sh*ts
and throw 'em back ♪

♪ Hey, I'm at the party in the back ♪

[SNIFFS]

[g*n COCKS]

Don't try nothing stupid.

Move.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Man, go and do what you got to do.

You ain't scared to die?

I don't want to, but it
ain't really up to me, is it?

Damn, n*gga.

What?

What you smoking?

My own shit.

Your own shit?

This that same shit you was smoking

at Emmett's housewarming, huh?

Yeah.

If you want to live, you
might want to cut me in

on whatever you and your
bitch got going on over there.

Don't call my girl no bitch.

Your female.

- My woman.
- Well, tell your woman,

in exchange for your
f*cking life, I want a cut.

I guess that's a deal we got to take.

[SIGHS]

Uh, you should come to
my English lit class.

I got to make this drop.

What you got to drop off?

[BAKARI] I don't ask questions.

[SIGHS] Come here.

I could talk to my teacher

about you sitting in for a class.

- Mm.
- So you coming?

I'll think about it.

- Only for you, though.
- Okay.

[R&B MUSIC]

Ahh.

I heard about you stepping to Douda.

Yeah, I did.

Word of advice...

don't start no shit you can't finish.

More sh*ts?

- I mean, if you can handle it.
- Hell, yeah, I can handle it.

Shit, we can do two more rounds
if you really about that life.

Come on, man.

Hey, this the only life I know.

Man...

Come on.

♪♪♪

[KIESHA] So how long
y'all been together?

Oh, we're not together.

We're just talking.

Yeah, Dante doesn't
believe in owning people.

Oh.

But you know what?

I just want to have fun.

I'm not trying to be handcuffed
to no n*gga and his kids.

Right, right. [CHUCKLES]

And, plus, you know what, girl?

Look at this.

It's already so many n*gg*s
trying to get with me.

I don't have to settle
down if I don't want to.

- Damn, it's crazy out here.
- Mm-hmm.

[CHUCKLES]

But you and your man
are so cute together.

I love that for you.

[CHUCKLES]

I'm tired as hell.

I can't feel my feet.

[UPBEAT DANCE MUSIC]

♪♪♪

You ready to go?

Been ready.

[DANTE GRUNTING]

[CANDICE GIGGLES]

[SCOFFS] I knew them
n*gg*s couldn't hang, baby.

- [LAUGHTER]
- Come on, baby.

[INDISTINCT TV CHATTER]

[EMMETT] Mmm.

Is the fun part of our life over?

- I think so.
- [BOTH CHUCKLE]

But I don't give a shit, you know?

I like being at home...

on the couch, eating pizza with you.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER ON TV]

How tired are you?

I ain't never too tired for that.

[SOFT MUSIC]

Hold on. Let me...

let me go grab a condom real quick.

We good.

Word?

Just be careful.

♪ Ari LaShell's "Caliente" ♪

♪ Calling on a late night ♪

♪ You said you want some face time ♪

♪ You, you know that
I don't play, right? ♪

♪ I'ma make you want
to sleep tight, baby ♪

♪ Keep it caliente, yeah ♪

♪ Say my name like I'm Beyoncé, yeah ♪

♪ I'm a lion searching for her prey ♪

♪ I'ma make you want it every day ♪

♪ Do you want to come over? ♪

♪ It's been a minute
since I really got to see ♪

♪ My legs on your shoulders ♪

♪ I must admit it's, like, addicted ♪

♪ Gotta keep my composure ♪

♪ I want to run my
hands across your head ♪

♪ And kiss your face all over ♪

♪ Baby, I want you here ♪

♪ You got me calling on a late night ♪

♪ You said you want some face time ♪

♪ You, you know that
I don't play, right? ♪

♪ I'ma make you want
to sleep tight, baby ♪

♪ Keep it caliente, yeah ♪

♪ Say my name like I'm Beyoncé, yeah ♪

♪ I'm a lion searching for her prey ♪

♪ I'ma make you want it every day ♪

♪ When I put it down, baby,
better pick it back up ♪

♪ I'm a little thirsty, I
need you to fill up my cup ♪

♪ Want to keep it slow-motion ♪

♪ Like we rocking the boat ♪

♪ Want to feel your
hands around my waist ♪

♪ Inching to my throat ♪

♪ I want to hear the melody
to the song you sing ♪

♪ When you're next to me ♪

♪ I want to feel your body heat ♪

♪ When we're in the sheets ♪

♪ It's like ecstasy ♪

♪ I want to go nice and
slow, tell me where to go ♪

♪♪♪

You asked Kenya to model?

She responded to my ad.

How come you ain't tell me?

I didn't know I had to.

Look, okay, I could
have modeled for you.

[SIGHS] You've been busy
with your girl, Britney.

Is that what this is about?

Look, I got to get up early.

I ain't got time for this.

[JEMMA] Yeah, me either.

[MOODY JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

[FAST-PACED JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

All right, next time, don't be
bringing these kids over here

- all hyped up on sugar.
- [EMMETT CHUCKLES]

See 'em now. All right, boys. Bye-bye.

- Say bye-bye, Papa!
- Bye-bye.

- All right now.
- Give Mom her robe back!

[LAUGHTER]

[SOMBER MUSIC]

[DARNELL] Shaad?

♪♪♪

[GRUNTS]

- [DARNELL SIGHS] Come on, man.
- Uh...

Look, I don't want no
grown man in our house.

Shh. It's just for a little while,

till he get back on his feet.

What happened to Deja?

[DARNELL] That ain't
none of our business.

- Come on, babe.
- [SIGHS] Fine.

- [DARNELL] All right.
- Uh-uh!

Not my good sheets.

[SHAAD] Hey, y'all got a brisket

I can put on the grill?

You know, I just want to cook
y'all dinner to say thank you.

[JADA] Mm-hmm.

[DRAWER SLAMS]

What happened?

- What you think?
- Douda's a danger to this city.

Douda's like the father I never had.

That's his scam, bro.

First, he treats you like a son,

and the next thing you
know, you doing runs for him.

- Or helping him dump a body.
- He saved my life.

He's taken just as many
lives as he's saved!

So what do you want me to do?

I want you to see him for who he is.

[DOOR CLICKS]

[PROFESSOR GARDNER]
You'll be studying Emerson,

Dickinson, and Steinbeck,

as well as Baldwin,
Butler, and Morrison.

But here's what I want you to remember.

There's nothing you
can't explore on the page.

Never limit yourselves.

- Whoop.
- [ALL] Whoop!

[PROFESSOR GARDNER] All right.

[JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

- Did you get it?
- [DARNELL] Yeah, uh-huh.

- Ooh.
- [TOOL CLATTERS]

You two are working so hard in here,

I thought you might be thirsty.

Oh, thank you.

Yeah, we, uh, just about done here.

Just need to, um...

Hey, Shaad, let me go grab
that... the plumber's tape.

I don't see it. I'll be right back.

All right, cool. [CLEARS THROAT]

Let's see...

[DOOR CLICKS]

Did you say you were in jail?

- [DOOR CLOSES]
- [SCOFFS] Yes, ma'am.

[SOFTLY] Oh.

My brother spent some
time behind bars, too.

But he's gone now.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Thank you.

[TOOLS RATTLING]

♪♪♪

So you like fixing things?

Oh, uh, I do,

uh, but I also like
stacking my paper, and, uh...

my hope is that jobs like
this will help me to do that.

Where do you put your earnings?

[CHUCKLES] In a shoebox under my bed.

[STAMMERING] But it's
only because, you know,

I'm... I'm afraid if
I start spending it,

you know, the Feds'll
start sniffing around, so...

There are ways of hiding money

where the Feds won't get suspicious.

Yeah, yeah, but I don't like having, uh,

somebody overcontrolling
my funds like that, so...

What if you gave it to
somebody you could trust?

I don't trust nobody.

You could trust me.

[CHUCKLES]

I just met you.

So why don't we spend more time so...

so that we get to know each other?

[DOOR CREAKS]

[SHAAD CLEARS THROAT]

- [DOOR CLICKS]
- Hey, uh...

you ever thought about
putting a double bolt

on that door?

This is a safe neighborhood.

[CHUCKLES] No such thing.

But, uh, I don't know.

I could take care of it
for you if you need me to.

Okay.

Hey, hey, hey, listen, uh...

I don't know. Why don't
you give me a call if, uh...

if you ever need anything?

I will.

[FAST-PACED JAZZ MUSIC]

♪♪♪

Okay.

Okay.

Man, if you don't stop
doing all that flirting

- and hand me that wrench.
- Oh, oh, my bad.

[DARNEL LAUGHS, GROANS]

I'll get this.

The Black Caucus loved your speech,

and they want to donate to
the mental health clinic.

That's amazing.

But before they do that,
they want to talk to you

about reversing your vote
on defunding the police.

No.

They've been getting some complaints

from their Black business owners

hoping to protect their investment.

That's why we have community protection.

That might not be enough anymore.

Says who?

If we do them a favor,
they'll owe us one.

That's how this works.
You have to compromise.

- I ain't bending on that, bro.
- Look...

I don't like the police either.

But not everyone in this
city wants them gone.

Only people that want
them back are the people

who feel protected by
them, and that ain't us.

We got to find some
sort of middle ground.

[SIGHS] And what if we don't?

We don't get the money
we need to get started.

[SIGHS DEEPLY]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[PROFESSOR GARDNER] Hey.
Is that a new student?

[SIGHS] Not technically.

Um, I invited him. Is that okay?

"If there's a book you want to read

and it hasn't been written...

you must write it."

- So you saw my syllabus.
- [CHUCKLES] Yes, sir.

[SIGHS] I appreciate your passion.

But I can't break university rules.

But...

I tutor, evenings.

It's not as comprehensive
as what we do here, but...

you get the basics.

I'm down.

Well, then we'll get you back up.

- [BOTH CHUCKLE]
- Five o'clock.

Don't be late.

I got you.

- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.

[CHUCKLES]

- Hey.
- [EMMETT] Hey.

- [EMMETT] What's going on?
- Thank you.

Damn, this place nice as hell.

I know.

I can get used to this.

[EMMETT CHUCKLES] Ooh.

We only here for a few nights, though.

Damn, how many spots your mama got?

- A few.
- [EMMETT SCOFFS]

Damn, can she school me?

- [ROB] Maybe.
- [CHUCKLES]

I'm looking to buy Douda out.

Your mom seems to have
the funds to do that.

She stingy as hell with her money.

Trust me.

Just let her know it'd
be a worthy investment.

[ALICIA] How much you need?

Uh, I don't know.

Find out and get back to me.

[FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING]

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

[ELEGANT JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

♪♪♪

[BIANCA SIGHS]

- [DOUDA] Okay, what's this for?
- I want to celebrate you.

And why would anybody want to do that?

Because you've changed a lot of lives.

Yeah, well,

some for the better, some for the worse.

[LAUGHS] Now, that's true.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

But...

some people go their whole
lives without touching anyone.

And, baby...

this world is different...

because you were here.

♪♪♪

[BIANCA LAUGHS SOFTLY]

♪♪♪

You know if you take
that money from my mother,

she gonna make you earn it, right?

That's cool.

And if you f*ck shit up with her,

then you got a problem
with me, too, right?

- I hear you.
- All right.

Kiesha needs to start selling
this cheese dip, for real.

I don't think she got that kind of time.

And I can't really invest
that kind of money right now.

I can give her something to get started.

Where the hell is she gonna sell it?

Smokey's, n*gga! Where else?

- I could be down with that.
- Nah, f*ck that.

- We doing it.
- [LAUGHTER]

♪ Yeah ♪

[MOODY MUSIC]

[QUINCY] We have a meeting
with the Black Caucus

tomorrow morning.

What are you gonna say?

[VICTOR] I don't want to
undo all the work we done done

just 'cause some folks complained.

[QUINCY] It's more than a few.

[VICTOR] Look, I don't
want to let my people down.

[QUINCY] Being a leader means
letting people down sometimes.

And if you want to keep this
job, you have to play ball.

I'll go into it with an open mind.

[QUINCY] That's all I ask.

[LAUGHTER]

[DARNELL] Wow.

Hey.

Hey, I ain't gonna lie to y'all, man.

I want to go over there so bad,
but I'm kind of scared, man.

[DARNELL CHUCKLES]

I told you the streets weren't shit.

Hey, man, just 'cause
you fell off the horse

don't mean you got to sell the saddle.

I don't think that's
how the saying goes.

[LAUGHTER]

Hey, y'all know what the f*ck I mean.

Shit, I ain't gonna lie.

I do... I do appreciate
the view, you know.

- Hold on, aren't you taken?
- I'm just taking in the sights.

Is that okay?

Don't look too long.

Yeah, yeah, Shaad, we
all got to, you know,

live vicariously through you, dog.

Whoa, whoa, well, oh... whoa,

what happened with you and Deja?

Oh, man, we had a, you
know, few misunderstandings,

and I decided, you know, I
need to get right with me.

- Mm-hmm.
- You know?

I need to get right within my spirit.

What kind of misunderstandings?

If you don't mind me asking.

I just felt like our power
dynamic was a little off.

- That's all.
- Yeah, yeah, that's tough.

I told you, let that
woman pay the bills.

- You take care of the house.
- Oh, shit.

[DARNELL] Ain't nothing wrong

with swapping gender roles, man.

So you're saying it'd be
a lot easier to be with her

if you made more money than she did.

It would be a lot less weird.

I'm just always hearing this
debate between men and women,

who should pay the bills.

Well, see, that's the thing,
man... I'm old school, okay?

Like, I believe the man
should handle all that.

Yeah, I agree, I agree,
but I'm man enough

to let the woman carry me
for a little while, you know,

- if I'm down on my luck.
- [SHAAD] Shit.

Yeah, I believe in splitting everything.

I'm old-school, too. I
take care of the bills.

Right.

What if it's a household,
two men or two women?

Then what?

Damn, uh, never thought
about it like that.

What's your point?

Every household should do
what works best for them,

not what society tells them to do.

Quincy's right. Got
to embrace the future.

I can drink to that.

- Hey, we all can.
- All right.

- To the future.
- To the future.

[SOFT R&B MUSIC PLAYING]

[CELL PHONE CHIMES]

Excuse me.

[CELL PHONE CHIMES]

♪ I'd give it all to
have it back again ♪

[BIANCA] You okay?

♪ I would do it
different, no lie, yeah ♪

Yeah.

♪ That's for sure ♪

[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]

♪ I'd be so much better to you ♪

I got to take this.

Do what you got to do.

♪ I'm so much more ♪

♪ Wish you could see me now ♪

♪ I wouldn't change like the weather ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Hey, I'm sorry I'm late, but...
- The offer's off the table.

[SIGHS, CLICKS TONGUE]

Come on, man.

I-I need this.

Okay?

If you don't help me,

I'll either end up dead or in jail.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

Please.

[SIGHS] Please, Professor Gardner.

[SIGHS]

What's this?

That's a journal.

I want you to write in it every day.

It's a place for your
most sacred thoughts.

It's a place for you
to say all the things

that you're afraid to say out loud.

Hmm.

[PROFESSOR GARDNER]
So... tell me your story.

My story, huh?

Where do you want me to start?

At the beginning.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[HIP-HOP MUSIC]

[PERSON] Thank you.

Flowers can't fix this.

[STAMMERING] Oh, wait. Just hear me out.

[DEJA SIGHS]

Look, I know I messed up.

But I really want this to work.

I don't want to lose you.

♪♪♪

I love you.

♪♪♪

I loved you, too.

♪♪♪

Wait...

♪♪♪

Do you see how good this shit looks?

Yeah.

I can tell he fucks with it.

- [CHUCKLES]
- Yeah, I know.

Uh, I need to talk to you.

What's up?

Nuck want in on the weed business.

He can keep wishing.

No, like, he put a g*n to my head.

- I did what I had to do.
- He did what?

[SIGHS] It was either let him in

or lose my life.

I can't believe this.

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

♪♪♪

- [VICTOR] What's up?
- [DOOR CLOSES]

- Who's this?
- [QUINCY] It's your new lawyer.

Alonzo Daniels Lafayette.

What do I need a lawyer for?

Come with me.

[DOOR CLICKS]

It's a little late.

Yeah, I was... I was just in
the neighborhood, you know?

Hey, listen, I could take
care of those locks right now

if you want me to.

You can take care of
the locks in the morning.

[SULTRY MUSIC]

♪♪♪

f*ck.

[KIESHA] What's going
on with you and Alicia?

I think she hates Douda
as much as he hates her.

- That could work in our favor.
- You're playing with fire.

My hope is they burn
they own houses down

while they trying to k*ll each other.

As long as nothing happens
to our house, I'm good.

Baby, I'm learning how to play the game.

Thank you for letting me
in on what you thinking.

I'm always open for suggestions.

I'll give you my support, but that's it.

I'm not going to jail for you.

[RAIN PATTERING]

[DISTANT TRAIN HORN BLARES]

The FBI found your DNA in
a burnt car near Q's body.

Now, if they can't pin this on Douda,

they're gonna find a
way to pin this on you.

- But I didn't k*ll him.
- Good.

But now we have to prove it.

And what if we can't?

Then you'll be going away
for the rest of your life.

♪ King Von's "How It Go" ♪

♪ It's cold ♪

♪ DJ on the beat so it's a banger ♪

♪ When you fightin' them cases ♪

♪ Court dates comin'
slow, them 9-1's no joke ♪

♪ You just gotta have hope ♪

♪ And don't say shit, give a
f*ck what they say they know ♪

♪ Give a f*ck what they find ♪

♪ Give a damn who they get,
I bet the shit won't stick ♪

♪ My last rappy was a bitch ♪

♪ They gave him twenty-eight years ♪

♪ 'Cause the n*gga
wouldn't close his lips ♪

♪ Just be cool, be patient,
'cause the opps still hatin' ♪

♪ Be the same n*gg*s
wrote them statements ♪

♪ Man, them n*gg*s couldn't take you ♪

♪ They was too scared to face ♪

♪ You was goin' through
that bitch like Jason ♪

♪ Boy, you gotta be a fool,
how you think that shit ♪

♪ You givin' names, you
ain't playin' by the rules ♪

♪ Leave his ass in a pool
of his own damn blood ♪

♪ It's the type of shit
that don't make the news ♪

♪ See, now you just chillin',
you just waitin' on trial ♪

♪ g*ng'nem out there goin' wild ♪

♪ You know you got a child,
and his mama ain't shit ♪

♪ But I know you learnt that by now ♪

♪ Heard she f*ckin' with the opps ♪

♪ And she was just on they
block with the same n*gga ♪

♪ You was tryna pop, man,
this shit gotta stop ♪

♪ Now you locked in a room ♪

♪ You just plottin'
while you doin' pushups ♪

♪ You better check on your bro ♪

♪ 'Cause the n*gga on the news came in ♪

♪ Said he heard he got smoked ♪

♪ Better check on your ho ♪

♪ 'Cause the same lil' n*gga said ♪

♪ She out there right
now gettin' poked ♪

♪ That just ruined your day ♪

♪ Now you tryna start a fight ♪

♪ Sayin' n*gg*s better
stay out your way ♪

♪ n*gga, fix your face,
don't nobody give a f*ck ♪

♪ Everybody goin'
through the same thing ♪

♪ Let me tell you how
it go in here, uh ♪

♪ Boy, it's kinda cold in here ♪

♪ You ain't got nobody,
make a stove in here, uh ♪

♪ Better have your pole in here ♪

♪ Got n*gg*s gettin' old in here ♪

♪ Might lose your soul in here ♪

♪ Been gone for a couple years, damn ♪