04x03 - The Straw Man

[bunniefuu]

Now, I need you to
listen to me, Elise.

You go out there, and
you keep doing the work

that Malcolm was doing.

I ain't gonna give up on
justice, not today, not ever.

I told you, I want in
on your new venture.

The whole thing. You owe me.

You keep this sh*t
up, we will go to w*r.

I don't want to see
him destroy what's been

a really good deal for our family.


be distributed from us

to the other families.
I need your help.

There is something
you could do for me.

Chin Gigante... rob him blind.

♪

You let one guy rob my truck
with you and two men in it?

He came out of the blue.

Weren't you supposed to
give that back to Bumpy?

Gave him back some. The
rest was milk sugar.

You fine gentlemen
can make a choice...

either I keep the
narcotics, and we go to w*r,

or I give it back, and Chin
takes his a*s out of Harlem.

So, what's it gonna be, fellas?

I need you to report back to
me every move that Pino takes.

He's gonna be the new
face of the family uptown.

You're the brains.

Thank you for offering me
protection to come back.

I'm really glad you're back.

♪

I want my workers to live
some place clean, new.

The new Harlem.

I love it.

Do you think you could
get James Baldwin

to write an exhibition text?

All things are possible.

♪

I'm James Baldwin, an author
of many bestselling books.

But the question all of you
here really should be asking,

if you were to actually
stop to consider it,

how do you really and truly see me?

I'm Black,

but am I a man?

What am I to you?

Three-fifths of a person,

as our Founding Fathers
declared a n*gro to be?

That is the reality of
being n*gro in America.

And what of Harlem?

All of us are packed in
a dirty, crowded ghetto,

crawling with police, ready to
arrest any of us at any moment

for nothing more than being Black.

And who is to blame?

You say the n*gro man
needs to work harder.

But I say there's a white
consortium owns our schools,

hospitals, and housing projects.

This is an American nightmare.

The only Black men to
own anything in Harlem

are the drug lords

who find a way to profit
off the people suffering.

[WHISPERING]

Drug lords. Speak of the
devil. Look who's here.

The infamous Bumpy Johnson,
Mr. Harlem himself.

And there you are,

the silver-tongued Jimmy Baldwin.

It's easy for you to get up
on that stage and judge a man

for trying to make things
better in the streets.

You think my life is easy?
I survived those streets.

To do what... entertain white folks

while jabbing at me?

Black against Black.

You're putting on quite a show here.

This is better than...

two circus monkeys, isn't it?

Isn't it?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[BUMPY] You dragged me out
of James Baldwin for this?

Bumpy...

when it comes to New York real estate,

one thing is for certain...
larceny is legal.

I don't think I like where
this conversation is going.

Yes, well, I don't wanna
have to take it here,

but here we are.

A man by the name of Marshall Grant

bought your new Harlem buildings.

I got contracts on those buildings.

Yes, well, the city
accepted a higher offer.

The city has my deposit in escrow.

This can't be legal.

[CHUCKLES] Well, they'll
return your deposit.

With poverty programs...

excuse me, "urban
revitalization plans"...

every single millionaire

in the Tri-State area wants a piece,

and they can wash money and get
a tax break while they do it.

Let me see that paper.

I'm gonna roll up on
this Marshall Grant,

see what he's about.

I-I don't want to stick in your craw,

but I'd steer clear
of any arm-twisting.

This fella...

is he even Black?

Well, according to the
box he checked, he is.

It's right there.

But, you know, not all
skin folk are kinfolk.

[SIGHS]

♪

[THEME SONG PLAYING]

[CHOIR] ♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Change ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

[SWIZZ BEATZ] ♪ Open
up my window again ♪

♪ Open up my window again ♪

♪ I can hear death calling my name ♪

♪ I can hear death calling again ♪

♪ I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪

♪ I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪

♪ I keep a revolver with your name ♪

♪ I keep a revolver with
your name, just in case ♪

[RICK ROSS RAPPING] ♪ Lay on my
Back watching the ceiling fan ♪

♪ I had a dream to touch a kilogram ♪

♪ Still at odds with the Irish mob ♪

♪ Rolls-Royce down
Malcolm X Boulevard ♪

♪ Lord, these... really
out here preying on me ♪

♪ Got the .40 on me
and His hand on me ♪

♪ Snow-white mink like
I'm Dutch Schultz ♪

♪ Run the books and let me
show you how the numbers look ♪

♪ You can't be lucky
like you Luciano ♪

♪ The kilos slammin'
like they new pianos ♪

♪ Fat Boy got the big body ♪

♪ Coast to coast, I
can sh**t product ♪

[SWIZZ BEATZ] ♪ Open
up my window again ♪

♪ Open up my window again ♪

♪ I can hear death calling my name ♪

♪ I can hear death calling again ♪

♪ I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪

♪ I swear to God, things
ain't gon' change ♪

♪ I keep a revolver with your name ♪

♪ I keep a revolver with
your name, just in case ♪

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

[SIGHS]

[WAILING CONTINUES]

What's wrong, Daddy?

Just having some trouble
moving this sh*t.

What? The junkies not buying?

Oh, they buying.

Just got a bunch of
m*therf*ckers looking for me.

I don't know, Frank.

Maybe stealing that
dope wasn't a good idea.

I mean, can't you
give it back to them?

That ain't how it work.

I give this sh*t back to 'em,

I have a b*llet in my head
before they say, "Thank you."

[SIGHS] f*ck.

What about Bumpy Johnson?
Maybe he can help you.

No, Bumpy don't want
nothing to do with me.

Easier to find an Italian.

[SIGHS]

Italians. They always hating on us.

♪

I just gotta find one who don't.

♪

[PINO] Where the f*ck
is Bumpy Johnson?

Bumpy's a very busy man these days.

That's real convenient, given
what he's done with our junk.

I don't follow.

Well, he returned it.

But when we tested the
purity, which was at 90%,

turns out it was cut with milk sugar.

Your boss stole at least
one-third of our junk.

Bumpy don't want your dope.

Bumpy don't sell that sh*t no more.

As a matter of fact,

you wouldn't even
have that duji to sell

if Bump didn't give
Chin the connection

all to himself.

f*ck would he want to steal it for?

Look, we know that
Bumpy's a man of his word,

but we can't sell product
that's been whacked to sh*t.

Makes us look bad.

It's bad for our
arrangement with Bumpy, too.

Well, Bumpy knows the
value of a good reputation.

I tell you what.

Let me talk to him,

and we'll see what we can dig up.

- Nah.
- Thank you.

I'm acting boss, and
I don't like digging.

I need real f*cking
answers right f*cking now.

Acting boss?

Have some breakfast on me.

Look, I think it's best if we try

and stay on good terms
with Johnson, you know?

No disrespect, Stella. Your
father put me in charge

'cause he knows I know
how to talk to the Blacks.

All trying to rip us the f*ck off.

[HORN HONKS IN DISTANCE]

[MAN] The people in this court

and the people in the legislature...

Did you finish all your
homework, Margaret?

I will.

Discipline is just as
important as aptitude.

I hate school anyways.

But you love to read.

- Shh, shh, shh.
- [MAN] The pamphlet says

that the Black Panther
Party for Self-Defense

calls on the American
people in general

to take careful note of the
r*cist California legislature.

Why do you believe the
legislature is r*cist?

Don't you know? You're a part of it,

and, obviously, this
is a white system.

This is obviously where we at.

[MAN #2] The statement
seems to indicate

that these people feel that the
Black people have been enslaved

throughout most of their lives,

that the white society
is responsible for this,

and then they go on to say

the Black Panther
Party for Self-Defense

believes that the time has come...

Who are they?

I saw a few of them around here.

Betty knows 'em.

Look like a bunch of California
criminals, if you ask me.

They look fine to me.

Excuse me, young lady.

I know my daughter
didn't just say that.

She's not wrong. They do look fine.

Elise, can you please?

[BOBBY SEALE] The Black Panther
Party for Self-Defense calls

upon the American people in general

and the Black people in particular

to take full note of the
r*cist California legislature,

which is now considering
legislation aimed

at keeping the Black people
disarmed and powerless

at the very same time

that r*cist police agencies
throughout the country

- are intensifying the terror...
- Okay.

...brutality, m*rder, and
repression of Black people.

Margaret, go finish your homework.

I'm not a little kid anymore.

But you're still my kid.

- [DOOR CLOSES]
- Sitting around watching TV

doesn't help a girl whose
grades are faltering.

And what are you teaching her...

to turn the TV off
when a strong Black man

is trying to make a difference?

♪

[DOG BARKING, SIREN
WAILING IN DISTANCE]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

♪

Bump, this can't be the right address.

You're telling me the man
who took your property

lives in this dump?

Come on.

♪

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

[WAILING CONTINUES IN DISTANCE]

♪

- Ohh!
- Stay down!

D-Don't sh**t.

Shut the f*ck up, okay?

Forgive me.

I came to speak to you
about a group of buildings

that you seem to have purchased.

I know you.

He's clean.

I've known you since you was
a nappy-head country bumpkin.

I knew your sister before she died.

You knew Mabel?

I intended to marry Mabel.

Mr. G.

You're Marley G.

Marshall Grant.

Help him up. Let him up.

This way. Let's just go inside.

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

You played sax over at the Apollo.

I remember Mabel was sweet on you.

I put my sis through
her paces, I know.

When Mama sent me up
here to live with Mabel,

I was pretty angry.

Your sister tried,

but you were just too
hard-headed and rotten.

She was a good woman. Big heart.

I remember one day she gave
me a roll full of pennies.

I was bowled over.

I slipped those coins into my pocket.

I felt like I was rich,
like I was Mr. Big Stuff.

I remember that.

She gave you those
pennies on Saturday,

and by Monday, you was in a fight.

You broke a boy's face
with a fistful of coins.

Remember that part?

You was a little thug even then.

You see, I'm not that boy anymore.

You still a gangster, ain't you?

That's what I want to
talk to you about...

about doing things differently.

When you was 11 years in prison,

your sister blamed herself

for not setting you on the right path.

That's what k*lled her.

And Mabel may have blamed herself,

but I blame you.

Pettigrew, give him
some money for the door.

[SCOFFS]

[CHUCKLES]

The true opiate plaguing America

is its addiction to money.

The haves and have nots.

That's the exact sort of thing
Ellsworth is trying to fight.

By building a bigger casino?

A casino that will provide jobs,

not to mention he wants to
build restaurants, a theater.

Which will all allow
Bumpy to rake in the money

hand over fist.

What is your problem with
my husband and his money?

It's just an observation,
not an opinion.

Ellsworth is a businessman.

Everything he has,
he's made from nothing.

He cares for his
family. He's charitable,

not to mention he's
reinvented himself,

gotten out of the drug trade.

I, for one, admire him.

Hmph.

He's a man of many facets...

and contradictions.

[LIVELY JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

So, you're saying...

his money isn't about the paper.

It's about the power?

Yes, exactly.

But all the while, our people
are being abused by the cops

and exploited by an
economic caste system.

Well, you give voice to
that in your writing.

My husband does what
he can in his way.

But, Mrs. Johnson, is either enough?

♪

[ARGUMENT IN BACKGROUND]

Mail for Marshall Grant? I'll take it.

You're at the wrong zip code, brother.

Bingo.

Yeah.

♪

Brought you some biscotti.

I sure do love me a guinea cookie.

It's the kind you like.

♪

But you didn't come here for that.

What do you need? I know that face.

It's just... my father was right.

It's hard.

What's hard?

Being a woman, holding your
weight in a man's world,

or the fact that your dope got stolen?

♪

Both.

If Bumpy knows who stole your
dope, he won't give the man up.

- That's not Bumpy.
- Then I'm f*cked.

Whatever happened to
you going to Paris?

Going to Paris was never
really about Paris.

It was about getting
away from my family.

It was about being free.

I thought that by working for my dad,

I could earn that freedom here.

How's that going?

I'm the smartest one of
all my father's goombahs,

and he put f*cking Pino in charge.

I don't know anything about
big Italian families, Stella,

or mobsters and their dope.

But if what you want is power,

don't wait for some man
to bestow that on you.

He won't.

Fight for it. Steal it if you have to.

Power is something you gotta take.

♪

Same with this guinea cookie.

If you won't tell me how to make 'em,

I'm-a break right into your kitchen

and snatch your recipe box.

Thanks, Delia.

I'll see you soon.

[ESTHER WILLIAMS' "TRY ME" PLAYING]

♪ If you really wanna know ♪

♪ If I can stand your brand of love ♪

♪ Try me ♪

♪ Why don't you try me? ♪

♪ If you wanna know ♪

♪ If I'm affected by the moon above ♪

- ♪ Then try me ♪
- Are you Elise?

♪ Come on and try me ♪

- ♪ Don't you know My heart feels ♪
- Afeni Shakur.

♪ A strong desire ♪

[BUMPY] "Straub & Partners."

That mean anything to you, Bump?

Fred Straub, the real estate tycoon.

That cat's one of the richest
m*therf*ckers in the city.

That's him.

I have a feeling he's
using Mr. G as a straw man.

Straw man?

Straub's probably paying
Marshall a few dollars

to be his Harlem resident...

his token Black man to
get city tax breaks.

Fred Straub... he's the real owner.

So, that rich ofay's
trying to buy up Harlem.

m*therf*cker.

He bought your building
right out from under you.

[ELISE] I was surprised to learn
there were female Panthers.

That's from your time in the NOI,

where the women are
covered from head to toe,

their mouths included.

I traveled the world with Malcolm X.

He never once silenced me.

Never gave you the microphone, either.

It wasn't about me.

It was about Malcolm's aspirations.

Now that he's gone,
we've lost our voice,

our vision, our compass, our way.

So, what brought you
here to meet with me?

I saw the Panthers on TV, and I...

just felt pulled.

Your mission didn't die with Malcolm.

That's that white patriarchal bullshit

they want us to believe.

Malcolm only stoked a fire

that was already inside of you.

It's inside the Panthers, too.

Now, numbers in New
York are still growing.

The real cavalry's out in California.

But we don't silence our women.

We put bullhorns in their hands.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[HORNS HONKING]

[SIREN WAILING]

[HORNS CONTINUE HONKING]

♪

Mr. Straub, Mr. Ellsworth
Johnson is here.

Bumpy Johnson.

Fred Straub.

Care for a whiskey?

No, thanks.

Is this the monstrosity you plan
on building on my city blocks?

It seems that this property

was deeded to a... Marshall Grant.

Yes.

Wonderful man. A musician, no less.

Yeah, but that's what
made me wonder...

what's a retired musician
have to do with the deed

to demolish city blocks?

He's probably a smart
businessman like you.

Let's call it what it is.

You're using an old man to
cheat a city-funded program.

Harlem is in shambles.

We're gonna tear down and rebuild

and stimulate economic growth.

I'm sure the mayor's office will agree

that's good for the city.

That's my property.

If Marshall Grant doesn't
sign it back over to me,

I'm gonna sue you and your investors.

Straub & Partners retains
the most powerful,

expensive team of attorneys
on the East Coast.

I can tie you up in legal paperwork

for as long as you spent in Alcatraz.

But, uh...

perhaps we can discuss terms

if you're interested in
becoming an investor.

[LAUGHS]

With all due respect...

go f*ck yourself.

[DOOR CLOSES]

- [WOMAN GIGGLING]
- You f*cking strunz.

[CLEARS THROAT]

What did I say about
drinking on the job, huh?

This liquor is cheap as sh*t anyways.

- What'd you find?
- Nothing.

Looked everywhere.

Checked all of Johnson's
spots, like Pino said.

Wherever he's hiding our dope,

it's gonna take a team of
bloodhounds to find it.

Forget Bumpy. He didn't take our sh*t.

Go back to all our dope spots
and check out who's dealing.

You see anybody who ain't ours,

yank 'em up and bring the dope with.

♪ A-wonderin' All the
way down the road ♪

The f*ck you looking
at? Do like she says.

♪ A child, I'm told ♪

♪ I gave her my heart,
But she wanted my soul ♪

♪ But don't think
twice, It's all right ♪

♪ I said don't think
twice, It's all right ♪

[MR. WILLIAMS] The great
explorer Christopher Columbus

brought civilization to
the American Indians,

a tribe of people that hadn't
even entered the Iron Age.

[YARDSTICK BANGS]

Write this down, class.
You will be tested.

According to Columbus's own
testimony, the Arawak...

that's one of the tribes...

they willingly gave us
everything they own.

They brought us parrots and
ba*ls of cotton and spears

and many other things.

Yes, Margaret?

In addition to being a great explorer,

wasn't Columbus also responsible
for a lot of murders?

No, he was not.

But it says right here in the book.

Where? Where does it say that?

You're right. I apologize.

It wasn't m*rder because he
says here in one of his letters,

"The Arawak people would
make fine servants.

With 50 of my men, we
could subjugate them all

and force them to do
whatever we want."

Stop reading. Stop! You're
disrupting my lesson.

"To subjugate"...

that means "to oppress," correct?

That's enough, Margaret. Be quiet.

So, Columbus never wanted
to k*ll the Arawak people.

- He wanted to enslave them.
- Shut your mouth!

[YARDSTICK SLAMS DESK]

[SIRENS WAILING]

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

[ARGUMENT IN DISTANCE]

Well, well, well.

If it isn't our little heroin kingpin.

Trust us when we tell you

handing back Bumpy Johnson
a bunch of milk sugar

ain't the smartest idea.

Bumpy wants to talk with you.

Oh, I'm guessing I'm in trouble, huh?

You are trouble.

Tell you what.

Y'all boys let me go,

I got ten kilos left.

You split it between each other.

Boy...

ain't you learned nothing?

Bumpy don't sell no
dope. Neither do we.

Let's go.

No, I don't think I will.

Hey, hotshot...

if Bumpy wanted you dead,

we wouldn't be standing
here flapping our gums.

So, come walking,

or come flat on your back.

Your call.

[CHUCKLES]

[HORN HONKS]

[COLOMBO] See, the thing
you gotta understand...

Johnson is about as
thick-headed as they come.

You know, once he gets
his mind set on something,

you can't change it.

You got a light?

We can't have him getting
in the way of the project.

I've got investors to answer to.

You're gonna need to
take care of Johnson.

That I can't do.

Isn't that exactly what mob guys do?

Mob guys?

What kind of term is that?

It's a form of prejudice
because I'm Italian.

Let me be very clear about something.

I am a businessman.

I supply the concrete.
I supply the workers.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Fine.

What are we gonna do
about Johnson interfering?

Look, all we have to do is make sure

that Marshall Grant
stays in our pocket.

But Johnson's trying
to get to the guy.

If Marshall changes his mind,

then we can kiss Harlem
revitalization bye-bye.

He's not gonna change his mind.

I tell you what I do. I
sit down with Marshall,

make sure he understands
what's at stake.

Good. Good.

And once the project's finished,

Marshall's gonna have to go.

The man is practically
an octogenarian.

He's lived a good,
long life, I'm sure.

Salute.

♪

Yes, I understand the school's policy.

[DOOR CLOSES]

I absolutely will.

[RECEIVER SLAMS]

We need to talk, young lady.

I'm tired.

The principal of your
school just called me.

You've been suspended?

Mr. Williams is the one
that should be kicked out.

Did you or did you not
talk back to your teacher

the same way you're talking
back to me right now?

I raised my hand.

And you still managed
to disturb your class.

It's not my fault Mr. Williams
didn't know the facts.

I raised you better than this.

We conduct ourselves
in a respectable manner

no matter what the circumstance.

[DOOR CLOSES]

What's going on?

That child is on my last nerve.

Margaret?

What's going on?

It's not like you to be disruptive.

You can tell me.

You wanna know what
really goes on in class?

Of course.

♪

♪

It's happening to a lot of kids.

[SNIFFLES]

I got a feeling that you
didn't leave the South

to come up here and rob me.

I suggest you return
that duji you skimmed.

[SCOFFS] I got a feeling

you ain't my pops.

I mean, you don't know nothing

about why I didn't came from anywhere.

You always so salty?

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

You care about the duji so much,

why you just give it back
to the Italians any old way?

I like to stay at peace
with the Gigantes.

What about the rest, huh? Who they is?

Joe Colombo, Lucchese, Gambino...

They're all in the duji game, too.

Why did you come up to Harlem?

You didn't come to Harlem, did you?

You runned here.

You was chased.

[SCOFFS]

Nah.

Geechee man?

Nah.

Now, what you done ran here from?

Likely same reason as you.

Went to live somewhere Black,

where I'd wake up in the morning

without a haint or a boo
hag sitting on my chest,

sucking all the life out of me.

sh*t. Uh...

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

I don't know nothing about all that.

I came here to make some bread.

And yet when I gave you a job,

you skimmed the duji.

Gave me a job?

[SCOFFS]

No.

You chose me for that job

'cause I was expendable,

and now you're gon' school me?

Huh?

Let me learn you
something, Mr. Johnson.

Ain't no man Lord over me.

I'm the boss of me.

You're a punk

and a fool.

The job I gave you was a test.

You failed, just like you're
failing again right now.

Get out!

Don't make me deliver
your a*s to the devil.

Cross me once more, and I will.

♪

[PRINCIPAL] As you both know,

the law allows teachers to
punish disobedient children.

Lashing a student isn't punishment.

It's abuse.

Your child was insubordinate.

I don't give a g*dd*mn iota
what Margaret's offense were.

You should know

that there are other
students with bruises.

I don't see those other mothers here.

But your daughter's
been a troublemaker.

She... talks back to Mr. Williams.

Quite honestly, we are here
to talk about Mr. Williams.

That man abused Margaret.
He hit her with a yardstick.

Ladies. Ladies, please.

I'll speak to Mr. Williams directly.

No! You'll fire Mr. Williams!

I think it's time you left my office.

We aren't going anywhere
until we get justice.

You'll have to leave the premises now.

Don't make me call the police.

[BUMPY] Mabel sure was pretty.

Yeah, until you drove her to drink.

I want to apologize for busting
into your apartment last time.

What do you want this
time... break a window?

I didn't come here to make
a problem with you, Mr. G.

[CHUCKLES] Scam artists
never want problems, do they?

Frank Straub is the one
who's running the scam,

not me.

Straub is the one paying my rent.

That ain't no scam.
That's an agreement.

I'll happily provide you
with more than rent money.

[CHUCKLES] For starters...

You can flash all the
cash you want, boy.

Money don't make the man.
The man make the man.

"Boy"?

This is Bumpy Johnson
you're talking to.

Show some respect.

Why? He ain't earned it.

You're about to earn yourself
a thorough a*s-whupping.

Pettigrew, ease up, okay?

I ain't letting him
talk to you like that.

The man is an elder.

Don't think you impress me, Ellsworth.

You the same boy you always been.

Beelzebub's inside you.

♪

[MAN] Frankie, I want my
money by this afternoon!

[SIREN WAILING]

♪

[MAN AND WOMAN ARGUING IN SPANISH]

[HINGES SQUEAK]

♪

[WHISPERING] Where's the pusher?

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

Gah! f*ck you!

[GRUNTS]

[GRUNTING]

Hey.

[GRUNTING CONTINUES]

[MUTTERING]

Aah!

Ugh!

[GASPS]

Nice ring.

♪

This spaghetti is damn good.

Let me tell you.

You like it?

It's called pappardelle
alla carbonara.

It's the best you can find in America.

I have it special-delivered
from Bamonte's,

along with a very nice
bottle of Chianti.

- Mm.
- Listen, uh...

there's something pressing
I'd like to discuss with you.

I'm sorry, Mr. Colombo,

but if it's about that
white fellow Straub,

I don't want to hear.

No, no, no. No. It's
about Bumpy Johnson.

Do you know each other?

[SIGHS] Used to.

Not anymore.

Oh. So, you haven't met recently?

He showed up at my pad.

Wanted to... to talk to me
about that lot on 125th.

Well, what did he say?

Some sh*t about how he owned it.

Did he offer you anything?

Blood money. The man's
an upright criminal.

That's how he come out the womb.

Well, I-I take it you're
not a fan of Johnson?

You could say I've got a grudge,

and I'm still nursing
that grudge right now.

Mr. Grant... [CLEARS THROAT]

Listen, i-it's...

very important

that you don't break your
deal with Fred Straub.

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

You understand what I'm saying?

Yeah.

[HORNS HONKING]

We should tell Daddy.

No. No. We cannot tell your father.

Why, because he'll k*ll my teacher?

Oh, Margaret, please.

Your father would never.

I have eyes, Mama.

I know what Daddy does for a living.

He spent 11 years in
jail because of it.

Which is exactly
where he'll go back to

if anyone so much lays
a hand on your teacher.

If we don't tell Daddy,
Mr. Williams will get away

with abusing half my class.

Then there are other moms
who feel the same as us.

I say we rally them to protest.

We step foot on school property,

that principal will
call the police on us.

We'll be arrested.

Or worse.

Not necessarily.

Not if we have help.

[HORN HONKS]

My secret?

I just put a small amount
of olive oil on the cloth

and rub into the leather.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Forgive me, brother. Mind if I sit?

I owe you an apology.

Have a seat.

I called you out at my book signing,

but I'm the one that
turned my back on Harlem.

I went off to France.

It was selfish.

We missed you while
you was gone, Jimmy.

Selfish?

I wanted out of the ghetto.

I needed air.

But in truth...

I was trying to run
away from being Black.

You weren't Black in Paris? [CHUCKLES]

Brother, if I learned
anything overseas,

I learned that I am a n*gro man.

I am always Black.

Loud and proud. [LAUGHS]

And if you ask me,

the best thing that we
can do as Black people

is to remember who we are.

We need to bend ourselves
against white aggression,

and I hope we can shield
each other along the way.

This brother got a silver
tongue, don't he, Bumpy?

It's not just whitey.

I've been trying to build something.

Got Black folks putting
stones in my path.

Is what you're trying to
build for you or for them?

It's for all of us.

Then why don't you take those stones

folks are putting in your path

and let them be a part
of the foundation?

[BANGING ON DOOR]

[CHANCE] Open up!

Bumpy needs to see you.

[CLEARS THROAT]

I can't. I-I-I got plans today.

I-I-I...

I just can't.

Rearrange your schedule.

[SIGHS]

Well, now.

Look who's here.

Are you gonna k*ll me?

One thing's for sure... I'm
done reasoning with you.

Why are you bringing me here, then?

Why didn't you just
sh**t me in the head?

I'm not trying to
intimidate you, Mr. G.,

but I gotta find some
way to... open your eyes.

My eyes are wide open,

and what I'm looking
at is a damn gangster.

There are all kinds of gangsters...

Black ones, white ones.

Straub is a corporate gangster.

Well, I can't do nothing
to stop any of you.

That's not true.

You have all the power.
You just don't realize it.

I don't have no power.

I never have.

The future of Harlem
rests in your hands.

And I'm gonna drag your a*s to
Straub's office to prove it.

♪

Fellas, get the car.

♪ Victorious ♪

♪ Too many times my
people see me hurtin' ♪

♪ Too many times my
people see me broken ♪

♪ Too many times when
I ain't have a voice ♪

♪ Too many times when
I ain't have a choice ♪

♪ Too many times I
seem to be attacked ♪

♪ Now I think it's
time we fight back ♪

♪ Time to take our power back ♪

We anticipate starting construction

within the next three months.

Sorry, sir. I couldn't stop them.

Mr. Johnson.

To what do we owe the pleasure?

And I see you brought
a friend with you.

I thought you knew each other.

This is Marshall Grant,

your straw man.

♪

Uh...

♪ Ooh, ooh-ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh ♪

What the hell do you people
think you're doing here?!

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, Ooh-ooh ♪

I order you to leave
this building at once!

Sisters, are we in a schoolhouse,

or are we in a sl*ve house?

Keep your hands off our kids!

[WOMEN] Preach!

[WOMEN SHOUTING AT ONCE]

[BUMPY] I just wanna let
the owner of these buildings

see what you've got
planned for his properties.

You don't mind, do you?

No. No.

[LAUGHS] Of course. Be my guest.

As you can see,

it's a magnificent
multi-structure complex.

That will displace all the residents.

Exaggeration.

Displacement might
occur in some instances

as a practical necessity,

but it's not something I anticipate.

In these halls or on those streets,

what are we actually punished for?

The color of our skin?

The texture of our hair?

The shape of our bodies?

Or is it just the fact
that we exist at all?

Is that our crime?

Touch my daughter again,
and I'll beat your a*s!

[WOMEN] That's right!

[BUMPY] Check out the skyscraper.

These gentlemen will
get to see the sun.

The rest of us... we get
to live in the shadows.

I wanna build a place for us folks

where we can just be.

You all can come visit if you like,

but when you come,

no one will be bowing
their heads to you.

And when the cops come,

they won't be putting
their boots on our necks.

♪

These people never learn.

Let's remind them who's in charge.

♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh ♪

No more violence in our schools!

No more abuse in our community!

[PROTESTORS] Stop the pigs!

♪ Victorious ♪

♪ Just about to show 'em who's ♪

[ELISE] Fire that teacher, or
we are never going to leave.

♪ Glorious ♪

♪ We will see the whole world ♪

You want to test us?

Pig?

♪

Percy's Parking Garage.

Are you gonna tear
down the Apollo Theater

to put this up?

[CHUCKLES] Well, this is
all subject to review.

There will be a great need
for parking structures

with a project of this magnitude,

and, ideally, we'd
like to create some...

- I'm selling.
- Pardon me?

Oh. Well, that's exactly what
we wanted to hear, Mr. Grant.

I'm selling my property

and giving my 40
acres and my damn mule

to Bumpy Johnson.

I can sell it to you for a dollar.

That'll be two rolls
of pennies, please.

♪

I can do that. [CHUCKLES]

[SCOFFS]

♪

- [LAUGHS]
- Yes, sir.

I'm here to see Joe Colombo.

Got a business proposition for him.

♪

So, you're the Joe Colombo I've
been hearing so much about.

Well, depends on what
the f*ck you heard.

Folks saying you the sh*t.

Man that wants to
own the whole avenue.

- Who wants to own?
- That's right.

If you go into business with me,

you'll be owning Harlem.

Who the f*ck are you?

I'm Frank Lucas,

the m*therf*cker that
just scooped up 20 kilos

of high-quality dope...

well, after it done fell off a truck.

Your whole new place.

So?

This?

[LAUGHS] This is it?

sh**t! [LAUGHS]

This is all right!

One more thing.

♪

Now we're even.

Who'd have thought?

Hmm?

Bumpy Johnson.

♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, oooh ♪

♪ Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh, Ooh-ooh-ooh ♪

♪ Victorious ♪

♪ Just about to show
'em who's glorious ♪

♪ Just about to stop 'em ignoring us ♪

♪ We gon' see the whole
world adoring us ♪

♪ Victorious ♪

♪ Just about to show
'em who's glorious ♪

♪ Too many times my
people see me hurtin' ♪

♪ Too many times my
people see me broken ♪

♪ Too many times when
I ain't have a voice ♪

♪ Too many times when
I ain't have a choice ♪

♪ Too many times I sat
and tried to take it ♪

♪ Too many times they
forced indoctrination ♪

♪ Too many times I
see my people cryin' ♪

♪ m*therf*ckers complainin',
I'm finna lose my patience ♪

♪ Too many times I
see my people cryin' ♪

♪ Too many times I
see my people dyin' ♪

♪ Too many times I
seem to be attacked ♪

♪ Now I think it's
time we fight back ♪

♪ Think it's time to
take our power back ♪

♪ Victorious ♪

♪ Just about to show 'em who's ♪

♪ Glorious ♪

♪ Just about to stop 'em ♪

♪ Ignoring us ♪

♪ We gon' see the whole world ♪

♪ Adoring us, adorning us ♪

♪ Victorious ♪