01x05 - Choose Your Battles

[bunniefuu]

[MELLOW JAZZ]

♪ ♪

[GROWN KANAN] Previously on
Raising Kanan...

Your parents are cool.

Yeah, about some things. Not everything.

I told you that if you didn't
get your books right,

things were gonna change.

I found you a class at City College

that meets two days a week
and every other Saturday.

[SYMPHONY] Glad you
could make it, Kanan.

Welcome to History of
New York City Architecture.

- Take a seat.
- [FAMOUS] ♪ We all about to get up ♪

♪ Came out the Maserati blastin'... ♪

[CROWN] Look, I got
a showcase comin' up.

Famous sign with me, it's
a opportunity just to get

in a room and perform
for some industry heads.

Hey. [LAUGHS]

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

Hey, baby.

Let me holler at you outside.

We need to test your family members

to see if there's a match.

That's a short-ass list.

You need to understand that this

is a life-threatening illness.

[MARVIN] Yo, we gotta move everything

from the stash house to the new spot.

- I ain't goin' nowhere.
- [KANAN] Where Scrappy at?

[MARVIN] Shittin' himself
back at the crib.

Start packin', n*gga.
I'll be back in .

Make sure you don't f*ckin'
open the door for no one.

[g*nsh*t]

[GRUNTS]

[CRASHING]

- [g*nsh*t]
- [TIRES SQUEALING]

[g*nsh*t]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

[g*nsh*t]

[RETCHING]

Yo, you hit?

[KANAN] Once my mom find out, I'm dead.

[MARVIN] Yo, that's why
she ain't gon' find out.

You gon' clean this sh*t up.

Get you home. She'll
never know you were here.

♪ ♪

[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]

[BRAND NUBIAN] ♪ Hey, baby
your hips was gettin' big ♪

♪ Now you're gettin' thin ♪

♪ You don't care about your wig ♪

♪ Now Woolie Willie got
a pair of my sneakers ♪

♪ Wonder where he got 'em ♪

♪ 'Cause I hid 'em behind my speakers ♪

♪ The object of your affection
is the treetop connection ♪

♪ Where basically you love
to smoke the wools ♪

♪ The crackheads and cr*ck men
they come up to my door ♪

♪ I don't smoke jums so
what they knockin' for? ♪

♪ Kids love to feel on you
feds got a seal on you ♪

♪ Street time is limited to days ♪

♪ On your cr*ck card
you're gettin' only ♪

♪ "A"s and "C"s for comeback ♪

♪ Damn, it's a shame ♪

♪ You're the mighty queen of vials ♪

♪ With a wide-eyed look and
a rotten-toothed smile ♪

♪ Used to walk with a swagger
now you simply stagger ♪

♪ From one spot on to the next spot ♪

♪ On to the next spot on to the next ♪

♪ Bitch get a job from
me, you won't rob ♪

♪ 'Cause I'll smack you with
a hose filled with sand ♪

♪ Now, give that to the cr*ck man ♪

- ♪ You was fly once, now you're losin' all your fronts ♪
- Damn.

♪ Started off light on the tip... ♪

[GROWN KANAN] Every day, we fightin'.

With the streets. With the world.

With yourself.

♪ Slow down, down ♪

- ♪ Slow-slow down, down ♪
- ♪ What I am ♪

♪ Slow-slow down... ♪

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

I came across it a few days ago
but left it where I found it.

Seein' if maybe you would
tell me what happened

without me havin' to step to you.

But you didn't.

♪ ♪

I forgot I left it there.

Based on that shirt, looks
like either you got sh*t,

or someone standin'
real close to you did.

But here you are, up for breakfast.

So I guess we should just pour some out

for the brother who was next to you.

You were there with your Uncle Marvin.

Yeah, the stash house, Kanan.

He told me what happened,

but somehow forgot to mention
that you were there.

I wonderful why.

I was just goin' to get some
money Scrap owed me.

Saw Uncle Marvin there
loadin' up his car.

He said he ain't need help,

but I wasn't gon' let him do that alone.

Right. Because you like that.

You always wantin' to
lend a helpin' hand.

Like when I ask you to help me

with the dishes every damn night

and you don't do sh*t.

Ma, I'm tellin' the truth.

You're not.

But I'm not about to
get into it with you,

because I'm not even sure what
I wanna say to you right now.

Don't even know where to start.

Just sit down and eat.

[SOLEMN MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[SCOFFS]

I told you to stay away
from that stash house.

I couldn't have been clearer.

I said you were done.

♪ ♪

[KEYS JINGLE]

[RAP MUSIC PLAYING FAINTLY]

♪ ♪

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

Neighbors said that there was
some sort of car crash outside

and they heard multiple
sh*ts fired, but...

no one saw anything.

No one sees anything.

And then bodies start turnin' up.

Looks like somebody
didn't have the stomach

for whatever happened here.

That ain't original construction,

that's for f*ckin' sure.

Can you say dope spot?

Stash house?

Maybe a robbery?

Who the f*ck knows?

We ain't got a victim,
we ain't got a crime.

Our work here is done.

So you left out some
of them finer details

when you told us about the
stash house gettin' hit.

Yo, I mean...

I did?

I mean, sh*t happened fast, you know.

I mean, I was cappin'-cappin' one n*gga.

Bow. Bow.

Then another n*gga this way. Bow. Bow.

Yo, I was like a Black Rambo out there.

I might have left out, you
know, some-some sh*t.

But yo, you got the basics.

No, my son was there, Marvin.

Is Kanan not a part of the basics?

Raq...

[RAQ] I don't even wanna hear

your bullshit version of what went down.

I got all that from Kanan.

I been sittin' on this for a few days,

just waitin' to see if one
of you would come clean.

It's a test that both of you failed.

And he ain't snitch on you, by the way.

He took it all on himself.

Boy's got heart.

Too much heart.

And too much trust in his dumbass uncle.

Look, what had happened was...

Shut the f*ck up.

I just was...

See, this is our older brother's
problem right here.

He don't listen.

So focused on tellin' a new lie

to cover up the old lie

that he don't hear what I'm sayin',

which is shut the f*ck up.

And I can't tell if it's 'cause

he thinks he knows better than me

or that he just... he don't
care what I have to say.

What you think, Lou?

Can't call it, sis.

[RAQ] I said Kanan was on ice.

I said he was to be kept
away from the business.

But you ain't hear me, though,
so my son almost got k*lled.

And we lost half our sh*t.

Even for you, that's a busy
day of f*ckin' up, Marvin.

I saved Kanan.

You're missin' the point.

But just like I told Kanan this mornin',

I don't have the time or the energy

to explain it to you right
now, so we movin' on.

We about to go on offense.

I wanna know what 'Nique's
doin' before he do it.

I wanna get in that n*gga's head.

We ain't goin' to w*r, but
we ain't layin' down, neither.

What about that rat
we need to smoke out?

Someone gave up the stash.
We need to find out who.

[LOU-LOU] Could have been anybody.

We been posted up there
way too long anyway.

Yeah, and it don't even matter.

What matters is, we know
it was 'Nique that hit us.

We handle that n*gga,
we handle everything.

And I'm on that, so don't
do nothin' else stupid.

Remember we got that meetin'
over at Baisley later.

And pick up all that sh*t.

I'm gettin' too tired of cleanin' up

after your sloppy ass.

This n*gga.

Had Kanan up in the stash house

with a g*n to his head.

[LOU-LOU CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

Damn, n*gga.

You just can't help
but f*ck up, can you?

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[SYMPHONY] Projects are
due a week from Monday.

So don't wait 'til
Sunday night to start.

That attention to detail says
a lot about you, Kanan.

You notice the little things.

Nothing gets past you.

You care.

That's gonna serve you well

in everything you do for
the rest of your life.

It's actually kind of cool.

I mean, this whole class has been...

Boring?

Wasn't as bad as I thought.

Well, that means something,
coming from you.

I can't lie.

I gave my moms a hard time

when she put me in here with you.

[CHUCKLES] I heard.

Especially this whole
Saturday school thing.

Come on, man, it's wack,
and you know it.

Learnin' don't take weekends
off, young brother.

[SCOFFS LIGHTLY]

It's been cool, though. For real.

I appreciate that.

Did you know that that bridge was built

so middle-class white folks
could get around us?

[GROWN KANAN] Here he go again.

This n*gga Symphony never stop teachin'.

Class was always in
session with this n*gga.

But on the real, I liked it about him.

Black families were
movin' into Brooklyn,

so the white people moved out.

But they built them a bridge

so they could still get into the city.

The Van Wyck Expressway near
you is the same damn thing.

They put up that highway,
tore down whole neighborhoods,

so people going to the airport

could avoid drivin' through the hood.

Only time they stop is
to fill up they cars.

Hmm.

That's why the gas station
near the Van Wyck

is packed with white folks
doin' the mad dash.

Only time you ever see them in the hood

is when they fuelin' up.

Racism is built right into this city.

It's been set up to keep us
right where they want us.

It's like that.

Look, I'm not tryin' to do the whole

"I wanna be your friend"
thing or anything like that,

but if you ever need anything

or just wanna kick it,

I'm around, man.

Hit me up anytime.

You really like my mom.

I do.

That's cool.

[MARVIN] Rockin' all this secret sh*t.

f*ck is Baisley about, anyway?

n*gg*s spend they whole life
tryin' to get out the projects.

She movin' us in.

Marvin, you ever think that maybe

if you kept better secrets
back in the day,

you wouldn't have done
that whole bid in Elmira?

I got set up.

No, you did it to yourself,
n*gga, like you always do.

And you doin' the same sh*t here.

Only it ain't just you anymore.

It's all us, and I ain't dyin'

or goin' to prison over
your stupid sh*t, n*gga.

You on Raq's d*ck, n*gga.

Always steppin' and fetchin'.

No, I handle my business.
You should try it sometime.

Your business ain't about sh*t, n*gga.

Fake-ass Quincy Jones up in here.

Yeah.

I know all about you and Crown Camacho.

Heard Juke on the phone
talkin' to Famous.

Sound to me like the only
song you gon' be singin'

is "That Puerto Rock Record
n*gga f*cked My Bitch".

Oh, but you got a song too, Marvin.

Only yours goes,

"That New York Knick n*gga
f*cked My Baby Mama

and Then Turned Her Out to
the Whole g*dd*mn League".

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[TRASH CANS CLANKING]

[MARVIN] What's up, n*gga? What's up?

[LOU-LOU] Get the f*ck...

[GRUNTS]

♪ ♪

- [SIREN CHIRPS]
- [OFFICER] Hey!

[OFFICER] Hey!

[OFFICER] Don't make us
get out of this car.

[OFFICER] Have a nice day boys.

[COUGHS]

You lucky five-oh saved
your ass, baby bro.

You know what, Marvin?

You ain't never been sh*t.

Won't ever be sh*t.

There go Lou.

Gonna go nurse on...
nurse on his sister's titty.

Hey, if I'm on the right,

your bitch ass is on the left, baby.

[CLAPS]

f*ck you.

sh*t.

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

[ENGINE REVVING]

[HORNS HONKING IN DISTANCE]

You can't smoke in here,
Detective Howard.

My fault.

[DR. NICHOLS CLEARS THROAT]

The hospital in Montgomery

called with your cousins' results.

Neither is a good match as
a potential donor for you.

[SCOFFS LIGHTLY] sh*t.

They was gonna extort the hell out of me

for that sh*t anyway.

Since you don't have
any other relatives,

my office has contacted the
Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

But I don't want to get your hopes up.

It's a long sh*t.

And even if we were to
identify a partial match,

we're still operating on the fringes

of medical science here.

But given the paucity
of choices we're facing,

it's our best and only option.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS]

Lifestyle changes can
often make a big difference

when it comes to
potential outcomes here.

Certainly, smoking is a bad idea.

[HOWARD] sh*t. I'm a bad idea.

[DR. NICHOLS] But also,
modifications to your diet

and a regular exercise regimen

can help to improve your prognosis.

And there are holistic
and alternative treatments

that, uh, have shown promise.

"Alternative treatments".

So we throwin' Hail Marys now.

Just tell me this: am I on some

get-my-affairs-in-order type sh*t?

If we can't find a good
match for you soon,

we'll start to discuss palliative care.

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

[UPBEAT LATIN MUSIC
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

♪ ♪

Hello snow bunny.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Hey. No reading.

You read, you pay.

♪ ♪

Ay-yi-yi. Sí, sí, sí, sí.

Put it back.

Yo, when I blow up,

this gonna be the worst
I do right here, yo.

That's a nine for other n*gg*s.

This gonna be, like,
a-a three or four for me.

This the bottom right here.

These hos gonna know me.

My name ain't Famous for nothin'.

- Yeah, it is.
- f*ck you know, Juke?

I'm a girl.

On the strength of that alone,

I know more about girls than you

and any other n*gga you know combined.

Your cousin talkin'
sh*t about us, Kanan.

[LAUGHS]

Wastin' my damn breath, as usual.

A'ight, then, what you got, Juke?

Hit us with some of that
girl wisdom of yours.

I know what works and what doesn't.

I know what feels good.

And I know how to make
somebody else feel good.

[SNORTS]

Look, unlike you two suckers,

I've actually been with somebody.

[FAMOUS] What?

Since when?

You out here like that?
Like-like, for real?

What the f*ck? Who you been with?

- I been tryin' to hit them skins since the fifth f*ckin' grade.
- Hey.

You gonna let some random-ass n*gga hit?

I'm supposed to be your first.

Uh, yeah, that was never gonna happen.

And you know that's my cousin

you speakin' on right now, right?

- Show a little respect, n*gga.
- No.

I don't get no word
from either one of y'all.

Especially you, K?

I gotta find out about this sh*t

readin' over some random-ass
titties in Playboy.

Yeah, I been busy gettin'
sh*t at and robbed and sh*t.

So I'm the last n*gga to know.

[SCOFFS]

Yeah. You are.

Bullshit.

Still no idea who ratted
out the spot, right?

Got my suspicions.

Yeah, me too.

Who?

Man, f*ck all that.
Let's get back to Juke.

Who hit?

I know you might not wanna hear this,

but I can't help but think
maybe your girl had a hand.

[FAMOUS] Hold up. Davina?

You think Davina gave
up Raq's stash house?

Famous, shut the f*ck up.

I'm sorry, Juke just said
Davina a f*ckin' rat.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

Yo.

[DOOR CLATTERING]

[FAMOUS] You f*ckin' said it.

♪ ♪

Davina ain't had nothin'
to do with that, man.

She was with Buck, she
got connects to Unique,

and you said she
rolled through the spot.

n*gga, she ain't know
what the f*ck it was.

It ain't like I invited her in there.

Whatever, man. I'm just sayin'.

Scrappy. That's who gave that sh*t up.

n*gga think I'm takin' his f*ckin' spot.

He call in sick the same day we get hit

and he show up with some new Jordans?

He's a f*ckin' rat.

I'ma handle that fool, though.

'Cause that's me.

Scrappy one of the most loyal
soldiers your mom's got.

He practically family.

Family? [SCOFFS]

What you know about my family, Juke?

I know your family's my family, n*gga.

And there's sh*t about our
family that you don't know.

Secrets you don't wanna know.

I know your secrets, Juke.

I suggest you watch your f*ckin' mouth.

♪ ♪

You think I'm f*ckin'
scared of you, n*gga?

Yo, f*ck you, Kanan.

♪ ♪

Yo, I...

Where's she goin'?

Don't know, don't care.

Y'all beefin'. Got it.

[KANAN SCOFFS]

♪ ♪

This is it.

[TIRES SQUEALING IN DISTANCE]

This is the spot.

It's facin' the right way,

so we can see the street down below.

We'll take this one and
the one underneath it.

Like I said, though, it's occupied.

And the tenant's got, like,

eight months left on his lease, so...

Figure that sh*t out, then.

Figure what sh*t out?

What the f*ck y'all doin' in my spot?

Y'all must think I'm some other n*gga,

'cause this Black man
ain't goin' nowhere.

But y'all m*therf*ckers
need to get to steppin'.

And who the f*ck told you you could just

roll through here without
no heads-up, Darius?

He do what we say, just like you do.

You must got me confused
with some other fool, son.

I ain't goin' out like that.

Yo, I'll tell you how you goin' out.

[GRUNTING]

I ain't just tellin' you.
I'm showin' you, n*gga.

- Marvin.
- [LARRY PANTING]

Go get some air.

Take Darius with you.

You know who I am, right?

- I-I think so.
- [RAQ] Mm.

Then you know that one
way or the other, this...

this apartment is about to be mine.

Only question left is how
you gon' end up in the deal.

[OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[FAMOUS] Yo, Juke!

Yo, hold up. Damn.
You walk fast as sh*t.

So who got there before I did?

I can't do this with you
right now, Famous, okay?

I-I need to be on my own sh*t.

[LAUGHS] A'ight. Yo.

I'm 'bout to go to the stu',
put some flows down.

You wanna come through, see
what a real artist look like?

Oh, so you a real artist now?

[SCOFFS] Man, you know this.

Maybe you could slide through,

hop in the booth, show 'em what you got.

You know, there's-there's
gon' be a producer there.

I know you wanna be down.

Don't let this sh*t
with Kanan f*ck it up.

That sh*t gon' be squashed.

f*ck it.

Ain't like I got sh*t to do anyway.

You about to me on my d*ck, girl.

- Yo, we out.
- Whatever man.

[DOOR OPENS]

We're gonna clean it out, clean it up,

and get to this remodel.

Yo, uh, where homeboy with the mouth at?

Gettin' boxes to pack his sh*t up.

- You gon' help him move.
- Yo, f*ck that.

That m*therf*cker be talk...

He better not say sh*t else.

[DARIUS] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

You can't do any construction in here

without prior approval
from the building inspector.

We gon' be a'ight.

Look, I just need you to make sure

that we can get the unit
directly below this one.

Now, go figure that sh*t out,
and I'll hit you up later.

Bounce, m*therf*cker.

Yo, so, um, when you and
Kanan movin' in here?

n*gga, is you out your f*ckin' mind?

You think that me and my
son, we movin' up in here?

[SCOFFS] sh*t.

When I move, you gon'
be the last to know.

Look, we bringin' the
business up in here.

From up high like this,

we can see 'em comin' from a mile away.

No more bum rushes or
tusslin' over corners

or hidin' stash houses
or bodega bullshit.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Then why you need two?

We gon' connect this unit
to the one below it.

Put in a hidden drop between 'em.

So if the police, somebody
tries to f*ck with us,

we can just throw our
sh*t down the chute

to the apartment below.

Foolproof.

While 'Nique out on the street,
fightin' for tired corners,

we in the sky, lookin' down on him

and all the rest of these m*therf*ckers.

We 'bout to be on the mountaintop.

The mountaintop?

[SOFT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[KNOCK AT DOOR]

I spoke to your uncle.

And I told him the same
thing that I told you.

Look, I don't wanna know any more

than what I already know
about what happened.

But like I keep tellin' you,
I know sh*t that you don't.

Come on, why everybody always
tellin' me what I don't know?

You been playin' me, Ma.

One day, I'm in. Next day, I'm out.

One day, I'm on the stash.

Next day, I'm at
after-school with your man.

You told me you was gonna
show me how this works.

Teach me the game.

Instead, you just been
playin' with my head.

What you want, Kanan? Huh?

And don't tell me you want a corner,

'cause that's not happenin'.

Not anytime soon, that is.

Look, nobody start off in
this sh*t bein' Tony Montana.

All right, show me how to cook, then.

Cook? Cook what?

What you think?

I already know spaghetti and meatballs.

I wanna learn.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYS]

[SCOFFS]

Damn, Kanan.

You my son, that's for sure.

You know what you want,
and you want it now,

and you not gon' wait on nobody.

Nope. Not even you.

I gotta think about this.

[KANAN] Think about it, Ma.

But I'm done gettin' played.

When I pulled up just now,
I saw you fly into the house

like the police was chasin' you.

What's goin' on?

I was just gettin'
quarters for Gerardi's.

- I'ma drop you off.
- A'ight.

♪ ♪

[SMOOTH MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[ENGINE REVVING]

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

Uh-oh.

What's lil' man up to?

[BURKE] I thought we
were tailin' Raquel.

You said she might connect back
to that stash house situation.

First off, that kid right there,

he was friends with D-Wiz.

Went to high school with Buck Twenty.

And his mom's a known drug trafficker.

He's got links to every
cold case we got goin' on.

And at the same time,

lil' m*therf*cker comes
from hustlin' royalty.

His father... Rondell "Def Con" Stark,

whose face belongs on the
Mount Rushmore of kingpins,

right next to Nicky Barnes
and Frank Lucas.

Kanan Stark's the motherfuckin' prince

of the Southside.

And sometimes when you
wanna get to the queen...

You gotta go through the prince.

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

[SCRAPPY] Yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, let's get it.

Come on, baby.

Money, money, money. Let's go!

Get that money. Get that money.

Come on boy!

Ooh!

Thought you were sick.

Why you thinkin' 'bout me at all, n*gga?

'Bout to take all these suckers' money.

[MAN] Let's go, man.

Hey, you heard about what happened?

Don't you got errands
to run for your mama?

Go pick up that quart of milk

and a pack of Kools
on the corner, n*gga.

[PUBLIC ENEMY'S "SHUT 'EM DOWN"
PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]

I need to talk to you.

You out your f*ckin' mind,
puttin' hands on me.

Stash house didn't get
hit by itself, Scrap.

Somebody inside the crew been talkin'.

Your ass wasn't there
the day we got hit.

I wonder why.

I swear, if you wasn't Raq's kid,

I'd f*ck you up right
now for even thinkin'

about thinkin' that bullshit.

I ain't no snake-ass n*gga.

Your moms know that better than anyone.

[CHUCKLES]

If this was comin' from Raq,

I'd be tore up already.

So I know she ain't put
your punk ass on me.

n*gga, this ain't got
nothin' to do with Raq.

I got my own eyes and ears.

[LAUGHS] You need to get
to your after-school class

or homeroom or whatever, n*gga,

'cause you a boy playin'
in a man's world right now.

- Word?
- [KANAN] Yeah.

- Word?
- Come on.

Let's go, boy. I been waitin' for you.

You know that, right? Yeah.

What's up now? Oh.

Yeah, they call me Slappy.

Yeah. Huh?

[SCRAPPY] Get your ass up. Let's go.

Let 'em wear themselves
out for a minute.

[SCRAPPY] Let's go. Uh-huh.

Burn off some of that testosterone?

That's what I'm talkin' about.

[GRUNTING]

[ENGINE TURNING OVER]

[PUBLIC ENEMY] ♪ Come on ♪

♪ All right ♪

- ♪
♪
- Yeah, that's blood little man.

♪ One, two, three, four ♪

♪ Five, six, seven eight, nine ♪

♪ What I use in the
battle for the mind... ♪

[GRUNTING]

Come on, boy.

- Come on!
- Come on.

- Come on.
- What's up, boy?

[SIREN CHIRPS]

- Hey, I'm out.
- [HOWARD] All right. All right.

Rumble in the Jungle's over.

- Nah, we-we were just playin'.
- Yeah, that's my dog.

Yeah, well, your dog's
about to be on a leash.

♪ Read the law ♪

♪ Then become a victim of a lawyer ♪

♪ Don't know ya never saw ya ♪

♪ Tape cued, getting me sued ♪

♪ Playing games with my
head what the judge said ♪

♪ Put me in the red, got me thinkin' ♪

♪ 'Bout a trigger to the lead ♪

♪ No, no my educated mind say ♪

♪ Suckers gonna pay anyway
there gonna be a day ♪

♪ 'Cause the troop they roll in ♪

♪ To posse up whole ♪

If the police see this, I am
the one who goes to prison.

And once again, I'm
payin' you for that risk.

That's how this sh*t works.

That's what the f*ck you signed up for.

I need to be paid more.

We already negotiated a price.

Renegotiate, then.

We shake hands when we negotiate.

We throw hands when we renegotiate.

And you don't want that, papi.

You don't want that at all.

[HOWARD] Damn, you bleedin', son.

Mouth bleedin'.

Clean yourself up.

What the f*ck am I
supposed to do with that?

Name?

[SCOFFS] I ain't sayin' nothin'

'til my legal guardian get here.

Look who knows a little bit.

Kanan... Stark.

Date of birth?

I'm waitin' for my people.

I'm excited to see your moms.

Raq love me. She always has.

We go way back. She
ain't tell you about us?

Nah, we don't talk about police.

Look, I wasn't plannin' on chargin' you.

I could, but I'm not.

But if you make this harder
than it needs to be,

I'ma take you to a place
you don't wanna go.

August , .

Thought you was older.

And why you care?

[SCOFFS]

I'm here for Kanan. He
called me to pick him up.

You okay?

And who are you exactly?

Family friend.

Well, family friend is not
a legal guardian, brother.

Police grabbin' up Black boys
off the street for nothin'

but the melanin in their skin

isn't exactly legal either... brother.

[LAUGHS]

We got us another n*gga
with a law degree

from I Don't Know sh*t University.

I ain't a n*gga, Officer.

Somebody got their feelings hurt.

Apologies, brother.

I ain't your brother, neither.

Stay out of trouble, B.

[SYMPHONY] Let's go.

_

_

[HIP-HIP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

♪ Sucker bully, double shotty ♪

♪ sh**t' up your lobby ♪

♪ These streets need a body ♪

♪ I'm too famous ♪

♪ Me and my n*gg*s 'bout the triggers ♪

♪ Puttin' bodies in rivers ♪

♪ Robbin' from major figures ♪

♪ ♪

[CROWN] Yes, sir.

Wow.

Yo, when's Retta gonna
come to lay the hook?

[JESSICA] You like me again?

Never stopped likin' you.

Good, don't ever stop.

[MILO] Retta said she's
not f*ckin' with you

'til you pay what you owe.

A'ight, what about Sylvia?

Same thing.

For the record, I haven't seen
a check in, like, three weeks.

You talkin' family business
in front of the guests, Milo?

I don't give a sh*t.

They should know you
don't pay what you owe.

[CROWN] We talked about this.

Let me get through the showcase.

[MILO] Oh, now it's the showcase.

Because before, it was
the meeting at Polygram.

We all gotta eat, Crown.

My kid's mother is about
to take me to court

for missed child support.

How much you need?

You're payin' the bills now?

Yeah.

Lou's my boy.

He's here to help.

That's why he here.

Right?

How much you need to keep the lights on?

And to keep your baby moms quiet?

Couple Gs.

You good, then.

The guys down the hall
need to get paid as well.

Whoa, worry about yourself, Milo.

Get on the board.

And my niece singin'
on the song, by the way.

Uncle Lou, I...

Now, you know this ain't no

Brady Bunch family f*cking band.

We need a professional
vocalist in here, man.

Maybe we should let Crown
do what he does, baby.

Juke been makin' money on
her voice since she was five.

Everyone in the neighborhood
used to give her a quarter

to hear they favorite song.

That's why we call her Jukebox.

Get in there, Juke.

Uncle Lou, it's fine.

Hey.

I just paid for your studio time.

Time is money, Lou.

No, n*gga.

Money is money.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING OVER RADIO]

You can drop me right here.

Your house is still a few blocks up.

I can walk.

Yo, right here, right here.

♪ ♪

[ENGINE STOPS]

Is there any way you don't
tell my moms about this?

Man, Kanan, that's-that's
complicated, brother.

I mean, it's not my place.

Cops were just messin' with me.

You said it yourself.
Wasn't even about nothin'.

Is that why you called me?
So your mom wouldn't find out?

You a guy. You know how mothers can be.

Foster kid.

Yeah, never really knew my moms.

- My bad.
- Nah.

Look, I can't get in the
middle of you and Raq.

- That's not my place.
- Symphony.

She finds out,

she lockin' me in my room
and tossin' the key.

You ain't even gon' see me in class.

[CHUCKLES] She won't
pull you from class.

Well, you still don't know her, then.

When she burn sh*t down,
she burn it all down.

[GENTLE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

If she asks me, I'm comin' clean.

I won't lie to her.

But won't offer it up, either.

Thanks, man.

Just so I know,

why didn't you call your
uncles instead of me?

I couldn't reach 'em.

Right.

♪ Say your goodbye ♪

♪ You're on the wrong side ♪

♪ From day one we made the rule ♪

♪ So don't play us for no fool, oh ♪

♪ Street life ♪

♪ Nobody wants ya ♪

♪ They can talk like they want it ♪

♪ But they don't really want ♪

♪ The street life ♪

What?

[FAMOUS CHUCKLES]

Wow.

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

[HORN BLARES]

[ENGINE REVVING]

He rolled up on me. In
front of the whole block.

Don't care if he's your
boy. I gotta represent.

Get in the car, Scrap.

[HORNS HONKING IN DISTANCE]

[JUKEBOX] ♪ From day one
we made the rule ♪

♪ So don't play us like no fool, oh ♪

♪ Street life ♪

♪ Nobody wants ya ♪

♪ They can talk like they want it ♪

♪ But they don't really
want the street life ♪

[FAMOUS] ♪ Sucker bully
double shotty... ♪

f*ck, I love this song. Or
at least the part you sing.

I don't know if this guy
rapping is any good.

He actually isn't that bad.

My mom's making spaghetti.

Cool.

What?

Nothin'.

It's just, your parents
are so nice to me,

and they let me eat here all the time.

But something's wrong?

[SIGHS]

You guys make spaghetti
different than we do.

By "you guys", you mean...

White people.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

sh*t. Okay.

And, um, how do Black
people make spaghetti?

Noodles and sauce in a pan.

- Mm-hmm.
- Cheese on top.

Throw all that sh*t in the oven.

Spaghetti.

Yeah, I think I still like
white people pasta better.

- That's 'cause you white.
- [CHUCKLES]

♪ ♪

[FAMOUS] ♪ Every f*ckin' mornin' ♪

♪ I'm lookin' to hit the payout ♪

♪ Before you rob the stash house ♪

♪ Better know the layout ♪

♪ When b*ll*ts spray out ♪

♪ n*gg*s live and n*gg*s die... ♪

Hey, guys, I...

Nicole?

James?

- James.
- What is it?

Get out.

Mom, it's not...

Get out!

- [JAMES] What happened?
- Mom.

And to think that I
let you into my home.

You are f*cking repellent!

- [JAMES] Linda.
- [LINDA] Disgusting!

You are not welcome here! Leave!

You are not to ever
see my daughter again!

- [JAMES] Linda.
- [LINDA] Don't you ever come back!

Linda, please, calm down.

- Tell me what happened.
- Calm down?

- It's not her fault.
- What's not her fault?

I was kissing her.

[SOMBER MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

- Kissing?
- Laverne, please don't leave.

[LINDA] If I see you again,
I will call the police,

and I will have you arrested for r*pe!

Mom!

- Honey.
- No! Just f*cking stop!

[JAMES] Will somebody please tell me

what the f*ck is going on here?

- ♪
♪
- Oh, Jesus!

[LABORED BREATHING]

[RAQ SIGHS]

This might be the stupidest sh*t

I've ever done as your mother.

And Lord knows I've
done some stupid sh*t.

Ma, it's good. It's good.

Look, I'ma show you this,
but from here on out,

you're gonna do what I tell you to do.

My word gonna be the law.

You do what I say, and
you don't question me.

I got you. No doubt.

Look, the other reason
I'm doin' this is 'cause...

if somethin' ever happens to me,

I want you to be good.

I want you to be able to survive.

But you already promised nothin'

was ever gonna happen to you.

Well, you know enough now to know that

that's-that's not a promise I can keep.

♪ ♪

[WATER RUNNING]

[SIRENS WAILING IN DISTANCE]

First thing you need to know
is, what we're doin' here

is a straight violation.

You don't never cook where you sleep.

But we only doin' a small batch,

and I'm not tryin' to
take you over to the lab.

Here.

So you don't inhale this sh*t.

♪ ♪

[LAKIM SHABAZZ OVER TV]
♪ Played my people ♪

♪ Like puppets ♪

♪ By plantin' fear in their heart ♪

♪ Nowadays most of us
don't know where to start... ♪

Go on in.

♪ They love greed ♪

♪ And this really bothers me... ♪

Sit down, man.

♪ Totally ignorant ♪

♪ Walkin' around with
the [...] mentality ♪

♪ Five percent of us are ready
to die for the cause ♪

[MUSIC STOPS]

Worrell sayin' you thinkin' 'bout

flippin' over to this team.

Look, I'm all about
this business, 'Nique.

- It's about earnin' for me.
- [UNIQUE] Mm.

Nothin' more, nothin' less.

What about Raq?

You sellin' her out just like that?

f*ck Raq. And that bitch-ass Kanan.

Payin' my dues for five years,

and that n*gga done jumped me in line.

All the sudden, he the next one.

[SCOFFS] I ain't workin'
for Raq kid, hell no.

Yeah, I heard you two
had a little tussle.

You let that little n*gga
rough you up, man?

[LAUGHS]

I'm lookin' for a crew
that appreciates me

and what the f*ck I bring.

[BLACK SHEEP'S "THE CHOICE
IS YOURS" PLAYING]

♪ ♪

♪ Here they come, yo here they come... ♪

[SCOFFS]

♪ This or that? This or that? ♪

♪ This or that? This or that? ♪

♪ This or that? This or that? ♪

♪ This or that? This or that? ♪

♪ Who's the black sheep?
What's the black sheep? ♪

♪ Know not who I am or when
I'm comin', so you sleep ♪

♪ Wasn't in my realm or
wasn't in your sphere ♪

♪ Knew not who I was but listen here ♪

♪ Dres, D-R-E-S ♪

♪ Yes, I guess I can start
if it's all right with you ♪

♪ I'll rip this here joint apart ♪

♪ Back, middle, to the
front don't front ♪

♪ Want a good time gonna
give you want you want ♪

♪ Can I hear a hey? Can I get a yo? ♪

♪ You got a hat? It's for the hos ♪

♪ The stylin' is creative
black sheep of the native ♪

♪ Can't be violated
or even decepticated ♪

♪ I got brothers in the jungle
cousins on the quest ♪

♪ Dead, departed uncles ♪

♪ In pea porridge may they rest ♪

♪ Guess, which way what, when, how? ♪

♪ Mista Lawnge, Dres
black sheep slam now ♪

♪ Know you heard the others ♪

♪ Phonies to the lovers ♪

♪ Then of course the choice is yours ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I'll think I'll go with this
'cause this is where it's at ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I think I'll get with this
'cause this is kind of phat ♪

♪ Where's the black sheep?
Here's the black sheep? ♪

♪ Even if we wanted to the
flock could not be weak ♪

♪ Watch me swing like this ♪

♪ Why should I swing it like that? ♪

♪ Because in fact on me
it might not attract ♪

♪ Therefore I ignore
do as I feel inside ♪

♪ I live with me I've
got my back tonight ♪

♪ You know what I'm sayin'?
Yo, Black, I'm not playin' ♪

♪ Need to go with this and
go with this with no delay ♪

♪ And see in actuality
wonder can it be ♪

♪ I made it look easy
because it is to me ♪

♪ Anytime capacity was
filled tried to rock it ♪

♪ Anytime a honey gave us
play tried to knock it ♪

♪ Never was a fool so
we finished school ♪

♪ Never see us sweat and
you'll never see us drool ♪

♪ Out to rock the globe while
it's still here to rock ♪

♪ Don't punch girls and
we don't punch a clock ♪

♪ Gotta go, gotta go see
you later by the cat ♪

♪ And you can't b*at that with a bat ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I'll think I'll go with this
'cause this is where it's at ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I think I'll get with this
'cause this is kind of phat ♪

♪ Engine, engine number nine
on the New York transit line ♪

♪ If my train goes off the track ♪

♪ Pick it up, pick it up pick it up ♪

♪ Back on the scene crispy and clean ♪

♪ You can try, but then why ♪

♪ 'Cause you can't intervene... ♪

[GROWN KANAN] When people
who ain't from around the way

meet a hood n*gga like me,

they always think the same sh*t:

of course he ended up a thug.

Look where he grew up.

Look at his family.

Look at his f*cked-up life.

That sorry m*therf*cker
didn't have no choice.

No chance.

Because turnin' n*gg*s
like me into an animal

who can't decide sh*t for himself

makes 'em feel better.

Because if I can't think for myself,

then they don't need to think about me.

But I did have a choice.

And this is what I chose.

♪ You can get with this ♪

♪ Or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I think I'll get with this
'cause this is kind of phat ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ You can get with this
or you can get with that ♪

♪ I think I'll get with this
'cause this is where it's at ♪

♪ This is where it's at ♪

♪ Come on ♪

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

It turns out Kanan's .

What the f*ck you doin' here?

[HOWARD] I thought he was .

I remember seein' you push
him in the stroller back then,

and I asked you how old he was,

'cause at the time, I did wonder.

sh*t did cross my mind.

I don't know what the
f*ck you talkin' about.

[HOWARD] Yeah, you do.

Of course you do.

I set out to track you today,

follow you around,
see what you got into,

but somethin' told me
to stick with the kid.

Must have felt somethin' about him.

Seen somethin' in him.

sh*t.

Truth is, I probably known all along.

Just didn't wanna know.

Def Con went away October
' and stayed there.

No conjugals, either. I
checked with Corrections.

Kanan told me he was
born on August , ' .

Kanan's off-limits to you.

Def Con can't be Kanan's daddy, Raq.

Stay the f*ck away from my son.

You hid this sh*t from me.

You hid this sh*t, and you'll deny it,

but as sure as we standin' here

starin' each other in the f*ckin' face,

we both know the truth.

Kanan is my son.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

You either law's crazy or both.

I need to talk to 'Nique.

What's in it for me?

You may need a favor some day.

I like when you owe me favors, Lou.

You're just going down.

You step to *** uptown.

Yo, you really put in this work?

'Sup ***?

[GROANING]

Make sure he filled it on the way out.