02x03 - Sleeping Dogs

[bunniefuu]

[UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

[GROWN KANAN] Previously
on Raising Kanan...

All I want is for Kanan
to know I'm his father.

Truth is, I don't even know
who Kanan daddy is.

I don't remember sh*t from that night.

The kid... He can't sh**t for sh*t.

That crazy-ass cop.

I thought you said he
didn't remember my face, Mom.

What is this?

- I want you out.
- Where am I gonna go?

I don't have any money.

I don't know, and I don't care!

What you think about hustling
in my mixtapes?

Yo, you like music? You got
to check out his mixtape, man,

Puerto Rican Famous... He like
the next LL, for real, right here.

- What you boys selling?
- Mixtapes, man.

All right, the both of you,
up against the wall.

[FAMOUS] What the f*ck are you doing?

[JULIANA] The rats are too many.

[RAQ] Call an exterminator, Juliana.

[JULIANA] You have
all this money sitting here.

Why don't you spend it?

- You remember my mom at all?
- Of course.

She lives in Harlem...
Divorced twice, no kids.

[CARTIER] Yeah Zisa here...

She's the cream of the proverbial crop.

- I propose a single deal.
- [LOU-LOU] Done.

What the f*ck?

- I'm moving, Lou.
- You're leaving tomorrow?

I got to look out for myself
because no one else is gonna do it.

[PERNESSA] I saw Raq today.
It scared me.

It scared me for all of us...
For me, you, and Jerome.

Raq ain't gonna do nothing
to us, all right?

- Why y'all want to mess with me?
- We know you a hell of an earner.

We got to get the team
back together, man.

I'm on the other sh*t, 'Nique.

What, you on Raq's d*ck, n*gga?

But y'all giving projects
to Unique's boy instead of me?

I've been down with
y'all n*gg*s since I was !

We got you, Scrap.

- [HOWARD] You got a snitch.
- Scrap?

[HOWARD] He working with us.

Scrap could put us all away forever.

Let's do this, then.

[LAUGHING] Oh.

- Nah.
- [g*nsh*t]

♪ ♪

[TV SHOW IN SPANISH PLAYING]

[IN SPANISH] Don't
listen to the lowlife!

[TV SHOW CONTINUES IN SPANISH]

[GROWN KANAN, IN ENGLISH]
Everyone a liar in the game...

Hey! Put it back.

[GROWN KANAN] ...from
the crackhead telling you

he'll get you next time when he coppin'

to the corner boy bullshittin'
about how clean his dope is

to the cop who's skimmin' off his bust.

Everyone's full of sh*t.

[TV SHOW CONTINUES IN SPANISH]

Eighty-nine cents.

[GROWN KANAN] The truth
is like that f*cking J Train.

sh*t might be slow, might be late,

might even skip a few stops
along the way...

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[GROWN KANAN]
...but the truth's comin'...

so pay your f*ckin' fare, n*gga.

♪ ♪

[KEYS JINGLING]

[HOWARD] Yo, how you livin', B?

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

[SIGHS]

My mother ain't here, man.

I know. I saw her leave.

♪ ♪

I just wanted to spit at you
right quick.

Get in.

♪ ♪

[DISTANT DOG BARKS]

♪ ♪

What your mom's told you about me?

Like I told you before,
we don't really talk about you.

What I'm about to tell you...

is gonna be the craziest sh*t
you ever heard...

but the realest sh*t I'ma ever say.

[KANAN SIGHS]

I'm your father, Kanan.

[KANAN LAUGHS]

[HOWARD CHUCKLING]

sh*t crazy, right?

It made me laugh, too.

Your whole life, you've been thinking
Def Con your daddy, but he ain't.

I am.

♪ ♪

Everything that happened
with your mother,

that's for another day,
but I only found out recently myself.

Had I known before
when you was younger, you know,

I-I'd like to say

I would've been there for you
and all of that, but...

[SCOFFS] ...who knows?

The truth is, all this time,

I ain't been giving a f*ck
about nobody but me.

♪ ♪

I know this is a lot to take in.

I don't expect you
to say nothing now, but...

...I want to be in your life, Kanan.

Whatever that means,
whatever that looks like...

that's what I want.

I'm supposed to go meet up
with my friends,

and I'm, uh, already running late, so...

No doubt. Go link with your peoples.

I'll be around.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Yo, your mom's gonna say I'm crazy.

I'm not.

♪ ♪

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

[UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[MARVIN] Whoever said
New Jersey America's armpit

is talkin' mad sh*t about armpits.

Feel just like home to me.

Worrell's cousin live out here.

Told him that the crew
that was running these blocks

just got rolled up by the feds.

Ain't been stepped in yet.

And there's a whole lot of demand,

and we about to be the new supply.

Worrell callin' sh*ts now?

[RAQ] I'm callin' sh*ts.

Worrell, he just looking out,

which is what you supposed to do.

We already up in Baisley's
and the Forties.

We really need to f*ck
with Jersey right now?

We tryin' to grow, Marvin, build.

And New York is already spoken for.

The real opportunities
are outside the city.

You makin' big decisions quick.

Maybe we need to take a minute.

My decisions are keeping
you paid and off of Rikers.

I'm just saying...

we don't know the players in Jersey.

But we know the game.

Spot gonna be yours, Damon.

Yeah, you gonna be in charge out here.

Now, spread around some cash,
get y'all crewed up,

and then you gonna be up and running.

But for now, we gonna bust out
some work to you

from my lab on the Southside.

Y'all already know
I'm down for whatever... bet.

We franchisin', fellas.

[R&B MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ Even if I tried ♪

♪ To pretend ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Get out of my head ♪

♪ I feel so guilty ♪

♪ I'm tryin' To find the words ♪

♪ To say, yeah ♪

♪ Was it all for nothing? ♪

♪ Shaded by the memories ♪

♪ I reel in my sins Over and over ♪

♪ Again ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ 'Cause underneath the armor ♪

♪ I'm still bruised ♪

♪ The days go by ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Underneath the armor ♪

♪ Armor ♪

♪ ♪

[VOCALIZING]

♪ ♪

♪ The days ♪

♪ Go by ♪

♪ ♪

♪ I, I... ♪

♪ ♪

[MUSIC STOPS]

[LOU-LOU] Yo, that's my niece
right there.

What I tell you?
f*cking told you, right?

Right there, that's my niece, man.

You know, I-I helped to produce
the music and all that,

but the vocals and the lyrics,
I mean, that's all her.

I mean, God damn, I felt all that.

For real. Your words was hittin'.

Your vocals are strong as hell.

But the look, uh...

You supposed to look like a
bitch that n*gg*s want to f*ck with.

Is you buggin', n*gga?

When I close my eyes,
it's like I'm loving you.

I open my eyes, and I'm like,

"Who is this girl looking like
she in New Edition?"

Who the f*ck is you talkin' to?

That is my niece, n*gga.
Watch your f*cking mouth.

How you look is just
as important as how you sound.

n*gga, don't tell me Zisa bein'
a dime and all sexy and sh*t

wasn't the reason you wanted
to sign her in the first place.

sh*t matters.

Juke ain't Zisa, and Zisa ain't Juke.

Hey, Juke, um...

Crown ain't all the way wrong.

You beautiful.

You got to tap into that beauty, right?

And put it out there
so everybody else can see it.

This is who I am, Uncle Lou.

This is me.

What you see, that's who I am.

[LOU-LOU] That's what I'm saying.

- You, you beautiful.
- [JUKEBOX SIGHS]

I'm telling you that we should
share that with the world.

That's all.

Uh-huh, okay, so what
y'all are telling me is

y'all want me walking around
looking like a hoochie?

- Pretty much.
- f*ck out of here with...

It's not about you being no hoochie.

[JUKEBOX] Right.

[LOU-LOU] All I'm saying
is I want you to maximize

what you already have, that's all.

It ain't... that wasn't...

I'll get at you later.

Juke, Juke, you know
that's not what I meant.

That's... I-I... It came out wrong.

Y-you're beautiful is what I'm...

- I'm just sayin' you...
- [DOOR CLOSES]

She's a kid.
You watch how you talk to her.

Don't matter how old she is.

She want it,
she got to know what it takes.

And so do you.

You know about a lot of sh*t,
don't you, Crown?

I think I know enough, n*gga. [CHUCKLES]

Like where my girl
can find a job in Cali, right?

Jessica asked me, so I was
just lookin' out for her,

like I would do for you or anybody.

Don't be hatin' on a n*gga
'cause he a little generous.

Now, why would I hate
on you for being generous

when you give me so many
other reasons to hate on you?

[IRIS] I'm not angry.

I just...

feel dead,

like I can't feel anything
or care about anything.

[RENÉE] Could it be
that the medication you're on

is not only suppressing your anger

but also dulling your other feelings?

It may be that your doctor

just needs to adjust your medication.

What about you, Marvin? Hmm?

You have anything you want
to share with the group today?

[MARVIN] I'm good.

I tell you whether you're good or not.

And then I tell the judge.
That's how this works.

Fine, whatever.

Um...

say some... say somebody
talkin' sh*t to me,

up in my face, stank-ass breath on me.

My reaction is to put
a foot up they ass.

That's what I do.
That's what I've always done.

I won't lie. sh*t works for me.
Makes my teeth white.

That's called open aggression.

Me or the n*gga talking sh*t?

You.

Eh.

Then that's me, then...
Open and aggressive.

When you feel unregulated like that,

one of the techniques that we talk about

to regain control of yourself
and the situation

is breathing.

Remember, everybody, breathe,
get regulated,

and then calmly, quietly, and peacefully

address this individual

and de-escalate the situation.

Breathe with me, everyone, okay?

[MOST BREATHING DEEPLY]

Breath in. [INHALES DEEPLY]

Let it all go. [EXHALES DEEPLY]

- Inhale.
- [INHALES DEEPLY]

[RENÉE EXHALES DEEPLY] Let it all go.

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

You late, n*gga.

My mother had me doing some
cleaning and sh*t around the crib.

I'm here now, so what's up?

Raq must be all f*cked up about Scrap.

And why would she be
all f*cked up about Scrap?

'Cause Scrap dead, man.

Cops found him in
some broke-down building

up on Rockaway Boulevard.

He k*lled hisself.
I thought you knew all this.

Get the f*ck out of here, man.
What are you talkin' about?

Scrap wouldn't do no sh*t like that.
That's not even possible.

I saw his whole family
roll up to his mother house, K.

Scrappy gone.

[SOFT SOLEMN MUSIC PLAYING]

Maybe losing a eye really did
get to this n*gga, you know?

Thought he liked that sh*t, man.

Said it kept n*gg*s shook.
It... it had 'em scared.

Look, I already went up in this spot.

It's wack as hell.

f*cking toilet in the kitchen,
but it ain't no real kitchen anyway.

Don't even matter

'cause it's still a spot
I can't f*cking afford.

♪ ♪

Scrappy can get caught up
behind them dice games

and cards and sh*t.

But that n*gga made more in a day

than m*therf*ckers make in a whole year.

Now, how my mom put
the word out to my whole fam

not to help me with nothing neither?

Look, I can't sleep at the Y again, K.

Some old drunk m*therf*cker
tried to slide in my bed.

[KANAN EXHALES SHARPLY]

Yo, look, I'm not tryin' to be,
like, insensitive or nothin',

but can we focus on a n*gga
that's still breathing

and alive and don't got a place to stay?

♪ ♪

I'm gonna go grab the rest
of your tapes.

Come on, man.
Even I know my tapes ain't selling.

That's exactly why we gonna
sell 'em different this time.

I don't even know what that means,
but f*ck it, I'm down.

How in the f*ck my mother
ain't tell me about Scrap?

[FAMOUS] I don't know.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[DOOR RATTLING]

[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[CELL PHONE BEEPING]

[LINE TRILLING]

[VOICE MESSAGE IN SPANISH, LINE BEEPS]

Juliana, it's Raq.

Where you at?

And why the store closed up?

Hit me.

[CELL PHONE SNAPS SHUT, LINE BEEPS]

♪ ♪

Juliana? You here?

♪ ♪

Juliana.

♪ ♪

No.

Hell, no.

♪ ♪

f*ck!

♪ ♪

[UPBEAT CHORDS PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[PAGER BEEPING]

- I'm workin', Raq.
- [PAGER CLATTERS]

♪ ♪

[RENÉE] Excellent work, everyone.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for your
share today... beautiful.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Marvin.

I'm gonna keep pressing you,
and I'm not gonna stop.

And now you know
I'm... I'm what you call, um,

open and attractive.

Openly aggressive.

Right, right.

So, um, I guess we'll see how...
You know, how it go.

You press on an openly
aggressive m*therf*cker

like me.

- [PAGER BEEPING]
- Work?

Ah, family.

I mean, same sh*t, though.
Work, family, ain't no difference.

Right, well, remember
your breathing, Marvin.

You know I got you, Miss Renée.

[TENSE HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

[DEMO] This ain't just
your world, little n*gga.

Watch where the f*ck you going.

Hey, hey, hey, hold that sh*t,
hold that sh*t!

Put your hand in the door, m*therf*cker!

- [KANAN] My bad, man!
- Ah.

Punk-ass bitch.

Elevator finally working.
I still can't f*ck with it.

[CUSTOMER] That wasn't no jumbo, man.

That sh*t was straight dust.
Didn't even feel it.

[GUARD] Yo, you done?

Keep it movin'.

[CUSTOMER] Man, f*ck y'all.

'Nique knew what a jumbo was,

and it wasn't it
this pieced-up bullshit!

[OMINOUS MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Raq kid.

♪ ♪

Juliana!

It's Raq.

♪ ♪

[CELL PHONE SNAPS OPEN, BEEPING]

[LINE TRILLING]

[DISTANT TELEPHONE RINGING]

♪ ♪

[DISTANT DOG BARKING]

♪ ♪

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

- What's up, man?
- What up?

Yo, where Marvin at?

- He at his angry-n*gga class.
- Which only makes him angrier.

- [ALL CHUCKLE]
- Yeah, I forgot about that.

♪ ♪

Damn, if she ain't here,
I'll catch y'all later.

♪ ♪

If you do see Marvin,
let him know I came looking for Raq.

♪ ♪

[GUARD] Door's open.
Move out the f*cking way.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[GUARD] Boss is here.

♪ ♪

- Get out.
- [DOOR CLOSES]

♪ ♪

I done paged your brother
three times, and still nothing.

Lou f*cking around
behind them ones and twos.

All our sh*t is gone, Marvin.

Juliana gone with it.

And whoever did it
took the security tapes,

so there ain't sh*t for us to see.

Mami done taxed us.

Bitch took all our money

and bounce back home to El Colombo

or wherever the f*ck she from.

Nah, she know we in business
with her cousin.

Robbin' from us
is like robbin' from Joaquin.

Yo, we got that big re-up in two days

for Baisley, Forties, and Jersey.

If we ain't got the money to cover it,

sh*t gonna get stupid.

Maybe we should let
Joaquin know about it now.

No.

Juliana f*cked us, Joaquin,
he probably know already.

And if he don't know,
the last thing we want to do

is tell him that his cousin got
grabbed up along with our loot.

And it ain't even about that.

If it was just about the money,

they wouldn't have grabbed up
Juliana, but they did.

Whoever did this sh*t...

they want us to come looking for 'em.

Nah, ain't nobody wild enough
to f*ck with us like this

just to have us come look for 'em.

[SCOFFS]

Nah, I know just the wild n*gga
who would do some sh*t like this.

So do you.

[FAMOUS] Yo, how the f*ck
we just throwing my shits away?

I thought the point was to sell them

and hustle up this rent money.

Didn't we try that before, n*gga?

Remember? Didn't work.

So we gonna flip it this time,
and your ass is gonna get paid.

My shits was live, man.

I don't give a f*ck what nobody say.

[' S POP MUSIC PLAYING]

Your mother would've never let us drink

out of anything but glasses.

Yeah, just screaming
down at us right now,

"Use the tumblers. Use the tumblers."

- Miss you, Eleanor.
- Love you, Mom.

♪ ♪

I heard your partner got
out of the hospital.

But he still can't remember
a f*cking thing

about what happened to him.

Yeah, that's what he's saying.
But who knows?

I'm not following you, Shannon.

Howard...

he keeps a hell of a lot
of stuff to himself,

and there's been some moments
where I wonder

if he's holding sh*t back
from me about what happened.

You don't ever wonder about your partner

and he don't ever wonder about you.

Your lives depend
on the trust you two share.

That's how it works.

That's how it's always worked.

Yes, sir.

♪ ♪

Come get that Famous sh*t,

go-straight-to-your-head sh*t,
get that hot, hot, hot sh*t.

[R&B MUSIC PLAYING ON BOOM BOX]

Looks like sales are pickin' up.

What can I say, man?

Fame is spittin' that realness.
Word gettin' out.

[MOCKINGLY] "Fame is spittin'
that realness."

[COPS LAUGH]

♪ ♪

Let me get Famous. Two times.

♪ ♪

[FAMOUS] Get that Hollywood.
It feel so good.

[ANTONIO] ♪ Corner bodega,
Played a n*gga like Sega ♪

♪ Applied the pressure Like mega ♪

♪ That's how I do pretenders ♪

♪ So f*ck four quarters And two dimes ♪

♪ A shotty in the vest With two nines ♪

♪ Is how I dispute mine ♪

♪ Same old suit reheated ♪

♪ f*cking money, I need it,
Every case, I b*at it ♪

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

Now, that's a hit.

[ZISA] ♪ A-do-do-do-do ♪

♪ A-do-do-do-do ♪

♪ Don't you wanna play? ♪

♪ Don't you wanna play?

♪ Tell me, tell me ♪

♪ If you want to If you want to ♪

♪ Play a little game Just us two ♪

♪ Tell me if you want to
If you want to ♪

♪ Play a little game I can teach you ♪

♪ Teach you ♪

It's good. I mean, the sh*t is catchy.

It... it might even be some kind of hit,

but not for this girl,
not for this kind of talent.

No, Zisa needs something bigger,

somethin' with some feeling to it.

This girl is not just a singer.

- She is a virtuoso, an artiste.
- [DOOR OPENS]

- I like the song.
- [DOOR CLOSES]

- I think it's cool.
- [FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Do you not get my pages,
or you just ignore them?

Fairest creatures, we desire increase.

That thereby beauty's rose
shall never die.

That's Shakespeare's first sonnet.

[CHUCKLES] Cartier Fareed.

I know who you are.

Raquel Thomas, Lou's sister,

who's about to put a foot in his ass.

Well, you are nothing short
of a revelation,

Raquel Thomas.

We need to talk, now.

Well, I'm hoping this
is just a short prologue

to a far longer story for us.

Look, my bad. I'm doing sh*t right now.

Nah, Lou, don't, not now.

I don't want to hear
your usual bullshit.

All of that sh*t in there
is bought and paid for by me.

So you... you cashin'
the checks I write,

but you not takin' my calls?

You a nosy little m*therf*cker,
huh, Macho Man?

[CHUCKLES]

We been hit, Lou.

All our sh*t got grabbed up
at the bodega,

and we can't find Juliana.

And this is about to be the
biggest re-up we've ever had.

And all our work for Baisley,
Forties, and Jersey,

and we ain't got the money to cover it.

Joaquin will front that sh*t
on consignment.

We done showed and proved
for that n*gga, right?

You really think that he gonna
front us with his cousin gone?

Hell, no.

And even if he did, the last
place we'd ever want to be

is owin' money to them Colombians.

I ain't goin' out like that.

Nah, this Unique.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
This is what this n*gga do.

When he wants my attention,
he fucks with my world.

Yo, 'Nique would have to be
crazy out his f*cking mind

to f*ck with the stash... Come on.

Look, I'm goin' to talk to Worrell.

I need you to get on the block
and see what they sayin'.

- All right.
- It's time to work, Lou.

Real work.

I'm on it.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Yo, your customers
are pissing in the stairwell

and smoking up in the elevator.

Not that there's never any room
for me in that sh*t anyway

with all your people going in and out.

I'll look into it.

You don't need to look into it.

I just told you what the f*ck it is.

Yo, step off or roll off

or whatever the f*ck
it is you do, n*gga,

'cause you mad close on me right now.

f*ck you.

Look, everybody getting
a little something-something

for their patience and accommodations.

You took our money, you know our deal.

Your money ain't nearly enough
to cover me

waitin' on the elevator
for minutes every day

'cause that m*therf*cker always
too crowded.

All right?

Yo, I'm gonna say it again.

You need to back the f*ck up.

You serious? [SCOFFS]

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

I got sh*t seven times,

and I'm still puttin' fools
on they back.

Be the next n*gga.

[CHUCKLES, BREATHES DEEPLY]

[SOFT UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[MARVIN CHUCKLES]

I hear you.

I hear you and understand.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

I'm sorry for your troubles, brother.

- I'll deal with it.
- [ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

Yeah, you will.

Yo, everybody
get the f*ck off the elevator.

My man here got places to be.

Let's go. Come on.

♪ ♪

I got you.

Demo, n*gga. Better recognize.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT GRUMBLING]

[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]

♪ ♪

Huh.

[BREATHES DEEPLY]

Openly and aggressive...
That's... that's me.

The breathing helps with the...

[BOTH MOANING]

Oh, sh*t!

[ANDREA SIGHS]

- Somebody's feeling better.
- [HOWARD CHUCKLES]

[SIGHS] f*ck.

- Back from the dead.
- [ANDREA CHUCKLES]

My God. [SIGHS]

- Hey.
- Hmm?

I had cancer, and you lightin'
up coal in my f*cking face?

I'm sorry. You're right.

That is f*cked up.

Oh, sh*t, I'm late.
Got to pick up my son.

[SMOOTH MUSIC PLAYING]

He's a teenager now, right?

A mean-ager.

No, that's what we call 'em,
'cause when they turn ,

they forget
that they ever even liked you.

Let me ask you somethin'.

[ANDREA] Hmm?

How does he feel about what you do?

What do I do?

You know, your line of work.

My son thinks that I'm
a barber that does house calls.

I got the scissors
and robes and everything.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Wow, that's good.

I bet you he got it figured out, though.

You know, these kids ain't dumb.

It ain't like he gonna
bring it up to you

or nothing like that,

'cause that's a f*cked-up conversation

to have with your own moms.

Maybe you're right, Malcolm.

Maybe he does know.

Maybe my son knows that, yeah,
Mommy turns tricks.

Wait, wait, wait,
I didn't mean it like...

But you know what else he knows?

My son knows that I would die for him,

that I would lay down my life for his,

and at the end of the day,
that's all he needs to know

'cause that's all that really matters.

♪ ♪

I... [SIGHS]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

[CAR DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS]

[ENGINE TURNS OVER]

♪ ♪

- What'd you hear?
- Nothin'.

I went by the shop... and his girl's.

Nobody around right now.

I really don't know if this is 'Nique.

I mean...

just trying to stay alive.

And f*cking with you...

seem like the worst sh*t for his health.

One of the reasons I brought you on

is 'cause I ain't want
no problems with your man.

But now that he f*cking with my sh*t,

it makes you seem
a whole lot less useful, son.

Move like your life depend
on finding this n*gga...

'cause it does.

♪ ♪

[ENGINE TURNS OVER]

♪ ♪

Nah, no way.

I don't believe that sh*t at all.

And that's what I said, Juke.
This n*gga's crazy.

[JUKEBOX SIGHS]

I don't know. You think I still
need to ask her anyway, though?

You gonna ask Raq
about being with that cop

like that?

sh*t, you right.
What the f*ck was I thinking?

Did he say anything about what went down

between y'all that night?

No.

Oh.

He doesn't remember,

'cause that would've been the first sh*t

to come out of his mouth,
so that's good.

- I don't know, Juke. I...
- [DOOR OPENS]

You two been by the bodega today?

Seen Juliana?

- No.
- Nah.

What y'all talkin' about?

[JUKEBOX] I...

We was just, um, you know...

I'ma go get ready for bed.

See you tomorrow.

- Night, Aunt Raq.
- Mm-hmm. Night, baby.

What's goin' on?

It's the cop.

Howard.

[KANAN] Pulled up on me today.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

He said he my father.

♪ ♪

[LAUGHING]

This fool. [SCOFFS]

He was talking
that same craziness to me.

I mean, I thought it was momentary,
that he was gonna snap out of it.

Well, he's still saying it, Ma.

[RAQ] Yeah.

You his son, Juke his daughter,
and your uncle Lou-Lou...

- That's his twin brother.
- I'm just saying.

He said he was coming back
around to talk about it...

Yeah, you ain't gonna tell him nothing.

Let him spit all this sh*t,
and you keep your mouth shut.

He police. You don't talk to no police.

And he didn't say anything...

[RAQ] Look, his head is
all messed up, Kanan.

He don't know what's real
and what isn't.

Look, you just keep letting me
know when he step to you

and what he says when he do.

And if he get any stupider,

I'm gonna get in the middle of it.

That's part of the reason why
I asked you to do what you did.

Howard, he's always been unstable

and unpredictable and sh*t.

Never know what wildness
he gonna say or do.

♪ ♪

Look, you just need
to keep your head down.

He gonna forget about you.

That's how he do.

♪ ♪

I heard about Scrappy.

♪ ♪

Yeah.

I meant to talk to you about that,

but I got distracted.

That don't make no kind of sense, Mom.

Scrappy killin' hisself?

[RAQ] It don't ever
make no sense, Kanan.

It's hard to understand
how somebody could just get

to a point where they
don't want to live anymore.

Look, everybody got their sh*t, Kanan,

and everybody deal with it different.

Scrap made his decision.

And it hurts for all of us
he left, but it was his call.

It's what he wanted.

So let's just remember him
for who he was...

how he wanted us to.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Thanks for coming.

When I called, I-I wasn't sure...

[ADINA] Yeah, you broke my heart.

But that doesn't mean
I never want to see you again.

I always want to see you, Shannon.

That's the problem.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING SOFTLY]

[BURKE] How's your mom?

M.S. isn't a disease that gets better.

I'm having to pay out of pocket
for a home health aide

and put ramps in her home,
some of her meds.

I'm so sorry, Adina.

Is there anything I can do to help?

If you got grand
burning a hole in your pocket,

I could put it to some good use.

[CHUCKLES]

But you didn't hit me up
to talk about my mom.

No, it's my, uh... It's my partner.

- I heard Howard's on the mend.
- Yeah, he's doing better.

You know, he's taking
better care of himself.

He stopped smoking. He's eating right.

He's nicer to me
than he's ever been before.

What's the problem, then?

'Cause Howard's always
been a world-class d*ck.

[CHUCKLES]

Him being nicer sounds like a
dramatic change for the better.

He's got secrets, Adina,

a lot of them.

[ADINA] We all have secrets.

In fact, if memory serves, I was yours.

That was the issue.

♪ ♪

He says he doesn't remember
anything about the sh**ting,

but I don't know if I believe him.

It feels like there's more there,

but whenever I try digging,
he gets pissed at me

and tells me to leave it alone.

I remember working with him

on this Subway Slasher
task force back in the day.

Howard's got a lot of pride.

He has a tough time
letting people help him,

especially women.

♪ ♪

But I get it. You're his partner.

You're supposed to look out for him.

Thanks.

At least someone understands.

I always understood you.

♪ ♪

Yeah, I know you did.

♪ ♪

[JUKE VOCALIZING]

♪ I can't hide the pain ♪

♪ When it's pouring Out of me ♪

[SIGHS] Nothin'.

Nobody's seen 'Nique.

Sometimes obvious sh*t
is obvious 'cause it's right.

Juliana hit us herself.

♪ ♪

It's Juke.

♪ ♪

She good.

She been good, Marvin.

♪ ♪

[MARVIN SIGHS] Yeah, she, uh...

♪ ♪

She ever ask about me?

[JUKE] ♪ I reel in my sins
Over and over ♪

♪ Again ♪

♪ ♪

I f*cked it all up, Lou.

♪ ♪

Yeah, you did.

♪ ♪

Whatever.

We got to go find our sh*t.

I'll circle back with you later.

- Hey.
- No.

[JUKE] ♪ Underneath the armor ♪

♪ I'm still bruised ♪

Keep sitting on Juliana's crib.

And call me if you see...
You hear anything.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

All that sh*t we sold,
I still can't afford a place.

We gonna have to hit them corners.

Ah, I don't think we'll be able

to grab some more work for a little bit.

n*gg*s is definitely
gonna start noticing.

- What's up, fellas?
- [BOTH] What's up?

Raq home?

[KANAN] Yeah, she inside.

Lookin' at cribs?

Yeah, man. f*ckin' mom kicked me out.

I'm sleepin' at the g*dd*mn Y.

Famous all homeless and sh*t.

Now, that's what you need to be
writing some rhymes about.

[LAUGHS] For real.

Yo, check this out.

I've been hookin' up this brother

with free studio time for his girl,

and I know they got
some buildings around the way.

Let me talk to him,
see if he want to hook you up,

- show you some love.
- Word?

I ain't promise you nothing,
but I could for sure ask.

I mean, I can pay you somethin',

not a lot, but, like,

I got this cash that me and K
hustled up, man, like...

Like I said, I'ma ask.

These ain't exactly
your Jamaica Estates, though.

Psh. It's better than getting
my d*ck grabbed at the Y.

- [KANAN CHUCKLES]
- You saved my life, brother,

Like, come... come here. Come here.

[CHUCKLES] Thank you.

That's real man sh*t right there.

I told your sister
I was gonna look out for you.

Oh, but you is...
You a man of your word,

my brother, and I'ma tell her that,

if I ever speak to her ass again.

- Y'all a trip.
- [ALL CHUCKLE]

All right, now.

That is my n*gga.

Let me see that.

[KNOCKS ON DOOR]

- Lou ain't here.
- [SIGHS] I ain't here for Lou.

Look, I ain't got time
for you right now, Crown.

I think I got a solution
to a problem we both havin'...

with Lou.

[SIGHS]

You and me better off if Lou
wasn't in the music business.

I'm listening.

What if I sold you part of the label

for damn near nothing?

Let you wash all the money
you want through it.

In return, let's get Lou out
the studio, back on the street.

- [CELL PHONE RINGING]
- That's where he belong.

Hello? All right, well,
I'ma meet you there, then.

I ain't got time for you right
now, Crown... you got to go.

Oh, but Lou will k*ll me

if he knew I stepped to you like this.

Lou ain't gonna know sh*t.

[SUBWAY TRAIN RUMBLING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[DISTANT SIREN WAILING]

♪ ♪

[MARVIN] How we know this
m*therf*cker not setting us up?

[LOU-LOU] Maybe you and 'Nique
taxed our sh*t.

'Nique called me,
said he want to talk to Raq.

I'm with y'all now.

I ain't in business with him no more.

There's better ways to get to talking

than grabbing up all our sh*t
and our connect's cousin.

You here, though.

And I bet you ready to talk.

We ready.

But I ain't promising
all we gonna do is talk.

Let's go.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

You through the door first, n*gga.

♪ ♪

[DOOR CLOSES]

♪ ♪

[CLICKS TONGUE]
Good to see you, too, Raq.

You must really want to die, 'Nique.

I missed the hell out of you, girl.

[CHURCH ORGAN PLAYING]

[CHOIR] ♪ What a fellowship ♪

♪ What a joy divine ♪

♪ I'm leaning On everlasting arms ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

- ♪ What a blessedness ♪
- [SINGER] ♪ Oh, blessedness ♪

[CHOIR] ♪ What a peace is mine ♪

♪ Leaning On everlasting arms ♪

♪ Lean ♪

[SINGER] ♪ Oh, I'm leaning ♪

[CHOIR] ♪ Leaning safe and secure ♪

- [SINGER] ♪ Yes, I am ♪
- [CHOIR] ♪ From all alarms ♪

- ♪ Leaning ♪
- [SINGER] ♪ I'm leaning ♪

- [CHOIR] ♪ Leaning ♪
- [SINGER] ♪ Mm ♪

[TOGETHER] ♪ Leaning on ♪

♪ The everlasting arms ♪

♪ What a fellowship ♪

♪ What a joy divine ♪

♪ Leaning on ♪

♪ The everlasting arms ♪

♪ What a blessedness ♪

♪ What a peace is mine ♪

♪ Leaning On the everlasting... ♪

♪ ♪

I just want to talk. That's it.

You ever heard
of pickin' up a phone, n*gga?

[SCOFFS] You know I got to
make you work for it, baby.

Besides, I knew you knew it was me,

being that we be
on the same page like that.

I don't know what book
you reading from, n*gga,

but it ain't looking like you
gonna live happily ever after.

If you want your money,
you'll hear me out.

If not...

do what the f*ck you will, then.

Talk.

But Worrell's just a messenger.

I'm the motherfuckin' message.

You know, it was cute back there

what you did framing me for Howard.

Don't matter I ain't do it.

I can't even put up a f*ckin'
lemonade stand on the block

without them trying to put me back in.

[g*n COCKS]

So you all salty 'cause you got b*at?

[SCOFFS] That's what the f*ck this is?

Take the loss like a f*ckin' man.

I ain't even gonna front, Raq.
My business is done.

My name ain't even got the same weight

on these streets no more.

[CHUCKLES]

You won.

For real, you did it.

But now I just want to be left
the f*ck alone.

All right? That's it.

You see what I did here.

So you know I can still touch you, baby.

You know I can still
make problems for you

and these f*cking Colombians.

♪ ♪

I just want my family safe.

Peace for me and mines, Raq.

n*gga want peace, so he rob us.

f*ck kind of peace is that?

[UNIQUE] The real kind, n*gga,

the kind that got a price on it.

Go post up somewhere else that
ain't the Southside, 'Nique.

Big world, n*gga.
Everywhere got a corner.

And everywhere got a Unique,

maybe even a Raq.

Southside home.

That's all a n*gga know.

Besides, I'm retired now, y'all.

Jersey in the rafters.

I just want to live my life now.

If we put him down,
everyone gonna know it was us,

including five-O.

♪ ♪

Yo, this m*therf*cker tried to k*ll you.

And we tried to k*ll him.

It ain't personal for me, Marv.

Personal for you, 'Nique?

Never was, brother.

Never was.

♪ ♪

Give me your gat.

♪ ♪

You got your peace, 'Nique.

♪ ♪

Now give me my f*ckin' money.

[HOWARD] What up, B?

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ ♪

Yo, what your mom's talking about?

Oh, let me guess.

I done lost my damn mind. I got amnesia.

I don't know what's real and what's not.

♪ ♪

But see, I ain't crazy.

I remember everything. [SCOFFS]

You little m*therf*cker, you sh*t me.

♪ ♪

And I took that b*llet from you,

and now I'ma take one for you.

I ain't telling nobody about
what happened in the park.

I wouldn't do that to my son.

[GROWN KANAN]
Remember when I said the truth

was like that J train?

I was wrong about that.

The truth is more like
that Metro-North sh*t...

[CAR DOOR OPENS] ...fast, heavy...

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]
...pulling a lot of weight.

And that sh*t pick up speed, too.

[ENGINE TURNS OVER]

That's the truth coming for you, n*gga.

And it hit hard, and it hit fast,

so look the f*ck out.

[THE O'JAYS' "BACK STABBERS" PLAYING]

♪ ♪