Original subtitles

- Previously, on "The New Edition Story"...

- Bob, come on, man.

- If this is what y'all wanna do,

y'all need to see about getting with Brooke Payne.

- I don't work with kids.

- Y'all are a group.

Everybody is equal.

So if you're thinking about getting your little ass

up on stage and trying to outshine everybody else,

you can forget about it, because I don't play that.

- Maurice Starr. I produce the music.

- Ralph, I can make you a star just like that.

- What about the rest of the group?

- I'm offering you your own record deal.

- That type of money would change everything.

It'd move you right out the projects.

- Yeah, man, but it's gotta be all of us.

- Then the group it is.

- For this week, Michael Jackson is #2.

Y'all #1. - Ohhhhh!

- A dollar, eighty-seven cents.

Are you serious about this?

Those in favor of firing Brooke, raise your hand.

- Patricia?

- If I was managing this group, that would never happen.

- You're saying we'll get paid? - I'm guaranteeing it.

- What the hell was that?

Gary, you promised me pop stars.

I need to see results.

- Man, when are they gonna let us hit the mic?

- I know I'm singing lead on at least one song.

- Did I tell you Zena called for you?

- Hey, man, you think we can get her a flight out here?

- Hey, man. You're a big star now, Rizz.

We figured you was too busy to eat with

some regular brothers like us.

- KHJ in Los Angeles.

If you're lucky enough to be in Santa Monica,

you're just lucky.

Highs in the mid 70s, Wednesday, mostly sunny skies.

A little windy for the Inland Valley.

It's gonna be one of those days where cruising...

- Ralph, what's going on? Everything all right?

- How come I'm always the one singing everything, Gary?

- I'm just getting you ready for your solo career.

- What?

- Nah, I'm kidding. It's a joke.

Well, you're the lead singer.

You're the one who's gonna do most of the parts.

It's the way it works.

- Yeah, but I'm singing everything.

I'm singing leads. I'm singing backgrounds.

- Oh, is it too much work for you?

- No, it's not too much work.

- You sure it's not too much work?

- I'm sure it's not too much work.

- Do you need a vacation already?

- I'm sure. - Okay.

- It's just that we're a group, you know?

They're not my backup dancers.

- I know, I know. What, are you...

you feeling like the guys are a little jealous?

I see what's going on.

- No. No.

No, they're definitely not jealous.

- All right. Well, I hate to break it to you,

but this is the way it works, okay?

It happens in bands all the time.

One guy gets all the attention

and the other guys get a little jealous, resentful.

But trust me, they're gonna be fine once

the checks start rolling in.

- You know what-- could we at least, like,

give 'em a rap verse or something?

You know, like on "Candy Girl."

Something where they can say their names

so the fans will know who they are.

- Yeah, sure. We could do that, Ralph.

Keep doing what you're doing.

These sessions cost a lot of money, all right?

Stay focused, all right? You're my little star.

- Thanks, Gary. - All right.

Don't worry about anything.

- Hey, Mike? I need you to pick it up, man.

You're coming in flat.

- Hey, Ray, he can't help it.

That's just how his voice sounds.

He's always flat.

- Come on, man, let's be professional.

Mike, you think you can hit the notes for me?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Great session, guys. Let's get y'all some food.

Bobby, you killed that.

- I got the window seat!

- Uh, I got your ass! Come on, move!

- Whoa!

- Y'all, scoot over.

I'm not sitting in the middle this time, man.

Come on, man. Move over, man.

- No, man, just get in. What's it matter, you know?

- Scoot over.

- Oh, no, Mike. Don't sit on my lap.

I wanna hear, like, $10 for my seat.

- Yeah, I think I'ma need $10, too.

- Hey, I got a window. I'ma need 20 for mine.

- Come on, man. Get in the car. Let's go.

- You know what? I'll catch a cab.

- Let's get outta here.

- Bitches.

Aah! Stop the car!

Aw, shit! You ran over my foot!

- Mike? - Aah!

- Hey, you all right? Take it easy.

- Oh, back up! - Hey, I never even saw you.

I heard the door close. I thought you got in.

- Damn, Mike. Today just ain't your day!

Hey, man, you sound like a little bitch!

Stop the car! Stop the car!

- Oh!

- Now who's the bitch, huh? - Ohhhh!

- Mike, stop, you're gonna kill him.

- Somebody'll come by later to check on you, all right?

- Hey, I'm sorry, Jeff.

I mean didn't mean to snap out at the studio.

But I'm tired of Bob popping off his bullshit.

I'm gonna keep my respect, even if I gotta take it, man.

- You can have all the respect you want back in Boston,

'cause I think it's over for you, man.

This is a business. It's not a gang.

Get some rest, all right?

- Uh, New Edition for a session.

- Mm-hmm. That's right.

- All right, guys.

I spoke to all your mothers.

And, um, and they're all in agreeance that Michael

needs to be removed from New Edition, okay?

And I know that he's a great friend of yours

and obviously a big part of the group.

But what he did was just inexcusable.

You know, I'm your legal guardian out here,

and it's my job to keep you safe.

Bobby, you wanna say something?

- This is still our group, right?

- Of course.

- Well, I say Mike is staying.

- Even after what happened?

- Man, I know he tried to kill me.

But did he?

- Here's your lyrics sheet, man.

Do your thing.

- All right.

- Hey, Mike, you ready?

- Please, operator,

see what you can do.

I dialed the right number,

but I still couldn't get through.

Could you just check the line,

just one more time, if you can?

I'm pretty sure her phone won't be answered by no man.

- You did your thing.

- That's what I'm talking about.

- Aw, man, it was all right.

They were all good. - Aw, it's good.

- Everybody good? - Yeah.

- We good, man. - It sounds fantastic.

- Five, six, seven, eight...

- Here we go and one...

- Three, four, and one...

- Oh, hell, no. I ain't never doing that.

- What do you think, Biv?

- Hey, yo, B, they might as well call the Menudo kids to do that.

- Menudo? Really?

Come on, guys. I thought you guys were, like, next level.

I thought you guys were trying to be somebody.

You got big, international-- they all do it over there.

- Oh, Uncle sure would never have us

doing all this dumb stuff, man.

- Do we have a problem? - No, no.

I...I got it. I'm gonna talk to them.

Everything's gonna be fine.

- Who's the girl? Is she working with you?

- No, that's, uh, that's Ralph's girlfriend.

Her name is, uh, Zora or Zurich, something like that.

Something exotic. She...she's a nice girl.

- Why is she here while they're working?

- Well, she... he flew her in.

You know, they missed each other.

They're young. They're in love.

You know how he gets. He's my lead singer.

I want him to be happy, you know?

- We better sell some records. That's what I know.

- I got it.

- Nice.

Now can I get a big smile from everybody?

- Even you, Mr. Cool.

- How about you do your job and I'll do mine?

- Ohhhh...

- Mr. Cool ain't so cool no more.

- Yeah, he's fancy. I like that.

- The little tight jacket. - Yeah, he looks good.

It would look good on you.

Brooke Payne! Gary Evans.

- Oh, okay. - How are ya?

- I'm good. - We spoke on the phone.

Nice to meet you. This is Jeff Dyson.

- How are you doing?

- And the, uh, the guys don't know you're here,

so I wanna keep it a surprise.

They're gonna be so pumped to see you.

- Okay, okay.

- And, uh, you know, to be honest,

they don't trust anybody but you.

- That's good. - But I wanna be clear.

This time we brought you in just as the choreographer.

Okay? You ain't the manager.

I'm saying you do the moves, I do the managing now.

All right? You understand that?

The moms wanted that. It wasn't just me.

I just wanna make sure you're clear.

You're just here for dancing.

- Yeah, I'm clear.

I know why I'm here.

You came to the ghetto, found some poor black kids

that you can make some money off of,

and now you don't know what the hell you're doing with 'em.

It's all right. I'm here for my boys.

Yeah, I'ma make it strong again.

Yeah. Excuse me.

- Uh, wow. Y'all look so soft.

- Yo!

- I can't believe I saw y'all-- - What up?

- Ah, he come back! - He did!

- Aw, man.

It's good to see y'all. Good to see you, man.

Rick. Hey, good to see you, man.

- Good to have you back, Uncle Brooke.

- Nephew. Nephew.

You know I ain't gonna leave y'all hanging.

Y'all ready to do some work?

- I like that spin. - That was all right.

- You like that? - I might pay to see that.

- Man, you know that was fresh.

Ain't that right, Stro?

- Uh, there's room for improvement, but it was good.

- Guys? What...what the heck is all this?

- G! What's up, man? - Whaddup, G?

- Brooke? Jeffrey?

Brooke, what is all this? - Part of the show.

- Oh, they look great.

It's like night and day compared to before.

But I mean, uh, we've gotta scale this back.

I mean, what do you got? Lasers?

And you got a, uh, a DJ and a band?

And I don't know, what is this?

Some sort of castle? Are we... we gonna have dragons?

I mean, we don't need this, and, uh, to be honest,

we...we can't afford this.

- Come on, Gary. This ain't the '70s, man.

We need the DJ thing, in between sets, costume change,

you know, to keep the crowd moving.

- Right. Come on. - You guys ain't Run-DMC.

You ain't, uh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five.

Parents bring their kids to see a nice pop show.

- Gary, yeah, we're a pop group.

But we like rap music. Our fans like rap music.

Our people like rap music. We know what our people like.

- Well, we'll see if people even listen to rap music in 20 years.

But the point is the label wants you to be a crossover act,

like the Sylvers, the Tavares, the Jacksons.

- Gary, we from OP, and that's not changing for nobody.

- Well, I get that.

God forbid you became rich and successful.

Then where would you be?

- Yo, Gary. - You know this, Brooke.

- Let me holla at you.

Yo, trust me on this.

Let us do this for the first couple of shows.

If you don't like it, then we'll scrap it.

But trust me, it's gonna work.

- Well, how am I gonna tell my little star no?

I'm just worried about-- - Ha!

- Ralphie, whatever you want, okay?

You're the man, all right? Okay?

- It's gonna work, man. No worries.

- Bobby, where are you going?

- Gary, you're not our boss.

And y'all dumb for having this conversation.

I'm about to go see this chick. I'm out.

- Bob! - With the chicks.

Being with the chicks. That's the problem.

- Bob!

- License and registration, sir.

- Don't you know who he is?

This is the lead singer of New Edition.

- Shut the hell up.

- License and registration.

- I don't have it.

- Robert Barisford Brown?

- Whose car were you driving?

- A friend loaned it to me.

- A friend loaned you a damn Corvette?

Man, who was the girl in the car?

- Her name's Melika.

We hang out sometimes. - Yeah?

The cops said you had $6,000 in the car with you.

Where did you get that kind of money?

- A friend loaned it to me. - A friend?

I don't have these kinds of friends.

What kind of friends do you have?

Look, if you need something,

why...why don't you just ask me?

I mean, that's what I'm here for.

- Melika's pregnant with my baby.

So that money I had was for her.

- You...you got a girl pregnant?

Okay, look, look, look. Uh, look.

I got a guy--

You enjoying yourself?

I'm talking to my client, please.

Okay. We're gonna take care of it.

It's okay. I've got a doctor, okay?

He does these kinds of things. He's very discrete.

He'll even pick her up-- - What?

Melika's not having no damn abortion.

- I didn't say that.

- That's what it sounded like you saying.

- No, I didn't say nothing about that.

I'm saying she's gotta see a doctor, right?

Who gets a girl pregnant? What's the matter with you?

- Man, whatever.

- Everything's gonna be okay. All right, Bobby?

- Your possessions. Here you go.

- All right?

You hear me?

Everything's gonna be okay.

- Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, everything's gonna be cool, G.

Hey, don't we got a tour to get started?

You know the world wanna see Bobby Brown and New Edition.

Hey, and I'm hungry. Let's go.

- Man, come on. Don't bogart it.

- Shut up! - Man, come on!

If it wasn't for your dumb ass getting arrested,

we wouldn't have to do

this stupid charity show to begin with.

Who taught you how to drive, anyway?

- Yo momma. I heard she know how to drive a stick.

- Okay.

- Aw, I told you they'd make you shave it off, didn't I?

- That don't even matter. You know I'll still get mine

with or without the 'stache, so...

- Hey, who told you to shave it? Gary or MCA?

- Man, both.

They're talking about it don't look good for our image.

- What the hell they know about our image?

Why can't we get a mustache-- me, Ron, Rick?

- 'Cause you can't grow one.

- That ain't the point, man.

What, do they want us to stay 12 years old forever?

- Oh, shit.

- Who is it? - Johnny Gill.

- Oh, the singing dude.

- Hey, if it's a bad time, I can come back.

- The singer, yeah. - Shit.

- Man, come on, come on. Close the door.

- What's up, fellas? - Hey, man.

What's happening?

- I just love what you guys do, man.

I just...I just wanted to come say what's up?

- What's up, man? - You love what we do.

Man, we love what you do, brother.

- Oh, man. - Yeah.

Yo, that duets album you got with Stacy Lattisaw?

- Oh, man, thank you. You heard of that, man.

Thank you. Thank you. - It's my joint.

- My favorite joint is "Mr. Telephone Man."

That's my shit.

- Hey, did y'all hear that, though?

This brother right here knows who got the talent in the group.

I don't care what nobody say. I like you--and those boots.

- Oh, they're my trusties.

I like your jacket, man. - Oh, thank you, man.

You know. - It's sweet.

- You need to take that valet jacket off.

- So I can look like a bunch of eggplants?

- No.

- You look like that red bag

hanging up in your grandma's bathroom.

Anyway, speaking of red,

what's up with that little red bow Miss Stacy Lattisaw?

- Yeah, no. We're... we're together, man.

Been together for, like... since we were 14.

- So that's your lady lady? - Yeah.

- That's it. - Calm down.

- You wanna hit this? - Oh, no.

No, I'm cool, man. But I thought this--

- Gah!

- Can we get a minute, please?

- For what?

So you can finish smoking your reefer?

Bob, come with me.

Gary wants to talk with you.

- About what?

- It's private.

- Anything he gotta say to me,

he can say in front of them and boy Johnny, too.

Nah, you good, you good.

- Okay, then.

Do you remember that girl from LA?

- Yeah, which one?

- That's what I mean. - She's in labor.

Congrats.

You're gonna be a daddy.

- Congratulations, Melika. These are for you.

- Thank you. - Thanks, G.

Hey, do y'all wanna know what's a trip?

- Listen up.

- She had the baby when our plane was landing.

That's why we gave him that name, Landon.

- How you gonna do that to the baby, Bob?

Yo, on the real, though, man we proud of you.

- Thanks, man.

- I already know you're gonna make a great father, man.

- Congrats, Bob.

You tell 'em Uncle Mike got you with the basketball

since you can't hoop.

- You guys a joke. - You wanna learn some moves,

you wanna learn how to dance, send him my way, man.

Straight-up, man.

- See, you're gonna make me start cursing

in front of my son, man.

- Back up with them shoes.

Little Landon, little Landon.

- Watch his head. - Hold on, hold on, hold on.

- Put your hand on the neck, bro.

- I know you're not talking, yo.

We got Uncle Ron. Big Uncle Ron.

- And Uncle Rick. - Uncle Mike.

- All right, you guys.

Let's give 'em time to take a break, have some privacy.

- No, man. - He's gotta take a rest, right?

- Yeah, had a little boy. He looks just like Bob.

Hey, but how's my little man doing, though?

Is he kicking yet?

Listen, listen. Don't worry about that.

When it's your time, I'm gonna be there.

- This never happened. Okay?

If people ask you about it,

the press, you say, "I don't know.

I have no idea what you're talking about."

- I love you, all right? I'll talk to you later.

All right, bye.

- You understand what I'm saying?

- Yeah. You're acting like Bob did something wrong.

- He did.

- My mom had me when she was 15, Gary.

What you saying? - I...I understand.

And your mom is a great woman, okay?

And she's a great mother.

But your fans, they don't wanna see you as parents.

They wanna look at you as stars.

Little girls have your posters on their walls, for Chrissakes.

Do you understand?

We need to keep the train rolling.

We need to keep records selling, and concerts sold out,

and lunchboxes. - What? We got lunchboxes?

- This is something we can do, okay?

And it can't be New Edition with Bobby Brown carrying a baby.

- What are you trying to say?

You don't want us to live our lives?

- What I'm saying, Ralph, there is a price to fame, okay?

And hopefully this will settle Bobby down.

- Jeff, have you seen Bobby?

- I haven't seen him since the show last night.

- What-- - Hey, hey. Good morning, man.

- Okay, we need to find him. Okay? Hey, Ralph?

Have you seen Bobby? - Nah.

- No? - He was gone when I woke up.

- Okay.

Well, you wanna try to go to the hotel and find Bobby?

- All right, I got it. - All right.

Wait, let me know if you see Bobby, all right?

- Yes, sir.

- When was the last time you saw him?

- Last night. - Last night?

That's fantastic!

- Bobby? Bobby!

- What are you doing?

Are you doing... are you doing drugs here?

Come here.

Are you doing drugs? Are you doing drugs?

Are you crazy? - Get off me!

- You're doing cocaine now?

- I'm telling you, Jeff.

I'm gonna kill this kid or he's gonna kill me.

Do you know I have active colitis

because of this little shit?

He's got problems.

He's gonna ruin this entire thing by himself.

He doesn't give a shit about his own friends.

These are his friends.

Who treats their best friends like this, huh?

Do you do that? I don't do that.

Who does that?

- You all right?

- You had two of 'em?

- Man, I'm tired of him acting like he my father.

- You just need to be more low key about your shit.

- For real.

- Look, I don't think he's doing anything intentionally, Gary.

- Well, what are you sticking up for him for? Huh?

What did you say after he got arrested the first time?

We both agreed that if it was gonna continue to happen,

we should just leave him in Boston when we get a chance.

- We can't just leave the kid. - Why not?

He shouldn't be here.

We need to remove him...

like a tumor.

- 'Cause we all are here doing the same thing.

You're just the only one getting caught.

That makes us all look bad.

- You told him about Zena?

- No, I didn't tell him about Zena.

Ain't none of his business.

And this ain't about me. It's about you, Bob.

- You know, I caught him in...

in a car doing cocaine with I don't know what kind of girls.

Were they hookers? I don't know what they were.

- You need to be about some condoms.

Do either one of y'all know how to wear jimmies?

- Do you know how to wear a condom?

You're sliding up in everything walking past your snake.

- That's my job, yes. I slide up in anything.

- I'm telling you, this is a bad kid.

He's rotten.

He should be in a juvenile hall somewhere getting attention.

He needs help.

- Look, Bob, you know I wouldn't normally say nothin', man.

But you really are messing up our shows.

You gotta pull it back some, man.

Not for him. For us. - Here we go.

- You just gotta give him a chance.

- A chance for what? He's gonna kill me.

- So what you gonna do?

- I'm gonna get a colonoscopy next week.

I'm frightened to find out what they're gonna find in me.

- Bobby, you know how crazy you get on stage.

Nobody knows what you're gonna do from night to night.

- I don't know.

But y'all hear them girls screaming?

They love my shit.

People wanna be entertained, and guess what?

Bobby Brown is an entertainer.

- No. You're an asshole, Bob.

- Yeah, whatever.

- Two of 'em?

- Bobby Brown!

- Whoa! - No.

- Oh, Bob.

Oh, no...

- Oh, unh-unh.

I don't believe it. Take a seat.

- Bobby, you got the moves, man.

Man, you got the moves.

You got the checks, though, you and your mom?

Y'all got the checks?

'Cause y'all...y'all always got some new music.

- Mom. Mom. - All the time.

All the time with the music. - Mom. Mom, hey.

- I hear what you're saying. I do.

But trust me, this time, it's gonna be right.

- Well, it better be,

'cause y'all ain't seen my phone bill last month.

- Yours? Ours gotta be, what? $200?

- Mom, I be telling you

you don't gotta call me every night.

- Boy, please.

If we waited for them to call us, we'd be old-ass women.

- Now what you talking about, Carole?

You said it's gonna be different this time.

You know something we don't know?

- It's common sense. - Hm?

- Huh? Gary know he better be coming up in here, correct?

Especially now with this fool making me a damn grandmother.

- Come on! - Come on about what?

You're the one that did it.

Hard-headed.

I swear for God.

Look, the bottom line is this.

I've been talking to Gary.

And I told him that I wanted to see some receipts.

I wanted to see them checks.

I wanted to see books.

And he got to show them books to us.

- When exactly did we vote to put her in charge?

Or did I miss that?

- I guess she thinks she manager of the moms now.

- Oh, she ain't my manager. She ain't managing me.

- Mm-mm.

- Now, I hope he's got a nice check.

Y'all been on the road for a long time.

- Boy!

- You bring a baby back home?

- I ain't raising no more damn kids.

- Who that?

- All right, yeah.

- Thanks, you guys. Got all my things here.

- What's this? What's this?

- Hey, listen, I gotta catch a flight,

so would you guys mind if we just, uh, jump right into this?

- Why don't you go ahead and give it to us?

I gotta watch my show at 9:00 o'clock.

- Okay...

- I don't know what this is, but this is fantas--

I don't eat like this unless it's Thanksgiving.

This might be the best macaroni and cheese I ever had.

And I've never seen vegetables like this,

but it tastes incredible.

- Gary, it's collard greens. - Collard greens.

- You're welcome. I made them.

- Excuse me?

Um, what does all of this... what does all of this mean?

- What does it mean?

It means that we had a fantastic year.

Unfortunately, the group didn't clear as much as we predicted.

But it still was a fantastic year, all right?

We had two #1 singles, all right?

A #1 record.

A sold-out tour all over the world, okay?

It means next year, we're gonna continue to tour.

And then we're gonna get these kids in the studio,

and they're gonna record their next record.

- Next year, Gary?

- We're gonna keep going forward.

And I just booked them two commercials for Coca-Cola.

- Next year?

Where's the damn money from this year?

- No, no, no. But wait, though.

Because you talked to Gary and yet here we are again.

- Ladies, listen.

You have to understand the business of things. Okay?

I mean, we have vocal lessons.

We have private tutors, okay?

We have per diems.

We have hotel charges, video budgets.

And what did you say, Michael?

You said you wanted a... a castle for the show, right?

And...and pyrotechnics, plus, you want a DJ.

It's not a rap group. It's an R&B group.

But I...I can't control these kids.

I mean, I tried to tell them these things add up.

But they don't listen. - No, you don't listen.

- Man, why are you trying to put this on us?

- I told y'all.

- Plus, we went to court with Maurice for a lawsuit

that you guys wanted, correct?

That we won.

Okay, these are all expenses. These are all charges.

They're all listed here.

- No, no, no, no, no. To hell with that.

You know how long we've been hearing

this bullshit about expenses?

Since "Candy Girl."

- That's a great song, okay?

But you guys brought me in and now you have to trust me

that things are gonna start coming to fruition.

- Did you hear that?

He done worked our kids to death,

and now he wants to come in here

and tell us there's no money?

- You mean we should've stayed with Brooke?

- Yes.

- What, Brooke, the choreographer/manager?

- No, Brooke is my brother. - I understand.

- And the only one who gives a damn about these kids in here.

- He was great, but I'm, uh...

I'm trying to take you guys to the next level.

- This is not the next level, Gary.

- Not yet. We have to be patient.

- You must think we're stupid.

- Oh, gee. What...what would give me that idea?

- See? - Oh, oh.

- Who the hell's he think he talking to?

- What? - He lost his damn mind.

- Gary, I think you should go. - Okay. Okay.

- Get out! That's it. - It's time to go.

- That's it right there. - Get the hell out of here.

- Go! Go!

- That right there is the exact reason why I said

we should've never got rid of Brooke to begin with.

- A mistake was made, all right?

- Oh, your part, a mistake was made.

- That man is a fraud. - Of course he is.

You're the one who said you'd talk to him.

- Brooke don't have the money side.

He don't know the money sense.

- This is not even about Brooke. This is about him.

- You gotta check. - No money has come in.

- It takes time, okay? - Are you crazy?

Is that what he told you? - We're making some progress.

- And, Carole, who put you in charge to begin with?

- Huh?

Come on, people.

I can't hear you.

- Fantastic. - Yeah.

- I guess I'll take back every bad thing I ever said about 'em.

- I'm glad you're in a good mood, Jheryl.

It makes it easier for what I have to ask you.

- Let me guess.

Gary needs more money.

- It's not for me, it's for the boys.

Yeah, these kids are still living

in the projects with their families.

They're the biggest-selling acting on your label.

I mean, this looks crazy, for God sakes.

Besides, I'm, uh, getting sick and tired of

going there for meetings.

I'm afraid I'm gonna get stabbed one of these days.

- Well, I mean, the way I hear it, you almost did.

- I mean, when are you gonna learn you can't talk to

these ladies any old kind of way, Gary?

Louil, what's up with this guy, man?

- Hey, Gary, how's the new business working out for you?

I mean, did you get the whole package, like the...

the phone and everything?

- I got the same one as you, Louil.

- Nah, you don't have the same one like me.

I got a fax machine in mine, baby.

- So, um, are you gonna give me this money or what, Jheryl?

- Okay, Gary.

What are we looking at? How much we talking about?

- I figure the advances from the next album

should cover everything.

- What am I gonna say? No?

Let's get 'em out the projects...

so Gary can feel safe. - You're all heart.

- Thank you, Gary.

- Is she okay?

- I don't know.

I mean, I really don't.

The girl lost her mother last year.

And now this?

You need to come off that road and be with her.

- Mom, I'm on tour. I can't get off the road.

What do you want me to do?

Just tell all the fellas to go out there by their self?

We're doing two-a-days now. I'm doing matinees.

I'm doing a show at night. I can't just leave.

- Can you forget about the group for once and be a man?

- Yeah, Mom, I'm a man. - Act like one.

Boy, you're grown enough to be there

for your woman when she needs you.

All you ever do is put that group first.

- Mom, what do you want me to do?

I hate that I can't be there right now,

but I got responsibilities here, too.

We finally got some money so we can move.

Baby, do what you need to do.

I'm sure she'll understand. She always does.

- Yo, Ralph.

What's the issue, man? What's up with all that noise?

You good?

- She lost the baby.

- Wasn't anything you could've done, man.

It wasn't God's plan.

It just wasn't you and Zena's time right now.

Listen.

If you need anything, anything at all,

you just give me the word and we here for you.

- Please, operator,

see what you can do.

I dialed the right number.

But I still couldn't get through.

- Could you just check the line,

just one more time, if you can?

I'm pretty sure her phone

won't be answered by no man.

- Bobby!

- Yo. How long is he gonna be out there doing that shit?

- Man, why does he always have to hold up the show, man?

- Look, I'ma cue the band, all right?

- No, Rizz, you can't do that.

If you do that, we all look stupid.

- I'm making the call. We're cueing the pit.

- What the hell? This is my group.

I just wanna say,

this is the last time y'all see me with New Edition.

- Get off of me!

Get off me!

- Son of a bitch!

Ridiculous!

We've got a decision to make.

All right, you guys?

I could give you my advice. I could tell you what I think.

But ultimately, it's up to you.

You guys have to figure this out.

Is Bobby Brown gonna stay in New Edition or not?

- What?

- That's what we need to figure out,

and we need to figure it out tonight.

- If it wasn't for Bobby, we wouldn't have this group.

He got us together.

- That was a long time ago, okay?

And I understand that.

But you guys are not singing at talent shows anymore.

Do you know that this promoter

doesn't wanna pay you for tonight?

You need to start thinking about this as a business.

And bottom line is Bobby Brown is bad for business.

That's just the way it is.

How are you feeling, Mike?

- Could we just give him, like, a hiatus or something?

Like a break, man? - For what?

No, he's not gonna change.

You guys know that better than anyone.

This is how he is.

Ralphie, what do you think?

Are you okay?

- I mean, this is a group decision, Gary.

But I ain't got no problem with Bob.

- Really?

You're cool with everything you worked so hard for going away?

Because that's what's gonna happen.

- He's my friend, Gary. - Yeah?

It's gonna go away!

You want that to happen?

- Shut up, Gary.

- You think that can't happen?

I've seen it happen!

There's things that he does that I didn't even tell you about.

- Like what?

- Drugs. Like, Bobby does cocaine.

He's probably even selling it now.

- Well, he might not need to sell it

if our money was right, B.

- If you stick with Bobby Brown, you're gonna be back in Roxbury,

a bunch of broke-ass has-beens. - Shut up, Gary!

- You understand me?

You're gonna be broke and back in Boston!

Look, I know we don't always get along.

And I know we don't agree on everything.

But trust me, guys like Bobby

are gonna ruin everything for you and for your families.

You wanna do that to your mom? Mike?

Ron, you wanna do that to your mother?

I'm not telling your mothers

that you're not getting paid today.

You can tell them, and you can tell them why.

Now, you guys need to take a vote.

By a show of hands...

who thinks Bobby should be out of this group?

Ron?

Rick?

Ralphie?

Mike?

- I don't see why it had to come all the way to this.

Bobby is not a bad kid.

He's got his issues, but he's not a bad kid.

- Girl, please, this is us talking.

We don't have to sugar-coat this.

Bobby been doin' dirt for a while.

- Like what?

- Girl, I heard they had to pull him

out of a whorehouse in East St. Louis.

- And Carole's always bragging about that boy.

Remember when he went missing in LA on the "Candy Girl" tour?

Maurice had to get on the radio station to find him.

DJ actually had to say,

"have you seen New Edition member Bobby Brown?

If so, please call."

It was like a telethon, girl.

- He got that baby. He'd been arrested.

Messin' up onstage, fightin'.

And that's just what we know about, okay?

Well, I tell you, that boy is out of control.

Girl, this is not good.

- They're teenagers.

- And boys that age, they do dumb shit.

You add fame, money,

and these little fast-ass girls running up under them?

- None of our boys has ever-- - Hey, Momma.

Can I get a dollar?

- You don't see me on this damn phone?

Girl, we finally about to get up out of these projects.

I'm sorry, I'm not about to stop that for Bobby Brown...

or Jesus Christ of Nazareth.

Girl, you are messin'. - Nobody.

It's time, girl.

- KHJ Los Angeles.

- To be honest with you, Jeff,

I don't know what's gonna happen.

I don't know what the future of this group is, man.

What if we break up? What I'ma do then?

This is all I've got.

I don't have no backup plan, man.

- You know, NE can survive without Bobby.

- Yeah, but can NE survive without Rizz?

- Heh. Rizz is cool.

- But Slick worried about people in his head.

- Rizz is all about New Edition.

As for you, maybe you wanna learn a little more

about the business side of the industry.

- The what? - I'll put it to you like this.

You hear about artists going broke all the time, right?

But when's the last time you met a broke executive?

- But how do I become an executive?

You know, like wear a suit and tie every day?

Man, I haven't graduated high school yet.

Who's gonna take me serious. - Gary would.

I mean, how do you know, if you don't ask, Mike?

- Because I know how he is.

He sees us as some dumb little kids from the projects,

and that's just how he wanna keep it.

- I think you're selling him a little short, man.

Gary talks all the time about how smart you are.

- Yeah, okay. - Yeah, he does!

I heard him tell the LA Gear execs

that he thinks you can get into college if you wanted to.

- The LA Gear execs? Who they?

- It's a sneaker company.

Gary's trying to get you guys a shoe deal.

- What?

Yo, there he go again, going around makin' moves,

using our name without talking to us first.

The last time I checked, we are the artists.

Gary Evans ain't sing one damn song on this record, man.

What the hell is Fast Break Productions?

- Look, Mike,

I think this LA Gear thing is the move.

- I never even heard of this before.

What the hell is Fast Break?

- Mike, what the hell are you doing?

Give us...give us a second, man.

Don't...

Look, guys, we...

- What the hell is Fast Break, man? I wanna know.

- Hey, man, who the hell do you think you're talking to?

You don't run up in my office talking shit like you run it,

you little bastard.

I got it. I got it.

Everybody take a lunch.

Now!

- What's Fast Break, man?

- You come with me.

Run up in my office.

You wanna know so much.

So what's the problem, Mike?

- I came here for you to tell me the truth, man.

- You want the truth?

- Yeah. - Okay.

The truth is Fast Break Productions

is another name for Gary Evans, your manager.

That's who the hell Fast Break Productions is.

And that's who New Edition is signed to, not MCA Records.

- What do you mean we ain't signed to MCA?

- Sit down, Mike.

It's called "a production deal."

You're signed to him. He's signed to us.

- I thought we's a part of the MCA Universal family, man.

Or is that just something you tell kids

that just come into your office?

- Next question.

- Jheryl, why would he do that to us?

- Mike, why do you think?

It keeps him in control.

He touches your money before you ever see it.

He negotiates your contracts,

your publishing, your merchandising.

He basically owns the group.

- So we basically signed to Gary.

- Basically.

- Gary, man, he works for us, man!

We don't work for him!

- Mike, you made the mistake all artists make

when they first start out.

You didn't read your contract.

- It doesn't matter, man. He told us what the deal was.

- He told you what the deal was.

Mike, people are gonna say

a whole lot of things in this business.

But the only thing that matters

is what's on paper right in front of you.

- He lied to us right in my living room.

- Mr. Michael Bivens...

welcome to the music business.

- So, what do we do about all this?

- What we do is we fight back.

We refuse to do any promotion.

No concerts, no interviews, no videos,

no shows, none of that.

We're gonna attack him where it hurt.

We're gonna take his money.

- I don't know about all that, Mike.

- You don't know about what, Ron? Huh?

Go ahead.

Don't know about what, Ron?

- If you do what you keep saying we do, Mike,

we're not only attacking his money,

we'll be messing with our own pockets.

How are we supposed to get paid, Mike?

- I need my checks so I can move. All right?

I'm trying to buy a house.

- You're not seein'--

- I just moved my mom out of the projects, man.

The money can't stop.

- Are y'all listening to me?

Because you're not seeing the big picture.

If we get rid of Gary, we can go negotiate our own deal at MCA

and really get to this paper,

'cause right now the money we gettin'

is just an allowance, man.

- Look. It's only for a couple more years, all right?

After that, we can do whatever we want.

- What's up, man? How are you? Hey.

- What's up? - Good to see you, man.

- Where you at with all this, Rizz?

- Sooner or later, we've gotta realize

ain't nobody gonna look out for us.

That's where I'm at. - Hey, guys.

- Our next guests have been

one of the most positive examples

for young people the music industry

has had to offer in recent years.

So, please welcome the guys from New Edition.

- Damn, Ma!

Can you at least knock?

- Somebody wants to talk to you downstairs.

- Somebody like who?

- Just come see.

- What's up, Mr. Busby?

Whatcha doin' in Boston?

- How are you doing, Bobby?

Your mom asked me to come talk to you.

- Oh, for real? - Oh, for real.

Said you've been in and out of trouble

ever since you left the group,

hanging around gangsters, running the streets.

Man, you got your mama worried every time you leave the house.

- Is this the part where I...

I beg you to let me back in the group?

- Wouldn't matter if you did.

It's not gonna happen.

Bobby, I'm just here to save your life.

Because right now, all you're doing is pissing it away.

You know that, right?

Look at you.

I guess I knew everything when I was 17, too.

Well, here's what you're doing, though.

In your contract, there's what's called

a "leaving members" clause,

which means if a member of the group is critical

to the overall sound or style of the group,

then the label just can't cancel that contract

when the group member leaves.

What I'm trying to tell you is that MCA Records

is obligated to do a solo album with you.

- What are you saying?

I can have my own album with just me on it?

- Just you.

And with that advance money,

plus the record you did with the guys,

you can move your family out of the projects.

- So, it's on you, man.

You can move to LA, make this album,

or you can stay here and die.

- Hey. Where do you want this?

- Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, baby.

You need to be careful with this.

I'm gonna put this up on the mantel

so everybody can see it when they walk in the crib.

But for now, I'm gonna set it right there.

- Man, y'all should've had a whole shelf full of those.

And Grammys, too.

Seems like they give the same damn people awards every year:

Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder.

- Won't you respect?

Those guys deserve those awards.

- And you don't?

- Look, baby, I know I got it like that.

But these are legends we're talking about.

- Mm.

You're never gonna join 'em, if you don't make a move.

- What?

- You're never gonna be Michael,

if you don't do something on your own.

Yo, where the plates at?

- You see Bobby ain't waste no time.

And his record is good, too.

They be playing it in the clubs.

Not like that oldies- but-goodies record y'all did.

- Look...

I said I'm on that already, a'ight?

I already talked to a producer.

I got a studio to record out of.

- Come on.

What?

Some local producer?

Baby, that's not gonna get it.

Bobby's doing songs with the guys from Cameo.

You need to be working with Quincy Jones

or somebody like that.

- Zena.

I'm not having this conversation no more.

You wanna really help me, find them damn plates,

so I can have something to eat off of.

- Hi.

I'm here to see Gary Evans.

How are you doing, Gary?

I appreciate you coming out, especially on short notice.

- Well, what are you doing here, Joel?

- In town on business.

- Okay. Well, uh, have a seat.

Everything okay?

You're firing me?

- I told you he was sharp. - Come on, Mike.

You're not really doing this, are you?

- Yeah, actually, I am.

I just came here 'cause I wanted to see you in person.

It's more professional that way.

Plus, I wanted to see that look on your face.

- What, you, uh,

what, you speak for New Edition now? Huh?

- Do you? Did you ever?

New Edition is a group, not just one guy

that sings with some friends, man.

- Well, I hope Ralph still feels that way.

- What?

- Who called ahead for the prime rib?

- Oh, that's me, darling. Thank you so much.

- Mm-hmm.

- You know what? You can put this on his bill.

He got it.

- Come on, Mike, after all I've done for you guys,

you really want to end it like this?

- After everything you did.

Just be glad you're getting off this easy, money.

Now my homie Joel gonna put you on the details.

I've got shit to do.

- So, how are the kids?

- The kids are great, Joel. They're great.

I...I don't need any more paperwork.

I got it. I know what's going on.

- Look, this is our chance to start new,

start fresh, man.

Get a new accountant, a new lawyer.

We can make sure our money right.

But I've been talking to Rick and Ron about it already.

What do you think about working with this dude, Hiriam Hicks?

Yo, Ralph?

You good?

Ralph?

You hearing me, man?

- Let me play y'all something.

- What's this?

- Rizz?

What is this?

- It's my solo album.

- Your new solo album.

When did you do this, man?

- I've been working on this for a while, man.

A cat named Dewayne Omar helped me produce it.

We got a couple tracks down,

but give it another month and it'll be super solid.

- Wait, dude, dude.

- I'm gonna call it "Living in the Dream."

- "Living in the Dream," huh?

Does Jheryl know about this?

- Nah.

- Does Louil know about this dream?

- Nah.

I brought it to y'all first.

I'm letting you hear it first.

- So, you brought us here to listen to that bullshit?

- Bullshit?

- Wow, man. - Rizz.

Man, we're a group. That means all of us.

- I know we're a group.

We can be like Phil Collins and the Genesis.

- No, we can't be like Phil Collins and the Genesis!

You don't even play drums!

- You see, I knew this would happen.

I knew y'all was gonna do this to me.

I knew y'all was gonna do this to me

from the second y'all stepped on my doorstep.

- Man.

Rizz, what are we doing to you, man?

You put this on us, so, you act like

we supposed to be grateful or something.

- You should be grateful, Ron!

You should be very grateful.

You've been having a good ride.

I've been doing all the damn work here, singing my ass off.

You've been dancing.

- You've been doing all the work?

- Yeah.

- You've been doing all the work?

- Yeah.

- So, ain't nobody else been working?

- Hmph. - Nobody?

- You should be the most happy out of here.

This means you can finally get a chance to sing lead.

- Rizz.

- And Ron, you should just go be a male model or something.

Oh, Mike, while I'm out here singing this bullshit,

you should go get yourself a briefcase

since you always wanna run shit anyway.

- You funny, man. - Yet you're not running shit.

You never have and never will.

- So, all y'all can see your way up outta my crib.

- Oh, it's like that? - Yeah.

And I'ma let this play.

- Turn yourself that shit off.

"Favorite R&B group."

We ain't no group.

- I pay the bills for my whole family, Mike.

Without NE, how am I supposed to keep that going?

- I don't know.

What I do know is

I'm not relying on that dude for us to eat.

It's time for a change.

- I think this album is great.

I mean, when this thing comes out, it's gonna be a smash.

- Yeah? - Yeah, yeah.

- Everybody in LA here's saying that same thing.

- Mm-hmm.

- Plus, here's what I'm thinking for the first single--

- Oh, wait. Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Slow it down just a little bit.

Let's not move so fast just yet.

The thing about hit records is it's all about positioning.

- Mm-hmm. - Okay?

So, we gotta make sure we put it out at the right time.

- Mm.

- So we do this New Edition album, okay?

And then we put this one out.

And I'm telling you, it'll be even bigger.

- I knew I should've took that deal from Hollywood Records.

- What, Disney?

Come on, Ralph. You sound crazy.

That mouse can't do what I do for you.

- That mouse offered me $6 million.

- $6 million?

So it's about money now?

MCA Records has been there for you, Ralph.

Any time you've needed anything, we--

no, correction-- I was there for you.

Not New Edition-- Ralph Tresvant.

And now I need you to be here for me on this one.

- I am here for you. I have been here for you.

I'm singing all these songs. I never miss a show.

I already feel like I'm solo-- until payday comes.

That's when I know I'm still in a group.

- Come on, Ralph.

Look, do you trust me?

- Yeah, I trust you.

- Okay. Well, then, you gotta know

we're pulling out all the big guns for this one.

I went and got Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis myself

to produce this entire album.

Do you see what they just did

with that Janet Jackson "Control" album?

Well, that's what I'm trying to do for you.

This could be New Edition's "Thriller,"

your "Purple Rain,"

the album that you'll always be remembered for.

Do this for us, Ralph, one more NE record.

And I promise you, we'll do your solo record

and we're gonna get your money right.

Oh, come on, that's how it is?

Let me ask you a question, young fella.

How many albums did Michael record with the Jacksons

before he put out "Off the Wall"?

I need an answer.

- I don't need another one of your R&B

history lessons right now.

If you don't wanna put my record out, just tell me that.

- Oh, so that's how you're playing it?

Okay, well, let's talk straight, then.

The real is that you're still under contract.

New Edition still owes us another album.

So, either you're gonna quit, or call in sick,

or whatever else it is you're planning.

I need you to show up to work and do your job.

Is that clear?

- Yeah.

- Look, Ralph. Look.

I know it ain't easy being the star.

We put a lot on you.

But you also have to know this.

You have a bright future in this business.

Now, I wish all my artists had your work ethic.

Thanks.

- Look, man.

You do this for us, and I promise you

we're gonna take care of you on the other side of this.

That's my word.

Hey, shake my hand. Leave me hanging?

Come on, man.

What, the mouse gonna give you 6 million?

What? He gon' pay you in cheese?

Come on, man.

MCA Records, we got you.

I got you.

- How's it going?

- So, where's Ralph? - Hard to say.

Ralph likes to do his own thing sometimes, you know?

- Okay, guys, so listen,

here, we wanna do with you what we did with Janet, okay?

We wanna create a whole story--

from the first track to the last track, okay?

Hers was about control.

Yours is gonna be about your transition

from being young adults to some real grown-ass men.

How about that?

- Yeah.

- Okay, cool. I'm glad we see eye to eye.

- Yeah.

- 'Cause that's exactly what me and my boys

have been trying to do.

- Yeah. - Yeah.

The main reason why we brought my boy Johnny to the group

was for us to change our image.

- His skills give us a new sound.

- And to get away from that bubblegum shit we've been doing.

- We gonna change that "Candy Girl" into a "Chocolate Woman."

- Hey, there he is.

- What's up, man? - How's it going?

- How's it goin', Rizz?

- Yo, what's going on? Why is he here?

- Wait...

you guys didn't tell him Johnny was in the group?

- What the hell you mean Johnny's in the group?

Since when? - Since now.

Label already signed off. - Look...

- What? - Listen, listen.

I'm sorry, man, I don't know what this is all about,

but nobody told me you didn't know.

- Yo, not only did I not know,

nobody even asked me for my opinion.

- Oh, I was gonna call you, Rizz,

but I had that modeling gig.

- You know, expanding my horizons or what have you.

- Oh, word? - Yeah, word.

What did you expect, Rizz?

You said you wanted to go solo, right?

- That don't mean I'm quitting the group, Rick!

- All right, guys, guys. - Damn!

- Guys, guys. Everybody just calm down.

- No, wait a second with that calm down shit.

I'm not splitting my money five ways again.

So unless Bobby's coming back,

the four of us are New Edition. Period.

- Wait, hold on, hold on-- - Jeez, man.

- I got him. I got him.

- He'll be a'ight.

So what's this, the new New Edition?

- He'll be al'ight.

- Hey, man. This is your part right here.

You can sing that, right?

- Man.

- What y'all looking at me for?

Now he know we ain't depending on his ass, B.

I swear, fix y'all faces, man.

- Amazing!

- Amazing.

- Yeah, come on out here.

- That's what I'm talking about.

- Yeah. You know what?

- Well, damn.

- If you're doing something like that

on the first take, you can wear that

every day of the week with me, man.

- All right, all right. That's a wrap.

I'll see you guys tomorrow at noon.

- All right. - Ah, man.

- We're gonna see y'all tomorrow, all right?

- Where are the rest of the fellas?

- The same place they always are when we do an album.

At the club, while I'm here.

- You sound like me.

Living in the studio.

I don't even like the clubs anyway.

Besides, when I was with Stacy, all I did was lay up under her.

- Stacy. What happened to that?

Thought y'all was gonna be on the cover of "Jet" or something.

R&B super couple.

- Don't get me started. I don't even know.

Her mother just thought I was bad for her career.

- What?

- But I already know what that was about,

you know what I mean?

- Wow. - Yeah.

- That's messed up. - But it's all right.

I'm used to proving people wrong.

- Look, man, what happened before...

it was bullshit.

You didn't deserve that.

To tell you the truth, man, it wasn't even about you.

- I know.

But I'm sitting here wondering what the hell I got myself into.

- Yeah, welcome to New Edition.

- Yeah.

- A bunch of ungrateful cats who don't appreciate nothin' I do.

Man, you know Maurice Starr offered me a solo deal?

- Word?

- I turned it down for them fools.

I ain't even told them about it.

Man, I've given up so much to make this keep going.

I do all the songs.

I never miss a show.

I never miss a studio session.

I never miss an interview,

just to keep that money coming in and keep everybody happy.

The moment I wanna go do something for myself,

I get stabbed in the back.

- Damn. - Yeah.

How'd you get here anyway?

Long story short, two months ago, I'm in LA,

backstage at the Whispers concert,

and I run into Mike, and as soon as he found out

I was on MCA, he's asking me, like...

Yo, yo, JG,

let me ask you a question, you know?

- No, really, he was like...

Yo, how do you feel?

You've gotten your just due as an artist?

I was like, where are you going with this?

- Yeah, it sound like Biv. - Yeah.

- He meet a couple of lawyers and managers,

and he feel like he Barry Gordy or something.

- So what did he tell you?

You was gonna be the new Bobby, right?

- Oh, man... Actually, man to man?

He told me I'll be the new you.

- Mike Bivins.

- And the next thing you know,

I'm sitting in Jheryl's office.

And he's telling me how this would work out for my solo album

if I do this one with y'all.

- What?

- Yeah.

- Yo, he told me the same shit.

- What? - Yeah.

- Wow.

Looks like we've both been played.

- Yeah, pretty much.

I gotta admit though, man, your voice don't sound too bad.

You know, after mine, you know?

- Oh, man, let me tell you.

If there's nothing else I can do,

Johnny Gill, Jr. can sing, you hear me?

Yeah, I mean, all that choreography and dancing

and stuff--I mean, I may not have it yet,

but you give me a mic, I'ma turn that bitch out.

- I love it, man. - Yeah.

- What's up with these boots, though, man?

That must be some DC shit. - What?

Man, that's all me. - Yeah, okay.

- I'm gonna make these hot. - Oh, whoa.

- It'll be hot all over again.

Everybody's gonna be wearing them.

Trust me. - All right.

- Yeah.

So we cool?

- Yeah, man, we cool.

- Congratulations, you've got a hit.

- Another hit.

- Another hit.

- Woo-hoo-hoo! - Yeah.

- Baby! - Yeah, I like that.

- Hey, Johnny, I think you're fired, man.

- JG!

- All right, JG! - Whoa, whoa!

- Y'all wanna run that back? - Yeah, one more time.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, J. We got a hit album.

- I can't lie, fellas.

I feel so fly right now. - Mm-hmm.

- Man, my first solo album, yeah?

They had me in a tuxedo, a red bowtie--

- What? --and a cummerbund.

- You like that?

- Hey, man, I should've been selling bean pies on the corner.

- You think I'd do this. - This is the end.

- Y'all should have been there.

- I got something worse than that.

"Telephone Man."

- Hard hats and the overalls?

- Yeah, I was laughing at that.

- We looked like the Village People out there.

- Whoa! - We was under construction.

- It was a hit, though. - Yeah.

- It was. - We were a hit.

- It's still a hit. For sure.

- You know what, man?

For the first time since we did all of this?

- Yeah.

- I feel like we hit that Transitions level.

The Untouchables.

You remember how fly they used to be?

- They was clean, man.

- Wait, those are local groups in Boston?

- Yeah, man.

- But those guys were like superheroes to us.

They was like our Temptations. - Wow.

- I feel like we finally at that level, right now in this moment.

- Hey, you know what, fellas?

Our paper's right.

- Hey, the paper's right?

- Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! - Hey, don't trip us, right?

- You guys look amazing. Ready to get started?

- Yeah, absolutely. - Let's do it.

- Make a statement.

- Oh, okay. Oh, okay.

- A big smile, guys.

- Wrong, man. No damn smiles.

- Guys. - No smile.

- No. - It's cool, man.

Just let us do what we do.

We got this. We got this.

- Okay, well, um, what are we doing?

- Yeah, man.

Like superstars.

- I'm feeling great about the routine, man.

But, Stro, we need to talk about this band, man.

The bass and keyboard player,

they playing way too slow and it's throwing us off.

- That's for real, though.

I feel like I'm always one measure ahead of where they are.

- Yeah. You think we still got time to switch 'em out?

'Cause I know somebody with way better pocket,

you know what I'm saying? Like, some way better players.

- Do they sing, these guys? - They sing, of course.

- Word? - Word.

- JG, you new here. That ain't your call, money.

- Psh. That's funny. Yeah, you right.

I'm new, but you the least talented one,

and you always running your mouth.

- What did you say, you fake-ass Luther Vandross?

- Chill, chill, chill.

- Uh, excuse me? Uh, are y'all ready?

- What's up, fellas? All right. What's up, y'all?

What's up, bro? - Hey.

- Okay, well, as far as everything on my end,

it is handled, all right?

Al Haymon is promoting the tour,

so that's 30 million guaranteed right there.

- Woo-hoo!

- We're gonna do 60 dates throughout the country.

And we're gonna release your first single

while you're out there on the road.

- Woo! - Yeah!

- All right? - Damn, man.

- You know what? I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I almost forgot. - What's up?

- Bobby's gonna be joining you on the tour.

- Oh, wow...

- Next, on "The New Edition Story"...

- When we get to Philly, we'll switch spots.

That way, I'm going right before y'all.

Okay, so who's gonna do "Mr. Telephone Man"

and "Jealous Girl"?

- JG. - That would me.

- Have y'all thought about doing something together?

Just y'all three? - Just us three?

- Yeah, you know, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell, Mike Bivens.

- "Living in the Dream" was my chance to break out.

I did y'all a favor.

I put my album on the shelf,

because Jheryl promised me a solo album.

- They in debt.

Every last one of they second albums flopped.

Why do you think they're doing this in the first place?

- You know Bobby. - We only nine shows in.

He already missed four.

- The champ is here!

Y'all ready to do this? - Do what, Bob?

The show's over. You missed everything.

- Y'all ready for some BBD?

- What the hell is you doing?

- What does it look like I'm doing?

- New Edition died a long time ago,

when I left the group!

As far as I'm concerned, it can stay dead!

- What are you doing, man?

You know how many dates we got left?

- I ain't in the group no more,

and we ain't no damn business partners, either.

- He quit. There is more money.

- Look, Daddy.