Original subtitles

[Grown Kanan] Previously onRaising 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', nigga. I'll be back in 20.

Make sure you don't fuckin' open the door for no one.

[gunshot]

[grunts]

[crashing]

-[gunshot] -[tires squealing]

[gunshot]

[dramatic music plays]

[gunshot]

[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 shit up.

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

♪ ♪

[Rileyy] ♪ I'm a hustler, baby I'm a hustler, baby ♪

[50 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 shit I'm gon' take it ♪

♪ Robberies turned homicide It's nothin' to play with ♪

♪ Make money Make, make, make money ♪

♪ When shit hit the fan We'll take money, Southside ♪

♪ Beef with the best of 'em ♪

♪ Done shot At the rest of 'em, yeah ♪

♪ Checks, I'm collectin' 'em ♪

♪ Check, boy I'm finessin' 'em ♪

♪ Bag Supreme Boy, you fuck 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 fuck, hey ♪

♪ When it come to that paper There'll be no complications ♪

Ha ha. That's right.

♪ Put a hole in a nigga Right in front of you ♪

♪ Your heartbeat pacin' ♪

[Rileyy and 50 Cent] ♪ And it's all right ♪

[50 Cent] ♪ That's how We do it on this side ♪

♪ Niggas 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 shit 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 crack 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 crack 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 crack 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 shot,

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 shit.

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 shots 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 fuckin' sure.

Can you say dope spot?

Stash house?

Maybe a robbery?

Who the fuck 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, shit happened fast, you know.

I mean, I was cappin'-cappin' one nigga.

Bow. Bow.

Then another nigga this way. Bow. Bow.

Yo, I was like a Black Rambo out there.

I might have left out, you know, some-some shit.

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 fuck 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 fuck 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 killed.

And we lost half our shit.

Even for you, that's a busy day of fuckin' 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 nigga's head.

We ain't goin' to war, 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 nigga, 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 shit.

I'm gettin' too tired of cleanin' up

after your sloppy ass.

This nigga.

Had Kanan up in the stash house

with a gun to his head.

[Lou-Lou chuckles softly]

Damn, nigga.

You just can't help but fuck 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 nigga Symphony never stop teachin'.

Class was always in session with this nigga.

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 shit.

Fuck is Baisley about, anyway?

Niggas 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, nigga, like you always do.

And you doin' the same shit here.

Only it ain't just you anymore.

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

or goin' to prison over your stupid shit, nigga.

You on Raq's dick, nigga.

Always steppin' and fetchin'.

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

Your business ain't about shit, nigga.

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 Nigga Fucked My Bitch."

Oh, but you got a song too, Marvin.

Only yours goes,

"That New York Knick Nigga Fucked My Baby Mama

and Then Turned Her Out to the Whole Goddamn League."

[dramatic music plays]

♪ ♪

[trash cans clanking]

[Marvin] What's up, nigga? What's up?

[Lou-Lou] Get the fuck--

[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 shit.

Won't ever be shit.

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]

Fuck you.

Shit.

[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] Shit.

They was gonna extort the hell out of me

for that shit 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 shot.

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] Shit. 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 shit?

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 niggas.

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. -Fuck you know, Juke?

I'm a girl.

On the strength of that alone,

I know more about girls than you

and any other nigga you know combined.

Your cousin talkin' shit 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 fuck? Who you been with?

-I been tryin' to hit them skins since the fifth fuckin' grade. -Hey

You gonna let some random-ass nigga 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, nigga. -No.

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

Especially you, K?

I gotta find out about this shit

readin' over some random-ass titties in Playboy.

Yeah, I been busy gettin' shot at and robbed and shit.

So I'm the last nigga to know.

[scoffs]

Yeah. You are.

Bullshit.

Still no idea who ratted out the spot, right?

Got my suspicions.

Yeah, me too.

Who?

Man, fuck 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 fuck up.

I'm sorry, Juke just said Davina a fuckin' rat.

[tense music plays]

Yo.

[door clattering]

[Famous] You fuckin' 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.

Nigga, she ain't know what the fuck it was.

It ain't like I invited her in there.

Whatever, man. I'm just sayin'.

Scrappy. That's who gave that shit up.

Nigga think I'm takin' his fuckin' spot.

He call in sick the same day we get hit

and he show up with some new Jordans?

He's a fuckin' 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, nigga.

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

Secrets you don't wanna know.

I know your secrets, Juke.

I suggest you watch your fuckin' mouth.

♪ ♪

You think I'm fuckin' scared of you, nigga?

Yo, fuck 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 shit out, then.

Figure what shit out?

What the fuck y'all doin' in my spot?

Y'all must think I'm some other nigga,

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

But y'all motherfuckers need to get to steppin'.

And who the fuck 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, nigga.

-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 shit.

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 shit.

[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 shit with Kanan fuck it up.

That shit gon' be squashed.

Fuck it.

Ain't like I got shit to do anyway.

You about to me on my dick, 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 shit up.

-You gon' help him move. -Yo, fuck that.

That motherfucker be talk--

He better not say shit 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 shit out, and I'll hit you up later.

Bounce, motherfucker.

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

Nigga, is you out your fuckin' mind?

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

[scoffs] Shit.

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 fuck with us,

we can just throw our shit 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 motherfuckers.

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 shit 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 shit 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' motherfucker 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, nigga?

'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, nigga.

[Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down" playing over speakers]

I need to talk to you.

You out your fuckin' 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 fuck you up right now for even thinkin'

about thinkin' that bullshit.

I ain't no snake-ass nigga.

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.

Nigga, 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, nigga,

'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 shit works.

That's what the fuck 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 fuck 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 15, 1975.

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 nigga with a law degree

from I Don't Know Shit University.

I ain't a nigga, 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 ♪

♪ Shootin' up your lobby ♪

♪ These streets need a body ♪

♪ I'm too famous ♪

♪ Me and my niggas '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 fuckin' 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 shit.

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 fucking 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, nigga.

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 shit 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... ♪

Fuck, 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]

Shit. Okay.

And, um, how do Black people make spaghetti?

Noodles and sauce in a pan.

-Mm-hmm. -Cheese on top.

Throw all that shit in the oven.

Spaghetti.

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

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

♪ ♪

[Famous] ♪ Every fuckin' mornin' ♪

♪ I'm lookin' To hit the payout ♪

♪ Before you rob The stash house ♪

♪ Better know the layout ♪

♪ When bullets spray out ♪

♪ Niggas live And niggas 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 fucking 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 rape!

Mom!

-Honey. -No! Just fucking stop!

[James] Will somebody please tell me

what the fuck is going on here?

-♪ ♪ -Oh, Jesus!

[labored breathing]

[Raq sighs]

This might be the stupidest shit

I've ever done as your mother.

And Lord knows I've done some stupid shit.

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 shit.

♪ ♪

[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?

Fuck Raq. And that bitch-ass Kanan.

Payin' my dues for five years,

and that nigga 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 nigga rough you up, man?

[laughs]

I'm lookin' for a crew that appreciates me

and what the fuck 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 beat 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 nigga like me,

they always think the same shit:

of course he ended up a thug.

Look where he grew up.

Look at his family.

Look at his fucked-up life.

That sorry motherfucker didn't have no choice.

No chance.

Because turnin' niggas like me into an animal

who can't decide shit 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 15.

What the fuck you doin' here?

[Howard] I thought he was 16.

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.

Shit did cross my mind.

I don't know what the fuck 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.

Shit.

Truth is, I probably known all along.

Just didn't wanna know.

Def Con went away October '74 and stayed there.

No conjugals, either. I checked with Corrections.

Kanan told me he was born on August 15, '75.

Kanan's off-limits to you.

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

Stay the fuck away from my son.

You hid this shit from me.

You hid this shit, and you'll deny it,

but as sure as we standin' here

starin' each other in the fuckin' face,

we both know the truth.

Kanan is my son.

[tense music plays]

♪ ♪