Original subtitles

- Jerome? ‐ Hey, beautiful.

Jerome is out?

Showed up on my doorstep like a lost puppy.

But Randy's happy to see his daddy.

There's a tiny little sliver of land

in Ohio that I've been sittin' on for years.

You won't be laughin' when I put you

in that dream house you always wanted.

For real?

As real as I'm sittin' here right now.

Afternoon, sweetheart.

Have a fine day.

Jerome, did you pay them?

I'm not gonna move another inch

until I hear you say you trust me.

Damn Jerome. Comin' in here

like we supposed to bow down to him.

When you get out of jail, you feel like

the entire world has moved on without you,

and all you're trying to do is catch up with it.

You all need to use this time to go out there

and look for a job.

Hit it hard. Really pound the pavement.

Damn, son, you murderin' that.

You hear that?

Yeah, the hood is feelin' it.

Shit.

You think you gonna be a star and all that,

so you out here wastin' your fuckin' time

rhymin' on some Memorex.

The assistant to this manager gave me his number.

Manager? Nigga, whatever.

My shit had all the birds chirpin'.

My brothers is always gonna be my brothers.

And all that falling on me, I don't want that for you.

‐ I'm tired of everybody thinking

that they know what's best for me.

I know what I want.

‐ Turn that shit off.

‐ Fuck you, you corny‐ass, wannabe‐bad Uncle Tom.

- Yo! - Yo, yo!

‐ He can't breathe! ‐ Yo, let him up!

Say something!

Say something!

Fucking dead. You killed him!

He's not moving!

Run!

‐ Go, Shotgun!

‐ Go left, go left!

Yo, get over, get over, get over!

‐ Go left, go left!

‐ Yeah.

‐ You cleaned your plate, didn't you?

‐ Late again?

‐ Man, fuck you.

‐ Maybe you can go home and get some dinner.

You know, instead of freeloadin' off your relatives.

Clean up after yourself.

Mama!

Hey, put him on his ass! Put him on his ass!

Get off my son!

Stop it! Get off!

Fuck!

Yo, ref! Yo, ref, hey!

- You just need to play. - Hey, you better calm down.

I know you seen that shit!

What you mean, calm down?

One minute penalty. Go sit down.

That ain't no penalty!

Auntie, you don't understand, he was...

‐ Get out of my house. ‐ Where am I supposed to go?

I don't care.

Get your shit, and get out.

Now.

If you're lucky, maybe your grandma

will take you back.

That's bullshit, ref!

Keep your head up, man, we got you.

We know that dude stuck you, Shotgun, fuck that ref.

Hey, Grandma.

Please just give me one more chance.

‐ That was a fucking penalty.

Hey. Look who's here.

Uncle Anthony.

Man, you must've grown a whole damn f...

a whole foot‐‐

since I last saw you.

What you doing here?

Says he's clean.

It's 'cause it's the truth, Ma.

Anyway, I‐I'm out on parole.

I can't be messing all that up.

They'll throw away the key on me.

Man, come on, man.

Yeah.

It's gonna be different now.

I got my old job back.

You moving here?

With us?

Yeah.

What you think about that?

That mean you gonna be paying rent this time, Anthony?

Yeah, Ma.

Something like that.

‐ Divine. ‐ Yeah?

Why don't you help me out with this rug.

Yeah.

I heard what happened to your boy Haze.

That shit's fucked up.

Cops be buggin' out, son.

Hey, yo, Bob.

Hey, man.

Yo, you moving?

‐ Just packing up shit for Ohio.

‐ Hey, honey.

You here to help us out?

‐ No, Ma.

His ankle is busted.

‐ Okay.

Well, help us pack up the kitchen, then, Shotgun.

Thank you.

Shurrie, stop dragging your feet.

Anything left in your room by the time Jerome finished

packing the truck, it ain't coming.

‐ Then I'm staying in my room.

‐ Excuse me, girl, who you think you are?

Are you crazy?

‐ Hey.

Come on, now, little lady, show your mama some respect.

‐ No, leave it.

We got seven hours in the car together

to enjoy her little tantrum.

‐ Come on. Mom said we gotta hurry.

‐ How come you don't want to move so much?

‐ I don't know.

‐ Is it 'cause I'm going?

‐ What?

‐ Do you want to stay here

so you don't have to take care of me anymore?

I know you probably get sick of me sometimes.

‐ Come here.

No, okay?

I'm not sick of you.

Don't say things like that. I'm sorry.

Come here.

Hey, Randy?

Can you do me a big favor?

Can you, um,

take this box down to the truck?

‐ Okay.

Shurrie, this box too heavy for me.

Can‐‐can you take it?

‐ Yeah, yeah, I got you, little man.

‐ You're a real pro at this?

‐ You move around a lot or something?

‐ Nah.

First time out of the joint, I was a mover.

It was the only job I could get, you know?

So I just kept my head down, handled business.

Worked out all right in the end.

Handle yours, it'll work out for you too.

You don't want to end up like your boy Haze.

‐ Matter of fact, I got a‐‐ I got a job interview tomorrow.

‐ You know who you meetin' with?

‐ Yeah, somebody at this cleaning company

up at the World Trade.

‐ I done a ton of interviews like that

when I was fresh out the joint.

Gotta read the person.

'Cause they looking for any excuse

not to trust you.

If it's a white woman, appeal to her sympathy.

If it's a white man, you ain't gonna get that,

so be "respectful."

If it's a brother, be straight up with him.

Pardon me, fellas.

There's a damsel in distress.

Give that to me.

Let me get it.

‐ Yo, what do you think?

‐ Well, he says he loves her.

And, you know, Randy's getting a chance to be with his dad.

‐ Yeah.

Damn.

Yo, I can't believe this is happening for real.

‐ All right, yo, I'm gonna go piss.

‐ Yo, I‐I got this.

‐ Damn, son, I been looking all over for this tape.

‐ Hey, you packed the fuck out of this box, nigga.

‐ My uncle told me how to cross‐tape.

I didn't want your mother's dishes getting broke.

Jostling on that journey.

She got some nice shit, son.

- Yo, you really out? - No, I just, ‐‐

my moms, Shurrie, you know, Randy.

‐ So you staying.

‐ Yeah.

About to have this entire house to myself.

When 'Vine get back, him too, you know.

This 'bout to be the new hang.

Gon' have everything.

‐ That's what's up.

‐ Well, bye, D.

‐ Yeah. Have fun in Ohio.

‐ You better look out for each other.

You too, Dennis.

‐ Yes, ma'am.

‐ Yeah, Mommy.

Yeah, of course.

‐ Yeah, don't you worry.

You're not leaving us alone.

We'll look out for each other.

‐ Yeah, and it ain't like

we're not gonna be talkin' to each other

or seein' one another.

‐ No, but it's different.

You're men now.

All of you.

Can't just be having parties all the time while I'm gone.

You have to make something of yourself.

You can always make something of yourselves.

No matter what anybody says.

You hear me?

All right.

I'm a really hard worker.

Always on time.

Hey, and I really need this job.

Yeah, no kidding.

I see you came from the jobs program.

We keep a tight ship over here.

You gotta show up on time, do what you're told.

Always wear your uniform and keep it clean.

‐ This sounds like a great opportunity.

What you think of this one?

Yo, that's the color for you, girl.

Hey, what you got for us by way of associate discount?

‐ I only have a client discount, man.

You can talk to Vickie.

I think I see my 2:00 walking in.

Take your time.

‐ Yo, that's Big Daddy Kane and Roxanne Shanté?

Come on.

‐ Have a seat.

‐ Your office in here too?

‐ The fur business and the music business,

good to be in together.

Help people in both parties.

Stick around, there might be a coat in here for you.

‐ Word?

‐ I really dug the demo you sent me.

Not every day I get a tape labeled "Genius" on it.

‐ Well, you know, name found me.

Know what I'm sayin'?

‐ I've been putting in calls about you all over town.

‐ Yo, I really appreciate that.

‐ How about your‐‐ your boy on your track?

You said he was your cousin?

‐ Yeah, Bobby.

Dynamite.

Just got his demo with me.

Check it out.

No, he's got a... unique sound.

‐ Yo. ‐ Yo, what up, son?

Hey, yo, how'd that job interview go and shit?

‐ A'ight, I guess.

Yo, where Bobby at?

‐ I ain't seen him since I left your house.

I wish he'd come soon, though.

But that chess‐playin' nigga keep tryin'

to get me to sit down and shit, like...

I don't know that nigga, the fuck?

Hey, yo, you spoke to your family yet?

‐ Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

‐ Cool.

I wonder how they liking it.

Ohio.

So Shurrie, is she, like, finishing high school and shit

out there or...

‐ Yo, I'll catch you later.

‐ Hey, yo, what...

Hey, man, I just got done talking to my cousin.

He just played my demo for this manager,

and he wants to meet.

‐ That's dope, son.

He gon' sign you for sure.

Hey, listen.

He heard your verses too, man.

He wants to meet us both.

Tonight.

Yo, I bet Haze would... yo, Haze would be excited, yo.

He always believed in you.

It's a big opportunity.

‐ He's playing in the championships.

It's the first time in his school's history.

It's a big opportunity.

I, um, I got a call from your mama today.

‐ Really?

She okay?

‐ She's got a place in Staten Island now.

She wants you to come live with her.

‐ You still got time to pack and catch the train tonight.

‐ Mama, as much as Shotgun wants to be back with her,

I think it's best that he finish up

the lacrosse season and school year here.

He's playing in the championships.

It's the first time in his school's history.

He's playing against all of these white boys.

It's a big opportunity.

‐ Fine.

Let's at least give her a call.

After dinner.

Almighty God, we thank You for this time together,

and we pray now that You will bless it

to the nourishment of our lives.

In the name of Jesus, we pray.

And when I heard that verse

about the sperm that fertilized the egg?

- Whoo! - Wait, wait. Yo, yo.

- Y'all liked that? - Come on.

I never heard a verse like that before in my life!

‐ Shit sure wasn't no biter.

‐ And I was very impressed by your track.

I mean, you could feel the energy

coming through the speakers.

‐ Yo, I appreciate that.

- ‐ Yeah. - Word.

‐ Gary.

Let me introduce you to Fly Ty.

Look, when I get back, we talk next steps.

We got a showcase here tomorrow night.

‐ Yo, cuz.

‐ Hey, I could get used to this.

We almost there.

‐ Yo, Bobby!

Damn, my moms paged me 12 times, son.

Yo, Bobby, where the fuck you at, son?

Yo, what's good, nigga?

Shit, man.

‐ Where the fuck you been, son?

You got me fucking taking trips and shit by mys...

Hey, yo, so let me get this straight.

You been hanging out with this Park Hill nigga

instead of puttin' in work with me?

Hey, yo, what the fuck is up, son?

‐ Hey, yo, listen.

This manager came up to me and Shotgun, a'ight?

He wants us to perform at this showcase

for these execs and shit.

So I figured, I prove myself,

I get this manager to sign me,

and then I pass your tape to him like Gary did for me.

‐ All right, Bob, what about the fucking work?

So you get signed, you miss the fucking big time,

'Vine out here picking up trash on Wall Street

instead of selling to these niggas,

and I'm supposed to, what, do the business for myself?

‐ Nah, man. ‐ Is that it?

‐ That's not what I'm saying.

‐ What the fuck are you saying?

Hey, yo, the only reason I got this deep in this fucking game

is for your family.

‐ Hey, yo, it's two.

Yo, don't forget that.

Yo, all you gotta do is sit tight, D.

Hey, for now. Just for now.

And if I go anywhere,

you comin' with me.

You know that shit.

So I talked to my cousin Gary,

he was saying that we gotta have our names

when we meet those guys.

Like we have our shit together.

Know what I'm saying?

He's going by "The Genius."

‐ Shit, I already been flipping between two names, son.

Johnny Blaze and Iron Lung.

And I got this new idea, right?

Hot Nickels.

Word.

‐ I don't know, man.

‐ Nigga Haze used to say that same shit.

‐ Hey, yo.

'Bout to be good tonight?

‐ Hell, yeah.

What about you, what you gonna go by?

‐ Well, I want to have something

with a little force behind it.

You know what I'm sayin'?

‐ Force?

I thought you was gonna go by Bobby Dynamite.

‐ Hey, yo, check this.

Rakeem.

‐ Rakeem? What's that?

‐ Yeah. Yo, I heard some Five Percenters

talking about it in the park.

When I heard that shit, that‐‐that "Ra,"

I thought, damn, that shit is powerful.

Rakeem.

Yo, it's original.

‐ Yo, son, how is that original

when you caught it from some Five Percenters in the park?

‐ Nigga, know what I'm saying.

Hurry your crippled ass up, bruh.

‐ Whatever, man.

Yo, I ain't seen this many white people

since I lived in Long Island.

‐ No, no, no, no, no.

Use a rake.

Yeah. See?

A rake won't splash as much water over the edge.

All right?

See, you learn a trade, you'll always have work.

Even after everything I've been through.

‐ Yeah, you done with all of that now.

Right?

‐ I ain't going nowhere.

Better get back to work.

‐ Hey, man. What're you doin'?

‐ I'm just teaching my nephew something.

‐ Yeah, well, teach him somewhere else.

All right? Not on my work site.

‐ Your work site?

‐ What do you think this is?

- ‐ You better chill out. - Tony.

Jerry.

What's going on?

You said you had my old job for me.

‐ I said I had a job.

‐ You think that kid knows better than me?

I've been doing construction

longer than he's been breathing.

How many years have I given you?

‐ Yeah, and how many of those years were you clean?

I'm sorry, Tony.

It's the best I can do.

Hey, Unc.

Put your motherfuckin' hands together.

Put your motherfuckin' hands together

for my boy, my nigga,

Shotgun!

Hell, yeah! Hell, yeah!

Let's hear that shit!

Hell, yeah. Hell, yeah.

Kill that shit, nigga.

‐ Yo, New York, what up, what up, what up, what up?

New York, what up?

What up, New York?

Make some motherfucking noise, New York City, what up?

Yeah.

Yo, hey, yo, DJ, put my shit on, man.

Whoo!

‐ Time!

‐ Yeah!

We want more of that, boy.

Yo, ref.

Yo, don't make it 10 versus 11 out here.

‐ Yeah, you're lucky I don't call personal.

‐ Yo, ref!

What the fuck was that, man?

‐ Uncle Anthony?

You just gonna let him lead his whole crew?

‐ Yo, what you doing? ‐

‐ Sir, get off the field.

‐ Hey, don't you tell me

get off the field, man.

You get me off the field.

Yo, chill, man.

Yo, you on parole, man.

‐ The hell is your uncle on?

‐ He's trying to cheat you.

‐ Yo, Uncle Anthony, please. Stop, man.

‐ Get your uncle off the field.

‐ No. No, no, no.

Please. I'll get him out of here.

‐ He's trying to cheat you.

‐ Come on, man. Get up.

Come on, man, we gotta go. We gotta go, come on.

- ‐ Cheat you. - Shotgun, man!

Where you going? It's the championship game!

‐ Hey, yo, you fucking killed it.

Shit.

‐ Catch you later, man.

Fuckin'...

Shit.

Shotgun.

Patrick Nelson.

Varsity Records.

That was incredible.

You're gonna be a star.

‐ Thanks, man.

‐ I loved the cane bit.

It's like you're a pimp or something.

‐ Nah, I actually need this to walk.

Hey, yo.

What up, baby?

‐ Hey, yo, I was feeling your performance earlier.

‐ Yeah? Yeah. ‐ Yeah.

Yo, what'd you say your name was again?

‐ It's, it's Rakeem.

‐ Yeah, you don't sound so sure about that.

‐ I'm very sure, baby.

‐ Bobby. Let me borrow you for a minute.

Excuse me.

‐ Yo, I'ma‐‐I'ma holler at you soon, a'ight?

‐ Monica.

Monica Lynch from Tommy Boy Records.

My client, Bobby.

‐ Such a pleasure, Bobby.

‐ Yo, pleasure's all mine.

‐ We'd be very interested in having you come in this week.

‐ I'd love to.

‐ Andre. ‐ Hey!

How are you, my friend? ‐ I'm well, I'm well.

‐ Hey, listen, my son wants to meet your new star.

‐ Steve.

Bobby, Jules and Steve Rifkind from Spring Records.

‐ Hey. ‐ Yeah, man.

‐ Bobby, so good to meet you, man.

The performance was awesome.

‐ He keeps telling me I gotta get back into hip‐hop.

But I just don't see it going anywhere.

‐ Okay.

‐ I see it going pretty far, Dad,

you know, the people love it, so.

‐ Look, I see a lot of potential here.

You're a good‐looking kid. We can take you far.

And you can be the next Father MC.

Yeah, that's cool,

but that pretty boy rap really ain't me.

Sign with me. Follow my lead.

Don't worry about anything except being a star.

Sounds better than slanging on the corner

and getting locked up, right?

‐ Yo, I ain't no drug dealer.

‐ Yeah. Of course not.

‐ I ain't did no jail time neither.

No prison, no probation.

Definitely no parole. None of that shit.

How the fuck you even gonna say some shit like that to me, man?

‐ Okay, okay, look, I'm just saying.

‐ Yo, get the fuck away from me.

‐ Has your man lost his fucking mind?

You about to get the fuck out of here, man.

Come on. Come on.

‐ Hey, yo, yo, yo, what's‐‐ what's wrong, girl?

No, no, no. Down.

Come here.

Chill. Chill, chill.

Shit, I'm sorry, girl.

I guess I'm the only one who feeds you now?

Down.

‐ Any more of that chicken left?

‐ No, I gave the rest to Sheba.

Yo, I gotta go and pick up some dog food tomorrow.

So how was, how was that new job?

‐ It's a'ight.

So.

You're not working at the park no more?

I've been busy.

I know it's not fun,

selling weed to Wall Street dudes all day,

but that's the hustle.

Life's all about doing shit

that you don't want to do.

Now, you know what happens when I don't show up to a job now?

I go back to jail.

Now, you want to end up just another statistic like me?

You're...

you're not another statistic, Vine.

But that's what the world sees me as.

Now, what did Mommy say?

We have to try and make something of ourselves.

Sometimes, I think you don't understand

how hard it's gonna be out there.

Maybe I protected you too much.

I wasn't trying to ditch work.

Gary met this manager.

We had this performance at this club in Manhattan,

and yo, 'Vine, I killed it.

This manager thinks I got a real shot at a deal.

I have this meeting soon, and, yo, if it goes well,

maybe I could call Mommy,

and I could tell her

I actually made something of myself.

For real.

That's good, man.

That's...

That's great.

Yeah.

Queen Latifah.

Apache and the rest of the Flavor Unit crew.

Damn, I didn't even know...

Apache was a part of the Flavor Unit crew.

You ever thought about,

putting them on a record together?

That shit would be crazy.

Do you know how many people are in Flavor Unit?

'Cause I can barely keep track.

Just imagine trying to wrangle all those artists for a record.

It'll be worth it, though.

It'd kinda be like, what, the Avengers.

Yeah, cassettes cost more than comics.

- Monica. - Bobby.

This is our CEO, Tom Silverman.

Pleasure.

Pleasure to meet you. Glad we could get you in here.

Thanks, I'm happy to be here.

We're glad to have you.

We think you got big star potential.

Want to get you in the studio,

right away.

Word?

Shit!

Yeah.

I'm telling you, I'm sitting there with Monica

and the CEO comes right in.

It was fucking crazy.

It's not a coincidence, my friend.

It's a move.

They're serious about working with you.

Shit.

I linked with Monica and the exec who wants Gary

over at Cold Chillin'.

I figured I'd book your studio time together.

Hell, yeah.

Yeah, and once we in there back‐to‐back,

I can get my boys in there too.

Let's keep it small?

I'm not trying to get half of Staten Island

into this session.

Especially not Shotgun.

Wait, what?

I thought... I thought y'all said y'all was

trying to sign him.

I did. Not now.

Can't be acting like that.

Yo, he's just‐‐

he's just going through some shit, man.

I mean, his boy just died. It really messed him up.

Can't we just take him?

I'm not taking him anywhere.

You talk to Andre?

Yeah.

Shit.

What happened?

I don't know, son.

Shit, man.

For sure, you know you dope.

Go get that cream, son.

Come on, please! He's been good!

He's been working a job.

He's been checking in with his PO.

Hey, man.

Y'all win that game?

How old is he?

He's living here with a known addict with drugs in the house?

Hey, no, man. No, I didn't do...

Now, I don't know where you found that stuff, man.

I ain't bring any drugs in this house.

Don't you lie to me, all right?

I'll have child services here so fast,

your head will spin.

No, no, he's not his son.

He's his nephew, and he's been living with his mother,

in Staten Island!

All right, well, go on home, then.

This is no place for kids.

Where you taking him?

It's okay, man.

You'll see me soon.

- Come on. - You'll see me soon.

You'll see me soon.

It's okay.

You'll see me soon.

Tommy Boy signed you to a single deal.

I'm hearing a lot of good stuff from you, man.

But I ain't heard a single yet.

You don't get an album if you don't have a single.

Something that distinguishes you.

It's gotta be catchy.

Yeah. Yeah, I hear you.

I hear you.

How about this?

Everyone loves a James Brown hook.

Yeah.

Everybody runs it ragged.

It's a little too obvious.

Seriously?

Nah, I'm looking for something

a little fresh,

a little more soul.

Y'all still about to have me meet with them producers?

'Cause you know I be‐‐ I be producing my own shit.

Yeah, well, we want you to focus on rapping for now.

I want you taken seriously as a rapper.

And rappers don't produce their own shit.

Alright.

Let me... let me see this right here.

Yeah.

Yeah, this is it.

This... this is the one.

Shurrie.

Can you give me a hand in here?

I'm just fuckin' with you.

Ugly‐ass nigga.

Look at this hockey‐playin' motherfucker.

He ain't from no fucking Park Hill.

- Fuck you say? - Dumbass.

That's a lacrosse stick.

Don't you know Jim Brown?

He'll fuckin' fuck you up.

Damn, Haze.

Alright, then.

Come on, man.

Hey, yo, Shotgun.

Seen this shit, man?

Fuck?

Yo, that's Bobby?

It's not really him, is it?

It's crazy.

Get on the line.