Original subtitles

‐ How do you know Cressy?

We've been making music together.

‐ Never take your eye off the ball.

These two right here, they in love.

‐ He's bangin' his best friend's sister?

No wonder why you love this flick so much.

‐ Yo, shut up and watch the damn movie.

‐ No, I'm not hungry.

Jerome's been cooking all day, come on.

Hey, yo, what happened here?

Attila.

Attila's out. ‐

He took my fuckin' DATs, my fuckin' equipment.

My fuckin' rhyme books, yo.

I got your shit

If you want it back, you better get me my money.

Y'all the dopest MCs I've ever met.

I believe we could do some shit that could be a game changer.

Listen, you're not hearing me right now.

They're dropping you.

‐ I have my own group.

‐ Wu‐Tang? ‐ Wu‐Tang Clan.

I know that it's the end of the road

for you here at Tommy Boy, but I am sure

that Andre has a plan for you.

Drink! Whoo!

Hey.

I didn't know you were here.

Phife just made another sports reference.

‐ Indies sign enough dope artists that a major buys them,

and then the major keeps signing

corporate‐friendly artists.

It's just a vicious cycle.

Look, I get what you're saying. It's a nice idea.

But you need MC Hammer to pay for the Lord Finesse.

When I'm head of a label, that's how I'm gonna do it.

‐ If that's your idea of integrity.

‐ Name one label with integrity,

by your definition.

‐ Two words: Def Jam.

‐ Two words: Beastie Boys.

"License to Ill" keeps the lights on

for them to take chances.

I gotta take a leak.

Ra.

Ra, you're not hearing me right now.

There's not gonna be an album.

It's over. I'm sorry.

They're dropping you.

‐ Hey, yo...

Fuck.

What the fuck you doin, son?

Yo, cuz, what you smokin' on?

What up, y'all? ‐ What's good?

‐ What's good, son? What up?

What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

Yo, I thought we was makin' music, son?

You know, speaking of Def Jam,

did you know Rick Rubin co‐founded Def Jam

in this exact dorm?

‐ Nah, that was Weinstein Hall.

I gotta head out. ‐ Really?

I mean, we don't have to debate music anymore.

‐ Oh, papi, that wasn't a debate.

‐ Here.

Okay, Pinson. How about you break in?

Hey, yo,

We ain't never gonna get your tapes

if you don't leave the house, son.

‐ Man, Attila is‐‐ is crazy, man.

All right? Like, for real crazy.

‐ That's why you need to get yourself some protection.

Know what I mean?

Hey, yo, look.

You can borrow my heater

if it'll make you feel better, all right?

‐ Come on.

‐ Bring back all his tobacco. ‐ Sure.

Yo, what the fuck? Where's my shit?

Hey, yo, hey, yo, where's my shit at, son?

Hey, yo, look, I know you be watching these movies and shit,

thinkin' you gotta be hard,

but you can't be taking my gun, son.

‐ What the fuck do I need your stupid gun for?

‐ Yo, stop playing, son. Where it's at?

I sold it.

‐ Why are you selling my shit?

Don't you talk to me like I'm one of your street niggas.

‐ All right, and don't go into my room

touchin' my shit, Ma.

‐ Then don't be bringing that shit in my house.

Ma.

Forget about it.

‐ And what happens when Attila catches us on the streets, huh?

Hey, yo, who you know that could hook us up with a burner?

‐ Hey, it's for the beginning of the song.

All right, fuck with me. All right?

Hey, yo, this shit sound like

we about to go into a battle.

Really. Word. Uh.

‐ Hey, yo, nigga.

‐ Hey, yo, stupid, you're wasting our studio time.

We only have a couple hours left before they kick us out.

‐ My voice is an instrument, fool.

I treat it with the utmost respect.

I'm not wasting no studio time.

Shit, I'm making the most of it.

They don't call me James Brown for nothin'.

Ow!

‐ So what y'all need those pieces for anyway, though?

You understand what I'm trying to say?

‐ You know, just got off a tour.

You never know when you gon' meet 'em.

‐ Pink Houses is fucked up. ‐ I hate comin' here.

‐ I'm your brother. You my brother.

You know what I'm saying?

‐ Let's walk this way.

Is that Prince Rakeem?

Come here, Prince.

What's today's mathematics?

‐ Hey, yo, no disrespect,

but we ain't into all of that, son.

‐ Build, destroy.

To build is to elevate the mentalities of self

and those around self,

to add positive energy to every nation.

To build, you must first start from the root,

which is the knowledge foundation,

and add on to the highest peak.

To destroy is to eliminate and destroy

any and all negativity that enters my cipher

of supreme harmony.

‐ Peace, God.

‐ Peace, God.

‐ Come on, son.

Bobby.

‐ Yo, that's my man Raf, right there.

‐ I told you he crazy.

What up, Raf?

‐ Y'all lookin' for some heat?

Yes or no?

These guys are from Oakland, are you sure?

Rhyme patterns are crazy, right?

‐ Yeah, why didn't you play this on your show last night?

‐ It's a dub of a dub of a dub.

Shit would've sounded terrible.

If I had it on DAT, I would've.

‐ How'd you get that DAT player anyway?

Did Atlantic give it to you?

‐ You like anyone who works for a label?

‐ Slim Jim.

And I got a meeting with him this week.

‐ Oh, dope. Yeah, where you going?

‐ Indochine. ‐ Really?

‐ Mm‐hmm. ‐ Mm.

My homegirl's his assistant,

and she told me he will not eat Asian food.

Dude only eats steak at Delmonico's every day.

‐ Yeah, well, I have a meeting with him.

He just doesn't know it yet.

‐ So what you got me dubbing here, anyway?

‐ Nothing, it's a favor for a friend.

Thank you.

Yo, this shit's a fuckin' mess, man.

I can't believe that shorty was undercover.

Yo, you think she was lyin' about feelin' my rhymes, too?

Yo, you playin' right now?

Three busts in the Bronx in one week, my nigga.

Cressy was just the first domino.

Who knows how long they been watchin' him,

you know what I'm sayin'?

Police is after us, man.

I gotta move my shit quick.

‐ Where you gon' move that shit?

‐

‐ Yo, you wanna let this shit cool down first?

Lay low for a while?

‐ Lay low, you might end up back on that roof.

Shit, I might be back up there with you,

you know what I'm sayin'?

I've been working too hard to let this shit slip away.

‐ So, what, then?

‐ You still with your man uptown?

‐ Yeah.

‐ All right, word.

Now he has everything I ever recorded,

and the money‐‐I ain't never touched that shit.

I ain't never seen it. ‐ Shit, Ra.

‐ In the meantime, I got myself some heat.

‐ Yeah, almost caught a beatdown from the Gods.

‐ My lessons was on point, though, so we was good.

You would've been proud, yo.

My words was sharp.

Like a weapon.

‐ All right, yo, I gotta go pick up my brothers and shit.

‐ All right. ‐ See y'all later.

‐ So which weapon you gon' choose?

‐ What you mean?

‐ Your tongue is a sword.

That shit right there may not be the way to go.

‐ Hey, yo, we never met this guy, cuz.

‐ You just said yourself.

Your words are like a weapon now.

As a god, you control your fate.

It's up to you how this shit goes down.

I had a feeling you was gon' need this.

It's 5 Gs. I want you to have it.

‐ Yo, this motherfucker is a genius.

‐ Hell, yeah, nigga. Hell, yeah.

‐ Soo!

‐ I ordered this well‐done.

‐ You should try medium‐rare. It's so much better.

‐ Who are you?

‐ Tonya Mendez,

and Slim Jim, if you give me a minute of your time,

I'll be your new A&R.

‐ That's nice.

Really, but I'm just trying to eat my ribeye.

‐ Eat, please. I just need you to listen.

These guys right here

are the next evolutionary step in hip‐hop.

Raw gutter beats

laced with the most insane lyrics you've ever heard.

They reference kung fu flicks, fallopian tubes‐‐

I don't even know half the shit they're saying,

but it works.

There's one track on here where it's like

you're inside a rap cipher with them,

like you're a part of their crew.

And there's no chorus.

‐

‐ This is primal shit.

You don't have to understand it to get it.

I know it sounds crazy, but it's no crazier

than Run‐DMC covering‐‐

‐ Leave the tape.

Now, leave me and my steak alone.

‐ Oh.

Murderer!

You should be ashamed of yourself!

‐ Is this pregnancy happy news, sad news or neither?

There's no right answer. This isn't a test.

You seem like a bright young woman.

I'm sure you'll do what's best for you.

‐

Do you have any, like, advice?

‐ We're not supposed to give advice, but...

Maybe consider who would be involved in raising the child.

That's what's gonna have the biggest impact on its life.

‐ So what you gonna make for dinner tonight?

‐ I ain't making nothin'. You make me somethin'.

Mom. ‐ You want me to cook for you?

Mom, Dad!

‐ You okay, baby? ‐ What?

‐ I made the football team!

‐ Hey! ‐ That's my boy!

‐ Shurrie home? ‐ Yeah, she should be.

‐

‐ I told you. ‐ You did.

‐ Yeah? ‐ You did.

She ain't in here.

‐ You sure? Shurrie?

Come and celebrate your brother with us.

‐ I can't find her. I told you, she ain't home.

Oh, wow.

How many times must you be told

that we will not be part of any of that?

We are not that kind of family.

‐ Um... the vents is rusty.

You might wanna get that fixed.

‐ That shit doesn't fix everything.

‐ All right.

‐ Where did you get this?

‐ Yo, Nasty Nick played this three times last night.

‐ He got all the underground hits.

‐ Yeah, he's that dude.

‐ I gave this to him.

‐ Okay.

You gave it to him? Who the fuck are you?

‐ I manage them.

‐ Yo, Nick said they're completely unknown.

He don't even know what they're called.

‐ 'Cause I wouldn't tell him.

The guys are very particular about how we roll this out.

That's why I gave it to Nick first.

‐ That's mad cool.

‐ So... which one is your favorite verse?

‐ What? It's the fourth, hands down!

‐ It's that‐‐ ‐ Word up.

‐ Damn, son. I gotta rewrite my shit.

‐ Yo, I'm glad I don't gotta get in the booth after that.

Hey, yo, Shotgun, you got next.

‐ Yo I'm about to kill all you motherfuckers, son. Word.

‐ Check that motherfucker.

‐ They got King Kong in this joint.

Yo, son, don't break anything in here.

‐ Yo, what you doin' here?

‐ Hey, yo, Erika. What up?

‐ Hey. What's good?

I see you're off your crutches.

‐ Yep. I'm ready to get back to work too.

‐ Shit, um...

we had to hire someone to replace you when you left.

‐ Replace me?

I hurt my ankle working here.

Don't they gotta take me back?

Okay, what about now?

Ain't no shifts I could cover now?

‐ Sorry. I just had to grab some stuff.

Good luck, though.

‐ Yeah, thanks.

‐ So what you gon' do now, man?

‐ I don't know, son. ‐ Yo, I'm sorry, man.

But you gon' have to figure something.

I can't just have you eating all my food anymore, man.

‐ Are you in trouble?

‐ Nah, I don't think so.

I just wanted to see you.

‐ How have you been?

‐ Good. You know.

‐ You still... got that fancy car?

‐ Yeah.

But I've been making music too.

People seem to like it.

‐ That's wonderful.

You've always been such a good drummer.

‐ Not drumming, Mom. Rapping.

Yeah!

‐ "The rain came down.

"The streams rose,

"and the winds blew and beat against that house;

"Yet, it did not fall

because it had its foundation on the rock."

‐ Here you go.

Here. On the house.

And, uh, tell your mother I said hello. Okay?

‐ I will.

Thank you.

Thanks for meeting me here.

‐ What you got for me?

‐ Look, man, I‐‐

I don't have the money. I never did.

The record label, they...

used me for everything I had, but it don't matter.

'Cause I'm free now.

Like you.

The original man is the Asiatic black man, the Maker‐‐

‐ I done heard all this Muslim shit

when I was locked up.

I ain't trying to hear that right now.

Where's my money?

How much is that?

‐ That's five thou.

‐ Now you owe me 55, God.

Should've never met with him by yourselves.

‐ Hey, yo, what was we supposed to do?

‐

Actually, I got an idea.

‐ Yo, 'Vine... stop.

No, you already done enough, all right?

You gotta stay straight.

You already did your debt for the family.

And now it's time for me to do mine.

‐ Yo, Bobby, look.

I understand what you‐‐ ‐ Yo. Trust me.

‐ All right, man.

‐ Hey, yo, I got what we need.

Attila stays in building 327. Ground floor.

Word on the street is,

he leaves early in the morning,

Stays out all day.

Hey, yo, if we can't get through the door,

we're climbing in that motherfuckin' window.

You gon' get your music back, no matter what.

‐ And then what?

Getting my music ain't enough for me.

He's still gon' be after me.

‐

A god is the keeper of his own destiny.

We gotta off that nigga.

It's the only way.

‐ Yo, let's put this shit out now, man.

‐ Whatever. ‐ Hell, yeah.

‐ Hell, yeah. ‐ This shit hard, son.

‐ You think they gonna have this for the radio?

‐ It's time to mix and master this shit

and shoot the video, son.

‐ Hey, yo, this‐‐

hey, this‐‐ hey, this shit don't‐‐

it don't feel right, it's‐‐

yo, this shit's missing something.

Y'all got a phone I can use?

We ain't here.

Hey, yo, D.

I know you ain't talkin' to me right now,

but I'm in the studio, and it...

it don't feel right without you, man.

All right.

I want you to, uh, listen to this.

Bobby, you good?

Some shit like that, yeah.

I got you.

‐ I called Nick after he played it a second time,

be he couldn't tell me anything about 'em.

Just gave me your number.

How long you been managing them?

‐ A few months, officially, unofficially longer.

There are so many guys, it's hard to wrangle 'em.

You know how it is.

‐ I wanna meet with them. All of them.

‐ A lot of people do.

Slim Jim's left me 27 messages.

‐ Then why you meeting with me?

‐ You're starting a new label,

and I know what it's like to be hungry.

Be in touch soon. ‐ I look forward to it.

‐ If he ain't out by 10:00 we might've missed him.

‐ We'll just catch his ass tomorrow.

‐ Yo, shit.

Hey.

‐ Yo!

‐ Hey, yo, Shurrie, what you doin' here?

‐ I came to see you. ‐ From Ohio?

What, you couldn't just call me?

‐ We gotta talk.

‐ Oh, shit. Oh, shit.

‐ You gotta go. ‐ No, Dennis, wait‐‐

‐ You gotta go right now!

‐ Bobby.

‐ Yo, what the fuck, man?

‐ I'm pregnant.

‐ Fuck.

‐ Oh, shit! Oh, shit!

‐ Fuck!

‐ Come on, come on, come on. ‐ Wait!

‐

‐ Hello. Mama.

‐ Honey. Where are you?

‐ I'm coming home.

‐ Yo, what even is this? A quill?

‐ Fuck that.

I heard that next shit in the city the other day.

Of course, I had to leave Staten

for some dope shit to happen.

In the name of Allah,

supreme mathematics.

The dead nation must arise, for the time is at hand.

Look in your poison book‐‐

Peace, god. How you livin'?

‐ I'm all right. You know.

‐ All right. Are you not ready to rise?

‐ Yo, you want the CD I just got?

‐ Sure. Thank you.

‐ I hear you lookin' for work.

‐ Hey.

You tell Mommy yet? ‐ Nuh‐uh.

‐ Well, give me a heads‐up.

I wanna get out of there first.

I ain't trying to be there for all that.

‐ ‐ Hey, yo, me too.

‐ Whatever.

‐ Hey, yo.

‐ Yo... how did you...

I was in and out, like a ghost.

‐ Rakeem, this is Steve Rifkind.

I‐I met with you at that showcase a while back.

Remember?

I'm calling 'cause I just heard this tape.

I'm pretty sure you're on it.

I mean, it doesn't sound like your other music,

but I think it's really you.

Wu‐Tang. Is that the name of the song?

Either way, we need to talk.

Call me back, man.

Get on the line.