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-[clicking] -[speakers humming]

[person beatboxing]

[beatboxing ends]

♪ Let's go ♪

♪ Hey, ah, hey, ah ♪

♪ Oh, ah, hey, ah ♪

-♪ Hey, ah ♪ -♪ Come on ♪

-♪ Hey, ah, hey, ah ♪ -♪ One time, one time ♪

♪ Hey, ah, yea, ah ♪

[crowd chanting] Prem! Prem! Prem!

♪ Lights down, listen to the sound ♪

♪ This time Right here, right now ♪

♪ Lights down, listen to the sound ♪

♪ This time Right here, right now ♪

[chanting continues]

[music stops]

[chanting] Prem! Prem! Prem! Prem! Prem!

[cheering]

[music resumes]

♪ Lights down, listen to the sound ♪

♪ Good day Feels like a real good day ♪

[chanting] Prem! Prem! Prem!

Well, welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the New Jersey Mathlympics State Final.

I've seen the best of the best,

but I have never seen anything like this young man here.

[presenter 1] Remarkable.

Prem Patel of Jersey City has dominated this contest

-since the very first equation. -[presenter 2] Absolutely.

Twelve years old, 75 pounds, 5'1", the kid bleeds numbers.

[chuckles] Now the question, of course, on everyone's mind here today is,

"Can this youngster win it all?"

Come on, Prem! You got this, baby!

Go, go, go!

-Bring it home, my dog. -[presenter 1] Working in parentheses,

some of the most difficult work you'll ever have to do.

[presenter 2] I've never seen some of these numbers.

[presenter 1] I still think square root has something to do with gardening.

-[both laugh] -Whoo! That's my son!

-[spectator 1] Yeah! -I made him.

[spectator 2] Amazing!

[presenter 1] And here it comes. Wow.

Uh, wait a second. Now hold the phone.

A bit of a changeup here.

With seconds left on the clock, Prem is heading back to his own bench.

Prem! What are you doing? Get back over there!

[presenter 1] Favorite teacher, Mr. Oh. No surprises there.

[presenter 2] There's Jerome, Prem's best friend.

[presenter 1] You may recall, of course, that Claire, Prem's teammate,

was the actual favorite heading into this final.

-[presenter 2] Now he's eating her lunch. -[presenter 1] He is. Look at--

[presenter 2] Chugging that chocolate milk like it was water.

[presenter 1] Wow. No lactose intolerance there.

[sighs] Tastes like victory.

[cheering]

-[presenter 1] Wow. What a showboat. -[presenter 2] Ooh!

[presenter 1] Getting down to the final crunch now.

And, looking good, yes.

-[presenter 2] Yes. -[presenter 1] Here it comes. Wow.

-[buzzer blares] -[presenter 1] Prem Patel at the buzzer!

Do you believe in miracles?

We're number one! We're number one!

[mother] We're number one! That's my baby!

[crowd cheering]

[spectator 3] I love you, Prem!

[presenter 1] Prem! Prem!

Prem, you just won the Mathlympics with the best score in history.

What is your secret?

Hard work. Like my dad used to say, "The world's best never rest."

[cheering]

Absolutely beautiful. Let's take some questions from the audience.

[crowd member] What's up, guys?

It's your boy, Brooklyn.

Wait. Why are we taking questions?

Well, it's really more of a comment.

Remember, Prem, math is for losers.

[Mr. Oh] Oh, wow. He's right.

-Math is so lame. -No, listen.

-What am I doing here? -Later, nerds.

-Let's go do something cool. -Finally. I'll drive.

-[Brooklyn] Shotgun. -Wait. Come back!

Math is cool! I promise!

[alarm clock rings]

[ringing stops]

[sighs]

"The world's best never rest."

[sighs]

[sighs]

♪ Whoa-oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh, whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

Happy first day of seventh grade.

-Did you have another math dream? -Yep.

-Did you win? -Yep.

Nice.

[podcaster on headset] Welcome back.

Today we will explore how the loss of a loved one

can keep us from becoming our best selves.

Stop moving.

Find a quiet place to reflect on your loss.

A caterpillar who loses a leg can regrow it by becoming a butterfly.

[podcaster] But first, its whole body dissolves.

Dissolve to evolve.

Say it with me.

Hard pass.

Your egg whites are on the table.

Have you considered my proposal regarding Pop-Tarts?

Have you considered living in reality?

You need brain food today.

[podcaster] Float away from grief and face the future with an open heart.

Which brings us to our next sponsor.

Got Oat? Oat Milk.

Use the checkout code "Yogi" for a 10% discount on Got Oat?

-324? -Eighteen.

-676? -Twenty-six.

-121? -Eleven.

-Negative nine? -Trick question.

The square root of a negative number isn't a number.

Not a real number.

It's something called an imaginary number.

-No way. -Way!

How else do you think my math club won Nationals?

We partied so hard afterwards, we shut down the hot tub at the Motel 6.

[chuckles] Cool.

Yeah, I was so excited, I threw up everywhere.

Oh.

[student 1] Wow, that little boy brought his mommy.

[student 2 laughs]

-What's that girl looking at? -[students laugh]

[sighs] It's cool, Mom.

No. Somebody should tell her, "Staring is rude."

-I'll get her parents' names. -[sighs] Mom, please.

Hey! The last patient I had that ate Pop-Tarts?

-Completely toothless. All gums. -Please, stop.

-It's my first day. Mom! -People called her Gummy Bear.

-There's no tooth fairy for that, honey. -[Prem] It's my first day.

Okay. So, after math at the high school, you'll take the bus back to junior high

-for the rest of your classes. -Like we talked about.

I'll pick you up at the rec center when I get off.

-Hopefully around 5:00. -Just like last year.

No synthetic sugar, no car rides from strangers.

-If something happens, you-- -Nothing is gonna happen, Mom.

Seriously, I got this.

You got this.

-[student 3] Zach, go long! -[Zach] Over here. [laughs]

-Smell this. -[Zach] Hey, right here!

While we're young.

♪ It's the new style ♪

-♪ This is the new style ♪ -♪ What ♪

♪ The brand-new style ♪

-♪ The new style ♪ -♪ What ♪

♪ The brand-new style ♪

-♪ The new style ♪ -♪ What ♪

♪ The brand-new style The new style ♪

♪ It's the new style ♪

♪ Ring-a-ling-a-ling Class in session ♪

♪ Grand pooh-bah 'Bout to teach you a lesson ♪

♪ Listen to the game If you don't know the name ♪

♪ Blow like propane When I sprint these flame ♪

♪ New style, ooh, chile, on fire ♪

♪ Got mad bars No need to retire ♪

♪ Microphone's on You can call me Messiah ♪

♪ Peep up Got me fresh out the dryer ♪

♪ Dumpsters are scared In over their head ♪

♪ It's a brand-new style You heard what I said ♪

[sighs]

♪ It's the new style ♪

[school bell rings]

[teacher] Welcome, scholars, to 11th-grade mathematics!

Whoo-hoo!

Who's ready to get mathinated?

[chuckling]

Yes!

Questions?

No? No questions.

So… [clears throat] …I'm so excited.

This year we have some 12-year-olds joining our high school class.

We have Prim Patel. Did I say that right?

It's, uh, Prem, like name.

-Prim. -Prem.

-Preem. -Prem.

-Praheem. -Prem.

-Prahahaha. -Perfect.

Okeydokey. And we have Claire Beauséjour.

You two are the only junior high students who passed the entrance exam.

You must be quite the dynamic duo.

-Affirmative. -Yep.

[Ms. Sage] Well, who knows what time it is?

It's time for our first math quiz!

[chuckles]

Oh, and listen, for those of you who are worried about grades,

I make a deal with all of my classes.

Does anyone from last year remember?

Anyone?

You know, my deal that I make?

[grunts] Mercedes?

If the Mathlympics team finishes in the top three,

everyone on it gets an automatic A.

That's right. It was so much fun last year, by the way.

-Ma'am, we got destroyed. Like, dead last. -Winning isn't everything.

Unless you need that A, right? You literally just said--

This is our year, because we're hosting the event.

I rented a disco ball! [chuckles]

Dope. Do we still get to eat at Olive Garden after we lose?

Uh, well, this year… [chuckles] …um, our budget includes Taco Bell.

-Is that as punishment? -No, no. Now, no.

You don't have to write this down.

Okay. On your marks, get set, solve!

[school bell rings]

All righty. Oh!

Okay, everybody, for your first homework assignment,

what I want you to do is write an equation with you as the solution. Okay?

And then you work backwards to show how all the elements of your life

make up who you are.

It's gonna be so much fun. So, really, have a lot of fun with it. Okay?

And you might even surprise yourself.

All righty.

[phone pings]

[voice on phone] When Mom says, "Go to school,"

but you were born to dance.

♪ Sure feels good to be, good to be free ♪

♪ Sure feels good to be, good to be free ♪

[Prem] Oh, my God.

♪ Sure feels good to be, good to be free ♪

-[music stops] -Yikes.

[Jerome] Subscribe to the Jerome Project for more dance videos.

This is what I'm into now.

Congratulations on finishing the quiz, Prem.

Thanks, Claire. How was your summer?

Actually, my family doesn't celebrate summer.

[bus driver] Next stop, junior high.

♪ Here we go, he gonna get up She gonna get up, we gonna get up ♪

♪ Locking down the joint Till the player haters shut up ♪

♪ Take you to outer limits… ♪

-Hey, Mr. Oh. -Hey, Big-Brain Prem in the house.

[chuckles]

[Mr. Oh] Don't forget to sign up for the talent show.

It's going to be lit. Literally amazing.

♪ She feel it, we feel it ♪

-[gym student 1] Incoming! -[grunts]

[gym student 1] Sorry! I thought you were open!

[sighs] All good.

[gym student 2] Dude, you almost broke that dorky kid's glasses.

[gym student 1] He should've seen that coming.

Hey, Jerome!

Yo, Prem!

Help me stretch my hammies, bro. I need to get loose.

Sorry I'm late. I was, you know, in high school.

Oh, yeah. I texted you good luck, right?

Nah, it's cool.

Cool. My phone was blowing up this morning.

Like, I didn't have enough thumbs.

-You know what I mean? -Totally.

Class was great, by the way.

But some of those kids,

no wonder they always lose the Mathlympics.

That's before they had you, right?

[sighs] Math champ.

You'll pass the AP exam this year for sure.

Then they'll have both of us.

The Dynamic Duo.

[phone pings]

-[Prem] How's Amanda? -Amazing.

She's the best thing that ever happened to me.

Wow.

-Actually, I need to tell you something. -[student] Amanda! Hey, girl!

I think we should take a break from hanging out.

-Just for a while. -Whoops! Sorry, fellas!

Sorry, man.

What do you mean, a break?

You know, just a break.

I need to make some time for Amanda.

-Now there's school-- -We crush school. Everyone knows it.

That's not what I wanna be known for, you know?

I mean, I'm not the math guy.

That's just what people think when we're together.

The math guy?

Sup, dorks?

-Just ignore him. -Sup, BK!

J-Dog! Peep my new dance.

-Stop. -J-Dog?

But Brooklyn's so mean to us, and Sharn was held back.

BK's nice to me.

And Sharn says eighth grade's nothing but a number.

They need one more in their dance crew for the Fall Talent Show.

You're not a dance guy, are you?

I don't know.

My dad says if I just put myself out there, I might like it.

-[Brooklyn] Yo, J-Dog. -[Sharn] J-Doggy Dog! Come here!

-J-Dizzle. -[Brooklyn] J-Dog! Yo!

[Sharn] J-Diggity! [chuckles]

[Jerome] Yo, B. Did you see my video? It just dropped.

[thunder rumbles]

[raindrops falling]

[mother] Prem, you will not believe what happened at work today.

Ronda was measuring a diuretic for a patient,

and she was using deciliters instead of cubic centimeters.

I was like, "Honey, he's gonna pee forever."

Ronda, more like Wrongda. [chuckles]

Wrongda.

Mmm. So, how'd you do in math today?

It was good. We had a quiz.

-[mother] And? -I was the only one who finished.

There it is.

How was the rest of your day?

I actually need some help with something.

A homework assignment.

Of course. Math homework?

It's about Dad.

Sorry.

I know you don't like to talk about him.

Suresh would want us to be happy.

Not dissolve into tears like some sad caterpillar.

-Huh? -This needs pepper.

So, what do you need for your homework?

-What was he known for? -Known for?

-I mean, was he smart? -Definitely, but he wasn't a math guy.

-What kind of guy was he? -[sighs] There it is.

I'll never know who I am unless I know who he was.

He was…

funny, confident, handsome.

-He was like you. Everyone loved him. -Doesn't sound like me at all.

I'm sorry. I don't really know how to help.

Just tell me anything.

Tell me about the night that photo was taken.

That was a very long time ago.

What's the Leopard Lounge?

It's the club where we met.

-Like a dance club? -A hip-hop club.

Your father had a real way with words.

Wait. Dad was a rapper?

How else do you think he came up with, "The world's best never rest"?

Mom, that is so cool.

Was he good?

He was…

one of the best I've ever seen.

I wish you could've seen him.

Sometimes I forget how he looked and how he sounded.

Okay. [chuckles]

So, when I was in nursing school, we used to go dancing on the weekends.

My girlfriends told me about this place. It was poppin'.

[mother] And the Leopard Lounge had this thing called Freestyle Tuesdays.

You said you only went on weekends.

Well, some Tuesdays. Not if we had exams.

I don't need to explain myself.

Anyway, you were at the club.

We were at the club, and my girlfriends were saying…

This emcee's an underground legend.

-Blah, blah, blah, blah. -Blah, blah.

-Blah, blah. [chuckles] -Why are they…

I wasn't really listening.

-Blah, blah, blah. -Blah, blah, blah, blah.

I had a lot on my mind, like school--

Priya, stop thinking about Doug. Okay?

It's over. He's not even that cute.

Who's Doug?

Who? I don't know. I can't really remember--

Good thing we stopped you from getting that tattoo of his name, huh?

We literally saved your butt.

[friend 1] Hey, girl. We'll go grab our drinks.

So, we get in, and we're waiting for the show to start when--

[person] Excuse me.

["My Heart Will Go On" playing]

I don't have a line. I just wanted to meet you.

My name's Suresh.

-I'm not interested. -[song stops]

-Okay. [chuckles] -That's what you said to Dad?

I didn't feel like being hit on.

-Would you like to have a drink? -No.

I don't drink anything ever.

-Then why are you in a nightclub? -Thank you. Bye.

I wanna walk away. I really do.

-Please do. -Yes. You've set a clear boundary.

The only problem is you're the prettiest girl in the room.

-Oh? -And I just have this thing inside of me

that also tells me that you're the smartest.

Like you probably got a-- What, 1550 on the SATs?

[scoffs] Excuse me?

-1600, see? -Thank you.

-I went low so that I-- -How did you know I was smart?

I could tell from your footwear, 'cause it's very sensible for a nightclub.

-Also, if it gets cold… -[Priya] Uh-huh.

…you've got the turtleneck motif.

-It's mesh. -Mm-hmm.

Mom, don't shut him down. You need to make a baby.

Listen, I got a thing to do, but if you change your mind about that drink--

-Don't hold your breath. -You remind me of my mother.

I love you. Goodbye.

So cold.

Well, yeah, 'cause you know he's your dad now.

For all I knew back then, he could've been a psycho axe murderer.

So dark.

It happened. 2000s were a very dangerous time.

-[crowd cheering] -[deejay] Ladies and gentlemen,

please welcome to the stage the World's Best Emcee.

-Let's make some noise. -[crowd] Whoo!

It's him. It's the legendary emcee.

He's gonna use his music to melt your cold heart.

-[phone ringing] -Hmm?

No, wait. What are you doing?

Don't you answer that.

No, Mom. Mom!

-[Doug] …what to do, but you were gone. -Doug, listen.

You're so checked out.

I can't believe you missed the show.

-I can't believe you're so judgy. -Are you listening to me?

Doug, I'm sorry. I think I just fell in love with the idea of you.

But you have no culture, Doug.

Name all four members of Destiny's Child.

There's no one named Shelly on Destiny's Child.

-[sighs] -[friend 2] Blah, blah, blah.

[chuckles] Blah, blah, blah, blah.

[friend 2] Blah, blah, blah.

My friends had a blast, but my night was a bust.

Tell me about it.

I am. And this is the best part.

-[sighs] -[person beatboxing]

[Suresh] ♪ Yeah, uh, yeah, uh ♪

♪ Once upon a time, not long ago ♪

♪ I was a little brown boy Down in Baltimore ♪

♪ Mom and Pop both gave me a microscope ♪

♪ But me, I decided to hold a microphone ♪

♪ And the rest of the story You know how it goes ♪

♪ I ate all of my curry And my vegetables ♪

[Priya] Your dad was electric.

He had this look in his eyes.

He called it riding the line.

Halfway there and halfway to infinity.

So, come on. What happened next?

I let him buy me that drink.

But did he make an album?

Did he go on tour?

No, it wasn't like that.

You have such an overactive imagination, Prem.

But you said he was a legendary emcee.

That he was the best in the city, maybe even the world.

I mean, Suresh didn't care about that stuff.

He didn't need anyone to tell him how great he was.

He knew.

He did it because he loved it.

Like you and math.

-But did he-- -[Priya] That's enough, Prem.

Finish your dinner. It's homework o'clock.

[Prem sighs]

[words echoing]

[coughing]

[Suresh] ♪ I feel the heavenly Infinite energy, legacy ♪

[rapping indistinctly]

[rapping continues]

♪ I'm gonna twist the key in the ignition And ride-- ♪

[rapping continues, indistinct]

♪ World's best, oh ♪

♪ We give it all and never less Twist the key in the ignition ♪

[indistinct rapping stops]

"The world's best never rest."

[Suresh] Are those "pi-jamas"?

Sup?

[both screaming]

-Wait. Why are we yelling? -Dad?

Hi.

-[footsteps approaching] -[Priya] Prem? Prem!

What was that? Are you okay? You were yelling.

Yeah, I'm fine.

Um, I was factoring a polynomial, and the solution snuck up on me.

[sighs] I love it when that happens.

-Don't stay up too late. -No doubt.

Yeah.

Yeah.

-Good night. -Night.

Dang. She looks so good.

What is going on?

[Suresh scoffs] I don't know.

I'm sick. Mom's food finally poisoned me.

That woman cannot cook.

Are you a ghost?

A gho-- No.

Look at my complexion.

I am radiant. Okay? No.

I'm like a memory remixed with a fantasy.

You cooked me up in that big old brain of yours.

Good job, by the way.

So…

you're, like, my imaginary friend?

Yeah, kinda.

Wow. What a beautiful picture.

Hey, man. Why you got so many pens?

You know what you should be collecting?

Rocks.

Yeah. They're literally everywhere.

[sighs] This is crazy.

[Suresh] You think this is crazy?

Little man, I'm basically a fever dream wearing boots.

And they're heavy.

I'm too old for an imaginary friend.

Well, you're too young for a midlife crisis, but here we are.

So, who is Prem Patel?

Who is he gonna be?

I don't know.

Hey. Every problem has a solution, little man.

And you and me,

we are gonna figure this one out together, okay?

Sometimes you just have to add a brand-new variable

to change the whole equation.

That's not me. I can't rap.

Why not?

Look, hip-hop is in your DNA.

You gotta dream big, little man.

-[rhythmic beating, rattling] -Ooh.

Wait. What's that sound?

That's destiny.

And destiny doesn't knock twice.

I think you mean opportunity.

[shushes] Listen.

[beats and clapping continues]

[rhythmic music starts]

[beat continues]

[person beatboxing]

[beatboxing stops]

[crowd chanting] World's Best! World's Best! World's Best!

[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Fall Talent Show.

Now introducing, Prem and Suresh Patel…

[crowd cheering]

…the World's Best Emcees.

[crowd chanting continues] World's Best! World's Best!

[chanting continues]

[Suresh] Destiny, baby.

You got this.

♪ Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes ♪

[crowd cheering]

[mouthing words] Come.

[mouthing words] Let's go.

[both] ♪ Oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes, oh, yes ♪

♪ Everybody get up for the World's Best ♪

-♪ Yeah, we got something to confess ♪ -♪ Yeah, we got something to confess ♪

-♪ We give it all and never less ♪ -♪ We give it all and never less ♪

-♪ We never rest ♪ -♪ We never rest ♪

-♪ We ace the test ♪ -♪ We ace the test ♪

-♪ Everybody get up for the World's Best ♪ -♪ World's Best ♪

♪ It's time to get it in 'cause you know ♪

♪ The best father-son duo Looking fresh from head to toe ♪

♪ Give it right to go We do best with the flow ♪

♪ They said I'm underage But I'm ready to amaze ♪

♪ When I hit the stage The crowd lose their mind ♪

♪ It's time to simplify a base ♪

♪ Gonna rise in their face This moment and make it mine ♪

♪ Never gonna stop Gonna hit the top ♪

♪ We're gonna rock, make a bop Gonna get a bubble in ♪

♪ Bop bop bop Never fall, never flop ♪

♪ And we coming in Let 'em watch, get 'em jumpin' ♪

♪ Yeah, we in the spot Ear to the street ♪

♪ Feet on the block, key in the lock And we keepin' it hot ♪

♪ Let the beat drop 'Cause I'm bringing 'em a bop ♪

-♪ Yeah, we got something to confess ♪ -♪ Yes, we got something to confess ♪

-♪ We give it all and never less ♪ -♪ We give it all and never less ♪

-♪ We never rest ♪ -♪ We never rest ♪

-♪ We ace the test ♪ -♪ We ace the test ♪

-♪ Everybody get up for the World's Best ♪ -♪ World's Best ♪

♪ Here we go ♪

♪ It's time to grab the mic And let 'em know ♪

♪ No matter where we go ♪

♪ You know that we're unstoppable ♪

♪ Well, I'm the captain ♪

♪ And I'ma tell you what happened, baby ♪

♪ Had me a son ♪

♪ And you know That I raised him rapping, baby ♪

♪ I lit the fire up under him Like some rocket fuel ♪

♪ And now that flame is ignited It's what you're rocking to ♪

♪ I'm gonna tell you the truth ♪

♪ It doesn't matter what they say to you We are the proof ♪

♪ They tried to treat us like noobs But we broke out through the roof ♪

♪ We got the juice We got belief in ourselves ♪

♪ We got love for the world And we both on the loose ♪

♪ We got the knowledge itself ♪

♪ Generational wealth That we can't ever lose ♪

-♪ Yeah, we got something to confess ♪ -♪ Yeah, we got something to confess ♪

-♪ We give it all and never less ♪ -♪ We give it all and never less ♪

-♪ We never rest ♪ -♪ We never rest ♪

-♪ We ace the test ♪ -♪ We ace the test ♪

-♪ Everybody get up for the World's Best ♪ -♪ World's Best, oh ♪

[crowd cheering fading out]

[sighs]

Is that supposed to be you?

You're, like, a rap guy now?

I'm putting myself out there.

Okay.

-Okay. -Okay.

-Okay, cool. -[Mr. Oh] Ooh. What up, math champs?

One plus one equals double trouble.

Am I right? [chuckles]

No?

Oh, Jerome, I'm digging the new threads.

Thanks, Mr. Oh. But I'm late. Gotta dip.

Oh-- Oh, okay. See you tomorrow.

Do the kids still say dip these days?

I-I gotta go.

Whoa, hey. Um, so…

Is something going on between you and Jerome?

Um, look, if you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here--

-Thanks, Mr. Oh, but I got it. -Yeah, yeah.

Tell your mom I say, "What up?"

[mouthing words] Oh, my God.

[teens chattering]

[Suresh rapping]

Hey, buddy. Um, what was that guy talking about back there?

-You mean Jerome? -Oh, no, no.

I meant, uh, Dead Poets Society.

"Hey. Say hi to your mom for me."

All that stuff. What was that about? Are they like a…

No. Mr. Oh is just a nice guy.

[scoffs] Yeah.

I mean, if you like dimples. [gags]

Or like, you know, muscles. Who needs those?

Or like a natural charisma that's really hard to deny.

But you know what? I think we can both agree that his jokes suck.

[Brooklyn] No farting way.

-The World's Best Emcee. -[sighs]

[scoffs] You?

Sharn, this "math-hole" thinks he's a rapper now.

Yo, J-Dog. Is your boy here an emcee?

[sighs] That's it. [sighs]

I'm not his boy. Okay?

Oh. I think this dude jealous 'cause we let J-Dog in our crew.

If you've got bars, let's hear 'em.

Yo, Sharn. Drop a beat.

-What? -Sharn.

[clears throat]

[beatboxing]

Oh, hold up. Hold up. Hold up.

Yo, everybody, come in. Come in. Come in.

Everyone. Gather up. Gather up. Everyone.

Peep my boy Prem, the world's best rapper. Yeah.

-[chanting] Prem. Prem. Prem. -[beatboxing]

[crowd cheering]

[beatboxing continues]

[chanting continues]

That's what I thought.

You're good in school,

but in the real world, you'll always be a loser.

[both chuckle]

[Mercedes] Yo, Prem, like name.

It's Mercedes and Gabe from Ms. Sage's class.

We're gonna do some homework.

Do you wanna come?

-No doubt. -Wait, Prem.

[Brooklyn] Nice whip.

Peep our dance crew on TikTok.

Liquid Smoke.

I-It's spelled, um, L-I…

-[mumbles] Ah, Q. -Q, bro. Q.

♪ When I walk out the house People lookin' at my style ♪

♪ 'Cause I meet and I greet And I hit 'em with a smile ♪

♪ The first thing they say is There goes Shanté ♪

♪ As soon as I step out on the scene ♪

♪ That's Roxanne Shanté, the OG queen ♪

♪ A lot of hip-hop With a little bo-bo ♪

♪ A lot of freestyle And a real dope flow ♪

♪ I'm cool, I'm fresh as ever ♪

What was that about?

It's nothing.

Hey, you don't think we've been put on blast like that before?

Truth is bullies are afraid of dreamers.

[song ends]

-What did you get for the second one? -282.6.

Because volume is… half of--

♪ What's your favorite flavor of pie? ♪

♪ Serve it R-squared To get the area inside ♪

♪ Top it with diameter Circumference you'll see ♪

♪ Pi R-squared times H gets you V ♪

-I know that's not-- -That's an earworm. Hella catchy.

I'll remember that. For real.

But, like, who cares about math?

[chuckles] Right?

Yo, I got scholarships on the line.

Student debt crisis don't play.

I need to ace this class to get into film school.

I wrote this script that's like this historical movie,

but the setting is right now,

looking back from a thousand years in the future.

It's ahead of its time.

But what about the Mathlympics?

-Ms. Sage said-- -Stop playing.

-Those other teams got, like, 50 kids. -They got uniforms.

-Know what we got on that quiz? -G's.

-Ms. Sage had to make up a grade for us. -That's how bad it was.

-We're not math kids like you. -I'm not a math kid.

Okay, then what are you into?

Rap.

Mostly rap.

Lots of-- Lots of rap.

Okay. What are your top five favorite emcees?

Only five?

[chuckles] That's gonna be hard.

Um-- [clears throat]

Geez.

Um.

Emcee Escher.

That dude that does the trippy drawings?

No, it's another guy.

My dad was a rapper, so he's probably my favorite.

[Gabe] For real?

He was an underground legend.

He did Freestyle Tuesdays at this club, the Leopard Lounge.

-What's his name? -Probably haven't heard of him.

He died when I was five.

Cancer.

-Oh, man, that sucks. -Sorry, dude.

He, uh, he left me some music.

-[Gabe] Whoa, vintage. -[Mercedes] Can we?

Biz Markie. Slick Rick.

"Teach Me How To" Doug E. Fresh.

-[Gabe chuckles] -Okay.

Naughty by Nature.

[announcer on recording] Give it up for Naughty by Nature.

[on speakers] ♪ I live and die for hip-hop This is hip-hop for today ♪

♪ I give props to hip-hop So hip-hop hooray ♪

♪ Ho, hey, ho, hey, ho ♪

Do you guys listen to this song a lot?

[Mercedes] What?

Do you listen to this song a lot?

[song stops]

-Come on. This is a classic. -Yeah.

[clears throat]

I guess I mostly listen to the newer stuff.

These joints are the foundation.

All hip-hop used to be underground until these heads changed the game.

Prem, these guys took a mic and two turntables

and turned it into the number-one music in the world.

They dreamed big and lived large.

Just like we're gonna do. You feel me?

-I feel you. -[chuckles]

[Gabe, Mercedes chuckle]

♪ Hip-hop, hip-hip-hop Hip-hip-hop, hooray ♪

♪ There's many hungry hip-hoppers One reason hip-hop's tip-top today ♪

♪ Swerve what you heard 'Cause I ain't baling no hay ♪

♪ Ain't chopping no crops But still growing every day ♪

♪ Here's a thunder sound From the wonders found ♪

♪ From the underground-- ♪

[song stops]

You know, the key to good cooking is you don't need to season it that much.

You can literally just boil things.

Mmm. Mm-hmm.

Mmm. That's good.

That's good. That's perfect.

So what did you get up to after school?

Just hung around in the rec center.

Oh, with Jerome?

-Kinda. -Kinda?

I looked up the Leopard Lounge.

Oh. Uh-huh.

They still do Freestyle Tuesdays.

-Maybe we could go sometime? -Into the city?

-On a school night? -Yeah. Forget it.

Hey. I miss him too, Prem.

But the way to heal is to move forward, not backwards.

That's why we have goals.

Like the Mathlympics, right?

Okay.

289.

Hey.

289.

Oh, uh.

Seventeen.

["I Wish" playing on computer speakers]

♪ Hello I wish I was a little bit taller ♪

♪ I wish I was a baller ♪

♪ I wish I had a girl who looked good I would call her ♪

♪ I wish I had A rabbit in a hat with a bat ♪

♪ And a '64 Impala ♪

♪ I wish I was, like, 6'9'' So I can get with Leoshi ♪

♪ 'Cause she don't know me But yo, she's really fine ♪

♪ You know, I see her all the time Everywhere I go… ♪

[sighs] All right.

-[song fades] -Let's get to work.

Are you sure, little man?

-'Cause Mom just said… -She said to have a goal and I do.

The talent show is two weeks away. So, I'm moving forward.

Hmm. Some people say they're moving forward,

but they're really just running away from what's behind them.

Ooh, that line is fire! I gotta write it down.

-Oh, wait a minute. I'm not real. -[sighs]

Are you gonna tell me what these mean or not?

Yeah, all right. Um, peep game.

Rhymes are like multiplication tables,

and you memorize them so that you can hop from one to the next.

♪ Yada yada fuel Yada yada yada tool ♪

♪ Yada yada yada pool ♪

[chuckles]

That is nonsense.

That's algebra, son.

Okay.

X plus Y equals fuel.

You wanna get to fuel so…

You work backwards from the result.

-Ooh. -Solve for X and Y.

Yes. And that's how you get the sentence.

♪ I let my words become the fuel I let my rhymes become the tool ♪

I made a splash like in a pool?

Cannonball!

-♪ I spin my rhymes like a spool ♪ -♪ Changed my name like Istanbul ♪

-♪ Changed the game, break the rules ♪ -♪ Threw the gauntlet like a duel ♪

-♪ I eat emcees like bowls of gruel ♪ -♪ That's how the stage became my school ♪

♪ My mind is a crown jewel The shine will astound you ♪

♪ Design if I knew Divine profound views ♪

♪ My lines will blind you Melanated miraculous ♪

♪ Assembling my rhythms Like I was counting an abacus ♪

[chuckles]

This is inside you.

But you gotta put in the work to get the payoff.

You practice it till it feels like breathing.

Until you're riding that line.

-When you're halfway there-- -And halfway to infinity.

Yes.

[Suresh] Class dismissed.

[knocking]

Hey. It's late.

Get to bed, please, or you'll be a wreck in the morning.

Cool.

Cool.

Cool.

Okay. Well, I guess I should hop back into the gray nothingness where I live.

Sit your imaginary butt back down.

We're just getting started.

[Suresh] ♪ There comes a time In every man's life ♪

♪ When he has work to do ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ World's Best ♪

[person] ♪ Work, baby, work, baby, work ♪

♪ Okay, got a lot to say ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Think it's about time For me to take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ Okay, got a lot to say ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Think it's about time For me to take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World's Best Emcees ♪

♪ World's Best ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World's Best Emcees ♪

♪ The Daddy Mac'll make ya Came to put the pen to paper ♪

-♪ What's "the Daddy Mac'll make ya"? ♪ -♪ Really, son? I'll tell ya later ♪

♪ Anyway, the major gift I'll give you If you're listening ♪

♪ If you wanna learn to spit First you must have discipline ♪

♪ Discipline, yeah I'm livin' diligent ♪

♪ Filling in the minutes With the rhythms ♪

♪ I've been digging in ♪

♪ Interested in building on the throne That I'm sitting in ♪

♪ That's my microphone Say hello to my little friend ♪

♪ Chiggity check it iggity out One two ♪

♪ What is this? Wanna be the biggety best ♪

♪ You better mind your business Better find the fitness ♪

♪ 'Cause your mind's limitless ♪

♪ Let the lines be guided And designed to witness ♪

♪ Worldwide World's Best ♪

♪ Came to spit the slickness ♪

-♪ You're the litmus ♪ -♪ Can't be listless ♪

♪ 'Cause the only mission for us Is to leave 'em senseless ♪

♪ Feel the stillness And stay relentless… ♪

…subtract.

When the pirates multiply, the birds are a sum.

When the pirate's parrot flies away, the pirate equals one.

♪ Take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ Okay, got a lot to say ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Think it's about time For me to take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World's Best Emcees… ♪

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World Best Emcees ♪

[songs stops]

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World Best Emcees ♪

♪ You wanna improve ♪

♪ Then you gotta infuse Intuition with the rhythm ♪

♪ Wield your words like Ginsus ♪

♪ Find the fire deep inside of you And feed it every day ♪

♪ You wanna be the greatest Hard work is the only way ♪

♪ You gotta eat and sleep and drink And dream your passion ♪

♪ Gotta put it before everything That's how you make it happen ♪

-♪ Got to have a new identity ♪ -♪ You got to be yourself ♪

♪ I wanna be the best ♪

♪ You can't be that By being someone else ♪

[Prem] ♪ Okay, I get it, Pop ♪

♪ I keep at it and never stop I'll never quit ♪

♪ I'm gonna be disciplined Till I hit the top ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Just remember to be true to you ♪

♪ Nah, after this is through I'll be something brand-new ♪

♪ And if you could give me a hand too ♪

♪ A few tips on how to live large With a grand view ♪

♪ I guarantee That we could be an elite crew ♪

♪ All right, man, but we got work to do ♪

♪ Okay, got a lot to say ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Think it's about time For me to take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ Okay, got a lot to say ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Think it's about time For me to take the stage ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ Here we go ♪

♪ It's time to grab the mic And let 'em know ♪

♪ No matter where we go You know that we're unstoppable ♪

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World's Best Emcees ♪

♪ World's Best Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ World's Best Emcees ♪

[screams]

[Ms. Sage] Paul? Pablo?

Praheem?

Praheem?

I'm collecting the homework.

Your equation of me.

Oh. Right.

I'm still working on it actually.

[Gabe chuckles]

[chuckles] That's not how you place third at Mathlympics.

[both chuckle]

So, in the last scene the spaceship door opens

and it's his grandpa, who is also his grandson.

Go to a close-up as the dude says, "Long time no see!"

Fade to white.

Uh…

I-I-I mean--

You seem very confident.

Self-love is my superpower, baby.

So, when are we gonna hear you spit?

There's a dress rehearsal tomorrow after school for the Fall Talent Show.

-For real? -Sick.

-We're a thousand percent there. -[Gabe] No.

We're ten to the power of ten percent there.

You feel me?

I mean, that's not a thousand, but I feel you.

[slurping]

You're not much of a coffee drinker, huh?

This is a disaster.

-We still have time. -The show's in two days.

-Oh. -What if I open my mouth and I suck?

What if I prove them all right?

-Can't wait for the show, Prem. -Leave me alone!

-[sighs] -Little man, you're overthinking it, okay?

Fear keeps us from living.

And the World's Best Emcee doesn't have time for that.

So, I'm supposed to just pretend I'm not afraid?

Yeah. [chuckles] You fake it till you make it.

That's how "What if?" becomes "What's up?"

But what if--

[Brooklyn laughs]

[Amanda] Oh, my God. That was so funny.

Whoops. I was aiming for the trash.

-Oh, I'll get it. -What?

No. No, Sharn. Sit down.

[Suresh] Hey. Don't listen to them.

Listen to the beat in your own head.

Hip-hop is like life.

You can't go halfway.

You gotta go hard.

You wanna be the World's Best Emcee?

You gotta have this.

[tapping]

You need to be your own hype man.

[rhythmic beat playing]

I'm-I'm not afraid.

What? I'm sorry. Did you say something? I can't hear you.

-I said I'm not afraid. -Was that a mouse or a lion?

-What did you say? -I said I'm not afraid.

Louder, little man.

I said…

♪ We don't have any time For halfway living ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ We're gonna twist the key In the ignition ♪

♪ And ride this till the wheels fall off ♪

♪ We don't have any time For halfway living ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ Opportunity's knocking if you listen ♪

♪ So, ride this till the wheels fall off ♪

♪ Calling out to everybody With a beat in their heart ♪

♪ It's time to make the party start We came to deepen the art ♪

♪ Got an awful lot of haters Trying to keep us apart ♪

♪ If they were smart, they would see We're at the top of the charts ♪

♪ But they were trying to talk smack Going on the attack ♪

♪ We just smile And let their words run off our backs ♪

♪ But these silly kids Don't wanna leave us alone ♪

♪ So we came up with A few little jabs of our own ♪

♪ Hey, Sharn, were you this hairy When you were born? ♪

♪ You look like a sheep, Sharn You need to be shorn ♪

♪ Fuzzy-face fool You better face the facts ♪

♪ You did seventh grade twice 'Cause of what you lack ♪

♪ Clean up your act If you're held back another year ♪

♪ You'll be the only middle schooler With a full-grown beard ♪

♪ Hey, BK, sad to say ♪

♪ You dress like bad anime every day ♪

♪ You try to talk down To make yourself feel taller ♪

♪ I'm rubber, you're glue And you'll never be a baller ♪

♪ There's no mistaking it Prem keep on making it ♪

♪ So get 'em shaking it While Brooklyn keep on faking it ♪

[whistle blows]

Is he having a stroke or something?

I don't know, dude. He's just a weirdo.

Let's go rehearse.

Nah, nah. Check this out. It'll be epic.

[whistle blows]

♪ We don't have any time For halfway living ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ We gonna twist the key in the ignition ♪

♪ And ride this till the wheels fall off ♪

♪ We don't have any time For halfway living ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ Opportunity's knocking if you listen ♪

♪ So, ride this till the wheels fall off ♪

[rhythmic beat continues]

[slurps]

[students laughing]

♪ Last but not least I'm bringing in a verse ♪

♪ For the traitor who's carrying His girlfriend's purse ♪

-What's wrong if he carries her purse? -Not the point.

That's being gentlemanly. Purses are more practical.

-Dad! -You can fit a whole sandwich in a purse.

-Check this out. -You could do better.

♪ I'll take the high road But then I'm ending it ♪

♪ Wanna talk friendship? How about Benedict? ♪

♪ We had an academic plan But he went and quit ♪

♪ And loyalty? I couldn't smell a hint of it ♪

♪ Squint and you'll see that his pride's The size of pocket lint ♪

♪ He started at the bottom And he hasn't moved an inch ♪

♪ I don't need a beat, a friend, a dad 'Cause I got this ♪

♪ You'll never tear me down You can't stop this ♪

♪ We could've been At the top of the class ♪

♪ Now you can find Jerome up Amanda's-- ♪

Whoa. Whoa, whoa.

Too far. Too far.

[rhythmic beat stops]

[Amanda laughs]

[Sharn, Brooklyn laugh]

[Brooklyn] Check it.

Baby's first rhyme book.

[chuckles]

And wh-who's Sureesh?

-[Sharn laughs] -[Brooklyn] Oh, whoa, big man.

[Sharn] Oh.

It's my dad's. Give it back.

Your dad raps too?

-Aw, that's adora-- -I said give it.

-Sharn. -Oh, think fast.

[Brooklyn] Throw it in the trash. Throw it in the trash. Go on. Throw it.

-Throw it in the trash. -[Sharn] Go.

[whispers, indistinct]

M-My dad keeps a journal too.

But his is in Elvish.

Saved by Creepy Claire.

Are you two dating now? Gross.

-Prem and I are just friends. -[Sharn] Sure.

Like my dad is "just friends" with Brooklyn's mom.

Kiss her to say thanks, Prem.

Give me that.

We're not even friends, okay?

Creepy Claire.

[Mr. Oh] They found your jacket at the gym.

What's going on over here?

[school bell rings]

Is this what living at a hundred feels like? 'Cause it sucks.

I didn't tell you to pick on Ginny Weasley.

You said hip-hop was 50% confidence.

Whoa.

Phony rappers knock other people down to build themselves up.

Real emcees, like us, we own who we are.

That's what makes us untouchable.

Like Mercedes's superpower?

Exactly like that. Let me see that.

Look, it's the difference between running your mouth and having something to say.

Yikes.

Oh.

Hey, Priya. How have you been?

-Busy. Stressed. So, the usual. -[Mr. Oh] Hmm. Yeah.

-I get it. [chuckles] -Yeah. You?

Same. I feel like a fifth of my former self.

But my therapist says I'm two-tenths. [chuckles]

[chuckles, snorts] Okay.

-That's really bad. -I couldn't resist.

[both chuckling]

-We should-- -Sorry if I made it weird.

-No. It's fine. -I was out of line to ask you out.

No, no. Not out of line. It's just--

Tacky.

You're Prem's teacher.

Well, technically not anymore.

He just might not understand if we--

He-He understands calculus, but…

Emotionally.

Emotionally.

He's so into her.

-[Priya giggles] -I told you.

So, have you told the girl's parents what happened?

You know, their houseboat doesn't have a phone.

So I could try writing them a letter or something.

But you know, I think Claire will be fine.

It's uh-- It's Prem who worries me.

Yeah.

The fight was over an old notebook.

Prem said it belonged to his dad.

He signed up for the talent show as the World's Best…

Riding in cars with high schoolers? What are their names?

[gasps] Do they vape?

-Mom. -And what happened to your hair?

They're helping me get ready for the show.

No, you're quitting the show. You need to focus on your schoolwork.

Mom, please. I can't let the haters win.

-Winning isn't everything. -Since when?

You push me to be the best at math,

but when I wanna be the best at something else,

it's not important.

You love math. You have a gift.

It's just not cool anymore.

Give me the notebook.

It's a rhyme book.

You didn't even know it existed.

You just threw his stuff in a box and shoved it in a closet.

-Prem. -I need it to learn how to rap.

-My dad was the World's Best Emcee. -That is not--

This obsession with your father isn't healthy.

We have to move on.

I listened to a whole podcast--

Acting like he never existed isn't moving on.

I'm not doing this with you.

-Give me the notebook. Now. -No.

-He'd want me to have it. -You don't know what he'd want.

You didn't know him.

I mean, Suresh didn't want you to be him.

He wanted you to work hard and get good grades, a good job--

So I can be you?

[sighs]

[Ms. Sage] Okay. I've got the 50 Lunchables.

I'll add the 30 granola bars.

And that'll be enough for the State Mathlympics snack table.

[gasps] It's right around the corner, people.

We still haven't locked in a judge,

but I got a soft yes from Neil Patrick Harris.

[laughs] You know, I taught Neil.

He was actually a great math student.

He could've been an accountant.

♪ Man, I go har Har de har de har ♪

♪ Har de har de har ♪

♪ Man, I go har Har de har de har ♪

♪ Har de har de ♪

♪ I go har Har de har de har ♪

♪ Har de har de har ♪

♪ Man, I go har Har de har de har ♪

Hey!

What's up, Notorious MIT?

-What happened to you yesterday? -I got in a fight.

-Word. Was it with that dance crew? -Doesn't matter.

I need you to take me to the Leopard Lounge.

It's Freestyle Tuesday.

-You have the rehearsal after school. -Mom made me quit the show.

-Come on. -Why?

She thinks I'm a phony rapper. That this is all just a fantasy.

But that place is real.

My dad was really there.

If I wanna be a real emcee like him, that's where I need to go.

[deejay on speakers] Ladies and gentlemen,

please welcome to the stage the World's Best Emcee.

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

[crowd cheering]

♪ Opportunity's knocking if you listen ♪

♪ Swing, bada bada bing ♪

-♪ About to throw my hat in the ring ♪ -♪ Ring ♪

♪ Big dreams, big heart ♪

♪ I'm the son of a king ♪

♪ Who me? I'm on the next level with this ♪

♪ Better believe I'm flyer than an alien is ♪

♪ Double P is a WB ♪

♪ I'm finally free ♪

♪ I guarantee the world's gonna love When they see me ♪

-♪ When I step in the vicinity ♪ -♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ I'm halfway there And halfway to infinity ♪

♪ I'm on my way And they can't stop the elevation ♪

♪ It's my day Hey, time for celebration ♪

♪ Show 'em I'm brave That I'm the next generation ♪

♪ Watch what they say When they see my equation ♪

-♪ I'm gonna try till I find a way ♪ -♪ Whoo! ♪

♪ Got to make a way ♪

[Suresh] Yeah.

♪ I'm gonna keep reaching for the sky ♪

Whoo!

♪ Till I find a way ♪

Yeah!

♪ Got to make a way ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Yeah ♪

[both] ♪ Keep on, keep on pushing ♪

♪ Don't stop, don't stop cooking ♪

♪ One step, one step more now ♪

♪ Gonna find what I'm looking for now ♪

♪ Keep on, keep on pushing ♪

♪ Don't stop, don't stop cooking ♪

♪ One step, one step more now ♪

♪ Gonna find what I'm looking for now ♪

♪ Oh, yes, oh, yes I'm headed back into my kingdom ♪

♪ Open arms are waiting for me ♪

♪ Round of applause and dropped jaws The craziest scene ♪

♪ They stop and pause for the top boss The greatest emcee ♪

♪ Some say I'm the bravest To ever sway on the beat ♪

♪ The favoritest of anyone West of Avenue D ♪

♪ Maybe it's me Maybe it's all make-believe ♪

♪ It ain't about me anyway I'm here to see you achieve ♪

♪ When you grab the mic You got a light brighter than UV ♪

♪ Chef Emcee The competition gonna sous vide ♪

♪ Maybe I'm joking Though maybe I'm speaking true ♪

♪ The only way to know is To show 'em just what you do ♪

[both] ♪ I'm gonna try till I find a way ♪

[Prem] ♪ Got to make a way ♪

Whoo!

♪ I'm on my way And they can't stop the elevation ♪

♪ It's my day Hey, time for celebration ♪

♪ Show 'em I'm brave That I'm the next generation ♪

♪ Watch what they say When they see my equation ♪

♪ On my way and keep on runnin' ♪

♪ I got a dream to achieve I'll be keen and cunning ♪

♪ Show 'em I'm brave That I'm the next generation ♪

♪ Watch what they say When they see my equation ♪

[neon sign buzzing]

[Prem] Is this it?

Maybe it pumps up after dark.

This place is such a vibe.

[bartender] Can I help you kids with something?

I'd like to speak with the manager about performing here tonight.

[bartender laughs] What are you? Nine?

It's an all-ages venue.

My name's Prem Patel.

Dope.

Well, the sign-up sheet is right here.

Show starts in three hours.

Two-drink minimum.

Cream soda's five bucks.

My father used to perform here.

He was an emcee.

-Maybe you saw him? -A lot of people perform here, kid.

But he was an underground legend.

The best rapper in the city, maybe even the whole world.

Sick. Can he do a set here tonight?

No, he can't.

-[sighs] -Wait.

You're Suresh's kid, aren't you?

Man, Suresh.

[laughs] Nobody did it better.

So he really was here.

[chuckles] Yeah, he was here all the time.

Man never knew how to shut up.

-[all chuckle] -That's definitely him.

Yeah? [chuckles]

I heard that he…

I'm sorry.

Hey. I-I have a picture of him down there. You wanna see it?

Yeah.

[bartender sighs] Yeah.

What's this?

[bartender] That's your dad doing his thing.

But he was an emcee.

Oh, I know. [chuckles]

We worked together for five years.

He talked a better game than anyone.

And his favorite thing to talk about was hip-hop.

[Suresh] Nas had Primo. Pac had Dre.

Biggie made "Juicy Fruit" a hit.

Treach, Krayzie Bone, Slick Rick.

Don't sleep on the West Coast cats like Gift of Gab.

Hey. What about Fred Durst? He can spit.

What?

Eddie, that sentence is not gonna age well.

Listen, I'm the expert, okay?

And I'll tell you all, I'm gonna be at the top of the list one day.

Yo, Skee-Lo. One more.

I've been waiting.

Fine, but only because I'm scared of you.

Dad?

Suresh had big dreams.

The way he talked about it, it was like he was his own hype man.

All right, grumpy. Here you go.

This one's on me because I made you wait.

But just so you know,

the man pouring you your drink right now is gonna be a world-famous rapper.

[scoffs] Okay.

Oh, you laugh.

But I've been grinding on my rhymes.

I will be doing shows. I'm gonna do features.

I'll put out a album.

And everything in this book will make me the World's Best Emcee. Okay?

You heard it here first.

Hey, Corey.

Make your next move your best move, huh?

-Put me on tonight. -I can't do it. I need you back here.

-We have that bachelor party later. -[sighs]

[Corey] I should've put him on too.

I mean, I would see him at open mics after work with the fellas.

-He had skills. -But what happened?

[Corey] Well, nothing happened.

One day he quit, and I heard he moved to Jersey and settled down, you know?

Typical story.

[glass shattering]

-Yo, Suresh. Can you get that for me? -Yes, sir. One second.

-I'm leaking genius over here. -[sighs]

Come on, brother. Now, please.

[chuckles]

The world's best never rest. Am I right?

[laughs]

[Suresh] Okay.

Oh, right.

Give the man a free drink and he drops it on the ground.

Well done. I got it. I got it.

You're not getting another one.

Hey, Corey. We need a smaller broom.

I'm gonna get carpal tunnels.

[Gabe] What does that dude even know about rap anyways?

-He's just some bartender. -Gabe!

[Gabe] Which is a great job obviously.

[Mercedes] So your dad wasn't a rap legend.

Doesn't mean you won't be.

Shoot. My dad's a dentist.

[Gabe] Yeah, my dad's legit into camping. Like--

[Mercedes] See? It doesn't mean anything.

He failed.

It means that's a part of my equation.

Look, the real world isn't pass or fail.

If you have something to say, just say it.

["Party Plan" playing on speakers]

♪ Party, party, party Party, party, party, party ♪

[mouthing lyrics] ♪ Party, party, party, party, party ♪

♪ Party plan Push that system ♪

♪ Bring the heat So the whole world listen ♪

[song stops]

[student] That sucked.

[scattered applause]

[door opens]

Oh, Prem. You made it to the dress rehearsal.

Does your mom know you're here?

[Brooklyn] We're gonna need way more smoke.

We're Liquid Smoke, man.

You're moving like a robot, J-Dog. And not in a cool way.

Did you stretch your hammies like we talked about?

[Jerome] Yeah, bro. The hammies aren't the problem.

[students murmuring]

-[Brooklyn] Don't choke this time. -[Brooklyn, Sharn chuckle]

[Prem] I can't rap.

[crowd chanting] Prem!

This is inside you.

[crowd chanting] Prem!

[whispering, indistinct]

[Prem] Ho-- Hold on. Uh.

[speakers buzzing]

[sighs]

♪ The name's Prem That's-- ♪

[microphone feedback]

[grunts]

[Brooklyn] What's the square root of you're terrible? [laughs]

[laughs] Like loser, like son.

[laughs]

That's it!

♪ I'm a big dog Real talk, heart cold ♪

[Sharn, distorted] Smoke him, BK!

♪ Big drops, stay dripped When I'm bad ♪

♪ Rich, big ♪

♪ With a long stick That come with it, yeah… ♪

[Jerome] Prem!

[Prem, distorted, shouts]

You're grounded.

No computer or TV.

No more rides from your friends.

I don't know who you are anymore.

You were right.

I'm not an emcee.

I went to the Leopard Lounge.

[sighs]

Dad wasn't the world's best anything.

He was a phony rapper. A loser.

No. Don't ever say that about him.

He was the best for us in every way that mattered.

This matters to me.

It's actually my fault for trying to give you one good memory of him.

-But it was a lie. -Everything I told you was true.

Then you lied to yourself.

That's why you can't move on.

-You're still married to a fantasy. -Prem!

[footsteps departing]

[paper ball clatters]

Oh, three points!

He's on fire!

Get out of my head.

I told you I couldn't rap!

We both failed.

Why? Because I'm not Snoop or Dre?

You gave up. You could've done something great.

I did, Prem.

I hit the lottery.

My life was everything I wanted it to be.

All the things you taught me added up to nothing.

Added up? [scoffs]

Little man, life is not an equation.

I'm sorry that I haven't been here.

But even if I was, it's not like your life would be a literal musical

with perfect choreography and fresh outfits.

No. It's messy and bumpy and scary and strange.

That's what makes it beautiful.

Look, you don't need me to teach you who you are,

because there is no right answer.

But you're not really here.

[necklace clatters]

[alarm clock ringing]

[ringing stops]

[sighs]

♪ Where did the time all go? ♪

♪ Feels like yesterday ♪

♪ I was beggin' you please, go slow ♪

♪ When did it slip away? ♪

♪ Where did the time all go? ♪

♪ We ran right through the day ♪

♪ Watchin' my baby grow ♪

♪ Tryin' to find your way ♪

♪ This canyon runs deeper between us ♪

♪ Try to fill up the space But it's never enough ♪

♪ Now we're growing apart together ♪

♪ But what breaks us can make us better ♪

-[Suresh laughs] -[Priya] Uh-oh! [chuckles]

-[Suresh] I'm going first. -[Priya] But the board's broken!

[Suresh] No. Come here! [laughs]

♪ You've been scared, I've been scared And it makes you feel small ♪

Your turn.

-[laughs] -Okay, watch this. Boom!

Oh!

-No, no, no. Watch this. Done. -[laughs]

-[Suresh] No way. No chance. -[Priya] And what about me?

Hey! Hey, what about my turn?

♪ It's a big world But I keep my light on ♪

♪ Guiding you home through the storm ♪

♪ You've been runnin' ♪

♪ Away from it all ♪

♪ But I want you to know ♪

♪ You can always come home To my arms ♪

♪ Where did the time all go? ♪

♪ Memories just won't stay ♪

[Mr. Oh] Hello, welcome to the Fall Talent Show.

[crowd applauding]

[Mr. Oh] Yes, thank you. Thank you.

I'd love to kick this off with some hits from my old stand-up act.

-[laughs] -[audience member] Please don't!

-[audience laughter] -[audience member 2] Wow.

[Mr. Oh] But there's so much talent.

Let's jump in.

Everyone, please take your seats.

-Hey, Claire. -Hi.

I'm sorry about what I said before.

[Mr. Oh] Our next act…

Saying it doesn't make it true.

That's what my dad told me about the government.

Don't fall asleep. I pee often.

I remember.

Give it up for our very own dance crew,

Liquid Smoke.

["Party Plan" playing on speakers]

♪ Party, party, party, party, party ♪

[mouthing lyrics] ♪ Party plan, push that system ♪

♪ Bring the heat So whole world listen ♪

Where's Jerome?

[song continues]

[all coughing]

Oh, that's too much smoke. Uh.

-[Sharn coughing] -[Brooklyn] Don't stop dancing.

[coughing]

[Brooklyn] How is there this much smoke?

[coughs] I can't see my choreo.

[coughs] Cut the smoke. Cut the smoke.

-[coughs] That's way too much smoke. -[Sharn] Where'd you guys go?

-[coughing] -[Sharn] BK? [coughing]

[Brooklyn] Back to one. Back to one.

[Sharn] I'm actually allergic to smoke. It makes me cough. [coughs]

♪ Push that system ♪

♪ Bring the heat So the whole world listen ♪

[song stops]

Are you okay?

I just wish they'd told me.

I practiced all night.

-I broke up with Amanda. -For real?

I fell in love with the idea of her, you know?

Plus, she made out with Greg Li during English.

Dude!

Looks like… [sighs] …we both have some growing up to do.

Why don't you do it for me?

-Do what? -The dance.

I'm not any good.

Who cares, man?

Just do your best.

Okay.

Uh, can you press play on, uh, "Party Plan" by Kayasaurus Rex?

["Party Plan" playing on phone]

♪ Party, party, party, party ♪

♪ Party, party, party Party, party, party, party ♪

♪ Party, party, party plan Push that system ♪

♪ Bring the heat So the whole world listen ♪

[Prem cheering]

Yeah!

[chanting] Jerome! Jerome! Jerome!

["Party Plan" stops]

[crowd applauding]

[Mr. Oh] And for the next act, Claire "Bu-ju-ju."

[clears throat] Yep.

[pop song playing]

[song continues]

Hey, you guys. How are you?

[gym teacher] Nice.

[laughs]

[song continues]

[song continues]

[song ends]

[Suresh speaking lyrics] "To the smartest girl in the room

Prettiest too

I know it'll be hard to get through

But you need to hear What I'm giving to you

I feel the beat And the mic speaking in me

And even though the fight Keeps weakening me

With you and Prem as my light

No one's freer than me

You know, I used to say 'The world's best never rest'

But now what I find is this

Our happiest moments were somehow

The quietest

I'm sorry I'll miss Making memories with you

But my dream's for you To both live your lives

So please make it come true

You brought out the best in me

You have since day one

But the best in us both I see in our son

So just know that today

I only feel blessed

So it's okay to let go

And let Prem do the rest"

[sighs]

What?

Oh, my God.

[chuckles]

[footsteps approaching]

Suresh got this when you were born.

Prem means love. And Krishna is the god of love.

I was the thinker, and he was the dreamer.

I forgot how much I missed that about him.

Until I started seeing it in you.

You're more like him every day, Prem.

I wasn't ready for it,

but I'm sorry I ever asked you to be anything else.

I'm sorry too.

You know, hip-hop was the love of your father's life until--

He met you?

Until he met you, Prem.

Suresh loved being your dad more than anything.

That's who he was.

He was the best dad.

I know.

Hey.

I called in sick.

I thought maybe we could go into the city.

Leopard Lounge is played out,

but I know this sick spot in Harlem with a killer open mic.

Suresh took me there to see Naughty by Nature.

♪ Hip-hop, hooray Ho, hey, ho ♪

-[chuckles] -You think I don't know hip-hop?

It's just like math.

When it's right, it just flows.

It makes sense of the universe.

[Prem sighs] There's something else I have to do today.

To help my friends. Something I love to do.

Something I learned from an underground legend.

-♪ My life be like ooh ah, ooh ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

-♪ My life be like ooh ah, ooh ah, ooh ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

-♪ Ooh ah, ooh ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

-♪ My life be like ooh ah, ooh ah, ooh ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

♪ My life be like ♪

♪ It's times like these that make me say ♪

♪ Lord if you see me Please come my way ♪

♪ Like leaving bread crumbs For when I stray ♪

♪ Rely on sacrifice And the price you paid ♪

-♪ Feel me like a fingertip ♪ -♪ Fa-fingertip ♪

[sighs]

So, what's the solution, little man?

Who is Prem Patel?

The truth is, I'm just a math guy.

[crowd chanting] Prem!

[Suresh] Hmm.

-But I'm also an emcee. -Word.

♪ World's Best ♪

-I'm a hard worker and a fast learner. -[Suresh] Uh-huh.

-I'm a sharp dresser and a good friend. -Ooh.

-[Prem] I'm confident. Sometimes. -[Suresh] Yeah.

And I try to keep it real.

I'm a winner and a loser.

A thinker and a dreamer.

-[crowd cheers] -And I'm just getting started.

Prem equals infinity.

[crowd chanting] World's Best!

Sounds like the right answer to me.

What am I looking at?

It's destiny, baby.

[Ms. Sage] It's time to make math-e-magic, people!

Guess what?

Neil Patrick Harris canceled on me.

[chuckles]

So, I called my friend Doug E. Fresh.

[beatboxing]

Let's get mathinated, people!

[crowd cheering]

[student beatboxing]

[Delta team] ♪ What's your favorite flavor of pie? ♪

♪ Serve it R-squared To get the area inside ♪

♪ Top it with diameter Circumference you'll see ♪

♪ And pi R-squared times H gets you V ♪

♪ Two A is in the basement B minus on the porch ♪

♪ A plus or A minus Gets you in the front door ♪

♪ Of the square root house Where B squared subtracts ♪

♪ Four times A times C spells ack ♪

♪ Two parrots perched On two pirates' backs ♪

♪ When the pirates divide The parrots subtract ♪

♪ When the pirates multiply The birds are a sum ♪

♪ When the pirate's parrot flies away The pirate equals one ♪

♪ One, one ♪

[beatboxing stops]

50 Percent, you made it.

-Thanks for the rhyme, Emcee. -[chuckles]

Sorry I drank the haterade. I just want to help.

[Mercedes] Great. 'Cause we need a miracle.

Well, that's not terrifying.

Priya, hey!

[crowd cheering]

Hey.

[Gabe] Whoo!

♪ Okay, at any rate No more debate ♪

♪ Check out The best Mathlympics in this state ♪

[beatboxing]

[crowd cheering]

Whoo-hoo!

Yes! Yes!

Yes!

[Doug E. Fresh beatboxing]

[beatboxing stops]

♪ One ♪

♪ Here comes the two To the three and four ♪

♪ Here comes the five to the six This is it ♪

♪ Seven to the eight, nine, ten, eleven Twelve years old ♪

♪ And it's about to get lit This is it ♪

♪ I never liked school Skipped the university ♪

♪ But I went and had a son Who was smart enough to tutor me ♪

♪ Like a Texas Instrument Numbers at my fingertips ♪

♪ You talkin' math, I'm literate ♪

♪ Give 'em a little bit This is it ♪

♪ Think Pythagoras meets Dr. Seuss ♪

♪ Square my side to find my hypotenuse ♪

♪ 1.61, the golden ratio ♪

♪ If you don't know Fibonacci Now you know ♪

♪ Radical thinking With an exponential brain ♪

♪ My right angle's sharp My cosine is insane ♪

♪ And 3.141592653 ♪

♪ Is a fresh slice of pi ♪

♪ X plus X times Y to the Z ♪

♪ Solve for the difference Between you and me ♪

♪ If you're positive or negative Infinite or prime ♪

♪ It's the same equation And it takes all kinds ♪

[buzzer blares]

Correct.

♪ You can't find a formula To turn back time ♪

♪ But you can make a moment Last forever in rhyme ♪

♪ Give it up for my son The big-brain boy wonder ♪

♪ Giving props to my pops The imaginary number ♪

You have six minutes remaining.

[beatboxing]

[beatboxing continues]

[beatboxing stops]

Yes!

[Doug E. Fresh] Final question.

Define imaginary number.

[buzzer blares]

Claire, you got this.

♪ Imaginary numbers are tons of fun ♪

♪ You take i times i And get negative one? ♪

♪ That's impossible, you see It's a slight philosophy ♪

♪ It's to let you do the math In a fa-fa-fantasy ♪

♪ In reality, most things don't compute ♪

♪ Like when you take a negative And find the square root ♪

♪ So we adding up imaginary numbers All day ♪

♪ 'Cause who needs The real world anyway? ♪

♪ You can't find a formula To turn back time ♪

♪ But you can make a moment Last forever in rhyme ♪

♪ I love you so much Big-brain boy wonder ♪

♪ Giving props to my pops The imaginary number ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Whoa ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Opportunity's knocking if you listen ♪

♪ 'Cause there's a time to work And a time to play ♪

♪ We only have this life That we've been given ♪

♪ I stay up and I write From the night to day ♪

♪ Opportunity's knocking if you listen ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Whoa ♪

[Prem] ♪ No matter where we go You know that we're unstoppable ♪

I gotta say, what I've seen today is magical.

You should all be proud of yourselves.

But unfortunately, there can only be one best in state.

In third place, Ms. Sage's 11th-grade class.

-[students screaming] -[screams, laughs]

-Oh, yeah! Yes! Yeah! [laughs] -Yes! [laughs]

[Mercedes] We did it, yo! We're not last!

[cheering, laughing]

[chanting] We're number three!

[Doug E. Fresh] If the third-place team can please calm down,

I'll announce the rest of the winners.

I-It's alpaca wool. I noticed you like large clothing.

Uh, thanks, Claire.

-[Prem] That's an automatic A, right? -Would be. If we needed it.

Nice. We're the Two-Tan Clan of math.

-[Claire chuckles] -Good effort.

So, you hopping on the bus with us back to Olive Garden?

Uh, I'll go ask my mom. Catch you later.

[rapping kid] Okay.

[kid beatboxing]

[rapping kid] ♪ Every day I do it like yo ♪

[students] Yo.

-♪ My people see me doing it like yo ♪ -[students] ♪ Yo ♪

♪ Everybody's trying to hear my flow ♪

♪ But when you step to me You get the hands like no ♪

[students cheering, laughing]

[rapping kid] ♪ Yeah, okay, so we go ♪

♪ We rapping on the ones and twos I'm chilling with me and my crew ♪

Hey.

♪ Yeah, here we go See me on the TV show ♪

[beatboxing stops]

-What? -Yo.

-Who's that kid? -He's so little. Does he go here?

Let's see what you got, little man.

[beatboxing]

-Come on, buddy. -You got it.

-Come on, bro. -Yeah.

[beatboxing continues]

♪ Yeah The name's Prem ♪

♪ That's what they call the kid ♪

♪ It means love Now you better give me all of it ♪

♪ My medulla's mythical Like the Minotaur ♪

♪ I never ate a beat before But I like the taste, so give me more ♪

♪ My pop's not here But he's looking down ♪

♪ Matter of fact, he's right next to me He's all around ♪

♪ He's the one who gave me the mic And showed me what to do with it ♪

♪ So I'm about to break the beat down Like my freaking humerus, uh ♪

-Yeah! Okay. -[students cheer]

-But that's his ulna. -Okay.

♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Here we go now ♪

[rapping continues indistinctly]

♪ When you've shown that You're strong on your own ♪

♪ Thought that you were alone But you're wrong ♪

♪ I've been here all along ♪

♪ You've been runnin' ♪

♪ Runnin' faster than I can let go ♪

♪ It's a big world But I keep my light on ♪

♪ Guiding you home through the storm ♪

♪ You've been runnin' ♪

♪ Away from it all ♪

♪ But I want you to know ♪

♪ You can always come home To my arms ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh All right ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh Let's go ♪

♪ I got the wind in my hair I got so much to share ♪

♪ Woke up with so many cares But I don't see those anywhere ♪

♪ I see the sun I am the son ♪

♪ Feel like my journey has just begun Just begun ♪

♪ I was no one Now I'm a stallion and flying ♪

♪ Joy is multiplying And I'm on the run ♪

♪ Got a new perspective ♪

♪ Guess you could say That it was cloudy ♪

♪ But now I think it finally might be A good day ♪

♪ I was feeling low Couldn't find my way ♪

♪ Nowhere to go I was lost in the fray ♪

♪ Now I got a new perspective ♪

♪ And I guess you could say That it was cloudy ♪

♪ But now I think it finally might be A good day ♪

♪ They say heroes never die And I hope that is true ♪

♪ 'Cause that's the only way I'll ever get back closer to you ♪

♪ They say that heroes never die As long as they move the crowd ♪

♪ So that's what I'm doing now Whoa, hope that I make you proud ♪

♪ Oh, what a beautiful feeling Free as a soaring eagle ♪

♪ I do it for love Do it for family ♪

♪ For all the people ♪

♪ The sun is shining We shooting stars ♪

♪ And the world is watching There's no stopping ♪

♪ We at the top of the mountain Never dropping ♪

♪ I was feeling low Couldn't find my way ♪

♪ Nowhere to go ♪

♪ Lost in the fray ♪

♪ Got a new perspective ♪

♪ And I guess you could say That it was cloudy ♪

♪ But now I think it finally might be A good day ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

[Prem] ♪ Good day ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪

[Prem] ♪ Good day ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Whoa, oh Oh, oh, oh ♪

[Prem] ♪ Good day ♪

-[Prem] ♪ I was in the dark ♪ -[Suresh] ♪ Dark ♪

-♪ Feeling terrified ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

-♪ I looked in my heart ♪ -♪ Heart ♪

-♪ Found a beat inside ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪

♪ I went and turned it up ♪

-♪ Yeah ♪ -♪ And now it's amplified ♪

-♪ Yeah ♪ -♪ You know I've never been better ♪

♪ I'm feeling so alive ♪

[Suresh] ♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ Okay ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

[both] ♪ Whoa, oh Whoa, oh, oh ♪

[Prem] ♪ All right Whoa, oh ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh All right ♪

[both] ♪ Got a new perspective Guess you could say ♪

♪ That it was cloudy But now I think it finally might be ♪

♪ A good day ♪

♪ I was feeling low And couldn't find my way ♪

♪ Nowhere to go I was lost in the fray ♪

♪ Now I got a new perspective ♪

♪ And I guess you could say That it was cloudy ♪

♪ But now I think it finally might be ♪

♪ A good day ♪

♪ Good day ♪

♪ Whoa, oh, oh All right ♪

[both] ♪ Good day ♪

♪ They say heroes never die And I hope that is true ♪

♪ 'Cause that's the only way I'll ever get back closer to you ♪

♪ They say that heroes never die As long as they move the crowd ♪

♪ So that's what I'm doing now I hope that I make you-- ♪

[Prem, Suresh] ♪ World's best Yeah, yeah, yeah, world's best emcees ♪