Original subtitles

[upbeat hip-hop music plays]

[♪ ♪]

[Grown Kanan] Previously, on "Raising Kanan"...

All I want is for Kanan to know I'm his father.

Truth is, I don't even know who Kanan daddy is.

I don't remember shit from that night.

The kid... He can't shoot for shit.

That crazy-ass cop.

I thought you said he didn't remember my face, Mom.

What is this?

- I want you out. - Where am I gonna go?

I don't have any money.

I don't know, and I don't care!

What you think about hustling in my mix tapes?

Yo, you like music? You got to check out his mix tape, man,

Puerto Rican Famous... He like the next LL, for real, right here.

- What you boys selling? - Mixtapes, man.

All right, the both of you, up against the wall.

[Famous] What the fuck are you doing?

[Juliana] The rats are too many.

[Raq] Call an exterminator, Juliana.

[Juliana] You have all this money sitting here.

Why don't you spend it?

- You remember my mom at all? - Of course.

She lives in Harlem... Divorced twice, no kids.

[Cartier] Yeah Zisa here...

She's the cream of the proverbial crop.

- I propose a single deal. - [Lou-Lou] Done.

What the fuck?

- I'm moving, Lou. - You're leaving tomorrow?

I got to look out for myself because no one else is gonna do it.

[Pernessa] I saw Raq today. It scared me.

It scared me for all of us... For me, you, and Jerome.

Raq ain't gonna do nothing to us, all right?

- Why y'all want to mess with me? - We know you a hell of an earner.

We got to get the team back together, man.

I'm on the other shit, 'Nique.

What, you on Raq's dick, nigga?

But y'all giving 40 projects to Unique's boy instead of me?

I've been down with y'all niggas since I was 14!

We got you, Scrap.

- [Howard] You got a snitch. - Scrap?

[Howard] He working with us.

Scrap could put us all away forever.

Let's do this, then.

[laughing] Oh.

- Nah. - [gunshot]

[♪ ♪]

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

[50 Cent] ♪ Yeah, I know Heartbreaks, setbacks ♪

♪ Bitch, if I crap out I'm sure I'ma get back ♪

♪ I been through the ups and Downs, you know I get around ♪

♪ So to me It's all a part of the game ♪

♪ If I ain't the coke man Or the dope man ♪

♪ I'm almost for sure, man I got to take it ♪

♪ No need to say shit I'm gon' take it ♪

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

♪ Make money Make, make, make money ♪

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

♪ Beef with the best of 'em ♪

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

♪ Checks, I'm collectin' 'em ♪

♪ Check, boy I'm finessin' 'em ♪

♪ Bag Supreme Boy, you fuck around ♪

♪ Put a big bag on your head ♪

♪ Before the weather break You're dead ♪

♪ Let's get to it, they Don't do it like we do it ♪

♪ Nah, cop it, whip it Bag it, flip it ♪

♪ Re-up, we up G'd up, what up? ♪

♪ Runnin' round this bitch Still not givin' a fuck, hey ♪

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

Ha ha. That's right.

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

♪ Your heartbeat pacin' ♪

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

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

♪ Niggas get to it On this side ♪

♪ I know heartbreaks Setbacks ♪

♪ Bitch, if I crap out I'm sure I'ma get back ♪

♪ I been through the ups and Downs, you know I get around ♪

♪ So to me It's all a part of the game ♪

♪ If I ain't the coke man Or the dope man ♪

♪ I'm almost for sure, man I got to take it ♪

♪ No need to say shit I'm gon' take it ♪

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

♪ Hey, hey ♪

[Rileyy vocalizing]

[TV show in Spanish playing]

[in Spanish] Don't listen to the lowlife!

[TV show continues in Spanish]

[Grown Kanan, in English] Everyone a liar in the game...

Hey! Put it back.

[Grown Kanan] ...from the crackhead telling you

he'll get you next time when he coppin'

to the corner boy bullshittin' about how clean his dope is

to the cop who's skimmin' off his bust.

Everyone's full of shit.

[TV show continues in Spanish]

Eighty-nine cents.

[Grown Kanan] The truth is like that fucking J Train.

Shit might be slow, might be late,

might even skip a few stops along the way...

[tense music playing]

[♪ ♪]

[Grown Kanan] ...but the truth's comin'...

so pay your fuckin' fare, nigga.

[♪ ♪]

[keys jingling]

[Howard] Yo, how you livin', B?

[tense music playing]

[sighs]

My mother ain't here, man.

I know. I saw her leave.

[♪ ♪]

I just wanted to spit at you right quick.

Get in.

[♪ ♪]

[distant dog barks]

[♪ ♪]

What your mom's told you about me?

Like I told you before, we don't really talk about you.

What I'm about to tell you...

is gonna be the craziest shit you ever heard...

but the realest shit I'ma ever say.

[Kanan sighs]

I'm your father, Kanan.

[Kanan laughs]

[Howard chuckling]

Shit crazy, right?

It made me laugh, too.

Your whole life, you've been thinking

Def Con your daddy, but he ain't.

I am.

[♪ ♪]

Everything that happened with your mother,

that's for another day,

but I only found out recently myself.

Had I known before when you was younger, you know,

I-I'd like to say

I would've been there for you and all of that, but...

[scoffs] ...who knows?

The truth is, all this time,

I ain't been giving a fuck about nobody but me.

[♪ ♪]

I know this is a lot to take in.

I don't expect you to say nothing now, but...

...I want to be in your life, Kanan.

Whatever that means, whatever that looks like...

that's what I want.

I'm supposed to go meet up with my friends,

and I'm, uh, already running late, so...

No doubt. Go link with your peoples.

I'll be around.

[soft dramatic music playing]

[♪ ♪]

Yo, your mom's gonna say I'm crazy.

I'm not.

[♪ ♪]

[exhales deeply]

[upbeat hip-hop music playing]

[Marvin] Whoever said New Jersey America's armpit

is talkin' mad shit about armpits.

Feel just like home to me.

Worrell's cousin live out here.

Told him that the crew that was running these blocks

just got rolled up by the feds.

Ain't been stepped in yet.

And there's a whole lot of demand,

and we about to be the new supply.

Worrell callin' shots now?

[Raq] I'm callin' shots.

Worrell, he just looking out,

which is what you supposed to do.

We already up in Baisley's and the Forties.

We really need to fuck with Jersey right now?

We tryin' to grow, Marvin, build.

And New York is already spoken for.

The real opportunities are outside the city.

You makin' big decisions quick.

Maybe we need to take a minute.

My decisions are keeping you paid and off of Rikers.

I'm just saying...

we don't know the players in Jersey.

But we know the game.

Spot gonna be yours, Damon.

Yeah, you gonna be in charge out here.

Now, spread around some cash, get y'all crewed up,

and then you gonna be up and running.

But for now, we gonna bust out some work to you

from my lab on the South side.

Y'all already know I'm down for whatever... bet.

We franchisin', fellas.

[R&B music playing]

♪ Even if I tried ♪

♪ To pretend ♪

[♪ ♪]

♪ Get out of my head ♪

♪ I feel so guilty ♪

♪ I'm tryin' To find the words ♪

♪ To say, yeah ♪

♪ Was it all for nothing? ♪

♪ Shaded by the memories ♪

♪ I reel in my sins Over and over ♪

♪ Again ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ 'Cause underneath the armor ♪

♪ I'm still bruised ♪

♪ The days go by ♪

[♪ ♪]

♪ Underneath the armor ♪

♪ Armor ♪

[♪ ♪]

[vocalizing]

[♪ ♪]

♪ The days ♪

♪ Go by ♪

[♪ ♪]

♪ I, I... ♪

[♪ ♪]

[music stops]

[Lou-Lou] Yo, that's my niece right there.

What I tell you? Fucking told you, right?

Right there, that's my niece, man.

You know, I-I helped to produce the music and all that,

but the vocals and the lyrics, I mean, that's all her.

I mean, God damn, I felt all that.

For real. Your words was hittin'.

Your vocals are strong as hell.

But the look, uh...

You supposed to look like a bitch that niggas

want to fuck with.

Is you buggin', nigga?

When I close my eyes, it's like I'm loving you.

I open my eyes, and I'm like,

"Who is this girl looking like she in New Edition?"

Who the fuck is you talkin' to?

That is my niece, nigga. Watch your fucking mouth.

How you look is just as important as how you sound.

Nigga, don't tell me Zisa bein' a dime and all sexy and shit

wasn't the reason you wanted to sign her in the first place.

Shit matters.

Juke ain't Zisa, and Zisa ain't Juke.

Hey, Juke, um...

Crown ain't all the way wrong.

You beautiful.

You got to tap into that beauty, right?

And put it out there so everybody else can see it.

This is who I am, Uncle Lou.

This is me.

What you see, that's who I am.

[Lou-Lou] That's what I'm saying.

- You, you beautiful. - [Jukebox sighs]

I'm telling you that we should share that with the world.

That's all.

Uh-huh, okay, so what y'all are telling me is

y'all want me walking around looking like a hoochie?

- Pretty much. - Fuck out of here with...

It's not about you being no hoochie.

[Jukebox] Right.

[Lou-Lou] All I'm saying is I want you to maximize

what you already have, that's all.

It ain't... that wasn't...

I'll get at you later.

Juke, Juke, you know that's not what I meant.

That's... I-I... It came out wrong.

Y-you're beautiful is what I'm...

- I'm just sayin' you... - [door closes]

She's a kid. You watch how you talk to her.

Don't matter how old she is.

She want it, she got to know what it takes.

And so do you.

You know about a lot of shit, don't you, Crown?

I think I know enough, nigga. [chuckles]

Like where my girl can find a job in Cali, right?

Jessica asked me, so I was just lookin' out for her,

like I would do for you or anybody.

Don't be hatin' on a nigga 'cause he a little generous.

Now, why would I hate on you for being generous

when you give me so many other reasons to hate on you?

[Iris] I'm not angry.

I just...

feel dead,

like I can't feel anything or care about anything.

[Renée] Could it be that the medication you're on

is not only suppressing your anger

but also dulling your other feelings?

It may be that your doctor

just needs to adjust your medication.

What about you, Marvin? Hmm?

You have anything you want to share with the group today?

[Marvin] I'm good.

I tell you whether you're good or not.

And then I tell the judge. That's how this works.

Fine, whatever.

Um...

say some... say somebody talkin' shit to me,

up in my face, stank-ass breath on me.

My reaction is to put a foot up they ass.

That's what I do. That's what I've always done.

I won't lie. Shit works for me. Makes my teeth white.

That's called open aggression.

Me or the nigga talking shit?

You.

Eh.

Then that's me, then... Open and aggressive.

When you feel unregulated like that,

one of the techniques that we talk about

to regain control of yourself and the situation

is breathing.

Remember, everybody, breathe, get regulated,

and then calmly, quietly, and peacefully

address this individual

and de-escalate the situation.

Breathe with me, everyone, okay?

[most breathing deeply]

Breath in. [Inhales deeply]

Let it all go. [Exhales deeply]

- Inhale. - [inhales deeply]

[Renée exhales deeply] Let it all go.

[exhales deeply]

[indistinct chatter]

You late, nigga.

My mother had me doing some cleaning and shit

around the crib.

I'm here now, so what's up?

Raq must be all fucked up about Scrap.

And why would she be all fucked up about Scrap?

'Cause Scrap dead, man.

Cops found him in some broke-down building

up on Rock away Boulevard.

He killed his self. I thought you knew all this.

Get the fuck out of here, man. What are you talkin' about?

Scrap wouldn't do no shit like that.

That's not even possible.

I saw his whole family roll up to his mother house, K.

Scrappy gone.

[soft solemn music playing]

Maybe losing a eye really did get to this nigga, you know?

Thought he liked that shit, man.

Said it kept niggas shook. It... it had 'em scared.

Look, I already went up in this spot.

It's wack as hell.

Fucking toilet in the kitchen,

but it ain't no real kitchen anyway.

Don't even matter

'cause it's still a spot I can't fucking afford.

[♪ ♪]

Scrappy can get caught up behind them dice games

and cards and shit.

But that nigga made more in a day

than motherfuckers make in a whole year.

Now, how my mom put the word out to my whole fam

not to help me with nothing neither?

Look, I can't sleep at the Y again, K.

Some old drunk motherfucker tried to slide in my bed.

[Kanan exhales sharply]

Yo, look, I'm not tryin' to be, like, insensitive or nothin',

but can we focus on a nigga that's still breathing

and alive and don't got a place to stay?

[♪ ♪]

I'm gonna go grab the rest of your tapes.

Come on, man.

Even I know my tapes ain't selling.

That's exactly why we gonna sell 'em different this time.

I don't even know what that means,

but fuck it, I'm down.

How in the fuck my mother ain't tell me about Scrap?

[Famous] I don't know.

[dramatic music playing]

[♪ ♪]

[door rattling]

[soft tense music]

[♪ ♪]

[cell phone beeping]

[line trilling]

[voice message in Spanish, line beeps]

Juliana, it's Raq.

Where you at?

And why the store closed up?

Hit me.

[cell phone snaps shut, line beeps]

[♪ ♪]

Juliana? You here?

[♪ ♪]

Juliana.

[♪ ♪]

No.

Hell, no.

[♪ ♪]

Fuck!

[♪ ♪]

[upbeat chords playing]

[♪ ♪]

[pager beeping]

- I'm workin', Raq. - [pager clatters]

[♪ ♪]

[Renée] Excellent work, everyone.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for your share today... beautiful.

[indistinct chatter]

Marvin.

I'm gonna keep pressing you, and I'm not gonna stop.

And now you know I'm... I'm what you call, um,

open and attractive.

Openly aggressive.

Right, right.

So, um, I guess we'll see how... You know, how it go.

You press on an openly aggressive motherfucker

like me.

- [pager beeping] - Work?

Ah, family.

I mean, same shit, though.

Work, family, ain't no difference.

Right, well, remember your breathing, Marvin.

You know I got you, Miss Renée.

[tense hip-hop music playing]

[indistinct chatter]

[elevator bell dings]

[Demo] This ain't just your world, little nigga.

Watch where the fuck you going.

Hey, hey, hey, hold that shit, hold that shit!

Put your hand in the door, motherfucker!

- [Kanan] My bad, man! - Ah.

Punk-ass bitch.

Elevator finally working. I still can't fuck with it.

[customer] That wasn't no jumbo, man.

That shit was straight dust. Didn't even feel it.

[guard] Yo, you done?

Keep it movin'.

[customer] Man, fuck y'all.

'Nique knew what a jumbo was,

and it wasn't it this pieced-up bullshit!

[ominous music]

[♪ ♪]

Raq kid.

[♪ ♪]

Juliana!

It's Raq.

[♪ ♪]

[cell phone snaps open, beeping]

[line trilling]

[distant telephone ringing]

[♪ ♪]

[distant dog barking]

[♪ ♪]

[hip-hop music playing]

[♪ ♪]

- What's up, man? - What up?

Yo, where Marvin at?

- He at his angry-nigga class. - Which only makes him angrier.

- [all chuckle] - Yeah, I forgot about that.

[♪ ♪]

Damn, if she ain't here, I'll catch y'all later.

[♪ ♪]

If you do see Marvin,

let him know I came looking for Raq.

[♪ ♪]

[guard] Door's open. Move out the fucking way.

[suspenseful music playing]

[♪ ♪]

[guard] Boss is here.

[♪ ♪]

- Get out. - [door closes]

[♪ ♪]

I done paged your brother three times, and still nothing.

Lou fucking around behind them ones and twos.

All our shit is gone, Marvin.

Juliana gone with it.

And whoever did it took the security tapes,

so there ain't shit for us to see.

Mami done taxed us.

Bitch took all our money

and bounce back home to El Colombo

or wherever the fuck she from.

Nah, she know we in business with her cousin.

Robbin' from us is like robbin' from Joaquin.

Yo, we got that big re-up in two days

for Baisley, Forties, and Jersey.

If we ain't got the money to cover it,

shit gonna get stupid.

Maybe we should let Joaquin know about it now.

No.

Juliana fucked us, Joaquin, he probably know already.

And if he don't know, the last thing we want to do

is tell him that his cousin got grabbed up along with our loot.

And it ain't even about that.

If it was just about the money,

they wouldn't have grabbed up Juliana, but they did.

Whoever did this shit...

they want us to come looking for 'em.

Nah, ain't nobody wild enough to fuck with us like this

just to have us come look for 'em.

[scoffs]

Nah, I know just the wild nigga

who would do some shit like this.

So do you.

[Famous] Yo, how the fuck we just throwing my shits away?

I thought the point was to sell them

and hustle up this rent money.

Didn't we try that before, nigga?

Remember? Didn't work.

So we gonna flip it this time, and your ass is gonna get paid.

My shits was live, man.

I don't give a fuck what nobody say.

['50s pop music playing]

Your mother would've never let us drink

out of anything but glasses.

Yeah, just screaming down at us right now,

"Use the tumblers. Use the tumblers."

- Miss you, Eleanor. - Love you, Mom.

[♪ ♪]

I heard your partner got out of the hospital.

But he still can't remember a fucking thing

about what happened to him.

Yeah, that's what he's saying. But who knows?

I'm not following you, Shannon.

Howard...

he keeps a hell of a lot of stuff to himself,

and there's been some moments where I wonder

if he's holding shit back from me about what happened.

You don't ever wonder about your partner

and he don't ever wonder about you.

Your lives depend on the trust you two share.

That's how it works.

That's how it's always worked.

Yes, sir.

[♪ ♪]

Come get that Famous shit,

go-straight-to-your-head shit, get that hot, hot, hot shit.

[R&B music playing on boom box]

Looks like sales are pickin' up.

What can I say, man?

Fame is spittin' that realness. Word gettin' out.

[mockingly] "Fame is spittin' that realness."

[cops laugh]

[♪ ♪]

Let me get Famous. Two times.

[♪ ♪]

[Famous] Get that Hollywood. It feel so good.

[Antonio] ♪ Corner bodega, Played a nigga like Sega ♪

♪ Applied the pressure Like mega ♪

♪ That's how I do pretenders ♪

♪ So fuck four quarters And two dimes ♪

♪ A shotty in the vest With two nines ♪

♪ Is how I dispute mine ♪

♪ Same old suit reheated ♪

♪ Fucking money, I need it, Every case, I beat it ♪

[exhales deeply]

Now, that's a hit.

[Zisa] ♪ A-do-do-do-do ♪

♪ A-do-do-do-do ♪

♪ Don't you wanna play? ♪

♪ Don't you wanna play?

♪ Tell me, tell me ♪

♪ If you want to If you want to ♪

♪ Play a little game Just us two ♪

♪ Tell me if you want to If you want to ♪

♪ Play a little game I can teach you ♪

♪ Teach you ♪

It's good. I mean, the shit is catchy.

It... it might even be some kind of hit,

but not for this girl, not for this kind of talent.

No, Zisa needs something bigger,

somethin' with some feeling to it.

This girl is not just a singer.

- She is a virtuoso, an artiste. - [door opens]

- I like the song. - [door closes]

- I think it's cool. - [footsteps approaching]

Do you not get my pages, or you just ignore them?

Fairest creatures, we desire increase.

That thereby beauty's rose shall never die.

That's Shakespeare's first sonnet.

[chuckles] Cartier Fareed.

I know who you are.

Raquel Thomas, Lou's sister,

who's about to put a foot in his ass.

Well, you are nothing short of a revelation,

Raquel Thomas.

We need to talk, now.

Well, I'm hoping this is just a short prologue

to a far longer story for us.

Look, my bad. I'm doing shit right now.

Nah, Lou, don't, not now.

I don't want to hear your usual bullshit.

All of that shit in there is bought and paid for by me.

So you... you cashin' the checks I write,

but you not takin' my calls?

You a nosy little motherfucker, huh, Macho Man?

[chuckles]

We been hit, Lou.

All our shit got grabbed up at the bodega,

and we can't find Juliana.

And this is about to be the biggest re-up we've ever had.

And all our work for Baisley, Forties, and Jersey,

and we ain't got the money to cover it.

Joaquin will front that shit on consignment.

We done showed and proved for that nigga, right?

You really think that he gonna front us with his cousin gone?

Hell, no.

And even if he did, the last place we'd ever want to be

is owin' money to them Colombians.

I ain't goin' out like that.

Nah, this Unique.

[chuckles softly] This is what this nigga do.

When he wants my attention, he fucks with my world.

Yo, 'Nique would have to be crazy out his fucking mind

to fuck with the stash... Come on.

Look, I'm goin' to talk to Worrell.

I need you to get on the block and see what they sayin'.

- All right. - It's time to work, Lou.

Real work.

I'm on it.

[soft dramatic music playing]

[♪ ♪]

Yo, your customers are pissing in the stairwell

and smoking up in the elevator.

Not that there's never any room for me in that shit anyway

with all your people going in and out.

I'll look into it.

You don't need to look into it.

I just told you what the fuck it is.

Yo, step off or roll off

or whatever the fuck it is you do, nigga,

'cause you mad close on me right now.

Fuck you.

Look, everybody getting a little something-something

for their patience and accommodations.

You took our money, you know our deal.

Your money ain't nearly enough to cover me

waitin' on the elevator for 45 minutes every day

'cause that motherfucker always too crowded.

All right?

Yo, I'm gonna say it again.

You need to back the fuck up.

You serious? [Scoffs]

You think I'm scared of you, nigga?

I got shot seven times,

and I'm still puttin' fools on they back.

Be the next nigga.

[chuckles, breathes deeply]

[soft upbeat music playing]

[Marvin chuckles]

I hear you.

I hear you and understand.

[chuckles softly]

I'm sorry for your troubles, brother.

- I'll deal with it. - [elevator bell dings]

Yeah, you will.

Yo, everybody get the fuck off the elevator.

My man here got places to be.

Let's go. Come on.

[♪ ♪]

I got you.

Demo, nigga. Better recognize.

[♪ ♪]

[indistinct grumbling]

[elevator bell dings]

[♪ ♪]

Huh.

[breathes deeply]

Openly and aggressive... That's... that's me.

The breathing helps with the...

[both moaning]

Oh, shit!

[Andrea sighs]

- Somebody's feeling better. - [Howard chuckles]

[sighs] Fuck.

- Back from the dead. - [Andrea chuckles]

My God. [Sighs]

- Hey. - Hmm?

I had cancer, and you lightin' up coal in my fucking face?

I'm sorry. You're right.

That is fucked up.

Oh, shit, I'm late. Got to pick up my son.

[smooth music playing]

He's a teenager now, right?

A mean-ager.

No, that's what we call 'em, 'cause when they turn 16,

they forget that they ever even liked you.

Let me ask you somethin'.

[Andrea] Hmm?

How does he feel about what you do?

What do I do?

You know, your line of work.

My son thinks that I'm a barber that does house calls.

I got the scissors and robes and everything.

[both chuckle]

Wow, that's good.

I bet you he got it figured out, though.

You know, these kids ain't dumb.

It ain't like he gonna bring it up to you

or nothing like that,

'cause that's a fucked-up conversation

to have with your own moms.

Maybe you're right, Malcolm.

Maybe he does know.

Maybe my son knows that, yeah, Mommy turns tricks.

Wait, wait, wait, I didn't mean it like...

But you know what else he knows?

My son knows that I would die for him,

that I would lay down my life for his,

and at the end of the day, that's all he needs to know

'cause that's all that really matters.

[♪ ♪]

I... [sighs]

[suspenseful music playing]

[♪ ♪]

[car door opens and shuts]

[engine turns over]

[♪ ♪]

- What'd you hear? - Nothin'.

I went by the shop... and his girl's.

Nobody around right now.

I really don't know if this is 'Nique.

I mean...

just trying to stay alive.

And fucking with you...

seem like the worst shit for his health.

One of the reasons I brought you on

is 'cause I ain't want no problems with your man.

But now that he fucking with my shit,

it makes you seem a whole lot less useful, son.

Move like your life depend on finding this nigga...

'cause it does.

[♪ ♪]

[engine turns over]

[♪ ♪]

Nah, no way.

I don't believe that shit at all.

And that's what I said, Juke. This nigga's crazy.

[Jukebox sighs]

I don't know. You think I still need to ask her anyway, though?

You gonna ask Raq about being with that cop

like that?

Shit, you right. What the fuck was I thinking?

Did he say anything about what went down

between y'all that night?

No.

Oh.

He doesn't remember,

'cause that would've been the first shit

to come out of his mouth, so that's good.

- I don't know, Juke. I... - [door opens]

You two been by the bodega today?

Seen Juliana?

- No. - Nah.

What y'all talkin' about?

[Jukebox] I...

We was just, um, you know...

I'ma go get ready for bed.

See you tomorrow.

- Night, Aunt Raq. - Mm-hmm. Night, baby.

What's goin' on?

It's the cop.

Howard.

[Kanan] Pulled up on me today.

[dramatic music playing]

He said he my father.

[♪ ♪]

[laughing]

This fool. [Scoffs]

He was talking that same craziness to me.

I mean, I thought it was momentary,

that he was gonna snap out of it.

Well, he's still saying it, Ma.

[Raq] Yeah.

You his son, Juke his daughter, and your uncle Lou-Lou...

- That's his twin brother. - I'm just saying.

He said he was coming back around to talk about it...

Yeah, you ain't gonna tell him nothing.

Let him spit all this shit, and you keep your mouth shut.

He police. You don't talk to no police.

And he didn't say anything...

[Raq] Look, his head is all messed up, Kanan.

He don't know what's real and what isn't.

Look, you just keep letting me know when he step to you

and what he says when he do.

And if he get any stupider,

I'm gonna get in the middle of it.

That's part of the reason why I asked you to do what you did.

Howard, he's always been unstable

and unpredictable and shit.

Never know what wildness he gonna say or do.

[♪ ♪]

Look, you just need to keep your head down.

He gonna forget about you.

That's how he do.

[♪ ♪]

I heard about Scrappy.

[♪ ♪]

Yeah.

I meant to talk to you about that,

but I got distracted.

That don't make no kind of sense, Mom.

Scrappy killin' his self?

[Raq] It don't ever make no sense, Kanan.

It's hard to understand how somebody could just get

to a point where they don't want to live anymore.

Look, everybody got their shit, Kanan,

and everybody deal with it different.

Scrap made his decision.

And it hurts for all of us he left, but it was his call.

It's what he wanted.

So let's just remember him for who he was...

how he wanted us to.

[♪ ♪]

[indistinct chatter]

Thanks for coming.

When I called, I-I wasn't sure...

[Adina] Yeah, you broke my heart.

But that doesn't mean I never want to see you again.

I always want to see you, Shannon.

That's the problem.

[indistinct chatter]

[rock music playing softly]

[Burke] How's your mom?

M.S. isn't a disease that gets better.

I'm having to pay out of pocket for a home health aide

and put ramps in her home, some of her meds.

I'm so sorry, Adina.

Is there anything I can do to help?

If you got 50 grand burning a hole in your pocket,

I could put it to some good use.

[chuckles]

But you didn't hit me up to talk about my mom.

No, it's my, uh... It's my partner.

- I heard Howard's on the mend. - Yeah, he's doing better.

You know, he's taking better care of himself.

He stopped smoking. He's eating right.

He's nicer to me than he's ever been before.

What's the problem, then?

'Cause Howard's always been a world-class dick.

[chuckles]

Him being nicer sounds like a dramatic change for the better.

He's got secrets, Adina,

a lot of them.

[Adina] We all have secrets.

In fact, if memory serves, I was yours.

That was the issue.

[♪ ♪]

He says he doesn't remember anything about the shooting,

but I don't know if I believe him.

It feels like there's more there,

but whenever I try digging, he gets pissed at me

and tells me to leave it alone.

I remember working with him

on this Subway Slasher task force back in the day.

Howard's got a lot of pride.

He has a tough time letting people help him,

especially women.

[♪ ♪]

But I get it. You're his partner.

You're supposed to look out for him.

Thanks.

At least someone understands.

I always understood you.

[♪ ♪]

Yeah, I know you did.

[♪ ♪]

[Juke vocalizing]

♪ I can't hide the pain ♪

♪ When it's pouring Out of me ♪

[sighs] Nothin'.

Nobody's seen 'Nique.

Sometimes obvious shit is obvious 'cause it's right.

Juliana hit us herself.

[♪ ♪]

It's Juke.

[♪ ♪]

She good.

She been good, Marvin.

[♪ ♪]

[Marvin sighs] Yeah, she, uh...

[♪ ♪]

She ever ask about me?

[Juke] ♪ I reel in my sins Over and over ♪

♪ Again ♪

[♪ ♪]

I fucked it all up, Lou.

[♪ ♪]

Yeah, you did.

[♪ ♪]

Whatever.

We got to go find our shit.

I'll circle back with you later.

- Hey. - No.

[Juke] ♪ Underneath the armor ♪

♪ I'm still bruised ♪

Keep sitting on Juliana's crib.

And call me if you see... You hear anything.

[tense music playing]

[♪ ♪]

All that shit we sold, I still can't afford a place.

We gonna have to hit them corners.

Ah, I don't think we'll be able

to grab some more work for a little bit.

Niggas is definitely gonna start noticing.

- What's up, fellas? - [both] What's up?

Raq home?

[Kanan] Yeah, she inside.

Lookin' at cribs?

Yeah, man. Fuckin' mom kicked me out.

I'm sleepin' at the goddamn Y.

Famous all homeless and shit.

Now, that's what you need to be writing some rhymes about.

[laughs] For real.

Yo, check this out.

I've been hookin' up this brother

with free studio time for his girl,

and I know they got some buildings around the way.

Let me talk to him, see if he want to hook you up,

- show you some love. - Word?

I ain't promise you nothing, but I could for sure ask.

I mean, I can pay you somethin',

not a lot, but, like,

I got this cash that me and K hustled up, man, like...

Like I said, I'ma ask.

These ain't exactly your Jamaica Estates, though.

Psh. It's better than getting my dick grabbed at the Y.

- [Kanan chuckles] - You saved my life, brother,

Like, come... come here. Come here.

[chuckles] Thank you.

That's real man shit right there.

I told your sister I was gonna look out for you.

Oh, but you is... You a man of your word,

my brother, and I'ma tell her that,

if I ever speak to her ass again.

- Y'all a trip. - [all chuckle]

All right, now.

That is my nigga.

Let me see that.

[knocks on door]

- Lou ain't here. - [sighs] I ain't here for Lou.

Look, I ain't got time for you right now, Crown.

I think I got a solution to a problem we both havin'...

with Lou.

[sighs]

You and me better off if Lou wasn't in the music business.

I'm listening.

What if I sold you part of the label

for damn near nothing?

Let you wash all the money you want through it.

In return, let's get Lou out the studio, back on the street.

- [cell phone ringing] - That's where he belong.

Hello? All right, well, I'ma meet you there, then.

I ain't got time for you right now, Crown... you got to go.

Oh, but Lou will kill me

if he knew I stepped to you like this.

Lou ain't gonna know shit.

[subway train rumbling]

[dramatic music playing]

[distant siren wailing]

[♪ ♪]

[Marvin] How we know this motherfucker not setting us up?

[Lou-Lou] Maybe you and 'Nique taxed our shit.

'Nique called me, said he want to talk to Raq.

I'm with y'all now.

I ain't in business with him no more.

There's better ways to get to talking

than grabbing up all our shit and our connect's cousin.

You here, though.

And I bet you ready to talk.

We ready.

But I ain't promising all we gonna do is talk.

Let's go.

[dramatic music playing]

You through the door first, nigga.

[♪ ♪]

[door closes]

[♪ ♪]

[clicks tongue] Good to see you, too, Raq.

You must really want to die, 'Nique.

I missed the hell out of you, girl.

[church organ playing]

[choir] ♪ What a fellowship ♪

♪ What a joy divine ♪

♪ I'm leaning On everlasting arms ♪

♪ Oh, oh ♪

- ♪ What a blessedness ♪ - [singer] ♪ Oh, blessedness ♪

[choir] ♪ What a peace is mine ♪

♪ Leaning On everlasting arms ♪

♪ Lean ♪

[singer] ♪ Oh, I'm leaning ♪

[choir] ♪ Leaning safe and secure ♪

- [singer] ♪ Yes, I am ♪ - [choir] ♪ From all alarms ♪

- ♪ Leaning ♪ - [singer] ♪ I'm leaning ♪

- [choir] ♪ Leaning ♪ - [singer] ♪ Mm ♪

[together] ♪ Leaning on ♪

♪ The everlasting arms ♪

♪ What a fellowship ♪

♪ What a joy divine ♪

♪ Leaning on ♪

♪ The everlasting arms ♪

♪ What a blessedness ♪

♪ What a peace is mine ♪

♪ Leaning On the everlasting... ♪

[♪ ♪]

I just want to talk. That's it.

You ever heard of pickin' up a phone, nigga?

[scoffs] You know I got to make you work for it, baby.

Besides, I knew you knew it was me,

being that we be on the same page like that.

I don't know what book you reading from, nigga,

but it ain't looking like you gonna live happily ever after.

If you want your money, you'll hear me out.

If not...

do what the fuck you will, then.

Talk.

But Worrell's just a messenger.

I'm the motherfuckin' message.

You know, it was cute back there

what you did framing me for Howard.

Don't matter I ain't do it.

I can't even put up a fuckin' lemonade stand on the block

without them trying to put me back in.

[gun cocks]

So you all salty 'cause you got beat?

[scoffs] That's what the fuck this is?

Take the loss like a fuckin' man.

I ain't even gonna front, Raq. My business is done.

My name ain't even got the same weight

on these streets no more.

[chuckles]

You won.

For real, you did it.

But now I just want to be left the fuck alone.

All right? That's it.

You see what I did here.

So you know I can still touch you, baby.

You know I can still make problems for you

and these fucking Colombians.

[♪ ♪]

I just want my family safe.

Peace for me and mines, Raq.

Nigga want peace, so he rob us.

Fuck kind of peace is that?

[Unique] The real kind, nigga,

the kind that got a price on it.

Go post up somewhere else that ain't the South side, 'Nique.

Big world, nigga. Everywhere got a corner.

And everywhere got a Unique,

maybe even a Raq.

South side home.

That's all a nigga know.

Besides, I'm retired now, y'all.

Jersey in the rafters.

I just want to live my life now.

If we put him down, everyone gonna know it was us,

including five-O.

[♪ ♪]

Yo, this motherfucker tried to kill you.

And we tried to kill him.

It ain't personal for me, Marv.

Personal for you, 'Nique?

Never was, brother.

Never was.

[♪ ♪]

Give me your gat.

[♪ ♪]

You got your peace, 'Nique.

[♪ ♪]

Now give me my fuckin' money.

[Howard] What up, B?

[tense music playing]

[♪ ♪]

Yo, what your mom's talking about?

Oh, let me guess.

I done lost my damn mind. I got amnesia.

I don't know what's real and what's not.

[♪ ♪]

But see, I ain't crazy.

I remember everything. [Scoffs]

You little motherfucker, you shot me.

[♪ ♪]

And I took that bullet from you,

and now I'ma take one for you.

I ain't telling nobody about what happened in the park.

I wouldn't do that to my son.

[Grown Kanan] Remember when I said the truth

was like that J train?

I was wrong about that.

The truth is more like that Metro-North shit...

[car door opens] ...fast, heavy...

[car door closes] ...pulling a lot of weight.

And that shit pick up speed, too.

[engine turns over]

That's the truth coming for you, nigga.

And it hit hard, and it hit fast,

so look the fuck out.

[The O'Jays' "Back Stabbers" playing]

[♪ ♪]

[singers] ♪ What they do? ♪

♪ They smilin' in your face ♪

[singer] ♪ All the time They want to take your place ♪

♪ The backstabbers ♪

[singers] ♪ Backstabbers They smilin' in your face ♪

[singer] ♪ All the time They want to take your place ♪

♪ The backstabbers ♪

[singers] ♪ Backstabbers ♪

[singer] ♪ All you fellas ♪

♪ Who have someone And you really care ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Then it's all Of you fellas ♪

♪ Who better beware ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Somebody's out To get your lady ♪

♪ A few of your buddies They sure look shady ♪

♪ The blades are long ♪

♪ Clutched tight In their fists ♪

♪ Aimin' straight At your back ♪

♪ And I don't think They'll miss ♪

[singers] ♪ What they do? ♪

♪ They smilin' in your face ♪

[singer] ♪ All the time They want to take your place ♪

♪ The backstabbers ♪

[singers] ♪ Backstabbers ♪

[singer] ♪ I keep gettin' all These visits from my friends ♪

♪ Yeah, what they doin' To me ♪

♪ They come ♪

♪ To my house again and again And again and again ♪

♪ Yeah ♪