Original subtitles

[retro R&B music]

- Damn, baby, your feet tired?

'Cause you've been running through my mind all day.

- They are kind of tired.

[chuckling]

You like my haircut?

- I love it.

When a black girl cuts her hair off,

it means she confident.

It also means she ain't got a weird-shaped head.

- My head is the perfect shape.

- Now all you need is a crown.

- Oh, my crown has already been bought and paid for.

- With free labor. - Come on, slavery.

- See, that's why I "Stay Awake."

- And cut!

[bell ringing]

Oh, there we go.

All right, let's take it from the top.

- Going again.

- Why are we doing a '90s-themed commercial?

- Because your dad thought it'd be a good idea.

- It's an awful idea.

- Hey, don't disrespect your father, all right?

He's the master.

- No, he's a narcissist.

- If I were your dad, I'd be a narcissist too.

- You'll never be my dad.

- That hurt. - It was supposed to.

- [scoffing] - Playback.

[dated hip-hop music plays]

- I feel like I'm on set of an H-Town video.

- Okay, I was going to say Boyz II Men,

but your reference makes way more sense.

- [chuckling] - Yes?

- Mm-hmm, I love it. Yes. Yes-yes, yes-yes.

Yes, it's gonna be perfect.

♪ ♪

- Oh. - Oh, hell nah.

Cut!

- Who the hell yelled "cut"?

[bell ringing] - I did!

- I'm sorry. I'll handle this.

I will handle this.

Come here.

- [sighing]

We can't have the lead of our commercial

ditch a brown-skinned girl for a light-skinned chick.

Black Twitter will eat us for breakfast.

- Okay, I know everybody likes to tip-toe around your ass

'cause your parents own the company, but I am not the one.

Not only did I help build this company,

but I taught your daddy everything he knows.

- If you taught him everything he knows,

then why are you still here?

- Because I'm a loyal bitch.

- Either that or no one else will hire you.

- Do not make me call your father.

- You don't have to. I quit.

- Okay, okay,

then you better send me a formal letter of resignation.

- I'm not doing that.

- Oh.

Sorry for the interruption.

Back to one, everyone.

Spoiled brat.

- Okay, going again. Roll camera.

- [sighing]

- Leave me alone, Bryson. - Simone.

- I don't wanna talk right now.

- Hey. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.

Take a breath, all right?

Just go in there and tell Vic her wig looks cute today,

compliment her leopard print boots,

and we can all get back to work.

- No! I'm tired of kissing her ass.

I should've quit a long time ago.

- Oh, so you're just gonna leave me?

- You still got Crystal.

- You know Crystal's the house negro.

- She's not light enough to be a house negro.

- I'ma tell her you said that.

- No, please don't.

Why don't we all just quit and start our own agency?

Well, 'cause everybody wasn't born

with a rose gold spoon in their mouth

and a kente cloth wrapped around their head.

- Don't make fun of my birth announcement.

And I know you not talking.

- What? My mom ain't giving me shit.

- Jacqueline gave you those cheekbones.

- [sighing] I cannot believe you are doing this right now.

- Bryson, I've been working for my parents' agency

since I was in high school.

I need to move on.

- And do what? [phone ringing]

- I bet that's Mr. Graham calling right now.

What you need to do is put some respect on your daddy's name.

It's legendary.

Do you know how many people would kill to be a Graham?

[phone continues ringing]

It's not all it's cracked up to be.

[door opening]

[notification chiming]

****

[Queen Key's "My Way"]

- ♪ My way, my way or the highway ♪

♪ My way, my way or the highway ♪

♪ My way, my way or the driveway ♪

- Okay. - I will violate you.

- I will violate you, bitch!

- You ****! - Dumb bitch!

- Whoa, watch out. - Oh, you dumb, bitch!

- Are you done? Are you done?

Get the **** out of here, bitch.

Straight **** crazy.

Get the **** out of here.

Are you **** done, bitch?

Go buy some new tampons. Y'all ****...

- So I'm not light enough to be a house negro?

- Oh, my God.

- And you gonna watch them without me.

- You know I like watching it twice.

- Mm-hmm.

I can't believe your ass actually quit.

So what you gonna do now?

- I might start my own agency.

- We both know that's not gonna happen overnight.

What you gonna do to pay these bills?

- I don't know. I'll get creative.

I'm not above working a regular job.

- Yes, you are.

If I were you, I'd call

my bougie-ass parents,

beg forgiveness,

ask if I can use they black card

until I get back on my feet.

- I'd rather sell bean pies on the corner

than ask them for help.

- Why you got to do everything the hard way?

- Why you always got to come for me?

- 'Cause I always have to deal with

the aftermath of your decisions.

Do you know Vic made us stay on that set until 2:00 a.m.?

- [scoffs]

- She's a miserable woman that

ain't got nothing better to do than

torture me, you, and Bryson.

- I'm sorry.

- Mm-hmm. You should be.

Give me a charge.

[coughs] Damn, that's strong as hell.

- Been a rough day. - [chuckling]

- What if I can't figure it out?

- Then you gonna be homeless.

- I'm too cute to be homeless.

- Ain't no one too cute to be homeless, boo.

[chuckling] - You know what?

- Just telling it like it is.

- That's just rude. - [chuckling]

[soft dramatic music]

[Bregma's "Off Rip"]

- ♪ Hunnit battle scars and I made it this far ♪

♪ Dreams so big about to blow a boom jah ♪

♪ Hunnit blue bovved and might skip real hard ♪

♪ Off rip cut the pips like you late the little broad ♪

♪ Hunnit battle scars and I made it this far ♪

♪ Dreams so big bout to blow boom jah ♪

♪ Hunnit blue bovved and might skip real hard ♪

- You like my haircut?

- I love it.

When a black girl cuts her hair off,

it means she confident.

It also means she ain't got a weird-shaped head.

[text pings]

[dated hip-hop plays]

- See, that's why I drink "Stay Awake."

[text pings]

- And... we're out.

- [soft laughter] - Oh.

- That was wonderful. - Yay!

[laughs]

[speaking Chinese] - Great.

That was really good. - Oh, that was so wonderful.

- Oh, yeah! - I loved it so much.

- I am so glad it's working for y'all.

- These clients don't know nothing about black people.

So they take everything Victoria says as the gospel.

- But it's so basic.

- Sometimes our people like basic shit.

- See, The Graham Agency can't be basic.

- The Graham Agency is about making that money.

And you know the way to make money

is go for low-hanging fruit.

- "Stay Awake" is a energy drink for millennials.

Why they got somebody's auntie running point?

- [laughing] Who else gonna do it?

- [chuckling]

Hello! - Negro, please.

You don't have enough experience.

- But I'm the demo!

You know what black millennials want?

- Somebody to pay they student loans.

- Nah, we want it all.

We want to be great at work.

We want to have the perfect partner.

We want the fly crib. We want the dope view.

[soft dramatic music]

- [sighing] We want to buy our mom a house.

We want to show up to church every week

just to make sure that we get into Heaven.

- Praise be.

- But in order to be great at everything,

we have to be present for everything.

So we don't just drink "Stay Awake" at the club.

No, no, no, we drink it all day long,

because being young, gifted, and black is cool,

but it's exhausting.

- [clapping]

That was good.

- Uh, um--sorry, I was just goofing around.

- Well, I liked it.

And maybe we could use the song

"Young, Gifted and Black" for the ad.

I'm partial to the Aretha version.

Hey, Vic, I'd like to see that version of the ad.

- Okay, but we're pretty much locked.

- We still have a few more days.

I'm sure you can figure something out.

- Y'all starting to get on my goddamn nerves!

Okay, okay.

I'll give you two grand to do a concept presentation.

And if you mess this up, you gonna join

your friend Simone on the unemployment line.

Make the hair on the back of my ass rise.

[soft upbeat music]

- When the last time you heard of somebody

standing in a unemployment line?

[JAG's "Black Boy Rise"]

- ♪ We on the top, they gon' see the black boy high ♪

♪ They gon' see the black high, and that boy high ♪

♪ They hate seeing that boy fly ♪

- I think I might be getting a promotion.

- Man, she only letting you do that concept presentation

'cause she know it's gonna be whack.

And she probably gonna have an excuse to fire your ass.

- Nah, bruh, you gotta do it.

You been preparing for this moment your whole life

and now God's provided you with the perfect opportunity.

- Two grand ain't shit. - Jesus turned water into wine.

- But Bryson ain't Jesus. - We don't know that.

- Look, I'm gonna do the presentation, all right,

and everything's gonna be fine.

- [scoffing] Personally, if it was me--

- It wouldn't be you 'cause you can't keep a job.

- I've been a director for the last five years.

- [chuckling] What--what-- what have you directed?

- Wow, really?

- Yeah, really, and them shitty web series don't count either.

- Come on, leave the boy alone.

He wants to make movies, all right?

- It's called a "digital series."

- [chuckling] Ari, stop being so sensitive.

- You know I hate that word, right?

You know I hate that word. My therapist says it's a trigger.

- Yeah, that's 'cause you was a crybaby in high school.

- Well, at least I was having sex in high school.

- You do know fingering and having sex

are two different things, right?

- You weren't doing either so what does it matter?

- Touché, touché.

- Look, y'all can talk about me all y'all want to,

but I know how to make decent content for no money though.

- Uh, decent's a strong word,

but he is good at pulling people together.

- I'll take whatever help I can get.

- Cool, and you need anybody to lead you in prayer,

I got you.

- Thanks, Pastor.

- Praise be.

[Queen Kong hip-hop playing]

♪ ♪

- ♪ You too nice with the kitty man ♪

♪ These boys is dolls ♪

♪ Get your money 'cause they funny man ♪

♪ These boys is frauds ♪

♪ I got that bomb Queen Kong ♪

♪ And these boys is broads ♪

♪ You make the world go round ♪

♪ You deserve applause ♪

♪ You too nice with the kitty, man ♪

♪ These boys is dolls ♪

♪ Get your money 'cause they funny man ♪

♪ These boys is broads ♪

♪ I got that bomb Queen Kong ♪

♪ From the jock... ♪

[high-pitched ringing]

- Why are you staring at her like that?

[distant men cheering]

- [slurping]

I'm thinking.

- ♪ These boys is bras ♪

♪ I got that bomb Queen Kong ♪

♪ And these boys is broads... ♪

- Oh, shit.

- ♪ You deserve applause ♪

- [sighs]

- Did y'all like it? Don't lie.

Crystal?

- Well, I got a little bored when

you went into the downward dog pose,

but I was here for it.

- I was paying homage to the ancestors.

- See, I didn't get that. [chuckling]

- I thought it was amazing.

Here's the thing,

What you have going for you is

no one else is doing what you're doing,

but there's a reason why people come to the strip club.

They want to live that fantasy.

These guys wanna think they can go home with you.

- Well, that's not happening.

- Okay, well, they don't need to know that.

Look at all these girls.

Every girl in here thinks she's got what it takes

to be a star, and the truth is,

if the right rapper walked in here on the right night,

she could be.

But making it out of here is like winning the lottery.

Tia, why wait for somebody to come in here to save you

when you could save yourself?

- Bitch, how am I supposed to do that?

- Let me help you.

- That's why you were staring at her.

You trying to turn this into a check.

- Shut up, Crystal.

- How much is your help gonna cost me?

- 10% of whatever you make.

[muffled hip-hop music]

- Okay.

Then go make me some money.

♪ ♪

- You a mess. - Shut up.

- You got one more "shut up."

[smooth hip-hop music playing]

♪ ♪

[phone chiming]

[lively jazz music]

♪ ♪

**** - Yo.

- Why you ain't got no shirt on?

- Why are you FaceTiming me like a weirdo?

- I heard you get to do a presentation.

- Yup. - Congrats.

- Thank you.

- I heard the idea is pretty basic.

- I'm sure Crystal pitched it wrong.

- Let me help you. - Bye, Simone.

♪ ♪

[scoffs]

♪ ♪

- So who are you gonna cast to be in the commercial?

- Myself.

- See? That's basic.

You should cast Tia.

- Ain't she trying to be a stripper?

- The right piece of talent can turn a boring ad

into a brilliant campaign.

If we tweak your concept and cast Tia,

the clients will love your commercial, fire Vic,

and you'll be the new Marcus Graham.

- [sighing]

How early can she be here?

- As early as you want for a grand.

- A grand? You do know I'm paying you

out of my own pocket, right?

- I don't care where the check comes from

as long as it clears.

Hey, I'm proud of you.

****

[Summer Walker's "Girls Need Love"]

♪ ♪

[keys clacking]

[text pings]

[soft laugh]

- ♪ Honestly ♪

[doorbell chimes]

♪ ♪

Hey, you.

[heavy breathing]

- ♪ Honestly ♪

♪ I'm trying to stay focused ♪

♪ You must think I've got to be joking when I say ♪

♪ I don't think I can wait ♪

♪ I just need it now ♪

♪ Better swing my way ♪

♪ I just need some new thing ♪

♪ You could be the one thing ♪

♪ You start with a handshake ♪

♪ Baby I'ma need more than a hug ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

[crickets chirping]

- Why I ain't hear from you in a minute, stranger?

- I've been busy.

- [chuckling]

Your ass ain't too busy to text me at 2:00 in the morning.

- Here we go.

- I'm just saying, I could be over here all the time,

but you playing, Simone.

- I told you, I'm not ready to be somebody's wife.

- [scoffing] Right, you know I'm not just somebody.

- I know.

[distant dog barking]

It still makes me sad to think

that my daughter ain't gonna have your eyes.

- I'm sorry.

I just don't wanna spend the rest of my life

posting pictures of our babies

and the dinner I made for you on Instagram.

- But what's wrong with that? - It's just not me.

- [scoffing]

You Pisces is all the same.

Can't commit to shit.

It's like you swimming around, looking for something new.

You--you basically wanna be in a relationship with somebody

who gonna leave yo ass alone.

Next time you need your back blown out, Simone,

don't hit my phone.

[soft dramatic music]

[door opens, closes]

♪ ♪

[elegant orchestral music]

♪ ♪

[inaudible]

♪ ♪

- Bryson, what happened to

the "young, gifted, and overwhelmed" concept?

- Oh, Simone thought it was a little basic,

so we switched it up.

- Come on, Ari. - [grunts]

Let me--let me--I'll get this. I'm telling you. Watch.

- Can you not with the attitude?

- That is not highlight. What is that?

- Look, Simone bought this for you.

- She would never. Simone!

- What would you like for me to do?

- I would like for you to keep it straight.

- Okay, here. Just like that? - Yes, thank you.

- That looks good for you? - Mm-hmm.

- Forget Simone.

What did God think?

- I mean, it's still my concept.

I just tweaked it.

- Uh-huh.

- Look, make no mistake. I'm running the show, okay?

- Okay. [chuckling]

Run the show.

- Okay. All right, y'all.

Let's start with the bedroom scenes.

- No, let's start with the product shot,

then we'll go to the part in the kitchen.

Yeah?

- Yeah, um, yeah.

I was-- I was just gonna say that.

[rousing hip-hop music]

- ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, whoa! ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

♪ Here we go! ♪

♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪

♪ Hey, hey ♪

♪ Say whoa! ♪

- This was good but, uh,

I really liked what you pitched in the room the other day.

What happened to that version?

- Yeah, what happened to that?

- Well, I, uh,

I wanted to push the envelope just a little bit.

- Okay, so

our client told you that he liked your idea

and wanted to see it executed, right?

We gave you some money--

- Not that much money.

- No-no, no-no, no-no. Don't interrupt me, okay?

We gave you some money to execute that idea

and instead of executing that idea that the client liked,

you did something completely different.

See, that's the problem with you young bucks,

you tend to overthink things

and you're so afraid of failing that

you wind up getting in your own way

instead of listening to your gut.

Right?

- So we're gonna go with Victoria's version.

- Well, I, uh--thank you for letting me take a swing at it.

- Absolutely. - Great, of course.

[soft chatter]

I'm gonna go pack up my office...

- Okay.

- But before I do,

I just wanna say, uh,

I'm glad that I got to show you what I'm made of

and, uh, I really enjoyed coming up with a vision

and doing everything that I could

to make that vision come to life,

even if it wasn't my original vision.

Look, I know it wasn't perfect,

but you have to admit it was different.

And it didn't feel like every other

energy drink ad that's on TV.

It was a breath of fresh air.

- I'm sorry--are you done? - Yeah.

- You did a decent job on the presentation, Bryson.

- Thank you.

- And you reminded me a lot of Marcus

back when he was your age,

back when he had a JC Penny wardrobe

and couldn't afford a decent haircut,

but...

you still reminded me of him.

Marcus would've listened to himself,

he would've trusted himself.

Instead you let his daughter get inside your head...

Young buck.

[Shy Girls' "Hallelujah"]

♪ ♪

[gunfire and explosions on TV, buttons clicking]

- ♪ Moving in circles ♪

♪ Jesus can't help you now ♪

[doorbell chimes]

♪ ♪

♪ Poor man's praises ♪

♪ No one gets left alone ♪

♪ ♪

- How'd it go?

- Don't act like Crystal didn't tell you.

- Of course she did, but I wanna hear it from you.

- Well, I'm just happy I still have a job.

- ♪ Like this like that all day ♪

♪ ♪

♪ No, no, no, no ♪

♪ ♪

- ♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ ♪

♪ Hallelujah... ♪

- [sighs]

- ♪ Hallelujah ♪

- Look, I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have bogarted your presentation.

- Don't apologize.

I shouldn't have let you.

I, uh, I gotta learn to trust myself.

[sighing]

- ♪ Hallelujah ♪

♪ Hallelujah... ♪

- You were right about one thing, though.

Tia is a star.

- See, I told you. [giggling]

[clears throat]

Speaking of Tia.

You still owe us a check.

- Oh, you really gonna take my money?

- Yeah. - [chuckling] Okay.

[sighing]

[soft laugh]

- ♪ Hallelujah ♪

- You know, this is the first check I've ever gotten

without my father's name on it.

- Uh, yeah, but the artwork on the check--

it designed by your mother's company, so.

- Really?

Venmo me.

[both chuckling]

[Raveena's "Temptation" plays]

♪ ♪

[clears throat] Red or white?

- Oh.

[stammers] Whichever.

- ♪ I don't think you know ♪

♪ Keep me waiting ♪

♪ Know you like to take it slow ♪

♪ ♪

[dog woof]