All language subtitles for Jada.2008.1080p.WEBRip.x265-RARBG2_English

(gentle groove music)

(gentle music)

(pen scratching)

♪ Father, how I love you ♪

♪ Only want to please you ♪

♪ Wanna serve you ♪

♪ I surrender ♪

♪ Surrender my all to you ♪

♪ Because you died for me ♪

♪ Lord I wanna live for you ♪

(gentle jazz music)

- [Jada] Jazzy did you
put my purse in the car?

- [Jazzy] I did.

- [Jada] Young man, take
those out of your ears

and listen to what--

- Yeah.

- [Jada] You need to get this cooler.

Well hurry up, hurry up, throw the ball,

let's get going for crying out loud.

Hurry up.

- [John] You got it, baby?

- Yeah, I got it.
- You got everything

now, Jamal?

- It's okay baby,
- Oh!

- [John] it's okay, it's okay.

Oh!
- Oh my god. (laughing)

- Baby, you just messed
up a perfect moment.

- Ah, perfect, here put this,

oh my gosh, did you get
your magazine, babe?

- No, Jamal did.

♪ And the water was cold ♪

♪ Don't you know that God's
gonna touch the water ♪

♪ Let it chill my body but not my soul ♪

♪ Don't you know that God's
gonna touch the water ♪

♪ Wait, in the water ♪

- [Jasmine] It wasn't always like this.

One day, my dad was coming
home from an office party.

They said he had too much to drink.

They said he was depressed.

Whatever it was, the unspeakable happened.

(tires squealing)

(crashing)

♪ Let me stand ♪

♪ I am tired ♪

♪ I am weak ♪

- Oh god.

♪ In between ♪

♪ Where I was, where I'm gonna be ♪

♪ I'm in the meantime ♪

♪ The in between time ♪

(phone keys beeping)

(telephone ringing)

(voicemail beeping)

- Hi Deborah, this is Jada.

I called earlier in the week about

seeing if we could stay with you.

And um, well I haven't heard back so,

I just wanted to call
again and see if we can.

Let me know.

♪ I'll stay here because I know ♪

♪ Where I am, I'm in the final ♪

♪ Take me to the appointed place ♪

♪ Until then you'll
keep me by your grace ♪

♪ Just for now, I'm in between ♪

♪ Where I was, where I'm gonna be ♪

♪ And in the meantime ♪

♪ The in between time ♪

- I love you guys so much.

- We love you too.
- We love you too, Mom.

- Listen, I don't know
quiet how to say this but,

you need to hear it.

We have to move out of our house.

- Why?
- What?

What?

- To where?

- I don't know yet.

Listen, since your father passed,
the financial obligations,

I have not been able to meet.

Your school tuitions,
insurance, taxes, the car note.

The mortgage has not been paid in months

and we are in foreclosure.

- Oh my god.

You have to be kidding me.

- Why don't we just sell it?

- Because the market has changed,

and we owe more on the house

than the house is actually worth.

- Well what about Dad's life insurance?

I mean, did you look into that?

- They're not giving us a
dime, okay they're calling--

- What do you mean they're
not giving us a dime?

- They're saying that
it is reckless intent.

Your father had alcohol in his system.

- What?
- He, yes.

That he was on anti-depressants,
they're denying the claim.

But you listen to me,

as soon as we get
- Oh, (sighing)

back on our feet.

- Jamal, calm down.

- What're you talkin' about, calm down?

Didn't you just hear like,
we out on the street.

- Jamal, I know this is
hard, it's hard for everyone.

But what we need to focus on right now

is staying together as a family,

and remembering that God
has a plan for us together.

- Oh man.

There ain't nobody else that
we could go to out here?

There's nobody out here

we could go to?
- Who, Jamal?

- Somebody.

- Your dad's parents are
gone, mine are in a home.

Who else is there?

- What about friends?

- Our friends, they are scarce.

I mean sometimes, when things
go wrong, people scatter.

- [Jamal] Oh man.

- Listen,
- I knew it.

- the bottom line is, we were
doing better than any of them.

Quite frankly people,
they don't wanna deal with

a mother and two teenage kids.

That's not their fault.

They're not us, okay?

We've got each other, that
means we got somethin'.

- [Jamal] Oh, man.

(hand rubbing)

(gentle music)

♪ Don't you worry when troubles come ♪

♪ There's no need for
you to be alone, no ♪

♪ Just know that Christ is there ♪

♪ And he knows how much you can bear ♪

♪ So don't be afraid ♪

♪ Hold, hold on ♪

♪ Be encouraged ♪

♪ be encouraged ♪

♪ Just hold on ♪

♪ Now when you feel like
you've done all you can ♪

♪ And sometimes it's hard
for you to make a stand ♪

♪ But just when you feel ♪

- What happened?

- They said they don't have any more room.

- [Jamal] Mom don't, don't cry, okay.

- I'm not crying.

- You've always told us to believe in God,

and we do, he's gonna
pull us through this.

Whether it's hard or easy,
he's not gonna let anything

happen to us, as long
as we stay on his path.

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ Be all right, be all right ♪

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ I know, I know, I know that it's gonna ♪

♪ It's all right ♪

♪ Be all right, be all right ♪

- [Jasmine] A year later, we ended up here

at the Eastern Avenue Projects,
in the middle of South L.A.

To you, it might not seem like much,

but to us, it was the grace of God

to have a roof over our head.

♪ Came home and sprinkled
the coke on the table ♪

♪ Whoever knew a decision that's so anal ♪

♪ Could lead into ♪

- [Jasmine] Mom called a man she met

in front of the homeless shelter.

He happened to be a pastor at a church,

and helped us to get into
some government programs

that got us on our feet.

(congregation chattering)
(upbeat piano music)

(congregation applauding)

- That's all right, that's all right.

Sometimes, y'all, y'all give
my choir a round of applause.

(congregation applauding)

Sometimes when the Holy Ghost comes in.

- [Man] Oh, talk to him, preacher.

- You gotta let him use ya.

(congregation chattering)

All right, I know y'all
are tired and we gonna

get into my sermon and
get y'all on outta here.

You know, when the spirit comes in

you kinda veer off schedule.

- [Man In Audience]
Preach, pastor, preach.

- Sometimes.
- Ain't that right.

- Simon Williams, some of y'all know him

in this neighborhood as,
they call him Big Dog.

- Big Dog.
- Yeah, y'all.

- Um-hmm?
- Yes.

- Tough guy.

- [Man In Audience] Real tough.

- Used to terrorize this neighborhood.

- [Man In Audience]
Yes he did, yes he did.

- He's a young man I used to mentor to.

Just like countless other
young men in this neighborhood,

just like Deacon right here.

I used to talk to him!

- [Congregation] Yeah!

- And God turned his life around!

(congregation cheering)
That's what I'm talkin' about.

That's what faith will do.

(congregation applauding)

- Praise the Lord!
- Simon Williams

grew up in this neighborhood,

in fact he grew up right
here in this church.

- Yeah.
- Oh yeah.

Come on.

- Praise the Lord.
- Praise God.

- Used to mentor to him and
he couldn't listen to me.

- Well.
- No, he wouldn't listen.

- Wouldn't listen to his parents,

wouldn't listen to his coaches,

wouldn't listen to his counselors.

- Yeah.
- Yes!

- Oh, come on Holy Ghost.

- Come on, come on.
- Preach to him, Pastor.

- He wouldn't listen.
- Come on.

- Simon was caught up in
the dangerous clutches

of gang violence!

- Yeah.
- Yes sir, that's part of it.

- [Terrance] The streets had his mind!

- Yeah.
(congregation chattering)

- And I don't blame it on the gangs.

- Oh no.
- Praise God.

- Come on, y'all, stay with me.

- I'm gonna praise him.
- Yes, Lord.

- I don't blame it on the gangs.

- [Man In Congregation] Come on preacher!

- [Terrance] I blame it on the fathers

who are not in these homes.

- Oh yeah.
- That's right.

- Come on, let me get a
witness in here this morning.

(congregation applauding)
(congregation chattering)

- [Man In Congregation]
That's right, Preacher,

that's right, preacher.
(congregation applauding)

That's right.

- I blame it on the fathers
who are not in the homes

to help raise these young boys.

Mothers can't do it by themselves.

- [Man In Congregation]
Preach on it, Pastor!

- I don't know what the statistics are,

but it's almost 70 to 80% of black women

heading these households,
where are the fathers?

- Where are the fathers?
- Yeah!

- Simon didn't have a father in his life

and he was caught up, caught up, caught up

in gang violence!

- Yeah!
- Yes!

- [Terrance] Two days from now,

Simon is getting out of prison.

(congregation chattering)
- Praise to the people.

- [Terrance] Four years ago,
Simon turned his life around.

- That's right!
- Praise Jesus.

- [Man In Congregation] Thank you, Lord!

- Dedicated his self to God.

That's what faith will do.

(man grunting)

Now he stands a changed man,
not just on the outside,

but on the inside too.

That's what faith will do.

Let me hear somebody say, hallelujah!

- Yeah!
- Hallelujah!

- That's what faith will do.

God brought Simon a
mighty long way by faith.

I want y'all to turn your Bibles with me

to Hebrew 11, chapter one.

And it reads, "Now faith is the substance

"of things hoped for, and the
evidence of things not seen."

- That's right, that's right.
- Hallelujah, hallelujah!

- So that means that if
you're hoping for good health,

but you really don't believe
you're gonna achieve it,

that's not faith.

- [Man In Congregation] That ain't faith.

- "Faith is the substance
of things hoped for

"and the evidence of things unseen."

If you have faith, you can move mountains.

If you have faith, you can prevail.

- Yeah.
- That's right.

- If you hang on, you can turn
your life around like Simon.

If you hold on, faith'll
take you a mighty long way.

We don't have bad people
in this neighborhood,

we got people who need help.

(man grunting)

We got people who are sick.

(man grunting)

We got people who are
lost and disillusioned.

If you have the faith as
a grain of mustard seed,

I will turn your life around,
and turn your life around,

and turn your life around,
that's what faith will do!

That's what faith will do.

- [Jasmine] Gang initiations
are like baptisms.

But instead of coming up from the water

and taking your first
breath as a Christian,

you come up from the ground,

bleeding your first blood as a gangster.

- (groaning) Yeah, I'm all right.

- Did good.

(Jamal groaning)

Part of the family now.

We're soldiers from Eastern
Ave, you remember that, homeboy.

(Jamal groaning)

- [Terrance] Hallelujah, hallelujah!

That's what it will do to you.

- [Jasmine] Church helps
us keep a clear head,

and gives us perspective on
any situation God gives us.

When I first got here,
it was hard to fit in.

You're either struggling,
or trying to be a baller

riding around the hood in your
tricked out Escalade on 24s.

No place for anyone in the middle.

But now I can see it
for what it really is.

Everyone here is inherently a good person,

but when you're put in a bad situation,

you have to rely on instinct,

and everyone's instinct is different.

(people chattering)

- [Man] Woo-woo, what's up, dirty?

- [Jasmine] Like Carina and
her friends, Tonya and Rosa.

Their instinct seems to
be using their assets

to take the easy way to the top.

I don't know where they go

when they get into those expensive cars,

but I've learned the best
way to survive out here

is to just mind your own business.

- [Man] Oh, you bad, you bad.

- [Man] She on the juice!

- You boogie over here, I'll
break dance your ass back.

- [Man] Fanny shakes.

- [Jasmine] Then you have Mr.
Willi, Mr. Parker, and Fred.

They sit around talking about everything,

probably to take their minds
off their own situation.

I don't know what they do
with the rest of their day

but I do my best to stay out of their way.

- [Thunder] You holdin' it down up here?

Hello, ladies.

♪ Forgive me not dead or alive ♪

OGs what's happenin' with you, old Cass?

- Say, boy don't be jumpin'
- You got security

- over the fence.
- on me brother, oh-oh.

(Thunder laughing)

T-Dawg, is crazy, check him out, Flea.

Woo, T-Dawg is a beast out here.

(laughing) You a beast, wussy.

What's wrong with 'em, T-Dawg?
- What's up, Thunder?

- What's up, Brandy?
- What's up, Flea, T-Dawg?

- [Jasmine] That's Brandy Washington,

a mother struggling to find her way,

even if she has to take
a couple of detours.

- [Brandy] I need to get a
little somethin', somethin'.

- Always askin' for somethin', man.

- [Brandy] That's right.

Hurry up.
- What's up, little man?

(child fussing)

- Dang, this is short.

Like that little ding-a-ling
between your legs, huh?

No, I'm just playin' with you.

- Hey, come on, take your
kid in the house, ma'am.

- [Brandy] Don't worry about my baby,

worry about them seven kids you've got.

- Young J, what up with you, homie?

- [Jamal] What's up, man?

- You're a soldier man,
you took it like a G,

you part of the hood now, homie.

- That's for sure.

- Give the homie a hug, man.

- Alrighty, G.

- [Thunder] Part of Eastern Ave, homie,

that's how we do, man.

- All right.

Damn.
- Hey, go clean yourself up

homeboy, we gonna get
at you tomorrow, man.

Get all that up off you, man.

- Okay, see y'all later.

- All right, homie.

- He all right.
- Young J,

that's my homie right there.

- [Jasmine] The gangs that
run some of our neighborhoods

are men, but they're
really like scared kids.

- [Thunder] Get on home, Young J.

- [Jasmine Voiceover] They
come from broken homes,

and are driven by broken hearts.

Deep down in their rough exterior,

lies a normal boy in need of
a family, especially a father.

But for some of them, this
is all the family they have.

- [Jada] I swear, if your brother misses

one more day of service.

- Mom, he's 17, he's almost an adult.

He can make his own decisions.

- You know what, don't
start with me, okay,

he needs to keep a balance in his life

and church is a big part of that balance.

(answering machine beeping)

- [Chester] Hey Jada,
it's Chester from HR.

It seems that Huck Stanley
has put in a good word for you

to get that administrative
assistant position you wanted.

I just got an email from
him saying that he wants you

to come in a half hour early tomorrow

to discuss the details.

Congratulations, I'll see you tomorrow.

(answering machine beeping)
- Ha ha, mom you got it!

- I got it.

- Congratulations.
- Oh, baby.

Everything's gonna be okay.

Oh, your brother, Jamal!

Baby, come out here.

Oh.

What happened to your face?

- Nuttin'.

- The word is nothing, I didn't
teach you to talk like that,

Jamal Davis.
- There to go.

- Don't walk away from me

when I'm talking to you.
- Mom, I said

it's nothin', relax.

- Honey, clearly it is something.

What happened?

- What happened?

I got into a fight.

- And what'd I tell you about fighting?

- To be the bigger man and walk away,

and turn the other cheek.

- Specifically, to turn the other cheek.

- You, you don't get it, do you?

You, you don't know what
it's like out there, Ma.

This is not Pasadena, okay?

I have to fight to keep from being punked.

I have to fight to earn
my respect out here.

- The only respect you need
to earn is in this house

and from God, that's all
you need to worry about.

- [Jamal] Ah, man.

- Jamal, use your head,
you are smarter than that.

- Huh, oh yeah?

Well smarter gets you killed out here.

- Jamal.

Your father is gone.

And if I lose you,

I don't know what I would do.

Now I know there's a whole
lotta things out there

that you can get involved in,

but I want you to promise me
that you won't let yourself

get pulled into anything that
you know isn't right for you.

Please.

- [Terrance] Hey, young fella. (laughing)

(laughing)

You didn't think God was gonna let you

go home by yourself, did ya?

- Man, where's Kevin and Jerome, man?

- [Terrance] You know how that is.

- Yeah, I do.

- I thought I'd tell 'em
I'd come get you myself

'cause I wanted to be
the first one to say,

I'm so glad that God took
care of you in there.

And I'm so proud of how you
turned your life around, son.

I've been praying for you
for eight years straight.

God bless you.

- Thank you, Pastor.

Yeah well, some things
haven't changed, huh?

- (chuckling) Well.

- Look at you, Jesus.

- Well you know, I'm trying to upgrade

and workin' out, tryin' to
take care of this stomach,

but you know this stomach don't move,

I have to keep praying on that one.

(both laughing)

So now that you're out, son.

- [Simon] Yeah.

- What're you gonna do, man?

What're you gonna do for work, son?

- I don't know, I, I like workin' outside,

workin' with my hands.

Maybe I'll do some landscaping
or somethin' like that.

- Hm, well you know, I was thinkin' that

you can start with my house.

The lawn and the grass and the bushes,

you take care of that at
my house and at the church.

Come stay with me rent free
for as long as you want.

- Are you serious?

(Simon laughing)
- God works in mysterious ways

doesn't he?

- Hey, hey, hey, you
know, it's my pleasure,

it's my pleasure, you know,

you gotta start somewhere, Pastor.

(both laughing)

- Now I know, I know it's
sudden, just got out.

But you know pastors are
always shakin' and movin'

in the community.

- [Simon] Right, right.

- I got a young fella
I need you to talk to.

I need a favor now.

- Oh see, I knew there was a catch.

I knew there was a catch.

- [Terrance] Well, Pastor
ain't changed much.

- Yeah, what you need?

- I got a young man, lost his
father about nine months ago.

He needs some guidance,

he's about to lose
himself to them streets.

And you know what happens when a young man

doesn't have a father in
his life, and no guidance.

- [Simon] Yeah, I do.

I didn't figure there'd be a better person

to talk to him than you.

You'd do that for Pastor?

- Whatever you need Pastor,
I'm there for you, all right.

- [Terrance] Okay, now
I know you're hungry.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- I told Gladys

you'd be comin' down.

- [Simon] Oh Gladys,
she's still around, huh?

- [Terrance] Yeah, she's still around.

Come on down on the boulevard.

- [Singer] Anyway, this
song goes out to my mama.

(light electronic music)

- Tyrone, what are you doing?

- Nuttin', mind your business.

- Mind my business?

Tyrone, I've asked you time and time again

not to put your gum on my stoop.

- I do what I want, skank.

- What did you just call me?

- I said, "I do what I want,
skank," you aint' my mama.

- You know what, if I was your mother,

you would never speak to me like that.

You need to have your mouth washed out.

(hand slapping)
Oh!

- Don't you ever put your
hands on my son again.

That's my son, I'll
deal with him, not you.

Come here, Tyrone.

You and Quinton stay off of
her porch, do you hear me?

Take your little asses in the house, now,

before I have to kill this bitch out here.

You think you better than us, huh?

Movin' your ass all up around here.

Don't you, you think you better than us!

- I don't think I'm better than you.

- Shut up bitch, you do.

You do.

Next time you put your
hands on any of my kids,

I'm gonna whoop your ass out here.

Look at your yellow ass,
'bout to make me punch you

in your face, moving
down here in the hood,

thinkin' you better than others.

(chill music)

♪ Black mag, black rag on the Impala ♪

♪ Involuntary manslaughter ♪

♪ Armamada, Huck's fam ♪

♪ Armageddon with the semi-auto weapon ♪

♪ Ain't the man breakin'
stories on the news at 11 ♪

♪ Benz up, flosse ♪

♪ When I move, better back 'em up ♪

♪ 'Cause your hood ain't
deeper than my khaki cup ♪

♪ Clappin' 'em up, when I'm packin' a 10 ♪

♪ 'Cause when I leave they be talkin' ♪

♪ So I clap 'em again. ♪

♪ I hit the hood hard, range roll ♪

♪ Any given Sunday ♪

♪ Black mag, Dre, and my clip go dummy ♪

♪ Black cherry drop top,
pippin' on Grimace ♪

♪ Clips hit your face,
it'll be a big merger ♪

♪ Stipes, got me feelin'
like the Hamburglar ♪

♪ Can't hurt to recognize who my ♪

- [T-Dawg] You takin'
all this in, Young J?

- [Jamal] I'm takin' it
in, I'm takin' it in, shit.

- Well you gonna get it all.

- Going back.

♪ Till they can't take no more ♪

♪ And I'm a draft star, so you
know I'm a servant too 'em ♪

♪ Yeah they banging down my door ♪

♪ That, that, that, that,
that, that, that, that ♪

♪ That work is what they come to me for ♪

- Please, sit down.

I'm glad you could come in a bit early

and meet with me, Jada.

- Oh, it's my pleasure, Mr. Stanley.

- Now you've been working
with us for about a year,

as a receptionist.

And I've noticed your performance lately.

You come early, you leave late.

And you always go out of your way

above and beyond the call of duty for me.

- (chuckling) Thank you, Mr. Stanley.

- This position, however,
only pays $2,500 more

than your current position.

But, it's a good move,
because you'll be a paralegal.

- Well anything will help
right now, Mr. Stanley.

- Okay, you start in three weeks.

- Thank you, thank you
so much, Mr. Stanley.

Oh. (laughing)

(both laughing)

You won't be disappointed.

- I know.

- Okay, thanks.

- [Brenda] How did it go?

- I start in three weeks.

- Yah!
(laughing)

Congratulations.

- Thank you, honey.

- If anyone deserves this, it's you.

- Oh, I just, I hope it works out, I,

- Sit down, let's celebrate.
- I need this.

- Oh, Terrance called,

he wants you to stop over
at the church after work.

He says it's urgent.

- Okay, urgent.

- Good evening, ladies, what
a pleasure to see you here.

Welcome to The Paradiso.
- Ah.

Ciao.

(speaking foreign language)

- Terrance, you wanted to
see me, is everything okay?

- Everything's fine.

- Okay.

- It's good to see you.

- You too, it's good to see you.

- Look so nice.

(giggling)

Listen uh, I called you, I was uh,

I know you're having problems with Jamal.

And I was just concerned,

I haven't seen him in service lately.

- I've tried everything to
get him to come to service.

I don't know what's going on.

I mean, I know it's
'cause his dad is gone.

- I'm sure.

- Talked to his counselor,
his grades are dropping.

He refuses to talk to me about it.

- Well, it's okay, I think I
have somebody that can help us.

- Hey yo, Terrance.

Hey man, I finished that list you wanted.

Put that trap up under
the sink just in case

you had some more visit.

Sorry 'bout that, I didn't
realize that you had company,

I'll just--
- No, no, no,

Simon, it's okay, it's
actually perfect timing.

- You sure?
- Come on in, son.

- All right.

- Um, Jada this is Simon,
one of the young men

I counseled to when he was on the inside.

- Hello.

- I'm so proud of him,
with the help of God

he's turned his life around.

- Yeah, and it only
took eight years, right?

- Eight years, what happened?

- Couple things, you
know, runnin' the streets,

not listenin' to nobody,
not listening to my parents,

Pastor Mayweather here.

You know, it just cost me
eight years of my life,

that's all.

- Anyway, this is Jada, Jamal's mom.

The young man I was telling you about.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
that's right, that's right.

- Jada I was thinking that Simon would be

the perfect person to help you

with the issues you're having with Jamal.

- Pastor, I'm not so sure about that.

Could, could we have a
second to talk about this?

- Oh of course, of course.

Uh Simon, let me just
have a word with Jada.

- Whatever you need.

- I'll call you back in.
- All right.

- Terrance, I'm, I'm,
I'm not sure it's okay

to have an ex-gang member
who just got out of prison

mentoring Jamal.

- Jada listen to me, listen to me.

Now I've been counseling that young man

since he was a teenager.

And I tracked him the whole
time he was in prison.

Now if there's anybody I trust
in this position, it's Simon.

- I, I don't know.

- Listen, I wouldn't do
anything to hurt you or Jamal.

Trust me.

- You've been right so far.

- [Terrance] Good.

Good.

Simon, come on in, son.

- Cool?

- I'm, I'm not very
comfortable with this, Simon.

But if it's okay with Terrance,
then it's okay with me.

- [Terrance] Okay, good.

- Are you sure?

- [Jada] Yes.

Thank you.
- All right,

yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Thank you.

I better head home and uh.

- [Terrance] Okay.

- [Jada] Nice to meet you.

- Yeah, you too.

- [Terrance] I'll talk to you later.

- You sure about this?

- Oh, it's gonna work out, you know.

- All right, man.
- She's new

in the neighborhood and
she'll get used to it.

- Hey check this out, hey, come here man.

- [Jamal] What's happening?

- Sit down.

You got to move faster, man.

Check this out dude, see
that store right there?

Now every week this old-ass
man take his ass up in there

and cash his funky little
social security check.

- Okay.

- And he walk his old ass out by his self.

- Okay.

- So when dude come out, you
need to get some of that bread.

You feel me?

His little bottle of vodka,
you let him keep that.

This ain't personal.

Flea, give him that strap, man.

- Ready for this, Young J, huh?

- Stop acting like you're
seeing a ghost, man,

put the strap up.

- Yeah, yeah, I'm good.
- Hey,

take them damn shades
off, look him in his eyes.

- Okay.

- Acting all cool, man.

And when you, hey, hey, hold up, man.

Stop actin' like a square, dude.

Now when dude come out,
you let him get up aways,

you feel me?

- Okay.

- And then you creep in in behind him.

Act like you his friend, and
you get that dude's wallet.

I don't care what you
gotta do to this dude.

You feel me?

- Okay.

- Do what you gotta do.

- All right.
- There we go, go on, man.

- Hey, excuse me sir,
can I ask you a question?

Just real quick.
- No, no, I gotta.

- Man, take your ass now, man give me.

Get it outta your pocket, old man.

- [Howard] Hey.

- Where's the money at, man?

Where that shit?

Hey, hold still!

You've got.

What you got up in here, man?

Look at that shit, man.

- Oh man, yeah.

- [Flea] Come on, little man, check it.

- [Jamal] Yeah. (laughing)

(groaning)

- [Flea] Divvy it up, it's great

let's see.
- The old, the old man

wasn't that nigger, I--

- [Flea] Oh see how we doin' it.

- [Jamal] Niggers, our
bodies be out here, man,

- See you got your bread.
- that's why I got you, man.

- [Flea] I'm stayin' with

the damn street, man.
- Ain't nobody scared, man.

- Listen to him, man.
- If I can take it,

if I can take it--

(siren blaring)

- Oh hey, watch out, brother!

- [Jasmine] And watching
all of it is the police.

They drive in undercover cars
just waiting for a reason.

You don't see them
patrolling through Pasadena

or Beverly Hills like this.

But, no matter where you're
from, it'll bother you.

(insects chirping)

- Jamal.
- Yeah.

- This is the gentleman
I wanted you to meet.

- Oh hey, how you doin'?

- Simon Williams.

- Jamal.

- Okay, I'll be in the other room.

- Great.

Who the hell are you?

- Oh you one of those, huh?

I'm a friend of your mom's
and Pastor Mayweather.

- My mother?

Dude, you don't know
anything about my mother.

- Okay.

Let's try this again.

I'm a friend of your mom's
and Pastor Mayweather.

Now look, I'm only gonna say this once,

and I'm not gonna say it again.

I used to run these
streets, just like you.

Thought I was a big, tough guy.

Nobody can stop me, nobody can run me,

nobody can tell me what to do.

I thought I knew
everything, just like you.

You know what, little man,

you might think you got it all,

you got it all figured out right now.

But if you know like I know,

you might wanna stop
runnin' these streets man,

'cause it's gonna end up costing
you, just like it cost me.

- Listen dude, you don't
know shit about me, okay?

You don't know what it's like out here.

- (laughing) Think so, little man?

- [Jamal] Yeah, I think so.

- You think so, you know,
I know a lot more about you

than you think.

- Really?

- Yeah, how long you been livin' here?

- A year.

- Yeah.

So, you probably heard about
that cat, what's his name?

Um, Big Dog, ran this whole thing.

- I mean, I heard people
around here talkin' about him,

but I ain't never met him.

- Well you're talkin' to him right now.

- Um.

Really you, you Big Dog?

- Well, I used to be Big Dog,

now I'm just plain ole Simon Williams.

- Damn.

- Yeah.

Jamal, let me ask you somethin'
man, no for real, serious.

- What's up?

- What do you wanna be when you grow up?

- (sighing) Man, I don't know, dog.

- Nah man, I know you know.

You sittin' here and you
seem like a bright cat.

You got your books out loud
and seem pretty creative.

I know you have somethin' on your mind.

What do you wanna be?

- Man, all you gonna do
is laugh when I tell you.

- I will not laugh at you.

- [Jamal] Promise?

- On my mama's grave.

- Wanna be an astronaut.

- An astronaut?

- Yeah.

- Wow, now that's
different, that's different.

I've never met a brother that
wanted to be an astronaut, man

I think that's interesting.

- Man, keep it real, no it ain't.

- Now why you say that?

- Everybody knows ain't
no kid from the hood

ever gonna go up into
space, we all know that.

- I think you're wrong.

Check this out, you
know what I wanted to be

when I was younger?

- What?

- I wanted to be a biologist.

(Jamal scoffing)

- Yeah you, you wanted to be a biologist?

- I wanted to be a biologist man,

I took AP classes and
everything, I was on my way.

- Huh.

Well I mean, what stopped you?

- The same thing that's
gonna stop you, young man.

These streets.

- Yo bro.
- Hey yo.

You know I saw Big Dog
the other day, right?

- Big Dog?
- Oh, yeah.

- He out?
- When'd that fool get out?

I thought he was gonna be gone for awhile.

- Hey, he been gone for awhile
homie, like eight years,

that's, that's long enough, shit.

- Yeah man, I heard he
found religion and all that.

He changed.

- Man, that nigger
ain't found no religion.

Give that fool a couple a days,

believe me he gonna be out here grinding.

That's gonna be our main competition.

- We're gonna have to shut that down.

- Yeah, he need another eight years.

- What you wanna do?

- Ain't gonna do nothin'.

We're gonna see what's happening with him.

If he get outta line, that's
when we gonna check him.

Otherwise, no, I ain't
trippin' off that dude, man.

Just kick back, gonna let
him make the first move.

♪ The battle is not yours ♪

♪ You don't have to fight it ♪

♪ The battle is the Lord's ♪

♪ All you need to know ♪

♪ Is that the victory's in your grace ♪

♪ The victory's in your grace ♪

♪ Everybody goes through something ♪

- [Simon] I'm messin' with you

'cause you're cheatin' already man,

now look, right here.
- No, I'm not cheatin'.

♪ No one can escape temptation ♪

♪ The battles that we face ♪
- Oh!

♪ Each and every day ♪

♪ Make you wanna say,
I can't take no more ♪

♪ But recently I learned a secret ♪

- Man, that place was so cool, man.

- I told you it was cool.
- I had a ball, thank you.

- Yeah, I'm glad that
you uh, trust me on this.

All right, so when we were walking around.

- [Jamal] Mm-hmm.

- Checkin' this place out, man.

- Yeah.
- What was the first thing

going through your mind, for real?

- That I could be doin' this.

I could be here workin'.
(Simon laughing)

'Cause it seem like the people
that were workin' there,

they just seemed real interesting.

I could just really see myself doing that.

- Yeah.
- I could.

That was pretty cool.

- Thank you for takin' a chance, brother.

- It's all good man, it's all,

I need to take more
chances, man, like yeah.

- Don't worry about it.

- Okay, okay.

- Jada, come on in, have a seat.

- Are you sure this is an okay time?

- Oh sure, come on in, come
on in, what can I do for you?

- It's about the position you offered.

I'm unable to take it right now

due to some issues involving
my husband's death.

- Oh, are you okay?

- I'm okay, I uh, I just need a few weeks.

- (sighing) Well we had a girl

that we were gonna replace you with.

I, I can put that on hold for now.

Jada, we really like you here.

But I can only give you a few weeks,

I have to fill this position.

- No, I, I understand, thank
you, thank you for that.

Okay.

- And if there's anything
that I can do, please,

please just call me.

- I will, Mr. Stanley.

- [Hutch] All right, good luck.

- Thank you.

(people chattering)

- [Thunder] Hello, where you goin'?

- I'm going home, Thunder.

- Hold up, I like how you say my name.

Why we ain't hooked up yet?

- Because I don't hook up with anyone.

- Hey!

Bitch don't walk away from
me when I'm talkin' to you.

That's disrespectful,
I run these projects.

I am Eastern Ave, you gotta
respect me, understand that?

- I'm sorry.

- Stop lookin' all sad.

I'm just playin' with you.

(Thunder sniffing)

Damn your hair smell good.

Wanna ask you a question.

What's up with your brother
kickin' it with Big Dog?

- I don't know.

- You don't know?

- I'm not his keeper.

- That's your brother, your sibling.

Y'all got some kind of bond, right?

- I have to go.

- Hey, hold up, man.

- [Simon] Yo, Thunder.

- You need to find out what's goin' on.

(scoffing) Big Dog.

Heard your old ass was out.

See you got you a new friend here.

- Yeah, that's right, I got a new friend.

- What's up, Young J?

What you workin' with?

What y'all went to
Disneyland or somethin'?

- Nah, that's that new jet
propulsion laboratory, Pasadena.

They make satellites,
but you knew that, right?

- No, I didn't know that.

- Hm.

- I don't what you tryin' to do.

I don't give a damn, I run
these streets up in here!

- You think you do?

- I know I do!

And Young J, that's my soldier.

- Soldier, for what war, Thunder?

- For what war?

Them books got your head fucked up

on that philosophy shit, homeboy.

That's my homeboy, you feel me?

I've been running this shit.

Don't nobody remember you, has-been.

- [Simon] Hm.

- You wanna play with me,
you're gonna have a war.

- No, I don't feel you.

Jamal, go in the house, man.

- Bye, Miss Lady.

- [Simon] Jamal.

- Hey, I'm gonna catch you later, Young J.

You and your daddy have fun
readin' your little magazines.

(people chattering)

- [Brenda] All right, well here is to

your last day as a receptionist.

_ [Jada] Hm.

(glasses clinking)

(Brenda laughing)

- So, what are you gonna do
this weekend to celebrate?

- Oh well, tonight, I'm
having dinner with Terrance.

- How's that going?

You know, you've been
seeing him here and there.

- He's nice.

- Nice.

- Yes, he's a nice man for me.

- You don't like him.

- [Jada] I do like him.

- You are so not swooning over him.

It's taken you this long to go
out on a third date with him.

- Okay, well maybe I'm just a little slow.

- Maybe he's just too old,

because I know you really like those like,

mm, young kinda uh, viral types.

- [Jada] (laughing) Sh, I do not.

- Yes, you do.

- Uh.
- Yeah.

- I, where do you get this, I don't.

- Okay, okay, let's talk
about something else.

How's my Jamal, how's Jamal?

- Oh, he's doing really, really well.

Simon is a godsend, I, I...

- Mm, is he hot?

(both laughing)

- Um, I don't know, I, I guess.

- You guess.
- I guess.

- Okay fine, you're gonna
take a camera, take a picture,

bring it to me, I'm going to look at it,

and if you're not gonna
do anything about it,

then I will.

- Oh.

Brenda, I got a call this morning.

- From who?

- The welfare department.

They uh, they said I
could lose my Section 8

if I take this promotion.

- Are you serious?

- Yeah, I guess there's
some approval process

I still need to go through, and to be,

to be honest, I can't give
up Section 8 right now.

- Okay Jada, you know we've been friends

for a long time, right?

I have some money saved, and
you and your family can have it

no questions asked, girl.

- I really, I appreciate that so much.

But let's just see what they say.

I just don't understand the system.

How do they expect me to get ahead?

I mean it just, it doesn't make any sense.

- Well look, I got your back.

Plan B, okay?

- Oh, that means so much to me, thank you.

- Got you, girl, okay?

- Thank you.

- Ladies, how was everything?

- [Jada] Uh, oh.

- Everything's fine now.

(Jada laughing)

- Okay, I'll take your salads for you.

Would you like some dessert?

- Yep, are you gonna bring it to us?

- Yep.
- Yeah?

- Um-hm.

- Thank you.

Bring it, baby.

- You are shameless.

(both laughing)

- Hey, mom.

- [Jada] Hey, hi baby.

- I have a question.

- If you help me, here, hold that for me.

- Do you like Terrance?

- Sure I like him, he's a nice person.

- No, I mean really, really like him.

(laughing)

- Um, no, but let's see
what God has in store.

- But aren't you going on a date with him?

- Well I don't know if it's
really a date, it's dinner.

And what do you know about dates, huh?

- I don't know.

- Somebody ask you out?

- Maybe.

- Who?

- No, I'm just kidding, not yet.

- Oh god, and you see, I
don't have any gray hairs yet.

Don't do that to me.

(Jasmine laughing)

- It just seems like he
really, really likes you.

- Well, he's done a lot for our family,

he's spent a lot of time with
us, of course he likes, us.

- You, he likes you.

He's a man first, pastor second.

Look at you, you're beautiful.

(Jada scoffing)

Dressed all up, you guys are
going out to a nice dinner.

What do you think he's thinking?

It's definitely a date.

- It's not a date.
- Yes, it is.

- No, it's not a date.

Well, maybe I could like him, okay?

What, what's that look?

- (laughing) You could like him?

- Maybe I could.

How do I look, okay?

- You look beautiful, Mom, as always.

- Thank you, I want you in bed by 11.

- All right, all right.

Have fun on your date.

- [Jada] Oh god, don't call it that, oh.

(men chattering)

- What's up, boo?

Damn you look fine today.

- I already know I look good.

And I don't need a fake baller

with a stack of ones telling
me what I already know.

- Hey, hey, why it gotta be like that?

I was trying to say hi and
tell you how good you look.

You smell good too, I like that.

- Does it look like I even care

what's coming out of your mouth?

No, 'cause unless you got a fat contract,

and riding a fat ride on at least 22s,

I don't wanna hear it, keep on movin'.

- Hey, hey, 22 what, I got 22s.

What you mean, 22?

What you mean?

- [Flea] His bike got 22s, Ma.

- Girl.
- I'll still get that.

- Look at her.

Girl let's go.
- What're you doing?

What are you doing?

(upbeat electronic music)

- Yo, what's up, Thunder?

With them homemade tattoos.

- [Thunder] What's up, Brandy?

- Nothin', what's goin' on?

- [Thunder] You always got jokes, huh?

(Brandy laughing)

- Dang, can you get up all
outta my uh, screen door, dang.

- Check this out, ma'am.

- What's up?

- I know you be here on your
porch every day, just chillin'.

What's up with them Davis
people live next door?

- Shoot, I don't know, all I
know is Jada's a stuck-up ho.

I see Simon come around,
he's been hangin' around here

for the last few days.

- Big Dog?

- Mm-hmm.

- What's that fool been doin' around here?

- Nothing, hangin' out
with that kid, Jamal.

- Hm, Young J, huh?

- Yep.

- Check this out, ma'am.

- What's happening?

- I know what I gave you the
other day was a little short.

- Huh, good lookin'
out, what else you need?

- I need for you to keep
an eye on them people.

- I got you.

- I don't trust Big Dog.

- I don't trust him either.

You know I don't like
light-skinned hos, so I got you.

- Good lookin' out.

- Mm-hmm.

(chuckling) Go on down there on Sunset

and get you some real tattoos.

- You got jokes, huh?

- Yeah, this'll be waitin'
on you when you come back.

Hm.

(people chattering)

- [Jamal] There you go.

- [Simon] I got it, I got it.

- [Jamal] Every time, every
time, goin' baseline, boom!

Woo-woo!

- [Simon] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, hey.

- [Jamal] That's what
I'm talkin' about man.

What's goin' on?

- [Simon] What's goin' on is
that you're cheatin' me, man.

- I'm not cheatin', man.
- I think this,

this controller is broken.

- [Jamal] Come on, man, the
controller ain't broken.

It is what it is, okay?

- How you gonna, gonna
invite somebody to your house

and then start cheatin'?

Your son is over here cheating.

(Jada laughing)

I'm telling your mama on you.
- No you don't.

- Hey, Mom.

- Hi, honey.

- How you doin'?

- Hi.

Oh wow.

- Yeah.
- Ooh!

- [Jada] It's time for bed you guys.

- Goodnight guys.

- [Jamal] Goodnight.

- [Simon] Goodnight.

- Hey?

- Yeah.

- Can I um, can I axe
you a personal question?

- No, but you can ask
me a personal question.

- Damn, what is with the
grammar police around here, man?

(Simon laughing)

You one of 'em too?

- Hey there, hey, I'm just,

I'm here to let you know,
'cause I know your mama

is in there probably
telling you the same thing.

That there is a time
and a place to use this

so-called broken English,

this slang that you do most of the time.

And I just don't want you to
get caught in the wrong place.

You know, sayin', "Axe me,"
you know, to the wrong person.

You know, you go in there,
you're doin' an interview

to a business, an establishment,

and you know, I just don't
want people to judge you

and look at you in the wrong way, okay.

So keep it versatile, know when to use it,

know when not to use it, all right?

- Oh that's real talk,

that's real, okay.
- That's real talk.

All right.

- Well, in that case, may I
ask you a personal question?

- [Simon] Yes, you may ask
me a personal question.

- How'd you land in jail?

- Well, the first time, first
time was for robbery, okay.

And the second time
was for drug possession

with intent to distribute.

- That's it?

- That's it?

Well that was enough
to get me two strikes.

- Damn.

- Yeah, but you know what,
all of that is behind me now.

I'm moving forward, a positive
life, positive outlook.

- Well good.

- Yeah.

- Hopefully you can
have a positive outlook

when we get back on this game 'cause--

- Hey, hey, hey, hey.
- This time,

I'm gonna your last, okay?

- I don't think so.

- So you stay positive.

- Hey, it is time for you to
hit the sheets, young man.

- Aw, that's all right, I know what it is.

You just don't wanna get
your butt whooped anymore.

I know, just keep it real.
(Simon laughing)

- And you know what,
you're absolutely right.

You must be psychic or something.

That's all right, you have a good night.

- You too, Simon.

(video game whirring)

- Oh, hey.

- Hey, I, I thought you left.

- No, you know what, I'm
just headed out right now.

- Oh, they're asleep, huh?

- Well, they're going to bed so,

and you're kids, they're a lot of fun,

we play video games a lot you know, so,

and honestly very little
homework, sorry to tell you.

- Mm, I'm glad, I'm glad. (laughing)

- You have good kids.

- Thank you, thank you so much.

- Yeah, well, I should get going.

- You know what, Simon.

- Yeah?

- I, thank you for, for
keeping an eye on them and,

it's such a big help.

- Are you joking, it's my
pleasure, you're welcome.

(Jada giggling)

(Simon breathing deeply)

- Oh wow, um.

- Uh.

- [Both] I'm sorry.

(Jada laughing)

- I totally overstepped my bounds,

so I, I apologize.
- No, it's me, it's my fault.

- No, I.
- I, I.

Okay.

- What was that?

- I don't know.

- I think I should be going.

- Okay.

- Okay.
- Yes.

Simon, thank you again.
- Yeah.

- The kids and everything, I, sorry.

- Sorry.

It's my pleasure.

- Okay.
- Yeah.

- The...

- Are you okay?

- Uh, yes.

- Okay.

- [Jada] Oh my god.

- [Jamal] Oh shit!

- Got your little punk ass.

(Jamal groaning)

Think you can just play
me like some kinda punk,

and I'm gonna be cool with that?

- No, I wouldn't play
you like a punk, man.

- Huh?

(sirens blaring)

(Jamal gasping)

What you think Simon's gonna help you?

Hey Simon, tell me if you see him,

'cause I don't.

- Yeah, ah.

- You either with us or
you're against us, Young J.

Do you feel me?

And at this point, I
feel you're against us.

- Oh, no.

(Jamal groaning and gasping)

- You better figure this shit out.

(Jamal grunting)

I ain't your wife.

(Thunder spitting)

- Oh!

- Stupid-ass kid.

(Jamal gasping)

- Shit!

This nigger's crazy.

(breathing heavily)

That bag, shit!

(insects buzzing)

It's cold, man.

- Yeah, I know it's cold but
you gotta keep that on there.

The swelling won't go down
if you don't put ice on it.

And you can rinse your mouth
out with some peroxide.

You know, get all the infection--

- Simon, Simon, Simon.

- [Simon] Yeah.

- Man, I gotta tell you somethin', dog.

- [Simon] What's wrong?

(sighing)

- This wasn't no school fight, big homie.

- [Simon] All right, what
is this about, Jamal?

- A few weeks ago man, I got
jumped into Easter Avenue.

No, no, no, look, before you do all that,

it was before I met you, okay?

And now that I'm with the
crew, man, with the gang,

now they think I'm punkin' 'em
'cause I'm hangin' with you.

- Yeah, yeah, I understand that.

(Jamal sighing)

All right man, we gotta
get you outta here.

'Cause if they think that you punked them

then they ain't gonna
stop at nothin', man.

Till you dead, they dead,
something is gonna happen.

- Yeah, well they say they got
somethin' for your ass too.

(laughing)

- Man, I used to know Thunder when he was

a snotty-nosed brat
runnin' around the hood.

You leave for eight years
and now he runnin' the joint.

Man this is crazy.

- Hey look, man.

- Yeah?

- You gonna tell my mother?

- Jamal, let me tell you something.

This is a little bit more serious

than what you think, all right.

- Oh man.
- We're gonna need

as many people involved
in this as possible.

- Simon, man, ah.

(sighing)

- Oh hey, Simon.
- Hey.

- Just the person I wanted to see.

Thank you so much for
the flowers, they're--

- Oh well, that was
nothing, that was nothin',

I uh, I really wanted to
apologize for last night,

I felt like I came on a
little bit too strong,

and uh, I felt like I
overstepped my bounds, so sorry.

- I think we both crossed our boundaries.

I think we learned a little bit too.

- Yeah.

(laughing)

- You just, you, you have this
way about you and it's um,

well there's strength and gentleness.

I just appreciate your
influence on Jamal, it's,

it touches me.

- Well I'm, I'm really happy
to hear that, that's good.

- Listen, about Jamal, he--

- You know what, about Jamal.

Jada, we need to talk.

Is there any way we can
step away for a little bit?

Is that okay?

- Yes, yes.

- Okay.

- Let me grab my bag.

- I'll be right here waiting for you.

- Okay.
- Okay.

(sighing)

(birds crowing)

- Jamal's in a gang, what is he thinking?

- Okay, it's not like
there's an option, okay.

It's not like you can
stay neutral out there.

- Well then, you know what--

- No, he's either runnin' with these cats,

or he's against 'em.

- Well then maybe he should've
went to the authorities,

to me.

- Look, it's not that easy, Jada.

If he tells anybody, it's not
like he's gonna get picked on

at school or somethin', listen to me.

These cats would've killed him, okay.

It's that serious.

I know, I used to run
these streets like them.

- They would kill him?

- [Simon] Yes.

- Well, well, is he
okay at home right now?

- They're not gonna come
up in the house, okay,

it's just too risky.

But out on the streets, runnin'
in the hood, not so much.

- This is my fault.

- Now look, listen, Jada--

- No, I should've--
- No, no, no, no,

it's not your fault, okay?

It's not your fault.

- You don't know.

I knew something was really,
really wrong when his dad died.

Do you know that he's
never even cried about it?

He just, he just holds it all inside.

And I don't, I don't
know how to pull it out.

He's, he's, I just, I didn't
think it would go this far.

- Jada, look at me, look
at me, all right, I'm here.

I'm here to help you.

I will try my best to pull Jamal

out of this situation, okay.

That I can do.

- I don't know what I would
do if you weren't here.

Where, where did you, oh god.

You are such a blessing
to us, I'm (sighing),

(laughing) thank you so much.

- Hey, no, no, no, it's just,

it's all right, it's all right.

- I wanna ask you something.

- [Simon] Yeah, go ahead, anything.

- Did you kill anyone?

(laughing)

- What?

Are you serious right now?

- Yes, I'm serious, you were
the leader of a gang, I mean.

- No.

No, I just made sure that
everybody was in line,

it never even came to that, okay?

- Okay.

- Have I ever killed somebody?

(Jada laughing)

- You know what that tells me?

- What does that tell you?

- It tells me you have a good heart.

(Simon laughing)

I mean, here you are, the
leader of a street gang and,

and, and you couldn't take a life.

- You're right I couldn't,
I couldn't take a life,

but I was smarter than that, okay?

Just made sure it didn't happen,

and can you stop sayin'
leader of a street gang?

That sounds real corny.

(both laughing)

- [Jada] It does?

- Yes.

(Jada laughing)

- You know um, after John died,

I really didn't think that
I could, that I could,

ooh okay, nevermind, I, I was.

- I know.

You don't have to say it, I know.

We should get outta here, don't you think?

- Yes.

♪ And I'm havin' a good day y'all ♪

♪ A real good day ♪

♪ And I want y'all to
check out what I'm sayin' ♪

♪ Now I don't about y'all but ♪

♪ You're not havin' a good day ♪

♪ Then after you hear this ♪

♪ Then you will ♪

♪ Listen, let's not be wrong
about feelin' this way ♪

♪ Whoa, I'm feeling happy ♪

♪ Kinda wish I'd feel this every day ♪

♪ Who's to tell me it ain't right ♪

♪ 'Cause I ain't feelin' uptight ♪

♪ I'm feeling oh so good ♪

♪ Baby you could ♪

♪ It's about being around ♪

♪ Being well-rounded ♪

♪ You gotta clear all the mess out ♪

♪ Before it twist up your life ♪

♪ I'm not thinkin' 'bout ♪

♪ What this or that person says ♪

♪ I'm tellin' you, y'all ♪

♪ I'm happy, I'm crazy ♪

♪ I'm feeling happy, so excited ♪

♪ So excited, that I'm here today ♪

♪ Looking at another day, feeling happy ♪

♪ Yes, I am ♪

♪ I'm excited ♪

♪ Oh yeah, looking at another day ♪

♪ Knowing that I'm here today ♪

♪ Check this out ♪

♪ Now I ain't takin' things for granted ♪

♪ 'Cause I know things can turn bad ♪

♪ But with my God by my side ♪

♪ I'll be all right ♪

♪ The reason why I feel this way ♪

♪ Because I've been blessed today ♪

♪ And that's why I can say ♪

♪ I'm feeling happy ♪

♪ I'm feeling happy ♪

♪ So excited, so excited ♪

♪ Knowing that I'm here today ♪

♪ Looking at another day ♪

♪ Feeling happy, happy ♪

♪ I'm excited, looking at another day ♪

♪ Knowing that I'm here today ♪

- [Brenda] A gang?

- Yes, a gang.

- What are you gonna do,
that's really serious.

- I don't know what to do.

Simon's gonna help.

- Simon sounds like a great guy.

And he's been doin' a
lot for you guys lately.

- Yeah he, he really has.

- There it is, there is the swoon.

You're swooning over Simon.

(Jada groaning)

- We kissed.

- Uh, and he sent you
the flowers, didn't he?

- Mm-hmm.

Yes, that was him.

Brenda, I don't know though.

- What don't you know?

He's a great guy,

and I've never seen you
smile like that before.

- Yeah well, he lives with Terrance.

You know, the man that's
taken me to dinner.

And what would my son say?

- If Simon makes you happy,
then tell Terrance the truth.

If you're happy, Jamal's gonna be happy.

- You know what, Terrance
is a wonderful man.

- [Brenda] That you feel nothing for.

- This is complicated.

- No, it's not.

Follow your heart and everything
will go up from there.

- [Jasmine Voiceover] Sometimes
we choose the right path

in life, and sometimes
that path chooses us.

Mom wasn't the type to listen to her heart

until it was screaming at her.

(telephone ringing)

- Stanley and Stanley.

Yes, this is she.

Hi. (laughing)

Oh, oh really?

Oh, that'll be fun,
what, what time is the--

(man clearing throat)

- Miss Davis.
- Hold on a second, yes.

- I want you to take a
look at this file for me.

And then file it away for
me a little later on, okay?

- Absolutely.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

(telephone ringing)

- Oh, I should go.

Yes, okay, see you tonight.

Bye.

(sighing) Ah, look at that file.

- Hey, but I'm sayin',

the youngster do got a lot of heart, huh?

- 'Bout time.

- He did a little somethin'.

- Knocked his hat off,

knocked his groceries out of his hand.

(all laughing)

He crazy.

- Oh, check this out,
where this fool going?

- Big Dog, I don't know,
shit, I'm tryin' to find out.

- Must be fittin' to make a move.

- Where?

At the hotel?

He probably meetin' up a
connect of somethin', dog.

- Man, I doubt that.

- [Flee] Then who he
meetin' up with, a girl?

- Oh!
- Hey, that's Young J's mom.

- He fittin' to hook up
with Little J's mama.

Oh shit!
- It's about to get

real aggressive.

- Hell yeah!

(laughing)

- Hey, stall that out, man,

that's the young homie mama, man.

- You right.

- So what we gonna do?

- I say we go see Little
J and let him know.

- Yeah, we need to check this
dude and see what's happening.

- We need to go holler at him.

- [Flee] Let's get him.

(knocking at door)

- Okay, got that.

(breathing deeply)

Hey.

- [Jada] Hi.

- Hey, hey, come, come on in, come on in.

- Simon.

- Yeah, uh, you know, Jada,
I tried to make this place

a little bit less um,

ghetto, you know.

You know but this is
the only time and place

that we have that we can meet
so, I hope you understand.

- I, I love it.

- Yeah, really?

- Yes.

- All right then, all right.

Let me take your bag for you.

- Oh, okay.

- Okay.
- Yes.

- Um, put this right here.

- Okay.

- And then we can step right over here.

- Oh, okay.

- Okay.
- Thank you.

- There you go.

- Simon.

- Yeah?

- I keep thinking about Jamal.

He trusts you, more than anyone
he's trusted in a long time.

I just, I just wanna make sure
he feels like he has someone

of his own that he, I
don't, I don't even know

what I'm trying to say.
- I understand.

Okay, I get it.

Let me ask you a question though.

If um, if Jamal was, was okay with this,

could something like this work?

- I think so.

- Oh, man, now you sound
reluctant on that one.

What are you afraid?

- I'm not afraid.

- You're scared of a guy like me.

- Sometimes.

- Well that's not good.

You know what, Jada, I, I'm
gonna leave it up to you, okay?

I'll leave it up to you.

Now if you're willing
to take a risk on this,

Well I, I, I promise you,

I promise you that I will treat you

like no man has ever
treated a woman before.

I promise that.

But if you're not, that's okay.

I can take it, I'm a
man, you know, I'm cool.

And I can continue my
relationship with Jamal and,

(sighing) and all that.

But it's up to you.

(laughing)

But just one little piece of advice

before you make up your mind, you know,

make this decision, just,

whether it be with your new job or,

with a scary ex-con like myself,

take a risk, okay?

- Why do you always know what to say?

- I speak from my heart now.

I just say how I feel and that's it.

- I like that.

- I like you.

- Yeah.

(sighing)

So it's up to me, huh?

- [Simon] Yeah, it's up to you.

- Does this room get cable?

(both laughing)

- You know, I, I, I really don't know but,

it has good food, yeah.

How 'bout this?

I would say I cooked it but, you know,

you can tell by the aluminum foil there,

that ain't jumpin' off, so.

- It's vegetarian, thank you.

- I listen.

(knocking at door)

- Who is it?

(knocking at door)

- Where's Jamal?

- I don't know!

- You know where Jamal is,

that's your brother.
- No, I don't!

- Where's Jamal?

- No--

- [Brandy] You do know where he is.

- Get your hands off my sister
- Get your hands off of me!

- What the hell

is wrong with you?
- Don't worry about

what's wrong with me,
you need to come with me.

- I ain't goin' nowhere
with your crackhead ass.

- Thunder wants you outside,
and it's about your mom.

- My mother?

What you know, you know.

- [Brandy] Get your hands off of me!

- Dammit, sit down.

You okay?

- Yeah.

- You sure?

- Yeah.

- All right, look, I'm, I'm,
I'm gonna figure this out,

just, just lock the door behind me, okay?

- All right.

- What's crackin', big homie?

(bouncy, upbeat music)

(tires squealing)

(Simon laughing)
- I don't know,

I don't even remember this.
- And then you bring it,

do the turn.

- Wait.
- And then you dip it, uh.

- Okay, let me watch you first.

- And then you dip it, uh.

(both laughing)

- What the hell?
- Jamal.

- Hold on, what's,

hold on, man, what, what's goin' on, you--

- Honey.

- This is not--
- You gettin' it on

with my moms, homeboy?

- This is not how it looks.

I am not gettin' it on--
- It's not how it looks,

well, what is it?

- Sweetheart, I'm sorry, this,

this is not what it looks like.

- Anyway what, what's goin', I mean,

the whole time we was
hangin' out, dog, this,

you was usin' me to get to my mom?

- No, you can't possibly think that, no.

- Dude.

Uh?

- Jamal, sweetie, I am so sorry, I, I--

- What?

No, no, tell me what's goin' on, I mean,

first it was the pastor, I mean,

what you gonna do the whole hotel, what?

- The pastor?
- Terrance?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- No.

- And now my big homeboy?

I mean, what's goin' on, Mom, what,

what are you, you some
kinda ho or some shit?

- Jamal Davis, watch your mouth.

- Of what?

What you gonna do?

Actin' like you can punish me.

- Don't talk, don't talk

to your mother like that.
- Don't you ever

put your hands on me.
- Okay.

- You got one more time.

Back to you!

So this what you gonna do, huh?

- That's not it.

- Jamal, stop.
- Come on, Simon,

tell me somethin', man.

- Oh no, go ahead, get it
out, get it out, go ahead.

- Dog you with my, you
up in here with my moms?

- Jamal, sweetie--

- No, man.

I know who my real family is now, man.

- Who your real--
- What's wrong with you, dude?

What's wrong with you?

- Jamal, who, who are you?
- Jamal.

- What?

- Good work, Big Dog.

Enjoy your night, lady.

- I'm sorry.

- [Jada] Oh my god.

- I'll fix this, okay, I'll fix this.

(birds chirping)

- You know, Carl, I'll tell you what,

you call me tomorrow and we'll
work it all out, all right?

- All right.
- All right.

You be good now.

I'm gonna talk to you later
in the week, all right.

Okay.

- Hey, Terrance.

- Hey, Simon.

How you doin'?

- Oh, I'm good man, I was just
about to get ready to plant.

- Look uh, let me talk to ya
in my office for a second.

- Yeah.

- Have a seat, son.

- Yeah.

(sighing) So what's up, Terrance?

- You know Simon, um, I
like to think of myself

as a man with good intentions.

And I try to do everything in my power

to do the right thing.

- [Simon] All right.

- So I don't want you to think

that what I'm about to say is personal.

- Okay.

- But I want you to pack your
things and leave my house.

- What?

- You know what's goin' on, Simon.

- Hold on, hold on, no, wait a minute.

I, I, Terrance, from jump, I--

- Simon, listen to me, I
want you to pack your things,

and I want you to leave my house.

- Okay.

- Now I let you use my car,
I opened up my home to you,

I made sure that you had
money in your pocket.

I've been mentoring you
since you were 17 years old.

And more importantly,
I let you into the life

of a great young man, son.

And what do you do?

You use it for your
own selfish intentions.

You break the trust of a young man

who was already on the edge, Simon.

A young man who had nothin'
but open doors in front of him.

And because of you, those
doors have been slammed shut.

I want you to go Simon before
this thing gets outta hand.

You understand me?

(Simon scoffing)

- You know what, with all
due respect, Reverend,

preaching selfish intentions,
that ain't your forte.

You should watch for falling glass

when you throw those stones, brother.

(light, upbeat music)

- "One man is lavish
yet grows still richer,

"another is too sparing yet is poor."

- Terrance.

Terrance, Simon told me you
know about what happened

at the motel.

- Everyone knows, Jada.

It seems like the whole community knows.

- I just came by to say
that I am truly sorry.

About all of it.

I made a huge mistake.

- You know mistakes are made

as a result of a wrong decision.

This felt, this felt like it was a

deliberate, premeditated action.

- It was not premeditated.

- Oh no?

- Pastor, I think you are a lovely man.

- Yeah, but you think I'm too old, Jada.

Just say it.

- I don't know if that's true.

- (laughing) You know,
Jada, it is what it is.

But maybe, maybe if you, if
you could judge me for my heart

and not how old I may be,
or how young I may be.

And please stop making excuses, I mean,

it's not because you
wanted to take it slow,

or you, you, you didn't know how to date.

(laughing) It's because you didn't feel

the same way I felt.

And instead of comin' to
terms with your feelings,

you strung me along and I fell for it.

That's what happened.

- I never meant to hurt you, Terrance.

- It's too late for that, Jada.

I've got work to do.

So uh, if you can uh,

you can leave if you need to.

- Okay.

(papers crinkling)

- Yo homie, come shoot some dice.

- Who's this cat, man?

- Bye-bye, babe.

- [T-Dawg] Hey, come
shoot some dice, homie.

- Bye-bye, Poppy.

- [Thunder] For real.

- Hey, get out the car.

- That's a real baller right there.

- Don't be messing with my business.

- What you doin' with them
marks comin' around here for?

- Oh, mm.

- Oh yeah, ready for some
of this T action now, huh?

- Oh yeah, I'm ready for T, love it.

Please.
(Flea laughing)

- [T-Dawg] Oh it's like that.

- [Thunder] Got that money?

- Yeah baby, I got you.

- Yo homie, why you play me like that for?

- Need some entertainment
around here, Dawg,

it ain't personal.

- I got next on that.

Thunder.

- What's happenin', Young J?

- What's up, man?

- I'll have to holler at you later, mama.

- But baby, you promised.

- 'Cause what I'm about to do,

you don't need to see none of that.

(speaking foreign language)
Come on, all right.

- [Flea] Shut up, you
should be in school, girl.

- What's up, Young J?

- I just uh, just wanted to thank you

for showing me what was up.

It opened my eyes to a lotta things, man.

- Hm, is that right?

Like what, who your real family is?

- [T-Dawg] What you doin', man?

- No need for you to be scared, Young J.

You did us wrong, you
understand that, right?

Need to be puttin' you to sleep right now!

Come on!

Get off me, don't man.
- Man, I got the kill.

♪ I live for it, I live
for it, I live for it ♪

♪ I live for it, I live
for it, I live for it ♪

♪ I live for the East Coast ♪

- Simon, they're following me.
- I got you, man,

uh-huh, get outta here, I got you.

- Yo, Dog.

- [Simon] Jason Smith,
what's up with you, man?

- Simon Williams.

(Simon laughing)

Yeah, where you goin', man?

- Oh, you know I'm right here.

- I need to holler at you, homeboy.

You stole one of my soldiers.

That debt need to come
up out your ass, right?

(Simon grunting)

- [Man] Ah, get him, get him.

♪ I live for it, I live
for it, I live for it ♪

♪ I live for it, I live
for it, I live for it ♪

- [Flea] Uh-huh, man.

♪ I live for the East Coast ♪

(grunting and groaning)

- Get him!
- I got him.

Come here.

♪ I live for it, I live
for the East Coast ♪

(men grunting)

- Yeah, that's right.

- How does it feel?

(Simon grunting)

♪ I'm still riding you on the grind, ♪

♪ trying to get that change ♪

(grunting and groaning)

- Bring it on.

- Yeah, let me, come here.

You like doin' this, huh?

You old punk.

♪ Let's B-E-A-T ♪

- [Thunder] Watch out, Flea.

♪ But they gave me ♪
- Oh, yeah

- Kick him.

(men grunting)

- Do him, Thunder.

- End this right here.

- I swear to god, this ain't over, Jason.

- I don't think you realize,
I say when this shit is over.

(sirens blaring)

- It ain't over.

(sirens blaring)

- One time, one time, one time.

- [T-Dawg] Come on pass, come on, come on.

(sirens blaring)

(Simon breathing heavily)

- All right.

(sighing) Oh.

- Yo Jamal.

Jamal.

Oh man.

- Look Simon, what you doin' here, man?

- I came over here to
see if you was all right.

- (scoffing) Am I okay,
I thought you was dead?

- Yeah, not yet.

- Well I gotta go.

- Hey, listen, just one second, man.

- Look man, I, I got somethin'

I gotta do, bro.
- No, no, no, no,

just, you know what, just
listen to me for one second!

I came over here to tell you

that I did not go through you
to get to your moms, okay.

- Oh.

- Look, I think that you and your mother

are two amazing people, that's real talk.

I also wanted to say I apologize

for not comin' to you, man to man,

before doin' anything or saying anything.

I hope you understand that.

- You really tried to save me out there.

- No, no, no, I, I think
I did save you out there.

I took some for you man, look at me.

- Was that for me, or
was that for my mother?

- That was for the both of you.

- Well look dude, you can't
go out there, all right,

'cause if they see you man, they,

they just gonna put you to sleep.

You already know.
- Yeah, I know that.

But you can't go out there either.

I think we need to roll
together, all right.

- Well no man, I, I, listen, I gotta go.

- You, Jamal, you, hey.

Yo, don't do it like this, man.

(sighing)

Oh.

(groaning)

Oh, god.

- Henry.

Mr. Stanley.

- Yes?

- I would love to accept that position

if it's still available.

- Great, we'll get you set up today.

- Oh, thank you, thank you, sir.

- But I wanna ask one thing.

- [Jada] What's that, sir?

- Why the delay?

- (sighing) The 2,500 more a year,

would've entered me into
a higher income bracket,

which put my welfare and
Section 8 in jeopardy.

But they just called and they said

it's okay for me to accept the position.

- Jada, sit down.

- Mr. Stanley?

- The salary I offered you was the minimum

for that position for a young college grad

who's hot off the diploma boat.

Now you've been working here for a year.

And as a receptionist, you,
well you have more experience

than anyone I could pluck out of a school.

- Thank you.

- So the next time you take an offer,

make sure you know what you're worth.

There's no shame in
asking for what you want,

or telling me that you're on welfare.

I mean hell, if you weren't on welfare,

I would've told you to go get it.

- I will next time.

- No, you will now.

I'm gonna triple your salary,

you're gonna be my executive
secretary, with full benefits.

- Mr. Stanley.

No, no, no, I, I didn't come here--

- You are worth it, Jada.

I need someone who's loyal and
hardworking, just like you,

for this law firm.

And I'm willing to pay top dollar for it.

No more welfare.

- Wow, um, I, I think I can handle that.

- Good, go get your desk ready.

- [Jada] Thank you.

- Oh, and call me Hutch.

I am not a military officer.

You don't have to call me sir!

(both laughing)

- Okay.

Sir, I mean, Hutch.

Thank you.

♪ Lord take me higher ♪

♪ It's my desire ♪

(groaning)

- Ah.

Man, what the hell you?

What, you makin' house calls now?

You know, after what you
did, I oughta kick your ass.

You guys comin' back here

after you--
- Calm down, calm.

I know what I did to you, okay?

I know what I did, but that wasn't me.

It was what I thought I was suppose to be.

I'm sorry.

- Oh!

- It's your wallet.

Take it, it's all there.

- What is this about?

Man do you know, I would
be in my right mind

to call the police on your ass right now

after what you guys
did, after what you did.

I think I will, but the only reason

I'm not calling the police
on your ass right now,

is because I saw somethin' in you.

- Well you saw right.

Look sir, do what you're
gonna do, okay, call the cops.

But I'm offering my apologies.

- Let this be the only thing

you ever have to make
amends for in your life.

- Trust me sir, this, this lesson

is definitely etched in my mind.

- Come on son, have a seat.

Go on, sit down.

(Howard sighing)

I don't think I ever got your name.

- Jamal, Jamal Davis.

- My name's Howard.

You know, you don't often see a young man

learn from his mistakes so soon.

- Yeah, I know.

- [Howard] So why did you come back?

- I have to leave.

I just didn't want to leave with any

strings untied, you know.

- Are you leaving because
of those boys you were with?

- Yeah, yeah they out to get me.

- Found out you can't live
around here in the middle, huh?

- No, you really can't.

They don't give you much choice either.

- Oh there's a choice all right.

You just need to make it.

- Well, that's what I'm doin'
right now, makin' a choice.

- Ah Jamal, I think it's a shame

that a young man, who is
as intelligent as you are,

with such a genuine character,
would wanna leave this place.

I've lived around here all my 65 years,

and I've seen a lot of
people just turn into ghosts

at the first sight of opportunity.

Somethin's got to be done about that.

- Yeah well, I'll tell
ya, if I don't leave

I'm either gonna wind up
in prison or, or dead.

- Yeah, I know that, and
I still can't understand.

Anyway, look, thanks for
bringing my wallet back, Jamal.

- You're welcome, sir.

- You take it easy out there
because you are our future.

- Thanks a lot.

(hand tapping)

- [Jasmine] Jamal didn't
come home that night,

and Mom was worried sick.

She didn't know that he
had a mark on his head,

because if she did, we would've
been outta there that night.

- Ss, what you doin' here,
what you back for some more?

You ain't had enough.

(gunshot blasting)

- [Jasmine] But that night,
we got another miracle,

even if it came at someone else's expense.

- I'm here in the heart of South L.A.,

where leader of the Eastern Avenue gang,

Jason Thunder Smith, was found dead

of a gunshot wound this morning.

Police are investigating,
but details have been scarce

in this community, as Jason
Smith was feared by everyone.

However, police did give out the details

of someone they need for questioning,

a 17 year old by the name of Jamal Davis.

If anyone knows of his whereabouts,

or has any information on this murder,

please contact the LAPD tip
line, at 1-800-TIP-LAPD.

Again, that number is 1-800-TIP-LAPD.

(smooth, funky music)

- I am Detective David Hernandez

and this is Detective Frank Mueller.

- How you doin'?

- Do you mind if we ask
you a couple questions?

- About what?

- About Jason Smith, or Thunder
as you know him around here.

He was found dead this
morning of a gunshot wound.

- I don't know.

- Hey, come on,

we know your brother's
involved with his gang,

so why don't you just
make this easy on us, huh?

I mean, he was with the
primary suspect yesterday.

- Who's that?

- I think you know, Simon Williams.

- Is your name Jasmine, right?

- Yes, Mom, these guys are detectives.

- Hi Jada, I'm Detective
Hernandez, Detective Mueller.

- How you doin'?

- Your visit is regarding?

- The murder of Jason
Smith, a local gang member.

- What does that have to do
with my daughter Jasmine?

- Actually, we'd like to
question both you and your son.

Our primary suspect is Simon Williams.

You two had a relationship, I think.

Do you know where he is now?

- I'm not saying anything
else until I get my lawyer.

- Oh boy, here we go.

- Yes, I work for a law
firm and I know my rights.

- [Frank] Oh that's great.

- Jada this is not an interrogation.

We just wanna ask a couple
questions, that's it.

- Do you have a warrant?

(Frank scoffing)

No, I didn't think so, you can leave.

- Come on, let's go,
she's wasting our time,

puh, let's go.

- And you can keep that as well.

- [Frank] Come on, let's go.

- When you're ready.

- Mom, you don't know where Simon is.

- It doesn't matter, they
have no right to come in here.

Every time something goes
right, something goes wrong.

- But this time it's only
Simon that they want.

- I don't want him to go to prison!

- Mom, you really do love him, Mom.

- It hasn't been enough
time to really say that.

But I haven't felt this way
for anyone since your father.

(telephone ringing)

- Hello.

Really, where?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll
tell her, all right.

Jamal's at the church.

- Oh god, let's go.

- I gotta gun, but you know, I, I,

I would never use it.
- Jamal, you didn't tell me

you had a gun.

- Thank god, Jamal,
I've been worried sick.

- [Jamal] I'm sorry Mom, I'm sorry Mom,

I'm sorry.
- Glad you're safe.

- Where's Simon, the
police came to the house.

- Jada um, Simon turned himself in.

And if he's guilty, this'll
be his third strike.

- He didn't do it, did he?

- Jada, it doesn't matter, the
police are looking for Jamal.

It's all on the news.

And somebody in the gang said
that they saw Jamal do it.

- We need to go home, okay?

Let's just go home.

- [Jamal] Okay.

Mom, can I talk to you for a second?

- Sure honey.

- Listen uh, just wanna say
I'm so sorry about everything.

- There's been too many
sorrys in this house lately.

- Hm, yeah, I know.

- You don't have a reason to be sorry.

- No, no, I do though.

I mean, I just got all caught up

hanging with that stupid gang and then,

then I got Simon all into this.

- Listen, if it wasn't for that gang,

we wouldn't know Simon.

- Yeah.

Speaking of Simon, I uh, I
got a chance to talk to him

and uh, and I understand
how you feel, you know,

he's a great guy, makes you happy.

So that's why I've uh, I
decided to turn myself in.

- What?

Jamal, you didn't do it?

- No, no, no, but I mean, I'm only 17,

they'll just give me a slap
on the wrist instead of--

- Uh-huh, you don't have
to turn yourself in.

- Yes, I do.

- You are not going to
ruin your life over this.

- So, you mean to tell
me you're just gonna

let an innocent man go to
prison to save my future?

- Nothing's going to happen to him.

We need to have faith that
the truth will come out.

I, I really believe in
my heart he didn't do it.

- No, no, he didn't do
it, I know he didn't.

- We're gonna go tomorrow
to the police station,

we're gonna see him.

There's somethin' I wanna say to you.

I made a mistake not
telling you about Simon.

- Oh.
- No, no.

A lot of people got hurt.

We all make mistakes, but I want,

I want this to be a
lesson to you and to me

that we need to follow our hearts,

even when it seems impossible, okay?

- I love you, Mom, I'm really sorry.

- I love you too.

I'm so proud of you.
- Through this whole drama,

the Lord showed that what
he has in store for us

might not be that easy to figure out.

But, with a little courage, faith,

and persistence in his
honor, miracles do happen.

- Simon, Simon?
- Yeah, hey baby.

- Oh my god, thank.

How did you get out?

- I have no idea, somebody
else confessed to the murder.

- [Jamal] What?

- Yeah.
- Wow, that's good.

- Hey, you okay little one?

- Yeah.
- All right.

- [Simon] Jamal, who was that?

- I don't know.

- Get over here.

- Glad you out, man, let's get you home.

- Yeah, me too,

let's get outta here.
- Let's go.

Let's go home.

♪ Somebody somewhere ♪

♪ Was praying for me ♪

♪ Though my eyes were open ♪

♪ Still I could not see ♪

♪ That all that I needed ♪

♪ I could find on my knees ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere ♪

♪ Was praying just for me ♪

Oh, by the way, it doesn't end here.

When Hutch Stanley found out about

what the insurance company did to my mom,

he donated his services
to taking them to court.

They ended up having to pay
the claim, plus damages.

We ended up with a lot
of money in the end.

But, you know what, it
didn't change who we are.

- [Terrance] Take your time now.

♪ In the darkest of nights ♪

- Yes.

♪ Just because they were praying ♪

♪ I knew it would be all right ♪

(people talking excitedly)

- Calm down.

- Back up.

- [Jasmine] As for the
hood, we all stayed.

It seemed wrong for all
of us to leave the people

that helped us get on our feet,

just because we wanted to
move to a better neighborhood.

And if those who did better stop leaving,

we can make it a better place.

Simon opened up a youth rec center,

and Mom did her part to help
clean up the neighborhood.

Luckily, it only took one phone call.

- Let's go, let's go, let's go.

- [Jasmine] Terrance found a
new love and is now engaged.

Mary's a great woman,
and will be good for him.

♪ Was praying just for me ♪

♪ It must've been my mother ♪
(congregation applauding)

♪ Who was pleading my case ♪

♪ While I was out straying ♪

♪ She was down on her face ♪

♪ Asking the father to have mercy on me ♪

- [Jasmine] Mom and Simon got
married in the same church

they met in, it was a beautiful ceremony,

and I haven't seen Mommy
this happy in a long time.

- [Simon] Oh, oh, oh.

- [Jasmine] We bought a house

down the street from the projects.

It's nice, with a little work from Simon,

it'll be beautiful.

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ No matter what you're goin' through ♪

♪ Keep on prayin', keep on prayin' ♪

♪ The praise of the righteous ♪

♪ Lord do you feel it ♪

♪ I'm ailing but ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ No matter what you're goin' through ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

(congregation applauding)

- [Jasmine] Jamal graduated
with top honors at his school

and is getting his degree in astronomy.

He already has an internship at JPO

while he's working on his masters.

♪ Keep on, keep on ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ Don't stop, 'cause the
prayers of the righteous ♪

♪ The prayers of the righteous ♪

♪ The fervent, effectual
prayers of the righteous ♪

♪ They avail in my heart ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ Keep on prayin' ♪

♪ Oh-Oh-Oh ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was praying for me ♪

- [Jasmine Voiceover] I decided to major

in English literature,

hoping that'll make me
a better screen writer.

Through all this, I found out
that life is about choices,

and with a little faith and a little luck,

we can all make the right ones,

even if they're not as
easy as the wrong ones.

Like Pastor Terrance said,
"Faith moves mountains."

And remember, you don't need a lot of it.

The Bible says, "If you have faith

"of a grain of a mustard seed,
you can make it through."

This is true, and I'm a witness.

And yes, I will be making a
movie about all of this one day.

♪ Just for me ♪

♪ Somebody, somebody, somebody somewhere ♪

♪ They were prayin' for me ♪

♪ Just for me ♪

♪ Oh, I could've been
dead, could've been dead ♪

♪ I could've been dead in my grave ♪

♪ But my mother, my mother, ♪

♪ She was prayin' ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was prayin' ♪

♪ Just for me ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was prayin' ♪

♪ They were prayin' just for me ♪

♪ Just for me ♪

♪ Could've been my mother ♪

♪ Know it was my mother, yeah ♪

♪ Sister was ♪

♪ My sister and my brother ♪

♪ They were down on their knees ♪

♪ Cryin' out to the
Lord just for me, yeah ♪

♪ Could've been my mother ♪

♪ I'm so glad, glad ♪

♪ Ah, I'm so glad ♪

♪ Could've been my mother ♪

♪ They were, they were ♪

♪ They was prayin', eh,
hey, eh, hey, yeah ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was prayin' ♪

♪ Yoo-Who ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was prayin' ♪

♪ Sure enough, prayin' ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was prayin' ♪

♪ And pray, and pray, and
pray, and pray, and pray ♪

♪ Could've been my mother ♪

♪ Could've been my mother ♪

♪ Could've been my father ♪

♪ It was my sister ♪

♪ Could've been my sister ♪

♪ Could've been my brother ♪

♪ Somebody somewhere was
prayin' just for me ♪

♪ Just for me ♪

(smooth jazz music)

♪ She traded her smile for tears ♪

♪ Now that she has to face all her fears ♪

♪ Losing her son to the street ♪

♪ Trying to make a
dollar so they can eat ♪

♪ This is Jada's song ♪

♪ Just tryin' to find hope ♪

♪ But it seems there's none to be found ♪

♪ How can you wear a smile
when life has got you down ♪

♪ She hopes and prays that
it's gonna get better ♪

♪ To ease her mind ♪

♪ This is Jada's song, whoa ♪

♪ Can you hear her cry in her song ♪

♪ Can you feel her pain ♪

♪ Can you feel her pain through her song ♪

♪ You can see her whole life ♪

♪ You can see her whole in her song ♪

♪ This is Jada's song ♪

♪ She's ♪