Original subtitles

[ Changing Radio Channels ]

[ Announcer ] We're back. Welcome back to WBLB.

I'm Leo Yurby sitting in for Brother Raheim Muhammad.

This afternoon I'm joined by Police Chief Willy Styles,

community activist Brother Jamal,

as well as avowed conservative, Dr. Norris Fleet,

author of the controversial new bookStop Beggin', My People.

Respect to you, brothers. A pleasure, Mr. Yurby.

Peace, Brother Yurby. It's good to be here today.

If you're just joining us, our topic is community policing...

as it relates to self-determination and freedom of mind.

Now, we've been talking about looking out for ourselves.

I believe, Brother Jamal, you had just mentioned a group referred to as the DROP Crew?

It's the DROP Squad. Thank you, Brother Jamal. Respect.

Dr. Fleet, you were responding to Brother Jamal's comment. Yes, Leo.

I'm simply saying we cannot take matters into our own hands. [ Jamal ] Why not?

Vigilantism is not the answer to our problems.

Black people must work within the established framework.

[ Jamal Disagreeing ] Allowing thugs to roam the streets, unchecked,

armed with their own agenda, is detrimental and embarrassing. [ Yurby ] Respect, brothers.

Brother Fleet, last time I checked, there was a war going on.

If the DROP Squad exists, and they're effective--

[ Fleet ] The DROP Squad does exist, and they're breaking the law, plain and simple.

[ Jamal ] Hey, yo, maybe this ain't got nothing to do with "the law."

[ Fleet ] What gives these maniacs the right to snatch people off the street?

What will this do to the Afro-Americans? [ Styles ] Hold on now, Doc.

Brother Yurby, Brother Jamal, I'm from them same streets.Five-0.

It's gonna take a whole lot more than some DROP Squad...

to make any difference. [ Yurby ] Respect, Chief Styles,

but maybe these people have the right idea.This is bullshit.

Maybe it's just about doin' whatever's necessary...

to save the souls of black people.Right here in this damn room!

[ Styles ] Brother Yurby-- and young man, you listen too.

Those fools are breaking the law. When we find them, and we will,

we're gonna shut them down. Hey, we're gonna shut 'em down.

Cops, Roc. Two of them. I don't think they saw us.

Got everything?Yeah.

[ Walkie-Talkie ] Where to, Black?Rollin' on the river.

- Head over to the new spot. Repeat: Head to the new spot. - [ Van ] You comin'?

No, we'll circle the block, see if they follow y'all.

You and Stokely stay on schedule. Business as usual.

[ Man ] I don't know, Councilman.

Community action people gonna raise too big a stink about this in the press.

My people have a history of dealing with disappointment.

Let me handle them, okay? I am their representative, right?

[ Chuckles ]

I'll handle things from here on out.

[ Engine Starts, Car Pulls Away ]

Hello? Hello? [ Attendant ] Yes, sir, hold on.

Cool your foot. I come check this in.

Everyone gotta rush, rush these days.

Yes, sir?My secretary called down for my car.

Sorry. What's your name again?Councilman Jenkins.

Blood clot! Me see your face on TV all the time!

Where's the other guy who's suppose to be here?Him call in sick.

Man always callin' in sick and expect me for doin' job. Not like that.

[ Attendant Mumbling ] This business for the white ones.

They say if you're white, you're all right.

If you're brown, you have to look down.

If you're black, you have to stand back. I not like that.

Could you hurry it up, please?

Ohh. He's a big spender.

Soon come, hear?

[ Attendant Talking To Himself ]

[ Creaking, Indistinct Whispering ]

Who's out there?

- [ Engine Revs ] - [ Groans ]

♪♪ [ Blues, Indistinct Voices ]

[ Woman ] I want to try this Martin Luther King special.

[ Counterman ] Martin Luther King, in the house!

[ Man ] Can I get that Clarence Thomas waffle breakfast?

[ Counterman ] You got it. Clarence Thomas, in the house!

[ Man #2 ] What's good lookin'? [ Counterman ] Everything in here is good.

Be right with you, sugar.

Can I help you?

Um, I'm looking for someone from the DROP Squad.

I beg your pardon?The DROP Squad.

[ Counterman Laughing ]

Ain't they the niggers who supposedly deprogram folks?

You don't believe in that old tale, do you?

I was told I could reach them through this restaurant.

Is that right?

Well, baby, somebody's been playin' with you. Them folks don't exist.

How do you know? Baby, there ain't no organization of niggers...

running around kidnapping black folk off the street.

I tell you something else.

I believe that's a rumor white folks started up. I really do.

- Why would they do that? - Wishful thinking.

[ Laughing ]

We having a sale on shirts today. You interested?

I don't think so. Thanks.

Come in here, ask me about some kind of DROP Squad.

Why would a sister like you be looking for the DROP Squad?

Why? Do you know how I can contact them?

Do you mind?

[ Indistinct Talking ]

You can't contact them because, like the man said, they don't exist.

And who are you?

- What would you need with a bunch like that? - It's my brother, Bruford.

What's wrong with him, besides his name?

I wish I knew.

He's changing.

Yeah. People change every day.

Yeah, well, not like this.

It's like for the past year or so, he's--

He's been moving farther and farther away from us."Us"?

Us. His family.

We never see him.

We never hear from him.

Look, he needs to be dropped.

Now, do you know how I can contact them or not?

I wish I did, sister.

Seems like you really need them. But they're a myth.

Good luck with your brother.

Hey, yo, Fat, I ain't waitin' on your ass all day. You wanna buy or what?

Meet me back at the crib.

Yo, man, why you sweatin' me about some damn telephones?

Who you get 'em from?You think I stole 'em? Fuck it then! Forget it.

Damn, man. Hold up, hold up, hold up.

How much?That's better.

Buck fifty.Shit.

You think I'm trippin'? These are top-of-the-line, G; flip-up, I Spyjobs.

You wanna see 'em or what? Don't cost you a dollar to see it. What's up?

Go ahead.All right.

Why you look so damn familiar to me, man?'Cause I got a big family, G.

I don't feel like haulin' that. In the back to the right.

Check 'em out. Yeah.Who's that?

Hey, motherfucker, what you doin'? Get off me!

Trev, come on! Drive!Come on! Come on!

Y'all made the wrong move, man. I'm gonna have y'all hurt...

real bad.What's the reason for the drama, brother?

I'm gonna give you some drama. Uh-uh. Imagine that.

It's hot, I'm tired and I ain't in the mood...

for no fake gangster shit from you. [ Indistinct Radio Transmission ]

- Now sit back and chill. - Good work, Stoke.

Hello, this is Lenora Jamison.

Yeah, I spoke to someone about my brother.

And?And...

[ Sighs ] I think it's time.

Yo, Trev. All right, he did call. Good foot.

He was trippin', man; callin' the lady, buggin' her all the time.

You know what I'm sayin'? No, no, no. Look, I wasn't in the mood for no dumb shit.

Yeah, no, come on, man. Believe me, Flip is a big boy. He'll get over it.

[ Bruford ] Hey, you know, check it out. I got another promotion.

Goddamn! Hey, yo, I heard enough. Yo, Trevor.

Yo, good to go. [ Bruford Continues, Indistinct ]

Yeah. Later. [ Hangs Up Phone ]

[ Trevor ] Y'all, movin' into position.

[ Sniffs ]

Holy shit, Lenora.

Yo, you see anybody around here, man?

I expect that be the least of your problems right about now.

Bruford?Lenny, why did you have me meet you here?

Uh, I just wanted to talk to you.

Talk to me about what? [ Radio ] What's up with Jamison?

[ Bum ] Oh, shit! Cold sweat! Cold sweat! Get him!

Wait! No! Don't hurt him!Fuck him!

Get that motherfucker, X!

[ Brakes Squealing ] [ Lenora ] Don't hurt him!

[ Bruford ] Get the fuck off me![ Indistinct Shouting ]

[ Lenora ] Oh, God, don't hurt him!

Move!I said put that motherfucker in there!

[ Lenora ] Don't hurt him!Now, move!

- [ Tires Screeching ] - Hootie-hoo!

[ Echoing ] Hootie-hoo!

[ Man ] Hurry up, man, okay? Come on.

I'm pushin', man.Would you push?

Yo, we're sorry we're late. We got fresh bread here.

[ Laughs ] Sorry.

All right.

In he goes.Roll him in. Roll him in.

Yeah, boy.Trevor--

Give this boy his number, man. What's up?

Welcome, my brother. You are number 186.

Hootie-hoo, baby.

Let's move this.Come on, get him out.

[ Woman ] Welcome, gentlemen.

Come on, let's move him out.

Come on, boy.There you go. Pick him up, pick him up.

[ Indistinct Talking ]

Where am I?You're with friends.

Get off. Get the fuck off.Come here.

Name? Jamison, Bruford Jr.

Ah, the bump. Huh.

Okay, Rocky wants him taken straight in the cell. He's already viewed his file.

Call Rocky and tell him 186 is in the house!Lenny, Lenny.

Any problems with him?Peace.

Hey, my mouth is dry. My mouth is dry!

All right, I'm getting pissed off now!

Y'all better let me go.Shut up!

Who's your mother? Who's your mother? [ Bruford ] Let me go!

Garvey, I'm outta here.Peace.

I'm gonna save your soul, brother.

You call yourself a minister.

Reverend... L.J. Beekins,

the grandest quencher of the all-righteous...

and all-powerful Church of the Everlasting...

Grace and Faith, Incorporated.

My flock will bring the wrath of his most holy down on you.

Your flock had you dropped, fool.

What are you doing?I can see you're gonna give us one hell of a time, aren't you?

Come on, man.Your deprogrammer will be right with you, all right?

My what? Hey, hey, look, man.

Somebody made a mistake, man. My name is--

Bruford R. Jamison, Jr. I know that, punk.

[ Bruford ] Hey.

You ain't nothin'. You're their little blacky, their little slave boy.

Listen, you call me sir, all right? You ain't.

Hey, look, look, look. Ain't nobody make motherfuckers take that shit, all right?

Yeah, but you dealin' death and destruction to your--Hey, look!

I'm gonna do what I gotta do! All right?

Yeah. Yeah, and we're gonna do the same...

boy. Fuck you!

Reverend Beekins ain't budgin', man.

Old school habits die hard, brother.

You oughta let me have him for about 30 seconds.

Rocky in his office? Everything cool, brother?Yeah, man, in control.

Oh, I know that's not swine you eatin'!

You get full of that pig, you be too slow to be useful when the revolution jumps!

Oh, snap, is the revolution this week?

A whole generation wasted!

All I wanna know, my brother, is it gonna be televised?

[ Bruford On Tape ] Lenny, why did you have me meet you here?

I wanted to talk to you.Talk to me about what?

Cold sweat! Cold sweat! Get that motherfucker!

[ Indistinct Arguing ]

All right. Thank you.

How you doin'?Hello. How are you?

Good, good. Let me get a cocoa bread to go.

Sure.

I don't need napkins. That's okay.

Dollar?Thank you.

Why the fuck can't we get a simple drop straight?

Hmm?

Why are men runnin' around like goddamn Heckle and Jeckle?

Wasn't my call, Roc.Then whose call was it?

Oh, mind if I talk to you for a minute?

[ Alarm Buzzes ]...thinkin' about, man?

- Shut it down! - What you want, fool?

They're killing me!

[ Indistinct Shouting ]

They're killing me! [ Groaning ]

Check with Trevor! Wait for the all clear! Wait for the all clear!

The love of money is the root of all evil.

Nothing wrong with money. Money's good.

[ Coughing ]

Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord!

Shut up.[ Mumbling ]

Same cop from 119th Street?Yeah, Roc.

How many people do you have in back?

- Cut the volume. - [ TV Audio Indistinct ]

♪♪ [ Music Blares, Stops ]

[ Groans ][ Cop ] You've been getting some extra deliveries.

[ Owner ] Extra deliveries?

What deliveries? You usually get two or three a day.

Please, Lieutenant, what is it you want to know from me?

Well, I'm trying to ask you. I'm not trying to upset you.

Just a couple of questions. I know it's hot.

Look, Lieutenant-- Johnson, right.Johnson.

Okay.Listen, you've been a great help.

You've been a great help. You have a good day.Thank you.

You too.Okay.

[ Alarm Buzzes Twice ]

[ Sighs ]

And y'all wanna know why I'm worried.

They're in our house, man!

[ Indistinct Voices ]

Fucking walking around upstairs!

This ain't no fucking joke.

Hey, brother, we know that. Then act like it!

- We gotta rap, Roc. - About what?

See what I'm sayin'? He not even tryin' to listen.

'Cause you ain't got nothin' new to say, X. Brother,

everything I've been telling you is new.

That's the problem. You don't seem to understand that!

Rocky, we ain't as effective as we used to be. That's it.

That's bullshit. [ Garvey ] No, that's not bullshit!

You said it yourself. That brother brought the police back on us.

Now, would that have happened five, six years ago? Would it?

So what's your suggestion?

It's time to change the groove.

You are tying our hands with this "talk to 'em" rap.

Some of these people need an ass whippin', Rocky,

and you know that!

It's not the way we do things, man.

Hey, it's your show, brother.

Garvey.

I'll think about it.

[ Indistinct Shouting ]

Sucker, get the-- Get off me!

Get the fuck off me, boy![ Indistinct ]

Hey, shut the fuck up, man! Stay off me, you hear me?

[ Woman ] Oh, come on, Bruford, be real!

I mean, just look at the albums.

These were the hottest albums around back in the days.

And you guys used to flock to the stores just to see 'em.

Are you that different now that you're a company man?

Huh?

What is your problem, brother?

Why are you so ashamed of yourself?

I'm ashamed of myself because I don't tie people to chairs for a living?

Black people kidnapping black people. Is that really something to be proud of?

Black people kidnapping confused niggers is.

I think you're the one that's confused.Excuse me?

Last time I checked, I had a right to live my life any way I wanted to.

My responsibility, first and foremost, is to myself.

[ Man ] If we can convince Cone Petagro & Petagro is the wrong team to go with on this one,

I think we'll have no problem selling them on our concept.

As you know, Petagro has a strong hold on the colored community.

- African-American. - Of course.

We feel our campaign for Mumbling Jack Malt Liquor...

far surpasses anything they've done.

Now, research tells us that this is the perfect time...

to pitch this product to these people.

And this is... the perfect pitch. [ Executives Gasp ]

[ Man ] Good job, Griggs. Lovely girl.

[ Griggs ] Thank you, sir.

And of course we'll back this up with lots of radio.

- Jamison? - Uh, yes, sir.

This is the direction that we're moving in.

♪ Pass me the Mumbling Jack, boy ♪

♪ Now when you're with your freak, yeah, kid don't be stumblin' ♪

♪ Walkin' around like your stomach was rumblin' ♪

♪ You want it down with it You want it real crumblin' ♪

♪ Drink it in the brew that I have for mumblin' ♪

♪ Mumbling for the girls that kill me ♪

♪ Mumbling Jack Malt Liquor gets ya cozy ♪

♪ Ho's on your tip That's the way you solve the beat ♪

♪ Kick the Mumbling Jack, kid or just stay lonely ♪♪

Yo, now this right here is Knucklehead.

And Mumbling Jack is all that. You know what I'm sayin'? Ow! [ Glass Breaks ]

[ Announcer ] Mumbling Jack Malt Liquor, available everywhere...

black people are served.Excellent. He has quite a way with a lyric. Good choice.

Thank you, sir. [ Woman ] Excuse me.

I think this is kind of... offensive.

- Say again? - Well, uh,

besides perpetuating African-American stereotypes,

it is offensive against African-American women, all women.

[ Griggs ] These are the people that buy the product.

Obviously, we need to appeal to them.

Why does she have to have the bottle between her legs?

Where else would it go?

And why do we have to refer to the sister as a "ho"? We're simply speaking...

- in the vernacular of the target audience. - Says who?

Evans, Jamison, what's your feedback?

Well, it does have a certain appeal.

Of course it does. Makes me thirsty just looking at it.

I am not arguing its effectiveness here.

But do we really need to put something like this...

in the African-American community? [ Griggs ] Well, uh,

nobody drinks Mumbling Jack in my neighborhood.

- [ Executives Chuckling ] - Jamison.

Oh, uh--

Uh, well, sir, I'm, um--

I'm inclined to agree with Evans.

I think this is just the punch the campaign needs, sir.

Good. Let's get them up by next week.

That's all for today.

[ Sighs, Indistinct Chattering ]

Thanks a lot, brother.

Man, I cannot believe this shit.

What in the hell just happened in there?Oh, come on, Kyra.

The spots weren't that bad.Bullshit. And you know it.

Why are you helping them push this shit on our people?

Oh, come on, Kyra. We're in advertising, remember? Hello?

This ain't advertising. It's genocide.

Genocide?Yes.

I'm sorry, baby, but it ain't that deep, really.

[ Groaning ] Hey, hey, y'all.

Janet. Janet. Janet.

You're the senior member of this team. Can't you talk some sense into Sweeney?

Well, the spot has already gone into production, babe.But--

It's a done deal.Oh, man, what is wrong with these people?

[ Bruford ] I just hit a home run with that Mumbling Jack ad.

What's happening with your thing?

I'm fighting Sweeney on this General Otis Fried Chicken account.

He wants to call it the "Gospelpak."

Have you ever? And he was serious too.

[ Kyra ] Rosette knows what I'm talking about.

Wings, potatoes, biscuits, and now get this.[ Phone Ringing ]

On the napkins, a verse of scripture printed right on the front.

I had to walk out of the room.Hello.

[ Woman ] Bruford, your cousin's on line three.

[ Man ] Kyra, Sweeney wants to see you. [ Kyra ] Oh, shit.

Hello. Yeah, Flip, what's up?Hey, Bru! It's Flip.

I really need to talk to you.Yeah.

Yeah, but I can't talk about this right now. That's gotta go down right now.

Flip. Flip.Call me at Aunt Tilly's.

Yeah, all right. Okay, later. Thanks.

[ Phone Rings ]

Minority Development.

Bruford, I need to talk to you. [ Shouting ]

I've got an office full of angry Latinos. This is really getting to be bullshit.

[ Man ] ¿Que? Oh, not you. Lo siento.

This is getting way out of hand. I can't take it anymore.[ Shouting In Spanish ]

I need a couple of minutes of your time. Bruford--Look, I gotta go.

Hold up, hold up. What's the word, Dobbs?

Yeah, who's out next? Don't know.

Checked every trash can in the place. No new memos.

All right, Dobbs. Let yourself out, huh?

Hey, I believe y'all owe me some money.

Beat it, old man. No info, no money.That's right.

You see, that's the problem with you new Negroes.

Y'all ain't got no respect.

No respect for your elders, no respect for yourselves, nobody.

Big execs, huh? Well, y'all ain't no different than me.

Y'all don't know nothin' about what's goin' on in this company.

Oh, and you do?

You're just jealous because you've been pushin' that broom for 15 years...

and ain't got a goddamn thing to show for it!

I got my integrity. I got my pride.

I don't need to have folks go checkin' around trash baskets...

to see if I still got a job.

Oh, man, go home and put on some lotion.[ Laughs ]

Ain't y'all got no pride?

Ain't you?

Well, money ain't everything, boy.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of news...

this afternoon after the meeting.

What meeting? [ Dobbs ] Head of department meeting.

Started a while ago. Didn't y'all get a memo?

[ Groaning, Mumbling ]

I know I didn't throw it away. I'll find out what's going on.

It's gotta be in here, man.

It ain't just about you! You got Rocky on edge with all the mess-ups, man.

He's gonna see this shit here and wanna kick somebody's ass.Man, chill out.

Z knows what she's doin'. She's just messin' with his head a little bit.

You ever read The Bluest Eye?

What?It's a book by Toni Morrison.

She won a Pulitzer.Yeah, look, I know who Toni Morrison is.

You should check it out.

[ X ] I'm gonna treat you like you treat your people, Councilman!

Councilman, you're a dog! Get over there! Tell the truth!

Tell the truth!I stole the money!

Tell the truth! Who are you?I stole the money!

I stole the money!Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?

Tell the truth! Tell the truth! Tell the truth!

[ Indistinct Yelling ]

Bring that motherfucker out here!

[ Yelling ]

[ Muffled Yelling ]

[ Zora ] Bullshit author that you are, you call this knowledge?

Tellin' my man I need a smack every now and then?

[ Indistinct Shouting ]

"At times the African brother needs to administer...

"discipline to the African sister.

"He may strike you, but it is necessary...

if he is to return to his place of regal glory."

My Afro-centrifugal postulate is the result of hours...

of imperial research.

What kind of research are you doing here?

I was simply joking with my publicist.

And I guess the dough boy can smack you around when you get out of line too.

Wh-What's up? What's up? What's up, huh? Huh?Stokely, easy, okay?

You gonna beat some sense into me, motherfucker?

Huh? Huh? Come on with it!

You come on with it!You're cool, man. You're cool, but you got no groove.

Man, you stuck in the '60s, boy.

Oh, you think you're gonna change me? Huh?

You think you're gonna change me? Well, fuck you and this bitch!

Y'all don't know Fat Money, boy!

Porky Pig ass.

Call her bitch again...

and I'm gonna get to know you, Nino.

[ Kissing Sound ]

♪♪ [ Indistinct Rap ][ Spits ]

You better save your strength, punk.Hmm.

What the fuck you lookin' at?

I don't know. I don't know.

I'm 23 years old and you got me feelin' like a very old woman.

I don't understand you at all!And you never will, ho.

Stokely! Stokely, Stokely, stop! What the fuck's your fuckin' problem?

I'm gonna string your fuckin' ass up.Stoke. Stoke, please!

[ Gasps, Laughing ]

That's all you got, boy?

That shit was faggoty, boy!

[ Laughing ]Doesn't anything matter to you?

Oh, yeah. Gettin' paid!

You got anything better to offer me? Huh?

Y'all s--

Y'all motherfuckers is corny, I'm tellin' you.

Corny. So wake me up when y'all get ready to let me outta here.

I'm gonna sleep now. [ Sighs ]

[ Rocky ] Obviously, we got a problem.

What's happenin'? Hmm?

I know one of y'all got an answer.

Twice in two weeks the cops have been on our shit.

Somethin' ain't right.

Y'all are gettin' sloppy, man.

Now, we got lucky this time,

but ain't gonna be no next time.

Maybe if y'all did things by the book--

Maybe it's time for a new book.

X, I ain't in the mood, man. We change tactics when I say so.

How you sound, man? You not in the mood. When yousay so.

We're the ones that gotta make this shit work.

Hell, Rocky, you're not even around. [ Rocky ] Say what?

I'm sayin' you're not even around, Rocky.

When was the last time you deprogrammed somebody?

You don't know what we gotta do in there because you ain't been in there!

I ain't been in there? I founded the DROP Squad, man.

We know that! But this ain't the '80s, brother, it's the '90s!

And shit's a whole lot more intense!

We do whatever we gotta do to get the point across.

That's why people come to us. X, listen to me, man.

We do one thing. We talk to people.

Period. We don't hit 'em, and we don't threaten 'em.

[ Garvey ] The problem is, Roc,

these cats today, they ain't tryin' to hear nothin', man.

You gotta get their attention first.

Garvey, I don't need you guys freelancin' on me, man.

Ain't nobody freelancin' on you, brother. We got a system that works.

Just stick with it. All right?

All right.

Excuse me. [ Panting ]

Um, I need to talk to somebody in charge, please.

[ Garvey ] Bruford R. Jamison, Jr.

Your boss man must love you.

Look, man, I, uh-- I just wrapped up the biggest project of my career.

Mm-hmm.Whoo!

It's gonna be my last one unless I get outta here.

Now, come on, y'all made your point, okay? Can I just get outta here?

What's the matter, Bruford? Can't you miss a few days from work?

I got bills to pay like everybody else.

Now, y'all are messin' with my livelihood, man.Stop whinin', man.

Whinin'! Whinin'!

Maybe you need to lose that gig.

Maybe that will put your ass back in touch with reality.Reality.

Reality! Reality, boy!Reality, reality. Wake up!

Y'all the ones that's out of touch with reality!

Don't piss your pants, brother.

Them white boys don't even know you're gone, believe me.

Hey, how ya doin? [ Man ] I'm serious.

Kyra thought she was all that, and the devil kicked her to the curb.

You got to know how to play it smart.You're late.

White man wouldn't let go of my nigger toe.Thanks.

How you feelin'? [ Woman ] Aw, shut up.

I got the I-hate-my-job, but-times-are-too-tight to-quit blues.

How you sound, girl.

There's got to be a better way to serve the community.

What are you talkin' about? You do a lot of good things with the community.

Hey, didn't you get the company to participate in the National Black Family Reunion? Huh?

Right. They sponsored a jump rope contest.

"Jump for Freedom." What's that?

I was out there jumpin' for my freedom.

It's not funny.

All I do all day long is spend my time explaining away their bad judgment.

See, baby, that's your problem. You keep thinkin' they have the best interests...

of the community at heart. Uh-uh.

Honey, I know whose best interests they have at heart.

Y'all just kill me with this "they" stuff.

We are "they."

Bruford, you helped come up with that...

old, crazy Mumbling Jack campaign, didn't you?

Rosette, you're just mad because I didn't let your drunk behind pose for the poster.

So, Rosie, why don't you let me give you a hand on this General Otis thing?

I'll get us both a raise.

So what's your idea?

A half-naked lady with a chicken in between her legs?

[ Laughing ] Girl, please!

Ha, ha, ha. Girl, that was just a beer ad.

I didn't see the need for a black history lesson, okay?

I'll just pass on your help, thank you very much.

Look, we get paid to sell goods to black people. Period. [ Janet ] That's right.

By any means necessary, right?

If you want to get deep about it, go ahead, but I understood that comin' in.

Let me ask you a question. If you're a vegetarian, do you work at a meat factory?

Bruford, it's not that simple, and you know it.

It's as simple as using your common sense.

If you know Mumbling Jack is gonna tear up your liver, don't buy it.

Seriously. I mean, why make it a black-white thing, Rosette?

[ Bruford ] Right! If white folks drank this, we'd be trying to sell it to them too.

- But they don't! - Right! So what are we supposed to do?

Chase behind black folks and hold their hands...

and tell them don't eat this, don't drink that, don't buy--

Folks gotta make their own decisions. [ Janet ] That's right.

It's not my personal responsibility.

It's not.

[ Garvey ] You ain't nothin' but a token. [ Trevor ] Token!

[ Zora ] Token! [ Garvey ] Your whole department is bullshit!

Bullshit!A bunch of over-privileged Negroes!

Negroes!Tryin' to out-white each other!

Whitewash!Over-privileged? Huh? I earned my damn job!

You ain't earned shit! Shit! Shit!

It was earned for you by a lot of people you seem to wanna forget!

I haven't forgotten anybody. Look, I don't need to explain.

Oh, brother, please! You forget whoever they pay you to forget!

And you probably couldn't wait to sell Kyra out!

Sellout, sellout, sellout!No, no, no!

Kyra couldn't cut it. No, she couldn't cut it, and she quit!

She was confused. I'm not.

Look, it's a game, you know?

Sometimes in that game you gotta separate your politics from your goals.

Apparently your goal is to be a sellout.Sellout!

Sellout!All right. So what would you have me do?

Go in there and start makin' demands?

It's their company.

This is bullshit. I don't need explain myself to you...[ Screeches ]

or anybody else.Yeah, eloquent, but incorrect,

seein' as you're the one tied to the chair.Like a dog!

Wrong!Let me tell you what I think.

I don't care what you think. You don't know my life or what I'm livin'.

Nigger, I got you, baby! Right here!

I only need to know a fraction of this to know your sorry ass!

Motherfuckers like you laugh at nigger jokes with your white friends!

Nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger, nigger!With niggers like y'all,

that's all we'll ever be to them, a joke! [ Zora ] Funny, brother!

No, it ain't funny.

Y'all think y'all got it all figured out, don't you? Huh?

Y'all don't know shit, man.

Y'all don't know shit about reality.

Y'all couldn't handle it anyway, you know?

Brother, for you this is reality. You should start to deal with that!

Yeah? Well, you should kiss my natural black ass, you bald-headed piece of--

Oh! All right!

[ Groaning ]Get all the rest you can, baby. You gonna need it.

[ Gasping, Coughing ]Uh-huh.

[ Bruford ] It's all right. I got all day.

Huey, give our boy a black history minute.

I ain't goin' nowhere.

I ain't goin' nowhere.Z.

Garvey. Man, I told you.

[ Record ] Welcome to the wonderful world of the Negro. Damn.

Heritage International presents "The Negro."Look, Z,

I don't want you to get into trouble.

Come with me as we return...I'm gonna send you over with Miss Ibo.

to the glorious state of Mississippi.

The year is 1876. The place: Milford County.And what are you gonna do?

[ Record Continues ]Hell, we've tried everything.

Now we gonna do it my way.

They got us again.

Yeah. How ya doin', babe?

Come in right through the front damn window. You need a revolvin' door.

Why don't you check upstairs, see what else they might have taken.

Better yet, why don't you lay your shit out in the street?

Come on, son. A little sweat ain't gonna kill you.

Go get your hammer and nails.

I don't know when they are gonna realize that I am just here to help them, man.

Sometimes black people just--Black ain't got nothin' to do with it, brother.

You got shit to get stole, it's gonna get stole. It's simple as that.

You got to adjust to reality.

What you plan on doin' with that little-ass piece of wood, son?George Truelove, Esquire.

[ Laughing ]Oh, brother.

Brother, brother.

Oh, my man. What happened to you here?

Man, they hit me again.

They took everything this time-- All the machines, everything.

Man gets robbed more than the homeless peoples.Shit.

Look, Rocky. Look here. I got some breakfast links in the car, 20 to the pack.

Let you have them for five dollars.[ Chuckles ]

Let me think about that, Frankman.Okay.

Somebody dropped the dime on us, man.

Brought the cops this time, so...

we gotta move.Again.

Yeah.

You can't make mistakes, Roc. Not now.

Not since you made the big times.

That's you, isn't it?

[ Sighs ] Yeah.

Real nice, Roc. That's real nice, brother.

I think you're letting this thing get outta hand.

I mean, come on, Roc. We used to bring people to your house, you remember?

I mean, we talked to them. We were never a bunch of vigilantes, man.

We didn't go around kidnappin' people and bangin' their heads.

- Is that what you think we're about now? - These days, yes.

From what I'm hearin', you guys are more into beat-downs than you are enlightenment.

Maybe things are just a lot different than when we started, Skeeter.

You tryin' to convince me or you tryin' to convince yourself?

Hmm?

[ Laughs ]

[ Laughing ] Look, brother.

Now you know I'm always gonna support you, Roc.

But this ain't about beatin' folks' heads, man. It never was.

Hey, Bru![ Gasps ]

[ Mouse Squeaking ]Feelin' black yet?

[ Woman Laughing, Groaning ]

[ Man Laughing ] [ Woman ] Those little sissies.

Look, there's Bruford, Jr. and Flip.

Lord, you couldn't keep those boys apart.[ Laughing ]

[ Woman ] Oh, they're too precious.

Hey. There's my Bubu. [ Woman ] Hey, Bu.

What's up there, boy? Hey, Pop. Hey, Des. Hey, what's up, big head?

Ma, you gotta call me Bubu?I've always called you Bubu.

Flip's downstairs. He's been tryin' to get ahold of you.

I'll go get him. No, Des, you don't have to get up.

I'm just gonna drop off my laun-- No, I'll go get him!

Come in the kitchen with me, Bruford. [ Des ] Flip! Bubu's up here!

What's happenin', Bu? [ Laughing ]

Come here, man.What's up?

[ Laughing ]What's up, Flip? How you doin'?

Long time no see. I'm glad you're here. Hey, we need to rap.

Aunt Lucy, you got anything to drink? [ Lucy ] Sit down and eat some dinner.

I fixed you a plate and left you a soda.Oh, thanks, Aunt Lucy.

Come out with me, Desiree. Lenora?Bu.

[ Lenora ] Yeah?You lookin' good, like you're doin' all right for yourself.

[ Laughing ]Hey, man, everything's cool. Same old, same old.

Hey, I saw Skip the Trip. He used to play bass with us. Remember?

Oh, yeah, man. Doodle brother, right?[ Laughing ]

He said he hadn't seen you in a while.

I said, well, Bubu's workin' downtown.

He ain't got time to be hangin' around here.

Ah, come on, man. I hang out sometimes. I just got other things to do.

I hear you, brother.

That's what I'm talkin' about.

I get a gig like you got, start cuttin' these niggers loose. [ Chuckling ]

Oh, yeah?

I tell you what I was wonderin'.

You know Desiree about to drop.

I'm gonna be needin' me a real job, you know?

I was hopin' you'd put in a word for me where you work.

Yeah, but, Flip, man, it ain't that easy, man.

I ain't talkin' about no executive spot, man.

I'll work in the mail room. I'll be a runner, anything. I just need a gig.

Yeah, I know that, but--Hey, come on, man.

We family, right?

Ah, come on, Flip, man, don't give me the guilties.

Of course we're family.Then hook me up.

Flip, man, I've told you a hundred times.

You gotta go to personnel and put in an application like everybody else.

I can't make them white folks give you a job.

You can put in a word for me.No, I can't do that until you put in an application, right?

When you gonna do that, man?Hey, I'm gonna get down there.

Well, when you do that, then we can talk, man.

Flip, man, you're my boy, but...

you ain't doin' what you're supposed to be doin', man.

You know, it's-- [ Laughs ]

I'm sorry, man. Hey, man, I gotta roll.

I hear you. [ Women Chattering Indistinctly ]

Hey, look at us.

Me covered with basement soot, and you wearin' $500 watches.

Times sure have changed, huh? [ Chattering Continues ]

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I guess so, man.

[ Chuckling ]Hey, man, gotta roll.

XB's in the house!Oh, shit.

Huey, tell Harriet to let me know if Rocky comes in.

Hey, Bruford.

What's up, man? You know what?

I sure would hate to be a blue-shirt, button-on-the-collar,

wing-tip-shoe-wearin' motherfucker and be here.

XB's in the house, man.What's up, X?

[ Growls ] [ Trevor ] XB, meaning Extra Black!

B-l-a-c-k m-a-n!

[ Groaning ]What'd I get?

Hootie-hoo.Hootie-hoo.

[ XB ] So what's with Bruford now?

I hear, what we have here is a failure to communicate.

Well, I'm here to help you get your mind right.

Go ahead, man. Get outta my face.I'm gonna get in your face, boy.

From now on your name is Toby.

Whenever I call you, you will respond thusly, "Shakin' it over here, boss."

Yeah, right.I ain't bullshittin' with you.

[ Groaning ]No rest for the weary, Toby.

[ Breathing Hard ]

Shakin' it over here, boss.You're damn skippy you're shakin' it.

[ Bruford ] I am so tired of all this blacker than thou bullshit!

You're tired? What's this bullshit, Toby?

[ Garvey ] Let him taste some of that Mumbling Jack, X.Huh? Huh?

Shakin' it over here, boss!You're damn skippy you're shakin' it!

You think you can just walk around and say and do anything you want...

without gettin' called on it, huh?

You're wrong! You're wrong! Oh, no, no! I'm callin' you on it!

You're not gonna sell this shit in my neighborhood!

You're not gonna sell me to your white boys! I'm gonna force you to deal with me!

I'm gonna ride your ass until you respect me!

Do you hear me? I'm not going away!

[ Bottle Shatters ]

Does this boy know he is shit?I doubt it, X.

What'd I get?

[ XB ] All right, Bru. Let's see if your memory is good.

[ Panting ] I...

Bruford R. Jamison, Jr.,

do hereby recognize that my craving...

for total assimilation...

Mm-hmm.

was created in me...

in contempt for my physical self...

and destroyed my ability...

to appreciate and remember my past.

And that-- It's not that simple, man!

All right, y'all tell me, huh?

Now how am I supposed to get them to trust me and y'all respect me, huh? Huh?

Aw, fuck it, man. Y'all don't know, man. Y'all don't know shit!

That's bullshit, brother. You ain't special. I've been there too.

Oh, yeah? What happened, baldy? You couldn't cut it?

Watch it, motherfucker! I could cut it!

Turn me loose, X! No, I just woke up so I could enlighten knuckleheads like you!

So, is this how you...

enlighten everybody?

Huh? Brother?

Or just me?

There's no struggle,

there's no progress, brother.

"We wear the masks...

that grins and lies."

Now you look that up when you're over there.

I am having serious problems with the packaging of this deal--

Sir, I think what Rosette means is that...

if we go with the more traditional approach, it's going to be ineffective.

But if we take a more satirical approach,

which is something that I've developed right here, um,

I think it's humorous, but at the same time it's very effective.

[ Phone Beeping ]

[ Answering Machine ] Bruford here. Actually, I'm out, so leave a message.

[ Beep ] Hey, Bu, this is Flip. Where ya at?

I really need to talk to ya. Call me at Aunt Tilly's.

[ Dial Tone ]

Shit.

Well, Bruford, congratulations. I'm sure you'll have a very successful campaign.

Why, thank you, sir.

[ Man ] Congratulations, Bruford.

[ Bruford ] Thank you.

[ Cork Pops ]So, did you get what you wanted?

Hey, how about a drink, huh?

Don't play me like I'm stupid, boy.

Rosie, if you're upset because Sweeney gave me the General Otis account, don't worry.

- I gave you credit. - Upset?

Well, I don't want credit for that shit!

You knew what I was fighting against, but you--

Oh, you just couldn't wait to get in there and play the role of company man, could you?

You sold us out! Just like you did with Kyra.

Just how many asses you willing to kiss, nigger?

Rosie, this ain't about kissing ass.

It's about getting the job done.

Oh, I understand.

Completely.

Yo, Roc, we released Fat Money, and here's the Jamison file.

[ Flip On Tape ] Yeah, Bruford Jamison's providing the letter.

He works here in Minority Development.What's up?

[ Receptionist ] Hold on, please.

Who's that? That Jamison's brother?

[ Tape Rewinding ][ Sighs ] Jamison doesn't have a brother.

Then who's this?

This is a tape from his job.Everything's here except your reference letter.

Yeah, Bruford Jamison's providing the letter. He works here in Minority Development.

[ Rocky ] You seen any of this? X didn't look at it either, did he?

Why you fightin' me on this, Garvey?

You plannin' on breaking off from us, brother,

startin' your own thing?

I love the DROP Squad, Rocky.

I believe in what we're doin', but...

we losin' our edge, man.

It's time for us to redefine how far we're willin' to go.

Now either we gonna come strong like black men should, or we gonna become an old wives' tale.

- Where does it stop, Garvey? - Time dictates agenda.

Well, maybe it's time I gather some information of my own.

According to Jamison's sister's information, Jamison's people...

are from some small town in Maryland.

I'm gonna take Trevor and see what I can find out.

Now, Garvey,

I'm leavin' you in charge.

No rough stuff.

All right?

No rough stuff.

[ Dog Barking ]

[ Barking Continues ]

[ Dog Barking, Indistinct Talking ]

How you doing?

Okay.

We're looking for Otha Jamison.

Otha? Police. [ Otha ] Yo.

♪♪ [ Music Playing ]

Hell, these ain't the police.

Why don't you get yourself something cold to drink. I'll take care of this.

[ Chuckles ]

Boy, y'all a long way from 119th Street, huh?

What you know about 119th Street, man?

Hey, relax, cool breeze.

I've raised some hell in my time. I know about y'all.

- What do you know, brother? - [ Laughing ]

Man, you kill me. Gettin' all serious, lip pokin' out like that.

Remind me of Robeson in that picture The Emperor Jones.

[ Laughing ] Man, you somethin' else.

Hey, man, let me tell you something, all right? This ain't no laughing matter.

We ain't got no time to stand around this dust bowl hee-hawing with you. You understand?

Let me tell you something, young brother.

I walked the line long before y'all arrived.

Now you try holdin' hands with a skinny teenager and a preacher...

while a cracker raise a goddamn 12-gauge shotgun across your lip.

- Now that's serious business. - Mr. Jamison,

[ Sighs ] we didn't mean any disrespect.

No, you and Emperor here think things didn't start until y'all come along.

Well, it didn't! Y'all is just the next phase.

Now, you got my nephew, right?

You need some information, right?[ Gasps ] Yes, sir.

All right, Bubu, Flip, they cousins, but they more like brothers.

They spend their summers down here.

Flip? [ Otha ] Yeah.

Tilly's boy. They stay down the road a piece.They?

Flip. Desiree. The baby!

Oh, hell, man! Y'all need to do y'all homework.

Um,[ Sighs ]

respect, man.

Thanks for your time.

[ Chuckling, Mumbling ]

Goddamn.

[ Laughing ]

Bubba! Bring me some of that hogshead cheese back there, boy.

[ Chuckling ] And some crackers. And a strawberry soda.

[ XB ] One pretty lady! No! It's your mother and you didn't even know who she is!

[ Indistinct Shouting ]It's a damn shame. A damn shame!

Who is this? Who is this?[ Shouting ]

[ Indistinct Shouting Continues ]

Who is that?Recognize this? Can you see it?

Eyes, nose look familiar? Can you see it? [ Glass Breaks ]

So, we goin' by your folks this weekend?

Hmm?[ Sighs ] Yeah.

Thanks for reminding me.

Bruford, why you always dissing your people like that, huh?

What are you talking about? I'm not dissing anybody.

Look, I'm just trying to prepare you. [ Sighs ]

My family's out.

They get drunk and loud and embarrassing.

Bruford. You need to check yourself.What?

You don't even know what the deal is.So fill me in.

I'm about to shoot the biggest campaign of my career, right?

You know the thing I got to worry about the most?What?

My cousin Flip sweatin' me about gettin' him a job at the firm. Yeah, right.

That's all I need is that 'Bama nigger being there every day.Bruford. Jesus.

Baby, that boy ain't had a steady job in three years.

Now, okay, I extend myself, I get him in there. You know what he's gonna do?

He's gonna fuck me.And how is he gonna do that?

You know those white boys downtown, they think,

"Oh, Bruford, he's a...

"a safe Negro.

"He hangs out with all the other safe Negroes...

and he does whatever safe Negroes do."

All right. That's cool.

But I get that brother in there and then he goes into his regular nigger act...

and then all of a sudden they start thinkin', "Whoa.

"You know, maybe Bruford ain't all that safe.

I mean, he brought him in, he must be like him." No, no, I can't have it.

Baby, I think you flatter yourself. I do.

Because to those white boys downtown, you might already be a regular nigger.

I think you ought to be a whole lot more concerned with bringing their bullshit home with you.

Yeah, well, I guess you have me all figured out, don't you, June?

[ Huey ] Shoot at him! Knock some sense into that fool!

He don't know who he is.[ Droning ] It's a damn shame.

DROP Squad!

They're all your family! See it? They're all your family!

They're all you!They're all you!

[ Shouting Continues ]

[ Indistinct Shouting, Droning ]

It's all too much for ya now, isn't it, Bubu?

- [ Thunderclap ] - The devil's beatin' his wife!

Bruford, save the food!

[ All Clamoring ]

Grab some food here, boy!

Go ahead! Grab that, Mother!

Make it all runny with it.Hey, Ma.

Hey, Bruford.Hey, Ma, this is a friend of mine.

This is June. This is my mother.Hi.

Is this your girlfriend, Bubu?Uh, yeah.

He don't never bring none of his friends back to the house. Grab that.

[ Bruford ] Let's go now, girl. [ Indistinct Chatter ]

[ Man ] You the man. I'm gonna get with ya. Peace.

Yo, Bubu, what up, baby? What's up, what's up, what's up, what's up, what's up?

My nigger, my nigger.Yeah, what's up, man? How you doin'?

Yo, you the man, I'm the squirrel just tryin' to get a nut.

Yo, I heard you brought your lady with you. What's up?

Yeah, man, she's, um, she's back there with my mom.She is? She is?

Yo, I was just wonderin', man. What happened between you and Flip, man?

I didn't know anything happened between us.Yeah, man, well, you know,

I thought brotherman had it going on. You hooked him up with the gig and shit.

Yo, now he talkin' about leavin' town. What's up?I don't know, Luke.

Well, how did his interview go, man?Luke, I don't know.

Look, him and Des had the baby. Maybe they decided they didn't want to raise it up here.

I don't know, brother.Well, you know, that's a point. Maybe, maybe.

All right, well, I'm gonna check you out 'cause I see a little bootenanny happenin' over there.

You know what I'm sayin'? You my nigger though. You my nigger!

[ Laughs ] Yeah, that's you. All right. Yo.All right, man.

[ Luke ] Don't run from me, girl. We cousins.

[ Man ] Y'all want to see some copies of my baby's book? [ Woman ] Shoot.

I'm signing autographed copies. I'll be right there. Hi, sweetheart!

And I'm telling you, Bru, the world is changin'. I see it with my own self eyes.

I see it, and there's more and more young people that's comin' back to the church.

Is this your pie or Creola's pie?That's my pie, girl.

Oh, yeah, that's it.That ain't Creola's pie.

Where's Creola's pie?Here it is, 'cause it ain't been eaten.

[ Laughing ]Hi, Creola.

How y'all doin'? Thank you.I like your hair.

You like her hair because she's not wearin' her wig.Shh, Mom.

♪♪ [ Music, Party Chatter ]

♪♪ [ Chatter Continues ]

I'm cheatin'.Is that mine? Is that mine? Is that mine or what?

What you gonna play? What y'all gonna play?

Is that mine? Hey!Yeah!

That's it, baby. Come on, partner.Go ahead. Go ahead.

Yo, yo, Bubu, man. Why y'all call me Stink, man, huh?

Y'all been callin' me Stink ever since the third grade. What's up?

Hey, it's just a nickname, brother. Just a nickname.Oh, like Bubu?

Bubu, Stink, Stink and Bubu? Okay. [ Laughing ]

Oh, oh, oh, let me get this for you. Look here, look here.

Don't hurt yourself.[ Laughs ]

Here you go, Bubu. Mmm-mmm-mmm.

And you are? [ Bruford ] I'm sorry. Um, Luke this is June.

- June, this is my cousin-- - Stink. That's what they call me.

Stink Jones. The pleasure's all mine.Nice to meet you.

Mmm-mmm-mmm. Just turn around here, girl.

Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm.

You got a boss 98 on you, baby.I beg your pardon?

[ Laughs ] She got a bad doo-doo maker.

Excuse me.Mm-hmm.

Boss 98, boy.

Good try.Hey, Bruford!

Hey.Hey, boy. Hey.

What you drinkin' there, boy? Scotch?That's my goddamn scotch.

All right, Tilly, down.Say, by the way,

the Gospel Troubadours are going to be at Mount Cypress this Sunday.

You going to be there to see us?Uh, this Sunday?

You don't have to speak to me, Bruford.I'm sorry, Aunt Tilly.

How you doin'?I'm okay. My ankles been swellin' up on me lately.

Tilly, the boy asked you nothin' about your feet.

I ain't talkin' about my goddamn feet.

My nephew asked me about my ankles. I don't see what that got to do with you.

Nobody care about your ankles, your feet, no other part of your fat ass.

[ Tilly ] Now my ass is not fat! I was Miss Sepia runner-up of 1952.

Go to hell! [ Omar ] So how's everything down there where you workin'?

Oh, fine. Um, I brought y'all a copy of my new commercial.

[ Tilly ] Ooh, all right now. [ Omar ] Is that right?

Boy, you like that Wall Street stuff?

I don't work on Wall Street.Say, Bubu,

you think you could steer me into the right stocks and things?

Uncle Omar, I don't work on Wall Street.

No. Anyway, guess what? I got Spike Lee to be in my commercial.

That Spike Lee. You see, that's the boy who made them movies with Michael Jordan.

No, no, no, no, it ain't.Am I right? Am I right?

That's the child that wrote the movie She Don't Have It.

Um-- [ Pop ] I don't know about y'all, but I'm gettin' hungry.

Lucy? Lucy? Where's the food? It's comin'. It's comin'.

Um, anyway, before y'all eat, can y'all just take a look at my commercial?

- It's gonna just take a minute. I promise. - Hey, everybody,

Bubu's got a movie he wants to show us. Come on in.

No, no, no. No, no, no, no. It's not a movie, it's a commercial.

It starts airing nationally tomorrow, but I wanted y'all to be the first to see it...

to, you know, tell me what you think.Okay.

We've been waitin' for this. Shh. Hope it ain't a long movie.

♪♪ [ Music Playing ]

What are you stoppin' for, girl?

I gots to get on home, fix me somethin' to eat...

'cause I'm hungry!I know! I know! Why you suppose we here?

What you talkin' 'bout, girl?

I'm talkin' 'bout chicken. What else?

Can I's a-help ya?You sure can!

Ten Gospelpaks, please.Gospelpaks? What's them?

What's them? Announcer, please school these sisters.

[ Announcer ] General Otis is proud to introduce the Gospelpak.

Ten creole wings, biscuits, greens, mashed potatoes and Praise-His-Name napkins...

with a verse of scripture printed right on the front.

You know, the General uses only the finest ingredients...

and plumpest birds to bring you the tastiest chicken possible.

Take a bucket home to the family or dine with the General...

in his new Upper Room dining areas.

It's a blessing to eat chicken this good.

Whew, girl! Eatin' chicken this good's...

like dyin' and goin' to heaven!Mm-mm, it sure is, girl.

But now you can have your piece on earth!

Let me get some. Ow!Hands off, Spike. That's my piece!

Bubu!Ma, it was a parody.

Fat singers. Why they got to be so fat?

That's part of the joke, Pop. You didn't get it?

You know, we used to march to get away from stuff like that.

What's wrong with you, boy?

Where'd you get that choir, boy?

Gospel Troubadours could have done that.

I don't know about you, but it made me hungry.

Yo, Bu, man, with that pack thing, can you get coleslaw instead of mashed potatoes?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You sure can.Hey, well, then, I'm with it, man.

They don't pay you enough to do that, boy.

[ Sighs ] Look, Uncle Otha, no disrespect, but, man, this is advertising.

This is out it works on Madison Avenue. It's not what you do. It's not selling used cars, man.

Bruford, the game they're running on you,

they developed on your daddy and me.

Don't misunderstand me. I'm a businessman and a good one.

I like money too, and ain't nothin' wrong with makin' a pile of it.

But some things you don't sell.

You remember that.

What's your rush, Bubu?

I'm really not in the mood for you, Lenora. Okay?Yeah, well, I'm not surprised.

You need to check yourself, big brother. You really do.

Okay, I'll do that.While you're at it, why don't you ask Flip how he's doing?

I mean, since you were so kind to put in a good word for him at work and everything.

[ Scoffs ] Lenny, I don't have time for this. Come on, June.

No, no, you come on.

I don't even know you anymore. Okay?

You come from these same streets, man. It wasn't that long ago.

You know, Lenny, it's real easy for you to talk about what I ain't doin'.

You're too scared to even leave this house.This is my home.

Yours too. Maybe you should remember that!

No, no, no, no. My home is downtown.

Look, I don't need some lecture from you.

Who do you think you are to pass judgment on me anyway?

I'm the one who's sick and tired of you acting like you're ashamed of us.

Oh, you're tired? I'm tired of you trying to tell me how to live my life!

Yeah, while you're sittin' up here in Mommy and Daddy's house talkin' about the world,

I'm out there every day gettin' my ass kicked by it, so back the fuck off me! Just--

[ Sighs ]

Get in the car.

[ Door Slams, Engine Starts ] Hello, this is Lenora Jamison.

Yeah, I talked to someone about my brother.

And-- [ Sighs ] I think it's time.

It's all too much for you, isn't it, Bubu?

- Bubu. - [ Laughing ] Bubu.

That's what your grandmother used to call you, isn't it?

- Or do you even remember? - You're too far away now, aren't you?

It's all so vague.[ Indistinct Shouting ]

See, Bruford, I know where it starts. Yeah, I been there.

- I've been there. - You've got new friends and new ideas.

- Something's got to go. - So, you decide to cut your whole life loose.

You decide to forget about your past.

[ June ] All that embarrassing shit that other black folks do. That, that ain't you.

No, not no more. You've become a new-style Negro.

You figure the way to get what you want and keep it--

...is to put those old ways up and the people with them.

[ Garvey ] But do you even remember, Bubu?[ Indistinct Shouting ]

Do you even remember...

those people you try so hard to forget?

To forget?

- To forget? To forget? - Bubu.

- To forget? - It's a damn shame.

[ Clicking ]

♪♪

[ Children Chattering ]

[ Crowd Chattering ]

[ Chattering Continues ]

[ Children Laughing, Shouting ]

[ Laughing, Shouting Continues ]

Let's see who's the fastest.

Go! Uh-oh, you gonna race?I'll beat you.

[ Girls Laughing ]

Hey, Ricky, what you doin'? Tryin' to kill yourself, man?

[ Ricky ] No.

Um, excuse me.

Are you with the DROP Squad?I beg your pardon?

I was told to meet someone--Hey, Ricky, tie your sneaker, babe.

I'm sorry. Never mind.So you, like, the king of the mountain here?

Is that your game you playin'? Yeah. [ Ricky ] Yeah.

All right, let's see how fast you can go to the top.

What you gonna do when you get there?

Look, uh, if you're not with them, then what I'm sayin' makes no sense, okay?

But if you are, [ Sighs ]

you've had my brother for two weeks, and that's too long.

I want him released.

[ Man ] It's Fat Money. [ Man #2 ] Yo, Fat, where you been, man?

Hey, you guys, be careful, all right? I'll see you next week.

Bye. [ Children ] Good-bye.

I changed my mind, okay? I want him out.

Do you hear me? [ Fat Money ] Fuck that shit.

Hey, motherfucker, we ain't got shit to talk about!

B, let's get the fuck out of here. Yo, chill, Fat. Chill. Chill.

Fuck you then, man! Fuck you, bitch! Let's get the fuck out of here.

[ Gunshots ] [ Man ] Oh, shit! Run! Run!

[ Children Clamoring ] [ Man ] Yo, he just pumped Fat money, man!

[ Tires Screeching ] [ Woman ] Oh, no, baby! Wake up, baby! Wake up! Oh, no!

[ Woman Sobbing, Crowd Clamoring ]

[ Sobbing, Clamoring Continue ]

Who is that?Damn, that's Fat Money. He got pumped!

[ Sobbing ]

[ Siren Wailing, Sobbing Continues ]

I got to get back to the yard in a minute.

Hey, is Bu in some kind of trouble?No, no, as a matter of fact,

um, we're trying to help him.

Bubu's a good man.

With the job he's got, he's just busy, that's all. The city'll do that to you.

[ Desiree ] Flip? [ Flip ] Hmm? Hey, baby.

Hey, sorry I took so long. The bus just up and stopped.

Hey, baby, uh, this is Rocky and, uh, Trevor, was it?

They came down from the city to talk to me about Bruford.

I can tell you all you need to know about him in one word.

He's trifling. How's my baby?She's sleeping.

Miss Macom. What did Bruford do?

Hey, nothin'. Bru didn't do nothing.

Yeah, you got that right. I don't trust Bruford no further-- Desiree.

[ Rocky ] Anything you can tell me about Bruford might be helpful.

Anything at all.

Look, Bruford's not to be trusted.Desiree, that's enough.

No, these men want to know about Bruford. Why don't you go on and tell 'em?

I tried to get somethin' goin' on.

I ran out of time, that's all.

What does that mean?

Flip, tell 'im. Tell the truth and shame the devil.

[ Engine Chugging ]

[ Shuts Off Engine ]

How'd the trip go?All right, man. Real good.

I think we got him. [ Laughing ]

I sent Trevor over to the squad to check out everything.That's cool, Roc.

We, uh, we need to rap, man.Yeah? What's up?

You know that kid we had?

Fat Money?Yeah.

He's dead.

[ Thunder Rumbling, Rain Falling ]

[ Sniffs ] What happened, man?

Somebody shot him, man.

Mali took it pretty hard, man. She, um-- She quit.

I couldn't talk her out of it.

[ Sighs ]Hey, Roc,

did you ever get a chance to rap with him, man?

[ Sighs ] No.

I got hung up.

[ Sighs ]

Yeah, man.

This shit's getting crazy, ain't it?

- Wake up, Bruford! - Bru, it's for your own good, man!

Bubu, what's up? They told me about you. Oh, look at you! You look a mess!

What the boys at the club say, huh? What will they say?[ Groans ]

You don't deserve them damn dreads!

Oh, my God, Bruford, your 'fro is so fucked up.

Just one dollar, Bubu. What's up?Take 'em all!

Let me help you out! Here we go!Here!

Oh, my God, he needs a blowout![ Grunts ] Tick, tick, tick, boom!

♪ Hey, ho What's the matter with your afro that won't grow ♪

♪ Ain't you a natural ♪

[ Indistinct Shouting ]

A dollar to fuck you there!Bruford, let me borrow your spaceship, man.

- I want to take your sister out! - I've changed, I've changed.

You've changed a little bit too much.

You've changed into something nobody can get with, not even your family.

You don't even know who you are, man.

Stop me when something piques your interest! Jomo Kenyatta.Who are you?

Governor Orval Faubus. Flashlight. Emmett Till.[ Repeating ] Who are you?

Autherine Lucy. Jack Purcells. Martin Delaney.[ Repeating ] Who are you?

John Carlos. Tommy Smith. U.N.I.A.[ Repeating ] Who are you?

Sharpeville. DROP Squad. [ Repeating ] Who are you?

Deprogramming and Restoration of Pride.Who are you?

Hit your shit, Toby! Hit your shit, Toby!

Hit your shit, Toby!I'm shakin' it over here, boss.

I'm shakin' it over here, boss.I don't see you shakin' shit!

I swear to God, I'm shakin' it!X! X!

What do y'all want from me? X! X!

What do you want from me? What do you want?

[ Panting ] What do you want from me?

Please, what do you want from me?

[ Bruford Panting ]

Thanks for minding the store, Garvey.

What do y'all want from me?What do we want, Bu?

Right now we just want you to listen, brother.

Huey.

You've got everything here except your reference letter.

Uh, yeah. Bruford Jamison's providing the letter.

He works here in Minority Development.

[ Receptionist ] Uh, hold on. [ Bruford ] Hello?

A Mr. Macon is here for Bruford Jamison.Tell him it's Flip.

He says I should tell Mr. Jamison it's Flip.

Mr. Macon says Mr. Jamison has agreed to provide us with a reference for him today.

[ Bruford ] I, uh-- Jamison's busy right now.

[ Receptionist ] This will only take a minute. We do need the reference to--

[ Bruford ] Yeah, right, okay. But I'm busy right now.

I don't have time for this, okay?I'm afraid we can't wait, sir.

Hello? I'm sorry. Mr. Jamison isn't available.

[ Flip ] What are you talkin' about?

Did you talk to Bruford Jamison?Yes, sir. And if he's unable--

Call him again, please. Call him again!Sir, I--

Perhaps you can come back at another time.Give me the phone, man.

I'll call him.Sir, you're gonna have to leave.

Hey, hold on. You ain't gotta be puttin' your hands on me.

Then let's go.I said you ain't gotta be puttin' your hands--

Hey, Bruford! What about Desiree and the baby?

You know I need this job! Bruford! Bruford!

[ Static ]

Hmm.

Who is that?

Anybody know who that is?

[ Mumbling ]You know who that is, Bu?

[ Panting ]

I think you do, brother.

[ Mumbles ]I think... you know exactly...

who it is.

Flip. Help me, Flip. Help me.

Oh, man, look how they got you.

Y'all got to have him all trussed up like he's some kind of animal?

Get him a chair.

[ Sets Chair Down ] Have a seat, brother.

They wanted me to talk to you.

[ Sighs ] Hell, I don't know what to say.

You and me, we were, we were Cisco and Pancho, remember, man?

[ Chuckling ]

[ Bruford Mumbles ]I know. It was a long time ago.

And it looks like you grew up and I didn't. I know.

Oh, but we were tight, man.

I-I'm not tryin' to say that you turned your back on me.

'Cause I know you'd never do that. Just like I'd never turn mine on you.

Hey, man. [ Rocky ] Leave him. He's okay.

[ Mumbles ] [ Flip ] Me and Des, we're gonna be all right.

I love you, Bu,

but I needed you.

I know a lot of it was on me, and I don't deny that.

I just needed you a little bit.

You were my brother, you know?

[ Mumbles ]

Look, I got to get on out of here.No. No.

Please, I need you.

I need you.

You know, Bu,Yes?

sometimes when you get over the wall,

you got to throw a rope back,

not help them build it higher.

You can't earn your way out of this, brother.

You and me,

we're linked.

These are always gonna be your people, man.

Always.

So, you just can't be responsible for yourself.

'Cause you're not in this alone.

And more importantly,

you didn't get where you are today by yourself.

Come back, brother.

I'm through with this guy.

You're free to go, Bu.

Garvey, it's on you.

"We wear the mask that grins and lies."

[ Groans ]

No. Please.

Dunbar, right?

[ Cuts Rope ]

I thought a lot about that line.

The thing is, brother,

some of us have to wear the mask in order to survive.

But you--

You can't wait to wear it.

[ Cuts Rope ]

[ Flip ] Come on.

I'll take you home.

Oh, Flip.

Help me, Flip.

[ Flip ] Come on.

I'll take you home.

How ya been?Is that concern I hear?

How've I been? [ Sighs ]

I've been busy. [ Sighs ]

You know, I'm just, uh, sortin' some things out here. [ Drops Book ]

Uh, that is what I'm supposed to be doing, right? Huh?

You know, gettin' in touch with myself.

- I didn't know what else to do. - You didn't know a lot of things.

If I thought they would hurt you, I wouldn't have called them.

Yeah, well, if I knew they were gonna do what they did to me,

I guess I would have ran faster.

You were out of control.You were way the fuck out of line!

I love you. Y-You know that.

But if it meant you'd come back to us, I can't say that I wouldn't do it again.

Lenny...

I haven't gone anywhere.

I mean, at least, not any place I can't come back from.

Bruford, you can call me at home if you need to talk, okay?

I'll see ya.

That's two dollars, my brother.

Come on and get one of these specials, man.

What's a Rodney King?That's a scrambled egg sandwich. Good choice.

Check this T-shirt out, man.Oh, no thank you, man.

Everybody gonna be wearin' 'em.It doesn't bother you to exploit folks like that?

A lot of those people paid a heavy price for us.Better me than the white man.

This is business.We're gonna employ qualified members...

of our homeless community as laborers on this project, That Jenkins is a good man.

so that they can have a stake in the building of their own futures.

Is it true that the F.B.I. pressed you into this project?

The F.B.I.N.-- Frustrated Black Folk In Need.

Look here, I got them Polish franks today. Eight to the pack, buns to match.

Them things got gristle in them.My meat ain't got no damn gristle, man.

But, look here, come on out to the car with me. I got a bargain for you.

I'm with that.

Come on, man, look at this here meat.You got any scrapple?

Hootie-hoo! Put that on a T-shirt.

[ Groaning ] Garvey, I'm outta here.

Take him down. Get him squared away.Done.

Trevor, call Harriet. Tell her we're on our way. [ Trevor ] Cool!

Let's go! We're outta here! [ Garvey ] Y'all go ahead.

I'll catch up. Where ya goin', Roc? [ Tires Screeching ]

I'm gonna leave it in your hands, brother.

What you talkin' about?

Talkin' about steppin' down.

You're quittin'! Look...

maybe my way just doesn't work anymore.

Roc, I know we disagree on things, but... Garvey.

we've always--You know, I never even talked to Fat Money.

I just let him go back out into the street, man.

I never even talked to him, Garvey.

Peace.

Come back, brother.

Yo, Roc!

Let's talk.

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

We're back. Welcome back to WBLB.

I'm Leo Yurby sitting in for brother Raheim Muhammad.

This afternoon I'm joined by Police Chief Willy Styles,

community activist Brother Jamal,

as well as avowed conservative Dr. Norris Fleet.

[ Fleet ] What gives these maniacs the right to snatch people off the street?

Maniacs? Where will that lead? If we had an ongoing debate...

and we couldn't come to terms, what would happen?

I'd probably bust you in the grill. [ Yurby ] Hold on, caller.

Respect now. Oh, I'm sorry.

Respect, brother. Respect.

[ Indistinct Radio Conversations Continue ]

Come back, brother.