Original subtitles

Come on, Herman. We don't live here anymore.

Bow: After sharing a bed with my entire family on the commune

and then a room with my little sister,

I was so excited to finally get my own space.

So, I guess this is goodbye.

Unless you want me to stay a little longer.

Wait! I forgot my pink scrunchie!

How nice is this?

Not nice at all.

Your room looks like you're on punishment.

Yeah, you need to hang up some pictures or posters

or something.

Oh.

Well, I think I have a poster of the periodic table.

Uh...Periodic Table is her favorite band.

Isn't that right, Rainbow?

No. It's just science.

I don't really listen to music.

It's like you're trying to be a weirdo.

Here, let us help you out.

When you're young, music is the thing

that defines your identity -- how you dress and how you talk.

So according to my friends,

I basically had no idea who I was.

New Edition...

Debbie Gibson...

Micaela's "Star Search" audition?

Oops. That's private.

This is the best of everything.

Now it's up to you to find out which ones you like.

And soon.

These walls make me clinically depressed.

I learned that from my mom.

Hmm.

♪ In the mix ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, they keep trying ♪

♪ But they can't stop us ♪

♪ 'Cause we got a love ♪

♪ That keeps rising up ♪

♪ In the mix ♪

♪ Life turns around ♪

♪ 'Round and 'round it goes ♪

♪ Ooh, it's a mixed-up world ♪ ♪ Ooh, it's a mixed-up ♪

♪ And that's for sure ♪ ♪ Mixed-up ♪

♪ In the mix ♪ ♪ Baby ♪

♪ We're gonna get by ♪ ♪ We're gonna ♪

♪ On our own, side by side ♪

♪ Love's all we need to be free ♪ ♪ Lo-o-o-ve is all ♪

♪ I got you, you got me ♪

♪ Yaaaaay us! ♪

♪ I-I-In the mix ♪

♪ Yaaaaay us! ♪

♪ I-I-In the mix-ish ♪

Good morning.

-Hey. -Hey, Mom!

Here's the necklace you wanted to borrow for tomorrow night.

Ah, thanks, sis.

Though I'm 50/50 on it.

I may want to let my cleavage do the talking.

-Mm. -Hey, Rainbow, come on!

Your breakfast is getting cold!

I'm giving her 30 more seconds,

and then I'm eating her fish bacon.

I told you giving Rainbow her own room was a mistake.

She's probably in there doing drugs.

-Hey, guys. -Hi.

Sorry I slept in.

I'm trying to figure out what posters I should put on my walls,

so I was up late listening to music to see what I like.

Yeah! I remember those days. [ Laughs ]

I spent a lot of nights listening to whatever album

I could get my hands on. Mm-hmm.

And back then, there was -- there was meaning behind music.

You know, it -- it changed the world.

Wow. Pretty cool, Dad.

It was!

Babe, when Rainbow decides what speaks to her,

we can get tickets to her first concert.

-Really? -Absolutely.

It would be like us with Jimi.

Oh! When we saw him...

Mm. ...play the national anthem at Woodstock...

Mm-hmm, it was an exciting time.

Oh, it was such a terrible time.

All that anti-war music drowning out the greats,

like Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole.

Ahh!

The glory days when black singers sounded white.

Well, Motown was my jam. [ Chuckles ]

I can't lie, I became a woman to Smokey Robinson.

Oh, my God. [ Pager beeps ]

Oop! Speaking of getting my freak on --

So, is anything speaking to you yet, sweetie?

This song "Only in My Dreams" by Debbie Gibson.

It's about a girl who broke up with a boy,

so now she can only be with him in her dreams.

It's so deep.

Good Lord. Mm-hmm.

Uh, we have to get to school.

Let's go get our bags.

Why do I feel like I just lost a daughter?

Disappointed in your kid's choices?

Now you know how I've felt for the last 40 years.

How can that crap speak to her

when it doesn't say anything at all?

I should go throw that tape away.

I'm not in love with this Debbie...whoever

any more than you are,

but Rainbow's on a musical journey.

We have to let her... walk her own trail.

Good Lord. N-- Relax.

You know how teenagers are with this sort of thing --

if you put your foot down,

then they will dig their heels in even more.

[ Sighs ]

Come on, let's help pack up the kids.

Yeah, I gotta check Johan's bag

ever since he brought Denise's wig to show and tell.

What's stuck in your craw?

Besides the fish bacon.

I was all excited 'cause this guy I'm seeing

was supposed to take me to some fancy-pantsy

boat charity tomorrow night, but now he has to work.

Oh, the Streets to Seas Gala?

Yeah.

So, what, you're dating a --

He's black.

'Course he is.

Where did you meet this fine gentleman?

At work.

He complimented my neckerchief

when I handed him his boarding pass.

The connection was electric.

He's so different from the guys I usually date.

He's a doctor.

So he's not good enough to fly private.

But...congrats.

Dag!

This was supposed to be the first bougie thing

he was gonna take me to.

Bougie in a good way.

Not Alicia's bougie "I can only catch a poor man" way.

Hey, look, I love that gala.

If the white doctor has to work, I'll take you.

He's still black.

But you'd do that for me?

Well, my coffee is mostly Scotch,

you, uh, took a clever jab at my son's expense,

and it's a charity that teaches poor kids how to sail,

so...why not?

Alright. Let's do it.

You're not gonna wear that, though, right?

Don't worry about what I'mma wear.

Hey! I was looking for you.

How'd you like the tapes?

I liked the New Edition one, even though I feel bad

Bobby Brown got kicked out of the group.

I hope he finds something.

He won't.

Also, I forgot to give you this.

Eric B. and Rakim.

If you like them, they're coming to town next week.

Maybe one of your parents can take us --

as long as it's the black one.

They actually said they'd take me to my first concert,

so I'll see what I think.

Just make sure you listen to it on this

so the teachers don't trip.

And if the teachers found me with rap music,

they definitely would've tripped.

Today, rap is a global force that touches everything

from fashion and art to language and culture.

But this wasn't always the case.

In 1986, the only thing mainstream about rap

was the controversy about the taboo lyrics

and the news stories about violence at concerts.

Rap literally had a bad rap.

Clever, right?

I'm a doctor now.

[ Record scratches ]

[ Eric B. and Rakim's "I Ain't No Joke" plays ]

I'll never forget the exact moment I fell in love with rap.

[ Rapping ] ♪ Now I slam it when I'm done and make sure it's broke ♪

♪ When I'm gone, no one gets on, 'cause I won't let nobody ♪

♪ Press up and mess up the scene I set ♪

It was a window into a world I didn't know anything about...

♪ Then you'll understand I'm just an addict addicted... ♪

...where black people had a platform

to talk about the struggle.

[ Record scratching ]

[ Click ]

That noise was Debbie Gibson?

Mm.

I'd rather listen to a breech birth.

Paul, you can't throw that away.

What? I'll just... say that Johan lost it.

Babe, you know we can't push back on this.

We have to let her find her own way.

And what if she says she wants us to take her

to a Debbie Gibson concert?

Then you can take her.

I'll probably have to work late that night.

That seems fair. [ Chuckles ]

[ Door opens ]

Guys.

[ Door closes ] Guess what.

Hm?

I finally found my new favorite artists,

and they're coming to town next week.

So will you still take me?

Who is it? So I know if I'll have to work late.

[ Chuckles ]

Eric B. and Rakim.

They're rappers.

Oh.

I'm sorry. You're not going to a rap concert.

But you said I could go.

Absolutely not. I've heard about what goes on there.

Seriously?

You tell me to go find something that speaks to me,

and now you want to take it all back?

[ Scoffs ]

Sweetheart, when is Debbie Gibson coming to town?

♪♪

♪ We're fresh to def, always come [bleep] ♪

♪ Even a blind man say we [bleep] ♪

♪ Kickin' [bleep] choice with the [bleep] [bleep] ♪

♪ I ain't no [bleep] I'm devastatin' [bleep] ♪

♪ With no de-- ♪

[ Click ]

Okay.

Debbie Gibson doesn't seem so bad anymore.

You're telling me. [ Chuckles ]

We march and fight to finally have a seat at the table,

and this is how we want to present ourselves?

Yeah. Rainbow is not listening to this.

This is the worst representation of our people.

I can't believe Johan listens to this.

Not anymore.

Plus, Rainbow is trying to find who she is,

and I'll be damned if she finds it in those lyrics.

Well, a wise woman once told me that when it comes to teenagers,

if you put your foot down, they'll dig their heels in more.

Even the wisest woman in the world is wrong once.

Well, yeah, that same wise woman told me

that we shouldn't shut down Rainbow's musical journey.

I know you're not suggesting we let her listen to this.

No.

But maybe there's another way we can change her mind.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Hey, let's grab these two tables.

Here we go.

Alright.

Kids, get ready for some good music.

With a good message. Yeah.

Guys, I know what you're doing.

Your old-timey folk songs

[ Chuckles ] are not gonna make me forget about rap.

Wait, this is her lesson?

Then why do we have to be here?!

Because it's important for all of us

to hear lyrics that have meaning.

Alicia: Mm.

In "Paid in Full," Rakim says --

[ Guitar tuning ] Shh, shh, shh. She's about to start.

I hope you enjoy hearing this song

as much as I enjoyed writing it.

This is called "Muddy Puddles."

Oh! [ Laughs ] Oh.

Buckle up, kids!

Your minds are about to be blown!

Ohh.

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Here we go.

Harrison Jackson, plus one.

[ Harp plays ]

Ah.

Brad, how are you?

Brad: Harrison.

Ah. Maureen.

Maureen: Harrison.

Ooh! Do all rich white people know each other?

Very funny.

So, you see any ex-boyfriends employed here?

No, Harrison, I do not.

Hello, Denise!

[ Chuckles nervously ] Mm!

Tony thought it was more than it was. [ Chuckles ]

But guys like that are a part of my past now.

All thanks to --

Walter?

He said he had to work.

Who is that?

Is he married?

Mnh-mnh.

You don't get to play with my heart

when I got on four pairs of pantyhose.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Cool your jets.

A future doctor's wife does not cause a scene.

So tomorrow...

when you can no longer embarrass me, then let him have it.

Fine.

[ Guitar chord plays ]

I take a step.

And yet, another step.

[ Chord plays ]

Uh-oh. You're losing her.

And us.

[ Sighs ] They're right.

This woman is just singing about dirty water.

Your plan isn't working.

Well, we'll just have to break out the classics.

[ Off-key ] ♪ And the first one now will later be last ♪

♪ For the times ♪

♪ They are a-changin' ♪ ♪ They are a-chaaaaaaaangin' ♪

♪ They are a-chaaaaaaaangin' ♪

[ Breathes deeply ] [ Sighs ]

[ Single handclap ] Thank you!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. That musical stroll through...

This is your fault.

Paul: Alright, we'll be back real quick.

We are Milk and...

Chocolate! [ Chuckles ]

[ Laughs ]

-Whoa. -[ Sighs ]

[ Laughs ] [ Clears throat ]

So, what did you think?

It was amazing.

Do you understand why we didn't want to buy the rap tickets now?

I do.

I can't wait to get home and listen to your other records.

Oh! Well, let's hit it.

'Cause, honestly, my voice is shot, anyway.

We didn't have the proper warm-up time.

[ Sighs ] Oh. I couldn't tell.

Like, at all.

I could.

[ Indistinct conversations, harp plays ]

See what I can spend money on.

Oh.

You know, I have to say

that, uh, I'm very impressed

that you decided not to confront --

Who do you think you are?

Please don't make a scene.

Yeah, what happened to us

not getting thrown out before dinner?

Don't worry. I just have one question.

Why didn't you tell me you had a wife?

What? I'm not married.

Then who's that average-looking lady

pretending to laugh at your jokes?

Oh, that's Susan. She's no one.

You'd rather bring "no one" here instead of me?

Okay, you said you had one question.

Look, I like you, but this isn't really your scene.

Baby, you got a punch card at Beefsteak Charlie's.

I didn't see you complaining last week

when you had a mouth full of rump roast.

If you're gonna humiliate me,

can you at least try to stay focused?

Denise, you're great.

But when it comes to events like this,

someone like Susan just makes more sense.

Oh.

I get it.

I guess I'm just a Beefsteak Charlie's girl.

Thanks for letting me know.

[ Glass thuds ]

You are a sorry excuse for a man.

That is my family you just disrespected.

You two are related? [ Clears throat ]

What, you're shocked because she's black and I'm white?

It's 1986. Grow up.

You better hope I don't see you at the valet,

or I will run you over with my Ferrari.

I have a Ferrari.

My parents said they weren't gonna buy me tickets,

but they didn't say I couldn't get tickets.

[ Dialing ] You've always been able to call in to your local radio station

and win tickets.

Please, please, please, please, please.

[ Busy signal ]

That is a busy signal.

[ Dialing ] Back in 1986, when you called someone

and they were on the phone, you heard this noise.

[ Busy signal ]

You kids -- you don't know how good you have it.

[ Dialing ]

[ Groans ]

Honestly, I wasn't sure your plan was going to work.

I was.

Teenagers are tricky, but I guess I just have that instinct.

Don't worry. You'll get the hang of it.

Okay.

[ Glasses clink ] [ Laughs ]

You guys! Rainbow's on the radio!

Why is she famous and I'm not?!

DJ: We're here with Rainbow Johnson,

who just scored two front row tickets

to the Eric B. and Rakim concert!

So, you used to live on a commune?

Rainbow: Yeah. We drank from a stream, and now I have my own room!

Fantastic. So, tell me,

what station gets you front row to all the shows?

What do you think you're doing?

Rainbow?

I got to go now.

Instinct, huh?

[ Sighs ]

Rainbow Sojourner Johnson,

you have never disobeyed us like this before.

We're really disappointed.

She doesn't deserve her own room.

But you won't even give my music a chance!

That's because it's not music.

It's a terrible message

that spits in the face of everything we fought for.

That's what you keep saying,

but you never took the time to really listen to it.

Yes, we did. We listened to Johan's tapes --

Dad, those are completely different rappers.

You can't act like they're all the same.

You know, all you talk about is how your music opened minds,

but you sound just like Granddad.

Careful, young lady.

And you raised me not to judge,

but that's exactly what you're doing.

Because if you looked past their gold chains,

if you actually listened to the lyrics,

you'd realize they're fighting for the same things you do.

Or...did.

[ Sighs ]

That's what happens when you spare the rod.

Mm.

[ Sighs ]

We spent our whole lives fighting "the man,"

and then one day, we woke up and...

that's what we were.

Is this how our parents felt?

[ Scoffs ]

I was just trying to protect Rainbow

from being around a bad influence.

Rap is a bad influence, right?

I think so.

I mean, honestly, I -- I -- I just read some articles.

I haven't listened to it that much.

Me neither.

It just seems so... negative.

And Rainbow really likes it.

Is it bad that that scares me?

I know we worry that if Rainbow listens

to a certain kind of music, it might make her a bad person,

but that's the same thing our parents were scared of

when they tried to control us.

They said that our music would turn us into long-haired hippies

and scary people with big Afros.

I had a huge Afro.

Yeah.

You also helped change the world.

Hmm.

Turns out you're not so bad

at this "raising a teenager" thing.

[ Chuckles ] What can I say?

It's instinct.

Mm-hmm.

[ Chuckles ]

Am I really just a Beefsteak Charlie's girl?

Nah, you're definitely in Bennigan's territory.

Even dressed like this, I could see you at Red Lobster.

Look, the problem here isn't you.

I mean... it's not not you.

It's more the type of guys you date.

They all share a common...

quality.

Butts that just won't quit?

They're all like me.

Look, my Ferrari tells you what kind of guy I am.

But if you like me just for my Ferrari,

it tells me what kind of girl you are --

you like flash over substance.

It's not just flash, Harrison.

I want the whole package --

a good life, a dependable future.

[ Sighs ]

I can't believe I'm saying this,

but I want what Alicia has.

But with a haircut and a bath.

And black.

And you thought this Walter guy was gonna give you that?

I don't know.

All I know is he's a doctor, and I'm tired of being lonely.

Yeah, trust me, I understand it.

But you're not gonna find black, clean Paul

by picking someone based on their car or their job.

Pick 'em on how they make you feel, how they treat you.

And once you sort that out,

then you can check out their wheels.

I guess you're right.

So, you're lonely, too?

Pfft.

Me?

I'm up to my ears in Scotch and bimbos.

What more could a man want?

I mean... do I sometimes wish

there was someone there when I woke up in the morning?

Absolutely not.

But would I like to find someone

who won't steal my watch and run off into the night?

Eh.

Maybe.

[ Sighs ]

Hey, no more flashy dudes in Ferraris, okay?

Fine.

But if I date a history teacher with a Datsun

and I'm still not his number one,

I'm gon' get you.

[ Glasses clink ]

♪♪

Is Milk and Chocolate back for an encore?

Paul: Uh...

[ Both chuckle ]

Um, Bowdie, we're -- we're sorry

that we tried to force you to like what we like.

Yeah, we may not agree on everything,

but if it's important to you,

then we'll always trust you enough to give it a chance.

Thank you.

That's all I ever wanted.

Yeah.

I can... play you something.

Sure.

[ Grandmaster Melle Mel's "White Lines (Don't Do It)" plays ]

♪ Bass ♪

♪ Ooh, white ♪

As I would come to learn, lots of things define your identity,

including music,

which is why "who you are" is so difficult to answer.

♪ White lines ♪

♪ Visions, dreams of passion ♪

Denise.

Hang in there, buddy.

And you.

You thought I was only good enough

for Beefsteak Charlie's, but I got news for you --

Denise can go any place she wants.

Denise, we need to transport this kid to emergency surgery.

But I'm also at fault,

because I was too blinded by your little flashy doctor's coat

to see you for who you really are --

a two-timing jerk who doesn't know quality when he sees it.

Just one s-- Good day, Walter.

And good luck with whatever your problem is.

I like you.

[ Chuckles ] Thank you, baby.

But as you start to step into the person

that you'll eventually become...

What are you looking at?

...remember that your identity is for you

and you alone to decide.

Because people are gonna question it,

people are gonna misunderstand it,

and people might even try to take it from you.

♪ Freeze ♪

But as long as you hold strong to who you know you are,

that's all that matters.

♪ Rock ♪

♪ All I wanna do is sit back and kick it ♪ [ Knock on door ]

Hey, honey. [ Chuckles ]

Guess what. [ Click ]

We just made you a mixtape!

[ Squeals, laughs ]

Not to brag, but there are some very good rap bands on there.

You should brag. Oh, okay. Well...

I'll check it out.

Oh, a-and I did some research at the library.

Did you know that rap originated

from African oral historians known as griots?

And the rhyming nature of rap can be traced back

to the way slaves communicated with each other.

Yeah, that history is what makes rap so powerful.

Got you some books. [ Chuckles ]

And while I'll never forget the moment I fell in love with rap,

I'll also never forget the moment I started hating it.