Original subtitles

Previously on The Chi...

Welcome to English Lit 101.

There's nothing you can't explore on the page.

Man, just keep your head down, and do the work.

You'll be a'ight.

You don't want more for yourself?

Everybody dreams can come true.

Whose weed is this?

Mine.

Maybe I can get you some product placement

at the lounge, help you expand your clientele.

In exchange

for your fucking life, I want a cut.

I guess it's a deal we gotta take.

What a baddie right there.

Bro, that's the first lady.

How would you feel about being my assistant?

I'd be honored.

How are things going with Bakari's sister?

- Pretty good. - Remind her I'm paying her

to spy on her brother.

I need a new head of security.

And you'll have plenty of benefits.

If you don't kill me, I'll owe you one.

Make her disappear,

and I'll let you live.

I'm looking to buy Douda out.

How much you need?

The FBI found your DNA

in a burnt car near Q's body.

Now, if they can't pin this on Douda,

they're gonna find a way to pin this on you.

Don't forget to talk to Victor.

I need that weed permit.

No. Don't worry, I got you.

- Yes? - You have a visitor.

What you want?

I can't come kick it with my baby bro?

I'm writing.

- What you writing? - A book.

You writing it on your phone?

What else am I supposed to use?

Let me think.

A computer.

I ain't got one.

What's the book about?

My life.

You mean our life?

I guess.

You gon' talk about what happened to you in foster care?

Maybe.

You gon' talk about killing the nigga that killed Coogie?

- Maybe. - Who gonna read it?

I don't know.

I hope the feds don't.

I ain't using names.

Why would you confess to some shit you got away with?

That don't make no sense.

Maybe I won't publish it.

Then if you don't publish it, it'll just be a journal.

How the music coming?

Good.

Jemma my manager now.

I heard.

I also heard you came into some money.

Where you hear that at?

Jake said that you helped Jemma get her new spot.

How you go from being homeless to passing out checks?

I hustled.

And I don't remember you offering me

a place to lay my head.

Yeah, 'cause you can't come in here messing up my spot.

You ain't gotta worry about me.

I can fend for myself.

Like you been doing since we was kids?

Right.

I'm sorry I didn't come back for you.

It wasn't your fault.

Yeah, but...

I should've tried to find you.

Yeah.

You should've.

I'm here now.

Hey...

don't go telling your business in that book.

We don't need no paper trails around here.

All right?

Yeah.

Can't go wrong with any of 'em.

I got something I wanna show you.

Why you giving me this?

I wrote my pages in a notes app.

This isn't very readable.

Ah, you want me to shorten it?

No.

I want you to inject some punctuation

and break it up into paragraphs.

No. Go sit. Sit down.

Okay...

if you want me to help you with this,

you need to take this seriously.

I do.

I spent hours writing that.

You want my feedback,

which means I need you to send it to me

so I can get you these thoughts.

Okay, cool.

I'll-I'll text it to you.

You don't have a laptop?

Nope.

Well, I think now is the time to invest in one,

especially if you wanna lean into this.

Okay.

I will.

And don't text me pages.

Email.

Bet, old man.

Ooh?

- Ooh. - All right.

Douda wants me to take out Alicia.

You can't kill my man's mama.

I don't wanna kill anybody.

But Douda said it's either her or me.

She crazier than Douda.

What should I do?

Why you asking me?

Did you talk to Kiesha?

I ain't trying to be in the middle of y'all shit.

Tiff, this all of our shit.

Besides, you know Alicia better than Kiesha do.

It's better to have Alicia as your ally than your enemy.

What if I tell her Douda told me to take her out?

Why the fuck would you do that?

So she'll owe me one.

What if she kills you?

I don't think she would.

I think she'll be grateful I told her the truth.

And once she knows Douda wants her dead,

it'll make Alicia wanna take him out before he gets to her.

So what do you need from me?

I need you to take me to her.

If you don't wanna spend the rest of your natural life

in a cage,

you better have that permit.

I'll get it done.

I know.

The Black Caucus is willing to make

a hefty donation to ROCK in exchange for your vote.

I told you I can't be bought.

Yes, you can.

That's politics.

Now, let's make sure we don't leave here

without some folks owing us a few favors.

First let me thank the mayor

and my fellow city council members.

Like the mayor said, this budget,

it isn't perfect, but it has potential.

And I'm a firm believer that if we expect to see real change,

then we have to work together,

even if that means voting for something

that doesn't give us everything we want.

Getting everything we want right away

isn't realistic.

But I believe, in time,

we will find a more middle ground.

And until that day comes...

I'll be voting yes on the mayor's budget.

Traitor! Traitor!

Traitor! Traitor!

Traitor! Traitor!

Skip you, and draw four.

Damn, Papa, that's how you gon' do me?

Come in. Come in.

Smokey's is reopening.

That ratchet-ass place?

Nah, I'm good.

That's just sad.

Mm, don't nobody wanna eat at the chicken spot

that got shot up.

People got short-term memory.

They'll be back.

You promise?

Yeah. Smokey's will be fine.

Mm.

You plan on managing full-time

when the crowds come back?

Actually, I'm accepting your dad's job offer.

- I didn't know he offered you a job. - Yeah.

Everything's been moving so fast,

I just didn't have time to tell you.

What are you gonna be doing over there?

He wants me to be his assistant.

Huh.

What?

Just be careful.

I know some people think your dad

is too flashy for a preacher.

Your dad used to think that.

What if he was wrong?

So he was right about me but wrong about my dad?

Don't worry. I'm happy for you.

I think it'll be good for me.

I hope so.

I don't fuck with Douda.

What does that have to do with me?

I saw y'all kissing earlier.

What does that have to do with you?

If we gon' do business together,

I need to know that nigga ain't involved.

He's not. This my shit.

That's what everybody says

until they get killed or owe him a favor.

My relationship with him is transactional,

just like the one between us.

This... this is business.

So, Tiff, you can relax.

♪ And I'll do me ♪

♪ You're still you ♪

♪ And I'm still me... ♪

Okay?

Try it again.

Now we're talking.

Now we're talking.

♪ I'm her ♪

♪ The one you gon' remember ♪

♪ Oh, I'm her, I'm her... ♪

- You hear that? - Hmm?

She got a whole song out

but can't tell you shit about Bakari.

- Who? - Britney.

♪ Oh, yes, I am, oh, yes, I am ♪

♪ I'm her... ♪

I'm just saying, she got a job to do,

and I don't see her doing it.

Go find her.

♪ Who you gon' be down for ♪

♪ I can make you feel good ♪

♪ I can leave you shivering ♪

♪ I can make you feel like ♪

♪ Shopping sprees and Benjamins... ♪

So is it gonna be the both of y'all or just one?

Just me. Tiff drove.

All right, bet.

Tiff, would you mind waiting in the living room, please?

Mm.

Remember what I told you.

I got it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on.

My bad. I gotta pat you down first.

Really, nigga?

Come on, man, I ain't trying to lose my job.

Come on, man.

Look, I promise I won't be too thorough, okay?

You better not.

Come on, man, I'm just trying to follow

proper protocol, that's all.

You ready?

Uh... is this a good time?

It's never a good time to bother me.

Um... I don't mean to bother.

What do you want?

Douda asked me to kill you.

Is that right?

And he said if I don't kill you,

he's gon' kill me.

Then you're a dead man walking.

Maybe not.

I don't wanna kill you.

I don't wanna kill anybody.

It's not that you wanna kill me.

You can't.

You don't have it in you.

I could kill somebody if I wanted to.

You tried, and you failed.

But I could have, though.

Why are you telling me this?

We both want Douda dead.

That's true.

Me and Rob couldn't kill him.

But I think you could.

Why do Black women have to do everything?

As a Black man standing before you,

I'm not asking you to save me.

Then what are you doing?

I'm accepting your offer

to buy Douda out of my businesses.

I heard that Smokey's is a ghost town

ever since Douda's goons shot it up,

so I don't know if my offer still stands.

With your help, we'll be back stronger than ever.

I'm still a great investment.

And why is that?

Smokey's is more than just a restaurant.

It's a place for our community. It brings people together.

And according to Douda,

the spot in Harlem is doing numbers too.

And have you been to the spot in Harlem?

Not yet.

But you trust Douda?

I didn't think so.

I'd rather be under your thumb than his.

Why would you wanna be under anybody's thumb?

I don't really have a choice right now.

And once my brother helps me get my money right,

I'll buy you out, too,

with interest.

Oh.

Well, that's big talk.

And what if I tell Douda what you're doing?

That doesn't serve you.

Then what does?

Having me in your pocket.

I'll put you in my Hermès bag.

You'll have a security detail from now on.

And they'll make sure that your business

and your little family are safe.

Thank you.

And then I'll come to Smokey's

and take a look around and try the food.

You'll love our short ribs.

I don't eat meat.

Oh, well, we got vegan options.

Very smart.

Hmm.

And make sure your books are in order.

I look forward to serving you.

I look forward to being served.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Emmett, I think something's wrong.

Ah, welcome home, my child.

I'm not your child.

But you're a child of God, aren't you?

Yes, sir.

Then I'm welcoming you into your Heavenly Father's house.

In here, we're all his children.

- I understand. - Good.

You came ready to preach?

Come again?

I want you to speak to the youth congregation tonight.

Tonight?

I don't have anything prepared.

Do you think I would throw you into the deep end

with no life jacket?

That's what it feel like.

The Lord is your shepherd.

He will guide you on your task.

Right, but I need actual words to say.

When you're up there, the words will come to you.

Is that what you do?

Oh, yeah.

I'm the Jay-Z of pastors.

I don't write anything down.

I just ask God to guide me and-and make sure

our harvest is abundant.

And he provides.

God always provides.

God...

or your congregation?

It's all the same to me.

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go! Hell no...

You okay?

You don't have to pretend to care.

Oh, I'm not pretending.

Come get your permit and go, please.

Politics isn't meant to be easy.

That's why I didn't wanna do it.

You'll figure it out.

Whatever.

Just remember, everything is transactional.

If you do something for somebody,

make sure they can do something for you.

I just did something for you.

What you gonna do for me?

What do you want?

I don't want people to hate me.

Well, I can't fix that.

But I can let people know

that you helped me in my time of need.

How's that gonna help?

Good word of mouth goes a long way.

If people know that you really care,

they'll go easier on you,

even if...

you don't do things their way.

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

Hey, I got a big job next week.

You want in on it?

I can't.

I'm already booked.

With who?

Alicia.

Rob's bougie mama?

- Man, she not that bougie. - Oh.

What, you her new gigolo or something?

Man, hell nah.

Then what you over there doing?

I'm her new head of security.

Well, what you over there securing?

Oh, man, knock it off, man.

Did she buy you that coat?

She gave it to me.

Yeah, probably belonged to one of her old niggas.

So what?

Yeah, you definitely rocking a hand-me-down.

Shit look like it's from the '80s.

If I was you, I'd be checking the pockets for cocaine.

Shut up, man.

Alicia a respectable businesswoman, man.

Yeah, she got a business.

I don't know how respectable it is.

Just be careful, brother.

Wow.

Wow.

This is beautiful.

Bianca ain't here.

No, I was, uh... I was actually looking for you.

And what the fuck you want with me?

I wanted to see how your boyfriend was doing.

Heard he got shot.

You know, it would have been a shame

if we lost him.

You're a miserable man, you know that?

Stay away from me and my family.

Well, I'm sorry.

That's gonna be hard to do, Tiffany,

because you see, your man and I,

we're in business together.

Yeah, not for long.

I'm sorry. What did you say?

- Nothing. - Mm.

Can you do me a favor

and make sure that Bianca gets these?

She'll know who they're from.

She don't even like you like that.

Excuse me?

She told me what y'all got is purely transactional.

Is that what she said?

Yup.

But I'll...

She can't have the flowers now?

No. I'll make sure she get 'em.

I don't trust your ass anyway.

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

Hell no! We won't go!

In an unexpected turn,

Aldermen Victor Taylor, who was elected

on his platform of defunding the police,

voted yes on the mayor's new budget,

which would increase their budget significantly.

I'm here with a crowd growing outside his office

who are calling him a traitor.

And some are even calling for his resignation.

Look, this will pass.

Everybody goes through it.

Once you get that donation,

all will be right with the world.

Sure?

Traitor! Traitor!

Traitor! Traitor!

Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!

Traitor! Traitor! Traitor!

So this is the first time you've noticed these symptoms?

Yes, I've never heard him cry like that.

Were there any autoimmune diseases

or genetic irregularities

detected in his newborn screening?

We never did that.

Can you help us figure out what's wrong with him or not?

Are there any known genetic diseases

in your families?

I'm not his father.

Do you know who the father is?

How y'all know I was here?

I've got eyes everywhere.

Right now is not a good time.

Why is Alicia still alive?

Our son is sick.

And she sent her son to kill me.

Get it done.

What's going on?

♪ Amazing grace ♪

♪ How sweet the sound ♪

♪ That saved a wretch ♪

♪ Like me ♪

♪ I once was lost ♪

♪ But now I'm found ♪

♪ Was blind ♪

♪ But now I see ♪

♪ Amazing grace ♪

♪ How sweet the sound ♪

♪ That saved a wretch ♪

♪ Like me ♪

♪ I once was lost ♪

♪ But now I'm found ♪

♪ Was blind ♪

♪ But now I see ♪

♪ Amazing, he's so amazing... ♪

- What up, my boy? - What's up?

♪ He's so amazing... ♪

Thanks for pulling up.

Of course. You know I got you.

Are you here for me or the first lady?

You know, two things can be true.

♪ Was blind, but now I see... ♪

Don't trip. You got this.

Okay, these are a limited-run

exclusive partnership with

my cigar lounge and Heir Gold.

Each cigar box

is designed by a Chicago artist.

No two are the same.

Five racks.

Each.

Five racks?

Yes.

Girl, that is a lot for some weed.

It's luxury weed.

There's a difference.

- We did this. - We did do this.

I still can't believe you got the permit so quick.

I have my ways.

This place reeks of reefer.

This isn't just a cigar lounge anymore.

Well, that's unfortunate news.

But the good news

is that Douda can't touch any of this profit.

Mm.

That's something to celebrate.

Cheers, dears.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Uh...

what you give to God,

you give to yourselves.

What you invest in the church,

you invest in yourselves.

Um...

walk with total faith in the Savior's abundance

and watch that abundance pour back into your life tenfold.

Um...

when my dad died,

I felt like God had turned his back on me.

I was lost and alone.

But when I came here, Pastor Zeke told me that

God was testing me so I could have a testimony.

He said that God wanted me to live

a bountiful life, a life

filled with all the things I want and need.

Once I started pouring into my church spiritually...

And financially.

And financially,

I saw my life change.

I work here now.

And I have more money in my pockets

than I've ever had before...

and more blessings than I know what to do with.

How many of you want your lives to change for the better?

Then the time is now to start investing in yourselves

and in this powerful ministry.

These look great.

And you got 'em in on time.

You sound surprised.

I'm just impressed.

That's all.

Let me know if you need anything else.

I think I will.

Fuck y'all doing here?

Get the fuck out.

I was just about to ask you the same question.

- I'm working. - On what?

On some music.

That's not what we paying you for.

But I gotta have a front.

Otherwise, he gonna start asking questions.

I gave you 30 grand to spy on your brother,

not to be here to become a fucking failed rapper.

Who says I'm gon' fail?

There's no money in the music business.

Trust me.

I'm on it.

I hope so.

I got some info for you.

All right, speak.

He's writing a book.

About what?

About his life on the streets.

Is he using names?

I told him not to confess to nothing.

Who is this book for?

He didn't say.

I don't like the idea of him writing shit down.

- Neither do I. - Then I need for you to encourage him

to find a new hobby.

Okay.

I'm on it.

You better be.

Now that you're no longer a child,

you must put away childish things.

I can't believe they got Papa.

Your dad's a charming guy.

I know.

Not charming enough to make me write a check,

but he's charming.

I'm sure you'll fall under his spell soon enough.

Nah, I don't buy the whole "give your money to Jesus

and he'll pay it back tenfold" stuff.

I believe in earning everything I get.

Don't you steal cars for a living?

A job is a job.

Hmm.

Look like we had a good night.

How long we gotta do this?

As long as Rob's alive.

Smells expensive.

It is.

My son made a stupid deal with you.

If he didn't, he'd be dead right now.

All deals can be renegotiated.

Not this one.

Who the fuck is it?

- Who is it? - It's Bakari, man.

Damn.

Little boy, you almost got yourself killed.

My bad, boss.

How much you think we can get for this?

- Not much. - Come on.

It's gotta be worth something.

All right, you know what? I'll have Zay take a look at it,

and he'll let you know.

Any...

chance you...

think I could get an advance on my allowance?

Why do you need an advance?

I wanna buy a laptop.

So you can write your book?

- What? - Motherfucker.

You'll get your allowance

when I fucking decided to give it to you.

Get the fuck out of here!

Ronnie's sick.

Doctors don't know what's wrong with him.

I'm so sorry.

I gotta track down his father's DNA.

See if he passed a genetic disease to my son.

I thought you killed your abductor.

I did.

That's why I need your help.

Victor told Emmett you got connections with people...

people who work on sexual assault cases.

Mm.

Um...

I can make some calls.

Thank you.

What is that for?

Just completing the transaction.

Me and Coogie thought we'd live forever.

We felt invincible.

Nothing scared us.

But when he got killed,

I realized just how mortal we all are.

Any of us can be taken at any moment.

After he died, I-I used to think

about dying all the time.

Now I think about living.

I want my life to mean something.

So you gonna enroll next semester?

Douda wouldn't be here for it.

Then stop working for him.

He's keeping money in my pocket.

I don't even know what you need money for.

You ain't paying rent nowhere.

I gotta eat.

If you enrolled in school and stopped working for Douda,

then maybe I could try to convince my mom

to let you stay here with me.

For real?

Yeah.

You really think she'd let me live here?

Probably not, but if you wasn't such a mess,

she might at least consider it.

You do this every year?

Um, twice a year, sometimes more.

It's the least I could do since the university

named a building after me.

Damn, that's powerful.

I wanna build something that lasts.

You will.

You're well on your way.

I wanna introduce you to someone.

Judge Bradley,

I wanted to introduce you to my son's...

fiancée, Tiffany.

Hi, Tiffany.

She's the creator of Heir Gold organic cannabis.

And she's gon' make Chicago the Amsterdam of America.

Oh, okay.

- Cheers to that. - Mm.

Cheers.

So I-I heard about Robert.

I swear, it's like a war zone out there, right?

Uh, how is he doing?

He's recuperating.

- And how... - We need to talk.

What's up?

Look around you.

You think these women got where they are today

by gossiping behind each other's backs?

No, Tiff.

That's not what real women do.

These women have power

because they know how to use it.

They lean on each other, nourish each other,

do favors for each other.

Somebody saw their mess and gave them grace.

Think about that next time you run your mouth

to Douda about what I do to help you win.

I'm sorry.

Yes, you are.

What are you talking about?

What's that?

It's for you.

Open it.

You ain't never had me open your mail before.

Yeah, there's a first time for everything.

"This will look good on you in your casket."

Get this fucking shit out of here.

What's up, brodie?

Said you wanted to meet with me.

You a'ight?

Yeah, I'll be all right.

Look, I know you've been having a hard time

finding work with your conviction.

And look, it's taken me a while to get it done, but...

I finally got the funding to offer you a real job...

health coverage, the whole nine.

What kind of job is it?

A salaried position here at ROCK,

leading the Men's Circle.

Bro, you great at it, and...

you can make a real difference in these young men's lives.

How much does it pay?

You got something better to do?

I do, actually.

I got a job.

Doing what?

I'm the new head of security for Alicia.

Shaad.

Bro, you seen what she did to her own son.

Her own son, bro.

What you think she gon' do to you?

Come on, man, you don't know what you talking about.

You making a mistake.

No, man, you made a mistake.

You can't buy me out to ease your conscience.

- What's up, Fatima? - Hey.

What's up?

You seen all the things they're saying about me?

You don't have time to feel sorry for yourself.

I'm human too. I'm not Superman.

This comes with the territory.

Why do I have to be strong all the time?

You can't put on a cape and expect people

not to have high expectations.

I just need a break.

Councilman Victor Taylor,

you're under arrest for the murder

of Quentin Dickinson.

You have the right to remain silent.

Anything you say can and will

be used against you in the court of law.

You have the right to an attorney.

If you cannot afford an attorney,

one will be provided for you.

Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?

- Synced and corrected by naFraC - - www.addic7ed.com -