Original subtitles

HAZE: So you need to pay a new member fee.

Yo, check the money out, son.

Get these niggas some dessert.

(slow hip-hop music)

EMCEE: Introducing MC Dynamite!

♪ I am the one who fertilized the egg ♪

(crowd booing)

ANDRE: When I heard that verse about the sperm

that fertilized the egg?

Whoo!

Come on, I never heard a verse like that before in my life!

Monica.

- This is our CEO, Tom Silverman. - (door closes)

Pleasure to meet you.

I think you got big star potential.

- Want to get you in the studio. - Word?

♪ It seems I'm a fiend for a sex routine ♪

♪ Love to hear them scream ♪

♪ Ooh, Rakeem ♪

LINDA: Jerome?

JEROME: There's a tiny little sliver of land.

Got minerals in it.

And there's an energy company

wants to take it off my hands, bad.

What other fairy tales you got to tell me about O-hi-o?

Fairy tales do come true, baby.

DENNIS: You look beautiful.

This might be the first time I see you

without a book in your hand.

What would Vine and Bobby think?

Me being here with you?

You want to tell 'em?

Why not?

ANDRE: You know what?

I spoke to Monica and Tom at the label.

The single, it's not moving like they hoped it would.

It's over.

They're dropping you.

ATTILA: You want your shit back?

I want that money.

Shurrie, what you doing here?

- SHURRIE: Dennis, wait-- - You got to go right now!

I'm pregnant.

♪ ♪

(train horn blowing)

(door bell jingles)

THUG ♪1: Get lucky?

You got the good shit?

THUG ♪1: Next time.

(Gerry & The Pacemakers' "Ferry Cross the Mersey")

(soft rock music)

♪ ♪

SINGER: ♪ Life ♪

♪ Goes on day after day ♪

(train horn blares)

♪ Hearts... ♪

THUG ♪2: Damn, Shank,

why you got to play this type of bullshit, yo?

THUG ♪1: Nigga, you ain't never heard of rap before?

SHANK: Y'all niggas never heard of raising your consciousness?

Broadening your horizons?

This shit right here is eclectic.

SINGER: ♪ 'Cause this land's the place I love ♪

♪ And here I'll stay ♪

(Brick's "Dazz" playing)

PERSON: Hey, Mecca.

Yo, I got you.

- SINGER: ♪ All right ♪ - Nice.

(indistinct chatter)

I need you to play something good.

Nobody's dancing, so bump it up, please.

♪ ♪

SINGER: ♪ Music makes your body move ♪

♪ Yeah, all right ♪

♪ ♪

Where the fuck you find this DJ at, yo?

That's 4th. He Keisha cousin.

He be DJing all the house parties in the Ville.

That nigga cool and all, but, shit,

don't got shit on New York.

- Know what I'm sayin', nigga? - No, but he ain't in New York.

And neither is you.

- I guess you're lucky, then. - Mm-hmm.

SINGER: ♪ God damn, I'm glad y'all set it off ♪

♪ Used to be hard, now you're just wet and soft ♪

My ex just got here.

(Ice Cube's "No Vaseline")

All right.

Do you want me to, uh, say something to him, or--

No, no, no, no, I just wanted you to know.

All right.

SINGER: ♪ And not another nigga in sight ♪

♪ I started off with too much cargo ♪

♪ Dropped four niggas, now I'm making all the dough ♪

♪ White man just ruling ♪

♪ The Niggas With Attitudes? Who ya foolin'? ♪

♪ Y'all niggas just phony ♪

Yo, you've been in there for, like, half an hour.

Come on.

- (knocks on door) - Something told me

it was about time for a pilgrimage to Mecca.

- (chuckles) - SHANK: So what's up?

You ain't returning my pages.

BOBBY: Yo, yo.

You good, baby?

Yeah. I'm good.

♪ ♪

I think it's time for you to leave.

Me?

(laughs) Leave?

Nah, nigga, you fuckin' confused.

(door latch clicks)

You still ain't pay your new nigga tax.

That's my bitch,

and this right here is my town.

Nah, nigga.

It's my town.

Mm.

All right.

You want to do it that way?

SINGER: ♪ You're getting fucked real quick ♪

♪ And Eazy's dick is smellin' like MC Ren's shit ♪

- ♪ Tried to tell you... ♪ - (music stops)

It's been a while since I danced,

but I'll be real happy to show you my moves,

know what I mean?

Real happy.

BOBBY: Get the fuck up out of here.

Get the fuck up, nigga.

DENNIS: Get the fuck out of here.

BOBBY: Get the fuck out of here, nigga.

(door opens)

Party's over.

Get the fuck out.

(indistinct chatter)

- Damn, son. - (door closes)

Yo, where everybody go?

(distant train horn blaring)

(hip-hop music playing)

You good?

SINGER: ♪ Second place in this race... ♪

What, you think I ain't never seen

a nigga get his ass whupped?

SINGER: ♪ I work too hard, it's destined for me... ♪

I mean, I ain't never seen that nigga get his ass whupped.

I've been dreaming about it, but...

SINGER: ♪ Having championship dreams ♪

♪ With a large quantity...♪

Why you all mad and shit, then?

Because you shut the party down.

In my defense, I would've shut that shit down

if that motherfuckin' DJ kept, you know what I'm saying?

Aw, please. Just 'cause you from New York,

you think you own hip-hop.

Hey, we are the originators of that shit, all right?

And don't you forget.

SINGER: ♪ It don't really matter what your status is ♪

♪ When you... ♪

You know, I listened to your song the other day.

Where you find that shit at?

My neighbor found a copy of a copy.

I liked it.

(laughs) For real, I did.

And you know I'd tell you if I didn't.

How come you don't make music no more, Prince Rakeem?

SINGER: ♪ Only thing I'm losin' is time ♪

♪ And I just hope that I ain't losin' my mind ♪

BOBBY: I ain't no prince no more.

But I am the king around here.

I got my queen.

Right by my side, you know what I mean?

Yeah, I do.

(distant train horn blowing)

(car door closes)

(Mecca sighs)

BOBBY: So, uh, I'll pick you up from work tomorrow?

Cool. I get off at 5:00.

BOBBY: All right.

(foreboding music)

- (object clatters in street) - (car door closes)

Just fucking go home, yo.

SHANK: We about to send you home, nigga.

In a box.

This my town.

♪ ♪

(intense music)

♪ ♪

Shit.

♪ ♪

LINDA: Bobby?

What the hell is going on down here?

BOBBY: Nothing, Mommy, I'm just--

just packing some stuff up for Mecca.

I can keep it down.

What did you do this time?

(tense music)

(hip-hop music)

(blade clanks)

♪ ♪

(gun cocks)

♪ ♪

(singer vocalizing)

♪ ♪

(blade clanks)

(door closes)

Well...

he's alive.

All right.

What else--what else they say?

Suspect still at large.

This what you do?

Shoot people and run from city to city?

I thought musicians pulled guitar strings, not triggers.

That other boy you shot in New York, Atilla?

He didn't tell on you, even after he got locked up.

This cat went straight to the cops,

which means it's only a matter of time

before they find out who you are and where you're at.

See, that's why I'm trying to get out of town.

No.

You need to turn yourself in.

Yo, what?

You think I want to risk losing you?

You keep going down the path you're on,

you're already lost.

Tell your side of the story. It's your only chance.

- Jerome! - Hmm?

Now's not the time.

If there was ever a time, it's now.

Might be the last proper drink he has for a minute.

Why don't you call that lawyer you were telling me about?

Olivito?

You know how expensive he is?

Yo, I don't need y'all payin' for no lawyer.

All right?

Yo, I did this.

I'm not no little kid. I did this.

Bobby, I just need you to...

be quiet...

for a minute.

- What's going on? - (Jerome grunts)

(sighs)

How bad is it now, Bobby? Hmm?

Bobby?

Why isn't breakfast ready?

I was just about to make it for you.

We're having cereal today.

- RANDY: Cereal? - SHURRIE: Mm-hmm. Let's go.

JEROME: So when do you want to take him to the station?

(buzzer, metallic clatter)

(solemn music)

♪ ♪

(sighs)

SHURRIE: What you want to watch?

Nothing, really.

SINGERS: ♪ What? I am a true Fushnick ♪

♪ I'm a true, what? I am a true Fushnick ♪

Oh, how about this?

(hip-hop music playing)

No, just turn it off.

I can't get into that shit when they got my mans locked up

and them clown-ass snitch nigga's

walking around like shit buttermilk, Rie.

Okay. You need to let that go.

Like, you're about to be a father.

I know that, Rie. Come on.

This is my--this is my main priority, all right?

I ain't gonna do nothin' stupid, but...

Bobby need that bail money, though.

Yeah, I know.

LINDA: Hey, y'all.

- DENNIS: Hey, Miss Diggs. - SHURRIE: Hi, Mommy.

Lawyer should be here soon.

I need to clean things up around here.

Yes, ma'am.

(sighs)

SINGER: ♪ Some MC's rhymes ain't Jack or Jill ♪

♪ And at my styles they peek-a-boo ♪

♪ Oh, what I do wah diddy, diddy dum, diddy Fu ♪

EMPLOYEE: Open-slide design, alloy frame,

locking block barrel, direct feed

from the double-stack magazine.

Effective within 160 feet,

you know, in case a wild buck comes chargin' at ya.

Yeah, we can't have no buck charging at me.

(country music playing on radio)

Boys don't seem much like hunters.

What's your game?

Hell, we ain't playin' no game, son.

(Wise chuckles)

Lost a member of our hunting party is all.

WISE: We like venison.

- EMPLOYEE: Yeah. - (gun cocks)

Your rifle slug doesn't kill your prey,

put one of these rounds in his skull.

Hey, yo, what's good with that one behind you on the wall?

For that one there, boys, I'm gonna have to see your ID.

State ID.

Yo, give him your shit, son.

It's all I got.

Pizza card? Seriously?

Hey, yo, fuck all that.

Let me just get these, then, and some bullets, all right?

EMPLOYEE: All right.

Let's call that 620 even.

Yeah.

Thank you.

- (door opens, bells jingle) - Hunters, my ass.

(chuckles) Let 'em go kill each other.

Few less coons in the world, good by me.

Oh, Ma, here, let me help you.

No. Don't interrupt your studies.

(laughs) Studies?

I could've passed the GED as a freshman.

- (knock at door) - SHURRIE: Ooh.

- LINDA: Okay, he's early. - Okay.

Um, go get the, uh, dipping sauce.

SINGER: ♪ Loving you ♪

♪ Well, well, well ♪

(The Isley Brothers' "For the Love of You")

♪ Day will make the way for night ♪

- Mrs. Diggs? - (Linda chuckles)

Dominick Olivito.

I know. Please, come in.

Thank you.

You know, I've been to over a dozen houses

here on Fifth Street, and I have to say,

yours is by far the tidiest.

(chuckles) Thank you.

- Boy or girl? - SHURRIE: Boy.

DOMINICK: Hmm.

Mr. Olivito, um, I appreciate you taking time.

I know that you're very busy.

I'm gonna be brutally honest with you, Mrs. Diggs.

I read Bobby's file.

Closely resembles dozens of cases

that cross my desk every week.

And it doesn't sit well with me when I get a young man acquitted

and he plunges himself deeper into trouble,

becoming a menace to society.

It, uh, ruins my reputation

and credibility amongst my peers.

I bet that money you make sits real nice in your bank account.

Okay, Bobby's not a bad soul.

He's just been making some bad decisions.

And if you knew him, you would see that.

DOMINICK: Well...

you can tell a lot by how a man lives.

Can I see his room?

Of course.

(singer vocalizing)

(Linda mutters) Oh.

Oh, excuse the mess.

He's normally more organized than this.

What's in here?

Those are his records.

- May I? - Please.

He had a record deal. Briefly.

Music is the most important thing in the world to him.

At least it was.

Thank you, Mrs. Diggs.

Sure. Okay.

DENNIS: Hey, yo, get up. No sleeping.

No! He's my friend!

- Rules is rules. - This is my house.

Not when we paying you rent it's not.

Hey, yo, if you ain't gonna cop no more, you got to get out.

Yo, you too, son. This ain't no magazine stand.

Come on.

- Come on. - Oh, man.

ASON: Damn, son, y'all need some air freshener in here.

For them or for you, nigga?

ASON: Man, shut up.

- (toilet flushes) - Whew.

Ugh.

Hey, yo, son, you got this shit on some Fort Knox shit, man.

Yeah, 'cause it turn out this spot like a gold mine, son.

Let me see the nuggets.

ASON: 31.

How much you bring back?

ASON: Shit, we got the hookup, son.

That nigga U-God get his shit straight from Bolivia.

Shit, at least that's what I heard, son.

Yeah, U-God still messin' with them Latin chicks?

ASON: Hey, yo, you should see his latest one, son.

Them titties is out to here, son.

(both laugh)

Hey, yo, what's up with Bobby bail, man?

We still ain't there yet, son.

Man.

I can't believe them niggas even snitched on Bobby, man.

Steubenville niggas ain't got no code, telling you.

Bunch of airheads.

ASON: Shit. (groans)

Hey, yo, where you goin', son?

- Back, nigga. - To New York?

Yeah, son, I got some pussy waitin' on me right now.

Hey, yo...

you 'bout to drive six hours 'cause you got some chick

waiting for you back in New York?

Nah, son.

She out there waitin' in the car right now.

She came for the ride.

And we not just talkin' about any pussy.

Yo, we talkin' about the best pussy of all time, son,

- I'm telling you! - (Dennis laughs)

Please.

(Ason snickers)

(both laughing)

ASON: Hey, yo, son, I'ma let you handle them. I'm out.

DENNIS: All right, stay safe-- Nah, bro. (laughs)

Oh, shit, my nigga back out here?

Yo, peanut!

(mellow hip-hop playing)

What up, baby?

♪ ♪

(music muffled)

How's the leg, bro?

SHANK: (laughs) How's the leg?

Have to start callin' you Super Shank, baby.

Word.

(music stops, car door closes)

THUG ♪1: What's up?

Why are y'all standing around? How's business?

THUG ♪1: Shit's still slow out here.

Even with that punk-ass nigga Bobby locked up?

Even in the snow, everyone's still going

to them New York niggas.

(funky dramatic music)

♪ ♪

INMATE: ♪ C.O., it's time for me to go ♪

♪ I want to take a shower ♪

♪ It's time for me to blow ♪

- ♪ And I don't want to be here ♪ - BOBBY: Hey, yo!

Hey, shut the fuck up!

INMATE: ♪ I wish I wasn't back to the mountain ♪

(scoffs)

(softly) What the fuck is that?

How the fuck that shit get up in here?

CELLMATE: Shit, homey.

Getting in this bitch is easy.

It's getting out that's hard.

(keys jingling)

OFFICER: Diggs!

You got a visitor.

(door buzzer blares)

DOMINICK: Good morning, Mr. Diggs.

My name is Dominick Olivito.

So you're my new lawyer?

You know,

you don't much resemble the drawing on the album cover.

I'm guessing my mom showed you.

DOMINICK: She's very proud.

Even through her worry, I could see that.

So, about my case...

I'm--I'm not here to discuss your case.

Haven't agreed to take it yet.

I promised your mom I'd at least meet with you.

So you're here to play games.

DOMINICK: I'm not.

Are you?

You're facing attempted murder.

Before this incident, did you ever shoot anyone?

Yeah.

But it was in self-defense.

Just like this was.

So what, you're this innocent victim

who's constantly being bullied

and is forced to defend himself by shooting?

Hey, look, man, I...

I've done my share of bad.

I've lied to my friends, my family,

I've sold drugs.

Yeah, but I don't deserve to be sitting

eight years in prison for defending myself.

Do I?

Why do you carry a gun, Bobby?

Look, in my neighborhood, more people carry guns than ID.

Hmm.

I guess it's a sign of identity, power.

A sense of not losing the fight.

Well, your next fight, it's not gonna be in the streets.

It's gonna be in a courtroom.

It's gonna be your word against the victim's.

Does that scare you?

I'm not afraid of any questions anybody got.

- Yeah. - DOMINICK: Hmm.

Why do you own a Kenny Loggins album?

(laughs)

What?

Why do you own

a Kenny Loggins album?

Shit, I don't-- I don't know, man.

Because he's a great American songwriter.

Well, ain't that the truth?

- (door buzzer blares) - Guard?

BOBBY: Yo, wait.

So--so you'll take my case?

You know,

you have your mother's eyes.

Yo!

(door clatters shut)

(door buzzer blares)

(cellmate snores)

(buzzer blaring)

CELLMATE: Hey, yo, Bobby.

It's ready.

Jefferson County's finest pruno.

Come and hit this, New York.

JEROME: I thought musicians pulled guitar strings,

not triggers.

MECCA: How come you don't make music no more,

Prince Rakeem?

BOBBY: I ain't no prince no more.

Hey, yo, yo.

Y'all seeing this shit?

Caterpillar locked itself up in its own box.

Guess it figured wasn't no point in fighting the inevitable.

WISE: I'm sayin', though,

you always talking shit on us.

New York this, New York that.

Yo, is Staten Island even really part of New York?

'Cause I heard it's really New Jersey.

Nigga...

What?

Least we got Dean Martin.

Nigga came from Steubenville.

Who y'all got from Staten Island that's famous?

Son, we got the Gambinos--

real gangsters, know what I mean?

And them niggas don't snitch.

WISE: Get the fuck out of here.

Yo, fuck you think this is, nigga, Deer Hunter?

Nah.

Gonna need a .22 to shoot a deer.

- How you know that? - (knock at door)

Shit. From hunting.

Wait, you was for real before?

What, y'all--y'all motherfuckers really eat that shit?

Yeah, what else we gonna do with it?

- (knocking continues) - I thought the shit

was just for decoration.

(scoffs)

Yo, we set on Bobby's bail, so I'ma get this--

get this over to his mom's, all right?

- (knocking continues) - Hey, yo, Marsha!

Go open the door!

Tell them fiends we closed for the night.

(toilet flushes)

MARSHA: Man.

Your rent don't come with door service, playboy.

Yo, shut the f--

- Always talkin' shit. - (insistent knocking)

Hey, yo!

Hey, yo, who the fuck is it, son?

We closed, motherfuck--

SHANK: I'm shutting you down, New York.

(tense music)

- Gun! - Oh, shit!

(gunshot)

(gunshots)

♪ ♪

WISE: Fuckin' kill you, nigga!

(siren wailing)

Hey! We got to go!

Get out of here!

PERSON: Shit! Go! Go!

PERSON: Where the fuck y'all going?

You fuck--shit!

DENNIS: No--no--

(sirens approaching)

(gunshot)

OFFICER: Lights out!

(door buzzer blares)

INMATE: Yo, Bobby Diggs!

Bobby Diggs!

BOBBY: Yo, what's up?

INMATE: Word on the street is your man D-Lover got hit.

BOBBY: Yo, what--

Yo, what you mean he got hit?

Huh?

Yo!

- Yo, what you mean he got hit? - INMATE: Nah, man, for real.

Not trying to bring you no bad news.

I just thought you should know about your mans.

BOBBY: Is he, uh, is he good?

INMATE: I don't know.

All right.

Hey, yo.

Hey, yo, guard!

Hey, let me get a phone call, man!

Yo, let me get a phone call--

OFFICER: Shut the fuck up, or you're going to the hole!

SHURRIE: Please, his name is Dennis.

- Dennis Coles. - I heard you.

As I explained, I can only give out information

about patients to relatives.

Okay, but he's the father of my child.

RECEPTIONIST: Are you married?

What difference does it make?

Baby, why don't you take a seat?

- No, Ma, I-- - I got this.

He was shot.

Anyone who comes in with a gunshot wound,

we have to report to the police.

Yes, I understand completely.

Can you at least tell us how he's doing?

- As I just said... - Is he stable?

- I cannot give any information-- - Is he alive?

Can you tell us how he's--

- For the love of God! - SHURRIE: Mommy!

- LINDA: Shurrie? Is it-- - I--

Okay, I need you to get a doctor.

The baby's coming.

All right, come on. Remember your breathing?

- You remember your breathing. - Yeah.

All right, yes. In form. Breathing in.

Breathing in, breathing out.

Hey.

How you feeling?

I'm all right.

Hey, what happened to you?

There's someone I want you to meet.

(sighs)

DENNIS: Oh, shit.

- Let me hold him. - Yeah.

(soft music)

♪ ♪

- (Dennis groans) - SHURRIE: I know.

Okay.

Yo, my--

my--my backpack.

Hey, yo, where-- where my backpack at?

Wise gave it to my mom.

All the money was inside,

and she gonna post Bobby's bail.

The police want to talk to you, though.

DENNIS: I ain't got shit to say to no police.

We got to make a decision.

About a name.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know, I know we got to...

You know, make a decision.

I was thinking Dennis Jr.?

Nah.

There ain't gonna be no Dennis Jr.

Then what?

I don't know yet.

♪ ♪

They didn't have tea,

so I got you some hot water with lemon.

Thank you.

Oh.

- It's okay, baby.

- Look at that baby. - Oh, come here.

Come here, baby. It's okay.

I got you.

(Linda crying)

JEROME: I got you.

(keys jingle, buzzer blares)

(door slams)

What the fuck is you doing here?

I was just asking myself that same question.

I ain't ever want to set foot

in one of these motherfuckin' places again, you feel me?

BOBBY: Yeah. Yeah, I feel you.

I don't think so.

You know, when I was growing up in this town,

we had gambling dens and bootleggers,

but nothing like this crack gang foolery.

I tried to take your mother away from all of that.

You had to just bring it right back

to her doorstep, didn't you?

She didn't even tell Divine about any of this.

She doesn't want him to worry and lose focus

since he's so close to getting up out that halfway house.

But I come bearing good news.

Your boy Dennis is copacetic. Your nephew is healthy.

Shurrie is doing just fine. Your mom's with 'em both.

And we got that bail money.

(door buzzer blares)

Bobby.

You heard me?

You're getting out.

Yeah, I hear you.

I hear you.

I heard that first part you said about Dennis

getting shot hustling for my bail money.

I heard that part you said about...

you putting your house up as collateral

to pay for my lawyer.

And for what?

Can't love the woman and not love the children.

Yeah, but I'm going to trial, Jerome,

and as a Black man, you know what my odds are.

Bobby, when you get locked up,

you start to become institutionalized.

You give in to the system.

I've been there. But you got to fight it.

I did, and look where I'm at now.

But you wasn't facing attempted murder, were you?

No.

But when you tell your story--

Hey, yo, C.O.

- Hey, yo! C.O.! - (door creaks open)

JEROME: Bobby, a man doesn't know he's a man

until he becomes a man.

Most of us get locked up when we're boys

and grow up in the prison

and never learn how to be an adult.

Is that the fate you want to seal?

Hey, my fate will be my fate, right?

At least you won't have to worry about me fuckin' y'all up.

Oh, and you can take that lawyer money and the bail money

and use that to get this family back on track, all right?

JEROME: We are using the lawyer money

and the bail money to get this family back on track!

- (distant buzzer blares) - Bobby.

- (buzzer blares) - Bobby!

♪ ♪

BOBBY: Hey, yo.

Pour me one.

Yo, Bobby. You want some more?

Told you we gave him too much.

Hey, yo, where's the butterfly?

CELLMATE: Yeah, Dr. Dolittle caught it

and put it up in the cup.

We keeping it as a pet.

(rustling)

Why you trippin'?

Damn.

We was gonna grow old together.

Hey, yo!

Yo, C.O.!

(energetic music)

♪ ♪

Well, now that this battle's over,

we got to get prepared for the war.

You got to get yourself cleaned up.

DENNIS: Hey, yo.

Who you think he look like?

I don't know yet.

DENNIS: He kind of look like Darius, don't he?

SHURRIE: Yeah, kind of.

Hey, yo.

Grab my finger, little man.

Come on, at least reach for it, then.

See? He's perfect.

(Bobby exhales deeply)

Damn.

(Shurrie laughs)

Yeah, son, I know.

Bobby, you want to hold him?

Yeah.

Hey, yo, go-- go wash your hands first, son.

(chuckles)

BOBBY: Hey, yo.

You ever hear Mommy say that babies give off

a certain pheromone that--that brings joy?

SHURRIE: I don't know nothing about no pheromones, but joy?

Yeah.

Well, let's see, little man. Yeah.

Yeah. What up, nephew?

Oh, yeah.

- (winces) - You okay?

Welcome home, man.

What y'all thinking about naming him?

Infinite, 'cause I'ma live forever.

His name's Infinite 'cause we're gonna be forever.

You know what I mean. Come on, now.

BOBBY: Infinite, huh?

Hey, that's a cool rap name, too, little man.

(Shurrie laughs)

(both laugh)

(heartwarming music)

♪ ♪

BOBBY: What you doing down here?

RANDY: Is it okay if I sleep in your room tonight?

(chuckles) Why?

Aren't you used to sleeping

with other people in the same room?

Isn't that what jail's like?

Hey, yo, you--

you don't ever have to worry about that.

You ain't never going to jail, you hear me?

Yeah.

What about you?

You going back?

That's not in my control.

Like a lot of other things.

You know, I guess that's why I like

this type of equipment so much.

I can make it do what I want it to do.

Let me show you something.

I can time travel...

(plays warbling organ chords)

I can transform...

(plays jaunty organ tune)

♪ ♪

Whoa.

How come you ain't never showed me this before?

I don't know.

How come you ain't never asked?

Go ahead and-- go ahead and do your thing.

Yeah.

Let's see what you got.

(playing notes)

You're a natural.

Do this.

(plays synth notes)

♪ ♪

Yeah.

♪ ♪

RANDY: Are those songs you made?

Yeah. Yeah.

They're not finished, though.

Is that one finished?

Nah, but, uh...

Let me see. I can play it for you.

- VOCALISTS: ♪ After ♪ - SINGER: ♪ After ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Laughter ♪ - SINGER: ♪ Your laughter ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Comes tears ♪ - SINGER: ♪ There'll be tears ♪

(laughs) You dig?

Who this? Mecca?

BOBBY: No.

No, it ain't Mecca. (chuckles)

This is Wendy Rene.

Got this album when I was on tour

in, uh, North Carolina.

(hip-hop beat playing)

I like it, but why ain't nobody rapping?

BOBBY: (chuckles)

I didn't have the time to finish the verses.

♪ ♪

When will you?

I don't know, man.

Hey, you should go and get some rest, all right?

I love you, man.

RANDY: Love you, too.

♪ ♪

(music fades)

(uneasy music)

♪ ♪

DOMINICK: It's a good start. You ready?

I'm ready.

DOMINICK: Technically, there's only one judge,

but those twelve strangers in the jury box

are gonna be judging you, too, I promise.

Your appearance, your posture, your tone of voice

is gonna tell them who you are

and what you're allegedly charged of,

not just the evidence.

Do you know why there's 12 jurors?

BOBBY: Because there's 12 numbers on a clock?

No, because... a jury can sure control

the time in a man's life.

DOMINICK: (chuckles) Actually, it's allegorical.

For the 12 followers of Jesus.

(scoffs) Well, uh, I hope I don't get crucified.

DOMINICK: It's gonna come down to your word versus his.

He's gonna paint a picture of you,

and it ain't gonna be pretty.

You nervous?

BOBBY: I've never been more nervous in my life.

You weren't nervous when you used to go on tour, were you?

Remember, you're a performer, Bobby.

I was.

You still are.

You're gonna have to be for one more day,

like it's your final show.

PROSECUTOR: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury...

(dramatic music)

Bobby Diggs came from New York.

And the evidence will show

that he brought trouble with him.

♪ ♪

Yeah.

Yeah, he and his friends were bad news.

Poisoning the community-- our community--

while he profited.

Look, I've lived in this town my entire life.

I was the starting wideout

when Steubenville won the state championship.

And I tore my meniscus on the go-ahead touchdown.

Yeah, it ruined my chances of the scholarship,

but, honestly, I never had a problem with that.

Seriously, I never had no problems with nobody.

Well, until Bobby Diggs showed up.

You don't return my pages no more.

BOBBY: What the fuck is going on here?

Get your ass in the fucking kitchen, girl.

- You talking to my girl, nigga? - SHANK: No, no.

BOBBY: You talking to my girl, nigga?

Huh? Fuck you, nigga!

- SHANK: Oh-- - Fuck you!

- Please-- - Fuck, nigga!

Please man, stop, please!

As painful and humiliating as that was,

I just wanted to move forward and talk it out man to man.

But he wasn't interested in peace.

That man sitting right there

shot me

for no good reason at all.

Honestly, I thought I was gonna die.

(sobbing)

♪ ♪

DOMINICK: Bobby...

BOBBY: (softly) Yeah.

DOMINICK: You've been on stages.

This is like those rap battles you used to do.

He went first. Now it's your turn.

(suspenseful music)

Can you tell us what happened that night?

♪ ♪

BOBBY: ♪ Avoiding every danger that came in my path ♪

♪ As I watched every sperm cell get ripped in half ♪

♪ So here I am in the danger zone ♪

♪ My head in my tail ♪

♪ My 23 chromosomes ♪

♪ But I thought it couldn't be that bad ♪

♪ A million motherfuckers tried to race ahead ♪

♪ But I am the one who fertilized the egg ♪

(crowd booing)

May I, uh, may I take a recess?

Mr. Diggs, you are not allowed

to ask me for a recess.

Mr. Olivito, I advise you to instruct your client

to answer the question.

Of course.

(foreboding music)

Bobby,

this is your show.

Okay? This is your audience.

Bobby.

Can you tell us, in your own words...

what happened?

♪ ♪

♪ I never ♪

♪ Listened to things ♪

♪ That my mother kept telling me ♪

♪ Getting upset ♪

♪ When my own ways kept failing me ♪

♪ Homeys in the streets got desires of hurting me ♪

♪ Church and religion ♪

♪ On the urge of converting me ♪

♪ Pops always told me what I could be ♪

♪ Siblings always telling me what I would be ♪

♪ Everybody always telling me what I'm gonna be ♪

♪ But no one ever asked me who I want to be ♪

♪ A Black man in fear of the police arresting me ♪

♪ Illusions of luxury possessing me ♪

♪ Like God is testing me ♪

♪ And I don't understand ♪

♪ The way my girl is loving me ♪

♪ My outer world pushing me ♪

♪ Inner world is shoving me ♪

- Hey, yo, get in the house. - No, Bobby.

BOBBY: ♪ Having nightmares of the guilt ♪

♪ That's haunting me ♪

Hey, back the fuck up, son.

Do I look like I'm backing up, nigga?

Just fucking go home, yo.

We about to send you home in a box.

♪ Scared to manly face all the demons ♪

♪ That's confronting me ♪

♪ Life is a struggle ♪

♪ And every day is a puzzle ♪

♪ And we ignore the ones that truly love you ♪

(whispering) Motherfucker.

♪ Trying to avoid the foolish things ♪

♪ We see others do ♪

(gunshot)

♪ The fear of death can bring out another you ♪

(jurors murmuring)

(foreboding music)

(phone ringing)

LINDA: Hello?

Thank you.

The jury's made a decision.

♪ ♪

(clears throat)

The jury finds the defendant, Robert Fitzgerald Diggs,

on the counts of attempted murder and felonious assault...

Not guilty.

(gasps)

(gavel bangs)

(upbeat quirky music)

♪ ♪

BOBBY: (laughing) Yo. Yo.

(laughing)

- VOCALISTS: ♪ After ♪ - SINGER: ♪ After ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Laughter ♪ - SINGER: ♪ Your laughter ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Comes tears ♪ - SINGER: ♪ There'll be tears ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ After ♪ - SINGER: ♪ After ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Laughter ♪ - SINGER: ♪ Your laughter ♪

♪ There'll be tears ♪

♪ ♪

(upbeat hip-hop music)

(Wu-Tang Clan's "Tearz")

♪ ♪

Yo, the god is free!

VINE: The acquittal is a blessing for all of us.

Stick to the music.

BOBBY: Got to be a master of the game.

You got to come in, sword swinging, guns blazing.

DENNIS: Look, I got more mouths to feed.

So I'm ready to get busy.

SHA: Got this session with this big producer.

- Word? - Word.

BOBBY: I tried to do this shit by myself, and I failed.

In an orchestra...

you have a bunch of instruments onstage together.

Each of those instruments has to be able to play its part.

So what I'm trying to do is get all of us together

to work in harmony.

We building Wu-Tang from the bottom up,

not the top down.

It's the only way we can get to a better future.

What's gonna be different this time?

I'm gonna have my brothers with me.

You make sure you lead those boys

instead of letting them lead you right back to where you were.

I need time.

I need control.

I need trust.

And I'll take you all the way to the top, yo.

Whoo!

We'll change this entire industry.

(dramatic music)

(Wu-Tang Clan's "Tearz")

♪ ♪

(dramatic sweeping chords)

♪ ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ After ♪ - SINGER: ♪ After ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Laughter ♪ - SINGER: ♪ Your laughter ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Comes tears ♪ - SINGER: ♪ There'll be tears ♪

♪ ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ After ♪ - SINGER: ♪ After ♪

- VOCALISTS: ♪ Laughter ♪ - SINGER: ♪ Your laughter ♪

♪ There'll be tears ♪

♪ ♪

PERSON: Get on the line.