if you ever feeling down and want some inspiration,
I want you to look at this wall, man.
All these fighters have one thing in common.
They all hail from Brooklyn, man,
and nobody on this wall ever gave up.
- I think that's two things, Dad.
- Mark Breland, Olympic gold medalist,
welterweight champion of the world.
We come from the same projects. - Really?
- He personally autographed this picture for me.
Won more Golden Gloves than Sugar Ray Robinson.
- I would love to fight in the Golden Gloves one day.
I know I'd win it.
- Well, if you really believe that, Javi,
we can make that happen.
Just the person I was looking for.
- No. Mm-mm.
- Plan B. Don't you worry.
I'ma get you in the Golden Gloves.
- Until that happens, I need to get your sizes
so I can get you into a tux for prom.
- Yeah, and I don't want no funny business after the prom.
You hear me? That's my little girl.
I want the same little girl going, coming back.
No hotels, no motels,
no rec room sins, especially no smush house.
- [scoffs] Side of the road it is.
What?
You told me to never give up.
- We are so grateful to have Brooklyn's own
renowned street artist...
- Fukwon.
[laughs]
[cheers and applause] Yes!
Fukwon has chosen our community center
as a canvas for his latest installation,
"Pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement."
My brother, my brother,
please tell us more about this beautiful installation.
- No. [crowd murmurs]
- Okay, y'all, he don't want to say nothing else.
So you can just go on ahead and reveal it.
On the count of three, all right?
Three...
all: Two, one...
- Go!
[terrifying music]
♪ ♪
[confused chatter]
- Who the hell are these people?
- What happened to John Lewis,
Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth?
These look like aliens that impersonated them.
- This is what they look like
in the world that I created.
- This is some ugly shit, sir.
- You're welcome.
- This shit give me heartburn.
- I think that's Harriet Tubman
or Lil Wayne--one or the other. - They're clowning it.
I'm sorry, but we gonna have to paint over this shit.
- You do, and you'll hear from my lawyers.
- No, no, my brother.
This wall is a part of our community center.
It is within my rights to paint over it.
- This is art on a loan.
If you want to paint over it,
you're gonna have to purchase it.
- I ain't paying for shit.
Get the fuck outta my face with this dumbass...
- Looks like the horn section from Earth, Wind & Fire.
- Ah, I don't understand it.
It looks like a yearbook full of abortions.
Are they dead? They're dead.
They gotta be dead.
[smooth music]
- Veesy. - Hmm?
- We need to talk
about getting some money for a boxing trainer.
- No, Tray, look, our budget is stretched completely.
If you cannot pay him in thank-yous
and good-looking-outs, then you can't afford him.
- But you can afford this bullshit-ass mural?
- For your information, this bullshit-ass mural was free
'cause I promised to rename the art room
after the bitch-ass artist, Fukwon.
That's how it works, okay?
If you can't afford it, gotta get them to donate it.
[mellow music]
- You know what, Veesy? You just gave me an idea.
And don't be so hard on yourself about that mural.
I love the joint he did about Ben Vereen and Nell Carter.
Brought back a lot of memories.
Ideas, ideas--we all get 'em. We all get 'em.
- Fuck Fukwon.
[smooth music]
- You got to call my cousin Lance, man.
He trained this kid who fought in the Golden Gloves.
He's nice. - Well, where the kid at now?
- He died, but listen--
- Listen, what do I want his number for?
The kid he was training is dead.
- Hater.
- Yo, Tray, I got what you need.
I found Teddy Atlas.
- Ooh, Teddy Atlas, the house DJ from Chicago?
I didn't know he was in town.
- He's a professional boxing trainer, Leah.
- He trained Mike Tyson.
- My boy cut Teddy for a benefit
he's hosting in Staten Island.
Mark Breland's supposed to be there.
- Mark Breland? That's dope. We from the same projects, man.
Yo, I need to get into that benefit, man.
Send me the information. - Done.
It's Staten Island--my man says dress appropriately.
- What your tall ass doing in Staten Island?
You can't even fit on the ferry.
- I didn't take the ferry.
Your mom drove me in her minivan.
- [laughs]
♪ ♪
[upbeat music playing]
- Man, I thought this was a black-tie event.
- Ha ha. You thought wrong.
- Oh.
B-Hop, AKA Primetime. - That's me.
- Wow, and in full effect, man.
Your left hand is devastating. - Thanks, kid.
You fight? - Every goddamn day, man.
The struggle is real.
- Shit, you must be from Brooklyn.
- And you know that.
- I'm from Brookline.
- You look like Robert Kraft,
owner of the New England Patriots.
What you doing here? - Teddy and I go way back.
I love what he does for the kids.
- We got something in common, man, you know.
And I'm looking for him. Have you seen him?
- Oh, look, there he go.
- Pleasure. [overlapping conversations]
- Oh, hey, cool, I'ma holla at Teddy Atlas
in the bathroom real quick, okay?
- Not weird at all.
- Uh, Mr. Atlas, uh, Tray Barker--
Tompkins-Marcy Community Center.
I'd like to say I'm a big fan!
And, um...
I appreciate what you've done for the sport of boxing!
- Thanks, but this is no place for a conversation, all right?
- I know it seems awkward,
but I really would like for you to look at my boxer.
- Listen, buddy, I already hate doing these fundraisers,
and right now you're making it a lot harder.
- Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for bothering you.
[flatulence]
Damn, Teddy, you making me a little woozy, man.
I could use a standing eight count.
- Would you please leave? Get out of here.
- All right, I'm sorry to bother you, man.
- Have a mint?
- I don't keep cash in my tuxedo.
[smooth music]
♪ ♪
- Mr. Breland. - Not this guy again.
- The salmon is overcooked. Trust me.
Now, see this guy right here?
He came back to the projects when I was only waist-high.
He was unselfish with his time.
He even hung his gold medal around my neck,
giving me hope.
I never forgot that.
All I want to do is pass that hope
down to the kids in the neighborhood.
See, now, what I need you guys to do--
I want you to train this fighter, right?
'Cause he is super-- - Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
I don't train up-and-comers.
- I didn't know you felt that way, Mr. Breland.
- Listen, can I get a waiter not in a tuxedo, please?
- You know what?
The guy in that photo is gone.
For the record, I make better salmon in prison
using catfish and curling irons.
Have a nice supper.
- I don't get it-- why don't you just say,
"Yo, you want to go to the prom?"
- 'Cause the prom-posal makes the girl feel special.
- It's pretty cool. They get really creative.
- So it's like making a mixtape for a girl.
I was a master of mixtapes, you know what I mean?
You and your sister, y'all wouldn't be here today
if it wasn't for mixtapes.
So Godspeed, young lion. - [sighs]
- Ta-da!
What do we think? Mom sent it from Paris.
- Stunning. - Wow.
You look every bit as beautiful as your mother.
- I can't wait until Javi sees it.
- Before Javi see it, maybe you should throw
on a turtleneck or a goose-down shawl,
just to stay warm-- cover up a little bit.
And besides, the weather out there is funny.
It's funny, baby.
You know, it can go from 100 degrees to 10 below
just like that.
You sure about this guy?
- I'm telling you, there's nobody like him.
- Key to boxing is footwork.
Now, I want you to do as I do. Put up your guards out.
Will, hit it!
[ragtime music playing, shoes tapping rapidly]
- What? - What the fuck?
- Come on, man.
Hakeem Olajuwon played soccer for his footwork.
Herschel Walker, he did ballet. Lance uses tap, man.
He's innovative, man. Just give him a chance.
Lance, hit 'em with the paradiddle.
- Holy shit. - Yes, holy shit.
♪ ♪
- What are you guys doing here?
- We wound up talking at the benefit.
Figured if you're willing to go through all that trouble
for a fighter, we should take a look.
- I hope that's not the guy back there tap-dancing.
- Oh, nah. Nah, nah, nah.
- Oh, yeah, you forgot your picture.
- Oh, wow.
Mark, I know the perfect place for this.
- You know, he does have pretty good footwork, though.
♪ ♪
- Move with the last punch.
There you go. Now... - That's it.
- Now you're doing it.
Not bad. Actually, not bad at all.
All right, I'll set up a fight for him.
- I'm ready.
- But if I do this, I don't want it getting around.
I want it to stay between us,
because, otherwise, I'm gonna have every rec center around
asking me to do the same thing for them.
- Yes, sir. Man, you know, just a quiet little Brooklyn thing.
- I'll come by later and give you a few pointers if you like.
- Oh, my God. Thanks, sir.
- A lot of kids look good in the gym.
Taking a punch in the ring is totally different.
- Javi can take a punch better than my uncle Michael
after he tried to tip a stripper with a bag of nickels.
- [laughs]
- I'm wearing this one. - What are you wearing to prom?
- My mom designed me something in Europe.
- Ooh, a custom piece? - Is that a flex?
- Yes, ma'am. - Attention, everyone.
I believe we have a special pop-quiz.
- Hello, class.
What do you get if you mix radium
with iodine
and top it off with nitrogen?
It spells "Rain," get it?
And I was hoping she'll be my date to...
[class gasps]
- Oh, my God.
- Is she smiling?
- No. [class gasps]
- No? - Tough break, buddy.
- I thought we had something special.
- Shahzad, I'm sorry if you misunderstood
when we hooked up, but...
I was just using you for your body.
- Ooh. - Ooh.
[class snickering]
- Okay, I'm gonna go get the health teacher.
Nobody says a word till I get back.
[class murmuring sympathetically]
- There you go.
- That's it.
He don't look bad.
Still got a lot to learn, but there's some talent there.
- Told you he got what it takes.
[cell phone ringing] - Excuse me.
I got to take this call, okay?
- Dad. Oh, my God.
You should've seen Shahzad's prom-posal.
- How did it go? - To put in boxing terms,
he got knocked out.
And then she kicked him. [all chuckle]
- Oh, no, don't worry about it, son.
I mean, if it don't break you, it's gonna make you stronger,
but you really should get rid of that jacket...
'cause it sucks!
- But I sewed it myself.
- All right, I just got some good news.
Just got a call from my friend.
He's got a fighter that's looking to turn pro.
Just had a cancelation. They need to fight next Friday.
They're willing to fight Javi if we can do it right here.
- Oh! Oh, boy.
Friday is a bit quick, but we'll be ready.
- Wait, Dad!
- You know, we can fix up the ring a bit.
- Dad! - Get some people in here,
fill it up, get the ring hot.
- Dad! - Yes, baby?
- My prom is next Friday.
- What?
- Can we change the fight to another day?
- Nah, it's gotta be Friday. This kid's on a schedule.
Hey, it's the break you need.
- Amira, what do you think?
- I think we both know what you're gonna choose,
and it doesn't matter how I feel about it.
- [sighs]
- Amira.
- Yo, my man.
You ain't gonna go after her?
Who raised you, son?
- Amira.
- That jacket sucks.
- [sniffles] - Hey, kiddo.
Hi.
[Amira sniffles]
- [clears throat] We know you sad and disappointed.
Nothing we can say that's gonna change it.
- But we love you,
and we're here to listen and validate your feelings.
- Mom told you to say that. - Absolutely.
- 100%. - Yeah, that's right.
- Now, our plan was to bring doughnuts
and an Amazon gift card.
- Which is in the other room. - Yeah.
Just in case validating your feelings
doesn't cheer you up.
- I mean, I know he has to fight.
It's his big chance.
[sighs] It just sucks.
- Let it out. Let it all out. - That's it.
- That's all? - Yeah.
- I know it's disappointing when someone's good thing
is a bad thing for you.
Like when your celly gets early parole
and you find out that your new celly is a high-pitched crier.
- [chuckles]
- Let me tell you something, little girl.
Your life is gonna be full of excitement and adventure.
All this stuff you going through now
is just gonna make you stronger--that's it.
- Mom again?
- Mm-mm. That's all him.
- Mm.
I love you guys.
- Amira...
you're very important to us.
[hip-hop music]
[indistinct chatter]
- They did such a good job.
- Hi. - Are you serious right now?
Did you honestly think coming to the prom with my dad
was going to be less embarrassing
than not having a date?
- No, no, no. I'm a--I'm a chaperone.
I'm a chaperone.
- I thought the chaperones were staying inside.
- Okay, yeah, you got me-- I'm just a corny dad,
and I'm trying to help my daughter feel better, okay?
- [groans] - Come on.
Can we at least take a picture for your mother?
One?
- Fine.
- Maybe five? - One picture.
- No, that's Cuba Gooding Jr. and his brother Omar.
- I think it's an homage
to "Family Matters" season four, episode 10,
called, "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Urkel."
Very underrated episode, if I might add.
[camera app clicks] - Oh, I see it.
And that's the daughter from "Family Matters"
who went upstairs season one, never came back down.
Hey, Judy.
- All right. Keep it moving.
Fight is inside. There's nothing to see here.
- I see you, Judy. - No pictures.
- Okay. - All right, God bless.
[chuckles]
- How you feel? - They feel good.
- I ain't talking about the gloves; I'm talking about you.
How you feel?
- Good.
Yo, Tray, thank you for everything.
- Thank me for nothing, man.
All I did was crack the door open for you, young blood.
You decided to walk through.
All your hard work is gonna bring a lot of attention
to this center, help a lot more kids.
And pretty soon, they gonna be thanking you.
Let's go.
- Okay, smile.
- I feel like I'm the only one smiling.
- That's 'cause you are. She's not smiling.
[camera shutter clicks] - Great. Next.
- When we go in, no eye contact.
Don't stand close to me.
Don't dance with me. Don't even dance by yourself.
Don't sing and don't even move your lips to the words.
- Where are you guys going?
- The DJ is only playing the clean versions,
Mrs. Landers is measuring everyone's dress length,
and the dean has a breathalyzer.
- Prom is officially lame.
We're going back to the party bus.
- Well, seems like you're not missing much in there.
- No, but I am missing something.
♪ ♪
[crowd shouting]
[crowd ohs] - Eso, Javito.
[shouting continues]
- Hey, you.
crowd: Whoa! - Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
[bell dings]
- Whoa, whoa.
[applause, whistling]
- You're doing great. You're doing great, Javi.
- Now relax.
Take a deep breath. - [breathes deeply]
- You won that round, but now he's gonna be looking
to set you up for one shot.
You understand? - Mm-hmm.
- He's gonna come out fast.
Be alert. - You got this, Javi.
[crowd shouting]
[dramatic hip-hop music]
♪ ♪
[music slows, shouting dulls]
- Come on, Javi!
- [distorted] Javi?
Javi!
[crowd shouting normally]
- Now we'll find out if he's a real fighter.
- Javi.
I did not skip prom to watch you get your ass beat.
Come on, let's go.
- You okay? - I'm good.
- Can you continue? - Yeah.
- Okay, box. Let's go.
- That's all you got? - Tough kid.
- Damn, I guess he is a fighter.
- I told you! I told you!
[shouting continues]
♪ ♪
[all shouting indistinctly]
♪ ♪
- Yeah! - Yeah!
[cheers and applause]
- We're on our way!
[cheers and applause]
- So good.
Congratulations, Javi. - Thank you.
Hey, I'm sorry I didn't make it to prom.
- I'm not. This was way better. That was amazing.
- Thank you. - Oh, you're sweaty.
- Just a little bit.
- I'm sorry. I was a jerk.
I should've said yes to your prom-posal.
It was very sweet.
- That's cool.
Wanna go make out? - Yeah.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Nice, boy. Nice work.
Told you he's the real deal, and this is just the start.
Javi's gonna put this center on the map.
- Still got a lot to learn, but you're gifted.
- That's right, and with y'all on,
we can raise money for the center
for better equipment, more space.
Fights on the regular. This gonna be the spot.
- That's not gonna work for me.
I think he has the talent to turn pro.
There's no doubt about it,
but if he's gonna do it, you got to do it right.
You have to get away from all the distractions.
If you're interested, I have a camp up in the Poconos.
- Poconos?
He can't do that here?
- You gotta be dedicated. You know that.
You wouldn't have came to us in the first place
if you didn't realize that.
- That's right. I knew that.
You gonna be the best, you got to train with the best.
Javi, when you win that belt,
just come back to the neighborhood, man.
Show the kids, man, so they can be inspired to work hard
and be great just like you. - I will.
- How would you like that, kid? - I'd like that. Thanks, man.
- You should go talk to your mom about that.
- Someone very smart told me once,
"It's disappointing when someone's good thing
"is a bad thing for you,
"but life is full of exciting adventures.
This is just something that's gonna make you stronger."
- My dear daughter, I love you.
[chuckles] I love you. - I love you, too, Dad.
- What's up, old head?
Can you teach me to fight?
- Well, it's not called fighting.
It's called boxing.
With a mouth like yours,
you gonna have to learn how to defend it.
Let me see your stance.
Okay, that's a good stance, right there.
Now let me see you throw a jab.
A little harder. Yeah.
- [grunts] - Yeah.
- Hey, what's going on?
- Somebody painted dicks all over the Jacksons.
Rebbie got it the worst.
- Mm, I thought that was La Toya.
- Well, whoever it is, this shit is vandalism.
So, unfortunately,
we're gonna have to paint over this shameful display.
- I feel you, queen.
I'ma go get some paint, but, uh, you need me to get
some turpentine for this yellow paint on your hand?
- Get off my hand, boy, and go on down there
and get the paint. - I don't know nothing. Ooh.
- Damn, Jermaine got a huge fucking cock.