[Kevin] Previously on The Chi...
When are we gonna get this new, big house?
So listen, just put down whatever you can,
and, um, I'll cover the difference.
[Emmett] I gotta talk to my lady first.
[Kiesha] Yes.
Go get us some money so we can cut ties with Douda
and be our own boss.
So you-you-you don't want me to pay you back?
I want something else.
Q was my brother.
I wanna know who killed him.
No use in both of us being alone on V-day.
- I'm in a situation. - So am I.
smooth sensual music
- What's this? A bag of nickels? - No.
It's a little deadlier than that.
[Emmett] I don't need this.
[Douda] You should be able to protect your family.
soft ominous music
My son ain't gonna be needing your little housewarming gift.
Only thing he need protection from is you.
If anything happens to my son, his girl, or they kids,
I kill you myself.
- Oh, shit. - What?
- Did you go through my drawer? - No. Why?
- Anyone else come in here? - No, just me.
- Oh, shit. - Emmett!
[water pattering]
smooth sensual music
Oh, shit. [chuckles]
Come on, baby.
You know that shit, it clouds up my mind.
[clears throat]
Come on.
4/20 only comes around once a year.
Get into the spirit.
Mm-hmm.
[both chuckle]
You know, it's a damn shame
you cut up this fine-ass Cuban cigar for this...
this fucking made-up holiday.
- [soft thump] - What?
[Bianca] This made-up holiday
is gonna make you a lot of money.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
[chuckles] You like that?
[moaning, gasping]
- Oh, shit. - What?
Somebody's in here.
What?
Who is that?
suspenseful music
[Roselyn sighs]
We need to talk.
tense hip-hop music
Bianca.
Roselyn.
In the streets, you don't eat if you don't work
Ain't never been spoon fed
All I did was put in work
This shit ain't for the weak
If you scared go to church
No handouts for nobody
If you want it, get off your ass
Put in work
The only shit worth having
Is shit that you grind for
Working hard, no days off
Never know when your time's up
Ain't really shit you can be
When you a sleeper or a dreamer
And thinking you gon' take some, but we strive
Please believe us
Make money all day
Get a busy late night for the weaver
When doing a regular-degular doin' porn shit...
[cabinet contents clattering]
[cabinet contents clatter loudly]
Yo, hey. You good?
Yeah.
- W-- - Yeah.
Back and forth, back and forth
On two different cellulars
I got some niggas that know where your peoples
Be sleeping at, if you thinkin'...
- [softly] Excuse me. - Hey, hey, man! Watch out.
You feel something hard under the cushion?
Hey, hey! First of all, pause!
Okay? Second of all, you need to cool the fuck out.
[Victor] Yeah, you acting real paranoid right now.
- Man, come on. I'm-I'm good. - [Shaad] No.
H-honestly, you need to hit this, bro.
- [Emmett scoffs] - Please.
Man.
Hey, come on, man. Get that medicine up in you.
- Yeah. - [Emmett inhales deeply]
[sighs] No, I'm good.
Oh, you can't smoke 'cause you're with the government?
Nah, I'm just chillin' right now.
[Emmett] I don't want you losing your job
just 'cause it's 4/20 and shit.
- [Victor chuckles] - [Shaad] Hey, that just means
more weed-infused wings for us.
[both chuckle]
I'm glad y'all pulled up on me.
- Yeah. - [Shaad] I know, right?
I mean, I ain't kicked it with my nigga, Vic,
in a minute, though.
Man, I'm just tryna get this city together, bro.
Yeah, I know it's a full-time job.
I wish you could smoke with us. I know your ass stressed.
Yeah, I don't really think weed would help me out right now.
[scoffs] Shit, it helps my ass.
- [Emmett] Right? - I don't know what I would do
if I couldn't smoke no weed to clear my mind.
Sometimes, I just be talking to myself, man,
just to get my thoughts out there.
Mm.
Am I crazy?
No, no, you're not crazy.
A lot of people talk to themselves.
But you know, it could mean
you longing for someone else to talk to.
[clicks tongue] I don't know, it just...
I always dreamed about what life would be like
once I got out of the pen, and...
now that I'm out, I just...
just kinda feel like my life is closing in on me.
From the outside looking in, my life is great.
Shit, business is booming,
Kiesha and I are good for the most part,
all my baby mamas are happy as fuck.
- [laughter] - Thank you. Shit.
You know what I mean?
But shit is stressful as hell.
I mean, like...
feel like I'm juggling a lot of shit right now,
and, uh, I'm scared I might drop something.
That why you so anxious?
Yeah. It's-it's a lot going on.
[Victor] Hey...
when the last time y'all saw a therapist?
Does couple's therapy count?
Yeah, sure.
Not--oh, damn. That was with Tiff.
- That was about a year ago. - What about you, Shaad?
[scoffs] Nigga, Jesus is my therapist, okay?
- Amen. - [Shaad laughs]
Come on. It's not funny. For real.
- [Shaad sighs] - Come on. We fucking with you.
Come on, man, you know how I am about that shit.
I don't like strangers knowing all my business.
Rather just talk to my people, man.
But what if we did this more often,
but without the weed wings?
What, get together and talk shit, nigga?
Yeah, like, we could talk about whatever you want.
Whatever said in that space will never leave that space.
You mean like Fight Club?
Don't--no, not quite.
I don't want us to fight each other.
I want us to talk to each other.
I mean... I feel you, bruh.
Yeah, I ain't trying to fight nobody.
- I got kids. - [Emmett, Shaad chuckle]
- Tell that. - Look.
We gotta be protectors, right? But who gon' protect us?
- Mm. That's real. - Yeah.
Uh, hold on.
I thought you weren't fucking with the high wings.
Man, Fatima told me to grab her a plate.
Yeah! I know that's right. [laughs]
Hey, man. Tell I said what's up, man.
I will.
Y'all wanna link up tomorrow night at the ROCK center?
And we can finish this conversation.
I'm game.
Shit, I ain't got shit to do, nigga.
Yeah, let me just check with Kiesha first.
- I should be good. - All right. Well, let me know.
- [Shaad] A'ight. - Okay.
[Roselyn sighs] Q was working for the FBI.
I knew that motherfucker was opps.
Apparently, he almost got locked up a few years ago,
but to avoid jail time,
he decided he was gonna go and work as an informant.
soft ominous music
What they got on us?
Nothing big enough to come arrest you for.
But if they find out that you had
anything to do with his death,
you can go to jail for the rest of your life.
[Douda sighs]
I threw his body in the river for a reason.
Well, water doesn't wash away everything.
[Roselyn sighs]
I'll keep the suits at bay.
For now.
Uh--until then,
no more killing niggas for chewing gum too loud.
Hey, it's not my fault I got sensitive ears.
Fuck.
dramatic jazz music
easygoing music
In the end all I wanted was you
Ya-ya-ya-ya
[phone buzzes]
[notification chimes]
Hey-a
In the end all I wanted was you...
[Jada] Mm-hmm.
[Darnell] Mm.
Cool.
Hey-a
Ya-ya-ya-ya
[Darnell] Mm.
Mm, ask if she got a massage oil.
- [Jada giggles] - Yeah, okay. [chuckles]
- Got that massage oil. - [Jada laughs]
Mm-hmm!
[sighs] Mm.
Knew I weren't just anybody...
[notification chimes]
... a busybody
Body...
Those watermelon gummies back in stock?
And I knew you weren't just anybody
I knew you weren't just anybody
But you know you were playing naughty...
- [notification chimes] - Mm.
Naughty
In the end all I wanted was you
What you, what you want
In the end all I wanted was you
What you, what you want...
[Bakari clears throat]
Here you go.
Yeah.
[coughs]
[chuckling] Breathe, nigga, breathe.
Buy me more of whatever the fuck that is.
- Shit, bro. - I got you.
Oh, shit.
Yo' ass better pay me back, too.
Come on, bro. You know I'm good for it.
[notification chimes]
[phone buzzing]
[clicks tongue] Nuck still bugging me for weed.
Just keep giving him Douda wack shit.
How long before we on our own?
Soon.
Just gotta get everything set up first.
And I know you weren't just anybody
I knew you weren't just anybody
But you know you were playing naughty
Naughty, unh
[machinery grinding]
Right. [chuckles]
[sighs]
God damn.
Last time I had this much money in my hand,
I had just robbed a bank.
I believe in paying people for their time.
- Appreciate you. - [Douda] Yeah.
You know, Rashaad, um...
there's more where that came from.
Yeah, I know exactly where this comes from.
That's why it's a one-time thing.
tense music
- Get that the fuck outta here. - [Zay] I got you.
[zipper zips]
[Nuck] Hey, boss.
Yeah. [clears throat]
Man, what the fuck is this?
Fucking client never showed.
Maybe the feds got to him before he got to me.
Fuck!
You find someplace to put this shit.
- You understand me? - Yes, sir.
'Cause I can't have this shit nowhere near me right now!
Yo, Kar. Check it out.
Do you know anybody that can hold this for us?
Thanks for coming through.
[laughs] Okay, take care.
Yeah, you too. Bye-bye.
soft dramatic music
Monica?
Dre?
What... what are you doing here?
I was just about to ask you the same thing.
Tracy asked me to come in a few times a week
and do Reiki and massages for the staff.
Oh, okay. She didn't tell me.
I didn't know she had to run it by you.
She doesn't.
Is this gonna be weird for you?
[Dre] I mean, you're the one that broke up with me,
so it might be a little weirder for you.
Our breakup was mutual, and you know it.
I remember being a little bit more hurt about it than you.
Look, if it's gonna be too much,
I can always talk to Tracy and--
No.
I don't mind.
- You sure? - Yeah, it's fine.
You running out of money, baby girl.
I'm aware.
So? What's your plan?
I'm still figuring it out.
Well, you have until graduation
to figure this shit out
or I'm sending your ass to college.
That's not enough time.
Everybody has deadlines, even in the music industry.
[sighs] Look,
things aren't going as fast as I would like them to,
but Maisha is building an audience.
I just need a little more time.
You have until graduation.
So you can't support my dreams, but you can support Tierra?
[scoffs]
The only person I'm supporting right now is you,
and I'd feel much better about supporting you
if you were getting an education.
- College is a scam. - Yeah?
Well, I'd rather get scammed
than have a daughter walking around with no degree
and no money.
peaceful hip-hop music
Bad bitch
I shouldn't even have to tell you that
Big drip
I shouldn't even have to tell you that
Face card
I shouldn't even have to show you that
[Fatima] Cheers, ladies. I missed y'all.
So how long you gonna be boo'd up
with Mr. Jackson Goes to Washington?
Girl, I told you stop calling him that.
- So y'all living together now? - Yes.
He asked me to move in with him, and we did.
Is he paying all the bills?
- Girl, get out my business. - Ooh, okay!
Miss Real Housewife of the South Side of Chicago.
I can bring more to the table than this pretty face.
- But do you have to? - [Fatima sighs] I want to.
[Isis] I don't know why.
You always told me
you wanted to start a family and build a home.
You've manifested the dream. Why not relish in it?
[Fatima] Because I don't want to be
another person that he has to support.
And he also could switch up at any time,
so I think it's best you keep a job.
How much do you get paid
to write stories for the local paper?
[Fatima] Okay, I don't just write for the local paper.
I'm a freelance writer, which means I can write
for a lot of different publications,
and I like to keep the people informed.
[Isis] Do you trust him?
I do.
[Aerin] Girl, you took too long to answer that.
[Fatima] No, no, I didn't.
Yes. [scoffs]
If you got a man that wants to take care of you, let him.
[Fatima sighs] We take care of each other.
[Aerin scoffs] Ma, stop trying to push your dreams on Fatima.
- Girl. - [Aerin] Everybody don't want
no sugar daddy.
[chuckles] Yes, they do,
unless they lying to themselves.
[Aerin] Oh, I like being independent.
[scoffs] That's why you single.
- I'm choosy. - [Isis chuckles]
Listen, Fatima is my daughter.
I'll be doing all the advising around here.
Um, older sisters can give advice, too.
[Isis] Not when they single and broke.
[Aerin laughs] Girl!
I'm living very well, thank you.
[Isis] You live in a studio apartment.
- Girl, it's rent-controlled. - [Isis scoffs] Okay.
[scoffing] Oh, God.
I just want Fatima
to have the fairy tale she always wanted.
[Aerin] Yeah, but every fairy tale
doesn't end in some knight in shining armor.
[Isis chuckles] In mine, it does.
Yeah, but that's you.
Everybody don't want to be like you.
Dear, I am the prototype.
Everybody should want to be like me.
soft dramatic music
- [zipper zips] - [Dre sighs]
You want to grab some coffee and catch up?
I don't think that's a good idea.
It's just coffee.
I know.
But if my wife asks where was I at,
I don't want to say, "Well,
I was having coffee with my ex-fiancée."
Damn, y'all got trust issues?
I like keeping the peace.
[Monica] That was always your problem.
I thought you said you didn't want to get married.
Uh... um, I never said that.
Mm.
Just didn't want to marry me, huh?
I just wasn't ready at the time.
Come here. Look at this. I've got grandkids now.
- Oh, look! They're so cute. - Yeah.
I'm really happy for you.
You finally got the family you always wanted.
Yeah.
I'm grateful.
- So that's your wife? - Yeah.
- [Monica chuckles] - Why?
She's just not who I expected you to be with.
Why?
I thought you had a type.
Well, my type kept breaking my heart,
so I decided to switch things up a bit.
[clears throat]
So no coffee?
[chuckles]
[person] There is always enough time
for the right work.
There is a conversation in the room
that only these people can have.
Find it.
Never a failure, always a lesson.
Trust the people.
If you trust the people, they become trustworthy.
Move at the speed of trust.
Less prep, more presence.
[children giggling and playing]
[glass shatters]
[Kiesha sighs]
I told y'all, stop running through this house.
Fuck.
[sighs]
I thought you said no cursing.
Hey.
What happened in here?
I'm not in the mood. I gotta get to Tiff's.
[Emmett] Hold on. Who gon' watch the boys?
You.
Come on, Kiesha.
Emmett, we need a nanny.
First you want a house, and now you want a nanny too?
And we need a maid.
Girl, this ain't The Fresh Prince of Chicago.
All this money is creating problems for us
that you don't even understand.
What are you talking about?
[Emmett] Look, I don't wanna get into it right now.
You never wanna get into it.
I'm doing the best I can.
Your best could be better.
[Emmett] I don't support you?
Bye, Emmett.
hip-hop music
Dubs being stolen
Blue band hundreds, fresh tens
Let those pretty girls hold them
We the ones what I'm bringing the singles for
Shit, Gucci, Prada, Louis V, some mo' shit
[rapping continuing]
What you think?
It's good.
[laughs] You don't sound too impressed.
Look, the competition's stiff out here.
Your girl, she solid.
I just don't know that the streets
gonna go crazy over it.
[Maisha] Talk is the weakest of flex, fly that
We the ones what I'm bringing the singles for
Shit, Gucci, Prada, Louis V, some mo' shit
Lil' mama bust you
Say she from the Windy City? oh, shit
Ah!
Maisha, let's take it back to the same spot,
but just a little bit more clear this time.
Actually, it's your time.
- Already? - It's a rack for another hour.
We're at time.
[Maisha] Damn. I was just getting warmed up.
Yeah, well, maybe you might want to start getting warmed up
before we get here, okay?
- We need something iconic. - Iconic?
Girl, I'm still trying to find my voice.
And we don't have time for that.
I don't mind going to school if this doesn't work.
College has always been my backup plan.
Okay, well, people who make it? They don't have a backup plan.
I'm the one rapping, not you!
And if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be doing
half of the shit you're doing right now.
We not doing much!
Look, we gotta crawl before we walk.
How long are we gonna be crawling?
I just need another song from you.
- And I'm working on it. - Work harder.
And if you don't think I have what it takes to make it,
then say that shit.
I don't think that.
Then stop coming at me!
tense hip-hop music
Yeah, a big bang when you swing
It's too much to handle
Drop a dookie and sing
Need to burn a candle...
[pins clattering loudly]
Yeah.
Boy, this was supposed to be a friendly competition,
not a massacre.
I been in a bowling league since I was six,
so I'm basically a pro.
You really are an old soul.
Oh, I definitely been here before.
[Kenya scoffs]
[bowling ball crashes]
I'll try again.
Hey, just a little bit, uh... yeah.
And keep your eye on the ball.
Yes!
Anita Baker's "Sweet Love" playing
This my song.
Why do you think I requested it?
With all my heart
I love you, baby
Stay with me and you will see
My arms will hold you, baby
[both laugh]
Never leave 'cause I believe
I'm in love
Sweet love
Hear me calling out your name
[Papa chuckles]
I'm in love
Sweet love
[indistinct chatter]
[Victor sighs]
Morning.
- Morning. - Morning, Victor.
[Victor] Morning.
[chuckles softly]
[knock at door]
What do you want?
[scoffs] I missed you, too.
Sit down.
Turns out that Q was an FBI informant.
[Victor scoffs] What's that got to do with me?
Don't play dumb.
Everything you says, it stays right here with me.
I ain't got shit to say.
[Roselyn chuckles]
Well, keep that same energy when the feds come knocking.
[phone buzzes]
By the time I saw him, he was practically dead.
And then your husband finished him off.
So you're an accomplice?
soft tense music
[Roselyn chuckles]
Just stay quiet, okay?
You don't know nothing, you didn't see nothing.
Got it?
I'm getting tired of lying.
Well, in this case,
it's better than the alternative.
bassy hip-hop music
Welcome to my sanctuary.
- This is Blue Dream. - [Rob sighs softly]
This my shit. You know this.
This is a great strain for beginner growers
because it's high yield
and it does well in most climates.
Tolerant of overfeeding without burning.
Burning? What you mean?
See, that's when you fertilize with too much nitrogen
and you burn your plants.
It's a common rookie mistake.
What's different about my weed is,
there are no harsh chemicals in my growing process.
My plants are like my babies.
I would never give them water that I wouldn't drink myself.
[Cairo sighs]
Damn, that's crazy.
Yeah, and it actually make a lot of sense.
[Rob] Mm-hmm.
Now, that's just nasty as fuck.
Nah, that's organic.
All of these worms and microorganisms
means the soil is alive.
Living soil means fertile plants.
That's why my weed don't smoke like nobody else's.
The weed y'all getting is grown in salt and rockwool.
- What's that? - Synthetic growing cubes.
It's faster than mixing fish meal with bat guano
and letting the worms go to work.
People always ask, "What's the difference?"
I just say, "Your lungs will thank you."
[air hissing]
That air blast was to clean off any pollen
you might've gotten on you.
[Tiff] And why does that matter?
To prevent you from getting a hermed-out crop
and losing a lot of money.
Hermed?
[Cairo] Let's say you carry pollen
from your male plants into the nursery
where you keep your female plants, the mothers.
Those plants get hermed out.
Now you have a crop full of seeds.
Don't nobody need that shit.
And the wild part is,
a hermed-out crop smokes just as good,
but the average consumer sees a bunch of seeds
and assumes it's low-quality,
so you can't sell it for the same price point.
So we need space suits and a air blaster?
Ideally,
your nursery and grow room are in separate spaces
to cut down on human error.
Wait.
You never said nothing about needing two spaces.
We only got funds for one.
Getting the right space is the first part.
You need a room with temperature control
and space to segregate the genetics.
[Rob chuckles]
Sound like we need some more money.
I never said the revolution would be cheap.
You got a checkup--a checkup-- a checkup--
like, who do you go to see?
- [Jemma] Doctor, doctor! - Yeah.
They have, like,
a oat version, they have a soy version.
- [Kenya] Milk? - [Maisha] Milk!
[Jemma] Yes.
When you, like, have a long journey somewhere.
A voyage?
What I do every day at Smokey's.
- I go to-- - Work, work!
Girls wear it sometimes.
Pink!
- Skirts. - N-nah.
- [Jake] Dresses! - Close.
Underwear?
- Y'all suck. Next one. - It is--
Something you do when you like the rhythm.
[Maisha] Strip!
Dance!
- It rings. - [Kenya] Phone.
- Yeah. - What the hell?
- Girls put it on they face. - Makeup, makeup!
When you singing, what are you reading?
[Jake] Melody! Oh, book!
What are you reading when you signing?
- A script. Lyrics, lyrics! - Lyrics!
- Bam! - [laughter, chatter]
[Jake] No, he not, no, he not, no, he not!
[Bakari] A Mets dude-- what does he wear?
[Jake] Cape! Cape!
And time!
[Maisha chuckles]
- How many we get? - Six.
No thanks to you, Kenya.
You wasn't even paying attention that last round.
I didn't get the clues.
Hey, don't be mad 'cause y'all are losing.
- Tell your girl to step it up. - Excuse me?
Look, guys, it's just a game.
- Okay, can we just chill? - Yeah.
Y'all the ones that wanted to be boys versus girls, shit.
Yeah, 'cause girls are smarter.
[Kevin inhales sharply]
Well, we winning, so...
'Cause y'all cheating.
I'd never cheat on you.
- [person] What? - What is you talking about?
[Bakari] Nigga.
Nothing, nothing.
- You want some? - No.
I told you my girl don't smoke.
I'm not your girl, Papa.
[Papa sighs]
So do you, um,
not smoke 'cause you don't wanna get in trouble,
or you just don't do it?
I'm too grown to get in trouble.
Oh, well, I guess
I look forward to becoming grown as well.
[laughter]
You know, see, me and Kenya don't do that childish shit.
[Kevin] All right, bro.
Nah.
Oh, so you ain't smoking 'cause she ain't?
Nah, I just wanna be alert in case we play another round.
- [Jemma laughs] - Man,
this shit way more fun when you fucked up.
- [Kevin] Right. - If y'all was high,
maybe y'all would play fucking better.
Boy, I am high as hell.
- [sighs] We know. - What's that supposed to mean?
You need to get focused.
I'm focused whether I'm high or not.
Uh-uh, girl. Hell, naw. It's too cold for all that.
I'm not trying to go home smelling like weed.
- [Maisha] Me, either. - [Jemma] But, like, come on.
Oh, nah. It's cool, y'all.
It's cool. You can open up the window.
You know, I don't want my landlord
coming in here talking shit, anyway.
Damn, nigga, where the fuck you get that from?
- I made it. - [Bakari] For real?
[Bakari] That shit hard, shorty.
If you like it, he could make you one.
- How much? - [Jemma] $50.
[Bakari scoffs] Nuh, mm-mm.
That shit ain't that nice.
- [Jake scoffs] - It is.
Yes it is, nigga. Your ass tweaking.
These motherfuckers solid. [chuckles]
- [Kevin] Better tell him, bro. - All right.
-$20. -$35.
- Fuck it. Bet. - [Lynae chuckles]
You always working.
Well, someone has to.
And what's that supposed to mean?
Nothing. Let's play another round.
One more, and then I gotta go, so...
Me too.
What y'all gotta do? [chuckles]
Kenya and I got responsibilities.
- [overlapping chatter] - [Maisha] Boy, shut up, Papa.
[Jemma] Y'all do too much. Y'all do too much.
Hey.
I come bearing Douda's tithes and offerings.
dramatic musical sting
[Jackson] I already told you his money is not welcome here.
tense music
No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
[Nuck] You sure about that?
[Jackson] Is there anything else that I can help you with?
Then you be blessed.
[Emmett] Here, boy. Come on.
- [Darnell] Hey. - [Emmett chuckles]
I didn't know you had the boys tonight.
Yeah, neither did I. Kiesha dumped them on me.
Boy, a woman can't dump your own kids on you.
Y'all gotta share that load.
I don't remember you sharing the load with my mama.
- Yeah, well, we sharing it now. - I'm grown, though.
Yeah, you still need your daddy.
Hey, you know we do have someone here from childcare
if you wanted to drop them off.
- Uh, y'all got childcare? - Of course.
Lot of folks here have kids,
so we make sure they can come even if they don't have help.
[Emmett] Oh.
I mean, I can take 'em back.
Okay.
[Emmett exhales deeply]
[Darnell] Hey.
Listen to me, boy.
[Emmett] What?
You need to be mindful of the company you keep.
What you talking 'bout?
- You ain't no gangster. - I never said I was.
Then why you hiding guns in your nightstand
like a dumbass?
That was you?
I-I been looking all over for that damn gun.
I thought one of the kids might'a took it.
This is why you ain't got no business
having no damn gun.
You wouldn't know what to do with it.
And knowing Douda,
it's probably got some bodies attached to it.
You must've forgot I-I used to run these streets.
- I want it back. - For what?
'Cause it's mine.
How 'bout this?
I hold on to it for you,
and if you ever really need it, you come find me.
I don't need your permission.
Yeah, maybe not.
But it's clear that you still need my protection.
[Shaad] Oh, shit. My bad, y'all.
Emmett's weed wings had me slumped like motherfucker.
- [Shaad chuckles] - Nigga!
What? I didn't know it was some kind
of big motherfucking secret or something.
Y'all had weed wings without me?
Uh, no. It was last minute.
[Darnell sighs]
[Shaad] But shit, it wasn't that last-minute.
I mean, he had flyers printed up and everything.
Victor, why don't we get started?
All right. [sighs]
Look...
I know usually when we get together,
it's to play poker, smoke weed,
or talk about work.
But tonight, I just want to check in with y'all,
see how y'all doing.
Like how we doing emotionally?
How you doing in general.
I wanna talk about the things
we don't normally talk about with other people.
Oh, you mean like sex stuff?
Whatever you want to talk about.
I want this space to be a safe space.
No judgment.
No judgment?
No judgment.
[Victor] We want to know how we can support y'all, men.
And how we can support each other.
All right, so the floor's open.
Whoever wants to start talking can just start.
[person clears throat, sighs]
[sighs] I guess I'll, uh...
[clears throat] ...kick things off.
I think for me... [exhales deeply]
I've accomplished something I really wanted.
We real proud of you, too, man.
Yeah.
- Yes, sir. - [Victor] Thank you. Thank you.
Really, I...I feel that.
But...
I also feel isolated now that I've accomplished that goal.
[laughs] Shit, man. How?
Y-y-you surrounded by people every day, man.
Yeah, people that want something from me.
People that need me to make their lives better.
I mean, I know it's my job to support my community, but...
I don't always feel like my community supports me.
[clicks tongue] And I realize that...
I picked a job that's a thankless one.
And I don't do it for gratitude, man.
Really, I...
I don't.
I want my city to be a better place.
And that means people
not always gonna agree with my ideas.
And I have to be okay...
with people not always being happy with me.
And that's hard.
I know about that life.
Why don't you step that out a bit, Marcus?
Okay, um...
well, I been dating somebody for the last few months.
- Oh, shit! - Congratulations.
My daughter, Jemma, she's not too happy about it.
Yeah, yeah. Bet she pissed about that.
[Marcus] Yeah, but it's--
this woman isn't somebody I'm just having fun with.
She's...
brought me back to life.
Or back to the man I used to be
before I was a single dad.
[Shaad chuckles]
And Jemma, she just used to it all being about her.
But now I just have to make sure
that they both feel loved.
Good luck with that shit, man. [chuckles]
How can we be more supportive?
[Marcus sighs]
Honestly, just pray for me.
Send me some ideas, you know, that you might have.
I can help 'em build their own relationship
without them wanting to kill each other.
If my girl and my ex-wife can be friends?
[chuckles]
I'm sure Jemma and your girl can figure it out.
I appreciate you saying that. That gives me hope.
Victor, how can we support you?
[inhales deeply]
Man, I think my shit is more internal.
I gotta stop trying to be Superman.
[Darnell] But see, that's--
that's what society keeps telling us that we have to be.
I mean, it's no wonder y'all trying
to be everything for everybody.
You think that's the only way to be a man.
But Pop, you put down a lot of your responsibilities
when I was coming up because you couldn't handle it.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's true.
And now we making up for lost time.
[sighs] Which is cool, but...
I never got a chance to see you
juggle my mom and juggle your career.
[Emmett sighs]
Honestly, I think that's why my ass struggling right now.
Wait, hold on.
You can't be blaming me for your bullshit.
That's not what I'm doing. I'm saying...
everybody expects me to be this strong Black man.
But how can I be what I didn't see?
[sighs] I'm just figuring this shit out on my own,
and I'm gonna stumble sometimes.
[Marcus] Mm-hmm.
I wish people would just
stop judging me for falling down and...
help a nigga get back up again.
Right.
[Shaad sighs softly]
You know what, man? I-I...
I'ma keep it a buck, right? I-it--
it's kinda hard for me to sit here and listen to y'all
complain about y'all's situation.
You know what I'm saying?
I mean, 'cause all y'all got lives that I wish I had.
I mean, y'all been out in the world
building businesses, starting families,
running for office.
And a guy can't even get a job, man.
[sighs]
Living at my woman house,
a house I can't even smoke in.
Dog, I told you, just open up a motherfucking window, man.
[sighs] Nah, it ain't just that, man.
I-I-I'm still lusting after this woman that I can't have.
Hold on. Who you lusting after?
You ain't lusting after Kiesha?
Man, it ain't nothing like that, it's just--
- We was at the house earlier. - [laughter]
[Shaad] Nah, honestly, I'm just trying
to be the best man I can for my woman.
Okay? I mean...
I owe her a lot. [sighs]
She really took a chance on me, and...
I just don't wanna let her down.
I know my little sister disappointed in me.
She has every right to be.
But I know I gotta do better.
Not just for her, but for me, first and foremost.
I can't go back to jail.
Shit, me neither.
These streets make it so fucking easy
for a nigga to slip up, man.
[Shaad scoffs] You ain't never lied.
Sometimes, the streets can slip into your house
when you ain't even looking.
But like I said,
we all need to be mindful of the company we keep.
I think we're all in good company right now.
Yeah.
light upbeat jazz music
I like this, man.
Well, I think this is a good place to stop for now.
How 'bout we take a break and regroup in just a bit?
[all murmuring]
soft music
[Jamal] Appreciate you for this, bruh.
- Yeah, there you go. - [indistinct chatter]
[Shaad] Appreciate you.
smooth R&B music
[Kiesha sniffs]
That smell good.
Yeah, this different.
That's why we gotta get a bigger place.
So we can grow our own shit.
Y'all tryna move?
No, this'll be a spot just to grow.
You need a permit for that, don't you?
Mm-hmm. We gonna figure that out.
- Don't get locked up. - Girl, we won't.
We just need a realtor to help us find a spot.
Ours is cool.
But I mean, we got him from Douda, so...
you know how that go.
Fuck that. We'll find a spot on our own.
We tryna cut ties with that nigga.
Yeah, I wish we could cut ties, too.
Ever since he started coming around,
Emmett been acting different.
[Tiff] Don't be afraid to check his ass.
I'm not.
You need to quit your job and sell this cheese dip.
But you believe in me and say all the right things
To lift me up
I don't mind, I don't mind us
We're never alone
Is it just me,
or were Kevin and Maisha acting a little weird?
Nah, it wasn't just you.
They was being weird as fuck.
[rapper] Tip it in, uh
- Oh, shit. - [rapper] Tip it real good
Some rapper just posted a video in one of your shirts.
Who is it?
[rapper] Tip it real good
You're givin' me a heart attack
My dick is hard as fuck
That ass is hella fat, I wanna bust a nut
[Jake] Damn! [chuckles]
And I don't even know this nigga.
Shit, I-I'll take it.
[rapper] You can rowdy ride me cowgirl...
His, uh, lyrics are really misogynistic.
Man, that's just how niggas rap.
Wait, if this is what people want to hear,
then what are me and Maisha gonna do?
Uh--uh, I don't know.
Switch it up.
Or, I guess, don't make no money.
[rapper] Take you to the back, I got unlimited...
[Jake] It would've been nice if he tagged me though.
I ain't gonna lie.
- Yeah. - [Jake] It's all good.
I'll just repost it in my stories and tag him.
[Jemma] Congrats, babe.
[rapper] Tame her with my money
And she tame me with her tongue
She lickin' on her ass crack and lickin'--
- [Shaad] Shit, boy, I tell you. - [laughter]
Hey, listen, we can't thank y'all enough
for inviting us over for dinner tonight.
Yeah, it means a lot to him.
And, well, you know I love to cook.
He also loves any excuse not to spend money.
- [Shaad] Oh! - [Deja laughs]
I'm not about to spend my damn money on no restaurant food,
especially downtown.
And they be having them meter maids
just standing outside waiting to give you a ticket.
- Oh, man. Tell me about it. - [laughter]
[Darnell] Hey, Shaad, set that down.
- Oh, I got you. - [doorbell chimes]
[Darnell] Oh, that must be Marcus.
Oh, snap! You invited him? Man, that's my guy!
Yeah, you know, after our little chat,
I figured he and his woman could use some quality time
with us grown folk, you know?
- Okay, I see you, player. - [Darnell laughs]
Yeah, come on in. Grab a seat. Got enough ribs for everybody.
Oh, I'm a vegetarian.
[Darnell] Oh, okay. Cool.
Uh, well, we got some corn on the cob.
Come on, brother. [chuckles] Yeah.
Hey, you want me to touch you up?
All right. Cool.
It's good to see you, Tierra.
Last time we saw each other, we were on a double date
with you and Victor.
Mm-hmm.
Well, we all know how that ended, so...
Oh, well, that must've been quite embarrassing.
Oh, no. I've been through much worse.
- Oh. - Really?
I've lived a crazy life.
Shit, I can't tell.
You look like a princess to me.
[Tierra laughs]
Well, I am glad that you found yourself a real love.
Thank you.
And this is, uh...
- new for both of us. - [Tierra] Mm.
Marcus, I don't think I ever seen you with a woman before.
I like to keep my love life private, that's all.
Hey, spoken like a true pimp.
[laughing] Oh, whoa. No, nothing like that.
I'm just always focused on my daughter.
Oh, now you splitting your attention?
Yeah.
Hasn't been easy.
But we're working it out.
[both sigh]
- [Marcus] Mm. - Hey, hey, all right now.
[chuckling] All right.
Tierra, if you don't mind my asking,
what is it that you do for a living?
[Shaad] I mind you asking.
Oh, excuse me?
No, it's just, you know,
I hate it when people ask me that, so...
Oh, that's 'cause you ain't got no job right now.
So what?
I-I-I mean, I'd just rather be judged based off of
who I am and not what I do.
Shaad, you should come in on this little idea I got.
Now, it's not a whole lot of money,
but it's better than nothing.
You know what?
I'll do just about anything right about now.
Hear me out.
See, I'm trying to come up with a Black version of a sexy maid.
Our selling points would be that, you know,
we some handsome brothers in tool belts,
but, you know, we actually fix shit.
[laughter]
- Well...[scoffs] - [Deja laughs]
Well, how much you make a day doing that?
Like, mm, 200, 300.
Nigga, that's it?
Hold on. Pump the brakes now.
We--we fix some pipes, dog.
- We ain't layin' 'em. - [laughter]
[Darnell] Whole 'nother-- whole 'nother job there.
smooth R&B music
Whoa-oa-oa
So I see you got some new soldiers on deck.
Yeah, I'm tryna train 'em up the right way.
Mm.
They all wanna be just like you.
[chuckles]
And too bad they ain't.
You know, I won't be here forever.
I have to pass this throne down to somebody.
Okay, so...
who we thinking?
I don't know.
Only time will tell.
[Bianca] I got my eye on the quiet one.
[Douda] Yeah, well, you know, and he's, um...
he's still wet behind the ears.
But he has potential.
[Bianca] I know Nuck is your favorite.
[Douda] He's loyal, but he's not ruthless enough.
[Bianca] They can't all be cold-blooded like you.
- But that's the job. - Mm-hmm.
[Bianca giggles]
War is not the answer
[indistinct chatter]
War is not the answer
In times like these
We need love
- [Bianca chuckles] - [Douda whispers indistinctly]
We need love
- [both whispering indistinctly] - [Bianca chuckles]
Hey.
Welcome.
Well, sure as hell beats smoking in the cold.
- [glass clinks on table] - [Douda chuckles]
- Here you go, man. - [Shaad sighs] Hey.
Needed this shit.
Especially after the day I just had.
[laughs] I got you, dog.
Take a load off.
[loud metallic clank]
ominous music
[Zay] Douda wants to offer you an opportunity.
War is not the answer
Yeah, yeah
War is not the answer
Yeah, yeah...
Hell, no.
We just need you to hold on to 'em.
In exchange for a fee, of course.
No, I'm-- I'ma stay outta trouble.
Y'all have a good evening.
- I can talk to him. - [Bakari] Nah.
I got him.
A'ight.
[Victor] Sorry, sorry, sorry. Hey.
So, um, what's so urgent it couldn't wait?
We tryna cut ties with Douda.
Oh. What you need from me?
We need a permit so we can grow our own weed.
Well, Victor can submit the proposal
once he gets inaugurated.
But City Council will still have to vote on it.
And not everybody likes the idea
of people growing weed in their neighborhood.
I'll be creating jobs.
And weed is the safest drug out there.
It's not that simple.
I'll be a reference on her application.
- Who are you? - Cairo Fuqua.
- Famsterdam Farms. - Uh-huh.
Look, I support you starting your own business,
but I got bigger issues I need to tackle first.
So how long it's gonna take?
- Oh, it-- - [Quincy] Give us six months.
Six months?
- [papers slap on table] - Fuck that.
Come on.
Is there anything else we can help you with?
Yeah, I'ma talk to him alone real quick.
You're not getting the permit whether I'm in the room or not.
This ain't about the fucking permits, my nigga.
- Then what's it regarding? - [Victor] Quincy.
Give us a minute.
[door closes]
suspenseful music
You didn't like my uncle Q, did you?
I ain't know him that well.
That's not what I heard.
Your uncle had a lot of enemies.
Any of 'em want to take his life?
[Victor sighs] I don't know.
[Rob] You don't know.
Mm-hmm.
You better not be lying to me, nigga.
I ain't got no reason to lie.
I'm not waiting that long to start growing.
You don't have to do it by the book,
but if you don't, you'll be taking a risk.
I'd rather take a risk than keep working for a killer.
You might wanna talk to your man first.
He down for whatever I want.
upbeat R&B music
[Fatima sighs] Which one y'all like better?
[Aerin sighs] Child, they all look the same to me.
What you need is some fly-ass wallpaper.
Girl, y'all ain't no help.
[Aerin] Why all these kids in here?
Girl, this little brother
sell his merch out of the house.
He paying bills?
No, we let him keep his money so he can save it.
- Oh, girl. - Child.
He needs to move out of y'all house.
Girl, it's more his house than mine.
I'm the one that just moved in.
Mm-mm.
Damn, this went from a trap house to a tranny house.
- Oh! - Bitch, don't get slapped.
[Jake] What's going on?
One of your little friends being disrespectful.
These niggas ain't my friends.
This a customer.
And if you can't respect my house
or the people in it, you can get the fuck out.
Don't nobody want your gay-ass shirt no way.
- Man, come on. - Get off me.
[Jake] Man.
Fuck up outta here.
[door slams]
Anybody else want to talk? 'Cause y'all can leave, too.
Don't come in here with that bullshit.
A'ight. Who next?
Come on.
[knock at door]
[single knock]
[Emmett] Fuck you doing here?
What's this?
Oh, hell, no. I ain't holding this.
[Nuck] Come on. Come on.
After all we done for you, Emmett?
You won't have to hold it long. We'll be back for it.
What if my girl find this shit?
Nigga, make sure she don't.
First Peter asks us to look into our hearts
and find courage.
What do you do...
when a lion prowls your village,
looking to eat your young?
Do you feed him from your table?
tense music
What do you do when a lion prowls your village,
jaws dripping with the blood of your neighbors?
Do you let him sleep in your bed?
- [all] No. - Uh-uh.
[Jackson] Do you follow him blindly?
Do you long to be like him, hoping that one day,
you, too, can be the king of your own jungle?
If we are not vigilant...
that lion will destroy everything we love.
If we are not upright shepherds of our flock,
that beast will not stop
until all of our young's hearts are ripped out.
If we don't cast that devil out of our city...
...he will devour us all.
And I just pray...
that he doesn't come for your house next.
[all] Amen!
[applause]
Take care of him.
Glory to...
Say less.
Name
Singin'
Glory to his name
I'm singin'
Glory to his name
Yeah, there to my heart
Was the blood applied
Glory to his name
I'm so wondrously
Saved from my sin
Jesus so sweetly abides within
There at the cross
Where he took me in
Glory to his name
Singin' glory to his name
Singin' glory
To his name
There to my heart
Was the blood applied
Hey
Glory to his name
Oh, that I can say it's glory
Glory to his name
Oh, where would I be without you
Glory to his name