♪♪♪♪
- Most people call me KP or Compton.
I was born and raised here.
I opened up the first tattoo shop in Compton two years ago,
and I put together a team of people who I thought
had the talent and determination to help me make history.
And then the pandemic shut us down.
My hope is that we fully open in a month or so.
I really want a solid team.
- You want to start fresh.
- I don't have no energy for nothing fake.
- I noticed that KP had posted something on his Instagram.
The post said basically they're looking for artists.
Has anybody talked to him?
- I have.
- Happy Ice!
- This past year has been one of the most
rewarding years of my life. My business was able
to thrive through the pandemic.
Happy Ice has expanded.
I couldn't have done this without my queen, Danielle.
- I gotta deal with LeMeir. - Make sure my hips right
so we can keep, uh... - We know your hips ain't right
'cause your pull out game is weak as hell.
- We have baby number two on the way.
- Ceas, that's my East Coast brother.
- A'ight, bet.
- Hi, Mom, I gotta go to a meeting right now for work.
Now that I feel like I'm getting my life back together,
tattooing is one of the main things
that I wanna get back into.
I love you, I'll see you soon.
- Y'all just said on TV,
"Oh, I'd rather work for LeMeir."
- Who should be running the shop?
- I personally think LeMeir
does have a little bit more especially.
- Vudu, what do you say? - I'd have to say LeMeir as well.
- Why y'all not working for LeMeir?!
- We just survived the whole pandemic, and you guys
are still angry? What the (bleep)?
- What do you think I should do to be a part of this team?
- You don't know how to set up.
- You both got a lot of ego (bleep) going.
- Because of our history, I don't trust your words.
That's business-wise. Feelings wise... (bleep) you.
- (bleep) keeps talking this Compton (bleep) like
I ain't the (bleep) from a hood too.
(shouting)
- You're not (bleep) tough, (bleep)!
- I thought New York was crazy.
- ♪♪ I be fishin' with you bish ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I wanna Hey ♪♪
♪♪ Tryin' to get... I do what I wanna, hey ♪♪
♪♪ Tell her use her lips I do what I wanna ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪ I do me and you are you, ooh ♪♪
♪♪And you can't tell me who to screw ♪♪
♪♪ Who be gettin' money? I do ♪♪
♪♪ You can't tell me... because ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I want to ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I wanna ♪♪
♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪♪♪
- I'll knock your (bleep), (bleep).
- You not (bleep) tough.
- You a bitch, cuz. - Keep faking, (bleep).
- You about to tap in now, (bleep).
The (bleep) you talking about, (bleep)?
Man, this (bleep) had the audacity to say some
stupid ass (bleep) like we fake gangstas, a'ight.
Well, at least Ceas get to see your true colors.
But LeMeir, you finna tap in.
- I'm getting tired of this (bleep) now.
This (bleep) keep walking around with this
(bleep) S on his chest like he really about that.
Go in Compton and do that. - That's some ego (bleep), yo.
Like y'all be pushing each other button
and no one wants to back down.
You right, if y'all can't work with each other, (bleep) it.
But together, y'all would've thrived.
- What I offered to him was something
that was truly genuine. But he thinking
I'm trying to take his (bleep) over.
I know I bring a lot to the table.
When it come to talent, leadership,
finances, everything you could possibly think of.
And KP sitting here acting like he doing me a favor.
Bro, I don't need you or you (bleep) shop.
But I still got a big mission, bro.
Like, I really wanna help the Black culture
in the tattoo world, so like, if I can't do it there,
then I really don't got another choice but do this (bleep) myself.
- So you gonna say you might as well open up your own shop?
- Yeah.
- ♪♪ Yeah, homie, I'm just big bad ♪♪
♪♪ A rockstar, pull up with a big bag ♪♪
♪♪ Skrr, and pop off ♪♪
♪♪ Lookin' big mad, it's lock jaw ♪♪
♪♪ Came from the bottom, now we at the top notch ♪♪
- Whoo! - Kobe.
- Damn. - That wasn't Kobe.
Yeah!
- What's up, fellas? - What's up, Pop?
What's going on with you?
- Oh, the no look!
Pops ain't lost it.
- My mama was a single working mom in Compton, and back then,
I don't understand why my pops ain't around.
As an adult, I understand more, being a man and taking
care of business 'cause he's pretty successful.
And now, I feel grateful to have him in my life
especially because he helped me with this damn tattoo shop.
- So what's going on with the shop?
- We tried to have like a team powwow the other day.
Everybody has something to say, but at the end of the day,
we still haven't got a call from nobody,
no one signed no paperwork saying, yo, I'm committed.
We tried to powwow with LeMeir.
That didn't go so well. - At this point,
he can't come back to the shop. He hasn't showed me nothing
that proves to me that he really is here for the brand.
- So what was the final outcome to that conversation?
- The final outcome was nothing. He a bitch ass (bleep).
- And so, you guys aren't working together?
- Nah, I gave him opportunities by showing up,
telling him the way he can work.
And he wasn't for it. It was that simple.
I'm trying to swoop that (bleep) right out the lot.
- Business don't stop for no one.
I'm guesstimating within the next 30 days,
you should be up and running.
And we have all the machines, floor done, new COVID things.
All that has to be in place.
- After getting all the renovations done
and implementing the new COVID protocols,
the city gotta re-permit us and reinspect us.
But after a whole year, oh my God!
One more month
is (bleep) driving me crazy!
Can we open already?
- Get away from how you feel and give me more
about how you think. This is a business.
- You right. - It's time to move forward,
and you can't move forward looking backwards.
- We wouldn't have got this far without you.
You know what I'm saying? And all your wisdom
and knowledge. Thank you.
We trying to handle this like right now.
- ♪♪ What can they really say ♪♪
♪♪ About me ♪♪
♪♪ She got her role ♪♪
♪♪ What can they really say ♪♪
(phone rings)
- Hey, baby. - Hey, babe.
- What you doing? - Nothing, I wasjust
practicing like that fake skin that I have.
- Yeah, but how you been feeling?
- I'm just sad 'cause I miss you.
- Yeah, I know, but you gotta keep focused on your art.
You're talented, fool, you know that.
- Yeah. (laughing)
I feel lucky to have Jerris in my life.
I really do love him, but having
a long-distance relationship is really hard because
I'm just used to having someone to come home to
or just like, you know, wake up with someone, go out to eat,
And it's like, you can't do that when they're so many miles away.
But regardless, as far as career wise, L. A. has way more
opportunities compared to Arizona.
- That makes me happy that there's more time
for you to actually sit down and practice on your craft.
- I love you.
- I love you more, Mama.
- Love you, bye. - Bye.
♪♪♪♪
(knocking on door)
- Oh, hi. - Hey, girl.
- Girl.
- So my mom wasn't a really big fan
of me moving to Arizona and taking a break
from art and tattooing.
But now that I'm back, I'm hoping
she could just calm the (bleep) down
and let me do what I need to do.
- So like what's going on with like your tattooing?
You posted nothing. Just you and your man.
You need to put more heart and hustle, like--
- Mom, I know this already.
This is why I moved back to L. A.
This is why I'm here. I already know this.
- Are you back at the shop yet?
- Well, I had a meeting with KP and Tim,
and they've been like asking me to tattoo full-time at the shop.
But the shop hasn't even opened yet.
- Well, I'm glad you're starting
to get back into the swing of things.
Need to focus on you.
Instead of focusing on your boyfriend
and then the apartment, like-- - Oh, my God.
It is not all about my boyfriend.
- Yes, I feel like you just kinda lost yourself
in this relationship.
He's supposed to help elevate you.
- That's what he does, and it's not even his fault,
is what I'm trying to explain to you.
- (chuckles)
Listen, I was all gung ho for Jerris.
I really liked him.
But I just don't feel the same
after, you know, the infidelity.
That's just like one of the things.
- My and Jerris' relationship hasn't always been perfect,
like any other relationship.
But in the beginning, I would always tell my mom everything
and that's where I feel like I messed up
because I should've never told my mom
about Jerris cheating on me.
- It's hard for me to see you. You're my daughter.
(fighting tears) And you're my only daughter.
When you hurt, I hurt.
You know, I see this guy and you're so into him.
It's all about him.
And then he does some stupid (bleep) like that.
Like I don't understand how you feel like you deserve
for something like that to happen.
- I get you're my mom and stuff,
but it's like no one really listens.
Everyone just judges or trying to tell me
how I should and shouldn't live my life.
And it's just like I'd rather just be alone.
(sniffling, crying)
- Listen, come here. - No.
- Don't push me away.
Listen, it's not that.
I'm not saying it's like you have to break up with him.
But I don't ever want you to feel like
you don't have anyone, you know, and you don't need--
- I don't feel like I'm alone,
I just choose to be that way now.
- Yeah, but my job as a parent is to make sure
that, one, mentally you're good,
and two, like you just keep that hustle going.
Because I know your potential
and I just want you to be like good
with or without him, bottom line.
♪♪♪♪
(doctor) Danielle, we are going to do
one of the most important parts of the prenatal care today.
We are going to take a detailed look
at all the structures of the baby.
(LeMeir) Today is a big day
because it's a deep ultrasound for our second child.
But at the same time, it's a very, very scary day
because of the complications that we had with Summer.
Everything turned out fine.
But I ain't gonna lie, these tests be having me
losing my mind.
(doctor) That's the spine.
We're gonna look at the very tail of it.
Yeah, it's-- it's difficult.
(intense music)
Baby is laying sideways,
so it's a little difficult to get a nice, clear shot.
- Whoo. - Okay.
Well, congratulations, guys.
Your baby looks beautiful.
Everything that we checked came perfectly normal.
- I'm so happy that everything turned out good.
Me and Danielle are super blessed,
and I pray that she continues to have a healthy pregnancy
all the way through.
That was definitely a good...
(Danielle) Good appointment.
Definitely good to see you happy and smiling.
'Cause the other night, you did not come home happy
and you did not tell me the story.
- The situation with me and KP,
I don't see no coming back from that (bleep).
But if I can't build a successful shop with him,
that don't mean my dreams stop.
I'm still gonna tattoo, but if he wanna be
stuck in his ways and be worried about
being gangsta all the time, cool, no-- no issue.
- So it's definitely not somewhere that you need to be
if y'all can't figure things out.
That's not good for us.
Originally I did want LeMeir and KP to work together
because I saw the bigger picture with the IAM shop.
But if it's just gonna be negativity and drama,
LeMeir doesn't need to be at the shop.
You winnin'. That's why (bleep) is upset.
- Right. - You always got one up.
You LeMeir Mitchell.
- Now it's personal, though.
'Cause now it's like he played with me
and now I gotta-- now I feel like I gotta show him.
And I'm gonna have to work on a dream
that I wanted for myself.
I'm not trying to build the best shop in Compton.
I wanna build the best shop in the (bleep) world.
- Whatever you wanna do, I'ma rock with you.
But just keep in mind that we're about to have two kids
and you're already handling a lot.
Keep your family in mind. - First, right.
- With your thinking. - I gotcha, I gotcha.
- We come first. - Without a doubt.
- I was pregnant. - (gasps)
- Pregnant? - And I got really sick.
- What did happen? - (crying)
- I want you to be in the shop.
You don't feel the passion behind everybody
in this (bleep)?
- I don't, bro. - Damn, damn.
- You staying out of trouble?
- Yes, sir, I'm just trying to stay out here
and not fall victim to that mass incarceration
that they (bleep) all our Black people up with.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ I'm the girl you see on the street ♪♪
♪♪ Drop low, boy, down to my feet ♪♪
♪♪ I like putting you underneath ♪♪
♪♪ What? ♪♪
(women laughing)
- Baby, I'm like-- I can't believe how big your butt got.
(laughter and chatter)
We all trying to get on star level with the ass.
- I know. (women exclaiming)
- Shake it, though. - It's okay.
(laughter)
- It feels so good to hang out with the girls
and just laughing and having fun.
I still have a lot of (bleep) that I got going on.
But being with them reminds me that I'm not alone.
Yeah, I'm happy that we're all here.
I just feel like we all needed like a girls' night
to get away from all that (bleep)
we've been doing with like the shop and stuff.
- Mm. - I agree.
- I would hope that we could keep the same energy
inside the shop, I think that would be great.
But don't you bitches make me wait until Friday
to see who shows up with their paperwork.
- I saw the rules.
I just think that we might not be the ones
that need them rules. - Hm.
- Yeah. - But I'm with the (bleep).
I like the rules. - Okay.
- Yeah, I totally agree. I do wanna be there.
I believe in the shop.
I believe in, you know, what it can achieve.
I also have to think about like what's good for me.
And you know, I don't wanna be like
in a toxic environment basically.
- Alana. - I don't know.
I just be wanting to work.
Like I just feel like I haven't--
sat the (bleep) down and tattooed in so long.
- Mm. - Me, I'm open for whatever.
It's just a lot of stuff needs to be ironed out
between the girls and the guys. - Absolutely.
- After that (bleep) show of a "team meeting,"
it's more about getting things straight with me and KP.
We were friends for way too many years
to let something like this get in between us.
We got the permit, bitches! (laughs)
- All right, give me a hug. - Hey!
- We've had our ups and downs, but what friendships don't?
You miss your furniture?
- You got our stuff? - Yeah, I have it.
- Out of all people, you.
- I feel the exact same way, KP.
- Get the (bleep) out my shop.
- Before Phoenix, IAM was my baby.
So you think you're just gonna push me out like that? No.
- I don't ever want anybody to feel uncomfortable,
you know, dealing with me.
So I'm just trying to make this a better situation.
I'm in a tricky situation because as shop manager
I know I'm supposed to be supporting KP and Tim,
but right now, the way that they're treating their staff
is unacceptable.
- What about LeMeir?
- I love LeMeir.
But I stay out of that.
- I'm just glad that the shop is just coming together
'cause I feel like I just wanna just dive into work.
Like I'm just tired of...
I was just dealing with a lot of (bleep) last year,
so I just want to just work like full-time.
- A lot of stuff as far as what?
- You know, everyone just goes through (bleep).
Like... - Like what?
- What kinda (bleep)?
- Y'all gonna make me cry.
Um, I was pregnant.
- Pregnant? Oh? - (gasps)
- Yeah, but, um, I was...
(sniffling)
- (bleep). - Here we go.
Don't cry, baby girl. - (crying)
I just don't really like wanna talk about it.
But, um...
- Take your time, breathe. It's okay.
- I was... (sighs)
I was pretty far along.
I was about six months.
I took a year off, you know, from art and stuff,
and I got really sick.
And it was kinda just like an unexpected thing.
- If you don't mind us asking, what did happen?
- It was a stillbirth.
And so basically I gave birth, you know.
- So you went through the whole thing.
- I went through the whole thing.
And I was really, really sick.
Like I physically couldn't even get out of bed.
- Wow. - Yeah.
- I'm sorry, babe. - Yeah, I feel you.
- You know, we went from hopes
and planning this whole life to have a family
to just nothing.
And it just created like a really deep sadness.
This is something I wouldn't wish upon anybody.
- You got this, girl. You're strong.
You know, we're gonna be here to help you, lift you up.
- Like this whole situation changed my life like four times.
Like I went through hella different stages.
Now it's time for me to like prove to myself that
like it wasn't just for nothing.
Like now it's time to (bleep) work.
So I just have to look at it in a positive way.
- Group hug, and can we get on these drinks?
Love you guys. - I love you guys.
- Thank you for everything. - Thank you.
♪♪♪♪
- Thank you, take care.
- I appreciate you, you too. See you soon.
- ♪♪ Talkin' to me like you really, really need me ♪♪
♪♪ Really need me, wanna talk about me ♪♪
♪♪ In the path they walk around me ♪♪
♪♪ Want the money, want the bounty ♪♪
♪♪ Now I'm living stress-free ♪♪
♪♪ Hey, little shawty just strut though ♪♪
- What up, man? - What up, bro?
- (indistinct) What you been up to, man?
I ain't talk to you in a minute.
- Yeah, I mean, (bleep).
I was trying to figure out the temperature, really.
I was giving you some space, you feel me?
Yo, Tim reached out and said he wanted to meet up.
Dealing with that aggression the other night,
it was pretty (bleep).
- You be Ink, don't say (bleep).
- You're in my face talking, bro.
- I'm not in your (bleep) face. You're on my face, (bleep).
- Here we go.
And honestly, I don't even need to be around
that kinda (bleep) right now.
So I hope he's here to make (bleep) right.
- I know we had an altercation or whatever situation.
But I want you to be in the shop.
I want this (bleep) to work
better than it ever, ever did.
Not only is Ink a homie,
but I also take consideration of what KP's pop taught us--
take the emotion out of business.
So I regret that I snapped a little bit on him.
- I appreciate you clearing that up,
you know what I'm saying?
'Cause realistically I didn't know how to feel.
To hear that that's how you saw me and perceived me,
that-- it just made me feel crazy,
you know what I'm saying? Like, and then nobody
reached out to me either, you feel me?
Didn't nobody called my phone
during this whole time where it's been closed.
Bro, I had so much (bleep) happen to me
when my apartment burned down, you know what I'm saying?
- Wow. - My grandma in the hospital.
I gotta do all this crazy (bleep).
I can't just pull up and talk about (bleep) like that
'cause I don't know what to say. - Damn.
I-- I pray for you, bro.
You going through something, (bleep),
if I can help you, I'ma help you.
I understand you, Ink.
My grammy was in the hospital
for a whole year, bro.
I don't know how many days I got left.
Like that (bleep) hurt. - Yeah.
- If you don't feel family, you don't feel love
and you don't feel the passion behind
everybody in this mother--
- I don't, bro.
- I know, I know. - I don't.
- But that was the culture before.
We gotta do it a different way.
This whole (bleep) is to let you know
I'm here for you, KP here for you.
If this where you wanna be, the doors is open.
- I'm trying to be a part of that,
but it's also I may not wake up in the best energy, bro.
I may not wake up and be tattoos is my life, you feel me?
Like I gotta keep it real.
- Like I said, you in, you in, cool.
If you not and you feel like
you need to take care of family first,
you still welcome.
You just need to communicate that.
No disrespect to nothin'.
This Friday is the deadline to see who in, who not.
You know what I'm saying? Other tattoo artists,
they show up, that mean they in.
If they don't show up, that mean they out.
- I appreciate that, bro.
- Yes, sir, man, I love you, bro.
- Yeah, man. All love.
After everything that I've been through in this pandemic,
I'm excited to get back into my creative mode.
But I just don't know if it's in me right now.
I'm glad to know that if I don't choose
to come back to IAM, it's not gonna break no ties
between me and Tim personally.
Man...
(scoffs)
- Wow.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ I been on my grind, on my grind, on my grind ♪♪
♪♪ Come and see me keep it workin' ♪♪
♪♪ Money on my mind ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
(bell on door rings)
- What's up? - What's good?
- I'm good. How are you? How are you?
- Cool, cool, cool. - How you feelin'?
- Make money, man. Ready to get this tat.
- Yes, sir.
With all that's been going on
with COVID shutdowns, Happy Ice,
and of course, my family duties,
man, it's been a while since I had
my own chair inside of a shop.
But luckily, due to my relationships
around L. A., I can guest spot
whenever I got my special clients.
But I'm really convinced that I need
to open up my own tattoo shop.
Because having a home base is always what's best.
How is your trip here so far?
- You know, it's smooth, you feel what I'm saying?
Like we came here for the BET Awards.
- Oh, that's (bleep) hard.
I'm 'bout to tattoo my boy Mooski.
He a Hot 100 Billboard artist
with his hit single "Track Star."
That (bleep) is fire, and if you don't know
what that is, get from under that rock, bro.
OPP, what that stand for?
- That's my city. - Is it an abbreviation
or it's like...? - That's the whole thing.
It's a very, very small town and it's in Alabama.
So that's why I want to make sure I got the state
and my city name on it.
Be like Alabama's time is now.
- Yeah, I be on the same--
I'm on the same time for my city.
I'm from Philly, so. - Where? Where? Where?
- Moved out here probably like five years ago.
- Yeah. - Now I'm actually also
thinking about doing my own tattoo shop.
- Once you find your gift, that's really like,
what you're here on Earth to do.
- Hell yeah. But yeah, man,
let's start to get this stencil on you, bro.
- Let's get it, man.
- ♪♪ Bro caught a --, he ran out that money, fed him nice ♪♪
♪♪ Tryna make best in the world that was given -- was bright ♪♪
♪♪ I had to get up and better my life ♪♪
- I moved to California from Philly
to pursue my dreams of becoming
the best tattoo artist in the world.
But life is funny sometimes
because I leveled up as a businessman with Happy Ice.
Tattooing never went away,
but it took a back seat for a long-ass time.
- ♪♪ Life changed, life changed ♪♪
♪♪ I'm movin' on to better things ♪♪
♪♪ Life changed, life changed ♪♪
(LeMeir) All this drama with KP really opened my eyes
and make me want to put everything I learned
from launching Happy Ice
and putting into opening my own tattoo shop.
- ♪♪ Money keep comin' in straight from the gutter ♪♪
♪♪ I open the door, hottest been comin' in ♪♪
♪♪ That money I love it, I gotta get more ♪♪
♪♪ Walk in the spot and they shut down the store ♪♪
♪♪ I need a couple milly for a tour ♪♪
- I know I got a lot on my plate right now,
but I remember when my plate didn't have nothing on it.
So I'm definitely going for it.
- ♪♪ I ain't really stressin' over nothin' ♪♪
♪♪ Just be glidin' ♪♪
♪♪ Young -- everything against us we survivin' ♪♪
♪♪ Life changed ♪♪
- All right, bro.
- I'm ready to see it, man.
- (chuckles) Check it out, bro.
- Oh, yeah, boy, it hard. - Clean.
- Yeah, that's stupid hard.
I like how bold that line is too.
- That way it pop up. I got you.
- That's hard. - I got you.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ No shoes, no whip no bag ♪♪
♪♪ Every time you see her she bad, yep, she bad ♪♪
♪♪ Can't get no money no purse ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, that girl go to work the girl go to work ♪♪
- What's happenin'?
- Hey, what's up, baby?
What's the deal?
I'm over here serving meat in this heat, okay?
Let's switch places for a day.
- (laughs)
Armani one of my coolest homegirls.
You know, we both grew up in Compton
and we both got off to a rocky start.
And now we both turning our lives around
and helping and giving back to the community.
That's why I rock with her, you know what I'm saying?
I love her heart and her food.
- I color in the color lines and you work this...
- Oh, there's more to it than that.
- Yes, I'm loving how the place turned out, too.
My name is Armani and I'm the owner
of Trap Kitchen tacos food truck.
And we serve the best tacos, burritos, quesadilla,
fried rice in Compton, period.
I've known KP since we was in junior high.
And I know how passionate he is about his ink, art, and music
and I am here for it.
- KP, what's up with it?
- What the hell you doing on a truck?
- Been working. She got me slaving.
- Oh, you working for real? - Yeah.
- Here, put this in a bag working for real.
Working my nerve for real.
- 'Sup?
- I wanna work back for you, but I need a new supervisor.
(KP) Good people stick together.
Before COVID shut everything down,
Armani introduced me to Polo.
I was bringing him on as an apprentice.
Where youse comin' from?
- I'm fresh out the pen right now.
I did 12 and a half years.
When I was in prison, one of my neighbors
tells me, like you can make way more money
if you learn how to tattoo.
Took me like two years, but I learned.
- This is our apprentice.
- How y'all doing? - Polo.
- Hey, Polo.
- He was actually doing good before the world shut down.
But it's good to see him on Armani truck.
He can make some change here and there.
- I'm just staying out of trouble.
Like I finna get off parole in five months.
- You staying out of trouble?
- Yes, sir, I've been staying out of trouble.
Like I'm just trying to stay out here
and not fall victim to going back
to that mass incarceration
that they (bleep) all our Black people up with.
My name is Don Terrell, I'm from South Central L. A.
People know me as Polo 3.
Kinda got caught up in the wrong crowd.
That eventually led me to gangbanging,
which eventually led me to prison.
- Been tatting? - Yeah.
Consistently like every day.
I just need action again after that apprenticeship.
I'm not saying anything. Just think about me, bro.
- I'm trying to build, but at the same time
like it's bigger than me.
I'm gonna talk to the team and see how we can make it work.
- Man, I wouldn't mind having the opportunity
working up in the shop, man. Get me off of this truck.
- See, here's Polo practically begging
to get back in the shop and work.
And I'm waiting on who?
Yeah, I'd like to get the team together,
but I shouldn't be the one begging.
- What's going on? You bring us some food?
You never do (bleep) for us.
- What? (laughter)
- See, I know the dust still ain't settled
from this last group meeting we had.
And we don't know who's in or out,
but I can say with these four people
we have right here, we have a lot to build on.
- So what's going on?
- Are there any updates on the team?
- Oh, I hit Ink.
He having family issues.
I just told him, well, we trying to build
at Ink is a family-orientated place.
So we here for you.
- And on that note, I actually just ran
into Polo at the truck, and it really got me thinking.
I want to open my doors and give opportunity to people,
because I never had opportunity.
So like somebody like Polo just got out.
I respect the fact that he's humble
and he appreciates the opportunity if given to him.
- Right. - I've been incarcerated,
you feel me, and got out.
I wished a person would give me a job.
- Right. - Felons is...
It's a real thing, bro. - I had an "F" on my record.
I had to figure it out.
(KP) Tim and I know how hard it is
to get back on track when you got a record.
And I wanna create that environment in my shop
that elevate people that went through adversity like Polo.
Polo is not very experienced,
but I know he got the drive and the fire to get better.
And bringing him back would only make the IAM brand stronger.
So I think I could bring him on as an apprentice
once I figure out who gonna be in the shop for real.
I wanna build a team, but I want that team
to feel like a family.
- I hope that we can make it work
with the team that we already have.
- It's- it's business.
You know, LeMeir,
I look at him like Scar on "Lion King."
Like this (bleep) just want the thrown.
Like, he gone. Barbie gone.
- Wait, gone?
- Yeah, they gone.
- I had a ladies' night with the ladies,
and Barbie was acting like she was coming back.
So are you sure she knows she ain't coming back?
- I told Barbie I do not need her services.
She can leave.
- Whoo, baby, this (bleep) is crazy as (bleep).
I didn't think KP was serious
when he said Barbie was getting fired.
- So hop on your bike.
- Just like you. Just like you. - I, as a boss,
don't want your services. - Okay.
- And I know her ass didn't think it was serious either.
Otherwise, that bitch wouldn't showed up.
- I think, because you seemed so upset,
she thought you were emotional, maybe not serious.
- Why we still going back and forth?
Why we talkin'?
It's over.
- There's other stuff.
- Like what? - Like FBI barging in
our (bleep) house, guns blazin',
where I'm like, what the (bleep)?
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ When you look back on everything ♪♪
♪♪ Will it all be worth it? ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, we gon' see ♪♪
♪♪ Keep on living ♪♪
- This past year has been one of the hardest years of my life.
I put myself in a whole new relationship
and then the unimaginable happened.
I had a stillbirth. I stopped doing art.
I stopped tattooing.
And it just put me into like a really deep
hole where I just felt like I couldn't get out of.
- ♪♪ I've been a lover, I've been a mother ♪♪
♪♪ I've been a lot and that's okay ♪♪
♪♪ I've been a girl and now I'm a woman ♪♪
♪♪ I've been abused and I've been free ♪♪
- It's hard being back home in L. A. being away from Jerris.
- Hey, baby. - Hey, babe.
- I'm looking at our picture on my wall
and I'm like, (bleep), man, I just want a hug.
- I know, I be sad every night. I'm like, I miss my boyfriend.
Talking to Jerris on the phone all the time
is not my ideal relationship.
I mean, we've been with each other
every single day for a whole year.
But taking the time to get back to my paintings
is really therapeutic.
- ♪♪ I done been lost and I been saved ♪♪
♪♪ I been in love and I been let down ♪♪
♪♪ And I done been lost and I been saved ♪♪
- The other night with the girls is the first time
I've told anyone besides my family
about what happened with me.
And as cliché as it might sound,
I really feel like a whole weight
was lifted off my shoulders.
- ♪♪ I done been lost and I been saved ♪♪
- There's still a lot of pain inside,
but it's getting bearable.
(knocking at door)
Hey! - Hi.
How are you? - Good.
Aw, cute. Are those for me?
- No, they're for me. - Oh.
- Of course they're for you. - Oh, you're so sweet.
- I had to bring you some little Barbie pink.
What is this? - It's a painting.
- It's looking real Alana-ish.
When Alana opened up to us at ladies' night
about having a stillbirth, it completely broke my heart.
I really, really felt for her.
Me and Alana have definitely had our differences in the past.
Y'all better shut her the (bleep) up
before I shut her the (bleep) up.
- What the (bleep) did I do to you?
- You better talk to your homies.
- That's not my fault you can't get your (bleep).
- But as adults, we were able to talk about it
and put the BS behind us.
I had a lot to say the other night.
But I was like, let me just kinda keep it to myself
'cause it was, you know, all the girls were there
and I didn't want us all to get super emotional.
- Saying it out loud felt like so real
'cause like only like family knows, you know?
- I'm the same way. I think about like
everything I went through to get pregnant,
where the doctors had told me
that I probably wouldn't be able to get pregnant
unless I did IVF.
While I was waiting to go through IVF,
I found out I was six weeks pregnant.
Even though Alana and I's situations were
completely different, I can understand what it's like
to not have your body do what you want it to do.
So, for her to get pregnant
and actually lose the baby so far along,
it's heartbreaking. - I mean,
I've been through some (bleep), but never nothing like this.
I was depressed because I found out about
three, four months into being pregnant
that he cheated on me.
- It's the worst.
- And it was something that was just like,
what the (bleep), 'cause we were in a good place, you know?
And when I first found out, I was pregnant,
I wasn't even really excited,
but his excitement is what made me wanna have a baby.
So it's like, why would you cheat on me? It makes no sense.
- We're in the same boat.
(sniffling) He cheated on me
while I was pregnant too.
I was heartbroken. I don't know
how I forgave him, but I did.
- I forgave him because
there's a difference between actions and words.
But he's actually took those steps to change.
He's admitted he's wrong, so it made me feel better.
After everything that's happened between me and Jerris,
it took me a really long time
for me to be able to trust him again.
But having everything out in the open
makes it a lot easier to move forward,
and I definitely feel like we've got a lot closer since then.
But we still have a lot of work to do in our relationship.
There's other stuff.
- Other stuff like what?
- I don't wanna say too much,
but, mmm, my man's locked up.
And I'm talkin' about,
like, FBI barging in our (bleep) house,
guns blazing, where I'm like, what the (bleep)?
When that whole situation happened, it was unbelievable.
And I feel really bad because my boyfriend's dealing with
all this stuff by himself, and I'm not there
in Arizona to help him.
- This call will be recorded
and subject to monitoring at any time.
(Jerris) I talked to my attorney today.
- How did that go? - They said I got court
on Tuesday and I should be getting released.
- Since all that stuff went down,
I feel like Barbie's the only person I can talk to right now.
Like, I haven't even told my parents.
Like, my parents do not (bleep) with my boyfriend,
especially since his ass cheated on me.
So I can't even imagine what they would think
if I told them that my boyfriend just got arrested.
Maybe that's why I'm so deep into doing art now,
'cause I really want this shop
to get back to where it should be with,
you know, everyone working, and it's like...
- And getting along. - Yes, and I've been like,
pressing Tim in Compton to work there.
Like, I texted him every single day like,
hey, I wanna work, so why is it an issue
that when I text you it's, "Mm, maybe I'll be there."
"Oh, I'll let you know." "Oh, we'll be here
at this time," but then you're actually not there.
Like, I don't even know if I wanna work there anymore.
- It doesn't seem like there's a team with them.
- I don't see it either. - Like, they're a team
and then there's everybody else. - Yeah, definitely.
- Which doesn't make sense.
But I do wanna talk to KP about our friendship
'cause I don't know where it went wrong.
It shouldn't be like this.
(Star) Barbie said she wanted to come speak with you today.
- What? - She's outside.
- I'm not doing this again.
I said my piece.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
(Star) Hey! You lookin' handsome today.
You look like you going to the beach.
(indistinct chatter)
- I need to feel some pain, you know what I'm saying?
- So what's going on with the permits and everything?
- Everything running smooth, I just sent you some stuff
this morning, KP, about moving forward with what we need.
- Okay, so we submitted the paperwork for
the business license, but what's the turnaround time?
- 20 days. - Yeah, we got 20 days.
- I gotta make my bread back,
that's why we gotta figure out what the (bleep) going on.
With Tim and Pops handling the paperwork to make sure
the shop is operational,
I could be focused on making sure that
I got the most committed and loyal artists
when we get this (bleep) rolling, man.
Or else none of this stuff even matters.
- Well, I gave the ladies until the end of the week.
- Whoever don't show up, we know what they mean.
- Yeah, that's all. They gonna, you know...
(phone dings)
KP, Barbie says she wanted
to come speak with you today, so...
- What?
I'm enjoying my vibe, you know what I'm saying?
Getting my ink.
I ain't trying to really go ape.
- Okay, well, she's outside.
- I'm not doing this again.
I said my piece.
(Star) I knew as the manager
I'd have to do some of KP's dirty work,
but firing his friend of 18 years that
helped him get this company off the ground,
I ain't sign up for that.
- I don't want that energy on my tattoo.
- All right, come on, Tim, let's go get her.
♪♪♪♪
- The pack is only as strong as its weakest link.
And our weakest link is, mm, Barbie.
Barbie brings nothing to this table,
especially when all she wanna do
is go run her (bleep) mouth off
to say LeMeir would be a better boss than KP.
- Y'all just said on TV,
"Oh, I'd rather work for LeMeir."
- We said LeMeir is the better boss
'cause he would never do this.
- Neither one of y'all are welcome here.
- Hey, mama. - Hey, love, how are you?
- Good, how are you? - Good, good.
- Good to see you.
- Hey, Tim. - What up?
- (Star sighs)
♪♪♪♪
I've tried and tried and tried to get
KP to come and speak to you.
- I'm not with the BS,
I didn't come to argue,
I didn't come for the drama.
He don't gotta come out. I'm out.
- So I remember at the meeting he said,
okay, well, he didn't want you working here.
But I didn't think that he was serious.
- It's okay, I'll talk to you later, sis.
I'm out.
I came here today to be the bigger person
and actually talk to KP face to face to see
if we can work things out,
if not for IAM but at least for our friendship.
But now that I see he gives zero (bleep),
you will not catch me at this shop again,
and we definitely will never be friends again.
- I'm so sorry that this didn't go the way that you wanted.
- Don't be sorry 'cause it ain't your fault.
Just know the tables do turn.
I was where you are with him.
- Right. - So just watch yourself.
- All right, baby. - All right, take care.
(overlapping chatter)
I didn't even really get to tell her like,
all right, KP don't even want you working here no more.
She said you ain't wanna come talk to her, so she good.
- No arguing. - Whew, perfect.
(KP) Barbie knows she was wrong.
What's she gonna say? Nothing.
There's three type of friendships.
Season, reason, or lifetime.
And Barbie's season is over.
(Barbie) Bro...
So I was gonna try to talk to KP and figure out
what's going on with our friendship.
I get here, and he decides he doesn't wanna come outside
and he's too good to talk to me.
I've put a lot into trying to make amends with KP.
Hell, I'm the one that got LeMeir to sit down
and talk to him in the first place.
Bro, I really feel like
you should at least just sit down and talk to him
before you walk away.
- For you, I'll think about it.
- I'm trying to meet with him, and our meeting is almost
just as bad as his and LeMeir's.
At this point, we're beyond reconciliation.
There's no reasoning with KP,
and quite frankly, I'm (bleep) over it.
I'm done with the fake BS,
I'm not doing this anymore.
Huh?
Wow.
Whatever you need help with, you let me know.
Let's go for it, green light.
The best thing to come out of
me and KP's friendship is LeMeir.
He's everything that KP isn't, a boss and a standup guy...
All right.
All right, bye.
...and I know together,
me and LeMeir can build something great.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ We fall down and we get back up ♪♪
♪♪ Think bigger, think bigger ♪♪
♪♪ Go hard, go hard ♪♪
♪♪ Apply pressure, apply pressure ♪♪
(KP) I woke up this morning
trying to pretend like it's any other day.
But it's not.
It's a day of reckoning.
- ♪♪ Ball with no dribble ♪♪
♪♪ I'm thinking different ♪♪
♪♪ I'm on the beaches and sand (sand) ♪♪
♪♪ I'm focused, can see through the tunnel ♪♪
- For too long, I done made concessions
and I've let people push the envelope
on what I'm willing to deal with.
But no more.
- ♪♪ Came from the bottom, we had to hustle ♪♪
♪♪ We had to fight to survive we had to fight to survive ♪♪
♪♪ My family's struggle made me the muscle ♪♪
- LeMeir and Barbie found out real quick,
I don't care about no skills or how long we known each other.
At this point, I'm dropping anyone who don't believe
in my vision of the future.
- ♪♪ Think bigger, go harder ♪♪
- Loyalty and drive is what I'm looking for.
We gonna keep pushing until we get to the top.
- ♪♪ Touched by God, got a halo (halo) ♪♪
♪♪ Gotta get it, I'ma go and get the peso ♪♪
- When I open these doors,
whoever walks through 'em with the right attitude
and mind frame got a chance to get back in the mix.
And if you not with me...
♪♪♪♪
Get out my way.
(door buzzes)
- So you thought about what school you wanna go to? - Pac-12. - Your GPA's good?
- I just don't want you to get distracted like I did.
- I was pretty much kept from
my biological father my entire life.
I was told awful things about him.
- If there's something that you wanna ask me...
- My stepfather, he told me
something about you molesting me as a baby.
- (bleep).
- So when you gonna come show up to work?
- I do show up the (bleep) to work, what?
- Eh. - I am never the one to play with.
- You not gonna do nothing. - Tim, don't even--
- Come find me outside this show.
(Tim) You not gonna do nothing.
(glasses breaking)
- You not gonna tell me that this is regular,
that's how it was before, 'cause it's not.
You picked sides, bro.
- It's not my obligation to take care of you,
it's my obligation to take care of me.
- Oh, (bleep), Nessie got into a car accident.
- What? - Oh my God.
- Oh (bleep).