- Lemeir is opening his own tattoo shop. - We're location, honey, like, it's-- it's happening.
- Wait, so are you getting a tattoo shop too?
- I'm right there with Lemeir.
- What?
(Nessie) Since me and Ken got together, bro,
our whole friendship's not what it was on before.
You picked sides, bro.
You had years to talk and you didn't say (bleep) to me!
- I am not emotionally attached to this (bleep).
- Of course you're not, you never were, bitch!
That's what the (bleep) you wanted.
- This right here.
- Well, when you act like a bitch, I'ma call you one.
- Y'all came and supported us. That means so much.
This is probably the biggest pop-up shop
that I've ever thrown.
So I need everything to go off without a hitch.
- Barbie invited me to these little gatherings.
- You're kicking it with her?! Not doing it!
(bleep) the real (bleep). Is you with us or not?
- I'll help you get to the health department.
As far as the people that's gonna be in the shop,
that's on y'all.
You are the boss.
If they can't handle it, then you have to get somebody else.
- ♪♪ I be fishin' with you bish ♪♪ - ♪♪ I do what I wanna ♪♪ - ♪♪ Hey ♪♪
♪♪ Tryin' to hear ♪♪ - ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ Hey, tell her use her lips ♪♪
- ♪♪ I do what I wanna ♪♪ - ♪♪ Ooh ♪♪
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ I do me and you are you ♪♪
♪♪ 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 wanna do ♪♪
- ♪♪ I do what I wanna ♪♪
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Yeah we get it poppin' nonstop ♪♪
♪♪ Where you at where you been where you're from ♪♪
♪♪ And don't stop now ♪♪
(Kayla) Let me ask you guys.
What was your first tattoo?
- I think I got my last name.
- On your shoulder? - Yeah.
- Okay. And you, Tim?
- My first one was "Sexy T," man.
That was my first tattoo.
- "Sexy T." - Yeah.
- Oh, my gosh.
(all laughing) - Damn.
At this point, all the upgrades is finished at the shop.
We was waiting on the final health inspection
so we can reopen.
So Tim and I are doing a podcast interview
with my peoples down at the Compton Art Walk.
- When's the shop opening up, though?
- Oh, soon.
Like, you might as well start booking your appointment now.
- Get in line.
- It's gonna be crazy. - It's already crazy.
- That's what I'm trying to... - I'm sure.
- ...tell you right now. - Ink me.
(all laughing)
- ♪♪ Going in, going in, going in yeah ♪♪
♪♪ With a backhand give it to a friend yeah ♪♪
(siren blaring)
- Come on.
- All right, y'all, this is the one spot.
- All right, man, let's see what's going on, man.
- First joint.
- It's pretty big. - Yeah.
- I ain't gonna lie, we might just keep this merch area.
- We can everything nude and a... section.
- Oh, (bleep).
Here we go, today is a big-ass day.
Me, Ken, and Barbie are looking for a location
for my first tattoo shop.
I'm excited as hell to be doing this with 'em
'cause they both are the heart to my solid management team.
And with them on the squad, the future looking real bright.
Y'all ready to go to spot number two?
♪♪♪♪
(Nessie) Thanks for meeting me, girl.
I had to get out of the house because I just got done
with this long-ass session.
You know Columbus Short?
Okay, so, basically, his wife wanted to get a tattoo
and so he reached out to me on Instagram.
So even though the shop isn't open,
all of us have been working from home.
I built up a ton of celebrity clientele
and I just got done tattooing Columbus Short's wife, Aida.
I came out really good, actually.
She loved it.
- That's beautiful.
Oh, my goodness.
- Columbus Short is an actor, rapper, dancer--
kind of just all-around creative.
I first saw him in "Stomp the Yard,"
and apparently him and KP have known each other
since they were younger.
- Yo, yo, Columbus, what's up?
(Nessie) Columbus is cool, Aida was cool.
I mean, the tattoo came out fire.
When Columbus first reached out, he was like,
"Yo, I need a female artist to do this piece.
"Danny's my boy or whatever.
"I reached out to him two or three times now
and, like, he hasn't recommended anybody."
Lucky another friend referred me to him,
but if he didn't find me or somebody didn't recommend me,
like, that job could've went out elsewhere.
It wouldn't have went to the shop at all.
- Ugh, it is just so unprofessional.
I know Nessie and KP, they don't have the best relationship,
but to not mention anybody?
What the (bleep)?
I get it, the shop isn't open,
but that's (bleep) client.
You built a team.
Like, you're supposed to empower your team, not hold them back.
- I took that as, like, he's never gonna provide
anybody opportunities.
Like, even with the Vatican, we went up there
and it was, like, all, it was gonna change,
and then we get back and it's back to normal.
Yeah, family-- just kidding.
Back to only caring about myself.
- So what are you gonna do?
Like, are you gonna talk to KP about it?
- Honestly, girl, he doesn't even talk.
- What are we, in high school?
Like, that's just (bleep) up.
Like, that's so childish.
- I ain't gonna lie, I like the front already
with the big glass.
- The whole window.
- Ooh, I like the high ceiling.
- I can't believe even doing this (bleep) right now.
- I can but I can't.
Two and a half years ago I was doing the same thing
with Tim and KP.
- This is about to get real now.
(Lemeir) Damn.
(Barbie) Oh, my God.
- I can't believe it's really happening.
- This is definitely our-- - Our photo.
- Our photo op. - Get their tattoos
and they'll just be like...
- Yeah, we gotta look crazy right here.
- KP's a cool little tattoo artist or whatever,
but as far as Lemeir goes, he has the drive
and the know-how to really get this going.
At this point, all Lemeir has to do to have an advantage
over KP is have a shop that's actually open.
It doesn't seem like it'll be that hard.
Y'all, this is, like, so exciting.
Like, I'm exhausted from the pop-up
but I like doing all of this.
(Lemeir) I'm proud of y'all with that too, that--
- Thank you.
- Starting a business with y'all, first leap of faith,
but y'all having that event is different.
- That wasn't easy. - Yeah.
- But the pop-up was a big success.
- Yeah, I had a ball. - Oh, you did have a ball?
- Yeah, till the night got ugly--
- It was great until the end. - Yeah, uh-huh.
- I didn't see... things with you and Nessie
going to the left like that.
Like, I really was optimistic that you guys were gonna
make up and at least be friends.
- It took me by surprise too.
- So was it like that in the relationship?
Like, were your arguments-- - Arguments over dumb (bleep).
We were supposed to go somewhere.
- You wasn't ready, you wanted to make smoothies.
- Smoothies was gonna take two seconds--
- It didn't matter...
- They're arguing about a smoothie?
- They're talking about smoothies right here.
- Y'all weren't meant to be then, 'cause that's--
that's not healthy at all.
- I'm so glad you can admit that and see it, but she couldn't.
- Yeah, that wasn't healthy at all.
- It was very, very toxic.
- So now that that happened, bro...
- Yeah.
- ...you tatting next to her?
- I tried to, like, wrap my mind around, like,
working with Ken again.
I was hoping that if things didn't work out with KP
that I would always have a spot at Lemeir's shop.
But at the end of the day, like, I don't think that's
gonna work out after how that pop-up turned out
and, like, he hasn't changed at all.
So now I'm just kind of, like, floating, you know?
- I know you're probably like, "That's my girl.
Bring her in here."
- Of course, but I'm also thinking of
the business side of things too.
If you two can't get along,
then we can't have her in the shop.
We don't want that toxic energy
like we had over in Compton.
I'm really torn about the situation with Nessie and Ken.
But after everything I've gone through with KP,
I promised myself it's gonna be business first,
friendship last.
I don't need the "extraness" over here at Lemeir's shop.
- I've gotta take care of it personally anyway
because it's Nessie.
I'm gonna talk to her and figure that out for--
but as of right now, I know the mother(bleep) sitting
with me right here is solid.
- She from Chicago. - Oh, okay.
- She don't know nothing about Compton's finest.
You're gonna get a tat.
- I'm gonna get it on my right side.
- So y'all gotta do that.
- Tim is not an artist.
(Nessie) He's always mad disrespectful to women.
It just gets really old.
- I see cohesiveness here.
I'm gonna go to bat for everybody
because I want it to be successful.
- I sent out the text.
"Hey, the shop is open."
Nobody responded on that part.
What are y'all doing to show that y'all really wanna be here?
Nobody helping me do (bleep).
- I literally-- okay.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ Conclusion ♪♪
♪♪ Sorry for all the confusion ♪♪
♪♪ This world is just an illusion ♪♪
♪♪ You can just tell by my movement ♪♪♪♪
- What's up with it, Cory? - Hey.
- What you got going on?
- I'm setting up for the class, getting everybody up to speed.
I think even the veterans need to bone up
on some of these new techniques
and new equipment that comes out
because it's changing and evolving so quickly,
and since Tim and KP have been busy with inspections and stuff,
we haven't met up as a team since the Vatican trip.
- I feel like I've been grinding harder
because the shop is about to reopen.
But this is my passion, bro, like--
- We feel it.
I wouldn't waste my time on somebody that I didn't feel
had that initiative.
- Man, Cory's one of the greats, and I am so eager to learn
as much as I can from him.
So he agreed to meet with me one-on-one
before the rest of the team get here.
Man, I couldn't ask for a better opportunity.
- So what we're gonna do today
is I've been working on my leg piece.
- All right.
- So I'm gonna get my pain therapy on
but I'm gonna try to show you that sweet spot,
get in there and do a little shading--
- On you or on me? - On me.
- I get to tattoo on Cory... on my sensei?
Man, I'm nervous as hell,
but if one of the greats put his faith in me,
I can't back down.
- ♪♪ No pain no gain ♪♪
♪♪ It pay off when you stay in your lane ♪♪
♪♪ We moving the chains, removing the chains ♪♪♪♪
(Polo) In my hood, a lot of kids either ended up in prison
or in the morgue.
I went to jail when I was 16.
I was convicted of second-degree robbery
and spent almost 13 years in a concrete cell.
In prison, I scraped together all type of stuff
to build a tattoo machine, from broken pens
to broken CD players.
This motor right here, this is like the motherboard
of tattooing in prison.
And making art with that is kind of hard,
but I found a way.
Now I'm working with top-of-the-line equipment
and it's a whole new world.
- ♪♪ The highs, the lows the days, the hours ♪♪
♪♪ The strength, the power the pain, the heart ♪♪
♪♪ The world is ours ♪♪♪♪
(Polo) Prison robbed me of my youth,
and I missed out on almost 12 years of my son's life.
But even though I was locked up,
learning to make art, it gave me a way out.
- ♪♪ We just afraid if they hate it ♪♪
♪♪ When you brought you okay ♪♪
♪♪ Know they mad but won't say it ♪♪
♪♪ Let 'em know it's code red ♪♪
(Polo) Now that I'm on the outside,
I'm gonna make the most of this second chance.
I know I have a lot of catching up to do as an artist...
(Polo laughing)
...and as a father...
Oh, I love you so much.
...so I'm gonna embrace every opportunity
and every mentor I meet
that can bring my art game to the next level.
- That's all we're gonna do for today.
Any questions? - No, just happy
to tattoo on you. (Cory laughs)
- So practice some of your techniques.
And do the same image.
And then come back.
Then you can spot your progress.
- I can't wait. - I got ya.
Look who's showing up. - Hey, guys.
Hola. - Have a seat.
- School is in session today.
- I'm really glad Cory called us out for a lesson today.
I mean, I'm still kind of pissed the KP didn't refer me or any
other female artist to tattoo Columbus Short's wife.
But I still got the job, so I'ma see how today goes.
Hopefully, we'll get more answers on the shop and when
it's actually open and back up. - So today, there's
a good opportunity to kind of see where everybody's at.
I wanna hear what you guys personally feel
that your weaknesses are so we can build on that.
- I'm really good at like steady lines and stuff.
But my weakness is definitely shading.
- That's like my weak point. - How about you, Nessie?
- Thick lines, so like traditional style work
and stuff, like, I have to build up a line.
I have to like outline it and then fill it in.
- What about you? - Um, honestly,
I'd have to say it's same for me.
Like pulling thicker lines. - What's your deal?
- I need it all. (all laughing)
I need it all, bro. - Well, you're in
the right place.
- Let's go ahead and set up and start doing some mad work.
Everybody got their machines? - Yeah.
- As far as stroke, it's always in and then out.
- ♪♪ I'm leveling up to the point where they ♪♪
♪♪ Try to keep up and they cannot relate ♪♪
- Extend that fade down a little bit.
Now blend into that. - That's fire.
- Anything that I tell you guys is not gonna
be, like, criticism to break you down.
This is all gonna be criticism to build you up, okay?
- ♪♪ Now we winning ♪♪
- By the way... Why aren't we at the shop today?
- Um, there's just a couple little things
that Tim and KP gotta tighten up.
- I feel like it's been a lot of obstacles.
- We got the business license. That's squared away.
Things have to happen in order
when you're dealing with the city.
We're waiting on a couple little tweaks
as far as the inspections go.
- Check this out.
- Bro, that's just wrong. - Right?
- What? - Yeah, that's weird as (bleep).
- That's why I didn't say anything.
- What's wrong? - I had posted a flyer.
The flyer for the pop-up.
And then I hadn't talked to Tim in a long time,
and he just replied to my story.
"You (bleep) with the opts.
I thought you was Team IAM."
- And how can he get mad at you when you're an artist?
- I'm just saying... - Like, that's wrong.
- I'm just trying to support
everyone, I want to have no bad blood.
And I think it's really unfair for Tim to try to throw that
in my face and make me feel bad for trying to support others.
- It's just always the same situation.
He's always mad disrespectful to women.
It just gets really old, you know?
- One thing I will say about Tim as an artist, right?
When you're in a room with someone that's not an artist
that does not understand the way you move.
Tim is not an artist, so...
Outside looking in, I can help him on the dos and don'ts.
- After seeing how Tim reacted to Alana simply posting a flyer
forDanielle and Barbie's pop-up,
it's really looking like KP is gonna retaliate against
anybody who shows love to Barbie or Lemeir.
It's petty as hell, but I'm not surprised.
- I think a big part of me coming in was to bring that
whole Vatican vibe, the whole Bishop family feel.
Because I see cohesiveness here.
And I'm gonna go to bat for everybody
because I want it to be successful.
♪♪♪♪
(phone ringing)
- Yes.
What up?
(Star) Hello, how are you?
- I'm chillin' with y'all.
- I'm sorry I got to make it.
I have to take care of my grandma, so...
You know, family first, unfortunately. (laughs)
But I would've loved to make it, though.
- Today is great.
I got some major news to share.
But first I wanted to invite the bosses
and Armani because she family.
And let them know first before I tell anybody else.
(door buzzes)
- I'm here for you. I got your back.
- Who the hell is that?
- Hey, girl. - How y'all.
- What's up, honey? How are you?
- Sorry I can't make it y'all.
- All right, hold it down.
(door buzzes)
- What's up, my peoples?
- Cory! Cory!
- (Armani) So what's going on? - What you mean?
- It's two bottles of champagne, orange juice.
What are we celebrating?
- Official, man.
(Cory) So we passed the final inspection?
Official, official?
- We passed everything.
- Shop is mother(bleep) open! Okay!
Whoo!
- I ain't gonna lie. I damn near was ready
to give up, and I ain't no mother(bleep) quitter.
They put me through some obstacles.
- I'm guesstimating within the next 30 days,
you should be up and running.
(Tim) We are the only legal tattoo shop
in the city of Compton. - First and only.
- The assistant city manager said there is a no-tattoo-shop
ordinance in the city of Compton.
- Let me get back for the inspection.
- How'd that go? - We didn't pass.
- Finally, thanks for sorting out the ordinance
situation, Pops. - Can't wait to get
this mother open.
- Now we passed the health inspection.
The shop officially opened. We about to (bleep) it up
'cause this the real celebration.
- Congratulations. - Appreciate it.
- Where everybody at?
- You wasn't gonna invite anybody else to this moment?
- Ain't nobody really loyal besides
the people who right here with me.
We saw a photo on Insta of the whole team
over at the pop-up riding with Lemeir.
- Everybody else is cappin'. We've been trying to get
to the business since day one.
- But let's not take jabs.
I'm trying to interject the good energy.
Just moving forward, Tim has to really
pay attention to taking the little shots, especially
the female artists, man. It's like, it gets to the point
where everybody has this attitude and he said/she said,
all this bull(bleep), it's all about communication.
- But just understand me, like, you wouldn't see that side
of Tim if you showing with your actions that you really
(bleep) with us and you ain't just trying to get on and run
with the Compton tag, you know what I'm saying?
We doing this as a collective, like, yeah, let's give
back to the city and build.
- Yeah, but as a leader, you should give your team a chance.
I can only put my little two cents on a business standpoint.
We have to be the grown men. What do we need to do
to really like start bringing it as a team?
- Pops warned me about taking emotions out of business.
And now Cory's saying something similar.
Maybe I do need to take a step back and give the team
an opportunity to explain theyself one last time
before I shut 'em out completely.
I got a plan, hold up.
♪♪♪♪
All right, I'ma give the team one last shot.
But I don't know who's coming back.
Right now I just don't see
how we can work together.
- Are you serious?
- The women in our shop
they feel I have
temperament problems.
But for me, it's like
getting them to understand
our struggle.
- It's okay to cry.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ Come for me bet you coming now ♪♪
♪♪ All you bitches... ♪♪
♪♪ The low low... ♪♪
♪♪ (singing in Spanish) ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
(door buzzes)
- What up, fam?! - What up, what up?
- How you living? - I'm good, you made it?
- I made it. - Even though me and the artists
ain't on the same page,
that's not gonna stop me from opening up IAM doors.
Now that we official.
I been have big-timers hitting me up.
But first, we got my homegirl, one of my favorite actress,
comedian, TV host, Niecy Nash.
And she from Compton, born and raised right here.
- She from Chicago.
- Okay. - She don't know nothing
about Compton's finest.
- So I done tatted Niecy before in the past.
And I'ma say she not the biggest fan of the pain
that come along with the tattoo.
So we gon' go ahead and put
her wifey in the seat, Jessica,
superstar singer, amazing artist and get this ink.
What side was you getting the tat?
- On my right side. - On the ride side?
- Yeah, maybe like the front part of the forearm.
- She told me you wanted the alien with the beanie,
I was, like, ahh, see, I gotta do that.
- I've been obsessed with aliens for a while now.
- Yeah. - Yeah, I've always just thought
about people who were extraordinary.
- We on the same wave. - Oh, Lord.
(laughing)
- I'ma get y'all started. Get comfy.
- ♪♪ I done been in bad situations now a -- up now ♪♪
♪♪ Plenty times I thought I wouldn't make it ♪♪
♪♪ Life isn't so tough now ♪♪
- After so many years and so many hurdles
it's hard to believe I'm finally here.
Doing what I love. In the city I love.
Now all eyes is on us.
Everybody gonna wanna see if we for real, for real.
But I know if I keep pushing forward and take it one day
at a time, this is a glimpse of what's to come.
♪♪ Big dreams and visions I gotta stay ahead ♪♪
- ♪♪ Bad -- with big booties making a mess ♪♪
♪♪ Done with the moping, I'm done with the hoping I'ma change ♪♪
♪♪ Being too relaxed can end up being dangerous ♪♪
- I thought we finally had our breakthrough
as a team when we went down to the Vatican.
And then I guess I let my guard down.
But seeing these artists run back over there to Lemeir
and his crew, it just remind me of the disrespect
and disloyalty that I've been talking about.
I already got so much doubt when it come to these
artists and they intentions, and now y'all ain't even respond
to the text about the shop being open and we official.
- ♪♪ But I'm checking my schematics 'cause it seem ♪♪
♪♪ Like everything is finally falling into place ♪♪
♪♪ Now I gotta take a stance Stepped up and I became a man ♪♪
♪♪ After failing so many times and falling on my face ♪♪
- Until I get a solid team that's ready to rep
Ink Art Music and putting work in the city,
I do it myself like I always do.
- ♪♪ I can only thank God for Him choosing to save me ♪♪♪♪
- Oh, my goodness.
- (KP) Let's see. - (Niecy) A swaggy alien,
I love it! - (KP) Check it out, yeah.
- Oh, yeah.
- (Niecy) Yeah, I love it. - He understood the assignment.
- He understood the assignment!
- Thank you so much.
(laughter)
- ♪♪ ...streets and counting that money ♪♪
♪♪And we're shutting it down ♪♪
♪♪ You wanna go against a'ight contrite ♪♪
♪♪ Almost double 'em now ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- What up, bro? - Yo, what up?
It's my first time in your crib. - I know.
- I know one thing about Nessie.
When she mad, she ain't trying to hear (bleep).
But at that pop-up shop, she went crazy.
(shouting)
- Yeah, (bleep). - This right here.
- Well, when you act like a bitch I'ma call you one.
- But I done heard Ken's side of the story.
So as a friend, I feel like I gotta hear
Nessie's side of the story.
This will allow me to really make a clear decision
on her future at the shop.
Damn, so what you working on?
- Working on some sneakers. I just bought these
the other day 'cause I like the mint color.
- How you feeling over there?
- Unh... - Pop-up went a little left.
- I just feel like he woulda came over and just been like,
yo, we got our differences but moving forward...
It coulda been that simple for real, for real,
you know what I'm saying? But it was like
the whole like cool guy act like, yo, 'sup, like...
I don't do situations like that. If you wanna apologize
or wanna clear the air then do that.
- You went too far. - I know, once I start seeing
red, it's over, it's like a bull.
Okay, Lemeir might be right.
Maybe I did take it a little too far,
but Ken knows how to amp me up,
like he knows how to bring me there.
I was chillin' all day.
He comes and speaks to me for five seconds
and my head just exploded. - Overall, the bigger picture
was, like, we know Nessie, you wanna be on board.
How can we get the store together if Ken
gon' be the person that's like my right hand
and you really went deep on that (bleep).
- Well, you always got Ken's back over mine, right?
You should know this by now. After Ken and I broke up,
I just never heard from you like for months on end.
Like, I was really hurting, bro, like, I was
really going through some (bleep).
- Look, man, do you wanna tell about having people backs.
I was very bothered about you going back to KP.
If they not (bleep) me because I'm defending y'all,
why the (bleep) y'all (bleep) with him?
- Damn, (bleep), don't call me disloyal.
After that meeting and I found out you quit, I called you.
Yo, (bleep) talking about you and I was, like, I'm 'bout
to quit, but you were even telling me just stick it out.
For real, for real, I called Lemeir.
Like off camera when I found out that he was walking.
I was ready to walk too. He basically told me
to sit tight a IAM and work with KP.
The only reason I even gave KP a second chance was because
Lemeir told me to, and now he's now owning up to any of that?
Like, come on, bro.
Where do we stand now?
- Right now I just don't see
how we can work together.
So, you know, I feel like I gotta
put the business first right now.
- Are you serious?
- I don't know, bro, we'll talk.
- Okay, bro.
- Growing up, on the streets of Compton,
my boys, they said, "You wanna go with us?
I'm, like, "Yeah, I wanna go."
He, like, "Well, beat him up."
This is where I felt like my life changed.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- ♪♪ I can show you how I came up way up every single day but ♪♪
♪♪ Won't you take a look around ♪♪
♪♪ I done came up from so low ♪♪
- What's up, bro? - Yo, what up, cool mom.
- How are you? - You been here before?
- I haven't.
- My guy Ken is back in Philly for some family stuff.
But I got some updates on the shop.
So I'm meeting up with Barbie to let her know what's new.
- Okay! - And I had to order this
goddamn mimosa tower. You know I'm doing
a little market research 'cause that's the type
of luxury experience I plan on bringing to our joint.
- How are you? - How you feeling?
- I'm good, playing, playing hard, uh...
We actually need to be thinking
about some names for the tattoo shop.
- I had something in my mind, but it was more being funny.
- What-- like what? - Instead of IAM, WE ARE?
- I like that. - Sometimes being petty can
actually get you some good ideas.
- Yes. - 'Cause we are making
this happen, okay? - Exactly.
- What's up with the locations we check out?
- The one location that we visited last
I really thought was gonna work out.
Found out they ended up choosing somebody else.
- How come they didn't choose us?
- It just had a lot to do with it being a tattoo shop, right?
Because of the stigma based around the shop,
you know what I'm saying? - Yeah.
- The stigma with tattoo shops from way back when
is they always got something to do with gangs
and bike clubs and basically nothing positive.
But we just artists and this the way we express ourselves.
Nobody would give us a hard time if we was
opening up a art gallery. - I hope we find a shop soon
'cause I need a distraction from my home life.
- Yeah, yeah, how is that going by the way?
- Mmm...
(Lemeir laughing)
- We have to be done with this real quick
if we start talking about how it's going
and how it's not going, okay? - Oh, my God.
- It's just like we're going in circles,
and at this point, I'm just tired.
Since Bone and I got together five years ago,
we've had our fair share of ups and downs.
- Look at that. - You okay?
- Yeah.
(sniffles) He cheated on me
while I was pregnant too.
I was, I was heartbroken.
And to this day, I'm still struggling
to get over everything that's happened in our past.
Anytime he does anything remotely shady,
it gets my mind going 'cause we've been down
this road plenty of times before.
It's definitely making me go harder
than other aspects of my life, you know?
I really, really want this to work.
- I am happy to have you on the team
and helping me with everything.
You know, speaking of the team.
The thing between Nessie and, uh, Ken...
You feel me? Yeah. - I was about to ask
how you felt about that.
- You know, she got her point of view of it.
But we've talked and it's just not gonna work out.
♪♪♪♪
- It really sucks to hear that things got worse
after Nessie and Lemeir had a talk.
I thought they would be able to make up.
And I think it would be beneficial
to have Nessie at the shop.
Hopefully, they'll cool off down the line.
But for now, I gotta have Lemeir's back.
- We are... - We are...
- Headed to success.
- And we're gonna do this (bleep) the right way.
- Yes.
- ♪♪ ...gonna be a winner ♪♪
♪♪ And I'm gonna pump up the beat go-getter ♪♪
♪♪ Blood, sweat, and tears written in the... ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- How's that feel?
- Ooh, this feels great.
- You ready for your favorite drink?
- Yes, thank you, sir. - Thank you, thank you.
- It's hard to juggle real life and work.
- Cause I have to be over here with the shop
doing our brand and our business.
So I decided to have a spa day for the most beautiful,
most important women in my life
which is my auntie and my grandmother.
I wanted them to understand that I really appreciate them
for everything they have done for me.
- The massage is wonderful. 'Cause not too many places
that don't ache. (laughing)
- I ain't had no Mom and Dad.
Both of them was out the picture.
I only had my grandmother and my auntie.
They inspired me to keep going and to never giving up.
And that's who I am today.
- So what's with all of this?
- It's because me and KP finally got the shop open.
- Hey! - Ho-ho!
- All them long nights I've been sleeping at the shop.
Now it all paid off. I just feel like
me and KP, we work as a team.
But trying to install that into other people
has been our challenge. The women in our shop,
they sometime feel a way about me.
Because they always pointing a finger at me.
- I always told you, Tim, I said you gon' find people
that's not gonna like you, don't even know you.
So it doesn't matter what that person said about you.
Just don't make them right.
- It's crazy to think how some of the women
in the shop think I come off too strong.
You work better when you're quiet.
- I was disrespected over and over and over again.
I'm defending myself as a woman, bro.
- Star said that you talk to girls crazy.
- She keep calling me a bitch. I'ma show her who--
who the real bitch. - Shut the (bleep) up.
- You don't like it, get out!
I'm just a product of two strong women that raised me.
If anything, I go out of my way to show everybody love.
Maybe they just don't like.
You know, I had temperament problems.
But for me, it's like getting them
to understand our struggles.
Me being Black male
on the streets of Compton. - Yeah.
- If I would stand my ground...
I'd probably being robbed all day.
I always look back and like
this is where I feel like my life changed.
Growing up, my boys is chillin'.
And you know how they go and hang out with the girls...
- Yeah, yeah. - So you wanna go with us?
And I'm, like, "Yeah, I wanna go."
He like, "Well, beat him up."
It was another little boy. They said whoever win
gets to go with the bigger boys.
It molded me into a fighter, you know, never backing down.
So I just been this person. And it just...
Now that I'm getting older and I'm realizing, um...
- It's okay to cry.
Jesus wept.
It's okay to cry
because sometimes you can't say
what you feel about wounds.
It had to come out another way.
- Mm-hmm.
Um...
I always was like wondering
where my life would be. Going to jail.
Doing not good stuff.
Thinking I could take a shortcut, but...
To now see
where I'm-- where we at.
- You're all right. - I owe it to y'all.
And I owe it to KP, too.
You know, they always ask me, you there for KP
but what inspired you?
Now I'm totally invested because
I feel like the city of Compton needs something like this.
When I went to jail, I told myself once I get out
that I wanted to never come back to that place again.
And KP gave me my way out.
I believe in IAM, it's become my legacy in Compton.
- You know, Tim, I'm always gon' be there for y'all.
'Cause I love y'all.
And I'm so proud of you. - Thank you.
- I've seen nothing to show why
I should trust anybody hanging with ops.
- Why wouldn't you just let us go if that was the case?
- I'm letting y'all come to Compton,
and I'm still giving chances. - I'm not doing this.
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
- Yo. What you doing back here?
You playing Dominoes by yourself?
You wanna play for nothing?
- I ain't trying to take your money like you owe me.
You never beat me a day in your life.
- That's a lie. You ready for these people
who about to show up? - (bleep) man.
It is what it is.
Since I sent out that text
about the shop reopening,
I ain't heard nothing from nobody.
But thinking about Cory and what he said about
not throwing jabs, I hit 'em up ASAP
and told 'em to pull up to the shop right now.
We gon' settle this. I'ma see who with me
and who outta here.
- I ain't saying nay-thing, yo, homie.
They're not about to use me as a punching bag.
- You going quiet, huh?
- I wanna make sure everything goes smooth, brother.
After talking it over with my auntie and my grandmother,
I decided to take another tactic
and take a step back
and allow KP to be the voice and the boss that he is.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Get that money, money ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- What's happening? - What's the deal?
Go long.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Yeah, yeah ♪♪
♪♪ Get made remember you ever got exchange ♪♪
- Everybody got a problem with everybody and everything.
I understand it's loyalty or nothing with KP and Tim.
And I can do that, but I have to protect
my own self as well as my staff.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ I'ma go harder than most ♪♪
♪♪ I'ma go harder than most ♪♪
- Look, I don't really know
how this meeting with KP is gonna go, but...
we basically find out that there was an opportunity on the table
for not only me but other female artists at the shop to take.
And KP doesn't refer anyone? So I'm already walking in hot.
- Hi. - What's up?
What's up?
- I ain't seen everybody in so long, I don't know who's
supposed to be here or not. - Ink's not here.
(KP) He dealing with some family stuff.
Cory was supposed to pull up. He had to go work.
But, you know, he Team IAM. But great news.
Like I said in my text, the shop is official.
It's open. - Okay, let me get up in here then.
- I actually thought we was in a better place.
That's why I set up the whole Vatican.
- Yeah, that's what I thought too.
I thought everything was gonna be like ground zero.
You know what I'm saying? - I sent out the text.
She said she didn't get it. Polo didn't get it.
- I responded, I said I said I just got done filming.
I can't make it tonight, but maybe next time.
(overlapping chatter)
- I never said...
- He just said, if y'all wanted to work,
that this is what y'all need to have, that's it.
- Conversation was just letting everybody know,
hey, the shop is open.
Like let's figure it out.
But I haven't felt the mother(bleep) say,
"Hey, this is your shop for real?
We can get down?"
Nobody responded on that part.
You said something about pulling up.
- Yeah, 'cause you responded and said,
"Just got done filming, but next time for me too."
- ..wasn't even talking about that.
You just running a whole different play now.
- Yo, that's the conversat-- - No, he was saying
that nobody hit him up to say like,
oh, is the shop really open?
We did ask you, bro.
Plenty of people asked you
'cause we all talked about it.
Like, yo, what's up?
'Cause we wanted to work.
- I'm looking in your face
and you cannot sit here and say
you really was trying to work in the shop.
Y'all been hanging with the enemy
and working events.
- What event? - The pop-up shop.
- From the jump you been, "Oh, Lemeir, Lemeir, Lemeir!"
And nobody checked me to where I felt like disrespected.
(Vudu) First, KP's giving us crap
over a text message that half of us didn't even get.
And now we're against him
for going to Barbie and Dani's pop-up shop party?
Oh, my God! It's so petty.
I just-- I cannot handle it.
- You wanna talk about disrespect,
it's always like, KP this and Compton this
and Compton that and Compton that,
what you can do for Compton.
What can you do for Compton? But then,
dude, you never even apologized
for not plugging me to Columbus Short.
Yeah, no problem putting our private side and building
you as an artist.
Our problem was we never got that in return, bro.
It's been two years. - What are you talking about?
- I've still been working out of my crib for the past ten.
- Who-- who problem is that?
- I liter-- okay.
You really believe the words
that are coming out of your mouth?
Like after all this time,
you set up another meeting
just so you can start pointing fingers
at everybody else for why the shop
isn't what it's supposed to be.
Bro, are you serious?
At this point, it falls on you.
It all falls on you.
You left us hangin', bro.
(KP) Y'all kept y'all self real busy
hanging out with Lemeir.
- You guys' relationship with Lemeir
has nothing to do with it.
- It has everything to do with it.
- I don't think so. - Because we don't know
about Lemeir, and this ink shop ain't poppin'.
- I've seen nothing to show why I should trust
anybody hanging with opts.
- So then why would you have us keep showing up, though?
Why wouldn't you just let us go if that was the case?
- I'm letting y'all come to Compton
and I'm still giving chances.
- You don't want to let us help, you don't want
to let us be a part of anything.
Like, bro, what are you trying to do to--
Actually, with all due respect,
I don't know what y'all trying to do,
but I can't be a part of this
and I wish you would've told me how you felt beforehand,
because we could've squashed all this before.
I don't need to be here, bro.
- After what you just said, I lost all respect for you.
- I'm not doing this. I quit.
(intense music)
- ♪♪ I do what I want ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- I don't need to be here, bro.
- After what you just said, I lost all respect for you.
- I'm not doing this. I quit.
Now that I left IAM,
and I had a conversation with Lemeir,
and he's saying he doesn't want me to work at his shop either,
I guess I'm back on my own.
But that's okay 'cause I'm gonna take advantage
of the opportunity. I'm gonna find
somewhere that respects me and appreciates my work.
It's time for me to do my own thing now.
- This is exactly why I don't feel comfortable being here,
because look how quickly you just turn.
- I'm not about her. She's trash.
- No-- excuse me?
(intense music)
When I first came to the shop,
I genuinely emotionally invested myself in the shop
because I really believed that, for the first time,
that I was a part of a family.
But then I just feel like you did not...
necessarily like me or pretty much anyone else here.
And can I just say this? (overlapping chatter)
- When you be saying... - Please allow me to talk.
Please allow me to talk. It's one thing for me--
It's one thing for me to say-- no, no no.
But I want to talk! - I'm not worried about...
- Oh, my God.
I'm here because I want to make things work.
But how on Earth are we supposed to be able to fix things
if you won't even hear my side.
I honestly don't blame Nessie for walking.
I mean, this is completely unacceptable.
At this point, it just kinda feels like
I'm in a toxic relationship where it's like I'm--
- No relationship. There's no relationship.
- What is your problem with me, though?
- What are y'all doing to show anything
that y'all really wanna be here?
Nobody helping me do (bleep).
I done so much for this team.
Even after they (bleep) around
and talk about some Lemeir better boss,
I still let 'em in the circle.
I brought Cory on as the lead artist
and a mentor for the team.
I took 'em to the Vatican so we can get the vibe right.
I want to show them the family
and the spirit y'all have here.
I hit 'em up with the text letting 'em know
the shop open and guess what,
none of these mother(bleep) responded.
They got me all the way (bleep) up.
They not loyal, and I'm over it.
- My goal is to be a great artist.
And at the same time, I do want to be
in an environment where I do not feel anxious
and worrying about whether I'm gonna get yelled at
or if you guys are gonna turn on me.
Like if I'm being honest, I don't think it's for me.
- Y'all don't wanna be here, y'all can just leave.
- Well, I wish you guys the best.
(KP) Good luck.
(Vudu) I now realize that nothing
will ever change with KP
and that he will always be a toxic man.
I've had a lot of terrible relationships
in my personal life, but I certainly do not
need any of this in my career.
(sighs)
And that's why I had to leave for good.
(Tim) What are we doing?
Polo, you done heard a lot.
- I'm ready to work, man.
(Tim) Alana?
- To be honest, I just felt like really insecure.
And now like I just didn't feel like I was ready to work here.
Like maybe I just can't do it.
- We got a soft spot for you, girl.
We know you've grown, baby.
Yo, what the (bleep) is happening right now?
We just had two amazing artists walk out of here,
and now Alana is sounding unsure?
I really don't want all my staff to quit.
KP and Tim can feel otherwise, but I'm the staff manager
and I'm not liking it.
We're here with you. We're gonna help you grow.
- The only way you gonna get better is to be around it.
- Well, moving forward, if I still had like contact
with like Nessie or Vudu, am I gonna get fired?
'Cause those are like legit friends of mine?
- As long as they ain't doing nothing else gonna, um...
- Jeopardize. ...jeopardize what we doing.
That's on you. Now you playing both sides
and then we don't hear from you, MIA,
that's when it becomes a issue.
- I mean, I'm ready to be here.
I'm not surprised that Nessie and Vudu had walked,
considering how they've been treated.
But my relationship with KP and Tim is different from theirs.
I mean, I've been down for the shop since day one.
I even moved from Arizona back to L. A.,
put myself through a complicated,
long-distance relationship
just so I could be the best artist I could be.
So, in other words, I'm not going anywhere.
So now what?
(intense music)
(KP) I want to celebrate.
We official. - Okay.
- And can't nobody stop us.
This is for us.
- So you don't think Bones changed at all? - I don't think he has.
But I told him before, like if you gonna do
some (bleep), make sure it's worth losing your family
'cause that's pretty much where he's at.
- I have some, um, news.
(KP) Spit it out.
- Lemeir's opening a tattoo shop.
- (gasps) - (bleep).
- I know about Lemeir's shop,
but I'm still-- I'm still in Venice
- You got that ditzy, dummy (bleep) going on.
- Wow, is that really necessary? - Yes, it is.
- Why are you crying?
- One of my childhood, you know, friends,
somebody I grew up with, you know, just passed away.
- I'm sorry.
- Everything just building up,
doing one thing after the next,
I'm just trying to keep my head together, you feel me?
- I'm trying to be the peacemaker.
- Okay, you be the peacemaker, but you out of (bleep) line.
You don't have no type of loyalty or nothing.
- You're being fake. - The (bleep) outta here,
snitch-ass, trick-ass bitch.
- Bitch, you want... - Shut the (bleep) up.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ MTV ♪♪