I was wondering if you was willing
to make some extra money.
Listen, I already told your mama
that the block is hot around her, okay?
I owe your mother, so I'll help you out,
but you gotta find your own product.
These days, you know,
the name of the game is convenience.
I wanna do the same with tutoring.
It'll be run through an app called CourseCorrect.
-Simon will want a record. -And what would you want?
How about 5%, and neither of us tells Stern about this?
[Trace] Why were you in my room?
Tariq's passed out on your bed.
You put it on him that hard?
I shouldn't be doing this.
[moans]
Did you sleep with Tariq, Diana?
Nothing happened between us.
From now on, he's business, that's it.
You wanna tell me about these white boys
-Cane had on the corner? -Nah.
Wanna tell me why you sent Cane up here?
Somebody could've gotten killed.
That whole shipment--
[Monet] I didn't send him, Tariq.
[Ramirez] Their names are Brayden and Trace Weston.
These kids are rich and connected.
Something happens to them, half of NYPD is here, and--
I know.
Cane is out of control, Mo.
You have to get him in line.
I'm running this shit, Cane.
Long as you are in my house, you will fucking listen to me.
This is Dad's house.
Everything you got comes from him.
All this bullshit with you and Tariq
-and you and that cop nigga-- -Cane--
Don't you put your fucking hands--
-Get the fuck off me! -[Monet grunts]
[dramatic music plays]
[speaking Spanish]
[Cane grunting]
♪
Don't you ever put your hands on my wife again.
We work together.
[Saxe] It's a deal.
Tariq St. Patrick's going to jail.
Is there any way that Davis could know
what really happened?
No, Ma, there's no way.
Look, you were the one that said we have to trust Davis.
And the testimony did make me look good.
[Tariq] All right, so then that's all that matters.
Everything'll be fine.
I just hope you're right.
[Joe] ♪ They say this is A big, rich town ♪
♪ I just come From the poorest part ♪
♪ Bright lights, city life ♪
♪ I gotta make it This is where it goes down ♪
♪ I just happen To come up hard ♪
♪ Legal or illegal, baby I gotta make it ♪
[50 Cent] ♪ I never took A straight path nowhere ♪
♪ Life's full of twists And turns, bumps and bruises ♪
♪ I live, I learn ♪
♪ I'm from that city full of Yellow cabs and skyscrapers ♪
♪ It's hard to get a start In these parts without paper ♪
♪ Homey, I grew up in hell A block away from heaven ♪
♪ That corner every 15 minutes They moving seven ♪
♪ Pure snow, bag it Then watch it go ♪
♪ Occupational options Get some blow or some hos ♪
♪ Shoot the ball or the strap Learn to rap or to jack ♪
♪ Fuck it, man In the meantime ♪
♪ Go head and pump a pack ♪
♪ This my regal, royal flow My James Bond bounce ♪
♪ That 007 That's 62 on my count ♪
♪ I'm an undercover liar I lie under the covers ♪
♪ Look a bitch in the eyes ♪
♪ And tell her Baby, I love ya ♪
♪ You're my inspiration You're my motivation ♪
♪ You're the reason that I'm Moving with no hesitation ♪
[Joe] ♪ They say this is A big, rich town ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ I just come From the poorest part ♪
♪ Bright lights, city life ♪
♪ I gotta make it This is where it goes down ♪
♪ Oh, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I just happen To come up hard ♪
♪ Legal or illegal, baby I gotta make it ♪
♪
[singer] ♪ Didn't it rain, children ♪
♪ Oh, Lord... ♪
See, I told you we get more when you preach about hell.
People wanna give.
They just have to be reminded why sometimes.
[objects clatter faintly]
You hear that?
[gospel music plays]
♪
[Lil' Guap] Nobody move!
Put the money in the fucking bag!
[preacher] No, no, no, no, no! My-my brother--
Ain't no brothers here, T.D. Jakes.
Uh, j-just let us go.
Nah, we got a special job for you.
Hey, clean this up. I want all that.
[man] Hey, yo, you heard what he said.
No, please, please. Brothers--
-Move! Move! -No, no--
Hey, yo, you think this is a game?
No, I--
Give me this shit.
[singer] ♪ I ain't playin' no games ♪
♪ I ain't playin' games ♪
♪ I ain't playin' No games... ♪
[man] Don't fucking move!
[singer] ♪ I ain't playin' games ♪
[rock music plays]
Come on!
S-son, you-you don't wanna do this
in the Lord's house.
What? [laughs] This is my house, motherfucker.
♪
Open it.
♪
"Do-do not store for yourself treasures on Earth,
"where thieves break in and steal,
but-but store for yourself treasures in heaven."
Man, shut the fuck up.
♪
You trying to go to heaven, Father?
No, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill, chill.
[door bangs]
-Rev! -Fuck!
-[gunshot] -Oh!
-Oh, Jesus fucking Christ! -Oh!
Idiots! Yo, didn't I say stick to the plan?
-Fuck. -Till the fucking end?
-Let's go. -Let's go.
[indistinct chatter]
[Oliver] Students, please listen up.
Uh, I know you're anxious,
and, frankly, some of you should be.
The five students with the highest GPAs
will advance to the semifinals
for the coveted Canonical Studies Fellowship.
And those five students are--
Condom parade!
Strap up, nerds! Whoo! Sex Week!
[students murmuring and laughing]
I think you dropped this.
Boy, if you don't get that shit up out of my face...
This right here is for niggas with MBAs and mortgages.
-Damn. -Move.
All right, settle down.
We all know it's Sex Week here on campus,
and that comes with a certain amount of disruptions.
But I expect you all to be
above the puerility of Fraternity Row.
Sex Week was started by campus health services
to help educate the student body
about their bodies,
and we encourage all of you to take part
in the various panels and activities offered.
-Ha, like the Q Party, okay? -[Khalid] Hey, we in there.
-We in there. -Ugh!
What the hell is that?
That debaucherous, orgiastic tradition
is not a school-sanctioned event,
and the administration has been, uh,
trying to abolish it for years.
And until they do,
we strongly discourage you all from attending.
But if you do go, wrap it up.
Well, speaking of wrapping it up,
can we go ahead and announce the semifinalists already?
[chuckles] And don't gag when they call my name.
And the semifinalists are Ashley Fitzpatrick...
[applause]
Richard Banks,
Lauren Baldwin,
Timothy Goldwyn,
and last but not least...
-BruShaundria Carmichael. -Ha!
Told y'all. Period. What, you got a problem?
-[Carrie] Well done. -[Oliver] Congratulations
to the winners.
[dramatic music plays]
[Carrie] Tariq, wait.
♪
Listen... I know you were counting on the fellowship
to graduate early.
I don't wanna talk about this.
Look, I understand.
It's just that if tutoring Zeke is making it hard for you
to keep up in the program,
then as your counselor--
[Tariq] This has nothing to do with Zeke.
[Carrie] Right.
I was wondering how he's doing academically.
[Riley moans]
Oh, that's good.
Oh, Brayden, you're getting better at this.
[pop music plays over speakers]
I know, right?
Went to one of those Sex Week seminars.
You know, it's crazy nobody actually teaches the guy
where the clitoris is.
Well, the patriarchy's not invested in female pleasure.
♪
You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?
-Absolutely no clue. -[laughs] You're an idiot.
I love you too, baby.
You can't love somebody if you can't tell them the truth.
♪
You still haven't told me what really happened
when you disappeared all day,
and I know that Tariq told you to lie to me about it.
I told you, I was babysitting Trace when he got drunk.
-[door clicks open] -[Tariq] Yo, B, we gotta talk
about this shit--
Yo, what the fuck, B?
I thought I told you not to bring her back here.
We--you're early.
I thought you weren't supposed to be back until...
well, now, but it's Sex Week, bro, come on.
You know I gotta get my swerve on.
Man, y'all look like two raw chicken cutlets
in that fucking bed.
Hit me when she gets the fuck out of here.
[door slams]
So what's going on with Tariq?
Saw you two talking this morning.
I'm his advisor.
-Respect his privacy. -[scoffs]
I'll ignore the irony of you telling anyone
to respect a student's privacy
only because I need to ask a personal favor of you.
It's about my new book.
Jabari, you and I should only talk about work.
Besides, I have to get these note cards done
for tomorrow's 48 Laws of Powerassignment.
I could help you with that.
[dramatic music plays]
You know what? That would be great.
Have these on my desk
first thing tomorrow morning.
♪
Thanks.
Is that Everett?
He pissed at you for leaving the other night?
No, actually, he's pissed at you for showing up
-and making me come home. -[scoffs]
Just got word from Rico.
The re-up's coming in two days.
Um, Ma, have you heard from Cane?
I ain't sweating your brother.
Yeah, but he always handles the re-ups with you.
And D.C. Joe expects him.
D.C. Joe ain't nobody's boss.
Dru can do the re-up with me.
♪
Okay, I ain't got no problem doing the re-up with her,
but Cane should be here.
But after what happened,
he definitely ain't gonna just show up,
and she ain't gonna call him.
They too much alike that way.
-Mm-hmm. -We gotta go get him.
Hmm?
He could be anywhere, D.
♪
I think I know where to look.
♪
[line trills]
-[Lorenzo] Hey, baby. -Cane been to see you?
I know how that boy loves to go running to his daddy
every time things ain't going his way.
What the fuck did you say to him?
He ain't been back since.
He came by. I'm sure he's fine, Mo.
It's been three days, Renzo.
What did you say to him?
I told him to do what you say...
and not disrespect you.
[Monet] That's all you said?
Well, he should've shown back up by now.
I got a drop coming in two days,
and now I need to figure out how I'ma handle it without him.
All I did was explain his fucking place in this family.
He'll be back, Mo.
I hope you're right.
♪
[knocking]
[hip-hop music plays over speakers]
What up, 'Riq?
What up? Got your Julius Caesar paper.
Didn't I tell you to meet me after class?
Yeah. Sorry about that.
You know, Sex Week--
I was a little preoccupied, if you know what I mean.
Nigga, I was writing 25 pages for your dumb ass
while you was getting your fuck on.
Of course I know what you mean.
My bad, yo. You my mans, though.
Yeah, whatever.
Listen, man, I can't be chasing you down like this.
-I got shit to do myself. -I got you.
I got my priorities straight:
work, then pussy.
[Tariq scoffs]
[indistinct chatter]
Whew, university's different than I remember.
-What the fuck you doing here? -I took you not answering
my calls as an invitation.
Now, explain to me why there is
a mountain of unfulfilled orders on the app
that I graciously helped you launch.
There were some issues going on, all right,
but I'm handling it.
Stop acting like you doing me a favor
when I'm paying you way more than what you're worth.
[scoffs] You know, Simon started
this whole Q Party thing when he was at Stansfield.
[dramatic music plays]
Now, you go, and you make Papa Stern proud,
and you sell those papers like you have something at stake.
♪
He'll like these.
He loves flavors.
♪
[line trills, clicks]
Yeah, I'm running low.
I got some factors that are out of my control right now.
[Tariq] Listen, it's a big week on campus.
All right, it's a lot of, um, action going on.
So if I'm not making people happy, someone else will.
Look, I gotta wait, so you gotta wait.
Sit tight. I'll hit you.
-[sighs] -[line beeps]
[Saxe] Oh, f--
You don't have an appointment.
You aren't taking my calls.
You still down with the plan?
Yeah, I'm still down, but Steven Ott
is gonna fire my ass if I don't do a better job
looking like I'm trying to convict Tasha.
Okay, who does he expect you to call to the stand?
Well, Quinton Wallace, Tasha's lover.
He puts her at the crime scene, and she tried to frame him.
-To protect Tariq. -Yeah.
But we can't say that in court, not yet.
You get him on his criminal record.
-That's the plan. -Uh, Rashad Tate.
-Lying-ass nigga. -[scoffs] Elisa Marie Proctor.
Minor child, couldn't possibly know anything relevant.
Who else?
Uh, Tommy Egan's mother, Kate Egan.
She would refute Tasha's testimony
that Tommy shot James St. Patrick.
The cokehead ex-stripper, right.
I will wipe the floor with her.
[sighs] Yeah, but even if you do, it won't help.
I need someone who Ott will believe will say
Tasha was the queenpin
but actually knows the truth about James St. Patrick.
But who's left that knows that for sure?
♪
I got it.
What are you doing here?
What happened now?
Well, I assume you've heard Tasha St. Patrick's on trial
for her husband's murder.
I put that part of my life behind me.
I've moved on.
We know you two were in contact,
I need you to come testify.
Yeah, absolutely not. Find someone else.
This isn't optional, Paz.
Look...
I came here as a courtesy,
but I can just as easily get a subpoena.
What don't you understand?
I can't help you with your case.
Tasha didn't tell me anything about the murder.
Perfect.
See, all you have to do is say that on the stand.
[knock at door]
♪
Can I help you?
Is my brother here?
-Cane? -Mm-hmm.
No, I ain't seen Cane in a minute.
Yeah, okay, except I know that's a lie,
'cause there's no way you could afford anything I see
besides that drink in your hand.
-Mm. -Cane!
-[scoffs] Excuse me. -Cane!
[scoffs]
-Yo, what happened to you? -Go home, D.
I'm worried about you. You need to come home.
Listen, I'm not sure Ma or Papi want me to even be home.
I could tell she's worried. She wants you back.
She say that?
♪
D.C. Joe called.
The re-up's coming. She needs you.
We all need you, Cane.
I don't know, D.
If you want back in, this is how you do it.
You show up for the family.
Come in at the perfect time.
Show her how much she depends on you.
That'll squash it.
You think just like her.
♪
The streets are kind of hot for me right now,
but I'll be at the drop,
as long as you promise not to tell Ma where I'm at.
-I got you. -You got me?
-I do. -Okay.
I'll send you the time for the drop.
All right.
-I love you. -I love you too.
♪
[cell phone buzzing]
Hey, Ma, you good?
Listen, 'Riq, I've been thinking.
I don't want you to come to the trial.
-[Tariq] What? -This week or at all.
No, Ma, I wanna be there for you.
Now that your name has been brought up,
it's just not smart, baby.
I-I just don't think you should be in the public eye.
You don't need to be there.
What you need to be doing is studying
and making sure Davis gets paid.
I got you.
[Tasha] How you doing otherwise?
-Yo, 'Riq. -I gotta go, all right?
Finally, bro.
Yo, does your girl even go to school?
Like, she's never in class.
Hey, not everyone's as overscheduled as you.
Some of us are actually in college,
you know, to have some fun.
Look, I'm focused, and you need to be too, bro.
The app is blowing up, and I'm not about to lose out
on no money because your homeless-ass girlfriend
is here all the time.
I ain't gonna lie, she can't come back.
We're losing out on money
because we don't have any weight to move,
not because Riley,
and the only reason she's here
is because her roommates just don't want dudes around.
Cane kidnapped you and Chase
just for being in this room.
You want that same shit to happen to Riley?
Okay, you're right.
I'm sorry. I'll handle it.
Thank you.
[sighs]
Did Cane speak to you about his conversation with Daddy?
He went up there the other night.
No, Ma, I ain't spoke to Cane.
Did Daddy speak to you about it?
Not about that, no.
Look, Ma, I don't know anything.
[chuckles]
[Diana] I do.
I found Cane.
-Where? -You did?
I can't say all that, but he said he'll be at the meet.
I swear.
Okay, fine. Back to regular protocol.
Dru, you make the cash run to Bishop.
D, you'll be at the bar to start sorting product.
♪
You real bold coming in here saying
how you ain't gonna tell me where your brother is.
Ma, he gotta be able to trust somebody in this house.
It ain't you, it ain't Daddy, so it's me.
Besides, you know what you need to know, right?
Yeah, I got what I need.
You can go.
♪
[singer] ♪ Boy, you got a good thing ♪
♪ Good thing ♪
[both breathing heavily]
♪ But you wanna play games ♪
[moans]
[singer] ♪ Play games ♪
♪ Play games... ♪
[both chuckle]
[giggles]
[both breathing heavily]
That was three.
Let's see if we can get to four.
[laughs]
Zeke, one of us has a job.
[singer] ♪ Don't waste my time... ♪
♪
I was wondering if you're, um...
planning on going to the Q Party.
No, girl, I ain't worried about those random hos
now that I got a real woman.
[chuckles]
Actually...
I'd like you to meet my Auntie Monet.
She can be kind of tough, but I-I think she'd like you.
Um...
Zeke...
we talked about this.
I'm a professor,
and you're a student and a star athlete.
Any of this getting out would be explosive,
which is why I think you should go to the party,
for appearance's sake.
Be with girls your age.
Girls my age ain't got nothing to talk about,
and all they trying to do is get with a baller.
I'll go to the party if that's what you want,
but I ain't letting you go.
♪
[cell phone chimes]
[sighs] Fuck.
[knock at door]
Uh, I-I was looking for Brayden.
Yeah, you sure that's all you was looking for?
'Cause last time you came here, you left with some shit
that wasn't yours, and you still owe me for it.
So unless you want me to call that big, scary Black nigga
to finish what he started, I think you should go.
Listen, I don't know how you got my brother involved
in... whatever you're doing,
but leave him out of it, or I'm gonna call the cops.
Nigga, the cops work for us too.
Why you think they were so quick to let you guys go, huh?
I mean, you can do what you want,
but the only thing you'd be doing
is turning Brayden in,
'cause ain't shit tracing back to me.
I got an alibi.
I was sitting right there playing chess with Riley.
[chuckles] Yeah, I bet you were.
Look, I don't know what kind of freaky shit you three are into,
but it's pretty sick.
-What are you talking about? -I saw you and Riley
in my room at your birthday party.
Yeah, she must be as good as she looks,
'cause when I peeked my head in,
you were knocked the fuck out.
Man, I wasn't in your room with Riley.
Oh, yeah, you were.
I even changed my sheets and everything
'cause I wasn't taking any fucking chances.
♪
It's your turn.
I'd be done by now if you let me shower with you.
We'd still be in there.
[male sports announcer speaking indistinctly over TV]
[knock at door]
It's just the food.
Go.
[announcer continues]
♪
What are you doing here?
I was having lunch at our old spot,
and the owner asked where you were,
so she gave me this on this house.
I didn't want it to go to waste, so...
Jabari, I told you we should only talk about work.
Takeout from our old spot is-is not about work.
Come on, Carrie.
Look, I just want things between us to be good,
and we can only talk about work if you want.
And look, I even brought the cards.
I asked you to leave them on my desk.
I know. I just...
I-I just thought it'd be a good memory, all right?
And I wanted to share it with you, okay?
What--[scoffs]
This is what we've always done, Carrie.
You know, we fight. We argue. We make up.
Wh-what's changed?
[faucet squeaks, shower running]
[announcer continues]
Fucking sports highlights?
You take a sudden interest in basketball, Carrie?
Goodbye, Professor Reynolds.
[door slams]
♪
[breathes deeply]
♪
[exhales sharply]
This week's text distills 3,000 years of warfare,
-leadership, and strategy... -[cell phone buzzes]
...into what the author identifies
as the 48 essential laws of power.
Unlike our other material, this single book
synthesizes the tactics
of some of history's greatest figures
to lay out how principles such as awareness, discretion,
and self-preservation
can ensure total control over one's enemies.
Thoughts?
I mean, it's just an instruction manual
on how to screw people over.
Or how to get what you want.
Look, I think it's outlining how to succeed at business.
[scoffs] You're not a businessman.
Look, everything is business, all right?
-He's not wrong about that. -You damn right.
But what if you're using it to fight for the less fortunate
or for something you're really passionate about?
All's fair in true love and war, right?
Well, Ashley makes a great point,
which leads me to your assignment.
Each of you has a card with your name on it.
On the back of the card is a secret.
Your job is to guard that secret
while your partner uses the tactics laid out
in The 48 Laws of Power to get you to reveal it.
The students who successfully procure
their partner's secrets get an A.
And what stops us from just telling each other our secrets?
Well, you do that, and you both fail.
So partner up.
[indistinct chatter]
[chuckles]
So here's the deal.
I need the A to get the fellowship,
and since you are no longer in the running,
you should just tell me your secret.
Fuck no. I still need a A.
-[scoffs] -Let me see that.
Word? Yeah.
What are you doing? Give me that back.
-What you gonna trade for it? -Give it back, Tariq.
-What you gonna trade for it? -Tariq, give me--
-What you gonna trade for it? -Give it! Tariq, give me--
Condom parade! Sex Week!
-Sex Week! Sex Week! Sex Week! -Yo! Yo! [laughs]
-Whoa. -Give me that.
-Ooh. -Yo, Professor Milgram
did not say anything about using brute physical strength.
I will get that from you by any means necessary.
I mean, you look a little strong,
but you're still short, so...
-Oh, short? -Yeah.
-Oh, okay. -Yo, stop.
Come on, chill. Chill. Yo, stop, stop, stop.
-Yo, chill. Chill! -Oh, I'm short?
-I'm short? -Oh! Just chill!
-I'm short? I'm short? -Chill, chill.
Okay, whatever. Oh, my God, what are you doing?
I just want you to be able to see yourself.
Yo, nigga, don't you go to school in D.C.?
Malcolm, look, I know this looks crazy,
but Tariq and I are doing an assignment, and--
Hold on, Lauren. Men are talking.
Excuse me?
How disrespectful do you have to be
to put your hands on another man's woman?
[scoffs]
Yo, get your nigga before he get himself hurt.
I'm not a nigga,
and I would expect an educated Black man to know better.
Malcolm, stop.
Tariq, can you just go
and we'll deal with this later, please?
Yeah, I gotta be somewhere anyway.
Later, Lauren.
Later, nigga.
♪
Malcolm, you are doing way too much.
There is no too much when I'm fighting for our future.
From this point on, we don't have a future.
-Get out. -[scoffs]
Lauren, don't make a mistake you'll live to regret.
You are the mistake I regret. Get out.
♪
[door slams]
[cell phone buzzes]
♪
Miss Merchant, you're here
on a possession of marijuana charge,
which is quite an accomplishment,
given the recent changes to the law.
Over two ounces is a serious offense.
Will you be representing yourself today?
No, Your Honor.
My uncle--I mean my lawyer will be here any minute.
Well, we can't wait here all day, young lady.
You'll have to give your plea
whether your uncle shows or not.
Okay, well, what plea do you enter
if you think the law itself is stupid?
-Weed never hurt anybody. -[door clatters]
♪
Ah, U.S. Attorney Saxe. To what do we owe the pleasure?
I'm sorry I'm late, Your Honor.
I am here to represent my niece Riley Merchant,
-Fuck -or rather, Your Honor, my friend David Turwilliger
is here to do so with my blessing.
[judge] Very well, then. Let's go ahead and begin.
As you know, your niece Miss Merchant
is here on a marijuana possession charge.
Yo, yo.
What'd you wanna talk to me about?
Would you spit it out?
You're giving me a fucking anxiety attack over here.
All right, look,
I should have told you this a long time ago, but...
I didn't want you to get hurt.
But I think you need to know the truth.
The truth about what?
All right, remember my birthday when I got real fucked up?
Yeah.
Riley tried to hit that night.
That's not funny.
Look, she found me in Trace's room,
and I basically had to fight her off.
-I can't believe this. -And then she tried
the same exact shit when you were out with Cane, bro.
No, you--I can't believe you.
That's not Riley.
Bro, look, I know you don't wanna believe that,
but you need to trust me, all right?
I'm not about to lie to you about some shit like that.
-Even Trace knows. Ask him. -I'm not asking Trace shit.
You're really that petty, Tariq?
Brayden, listen to me, bro, come on.
No, you listen to me! We talked about this.
You said you were gonna stop lying to me.
I thought we were boys.
You're fucked up, Tariq.
[door clicks open, slams]
[sighs]
Oh, my God.
[cell phone buzzes]
♪
[footsteps approaching]
[Tariq] You wanted to see me, Professor?
I heard the Knicks actually won this week.
That's why you wanted to see me?
Have a seat.
So where were you at yesterday morning, Tariq?
Uh, I think I was... think I was at the library.
The library was closed for maintenance yesterday.
Oh, well, I must be confused.
Why do you ask?
Well, I saw you speaking with Professor Milgram
after the fellowship announcement.
Yeah, well, she's really, um, interested.
Huh, interested.
Okay.
♪
So how about this, Tariq?
How would you like a second chance at the fellowship?
Now, you were only a few points away from qualifying,
so I wanna offer you an extra-credit opportunity
to get right back in the game.
Look, I'd do anything to get that fellowship,
so just let me know what I need to do.
Well, I want you to write a personal essay for me,
but I need you to go deep.
Okay, um, about what?
I want you to write about the nature of power
in relationships,
let's say between you and a, uh-a love interest, perhaps.
Um, yeah, I could-I could do that.
But I want details, Tariq, specifics.
All right, I got you.
Okay.
♪
[door clatters]
[sighs]
[Ott] Excited to see how you pull this one off.
Without even one straight white guy on there,
Davis is gonna have them
eating Tasha's sob story right out of his hand.
Trust me, Steve, there's a method to my madness.
Ah, I hope so, and since you got spanked by Davis
and blew it with that last witness,
I'm gonna be right here watching you.
[bailiff] All rise.
Court is now in session.
The Honorable Judge Nina Larkin presiding.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.
Please be seated.
In the case of the United States
versus Tasha St. Patrick,
are both sides ready?
-We're ready, Your Honor. -[Saxe] Uh, uh, yes,
Your Honor, the prosecution would like to call Paz Valdes
as its first witness.
[door clicks open]
♪
[bailiff] Please raise your right hand.
What is Saxe gonna ask her?
Um, doesn't matter, okay? She can't hurt us.
[bailiff] Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
I do.
Uh, Ms. Valdes...
you mind telling us what you do for a living?
Um, I own a nail salon in Queens.
And how do you know the defendant?
My sister Angela was in a relationship
with her husband.
You two have spoken before, correct?
Uh, can you tell me the nature of those conversations?
They were mostly about Angela and Jamie.
Was she angry about your sister's sexual relationship
with her husband?
-Yes, at first. -How angry was she?
And did she ever express, say, a desire
to hurt either James or Angela or worse?
No, never.
♪
[clears throat]
♪
Ms. Valdes, you told former U.S. Attorney Jacob Warner
that Tasha was contacting Angela on behalf
of the St. Patrick drug organization, did you not?
Um, I didn't know--
Did you not supply my office with a cell phone
given to Angela by the defendant
for the purposes of secret communication?
♪
I can call Mr. Warner to the stand...
or you could just tell the truth.
Yes.
In the furtherance of their drug business?
No. I don't know.
When I gave the phone to Mr. Warner,
I thought it was from Jamie.
It was supposed to be evidence against him.
Right, right, because you believed James
killed your sister, is that correct?
Yes, but I was wrong. Tommy Egan did it.
Tommy Egan killed my sister.
[people murmuring]
[clears throat]
How do you know?
Tasha told me.
Well, how did she know, Paz?
I don't know.
This woman who hated your sister,
who knew Angela destroyed her marriage
and ruined her life,
this woman who used Angela
to help hide her criminal enterprise,
you're saying you don't know how Tasha might know
Egan killed Angela?
It never occurred to you that she ordered him to do it?
Your Honor, he's testifying.
No.
She said she owed Angela.
She paid for her funeral.
Just the kind of magnanimous gesture we would expect
-a queenpin to make. -Your Honor.
Mr. Saxe, now you are out of line.
Withdrawn.
Tasha and Angela were getting along
by the end of everything.
Who told you that? Tasha?
Think back, Ms. Valdes.
Is it more likely that James St. Patrick,
who was running for office,
who was giving back to his community--
is it-is it more likely that he ordered the death
of your sister, the love of his life,
or that this woman here, Tasha St. Patrick,
who had everything to gain by your sister's death,
that she and Tommy Egan
conspired together to manipulate you?
♪
I don't know.
When she told you...
Tommy Egan killed your sister,
what did you do?
I went to confront him...
♪
...but he was already gone.
I think she knew he was gone, Paz.
I think Tasha thought of everything.
You were her useful idiot,
her fool.
Your sister and James are dead.
Tommy is in the wind.
Tasha is the last woman standing.
Isn't it possible
that she was calling the shots the whole time?
♪
Yes.
[people murmuring]
No further questions.
♪
What the fuck, Davis?
I thought you said that she wasn't a dangerous witness.
It's okay.
Saxe has no idea who he's fucking with.
♪
[dramatic hip-hop music plays]
♪
[car beeps]
♪
[tires screech]
Hey, Tejada, I need you to come with me.
For what?
You were placed at the scene of a robbery.
Come on, let's go.
♪
-You heard from him? -No, but he said he'd be here.
Ma, I'm sure he's on his way.
He better be.
[sighs]
[dramatic music plays]
♪
-[line trills] -Fuck.
[electronic female voice] Your call has been forwarded
to an automatic voice--
[cell phone chimes]
[cell phone buzzes]
♪
Ms. Valdes, you told the police
that James St. Patrick killed your sister, is that correct?
Yes.
And then you said today that it was Tommy Egan?
Yes.
But now you're saying
that it could have been my client herself.
Did you ever tell that to the police?
No.
Are you in the habit of lying to the police, Ms. Valdes?
No, of course not.
But your sister wasn't above breaking the law, was she?
Especially for James St. Patrick.
She admitted as much in open court, is that right?
[Ott clears throat]
Objection. Relevance.
-I'm getting there. -Please do.
Ms. Valdes?
Angela made mistakes, but she owned up to them.
She had a conscience.
And that conscience is what got her killed, isn't it?
Because she knew too much about the St. Patrick organization,
and James had to silence her before she turned on him.
Objection. Your Honor, assuming facts not in evidence.
Sustained.
Mr. MacLean, please find another line of questioning.
[Davis] Yes, Your Honor.
Ms. Valdes,
you purchased a nail salon just a couple of months ago.
With what funds?
I received an inheritance.
From?
[Paz sighs]
James St. Patrick's estate.
So you told the police
that James St. Patrick killed your sister,
and then you received
a significant amount of money from him
and decided someone else
actually committed that murder--twice.
Sounds to me, Ms. Valdes,
like you were paid to change your tune.
That's not what happened.
Tasha told me to take the money--
Ms. Valdes, do you have any actual evidence
that my client was the head
of the St. Patrick drug organization?
No.
No further questions.
[people murmuring]
[indistinct chatter]
-What the fuck, Trace? -I gotta talk to you, Skids.
I'm sorry. Brayden.
Look, dude, whatever your roommate's got you into--
Yeah, I know, he's a fucking dick.
He just made up some fucked-up story
about my girlfriend coming on to him
at his birthday party or some shit.
Um, look, not-not to defend him or anything,
but, uh, he-he wasn't lying about that.
I saw it myself, true story, but, dude, about Tariq--
-I gotta-I gotta go. -Brayden!
♪
Cane didn't show up, and Dru's on a run,
so I didn't know what to do.
No, it's all good. Monet upstairs?
Yeah, the connect's rep should be here soon,
but now we just wait.
All right, bet.
CourseCorrect is really smart.
You know I had to tell my mom about it,
but I'm glad she liked it.
I'm glad she liked it too.
[cell phone buzzing]
Hold on, give me a second. Let me take this.
[buzzing continues]
Hello?
[Carrie] Tariq, it's Professor Milgram.
I can't talk right now.
[Carrie] Listen, if you're upset about the fellowship--
[Tariq] No, I'm doing a extra-credit assignment.
[Carrie] Are you okay?
[Tariq] Feeling better.
♪
[Carrie] Okay.
♪
[cell phone buzzes]
♪
[knock at door]
♪
Monet? Where's Cane?
That ain't none of your business.
[door clicks shut]
Here's a phone.
[scoffs]
[dial tone humming]
[touch-tones beeping]
[line trills]
[electronic female voice] Your call has been forwarded
to an automatic voice message--
-Shit. -[dial tone humming]
[touch-tones beeping]
[line trills]
[electronic female voice] Your call has been forwarded
to an autom--
♪
[dial tone humming]
[touch-tones beeping]
[line trills]
-[Ramirez] Hello? -Yo, it's Cane.
Um, I'm at the precinct.
♪
That's the girl you were smashing in your dorm?
[scoffs] No, it's my professor.
Listen, I know you're gonna think I'm lying, but...
that day you came to my room,
Lauren wasn't in there, all right?
It was Brayden's girlfriend.
She came in bugging out 'cause he was missing.
I couldn't tell you about it 'cause I had to figure out
if Monet was behind it or not.
I'm sorry, all right?
Damn, you kept it low-key.
Look, there's nothing going on
between me and Lauren, all right?
She got a man.
So you weren't trying to play me to the left at that party?
No, I was trying to protect you...
and me.
You don't know who's watching when you up at Stansfield, D.
You keep thinking I don't like you,
but that's not the case at all.
It's just my life is...
is mad complicated.
You can tell me about it.
I really, really wish I could.
[smooth R&B music plays]
♪
I'll take all the pills and more if you got them,
but I told Rico all I need is half the coke.
Yeah? Well, unfortunately for you,
Rico ain't passed that message along,
so this what you gonna get.
Well, you better call him and tell him.
Rico don't like to be bothered
with things we can handle ourselves.
I can leave you half the coke if you want,
but I'm leaving with my full amount either way.
Yo, I think you misunderstood.
Rico may be your boss, but I'm Monet Tejada,
and this ain't no negotiation.
[scoffs]
Okay, Monet Tejada.
[dramatic music plays]
Look, you gonna give me my money, and I'll go,
or we gonna find another solution.
Yo, I told you all I got is half.
Well, look like you gonna have to show me
-where you keep your cash at. -Oh, shit!
[objects clattering]
-[grunts] -Oh!
♪
You done fucked up now.
[Tariq] Yo, what the fuck is going on up here?
-What? -[Monet] Hey!
-[gunshot] -[grunts]
[D.C. Joe gasping]
♪
-Stupid motherfucker. -[D.C. Joe groans] No.
You fucked with the wrong bitch.
[gunshot, shell clatters]
What the fuck is you doing here?
[Diana] Ma!
Oh, I get it now.
No, he needed product, and we were about to get some.
The fuck are we supposed to do with this body?
Chill, chill. I got it.
Dru will handle it.
How's he gonna do this by himself?
Ma, we can trust him.
All right, when Dru comes back, you can help him.
Got you.
[soft indie music plays over speakers]
Babe, thought we were gonna meet at the restaurant.
Nah, I hate when people break up in public.
-It's embarrassing. -What?
You know, I've dealt with some fucked-up shit in my life,
but I never expected it to come from you.
Brayden, you're scaring me.
Tariq told me everything.
I know what you did that night in Trace's room
when Tariq was fucked up on his birthday.
-Oh, my God-- -The fact that you would try
and sleep with my best friend,
that's so fucked up, Riley.
[scoffs] Me try to sleep with Tariq?
Babe, he's lying to you.
That's what I thought at first too.
Then I talked to my brother.
He saw you, Riley. He confirmed everything.
Brayden...
Trace is the one who hit on me.
Okay.
I swear to you, it's not what you think.
No? Then what is it?
Brayden, I would never.
It's not true.
Hey, I love you.
Can't love someone
if they don't tell you the truth, right?
Brayden, stop. I'm begging you.
Think about it.
Why would Tariq want us apart?
Then prove him wrong.
Tell me what you were doing that night with Tariq.
[dramatic music plays]
Thank you. That's what I thought.
[door clicks open, slams]
-[Tariq] Got him? -[Dru grunts]
All right.
[Dru] You good?
Yeah, yeah.
All right, hold him still.
Hold him? For what?
So I can shoot him through the windshield,
and it'll look like a mugging.
[scoffs] Man, fuck that shit. Let me shoot him.
Uh, no, you never shot no one before, have you?
That's what I thought. Hold him still.
♪
[gunshot]
♪
[Cane] Hey, yo, Ramirez.
[Ramirez scoffs]
Hey, wait up, man.
Hey.
Good looking with the alibi, all right?
Yo, you hear me?
The fuck is wrong with you, Cane?
Putting those kids on the street,
then this stunt with the GTG?
How can you expose Monet to so much danger?
You know what could happen to her, right, to all of us?
Man, fuck Monet, okay? She don't give a fuck about us.
What's with these cuts?
They're part of that GTG shit too?
[scoffs]
Monet said she could keep you in line,
but trust me, if she can't, I will.
Yeah, get the fuck out of here.
Monet don't even need you anymore, all right?
She's changing her entire business.
What are you talking about?
She's moving it over to Stansfield
with that little bitch Tariq.
Tariq St. Patrick?
She's doing business with him?
See? She didn't even tell you.
He's moving weight for her.
She's been pushing me out.
And if she don't need me, guess who's next.
Look, man, it's either him or us,
unless you wanna do something to stop him.
Get in.
You said Cane was gonna show up.
I did, but when he didn't answer his phone,
I called Tariq to come through, and I was right.
You were lucky,
but you're gonna tell me where Cane is right now.
[door clicks open]
-Cane! -Fuck you been, boy?
You know what type of shit went down
because your ass wasn't where it was supposed to be?
Mo, calm down.
He was on his way to the drop, but he got picked up.
For what?
Armed robbery with the GTG.
Fuck, you his translator now?
He can talk.
Do you have any idea what you exposed us to tonight?
-D.C. Joe attacked Ma. -[Cane] What?
She had to take care of him by herself.
-Where's he at? I'll handle it. -It's already handled.
Ma, Dru can't get rid of a body alone.
He's not alone.
Tariq's with him.
♪
You need me to do anything?
Like I said, it's been handled.
Go home.
Thank you for bringing his ass home.
Go upstairs, Diana.
♪
Cops do that to your face?
No.
♪
[indistinct chatter]
[smooth R&B music plays over speakers]
Man.
I was thinking maybe we could go to the Q Party together.
Oh, yeah, the Q Party. Um, where's your man?
Shouldn't he be going with you?
I broke up with Malcolm.
That nigga is blocked and canceled.
Hmm.
♪
So I was thinking, um,
now that Malcolm is out of the picture,
maybe we can talk about a few things.
Are you okay?
[tender music plays]
♪
[zipper scratches]
[dramatic music plays]
A professor at Stansfield is sleeping with a student.
What?
A professor at Stansfield is sleeping with a student.
Look.
♪
-[zipper scratches] -That's my secret.
Here.
That's what you're here for, right?
By any means necessary.
Wait, do you really think this is why I'm here?
Well, I mean, we're hanging out,
and your boyfriend just comes in,
and you start acting like a whole different person,
and then you break up with him
and expect me to jump when you say jump.
It's like, I don't even know who you are.
♪
Yeah, and apparently I don't know you either.
♪
[door slams]
[sighs]
♪
Mango.
Kiwi.
Come on, now, you knew I was gonna get the secret.
Papaya.
Lauren, look, I know you didn't like the book,
but, well, I'm not surprised you succeeded.
Yeah, Professor Milgram, I'm not sure that I did.
It's weird-- Tariq told me his secret,
but I think he may have made it up.
Mine said "peach."
♪
Professor Milgram?
Oh, um, well, thank you, Lauren.
You'll get full credit for the assignment.
Thanks.
♪
[door crashes open]
Saxe, you a lying-ass motherfucker.
I thought we had a deal, Saxe.
I know, but that DNC cocksucker Ott
was watching me like a fucking hawk,
so I had to go at Paz like that,
or it would have blown everything up.
But look, I'm still in this. I'm still here.
No, no, no, no, this isn't going to work.
No, no, it is. It is.
I found something--
a direct line to taking Tariq down,
and it's a slam dunk.
♪
Has Tasha ever mentioned Epiphany Turner?
♪
[sighs]
[cell phone buzzing]
Give me a minute.
Hey, Mo.
You went too far with Cane.
You think he makes emotional decisions?
Well, where do you think he gets this shit from?
I did what I had to do to get through to him.
You're not a man, Mo.
Look, you ain't out here.
You don't understand who he is now.
He's mine.
Don't do that shit again.
♪
[knock at door]
Glad you're finally willing to talk.
Sit.
That's good, some human emotion.
I know everything, Carrie.
I saw his folder,
the condoms meant for the students.
I know you're sleeping with Tariq.
I just wanna hear you admit it.
That is ridiculous.
I'm not sleeping with Tariq St. Patrick.
Is that why you gave him that weird extra-credit assignment?
I'm his faculty advisor now, Carrie.
Since when?
So you need to stay the hell away from him, okay?
I don't know what you think you saw,
Professor Reynolds,
but this card...
is an admission of guilt
of you sleeping with your TA, Melissa.
It's in your own handwriting.
You are unbelievable.
You know, I feel for Melissa.
I was like her when we met--
young and impressionable,
so charmed by your talent...
your stamina.
It's a new world, Jabari.
Times have changed.
Well, Melissa's a grown-ass adult.
She is still your student.
Now, I can turn this in to the administration,
or you can respect my boundaries,
stay out of my business
for the rest your hopefully short time here at Stansfield.
-You wouldn't dare. -I would.
Goodbye, Jabari.
♪
[door slams]
-Hey. -Yo.
I broke up with Riley.
I'm sorry I didn't believe you.
Look, it's all good, bro.
I'm sorry she did you like that.
Yeah, me too.
Trying to watch Lethal Weapon?
[door clatters]
[buzzer blares]
What are you doing here, Paz?
Why did you make me take the money from Jamie's will?
Did you know this was gonna happen?
Were you lying to me the whole time?
I never lied to you.
I never did anything to hurt you.
In fact, everything I did helped you, right?
You got the salon.
You said Junior's back in school.
Your father's back in the home.
♪
-Saxe made it sound like-- -Yeah, I know what he said.
But you were the only one this whole time
who's suffered as much as I have.
You're a single mom, just like me.
You lost everything...
just like me.
I went to Truth that night.
But I heard you in my head.
You were right.
I had the choice to walk away, so I did.
We could be on opposite sides of this glass right now.
I didn't kill James.
Paz, I didn't do it.
But you know who did.
Angela didn't get out in time.
If you can save yourself, Tasha,
maybe it's your turn to walk away.
♪
[Daye Jack's "Save My Soul" plays]
[Daye Jack] ♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ I walk a lonely road ♪
♪ I walk it all alone ♪
♪ The hope is ♪
♪ All I got is ♪
♪ All I need is ♪
♪ All I want ♪
♪ I walk a lonely road ♪
♪ I walk it all alone ♪
♪ The hope is ♪
♪ All I got is ♪
♪ All I need is ♪
♪ All I want ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my soul ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Save my ♪