[bubbly music]
♪ ♪
[upbeat hip hop music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Said we've been lost, been found ♪
♪ In Chicago where we made our rounds ♪
♪ Chicago, we gonna make y'all proud ♪
♪ I hope y'all hearin' this ♪
♪ We do this for the kids ♪
♪ When life be over, they'll renew ♪
- Baby girl, I know a thing or two about wigs,
and you do not need one.
You're getting your hair done now.
But good try.
- I was just trying to help.
- No need, because I am done.
And you are ready for that red carpet, girl.
- And there goes Regina King, looking fabulous and mature.
And look over there, it's Yara Shahidi
with one of the most elegant hairstyles I've ever seen.
Wait, what is this?
[cheers and applause]
All my years of covering this event,
I've never seen something like this before.
It appears a baby has wandered
onto the red carpet. - Baby?
I haven't been a baby in five years.
I am a refined six-year-old.
- Sure, you are.
Security, can you please come get this baby out of here?
- No, I'm not a ba--
- So what do you think?
- I--I--
I love it?
- Whew, I'm so glad.
It's hard getting back into the mix.
- Two months out the hospital,
and you haven't skipped a beat.
- Aw, thank you, Stephen.
See you in a second.
Don't be up too late.
- Is she gone? - Wait for it.
OK, now she's gone.
- Oh, goodness.
Dad, this do ain't doing it for me.
I mean, I didn't want to hurt her feelings.
But she got me kicked off the red carpet.
- Oh, no-- wait, what red carpet?
- It's figurative, but never mind that.
You just need to do something fast.
- All right.
How about some Afro puffs? - Yes!
That will go great with my gown.
- Your nightgown?
- Again, figurative.
Just hurry, please.
Oh, hello, Regina.
What's that?
You like my Afro puffs?
[laughs] Well, thank you.
And why, yes, they are refined.
Oh. Oh, him?
That's just my assistant, Stephen.
Of course you can borrow him.
[school bell rings]
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- Zuri, please don't iron your lunch, baby.
- But I'm making grilled cheese,
and I can't reach the stove.
- And there's a reason for that.
- But Daddy lets me do it all the time.
- Responsible parenting at its finest.
And who redid your hair?
You know, never mind.
Have you seen the pancake mix?
- Morning. - Oh!
I thought you were still asleep.
I was going to make pancakes, but I can't seem to find--
- Way ahead of you, babe.
Check it.
- Since when did we start nuking our pancakes?
- Since you were in the hospital,
I had to implement some shortcuts.
- Like when we ran out of soap,
and you gave me a bath with the dishes?
Or when we were all out of rubber bands,
and you used zip ties on my hair.
Or when you couldn't help me with my homework,
and we had to get help from the Postmates guy.
- Hey, modern problems require modern solutions.
- I'm going to act like I didn't hear any of that.
Look, I finally found my rhythm.
So how about I handle all the grilled cheese-ing,
the bath giving, the homeworking,
and the hair around here,
and you can just stay focused on your career?
- Wait, Daddy has a career and nobody told me?
- Funny. Now eat your pancakes. [cat meows]
- They're still frozen, Stephen.
- I'll grab the iron. - No, you won't.
It's now out of reach, like the stove.
- From here on out, everything else is all you, I promise.
- Oh, yeah, I need you and Mommy to donate your skills
to my school auction today.
- Zuri, why are we just finding out about this?
- I told you weeks ago. - Oh, yeah.
Well, why didn't you remind me?
- I'm doing that now.
- I would go, honey,
but it's my first day back to work.
- OK, I understand.
What about you, Dad?
- Well, this is my first day back to work too.
And I have a meeting with a semi-famous rapper today,
Lil' Unk, and this could be my semi-big shot.
- Great, I'll be the only kid without a parent there.
- What is this fundraiser for, anyway?
- Stress therapy for teachers or something.
- So OK, we need to donate our skills
because y'all drove y'all teachers crazy?
- Yes.
Now, will you, please?
- Stephen, I would, but I really need
to go in before I lose my job at work
like I've lost my job at home.
- OK, I'll do it.
My appointment shouldn't take long anyway.
I'll play my track. He'll go crazy.
I'll probably leave with a stack of money,
then off to the auction.
- That sounds like a plan that can't go wrong.
I think I'll go iron Zuri's clothes
with the George Foreman Grill.
Zuri, be ready in five.
- OK, but Daddy gives me six.
- Now it's four.
- Oh, boy, a new household regime is upon us.
[jazzy music]
♪ ♪
- Hi, Gigi. - Hey, Zuri.
Hey, Angela.
I'll take it from here, sweetie.
- Mom, are you seriously, like,
doing a kidnapping right now?
- Ooh, ooh, can I ride in the trunk?
- Horrible survival instincts, Zuri.
- I'm just trying to help, Angela.
Now, you go back upstairs and get you some sick rest.
You looking kind of pale.
- Mom, Black people don't get pale.
Now, will you please hand my child over
before I call the police?
- I ain't scared of no police.
Call 'em. - Google, dial 91--
- All right, all right, the child is yours.
- I'm aware of that.
[siren blares]
Are they coming to our house?
Mom, I can leave the house.
I need to get some air anyway.
- Which is why I bought you this portable oxygen tank.
- Bye. - I'll just put it
at the bottom of the steps in case you need it.
- I love you too, Mom.
- Boy, you fellas might as well stick around.
She's bound to give me a heart attack one of these days.
[electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
- Ahh! - What did I tell y'all
about locking doors in my house?
- Technically, it's our house.
We do live here.
- Technically, it's my building.
And the rent is late, so you squat here.
What's your plan, Stephen?
- Look, Mr. Young, I know you don't
like that I'm a musician. - A musician?
[chuckles] I see Angela is headed back to work,
and took Zuri to school while you were sitting here
at home, my home, banging on a box
and calling yourself a musician.
- I was going to take Zuri, but Angela wanted--
- Well, let's talk about what Angela needs, like security.
Ever heard of it?
- Look, today, I meet with this rap--
I mean, artist that could really change our lives.
I'm about to get that bag, Mr. Young.
- How about you get to bagging a job?
Oh, and one more thing-- the air conditioning,
that's a luxury for paying tenants.
- What is this, Taco Bell?
- You've got to think outside the bun, boy.
[A$H's "I Know Who"]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Lately you've been on my mental ♪
♪ Wonder is it accidental, or is it just me? ♪
- I really wish you could make it, Mom.
- Me too, sweetie.
But until we win the lottery, I have to go to work.
And I am going to show up and show out,
just like I used to do.
- Are you a little nervous about going back to work?
- Nervous? No. No. No, I'm not.
Why, do I seem nervous? Why do you ask? [laughs]
- Well, for starters, you just circled my school twice.
- [scoffs] Me, nervous?
[scoffs] That's just--
I'm good, sweetie. Thank you. I'll be fine.
Doing hair is just like riding a skateboard for me.
Once you know how, you'll never fall off.
- I didn't know you knew how to ride a skateboard.
- I don't. Bad analogy.
- Love you, Mom.
- I love you too, sweetie.
Ooh, uh, have a great day.
- You too, Mommy.
- [crying]
Oh, why am I such a mess?
Can't be crying on your first day back, Ange.
Get it together. - Hi, ma'am.
Do you mind processing your emotional trauma
whilst driving, please?
We're getting backed up here.
[cars honking] - Oh, right, sorry.
[upbeat music]
- ♪ I'ma let you know, know, know, know ♪
♪ If you let me know, know, know, know ♪
♪ If you tell me don't go ♪
- Last I heard, James was in the hospital
with his side piece getting a kidney.
- Don't tell me she came up in there.
- Sure did, right in the middle of the operation.
Snatched that kidney, threw it in her purse, and bounced.
- Oh, my. - [laughs]
- No, he did not do-- what?
[laughter]
- Oh.
- [gasp] - [gasp]
- Angela?
What are you doing here?
- Well, last time I checked, I worked here.
- Oh, of course you do.
Girl, give me a hug.
I just thought because of the--
hey, we just glad you're back.
We missed Angela, didn't we, y'all?
- Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.
- We missed her. - Well, I missed you guys, too.
Now, what happened with James and his kidney?
- James and his kidney found Jesus.
And speaking of Jesus, won't he do it?
Look at you.
- I've been dying to get back in on some of--
[all gasp]
No, no, not, like, literally dying.
I'm fine, really.
- Oh, of course not.
- What? What happened?
Ahh! A ghost!
- Daryl, it's me.
- Don't harm me, ghost of Angela.
I was always good to you.
- Daryl, knock it off.
- You can see her, too?
- She's not a ghost.
Just get out of her station.
Go nap somewhere else.
- Thanks, Sherrie.
Welcome back, Angela.
[school bell rings]
- Zuri, why you got grill marks on the back of your shirt?
- Oh, y'all never heard of George Foreman?
- Hey, your dad showing up for auction day, Sky?
- Yep, he's going to clean up the whole auditorium.
- He does that every day.
He's a janitor. - Oh, yeah.
- My dad is a chef now.
You think a hibachi grill will fit in here?
He can make a mean onion volcano.
- My dad just created some building blocks like LEGOs,
but they're holographic. - Whoa.
- Well, my dad makes beats.
- Like Beats by Dre?
- Can he get us some headphones?
- He knows Dr. Dre? - No.
Well, I mean, he probably does.
But I'm talking about music beats.
He's a music producer, like, for real rappers.
- Anyone we know?
- Of course, but the songs haven't come out yet.
And I can't talk about them because,
you know, NDAs and whatnot.
- What's an NDA?
- I have no idea.
That's how confidential it is.
Plus, you know, Lil' Unk might get mad.
- Lil' Unk? - You mean [indistinct]?
- Yep.
[hip hop music]
♪ ♪
- Yo, this place is crazy.
[doorbell chimes]
Is that a dragon in the moat?
♪ ♪
Wow, they treating your boy like a real boss.
Since you didn't ask for my name,
I take it you know who I am.
But I'm Stephen, yeah.
Are you Big Unk?
[chuckles] Just kidding.
Thanks so much for the royal treatment, too, bro.
I'm sure not everybody gets the golden drawbridge.
[chuckles] - Wait right here.
- Yes, sir, you got it.
Standing by.
♪ 'Bout to get that money, money, money ♪
♪ Bum, bum, bum ♪ - No selfies.
- Oh, sorry.
Whoops.
♪ ♪
- Hey, Angela, that looks so good, girl.
But how about you use a little more braid tamer, OK?
- Oh, I didn't use enough?
- Well, I mean, if you're going for that frizzy look,
then girl, it is perfect.
- I really, really love this.
Girl, you did that.
Hey, Angela, do you know where there's
a good wig shop around here?
For my mama, not for me.
Because this is exactly what I wanted.
You're doing great, Ange.
- Maybe I'll just give them a little reminder
that I'm still out here.
- Yo, peace to the gods.
- Nah, just call me Stephen.
But I do love peace.
It's like my favorite noun of all time.
- Yeah, what took you so long, man?
Were you stuck in the studio with Cudi again?
- Cudi? Kid Cudi?
[laughs] No, you're crazy.
No, I had to wait for my drawbridge to come down.
- You can't swim, king?
- Nah, I'm not a great swimmer.
Plus, there's a dragon in the moat, so there's that.
- Not just a dragon, that's Puff.
And he's a magic dragon.
- I love that song.
And speaking of songs, I came bearing beats.
- Facts. For what?
- For your new album.
- Oh, this your producing partner
you've been capping about. What's up, yo?
- [laughs] That's right.
Such an honor to meet you, man, really.
- It is? But you was just with Kid Cudi.
I should be honored to meet you, right?
- Yes, you should.
I'm telling you, Unk, he is the future.
- That's what's up.
I want my joints to sound just like Future.
- Yeah, OK.
Well, I brought my best bangers.
- What? You got that dopeness?
- I mean, the dopest of the dopeness.
- Real rap? Yo, throw it on, bruh.
[electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
[music stops] Trash. Next.
- I know that's right.
Wait, wait, what do you mean?
- Garbage, doo-doo, wack sauce.
Next! - Wow.
That's probably the best thing I ever wrote.
And I worked on it for months. - Months?
I made my last album in one night.
Unk works fast.
And if you want to work with him,
I think you need to play something else, fast.
- Relax, Unk, we got you.
We got you.
Don't we got him, Stephen?
- Uh, yeah, of course.
There is more fire where that came from.
Rust-- just give me a sec.
- Right, right, well, Unk don't give a sec.
Unk gives mins.
And he'll only grant you three of 'em
while he finishes getting his daily back tats.
- We ain't leavin' this studio without selling
this man a beat, you feel me?
Now, don't mess this up.
[phone dings]
[Lady Bri's "Best Self"]
♪ ♪
- ♪ Showing off every curve, every part ♪
♪ Yeah, 'cause I'm strong and I love the skin I'm in ♪
♪ Every shape, every inch, no doubt ♪
♪ There's power deep within, yeah ♪
♪ Beauty ain't a color, ain't a number ♪
- Hey, baby, how are you feeling?
- I'm good, Ms. Mabel.
Don't I look like it?
- No, you look horrible.
- Not you too.
What are we doing today?
- I need something sexy.
I got a date tonight.
Been a long time since I had me some good--
- Ms. Mabel, TMI.
- I was going to say braids, Angela.
- Good, let's do that.
- ♪ Self-help, self-care ♪
♪ ♪
- Are you sure he's coming?
- If he said he's coming, he's coming, OK?
- Hey, Zuri, if he doesn't show up,
maybe my dad can make a holographic music producer.
[laughter]
- Zuri, those Afro puffs are fabulous, darling.
Oh, but it's a shame that you're the only one
at this star-studded event without your parent.
How does that make you feel, knowing that your dad
will never show up?
- He will show up!
- I don't think he will.
- You know what?
I'm done with this interview.
[laughter]
Ow!
[camera shutters clicking]
- Yes, Zuri? Can't this wait?
- May I be excused?
I have to use the bathroom.
- Sure.
[smooth electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
[piano chords playing]
♪ ♪
- So what do you think?
- Sounds like a hit if I ever heard one.
Ain't that right, Unk?
And I hear 'em all the time working with Stephen.
Fire, right? - Be patient.
Lil Unk don't make rush decisions.
- But I thought you said you worked fast.
- Yeah, Unk works fast, but he thinks slow, bruh.
[phone ringing]
- I gotta take this.
- [chuckles] Yeah, Beyoncé be blowing him up.
- Beyoncé, huh?
- Oh, you said that's a real dragon.
- Yeah, girl.
Check out his Instagram.
His NFT drops tomorrow.
[phone rings]
- Zuri, baby, what's up?
Everything OK? - Dad, are you almost here?
- Oh, it's time already? - Yes!
I told you the time earlier.
- Zuri, I'm sorry, baby girl.
I don't think I'm going to be able to make it.
I'm still working.
- Dad, you promised.
- I know, sweetheart, but--
Zuri? Zuri?
So what do you think, man?
- Bruh, I was almost feeling it.
But you broke my concentration with that call.
I need another two hours. Play it again.
[smooth electronic music playing]
♪ ♪
- What's going on, Stephen?
- [sarcastically] I don't know.
Maybe I should have stayed at Kid Cudi's house.
Why do you always do that?
And now, I'm stuck here making beats that he don't like.
- It's because you out of touch.
He needs a club banger.
When the last time you even been to the club?
- You know I have a kid, Star.
And Angela was in the hospital.
- Look, I feel you.
But the world ain't going to wait for you and Angela
to get it together.
We gotta get paid now.
- Hey, on second thought,
let's not play this for two hours.
It's hot triz-izash.
Next!
- You know, I'm-- well, I'm not that late
- OK, and there you go.
What do you think? - [gasps]
- I think you wasted my entire afternoon in this shop
to put a bird's nest full of dead birds on my head,
that's what I think.
Where's my knife? - Ms. Mabel--
- Don't "Ms. Mabel" me.
This is the most unsexy, unnatural-looking
natural hairstyle I've seen in my entire life.
You did hair better when you had cancer.
- [gasp] - [gasp]
- Whoa!
- [laughing]
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Finally, somebody had the nerve to treat me
the way real people treat each other,
like a regular nobody.
- I ain't never seen you this happy to get cut.
What's going on?
- Everyone has been treating me like I'm dying.
It's like they're afraid I'll break or something.
- Well, I'ma break you
if you don't fix this head of mine.
You know what? I don't know what's more impressive,
you surviving cancer or me surviving this hairdo.
- Ms. Mabel.
- Hey, you want the truth, don't you?
Because a half truth is a whole lie.
- You're right, Ms. Mabel.
And my truth is, I really don't want to be here today.
I just needed to prove to myself that I could do it.
And now that I have, I'm out.
- Wait, what you mean you out?
- I'll finish your hair tomorrow, Ms. Mabel.
My family needs me.
- Tomorrow?
Girl, you'd better not leave this salon.
If somebody don't fix this mess right now,
I'm putting everybody in the hospital.
[phone ringing]
- Hey.
OK, I'm on my way.
- Thanks. I tried to get an Uber,
but my account's overdrawn. - It's OK.
I was ready to get out of there, anyway.
- Same here.
- What, no money stacks?
- Nope, just an earful from Star
and a laptop full of trash beats.
- Hey, your beats aren't trash.
And if nobody else appreciates what you do,
just know that I do.
Thank you for holding things down while I was away.
- You know I got you, babe.
Now, if we can just do 75 miles per hour
to Zuri's school without getting a ticket
that we can't afford,
we can still make it to this auction.
- Yeah, those teachers really need that therapy.
- And so do we.
- [coughing]
Sold to Mr. Richardson,
a dinner for two catered by BJ's dad.
Also, thank you to our brave firefighters
for taking care of that onion volcano.
I want all that smoke.
And I guess that concludes the school auction fundraiser.
[dramatic music] - [panting]
Wait, there's one more auction.
[record scratch]
- Y'all are in the wrong room.
- My bad. Sorry.
- And for the teachers who aren't bat-crap crazy yet,
we thank you for your support.
- Wait.
There's one more auction.
- Mom, Dad, you made it!
- Oh, great.
Well, kids, last but not least,
give it up for Zuri's mom and dad.
- Yeah! - Yeah!
- Yes! - Yeah!
- Well, hey, guys.
My name is Stephen and I'm a music producer.
- And I'm a very talented hairstylist.
But most importantly,
we're parents and we're a family.
- Dad, will you play something already?
[electronic music playing]
- Whoa!
- Zuri's dad's cool.
- I wish I could--
[enthusiastic chatter]
♪ ♪
[cheering]
- That's so awesome.
I wish my dad was like Zuri's dad.
Whoa!
- Yeah!
- Let's start the bidding at $100.
OK, OK, I got $100. How about--
- I would tell you not to quit your day job,
but you ain't got one.
- Because I don't need one.
Look how I had those kids going crazy over my beats,
the same beats Lil' Unk said was trash.
- Trash man.
That's another good job-- great benefits.
[mellow music]
- [deep inhale]
You know, this ain't bad.
You sure you don't need any?
- I'm sure, Mom.
- Yeah! Let's go! Let's get it, baby!
Yeah! - Be careful with her, Stephen.
She's just a child!
- Remember when I wanted to skateboard back in the day?
- Do I?
I followed you around on that thing
like I was your training wheels.
[laughter]
- And you're still running behind me, Mom.
Trust me, I can do this.
Hey, Zuri, let me try.
- Angie, what has gotten into you?
[electronic music playing]
- Go, Mommy. - Oh, my nerves.
I can't look. - Go, babe.
You got this-- I think.
- You know what you don't got?
Health insurance, because that comes with a real job.
♪ ♪
- Mid out! Mid out!
- Tuck and roll! - Wait!
Oh, no.
Mommy, are you OK?
- Ooh. I'm all right.
This bag of glass bottles broke my fall, see?
I'll be just fine. Just hit a bump.
- It's going to be bumpy getting back into the groove.
Might take some time, but you know, we'll figure it out.
- Yeah, if I can stay alive.
- I'll keep you alive!
Stat! Clear!
- [muffled yells]
Ahh! Mom!
♪ ♪