Imagine losing your brother...
You think he was there?
He should be ashamed.
It's his fault too.
What does he want to do?
Have you seen Olivia?
I wonder if he feels guilty.
I feel so sad for them.
Hold on now, cake coming right up.
Yo, Reggie. Where's Ma?
She's in her room, leave her be.
-Here you go. -Yo, nah, give it here.
Yo, Kadir, what you doin'?
Why would you do that?
This is his plate.
I'm gonna get you a bigger piece, baby,
don't worry about it.
Ma?
Ma, can we talk?
Not now, Kadir.
Damn, they packed his shit already.
You good, kid?
Where are you goin'?
You the big dog. He livin' with you.
Shut the fuck up, bro.
Stay still.
Hurry up, B.
Come on, Moe, what is you doin'?
♪ Ayo, I need the power and respect ♪
♪ Millions locked in the safe ♪
♪ I push a Benz, bending corners high rocking awake ♪
♪ The toughest niggas went to jail ♪
♪ Still got chopped in they face ♪
♪ That mean anybody can get it, game dirty, watch how you play ♪
♪ We out for pay, don't give two fucks what the President say ♪
♪ Fuck outta here, that shit irrelevant ♪
♪ Long as they buying work, I be selling it ♪
♪ From city to town, private to public residence ♪
♪ Dime to pound, any measurement ♪
♪ Know what the method is, got rappers hating ♪
What gwan?
It's the twins.
Runs that, B. Come on.
-Yo. -Anywhere, baby.
Yessir, yessir.
-Yo. -What up?
What's good with you?
Not much, chillin', chillin', yeah.
Exactly bitch.
♪ Game sick, this the medicine ♪
♪ Fashion Rebel on my letterman ♪
♪ Chrome Hearts on my sweater, my work better ♪
♪ You could never fuck with me ever ♪
♪ I been a big stepper ♪
♪ Make a play, put the shit together ♪
♪ Before music made a way ♪
That shit crazy.
Like how he even get up there though?
Was no escape or nothin'.
He game though.
He worked for UPS.
Get in any building easy.
Shit.
Son, getting up all day and getting paid.
Man livin' the dream.
Fuck is you even talkin' about, B?
I swear, all this nigga does is dream.
I mean, y'all missin' the point.
This dude went from facing jail time
to doing global campaigns.
Shit, if they turn my piece into a float,
I'm gonna ride them motherfucker like Falkor,
blazed as fuck.
The fuck is y'all talkin' 'bout?
Bein' a flock of fuckin' prostitutes.
Lookin' for artistic identity and such for money.
Don't y'all see we the new hieroglyphics?
What, you sayin' gettin' money ain't fly?
You sound like a bunch of suckers
looking for approval from a world
our shit is built to challenge.
What we do is art imitating life.
But, nah, you niggas just worry about parades and shit.
We gotta fight to have a voice.
And to celebrate our culture.
A culture that was a scar for us
but now conveniently is a fuckin' commodity for them.
Respect, respect.
Look, this right here,
this is how we stay true,
know what I mean?
What the fuck is you talkin' about gettin' bread, player?
You can't even fill in my letters properly.
-Chill, B. -What you doin', man?
Yo, kid, job yours.
Just don't be using those soft-ass colors.
Yo, I got it.
Nah, baby bro.
First nigga to the bank get the bag.
-Skemes. -You's kids.
Don't make me spark up, B.
Mm-hm.
Yo, Skemes.
Yo, Skemes, I gotta talk to you.
Well, wait till I finish pissin'.
Yo, when you gonna start lettin' me rep
and throw the letters up?
Be patient.
All right, I--I feel you,
but you've been sayin' that for a minute now.
Are you sure you built for this?
You know, writers is fighters.
No, G, you know I am.
The streets are startin' to talk.
You still got some work to put in, huh?
What's up, blood?
How your Moms and your family doin'?
I know shit gotta be crazy right now.
You don't even know.
Come here, man.
Look, family always gonna be tricky, kid,
whether it's the one you born with
or the one you choose.
It's all we got though, right?
Look, man, just stick to the code, play your role,
we'll always have your back, all right?
Cheers.
Matter of fact, I'm gettin' up tonight.
Ain't hit the tunnels in a minute.
Yo, kid, hold on.
We here.
Nah, we buckin' chaos.
VHS gonna be tight when they see this shit.
Them niggas ain't got no real estate.
It's work.
Yo, Kadir and Moe, watch the door,
make sure nobody comin'.
Yo, Punch, catch this.
Yo, VHS don't want it with us.
Yo fuck them bitch-ass niggas, yo.
Fuck VHS.
Fuck TL.
Shit, security!
What the fuck y'all doin' in here?
Yo, yo, yo, let's go! We out, we out!
Eat up, little bro.
I'm good, money funny right now.
Did I ask about your money?
It's paid for.
Yo.
Some good work tonight.
Never leave a brother behind.
Hey, you can't smoke in here.
Shut the fuck up.
Yo, it's--
Yo, yo, yo, yo, that's my bad, that's my bad.
Fuckin' kids ain't got no manners.
Sit the fuck back. What's wrong with you?
You gonna fight the nigga?
Kick the shit out yo ass.
Give me this, man.
Rule number one: Always respect your hood.
If we won't respect it, who else will?
He was startin' to talk, B.
He said he fuckin' with you and your Parkchester piece.
-Word? -Yeah.
It's like we trying to tell you, kid.
Keep doin' shit like this,
you gonna be prophet in no time.
Sure.
How?
I ain't even crew yet, bro.
You know your brother stay frontin' on me.
Skemes a crazy nigga but you know he fuck with you.
Don't want a crown without the stripes, B.
My brother said the stripes are usually scars,
but that was when he was prophet though.
Now he's just staying in that devil shit.
Don't make no sense.
Skemes used to be a god with the can, bro.
He was.
That's a whole 'nother story.
Yo.
What up, B?
This the spot.
Nah, bro.
For the mural.
Think you just hit the gold mine, B.
What's good, Moe?
'peat, nigga.
Shit.
Yo, you killed this.
Yo, this water look ill, bro.
Listen, I'm telling you,
we pull this shit off, you cool automatically.
Matter of fact, what you got goin' on right now?
College advisor meetin', bro.
You got college money?
Exactly. Fuck that shit, B.
Let's be out, go work on these pieces.
I feel you, but, yo, if they call my crib again--
G, you ain't never gonna get my bro's attention,
let alone the whole city,
if you ain't get these pieces out and your name buzzin'.
I just ain't tryin' to stress Moms out right now.
That's it.
Plus, sucker-for-love-ass Reggie always there,
like, you don't live here, B.
Shit, you mean not yet.
Nigga, you ain't had to say all that, all right?
Hey, K.
Sorry about your brother.
Let me know if you need any--
Is it true?
I mean, like, how he died?
'Cause you was there, right?
-Nah. -So, kid...
-Don't even sweat this. -Ah, fuck it, bro, fuck it.
Man, let's work on this, , nigga.
Yo, you good?
Malik?
Yo.
Yo, Malik!
Yo.
Yo! Yo!
Yo! Open this door, yo!
You buggin', Skemes know what's up.
Wait till he see this new piece we're workin' on.
Oh, man, fuck that, I need a spot right now.
You sure your Moms won't let me crash?
Nah, she ain't havin' it, B.
Yo, fuck am I doing, Mo.
Look, all I had to do was restock HQ with some paint
and I ran up a couple hundred bucks.
Fuck it, let's get the same mission,
I'mma just ask him.
Bro, just stop asking to be crew.
OGs hate that shit, especially my bro.
So talk to him for me then.
Wow, you want me to go out on a limb for you.
I don't know, man, you just never know with him.
Yeah.
But to be honest, you been through some shit,
so remember, kid, you don't owe Skemes nothin'.
You take everything away from me.
Moms, I'm sorry, I just--
You have no idea what I have sacrificed
for you and your brother.
Come on, you know it ain't even like that.
Time to let your mother speak.
Yo, Reggie, shut the fuck up, yo.
Ma, why you actin' like I'm not your son,
like this is all my fault?
My son who stays out until morning
doing God knows what.
Kadir, I love you.
I just don't know who you are anymore.
Yo, fuck this, Ma.
I'm out.
He'll be all right, baby, don't worry.
-The fuck are you talkin' about? -That's the problem.
Oh my...
Skemes here?
The fuck is it?
Ooh, I just--ooh, I could wring your fuckin' neck.
The fuck you want?
Look, man, you can't just be showin' up here.
You gonna have your Moms flippin' out,
cops knockin' at my door and shit.
Man, fuck her, fuck all that.
You on your lost boy shit, huh?
Can I crash here?
I mean, the only certified can post up here.
That's why I'm here.
A'ight.
He's a kid. Relax.
Don't tell me to fuckin' relax.
Yeah.
Figure since Moe and I are twins,
we could get the same mission if you cosign.
What exactly would that mission be?
Um, uh, Moe was telling me you restocked HQ with paint.
So, I just want you to know I'm gonna get this bread for us.
That's what you figure, huh?
Yeah, then we'd be straight, right?
You always been smart, kid.
You right.
Kush, pills, cash, it don't pay for itself.
Your mission is to get your cash by gunpoint.
Skemes, you know I ain't never done no shit like that before.
Exactly.
You see, there's more than just
pretty colors on big buildings.
Lives on the line every day, B.
Look, how 'bout I buff my whole portfolio.
I buff anybody's shit, any crew, any borough.
Look, kid,
you know you just as much my brother as Moe,
but I can't have you runnin' with us if you be fool.
I damn sure can't have you runnin' with my brother
if you can't protect him.
Skemes, I...
Skemes, I don't even have no gun.
Here you go, baby.
Look, tryin' to prove to me, no, fuck that,
prove to the crew that you about this life.
Look, I hear you, but...
This nigga not ready.
Everybody want to go to Heaven but don't nobody want the grave.
I got it.
A'ight.
And don't try no punk face shit, kid.
I want proof.
IDs, credit cards from whoever you stick up.
Don't let me find out you asked Moe for help.
Well, who you want me to stick up?
I don't know, nigga.
Neighborhood changin'.
Go get you some gentrification tax.
Yo.
Put the heat in the bag, Picasso.
The fuck is you doin', man?
-Seriously? -What?
You got these little-ass kids comin'--
You know what?
What is you trippin' on?
Trippin'?
Let me get two Vanilla Dutches.
Need somethin' else?
This is Parkchester.
Next stop, Story Avenue.
Stand clear of the closing doors.
Oh!
Story Avenue.
Next stop, Castle Hill.
Stand clear of the closing doors.
Yo.
Excuse me.
Give me your money.
Give me your fuckin' money.
-No. -Yo, stop.
I'll shoot yo ass, give me your money.
You don't want to do this, kid.
No, man, you don't want a fuckin' bullet in your face.
Give me your money.
I know stick-up kids, man.
You're not one of 'em.
Come on, look at you.
All right.
-I'm gonna reach into my pocket. -Come on, hurry up.
-I'm gonna give you my wallet. -All right, all right.
I ain't got all night, come on!
No, no, no, no, no.
Here you go.
Drop it.
Now start walkin'.
-You know what-- -Yo.
You not gettin' this fuckin' wallet back, I swear to God,
if you don't turn around right now I'm shootin' your ass.
-No, no, no, no, listen. -Nah, turn the fuck back around.
Listen, my wallet is empty.
Here.
-Take my coat. -Fuck.
You wanna be robbin' people out here--
Stop fuckin' playin' with me, yo,
I don't want your fuckin' jacket.
Pick it up, put it on.
It's a nice jacket.
There you go.
-Fuck. -Papito.
You look like you're goin' through some stuff.
There's a restaurant downstairs with an ATM machine.
Come downstairs, have a meal with me,
I'll give you some money.
You think I'm fuckin' stupid?
Yo, get the fuck out of my face, yo.
I'm tired of this shit.
-Move! -No bullshit.
I'll give you enough money so you can find
a warm place to sleep tonight, okay?
My word to God.
Come on.
Fuck.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Okay, okay.
Hey, guys.
It's all good.
Be safe.
All right, come on.
You gonna have to stop talkin' so much.
I can't even hear myself think.
Hey, Luis, nice to meet you.
What's a girl like mine doing with a face like yours?
I don't know, stranger.
Do you rap here often?
Okay, you don't like my jokes,
but you're gonna love the food.
Introduce.
Kadir.
It's nice to meet you, Kadir.
Okay, okay.
Cuban sandwiches are my favorite.
You know what, they don't even come from Cuba.
Can you believe that?
Okay, well, I'm sure you built up an appetite
carrying around that big gun.
Yo, what's good with this money?
I ain't trying to be here all night.
We have life!
Okay.
Wow.
You got some mad skills there.
You know, my nephew, Hector, he collects comic books.
You two would hit it off so well.
You know, I wasn't artistic.
That's why I work for the MTA.
It's good, right?
This place here makes them the best.
Uh-huh.
Mm.
Come on.
You know...
Hector says brains were built to recognize faces.
Probably what makes 'em so hard to draw, you know?
It's like a feeling.
-Hm? -Oh.
So, let me ask you,
what do you plan on doing with this money?
You know, open up a bank account,
get some stocks?
Couch.
Gonna buy a couch.
Nah, I need a spot.
My boy said he could hook me down with one,
but he want bread for it.
You know how it be.
No home?
Mom?
Dad?
I got a mom.
No pops though.
Okay.
All right, enough for the shitting.
I'm gonna go to the ATM machine.
But in exchange, I want the gun.
It ain't mines to sell.
300 bucks.
-300 bucks? -Yep.
And I'll teach you enough Spanish
so you can flirt with Gloria.
Deal?
Whatever.
Okay.
Yeah. Good to see you.
Good to see you too.
Good night, Kadir.
What?
You got my wallet, man.
Listen, my word is good,
but I only need it to get what you need.
It's in there.
-Put it in there? -Yeah.
Don't lie to me.
Oh, nope, you're not lying.
Okay, here you go.
And I get to keep my wallet.
Now, before you go doing anything stupid with that money,
ask yourself,
"How much of your problems are your fault?"
Kid.
♪ Get it, get it ♪
♪ Hey, get your money ♪
♪ Get it, get it ♪
♪ Go get yours, get yours ♪
♪ Get yours, nigga ♪
♪ Get yours, come on ♪
I know. No more, man.
Shit.
Fuck y'all doin'? I'm hungry.
Oh, shit!
What up, killer?
Oh, no, no, no, chill, don't call him names.
You know, he might broke in two.
You niggas think y'all funny.
Hey, yo, you's a savage motherfucker, kid.
You heard?
Oh, you know I did.
-Wow. -Yo, shut the fuck up.
Okay, you fuckin' stupid.
You want to see your brother that bad?
Y'all some fuckin' clowns, man.
This ain't even y'all territory.
Why you talkin' to me?
Nah, chill, put that away, bro.
These is kids, man, put that away.
Come on, bro, come on.
Hey, tell your bitch-ass brother I said what up.
We'll see y'all soon.
Don't even sweat that shit, man.
We're gonna get them niggas.
Don't you sweat it, man.
Fuck!
That shit wasn't my fault.
It.. it wasn't my fault.
He knows.
Need anything?
Nah, I'm good, thanks.
I've never seen a style like that before.
It's really cool.
-Do you draw? -No.
No, no, no.
I can't draw for shit.
I'm a photographer.
Hm, shit.
What kind of pictures you take?
Anything beautiful really.
But mostly landscapes.
So like birds and parks and shit.
Um...
It's a little more complicated than that,
but, yeah, I'm figuring it all out.
I'm in my second year at SVA.
Shit, what's that like?
It's really cool.
I'm making connections,
figuring out the whole business side of things.
I'm prepping my first solo show right now.
Maybe I could come check out your work some time.
Maybe.
By the way, I've never seen Luis in here with anyone before.
How you two know each other?
Said he could help me with some stuff.
You should get out of that chair.
What?
That's my spot.
My bad.
What's good though?
I already told you, Cuban sandwiches.
Two Cubans?
I'm good.
Okay.
Two Cubans comin' right up.
So what can I do for you today?
Well, I wanted to show you these, uh,
these portraits I've been working on.
I've been trying to get the capture the feeling
of the face thing you told me about, you know?
Mm-hm.
Oh, and, uh, I forgot to give you this.
That's yours, man.
Nah.
Yo, my mom might be more pissed
knowin' that I took your coat than I robbed your ass.
That's right.
I got my wallet back.
Anyway, you want to buy one?
20 each.
Yeah, yeah.
But I have no money this week.
I bought myself a gun, so I kinda tapped out my budget.
You keep drawin' the same face over...and over.
This is my little brother, Malik.
He had cerebral palsy.
Kids used to call him retarded and shit,
but he was smarter than all of 'em.
He just couldn't do much by himself.
He passed away recently.
Sorry to hear that.
Fuck am I doin' here?
Why would you want pictures of my little brother?
I lost the love of my life to cancer.
She was the best dancer ever.
Funny, too.
Made me laugh all the way to the end.
Malik had all these jokes about himself
and his disease, too.
'Bout how our dad bounced 'cause of him.
Guess he thought if them other kids was gonna clown him,
he might as well be the one in control, you know?
Smart kid.
Yeah.
My moms would, uh,
send us to this camp every summer.
This one year, I painted this plate for him.
Stupid.
But, um...
I'll never forget the look on his face
when I showed it to him.
From that day forward,
he never ate off anything else.
Hm.
Fuck you at?
Around the way, what's good?
Tomorrow's initiation night, kid!
Just tell me you got that bread.
All ready, B.
Damn. Check you in the a.m.
Say that.
Here's my number.
If you need someone to talk to, call me.
A'ight. Thanks.
Be safe!
These are beautiful, Kadir.
You certainly know how to capture emotion in the eyes.
Can I get into art school with those?
Talent alone doesn't make you a college candidate.
So you're saying it's not gonna happen?
I'd like to hold on to this, I may be able to help.
Wait, you want me-- you want me to leave my book?
It's safe with me.
In the meantime, focus on your grades
and stop cutting school.
Here, lil' bro.
Nah, I'm good, OG.
Why you always actin' like you too good for shit?
Come on, it ain't even like that.
I'm just tryin' to stay focused right now.
First you tell me you wanna be crew.
Then you got Moe talkin' 'bout college and shit.
What the fuck is up with that?
Look, I'm tryin' to tell you, kid,
that world, bunch of blind suckers.
They'll judge you for your worst mistakes
rather than your art.
How you question yourself, your voice.
You feel me?
Yo, fuck we talkin' 'bout this for?
I thought was was gettin' up.
Indeed.
But how you crew if you ain't paid your dues?
Right.
Uh-huh.
It's not that much, but...
it should at least be enough to...
Okay. The fuck is my gun?
About that, um...
I hit--I had hit that bodega over on Story,
but shit got wild.
Cops pulled up, I had to book it.
Tossed your gun too.
Kid, kid, kid.
What I'mma do with you, man?
Yo!
We doin' this or what?
Yup.
You owe me for that piece, too.
Say 650.
Matter of fact, you crew with us,
so you get a discount, 500.
Yes, sir!
Shit.
Yo, kid!
You celebratin' or what?
Oh!
Yo, Skemes, fuck you put in this?
Smoke, nigga.
I'm good.
Maybe you in now?
Yo, kid.
I got somethin' for you.
So you can go by me as soon as you take off.
We need your wings and that, kid.
You'll fly high.
We definitely flyin' high tonight!
Yo, kid!
Just gonna...
go add a signature for you.
Fuck is so funny?
Oh, you--you being dead ass.
Just don't fuck it up.
Or I'mma fuck you up.
Say that.
Y'all see me?
Yo, Punch, catch this.
Yeah.
Stop fuckin' playin' with me, what I'd tell him?
Fuck it up.
-Fuck it up! -What you talkin' 'bout, baby?
Come on, who fuckin' it up?
-That's what I'm talkin' about. -OTL, baby.
OTL, baby!
OTL!
Yeah, OTL!
Fuck y'all fools.
Aww, yeah!
-Oh! -What the fuck is up?
I told your bitch-ass crew
not to be over here at our building.
They're marked for dead!
Yo, this is VHS territory, a'ight?
Respect the OG.
The OG dead.
Well, it's the OG's VHS,
so put some fuckin' respect on that shit, you heard?
Or what?
KS was my site.
And ain't none of you niggas nice enough
to be claiming territory anyway.
Them the same niggas that pointed a gun
at me and kid last week.
-Yeah. -What?
Man, y'all niggas is pussy.
-Fact. -Look at y'all,
lookin' like a bunch of schoolboys
ran by a washed-up prophet.
You done?
-Fuck! -Oh, shit!
Pick ya nigga up before he bleed out.
Don't pop on this nigga!
-Go, go! -Come on, come on!
You, stop right there!
What'd you do now?
Nothin', Ma, but...
I-I need you to come bail me out.
You are not in jail. Shit!
I know, just listen.
After everything we have been through,
you go and get yourself arrested
and then have the nerve to call me for bail?
Kadir.
You're not just gonna act like a man.
It is time for you to be one.
Ma, I know, but just listen.
Got anyone else?
Come on, it's safe.
It's okay, come on.
Okay, a little faster, I wanna sleep, okay?
There you go.
Thanks for lettin' me crash, yo.
I could do the dishes or take out the trash,
if you need me to.
Cerveza!
-What? -Mm.
Oh!
Nah, it's five a.m., I got school in a few.
Mm. Good answer.
Okay, lemme give you the grand tour.
Bathroom's in the back, that's my bedroom there.
Kitchen.
You gonna sleep in here,
I got some bedding in there for you.
And, uh, yeah.
Mi casa, tu casa.
G'night.
Mm.
Okay, mijo.
Hm.
Yo, what the fuck is goin' on?
Something happened with Moe.
Must be bad, though,
'cause they going through all of his shit.
Wait outside.
What the fuck happened?
VHS caught him.
Where the fuck was you at?
I got locked.
Fuck you mean, you got locked?
How you get locked and he get jumped?
I got--I got locked, I went home,
I didn't do shit!
Yo.
What the fuck we 'bout to do about Moe?
Shit hot right now.
I'm gon' lay low upstate.
As soon as he seen his shadow,
gon' push the button on all them VHS niggas.
I'mma need you on this one, kid.
So don't disappoint me, a'ight?
You gon' have a real problem.
That's the last thing you need right now,
a fuckin' problem.
Oh, yo!
Yo.
You a'ight?
Y'all don't sweat none of this shit, B.
Skeme's already plottin'.
I don't care.
What you mean?
Why do you think I been pushin' you so hard, kid?
'Cause you better than all of this shit.
He try,
and he didn't get back up.
You know what he learned?
The way that I love him.
What if everything you was told was bullshit?
Yo.
You back?
I don't really wanna talk; can I just sit?
Pick out somethin' classy.
Bye, lil'G.
-G'night. -Sleep well.
No one's gonna save you, Kadir.
What happened to Maurice is terrible.
So I need you to choose.
-Choose what? -Not to die.
A'ight, so you tell me what to do.
I can't tell you what to do.
That's the point.
But I do have an interesting option
for you to consider.
I've already discussed it with your mother.
My ma?
A friend of mine works at Pratt. Heard of it?
No.
Well, it's an art school,
and a hard one to get into.
But my friend works in Admissions,
and she thinks you have some potential.
Review those thoroughly.
If you wanna stand out,
make your essay and portfolio a priority.
This here says I gotta submit
an observational piece in my portfolio.
What does that even mean?
Drawings or paintings of your real life,
to see your perspective, not your technical ability.
They wanna see my perspective?
Still don't get it.
I-I've never modeled, if that's what you're asking.
I'm not asking you shit,
I'm just sayin' I could draw...
I don't know why they give a fuck
if it's from a picture, whatever the fuck.
I work for the MTA.
You know often someone wants to hear
my perspective of the world?
So what do you think I should draw?
What do you see?
Right now, I see nothin'.
I have an idea.
You could keep staying with me,
with some rules, though.
Rules?
-Yeah. -Nah, fuck rules.
If I wanted rules, I'd go back home.
Okay, okay, okay, okay, listen to me.
I know change scares people.
It scared me!
Okay? But here's the problem.
People get comfortable and they stay in the same place.
But you know, fuck that shit, that's bullshit.
Look. Change is good.
Embrace it!
-What rules? -Mm.
Okay, first...
you get your life together.
You get yourself a job.
Put some money away.
Help you pay for college, okay?
Not a bad idea.
What you lookin' at?
Thank you.
Okay.
How are you paying?
With money.
Like, cash or card?
Here.
Money.
Okay. So, card.
Yo, Luis!
How's your first day of work?
Cool, cool, appreciate you hookin' it up.
Yo, what is all this?
You takin' up paintin' now?
For your application.
Yo, I...
I don't--I don't get it.
Why you doin' all this? Why me?
You gotta start taking your life more seriously.
None of us have time to waste.
Well, some real shit, I...
I don't how I'mma ever repay you.
Let's focus on you showin' that school what you made of.
Here you go.
Yo, I been meaning to ask you, by the way.
Why did you fix Malik's plate?
Uh, when I was overseas, I heard of this thing, um...
uh, wasabi.
Wasabi.
It's an appreciation for the broken.
So if you believe in this wasabi shit,
the plate actually looks more beautiful
with the cracks.
Anyway, I-I really appreciate it.
Go slower.
Try to keep that line clean.
Yeah, don't pick up the pen too.
Okay?
I see you.
Lemme find out you prophet nice.
Is that a compliment?
Sure.
See, there's different types of writers, right?
So, uh, you got rebels who got strong messages
in their work,
and there's devils.
Devils don't give a fuck about style,
they just be on some bullshit.
Then you got prophets.
They kinda rep it all.
They'll style,
true to the culture,
respected by everyone.
What kind of a writer are you?
Not shit yet.
Streets tell you what you are.
But, uh, I ain't put in enough work.
Fascinating.
You know, I never really understood this world or way.
Hector was so into it.
Honestly, I always thought it was some kind of vandalism,
porqueria.
What?
Yo, what up with Hector, by the way?
That's your nephew, right?
Should bring him 'round sometime.
Complicado.
I haven't spoken to him in-- in a while.
Damn.
You miss him?
I do...I do.
Shit.
Hit him up, then.
Family tricky, but it's all we got, right?
Fuck!
Shit, man.
Kadir, it's your mother.
Um...I don't know where you're staying,
and things haven't been well between us,
but don't you ever forget that you're my son.
Believe that I love you so much.
Call me.
Yo, what up, B?
Shit.
Just been mindin' my business.
Heard you were starting rehab, so...
got you some books.
Appreciate you, man.
Oh, sure.
Shit, what's good with you, though?
You a'ight?
Shit, I'm cooler, man, I get high for free.
Can't complain.
Hey, yo.
My brother was over here earlier and he keep askin' 'bout you.
Everything good?
Yeah, we straight.
Yo, B, be careful.
We straight.
So what's up with that college shit, man?
You know, tryin' to be in the dorm,
baggin' all the shorties, man?
Shit, bro.
Still gotta figure this shit out.
Got this essay
and some submission piece bullshit, you know?
So what the fuck you waitin' on?
I mean...
so they sayin' they wanna see my perspective.
But, uh...
Bro, shit.
I don't know if it was meant for life outside the Bronx.
Listen, B.
You gotta write some essay,
make some dope-ass piece just to get the fuck outta here?
What are you really waiting for?
Let's go, Yankees!
Let's try--one more time!
Let's go, Yankees!
Yankees!
Let's go, Yankees!
Yo!
Right here, man.
Thank you.
All right, brother.
Oh!
Mm!
Oh, shit!
Don't fuckin' do that!
Scared the shit outta me, man!
-You alright? -Huh?
I said, I said-- Yo, can I turn this down?
Did anybody, uh, come through here lookin' for me?
Why would anybody come here looking for you?
How was work?
Cool.
Oh, man.
From the island,
I have arroz con maiz.
We have pasteles
and we have guineos maduros.
You sure you good, though?
Don't ask me stupid questions.
Can you just set the table?
Mm-mm!
Ah, yeah!
They gave me a promotion today.
Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, wepa!
Time to celebrate.
That's it, that's it--oh.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...
Ah-yee-ha!
Oh no, no, no, no, no...
Hey!
I told you, no phones at--
no phones at the table!
Yo, why don't you chill out?
You already drunk.
If you don't like it here,
you know where the door is, okay?
Nobody's stopping you!
Nobody!
You just eat.
Eat, eat, eat.
Oh, I forgot to tell you.
My moms texted me today
to wish me a happy birthday.
Can't lie, kinda miss her.
Yeah, yeah, that's great.
Okay, this is the place, we're here.
Yo, what's this big secret, man?
I really don't want nothin' else from you.
It's okay, man.
Come on.
Yeah, I got an invitation from Gloria.
She wanted you to check out some of her artwork.
Shit!
Freaky stuff!
Oh, my God!
Oh, wow!
You guys actually came.
His eighteenth birthday.
No way.
Happy Birthday.
Thank you.
All right, lemme take your coats, come on.
Oh, I'm good.
No, I'm gonna hold on to mine.
I'm just gonna look around, you know?
Well, uh, hurry back, okay?
I need them to think you're actually interested
in my prints.
Gotta keep the pressure on in here.
What do you think?
Uh...I mean, you look great, you look great.
Thank you!
Um...but I'm talking about my photos.
-What do you--what do you think? -Right.
Uh...yeah, they...
I-I-I think they're all awesome.
Capturing Harlem's sociopolitical power
before gentrification with its architecture.
Okay, uh--
Yeah, yeah, no, yeah.
Oh, I--I--okay, I see it, oh, I see it.
Come on, there's someone I wanna introduce you to.
Hi.
This is my boyfriend Ade.
We started all this together.
Inside Collective.
Babe, this is Kadir.
Kadir's got some serious raw talent.
Nice.
So, uh,
which gallery are you at?
No gallery.
I flex in the streets.
True art.
OTL's my crew.
-Outside The Lines. -Oh shit.
You run with Skemes.
Yeah, how you know him?
We went to school of design together
back in the day.
Crazy motherfucker,
but nasty with paint.
Had cops and galleries banging on his door.
Hey, but broham, uh, I gotta take this,
but you hit us up if you ever want
to get your work in front of some real clientele.
Boss!
That's Mr. and Mrs. Sterling.
They love Ade.
Yeah, I wish they'd buy some of my prints.
Got it.
Come on, come on, come on now, ugh fuck.
Oh yeah.
Oh, finally.
Finally, okay.
Phew.
I didn't know you were in a graff gang
ran by a guy named, uh,
Skemes.
It's more like a family.
We look out for each other.
Unfortunately not everybody got it
like you or your boy out there.
Don't let Ade get to you, okay?
He's not the social type.
I think that's what makes his art so provoking.
Being an asshole
doesn't make you a great artist.
I think using your talent to change your situation
makes anyone great.
This is Hale House.
They take in moms with drugs problems,
babies born with addiction.
I didn't think uppity places like this
cared about shit like that.
What's that supposed to mean?
Nothing.
Okay.
What's your artistic thesis?
Wait.
Artistic thesis?
It ain't deep.
That's the point.
More of a "fuck you" to the folks
who think they can control our hood.
So who exactly are these, uh,
controllers?
Rich folks, who we pay our rent to.
We're making sure that they know that the hood is still ours.
Oh yeah, with bubble letters?
Yo, we doing way more than any of the shit that I see here.
So you don't think my art says anything?
You take pictures for rich folks so they can talk about
crack babies over lobster dinner.
But wait.
-Yo, Luis, we out. -Hey, yo!
You ruined my prints.
So what was that all about back there?
Fuck it!
Tonight we celebrate.
Here you go.
Ha!
Feliz cumpleaños.
Cheers.
Kid, I love that.
Oh, oh, oh, shit.
-Fuck, Luis? -Oh, man.
-You all right? -I'm fine,
-I'm fine, I'm fine, fine, fine. -You good--come here.
Come here, we're going to the couch.
Oh!
-Oh. -Give me my sketchbook.
Oh.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I mean--I mean-- so wait, I mean--oh!
Ready, cheers, cheers.
-Mhm. -Oh, okay.
You gotta tell me about that mysterious painting,
'cause, you know, you haven't even
put a brush on that canvas.
Yeah, I'm still figuring it out, you know?
Um--
Guess I really just wanna...
...make something Malik would love.
Kadir, why you carrying this guilt?
Malik.
He knew he wasn't supposed to lock the door.
I thought he was playing at first.
And I heard him struggle.
Sounded like he was--
Sounded like he was punching the water.
I had to--
I had to break the door down with a hammer.
You know?
Luis,
I can't get it out of my head.
His leg was--
His leg was hanging out the tub.
He was twitching.
His eyes--
His eyes was staring at me.
Hm.
And he had this smile.
He had this smile.
And it was weird.
It was real fuckin' weird.
You know what's fucked up?
Hm?
When it happened...
...I felt...
...I felt relief.
Like I could just--
Like I could just do me for once.
-Ugh! -Shit!
-Ah! -Luis, what the fuck?
-Ugh! -Oh shit.
-Aye. -Oh.
-I'm okay. -Hey.
I'm cold.
-I'm cold. -Ugh, fuck.
Turn up the heat, turn up the heat.
I'm cold.
Here, here, take your fuckin' blanket.
Ah.
-Oh. -Is that okay?
-Yeah. -That's okay?
-Yeah. -Okay, relax.
You're a good kid, Hector.
You're a good kid.
-Yo. -Yo, it's go time on VHS.
-Kid. -'Sup, Skemes?
I know about your new best friend
over on Zarika.
And don't show up empty handed.
-Luis, shit, um, I-- -What are you doing?
How dare you, you broke in here?
I know, man, I know, but listen, I had to.
You know, get out, get out!
-Get out of my home! -Yo, you--
you lied about Hector, though.
You have no respect!
I bring you into my home, my home.
I try to--I try to guide you,
and you fuckin' do this!
Luis, I know, I'm--I'm sorry, just listen--
This is not your home.
You don't own anything here,
but a fuckin' bunch of spray cans
and a fuckin' broken plate!
Nah, nah, you don't got no right to judge me,
you fuckin' alcoholic.
You probably got this way around your wife and kids, too,
-huh? -You know what?
That's why your mother gave up on you.
Gave up on you because she knows you're gonna end up dead!
Like your brother.
Fuck you.
Fuck you!
What?
I don't got time for this shit.
You really thought you could use me
to replace your son?
Huh?
Someday,
you're gonna learn that the mess you make
is your own shit.
Get out, get out!
-Get out! -Fuck this shit, man.
-I'm sorry. -Fucking lying
this whole fuckin' time.
Fuckin' die alone if you want to,
I don't give a fuck!
I don't need this shit, man.
Fuck!
Sorry.
About time you showed up.
Damn, kid.
This piece looks just like mine.
Practically identical.
Found the guy who took it.
No shit.
That's some luck.
It's time to go to war.
Y'all better be ready to get going.
Damn, bro.
My nigga, bump me one more time, I'll throw you
-off the fuckin' train. -My man, it's a crowded train.
You want comfort?
-Buy a fuckin' car. -Oh, you think you funny, huh?
Keep fuckin' jokin', nigga.
Make me laugh, you bitch-ass nigga.
-Shut the fuck up. -Keep fuckin' jokin',
bitch-ass nigga.
-Fuck out of here. -Yeah,
get the fuck off the train.
I don't wanna fight no more, can we just talk?
You always think someone tryin' to fight with you.
Can we not?
You carry a child for...
three seasons.
You push him out.
You take care of him day after day,
and you don't even have a choice.
Doesn't matter if you're gonna care for him or not.
He's just a part of you.
Kadir,
the reason I have been so unwell
is that it feels like a piece of me is buried,
and I'm just never gonna get it back again.
It wasn't my fault.
I know.
You were not the cause for Malik's death.
Yeah, but you blame me.
Yeah.
You're right, I did blame you.
There were days that I blamed you.
You think I wanted to be a single mother
and have you two here in all this mess?
Hell no, I just needed you
to take care of my baby.
No one took care of me!
You're right.
Baby, it was too much for you.
Hey.
Luis?
Yo!
Yo, Luis.
Luis?
Yo, kid, wake up!
Ugh.
When can I see the piece?
Soon.
Still working on it.
Can you at least open the door?
Yo, Luis.
Luis.
Who are you?
Yo!
Buffin' your own shit now?
Where in the world have you been, little bro?
Been worried sick.
Yo, that was some sucker shit, kid.
Going AWOL while we at war.
We're tryin' to avenge your best friend.
-Whatever, man. -Whatever?
You see, the thing is,
VHS gonna come back stronger.
Oh, what, you don't think they're gonna
come lookin' for you, too?
So check it.
Pop these percs, hit HQ,
and we will figure out a future of OTL.
General.
Lieutenant.
You know, I'm really tired of being loyal to you
and your bullshit.
So on some real shit,
fuck you, Skemes.
You really think I won't kill you?
Nah,
I don't.
'Cause you know I could be bigger than all this shit,
and that shit piss you off,
right?
Ain't no dishonor with discharging this shit, nigga.
I birthed you, kid.
Don't make me abort my own son.
Damn!
Why you always actin' like the victim all the time?
Frontin' like you ain't choose.
Fuck that, beg to be a part of this shit.
Yo, we could've took this shit over, me and you.
You could've been prophet.
So busy tryin' to be somebody else,
you don't realize you got what everybody else want.
Yo, kid!
I doubt your brother would've been cool
with you leaving us to die,
like you did him.
Yo, stop talkin' 'bout Malik!
Fuck is you gonna do, nigga?
You let me catch you taggin' OTL,
or any other crew in the Bronx for that matter,
done with all of that shit, B.
You heard?
You done with all of this shit.
Ain't worth gettin' into.
Your gallery?
Figured it'd be nice to have some photos here, too.
So what made you switch it up?
Realized it's the people, not the buildings
that make the neighborhood.
Looks great in here.
I know I was on some bullshit before.
I'm sorry.
Apology accepted.
Did you know?
How sick he was?
Not until I developed that.
Should've come sooner.
I wanna show you something.
Found it.
-Was it wasabi, right? -No, wabi-sabi,
a world perspective centered on the acceptance of imperfection,
sometimes described as the aesthetics of beauty
that is imperfect, impermanent, incomplete.
This past year has been the most important of my life.
As a young creative and student of art,
I finally learned to swim.
For years I heard Black people don't swim.
The South Bronx is my home.
It's beautiful here, but so many are trapped
inside that beauty.
How could you change the world if you don't know
what's out there?
I couldn't see past the Hudson or the East River,
so I climbed north as high as I could
to always remind myself of the beauty
within the trapped,
to see what the world could be.
I escaped when I finally understood
the reach of my artistic ability.
My failure to understand this almost cost me my life.
Truth is, my artistry is my voice.
I get that now,
and it doesn't need to be loud or with big bubble letters.
I wish I could say the last year
reminded me of my value, but unfortunately,
it was a tough lesson,
an extremely long and painful,
but colorful one.
I no longer dream of drowning,
'cause the higher I climb, the less I hear the doubters.
I hope you're able to see that in my work.
Ideally, inside the halls of the university
is where I could find new altitude,
my next great reminder.
There isn't a better time for us to become acquainted.
My name is Kadir Grayson
and I'm a fantastic swimmer.
♪ Huh, look in the mirror, see my own reflection ♪
♪ I'm tryna navigate my way through this maze ♪
♪ but I got no direction ♪
♪ Having issues with haters ♪
♪ that think they own my section ♪
♪ I pray to God but these guns feel like better protection ♪
♪ Feel like it's me against the world, ♪
♪ some shit I'm regrettin' ♪
♪ My mom's stressin', at school I'm not progressin' ♪
♪ She don't know my tribulations and trials, ♪
♪ situation's wild ♪
♪ I've been turnstiled through my loud crowd ♪
♪ If we ain't cool, I won't shake hands ♪
♪ Plottin' to make grands ♪
♪ All I need is weed and my spray can ♪
♪ Weight of the world on my shoulders ♪
♪ My soul speaks through the Krylon ♪
♪ Got no shoulder to cry on ♪
♪ Every day it gets colder ♪
♪ Who do I rely on ♪
♪ Me, myself, and I is all I got until my time's gone ♪
♪ How much of my problems is my fault ♪
♪ I solve every single one ♪
♪ with all the hundreds in the bank vault ♪
♪ Big dreams is all we have ♪
♪ Learn to read the writin's on the wall ♪
♪ I'm from Story Ave ♪
♪ Got money on my mind, fire in my bag ♪
♪ Weight of the world on my shoulders ♪
♪ Tag my autograph ♪
♪ Big dreams is all we have ♪
♪ Learn to read the writin's on the wall ♪
♪ I'm from Story Ave ♪
♪ Got money on my mind, fire in my bag ♪
♪ Weight of the world on my shoulders ♪
♪ Tag my autograph ♪
♪ I got styles you never seen before ♪
♪ I'm somethin' like Rembrandt ♪
♪ When I draw I leave you all in awe ♪
♪ I'm all city, autograph my tag on the wall ♪
♪ I put my pain in the paint, prayin' you feel my scars ♪
♪ I'm in here forever, my life behind these bars ♪
♪ The world is large, gonna make a charge ♪
♪ Learned some hard lessons ♪
♪ 'cause I had the wrong mentors ♪
♪ But God wouldn't give me a trial I couldn't endure ♪
♪ Nothin' came easy on this path I was meant for ♪
♪ Two Dutches from the store, duck the clutches of the law ♪
♪ Gettin' high on the rooftop, tryin' to forget what I saw ♪
♪ The concrete roads that got blood in the dorms ♪
♪ My brother gone, my mother mourn ♪
♪ Tryin' to change the channel, ♪
♪ but ain't nothin' else comin' on ♪
♪ I deal with it ♪
♪ You'll never find it if you lookin' for a meal ticket ♪
♪ They try to copy my style but they got the skills missin' ♪
♪ Big dreams is all we have ♪
♪ Learn to read the writin's on the wall ♪
♪ I'm from Story Ave ♪
♪ Got money on my mind, fire in my bag ♪
♪ Weight of the world on my shoulders ♪
♪ Tag my autograph ♪
♪ Big dreams is all we have ♪
♪ Learn to read the writin's on the wall ♪
♪ I'm from Story Ave ♪
♪ Got money on my mind, fire in my bag ♪
♪ Weight of the world on my shoulders ♪
♪ Tag my autograph ♪