My name is S. Lance Ingram.
They used to call me "L."
Or Crazy L from 118th.
Check these streets.
Check with your crew in the joint.
Find out who I am.
Man: Wait for it.
What about Pentium servers? A lot of our calls are for upsizing Cisco crossovers.
Yeah.
You know, walk me through it once, I'm good.
Okay, great, thanks. We'll get back to you.
You have to fill out the application online.
Once we check your background and your references,
then we'll call you for an interview.
- No jobs, no jobs. - I'll work the first week for free.
- Go away. - No harm, no foul.
- Check it, I'm good. - Hey, hey. Don't touch anything.
Come on, man. Give me a chance.
- Yes, police. - All right. All right, I'm leaving.
Enjoy the rest of your day. Thank you. Appreciate it.
How are you doing, sir?
Little change, dollar, smile,
a thumbs up, high-five.
Anything.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Have a great day.
You've been a wonderful audience.
Man: When I call your name, I don't care where you are in line,
just step forward.
John Hand.
Man ♪2: All that DNA bullshit.
I liked it better in the old days when they gave you a cup to piss in.
Keep it down, folks.
Gulp down a half a bottle of vinegar,
your shit will still come out clean.
Man: Ingram.
Print it and sign it.
- Find a job? - Not yet.
- It's been four weeks. - I've been out there every day.
By rights, I should put you on a van back to Green Haven tomorrow.
Go there. 9:00 a.m.
Supervisor's name is Yolanda Reyson.
A food pantry?
Come on, Mr. Morris, they had me working in a mess hall
in the joint for eight years.
- Then you should be good to go. - I got two computer certificates.
I took piano lessons. You don't see my ass up in Carnegie Hall.
Be there 8:45,
or I'll cuff you on the prison van.
Fellas, curfew's at 9:00 p.m.
At 9:05, I lock the door and you're violated.
Have a good one.
Go, go, go, go. All right, go ahead. Go, go, go.
All right, these pies, they should be sliced and put in trays.
Come on. Let's go.
We should've been prepping for dinner already.
What's going on over here, huh? Excuse me.
Half the clients are gonna starve before you make this delivery.
Cohen, you better wake up. You back on drugs?
Just what the clinic gives me for my nerves.
Mm-hmm. Santiago's out with the flu.
- And you are high on tranquilizers. - I'm fine.
All right, you know what? Follow me.
Move it.
Okay, you're gonna take the keys to van number two
and you are gonna handle this route.
- I needs to be out by two. Let's go. - I can't drive.
Oh, my goodness. Wow, another useless body.
Okay, do you know how to run a straight line?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Then run your butt to the subway and make the deliveries.
Make the deliveries.
Woman: I know we didn't discuss Harlem as a possible local,
but this is such an up-and-coming...
- It's the hottest new area. - No, no, no.
- I've heard that. - And I love this building.
- Woman ♪2: Wow. - Woman: Beautiful views
- of both Harlem and Central Park. - Man: Nice.
There's a rooftop garden and a garden in the back.
- Man: Yeah? - 1.2 million.
- Lovely. - All right. That's great, Faye.
- This is so nice for Harlem. - Faye?
Faye: Everything else around here has been going for much more,
so you're gonna save yourself a lot of money.
- I think they play tonight. - Yo, I got five on it.
Nah, nigga, I'm talking 30.
- If you wanna put money up. - All right, 30, bet.
- You got 30 on it? - 30.
- Bet on Gunners, nigga. - All right.
I wanna see the look on your face when them niggas lose in the first round.
- Hey, yo, you got that hook? - Yeah.
- Give it to Ty. - All right.
Come here, son.
Come here, Ty.
That's you over there.
I'll talk about it later. Hold up, hold up.
Grab that nigga's iPhone, too.
You heard?
Go do that.
- Man, fuck that! - Yo. What up?
What the fuck you mean, "what's up"?
Where the fuck you going, nigga?
Tag this motherfucker. Hit him again!
- Let him know what's up! - Ah!
Get him on everything!
- Come on, nigga. - Yeah, Gunner shit, bitch.
Let me see some I.D.
- You're blind. - Are you deaf?
- It got a picture? - Yes.
- Whose? - Mine.
Okay, then. This is Harlem, you can't be too safe.
22. 23.
Yo, that was 25, son.
Where you learn how to count, my nigga?
Man, I learned how to count the same place as you, nigga.
That's not... I'll show you what I got.
Yeah, I can get up there, nigga.
A'ight, one, two.
- All the way up, all the way down. - Three.
What's up?
Yo, you up there, Rodney.
Where the money at? Where the money?
Excuse me.
Move your ass out the way.
Hello?
Food delivery.
Bread from the Heart.
Ty?
Get your crackhead ass out of my house!
Police!
Don't make me get my gun.
I'm delivering your dinner, ma'am. Bread from the Heart.
Well, you don't knock? You just walk up in people's houses?
- I don't know you. - I did knock.
The door... The door was wide open.
I keep telling that boy to close that door.
- Where's Santiago? - Santiago out sick.
I just... I just need you to sign the delivery paper, ma'am.
Just get...
They put cabbage on this plate?
That was the menu.
Y'all know I'm allergic to cabbage.
What the hell is wrong with you?
Bringing all this nasty food up in my house.
- You out your damn mind. - No, you out your damn mind.
- Crazy-ass woman. - Get your ass out of here.
- Crazy woman. - You just go ahead and leave!
Ingram.
Been looking for you. My office.
Eh, it just shutdown on me.
- That's all? - That's all.
I gotta get my monthly report out tonight.
Dime.
Paperclip.
Circuit board is loose.
This will hold for a while, but you need to upgrade.
You really know how to fix these things.
All right. Okay. I'll come in.
- Hey, man, I gotta get on that... - You out of here?
Okay, Cohan, why don't you take Santiago's route?
I'll go.
You need to be scrubbing pots and utensils.
I'll do that, too.
What do you want?
No salt. No cabbage. I made the plate myself.
Come on in.
- Thank you. - So, what you go to jail for?
The only people that deliver around here are junkies or convicts,
and you got too many muscles to be on drugs.
Got locked up for being stupid.
How much time they give you for that?
12 years.
Did eight.
- Those are my grandson's drawings. - They pretty good.
They gave him an art prize at his school.
Oh, and that's on my granddaddy's farm,
down in South Carolina.
Oh, wait. Let me show you this.
The Showman's Lounge.
I was a barmaid Thursday through Sunday for 30 years.
You looked good.
- What, I look bad now? - No. It's just...
No, no, no. You done put your foot in it.
No, I mean the afro and everything.
It's too late.
Now, that's my husband. Al.
I lost him five years ago to cancer.
And my son Alex. Lost him to Iraq.
Sorry.
Come sit. Finish your lemonade.
This show is funny.
Girl, what's you grow these with, crack?
Ty.
Excuse me.
Boy, what I tell you about drinking out of that container?
- Ain't but a little bit left. - But it don't matter.
This is my grandson Ty.
Lance.
- That's your food. - He's hungry.
- I'll be all right. - Let him make a sandwich.
Excuse me?
You got bologna, bread, mayonnaise.
You better get out of my darn refrigerator and mind your own damn business.
This food is for the people we deliver to.
Yes, and after you give it to me,
I can flush it down the toilet if I want to.
- Don't be disrespecting my grandmother. - Ty, you sit down.
Ty.
- What? - Sit down, Ty, like I told you and eat.
Man: I fuck Iraqi bitches.
I fuck Spanish bitches.
Do you have a light? I...
- I said there's no smoking. - You got a light? Shut the fuck up!
- You don't talk to me like that. - Shut the fuck up!
Hey, fuck you! Fuck you!
I fuck white bitches.
I hate black bitches.
Hey, man. Who won the game?
I said, who won the game?
Yo, L.
How long you been out the joint, huh?
A few weeks.
Why you acting all shady and shit?
- Shady? - Shady, nigga. I ain't stutter.
You seen me coming out the barber shop the other day,
my barber shop, and you fucking look the other way.
- What up with that? - You said your barber shop?
Yeah, man. I'm trying to make an honest dollar, all right?
11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. every day, every day.
Damn. Maybe Moses did part the sea.
You thought I was still in these streets?
Gonna as you to do some dumb shit?
Nah, a lot of dumb shit.
What you need, man? You need anything?
- I'm good. - Don't lie to me.
I'm good.
Shit, nigga, you need a gym.
I ain't trying to get soft.
I'm Jomo the Soft now, huh?
Soft like this?
Huh? Soft like that?
Let's see what you got.
Oh, no. Oh, you got the kisses going.
Joint been good to you, huh?
You're all cock-diesel and shit.
Nigga, wait till you get some pussy and some Big Macs up in you.
Not me, brother. If it ain't rough, it ain't right.
Oh!
Stay up.
Stay up, soldier.
Man: Dance.
Payday. Anita.
Harris. Don't call in sick. I know your game.
Gomez. Rodriguez.
My favorite, Cohen.
Yours has a pink slip.
Why you messing with my head?
Now I have to take my stress pills.
By yourself some white T-shirts.
That one's dingy.
- Cock it back? - Nah, nah, don't cock it back.
- Yo. This your phone? - Yeah, this is my phone.
- Where's your I.D.? I.D. I.D. - He's my little bro.
- There's no reason to arrest him. - Turn that off.
- They just came out of... - No need for that, sir.
- I live right here. - They didn't do nothing, man.
Come on, you're squeezing his wrists, bro.
- I came from school just now. - Shh. Quiet.
Turn that thing off. Turn that thing off right now.
From school and I live right here. My grandmother lives upstairs.
- They in high school, man. - Quiet down.
We live right here. This is our block.
- This is our block, man. - Excuse me, my man.
Keyboard, printer, $1,000.
Oh, that's a lot.
Okay, you're nice lady, so I do every for $900.
This is a refurbished desktop.
It only got 512 megabytes of RAM.
- You get out of my store right now. - You're trying to rip her off.
Yes, police.
- A man is bothering my customer. - I know this lady.
- You don't know this lady. - I'm telling you I know this lady.
- You don't know this lady. - Yes, he does.
He's my nephew.
And you tell the cops to come down here and lock up your cheating ass.
Come on. Let's go.
You can put everything right here.
There you go.
So, you gonna make a computer in my living room?
- Yep. - My husband Al,
he tried to make a TV once.
- Did it work? - No.
Well, this is gonna work.
And you gonna get it for just 350 and parts.
All right.
It look complicated.
Ooh!
Oh, that's nice. Oh, yes.
Thank you.
So, tell me how to buy stuff off the Internet.
Let me finish setting up your email first.
Now, type in your password.
- T-Y-R... - It should be a secret.
- Why? - You don't want people looking through
your personal information.
What's this, your work badge?
"S. Lance Ingram."
Don't use my... Don't use my name.
I'm not using your name. What's the "S" for?
It's just an initial.
It stands for "sir."
My father wanted to name me Sir Lancelot
so I would be treated like royalty.
- My mama shortened it to Sir Lance. - Oh.
Well, that's better than your first name being nigga.
Or Junebug.
You're just messing with me.
- Turn around. - Huh?
Turn around so I can put in the secret word.
T-Y-R-O.
♪ Drink, smoke ♪
♪ Drink, smoke... ♪
Yo.
Excuse me.
Oh, oh. My bad, bro.
Yo, you saw the bitch come out them niggas?
Yo, true story, son.
Man, these niggas be acting like they with it.
These niggas ain't about shit, though.
- You know what we should do? - What's up?
Hit up some Spanish bitches, B.
Fuck.
These broke-ass shit in the fucking projects, man.
Yo, hit your cousin and see if, uh...
- Tell him elevator's stuck again. - All right.
Yo, yo, chill out, G. Damn.
Yo, this nigga think he's Spider-Man.
Yo, dog, you ain't never been on
- no broke-project elevator before? - Hell no.
That nigga wouldn't have his head up there if he was.
Yo. Yo.
Yo, don't leave, bro. Come on.
- Please don't leave. - Yo, where you going?
Where you going, son?
♪ Smoke, drink ♪
♪ Smoke ♪
Print it... sign it.
- Here you go, Miss Maddy. - All right.
Now, I want $3 on 5-9-2.
$3, 5-9-2.
And $2 on 4-1-7.
$2 on 4-1-7.
- There you go. - Sure.
Are you gonna come visit Ghana when you hit the number?
Oh, if you can't get there on the bus, I ain't going.
- Okay, good luck. - All right.
- Thank you. - Have a good night.
Gotta let the squad all take you out, you feel me?
That's how we get down, you know what I mean?
If one... This is 11-6 Gunners right here.
You trying to get down? What's good?
You and all your homegirls can bang with us, you feel me?
- Yeah. - Nah, she not with it, though.
- I might with with it. - Might be?
There ain't no "might bes," girl. It's either yes or no.
You either with it or you not. That's all I'm saying.
- And the answer is... - Okay, I'm with it.
She with it!
Ty, I know that ain't that boy.
Ty.
- Boy, what I tell you... - Grandma.
About wearing your drooping pants?
And you, too. You pull up them pants.
What you mean, Grandma? You don't know me like that now.
Boy, if you gonna show your butt, I'm gonna smack it.
Now, both y'all, pull up your... Pull up your pants.
Get them pants up, ugly boy.
- Go. - Ty, why is you...
- Who is that? - It's just my friends, Grandma.
Come on, Grandma. Let's just go home.
I don't know what to say to you no more. I just don't know what to do with you.
Y'all get your pants up.
- Hello. - Hi.
Miss Maddy: Hey, Sir Lance, how you doing?
Hi, Miss Maddy.
- How's the computer doing? - Oh, the kids love it.
Ty doing his homework.
They got a class in video games?
Come on, Sir Lance, have a seat.
- Your granddaughter? - My neighbor's granddaughter.
But I've been watching her since she was a tiny thing.
I have two grandmas.
- So, you gonna come see me dance? - You can come any Sunday now.
- 10:45. You can come with me. - I ain't much for church.
Yeah, that's the same thing my husband Al said for 42 years.
I wonder what he's telling the devil right about now.
You saying your husband went to hell?
I thought the prayers of your loved ones carried you through.
Who said I prayed for his stubborn ass?
Ooh, Grandma Maddy, you said "ass."
Ass is in the Bible. Now, turn around.
Now, go on in the back room, watch TV while I have my computer class.
Go ahead. Take that pillow.
Good girl.
- Where you going? - Out.
You be back in this house by 8:00.
You know this is a school night.
He's a good kid. He just...
needs to be straightened out every now and then.
Get you a chair out the kitchen.
You remember how to look things
- up on the Internet? - Yeah.
What I wanna know is how to buy things off of this computer.
Well, you gonna need a credit card or a bank card.
And for some of the sites, you're gonna have to set up an online account.
- Let me show you. - I need you to tell me what to do
and then I can practice it on my own, okay?
All right, so, now...
- Go ahead. - Cool.
- You gonna take the mouse. - "Take the mouse."
Okay, the mouse.
And you gonna click the browser.
Click the... Now, which is the... What is...
- That white... the white strip. - That's that white thing?
- Okay. - Yeah.
And then you're gonna enter the website
that you want to go to.
- Then I go into the website. - Yeah.
- So... - Well, if...
Most... No. Most websites, they start with W-W-W.
Okay, "W-W-W... ".
Now, is that little tiny "W" or big "W"?
Doesn't matter. It's for World Wide Web.
- Any "W." World Wide, okay. - Mm-hmm.
But I don't have to type the whole word.
I just type the... I don't type "World Wide Web."
- No, just "W-W-W." - What happens if I type in.
"World Wide Web"?
It's probably gonna take you to some other place.
It...
♪ I said I'm riding in the motherfucking 'Lac with the matte black ♪
♪ And the pack stashed in the back in a knapsack ♪
♪ And a bad bitch to my left, she ain't mine ♪
♪ A young nigga intercept, official like a ref ♪
♪ I'm sick of niggas bitching like them niggas ♪
♪ Got some motherfucking titties in their chest ♪
♪ Yo, I never leave the government alone with my truth ♪
♪ Until we all wear our hoodies that are bulletproof ♪
♪ Got 50 cent in my pocket, got me dreaming of dollars ♪
♪ Creating nightmares so that dreams are accomplished, I multiply ♪
♪ Where Eminem is up with the focus, I'm ace of spade with the rhythm ♪
♪ And I kill your opponent ♪
♪ There's a thin line between my means and being homeless ♪
♪ Believe me, see what you find when you lost in that mother ♪
What, you wrote that shit in here? Let me see some of this.
- I draw a little bit. - Oh, shit, you drew this?
- Yeah. - Oh, look at this shit.
What, this the homies? This us?
Oh, shit, this Ronny Ron ugly ass right here.
Yo, this shit is nice. Little homie on everything.
So, what, you can draw like tattoos and shit?
- Yeah, I got you. - Yo, so look.
Man, I'm trying to finish all this shit right here, son.
On Gunners, I'm trying to get the...
Man, I'm trying to get this shit with all us,
like, on my stomach right here.
- All right. - On everything.
I got a question, though. Which one is me, nigga?
- 'Cause all... - Man, you know you the smallest one.
Right here.
Welcome to the jungles of all jungles, the concrete jungle.
You got the Bartender, you got Team Mined-up, and you got the Regiment.
Most of these cats either did time in the joint, some was in Iraqi.
Brother right here, Smokey the Bear. Smokey the Bear's a fireman.
Might even see some of these Big Willy hip-hop dudes up in here.
Let me introduce you to somebody. Rome.
- Let me holler at you. - Hey, Jomo.
- What's good, baby? - You got it, baby. It's your world.
Good to see you, man. What's happening?
Good to see you, too, man. I want to introduce you to somebody.
- This L. - What's up, L?
- This is Rome. - It's Lance.
Rome is like the Jack LaLanne of hood niggas.
- I call him the Romanator. - My man.
My man Jomo tells me you into putting that work, what's up?
I'm just trying to keep from getting fat, man.
- I hear that, brother. - He's being modest.
I see that. So, what's up with hitting some of these reps?
I can't right now. I gotta get to work.
All right. Cool. I'ma catch you, man.
- Be easy. - My man.
- You got it, bro. - Get it, Rome.
Yo, you gotta network, L.
Some of these cats got a lot of things going on, man.
Come on now.
Working out in a crowd ain't really for me, man.
Suit yourself. You see these dudes right here?
Let's put this down, let's put this down here.
Jomo: They got about a grand riding on who can do the most pullups.
- I... I don't gamble. - Me neither.
I invest.
- Rome, Ninja. - That's what I'm talking about.
- One more, one more. - Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
- Got room for one more? - All right, all right.
Here are the rules, everybody. Here we go.
♪ Back in '89, I simply slid into place ♪
♪ Buddy, buddy, buddy all up in your face ♪
♪ A lot of kids is busting rhymes but they had no taste ♪
♪ Some said Quest was wack, but now is that the case? ♪
♪ I have a quest to have a mic in my hand ♪
♪ Without that, it's like Kryptonite and Superman ♪
♪ So Shaheed come in with the sugar cuts ♪
♪ Phife Dawg's my name, but on stage, call me Dynomutt ♪
♪ When was the last time you heard the Phife sloppy? ♪
♪ Lyrics anonymous, you'll never hear me copy ♪
♪ Top-notch, baby, never coming less ♪
♪ Sky's the limit, you gots to believe up in Quest ♪
♪ Sit back, relax, get up out the path ♪
♪ If not that, here's a dancefloor, come move that ass ♪
♪ Non-believers, you can check the stats ♪
♪ I roll with Shaheed and the brother Abstract ♪
♪ Niggas know the time when Quest is in the jam ♪
♪ I never let a statue tell me how nice I am ♪
♪ Coming with more hits than the Braves and the Yankees ♪
♪ Live mad phat like an oversized mampi ♪
♪ The wackest crews try to dis, it makes me laugh ♪
♪ When my track record's longer than a DC-20 aircraft ♪
♪ So, next time that you think you want something here ♪
♪ Make something def or take that garbage to St. Elsewhere ♪
Ingram, get your stuff, meet me in the parking lot.
I shouldn't be making these damn drop-offs.
But Santiago bails on me for a construction job.
You can't drive.
- I need to get some real help. - I can drive.
Then why have you been wasting your time in the subways?
I ain't got no license.
Oh-oh-oh, are you kid...
I'ma... Get out.
I'm not trying to violate my parole.
Don't worry about it. It's all right.
- My brother's a police sergeant. - Figures.
- Missy Maddy James? - Okay.
Excuse me.
Doctor: How's your back on a scale of 1-10 pain-wise?
Um...
some days, it can get up to a seven.
- Yeah. Yeah. - Okay.
All right, let's take a listen.
- Okay. - Take a deep breath for me.
And let it out slowly.
Okay.
We got tore up from the floor up.
We go up on the deck of the ship,
and, uh, the moonlight is bouncing off the water.
And the cool breeze of the island.
Man, it was something.
- There you go, blood. - Oh, I'll tell you.
You make me look like new money.
With the same old story.
- My man. - Go to see you, blood.
Good to be seen. Here, take this right here.
- Okay, brother. - Khalif, you finished?
- No, sir. - Well, then keep going, brother.
All right.
- How we looking, L? - Just about set.
Computer's running faster, files are backed up.
Love it. How 'bout my photos?
You check those out? I know you did.
Don't lie to me.
Oh. My man, can you flip that?
You know, rotate it, make it a screensaver.
Jomo, you messing with all these women?
Come on, man, this is just the honey list.
- "The honey list"? - The honey list.
Come on, man, I'm single, all right?
I like the drink ginseng, all right?
Rule number one... if you got a gift to share, you share it.
Whether it's cutting hair or, you know, cutting something else.
Got it.
Let me holler at you for a minute. I got something for you.
Take care of you, L.
Come on, man, that ain't nothing. Don't sweat that.
Just keep it around the store for security.
I got shorties in here.
- Here. - I'm good.
Man, I would be paying a regular repairman.
So I'd rather pay my friend. Come here.
Uh, give me a haircut.
- That's how you want to handle it? - Yeah.
Dig that. What are we looking at?
What do we want?
Uh, let's get a little closer on the sides.
- Closer on the sides. - Take some off the back.
Shit! Fuck this shit!
- Busted-ass game. - Yo, you gonna break my aunt's TV.
Man, fuck your aunt's TV, too.
She gonna sell it for some crack anyway.
- I'm hungry as hell, yo. - Word.
Yeah.
Yeah, let me get an order of wings and some fried rice.
- Some ribs. - Some ribs.
- Pepper steak. - Pepper steak.
- What you want? - I ain't got no money.
Come on, what you want, nigga?
Wings.
Make that two orders of wings.
460 Malcolm X Boulevard apartment 14C.
Like Ching Chou and shit.
Let me see that blunt, bro. You smoking it like...
Yo. Here, Ty.
Yeah.
What I tell you? You know you want this shit.
'Bout to get Ty high as hell.
Yo, go get that food.
You trying to get stripes or what, nigga?
Take it.
Yo.
- Give it up! - Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Yo, shut the fuck up. Yo, get that nigga's shit.
Help!
- Yo, pop this nigga. - Help! Help!
Help! They robbed me!
Hey, go after them!
Hey, boss, you see anything?
Hey, come here. You sure you didn't see anything?
Hey! Come here!
- No! - Listen.
I'm tired of you and your little gangster-wannabe boys
doing stupid shit in my vicinity.
I ain't going back to the joint for nobody.
- You hear me? - Yo, man, get off me!
You hear me?
Ingram, come here.
You tested positive for marijuana.
I hear you're doing good at your job.
You make your curfew every night.
Why you getting high?
I guess I'm just a non-deserving fuck-up.
Well, at least you didn't try to play me
with no dumb-ass jailhouse psychology.
Turn around.
I'll write it up as a category four violation.
The parole board will probably hit you with six months.
Thanks.
I can't do nothing with these on.
There you go.
I'm gonna let this one go, Ingram.
You violate again, I personally drive you back to Green Haven.
Thanks.
Choir: ♪ When I was down ♪
♪ Out ♪
♪ Lord ♪
♪ He kept me ♪
That will be the mark you leave
with your misty, vapory self
who appears for a little while,
and then is gone.
Be grateful for your life.
Don't get hung up on what you've done wrong.
Focus on the life you have.
And I dare you, I challenge you to live.
Live, live, live.
Live.
The universe...
♪ At the fork in the road ♪
♪ At the end of my rope ♪
♪ In the eye of the storm... ♪
So, Lance, what are you doing?
- Eating chicken. - With a knife and a fork?
Yeah.
I took an etiquette class while I was away.
This lady volunteered. She came in a couple times.
- A white lady? - Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
And she told you you need to eat fried chicken
- with a knife and a fork? - Well, yeah.
She probably had you eating cornbread with a spoon.
- Ty: Oh, hi, Miss Reynolds. - Oh, Darlene!
- Darlene, you made it. - I'm sorry I'm late.
Second services were long today.
I ain't know you worked out.
Look...
I'm sorry about the way I came at you the other day.
Yeah, that was real fucked up, you know what I'm saying?
Thought about getting my hammer and put it to your head.
Like I said, I'm sorry.
Well, uh, I tell the people my best friend of 20-some-odd years,
he repairs computers, so they dropped off their computers.
You decide what to charge 'em.
Did you ask them what was wrong with 'em?
Come on, does it look like my head is made of wood? No, all right?
They wrote down what the problem was and they put their name next to it.
There's the Bible.
I don't have a workshop.
Use the back storeroom. Just clean it out.
I need some more tools and a slave computer.
I ain't got no slave in here.
It's a figure of speech, man.
I need a good computer so I can diagnose what is wrong with the bad ones.
Oh, okay, word. Like chicks, I get it.
- All right. - What's your split?
Come on, man, all the times you helped me out when I ain't have shit.
You kidding me?
$200 a month and 20% of what I make.
Okay, L.
150 and 10%, you got yourself a deal.
You're an ass-backward business man, you know that?
Mm, I know that. And you still my hero.
Let's get to work.
Ingram.
- Yeah. - Curfew. Time to bring it inside.
Oh, my God. The damn compressor broke.
Ingram, we're gonna lose $400 worth of food.
Get the meat, put as much as you can in the freezer,
and then the rest, like the milk, the juice and the eggs,
we'll take back to my house.
G-Rod: Anytime you with me, little bro,
you gotta know you Gs, man.
- Everything. - Ty: All right.
Me and homies done put in so much work in the past,
like, four-five years,
this whole hood know that the Gunners got this shit, you feel me?
You see them niggas across on that projects over there?
- Uh-huh. - Man, them niggas used to have
this whole shit booming.
Me, B-Rock, Ronny Ron came through this shit, had the whole shit to ourselves.
We got them niggas over there scared.
Them niggas in them projects over there scared.
We run this whole shit, nigga.
As long as you rocking with us, nigga, you ain't gotta worry about shit.
- All Gunners, you feel me? - Yeah.
Fuck everybody else, you know what I'm saying?
Come on, we're gonna go smoke some weed.
You could, uh, put the stuff
in the refrigerator.
There should be room.
Yeah.
You get your license yet?
- I got a permit. - Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Take the van back to the center. I'm too tired to drive across town.
- What if I get stopped? - Mm.
You tell 'em that you work for Sergeant Elise's sister.
Police don't care about relations to the third power.
Oh, gosh. Okay, so then do an O.J.
Make a run for it.
It'll be exciting. Helicopters flying over you.
Following you in a food van.
- You got jokes, Yolanda. - No, I ain't got jokes.
I'm too tired for jokes. I just keep it real.
I told you, get a license.
A'ight.
This is about all that'll fit in here.
Maybe we can give the other juices to a homeless shelter.
Whatever you want.
Whoa.
Please, can't a girl get comfortable
in her own place after a long day at work?
I mean, yeah. I mean, it's your house.
Come sit.
You know, I'm good.
I don't bite.
Come on, you worked your ass off today.
Relax.
Where did you do time?
Attica. Green Haven.
Your girl must be really happy to have you back.
I, um, I ain't got a girlfriend.
Mm.
- I'm sorry. Your boyfriend? - Nah.
Mm.
I'm sure that you must have, um...
a whole lot of love inside of you.
You know, I don't know if this is cool.
You know, with you being my supervisor and all.
Oh...
I wonder how cool it is
if I, um...
called your parole officer
and I told him of all the food that's been missing
and all those hours that you go AWOL.
Where do you go?
Are you gambling?
Oh...
Are you selling drugs?
You're cold, Yolanda.
I'm not cold.
Just real.
I keep telling you that.
I'm just real.
And so are you.
Relax.
♪ If I never wanted to go ♪
♪ I should've never got too close ♪
♪ No ♪
♪ You take my arm ♪
♪ I lose my heart ♪
♪ You're so cold ♪
♪ Baby, I know ♪
You ever do clap pushups?
Nah, I don't do all that.
It's easy.
$5 if you do five.
Look at you. A'ight.
A'ight.
Look at you.
- Give me my 15. - I said $5 if you do five.
Don't play me.
Looking mad thirsty, son.
They jump you in yet?
The general give you a number?
Two up... stab two people.
Two up, one down... Stab two, shoot one.
I used to give those numbers out.
Make recruits prove they was loyal.
They was family.
But real family don't make you jeopardize your future, you know what I mean?
Yo.
I'm gonna need everyone to do overtime.
We need to double scrub the facility.
I just got heads up that we're up for an inspection.
Yolanda, I have doctors' appointments all this week.
Cohen, if you miss one second of the scrub down,
I'm gonna have to kick the air out of your crack-filled lungs
and leave your body in front of the unemployment office.
All right, all right, I'll be here.
That's good. Everyone's gonna be here.
Good, good...
Good, good, good.
I've been trying to get that super to fix that leak for over a year.
Hey, yo, you got my candy?
Move your legs, tall nigga.
Niggas waiting all day, son.
Man, the movie started 'cause you all late, nigga.
Nigga, this is the previews, yo.
Ain't no fucking previews, dog.
This is the main shit. You don't see it?
My man, calm down. We missed like five minutes of the movie.
Man, the first five minutes is the main shit, my nigga.
That's when they hook you. You don't know shit about movies.
Shh!
Yo, fuck you, dog.
I'll make it noisy for real in this motherfucker.
A'ight?
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, turn around. That's right.
♪ This money-making man in Harlem world ♪
Gunner shit. We talk in movies, bitch.
Damn right.
Yo, uh, let me get some popcorn.
Man, turn around. I'm watching the movie, man.
Yo, you can't watch the movie and eat popcorn at the same time.
Man, you want some popcorn? Eat the motherfucker.
Yeah, that's hot, buttery popcorn, nigga.
Eat it before it get cold, son.
That's good still.
Now watch the movie, little nigga.
Damn.
Eat that shit, dog. Go ahead. Eat it.
Yo, feed him this, too, nigga. He still look hungry.
Man, watch the movie, nigga.
Miss Maddy: Sir Lance?
What are you doing sitting up here in the dark like some kind of damn haint?
Why you ain't tell me you were sick?
Why what?
Do I look like something wrong with me to you?
I was installing the antivirus on your computer
when a messaged popped up from the clinic
saying it's important for you to call.
Who you know my age ain't going to some clinic?
The doctor say you got terminal cancer and you refusing treatment.
My doctor?
Why is my doctor telling you my business?
You know what? I'm calling Legal Aid on her.
They gone take her damn license.
Malpractice! Medical malpractice!
- That's what it is. - I told them I'm your son.
Sir Lance.
I told you...
My husband Al, he died from cancer.
All that chemo, all that radiation they gave him
made him just waste away like he was a skeleton.
He died in my arms right in the bedroom.
But they not doing that to me.
The doctors say without... without treatment, you only got a few months.
Well, them damn doctors don't know what the hell they talking about.
They don't know shit!
I got my saba juice. I got my garlic compound.
I got my cayenne paste. Got it all right out there.
That shit don't work.
You might as well get some dog shit from Central Park and make a tea.
Well, if that don't work...
I got something else that will.
Come on.
This is it.
This...
What is all this?
This is so I can leave here as Maddy James.
Not some bald and sickly-smelling
little ragdoll with a shit bag
tied to her stomach.
- You talking about killing yourself? - You're damn right.
Instead of those stupid shitty doctors doing it.
You damn right!
- God damn it! - Miss Maddy, stop it.
- God damn it! - Stop... stop!
- God damn it! - Stop.
God damn it.
I'm sorry.
Oh, God.
You know, instead of you plucking my nerve,
you ought to be helping me.
Mm-mm.
I mean, all you got to do
is connect the IV, put the button in my hand, and then leave.
That's crazy.
- Not for a million dollars. - I want you to read these instructions.
This is wrong. I'm not reading that.
You know you like building things.
- I'm not doing it! - Okay!
- Fine. - Miss Maddy...
Fine.
I thought you were gonna come by this week.
Uh... I've been busy working my second job.
Well, you need to handle your business so that you can keep your first job.
You ever heard of sexual harassment?
Is that what they call it when you're jerking off on yourself?
This ain't from the food pantry. This from Bertha's.
Then you eat it.
You mad at me?
I wouldn't starve myself for no rudy-poody man.
Not even you.
I just don't have an appetite.
- You're losing weight. - Thank you.
Miss Maddy.
Go to the corner store and get me some, uh,
strawberry ice cream.
Not that cheap kind either. Get some expensive ice cream.
I'll get you some ice cream if you eat a few bites.
- What do I look like to you, a kid? - No.
If you're gonna bribe a woman, you gonna have to do it with diamonds.
I'ma get you some ice cream, then.
Come on, eat a few bites. It ain't gonna hurt you.
Mm-mm.
- That from a comic book? - Nah, this from me.
Name is Blaze. He's a pyrokinetic.
Come with me to the store. Let's get some snacks.
Nah.
It's a'ight.
Can I speak to you?
What?
In private.
Look, man, we all one voice here.
One nation, you feel me?
So, whatever you got to say, you can say it.
My name is Sir Lance Ingram.
Sir lance Ingram.
But everybody knows me as "L."
Or Crazy L from 118th Street.
I want you to check with your five-star generals.
Have them check with their older heads in the joint.
Find out who I am.
Whatever, bro.
Nigga, I know who you are. You Spider-Man.
Nigga got on a red shirt, too.
My friend just got arrested. He got beat, I got beat.
I got a scar still from police. My hand was split in half.
Got knees busted up from police, NYPD.
Jomo: The more things change, the more shit stay the same.
- Harlem, U.S.A., L. - Yeah.
These kids out here caught in the middle of it all.
No, these shorties are different, L.
Even if we did something we weren't supposed to do,
we still did it in a way, you know, there was etiquette, man.
These shorties got no rules or regulations.
Just raw. Just...
All emotion, man.
- Thick out here, bro. - Yeah, it's thick, you know?
Mike Browns and Trevons everywhere.
Shorties running from cops same way you was at 12 years of age.
We was both out there, bro.
Yeah, I figured I learned how to run
running from cops, too.
Look at where you are now, man. Look at this.
18957th Ave.
I always wanted to have a shop,
you know, around the corner from where we grew up.
- That was my dream. - Got your sweet ride.
And you back, six months out.
Feels good that you back on the block, man.
It does.
What you need, man? I know that look.
What you need?
You think you could get me a little weed?
A little what? What you say?
I don't know if I heard you, uh, correctly.
Can you come again? A little what?
You did say Wii, the game, right? That little...
- Yeah, the... - Yeah? Wii?
- Nigga, I said... - What you want?
Do you think you could get me a little weed?
Weed?
Sir Lancelot is trying to
get light a lot.
Don't be telling nobody that shit about that Sir Lancelot, man.
I won't, bro.
And I got you on the weed.
I can get you a woman, too. I'm good in the "W" department.
Wireless, women, weed, what you need, huh?
- I don't want your leftovers. - Oh, true.
- I got one for you, though. - What?
- Oh, yeah. - Fair exchange. Done deal, brother.
When you puff, hold it for a sec.
Boy...
I've been smoking reefer
before you was even an itch in your father's pants.
Sorry.
Okay.
I'ma go in the other room so I don't fail my drug test.
Thank you.
Go on.
- You all right? - Hey.
I'm fine.
- How's your pain? - Pain is fine.
Thank you.
Ooh, I'm hungry as hell, though.
Oh.
- Oh. - What you looking for?
What is there in here to eat? Good night.
Where's that old mantry-pantry food?
I'll get it for you. Have a seat.
- You sure? - Yeah, I'll get it for you.
Miss Maddy, don't fall in the refrigerator.
- I'll get it for you. Sit down. - What's up here?
Some ice cream?
- Ooh, it's cool. - Go have a seat.
Yeah, it's cool in that refrigerator.
Okay.
You are a good man, Sir Lance.
You're a good woman, Miss Maddy.
Why people do that?
Standing there all night
bullcrapping each other with compliments.
I'm trying to tell you
I see the good in you.
- You better listen. - I'm listening.
Why are you so sad?
Hmm?
Why are you so sad?
Hmm?
It was either your...
daddy or some woman
just rip your heart right out your chest.
And I'm thinking that it was some woman.
- Mm-hmm. - There was, um...
this girl I really liked when I first went to prison.
Yeah.
Only girl I've ever really liked.
First two years, she came and visited me every Sunday.
- Then she just stopped coming. - Mm.
Stop answering my letters.
Come to find out she had a baby by another dude.
Well, since you've been out...
- you seen her? - I seen her. She ain't seen me.
Mm-hmm.
You... you gonna have to go get her,
or you're gonna have to let her go.
Let her go, or go get her.
'Cause you cannot live your life in the middle.
Mm-mm.
Ready?
♪ Would anybody like to know ♪
♪ What it's like to be part of the street life? ♪
♪ Street life is cruel... ♪
Hey, yo! Yo, L.
Yo, let me holler at you real quick, G.
Man, so I heard you was the truth when you was out here.
He said you used to show niggas how to keep the shit real.
Chapter and verse.
You remind me of myself when I was young.
So I know nobody can't tell you nothing.
Ty, he don't need to be a Gunner.
Got enough soldiers.
It's a grand.
Giving respect, from one general to another.
Yo.
Let this one go.
Yeah, all right.
Let's roll.
Yo, G, it's like the circus and shit, my nigga.
Yeah, that's what's up.
The workout crews are gonna do pullups on every street corner
from 110th Street to 155th.
Y'all with me? Y'all with me?
But what we get out of this, though?
What do you get? Pride. That we did something.
And we showed all these kids out here that we about something.
They killing brothers left and right, from Harlem to Brooklyn,
from Florida or St. Louis, Missouri.
They even got little kids in handcuffs.
Little Scott, five years old in handcuffs.
It's done, so it starts right now.
We organizing against this to stop this.
So, on the count of three, we all one hood.
- One, two, three. - All: We all one hood!
- We all one hood! - We all one hood!
Let's go! Come on!
Yo, so, you're not coming?
Nah, shorty. Do you.
Sir Lance...
What is all this?
Just let me get my thoughts straight.
I'ma tell you.
All this is everything I made bartending.
All my tips.
This one is for Shay-Shay.
It's $15,000.
By the time she goes to college, it oughta be 20.
This one is for my Ty.
Now, it's 30,000.
But he still needs to try for scholarships.
This $10,000 is for you.
- Miss Maddy, I don't need no money. - Son, just...
$17,000 cash.
That's to take care of Ty until he's ready to go to college.
You can move in here if you want to.
- He, um, he don't mind. - Miss Maddy.
'Cause, ooh, he really likes you.
- Why me? - Because you're here.
Thank God you here.
Jomo: They chase L to the roof of the building, right?
- Mm-hmm. - He's running.
I'm telling you, Ty, like sprinting full out.
He leaps, jumps 20 feet.
Lands on the roof of the other building, gets away.
- For real? - Straight up.
- It was more like ten feet. - Nah, come on.
- It was ten feet. - No, man.
And cops still came and dragged my dumb 12-year-old ass out the bed,
- so I don't know what the point was. - Man, you missed your call.
- Okay, all right. - '96 Olympics.
That should've been you. Sir Lance.
- You got jokes, huh? - Yeah. Yeah.
Okay, so let's joke about them grades.
- Mm. - Oh, tone changed, huh?
- And it gets quiet. - It's the teachers, right?
- The teachers don't like me. - Oh, here we go.
- The teach... Come on. - Jomo.
- Did we... we said that, right? - Come on now.
- Come on. - The teacher really don't like me.
Teacher's racist, right?
Now she racist. You're making excuses, man.
- You said the same shit we said. - Look, look.
When I raise my hand, and the teacher
will call on the lighter-skin brother next to me.
Oh, Jomo, I think he calling you out.
You directing that toward someone on this side of the table?
What race is this teacher?
- Wha... wha... - She's of African-American descent.
"African-American descent." You got real intellectual with it.
- Y'all playing. - You playing.
It's open.
- Who's this? - I'm like your wet dream come true, baby.
When I saw you, I told Lance, I said,
"I'll travel seven seas on a man-eating shark,"
climb Mount Everest butt-naked with bare hands, baby,
"just to meet the central lady I saw on your Facebook page."
For real?
I'm just a badass dude from around the way, all right?
I'm a bodybuilding ex-con. I got my own business.
I cut hair. Amongst other things.
I make love all night, every night.
Like it's my last night.
What? Hmm?
Oh, you gonna tell me?
Or you gonna put that on ice and water and give it some thought?
Make yourself comfortable.
In your apartment or in your world?
So, uh, yeah, L, you good to go, man.
Unless you want to engage in some sexual gymnastics.
- It's on you, brother. - Nah, bro, I'm good.
Okay, bet. Get home safe.
Ingram, come here.
So the cheap bastards at my central office finally got me a new computer.
That's cool.
Yeah, it's a touchscreen, a camera.
- Try it out. - Nah, I'm good.
It's nice, though.
Have a seat.
So, you've been all right?
Yeah.
No illegal activity?
- No associating with criminals? - Nah. None of that.
- Been saving your money? - I save most of my check.
A studio apartment will run you about 750 a month.
That's with the subsidy.
- Can you handle that? - Excuse me?
You're leaving the halfway house.
Own apartment.
No curfew.
Parole visits once a month.
You ready for that, or you need more time here?
- Uh, I'm ready. - Yeah?
Yeah.
Then sign right here.
- Ty: To your new place. - To L-boogie's new place.
I wound up in and out of prison just like you.
Remember all those times you used to smack me on my head
and tell me I wasn't shit?
You don't do that to your son.
I got my own apartment now.
I got a job.
Own business.
They tell me every time they bring you to a shelter,
you wind up back out here.
So, I guess this is where you want to be.
Check it.
Pick out any one of these people.
Imagine what their life is like.
Who they are. Where they're going.
Ty: He's a Wall Street guy.
Gonna go close a million dollar deal.
I can see that.
Ty: She's a fashion editor.
Heading to her office.
All right.
He's a dentist. Gonna go pull out a tooth.
Why the brother gotta be bringing the pain?
'Cause he's a dentist.
Where's Ty?
Heading to work at his graphics and animation company.
That's what's up. Is he carrying a college diploma?
Nah, he's not carrying it around like some nerd.
But he's got two.
Hanging up on the wall in his office.
That's what's up.
If you can see it, you can be it.
Or some corny shit like that.
- Yo, there's this girl I like at school. - Oh, yeah?
♪ I don't want you to explain ♪
♪ How you're afraid of me ♪
♪ Yeah, I just want you to remain ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, baby, baby, baby ♪
♪ How can you just go away? ♪
♪ When you were telling me ♪
♪ Yeah, you were telling me ♪
♪ Ooh, baby, baby, baby ♪
♪ I don't want you to explain ♪
♪ How you're afraid of me ♪
♪ Yeah, I just want you to remain ♪
♪ Isn't my heart your main supplier? ♪
♪ Ain't that what you told me all along? ♪
♪ If it's too wet, I'll make it drier ♪
♪ But it's not time to take it home ♪
♪ Isn't it hot just like a fire? ♪
♪ Won't it get cold if left alone? ♪
Yo, we need to find something to do.
Nah, now, like, get into it, little bro.
Hell, yeah.
What's good, fool?
What you got into today, man? Where you coming from, son?
Chilling with my girl.
- Oh, yeah, yeah? - Yeah, living the good life.
- Go on a little date and shit like that? - Yeah, you know.
Yeah, yeah, but you... What you fittin' to do now?
- Oh, I ain't got nothing to do. - Let me holler at you real quick.
Yeah, yeah, so, uh, you still doing that drawing shit and all that, right?
- Yeah, you know. - Okay, cool.
Cool, cool, cool.
Yeah.
G-Rod said they have to jump me out
or they're gonna mess up Grandma and Shay-Shay.
Did he give you a number?
Ty.
Two.
Get some rest.
I'll tell your grandma you're staying with me tonight.
Miss Maddy.
Miss Maddy, I'll help you.
I'll do whatever you need.
Miss Maddy.
Miss Maddy, why me?
Because you're here.
Thank God you here.
- JomHello? - Lance: Jomo.
This is L.
I need your help with Ty.
Yo. Yo, my nigga.
Yo, what's up?
- I thought we were good. - Yeah, yeah, man, we good.
But, you know, little bro came in my face and be all cool, man.
- I ain't with all that. - Mm-hmm.
I hear you.
So we gotta kill two people to leave out?
Man, look.
Law respects law, O.G.
- You know that. - Mm-hmm.
I'm jumping out for him.
And the number is three.
What?
I got you.
♪ I often hear gunshots ♪
♪ From my window ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ Not missiles of liberation ♪
♪ Demanding freedom overdue ♪
♪ Sometimes ♪
♪ Just plain old gunshots ♪
♪ Yes ♪
♪ 450 years ♪
♪ Of self-hate and depravation ♪
♪ Collide and explode ♪
♪ We've got babies killing babies ♪
♪ Blood running on our streets ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Oh, where's the love? ♪
♪ Where's the love? ♪
♪ Where's the love for our people? ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ We rise ♪
♪ We cry ♪
♪ We live ♪
♪ But then we die ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ We need freedom ♪
♪ Liberation ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ There ain't no gunshots ♪
♪ From the window ♪
♪ There ♪
♪ From my window ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ I often hear gunshots ♪
♪ From my window ♪
♪ Oh-oh ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Not missiles of liberation ♪
♪ No, demanding freedom overdue ♪
♪ Then just plain old ♪
♪ Hey, gunshots ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ We got babies killing babies ♪
♪ Yes, we do ♪
♪ Hey ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Where's the love? ♪
♪ Tell me, where's the love? ♪
♪ Still finding my way ♪
♪ There's no other way ♪
♪ You live and you learn, I'm just writing my own way ♪
♪ They pray for the worst, so I'm gonna put me first ♪
♪ These are my words ♪
♪ A whole chapter and verse ♪
♪ Write it up, write it up, write it up ♪
♪ See, the money was the mission ♪
♪ And the game playing different ♪
♪ And it ain't like it used to ♪
♪ Best friend snitching and your girlfriend switching ♪
♪ Like they never knew you ♪
♪ Gotta make a right way, gotta see a bright day ♪
♪ The new cats, they play wrong, I just want to live long ♪
♪ They tell me it'll never work, that I'm in it for the worst ♪
♪ But I run my own way ♪
♪ Whole chapter and a verse ♪
♪ They telling me it'll never work ♪
♪ They said I'm in for the worst ♪
♪ But I just write my life out ♪
♪ Whole chapter and a verse ♪
♪ Still finding my way, there's no other way ♪
♪ You live and you learn, I'm just writing my own way ♪