01x17 - You Get No Respect

[bunniefuu]

♪ Yeah come on yeah yeah yeah ♪

Mc: Now the controversial
brothers are of hip-hop,

d.j. Hype and Khalil!

♪ All a brother need
is a b*tch and a gat ♪

♪ a n*gga ain't down
if it ain't like that ♪

♪ all a brother need
is a b*tch and a gat ♪

♪ a n*gga ain't down
if it ain't like that ♪

♪ be the big k comin'
your way with no delay ♪

♪ I spray let me see
washed up in flame ♪

♪ out to the left I
progress my jam jet ♪

♪ like Russell trust me

♪ I know how to
hustle to make papers ♪

♪ all sorts of papers
happen on the streets ♪

♪ tryin' to make ends meet

♪ in a world where
they only care about ♪

♪ where a brother sneeze...

♪ The streets is tough
yo life's a lot tougher ♪

♪ it's just that they
will go for them ♪

♪ it makes it much rougher

♪ crews is cool but the
not gon' be my back-up ♪

♪ but my girl has satisfied me
with a store full of sexy body ♪

♪ I'm ready to ill
and I'm able to spill ♪

♪ crazy rhymes
my name's Khalil ♪

♪ and hip-hop is
my fill of master ♪

♪ suckers that
has to be tragedy ♪

♪ tryin' to last with me
that's instant catastrophe ♪

♪ the necessities of
life a real player knows ♪

♪ there's hundreds of
g*ns and funs yo... ♪

♪ All a brother need
is a b*tch and a gat ♪

♪ a n*gga ain't down
if it ain't like that ♪

♪ all a brother need
is a b*tch and a gat ♪

♪ a n*gga ain't down
if it ain't like that ♪

♪ all a brother need
is a b*tch and a gat ♪

♪ a n*gga ain't down
if it ain't like that... ♪♪

[g*nshots]

[Crowd screaming]

[Clamoring]

Yo, come on, yo,
let's go. Come on!

Hype!

Man 1: Oh, man.

No, no, no, no. No,
take it easy. Take it easy.

Get an ambulance!
Somebody get an ambulance!

Ambulance!

[Theme music]

[Upbeat music]

[Indistinct chatter]

Yeah, papi, huh? Wake up, man.

Whattya say we
don't go to Natalie's?

Let's go out dancing
or something, huh?

- Dancing?
- Yeah, you know, as in...

Have a few laughs,

talk to a few ladies
kind of dancing.

Yeah, they gon'
be laughing, alright,

once they see your
a*s on the dance floor.

Eddie: See, see, see,
you ain't even all that,

'cause I don't see prince
stealin' any of your moves.

- Yeah.
- Vanilla ice, maybe.

See, don't even go
there, 'cause, you know,

I know all the
latest steps, like, yo,

so what you know about
the pepper seed, huh?

[Vocalizing]

[Shrieks]

♪ Sucky sucky now
can't touch this... ♪♪

Cooper: Alright, gentlemen,
you have a homicide.

There's been a
sh**ting at a rap concert.

A club called the b*mb.

Oh, that's where my
boy Khalil was performing.

- Is he okay? Cooper:
There's one dead.

And word is, it got
pretty ugly down there.

- Let's go.
- Let's do this.

J.c.: Just chill out,
baby, chill, man...

Calm down. Everything
is gon' be alright, baby.

We're gonna get through this.

Last thing everything
is gonna be is alright!

- Yo, Khalil...
- What?

You wanna chill
out and talk to me?

Yo, man, they smoked him, man!

They just took him
out just like that, man!

You understand, man,
I watched him breathe

his last breath, man!

- So who you talkin' about?
- Oh, god. Hype, man.

I was up with my man hype.

We was on stage,
we was performing.

They just started shootin', man.

Now he's dead, man!
My man hype is dead!

[Sobbing] Now,
just chill! Get off me!

Khalil: Remember when
you busted us two years ago?

You told us just 'cause
we was victims of the ghetto

ain't mean we had to
stay victims of the ghetto?

Yeah. True two years
ago, still true now.

Nah, man. Look at
what happened to hype.

It was his idea for us to
listen to you in the first place.

Yeah, but you turned
your life around.

No, man. Can't go
down like that, j.C.

Ain't no way.

Do you have any idea

who could have done this at all?

How about you, Darnell?

About a month ago,
someone started sending

threatening letters.

But, no, it wasn't some
crazed fan who did this.

It was sheik.

If he did, I swear to
god, I'm just gonna...

No, no, you swear to god

you'll let me handle this.

I got your back
on this, alright?

- Who's sheik?
- A gangster, or a manager.

Depending on how you see him.

He's got a few
rap groups signed.

He tried to snatch hype from me,

but I told him to
kiss my black a*s.

Uh, assuming he didn't pucker,

why k*ll hype? Why
not go after you, hm?

Not if all he wanted was
to ruin the competition.

Cooper: Alright, well,
we'll do an investigation.

I mean, we'll do
everything we can.

Look, lady, you can
investigate all you want.

Ain't nobody talking to five-oh.

- Not in our world, they ain't.
- "Look, lady?"

Alright, why don't we let
torres worry about that?

In the meantime, Williams
is gonna go undercover

with your entourage,
or your crew, if you will,

and see what he
can dig up there.

Is that alright with you?

Yes. Uh, if it's cool with them,

kool and the g*ng with me.

What do you think, man?

Yeah. Kool and the g*ng.

[Jazz music]

Sheik: Listen, you incompetent,

ignorant, four-eyed b*stard!

I'm not tryin' to hear
anything about a lawsuit!

If you can't handle
this business,

I'll find me a lawyer who can.

Too simple, too simple.

What do you want?
Wait, let me guess.

You got a demo for me.

You look a little too old for
menudo for me, pop. Heh.

Eddie: I'm here investigating
the m*rder of Donald Smith.

But you probably
know him as d.J. Hype.

Yeah, I know him.
Know him as a fool.

You see all this?

He could have been
right down with it.

Guess he was doomed.

Eddie: Yeah, well,
uh, doom didn't k*ll him.

So what's your
two-dollar theory?

I'm lookin' at him.

[Shivers] And I'm shakin'.

Someone's been
sending threatening letters

to Khalil and hype.

You wouldn't happen to know
anything about that, would you?

- Lemme take a guess.
- I await your wisdom.

Okay, somebody's sending
these guys letters, right?

- Mm-hmm. Sheik:
Say they gon' ice 'em.

Next thing we know,
ka-klow! It's done.

Wow.

So, whoever sent the letter

must be one of dione's psychics?

I got a prediction for you,

and this one's free of charge.

I find out you had anything
to do with this m*rder,

anything at all, I'm
gonna take all this away,

and then I'm comin' after you.

You got that?

You see this vase?

It cost more than what
you make in a year.

- For one, partner.
- Oh.

You see this ice in
front of your face?

It's enough to pay
off your whole precinct

and still walk out with
change in my pocket.

You've wasted my time
enough. You see the door.

'Cause I'm a businessman,

and my business is not to
associate with stupid idiots.

Yeah, I see your point.

Oops. I am so sorry.

You gotta be careful where
you put valuable objects

on the edge of a desk.

Especially where there's
like stupid idiots around.

[Glass cracking on floor]

Whew!

Man 2: Undeniably, hype
was the best d.J. In hip-hop,

and undeniably, we'll miss him.

Here's his latest, y'all,
"you get no respect".

Much love, hype,
wherever you are.

♪ Grab the microphone

♪ and you can't
catch your breath ♪

♪ yo! ♪ Gets no respect

♪ when you can't catch
back and you stallin'... ♪

If there's anything
to be happy about,

I guess it's record sales.

Guess now Darnell can
get back some of the money

he put into the group.

I think that would've
made hype happy.

Look, maybe after Khalil
finishes this talk show

we should all
Max out for a while.

No, man, no.

I can get us out
of our bookings.

Hey, would you shut
up with that, man! Damn!

I know hype is dead.

Some of those b*ll*ts breezed
past my ear, too, alright?

But I ain't goin'
hidin' in my bed.

If I go out like that,
then the k*ller gon' win.

Khalil, the k*ller
is still out there.

If he wanna use me
for target practice,

I'm shootin' back!

I ain't goin' out
like no sucker.

Better believe that!

Brave man. A gat
near your crotch?

I got a license for this right
in that drawer over there,

for whenever you
want to see it, alright?

Fine. But since
you're so stressed,

maybe you need to
listen to them for a while.

- Chill out.
- J.C., man.

I don't wanna chill out.

My best friend was
m*rder*d, man.

Besides, if I do
stay on the d.L.,

we might never
catch the m*rder*r.

Am I right?

[Sighs] Yeah, yeah.

But remember, we're
on the same side.

Good, man. 'Cause
I'm gon' need you.

[Applause]

Welcome back to
the show, everybody.

For those of you
who are just joining us,

we're coming to you live
today from the b*mb nightclub.

This is the place where a
recent act of violence occurred.

Our topic today is
violence in rap music.

Just before the break
I know, young lady,

you said you had
something to say.

Yeah. Um, I just wanna know,

after everything that
happened to hype,

are you guys gonna
continue to rap

about the things you've
been rappin' about?

Why shouldn't we?

I mean, if our neighborhood
is filled with drugs,

crime and violence, what
else we gon' rap about?

Green grass and daffodils?

Woman 1: I mean, we only
tellin' about what's really goin' on.

If there's a house burnin' down,

don't get mad at us
'cause we yellin', "fire."

Yeah, but isn't
glorifying violence

the same as
contributing to violence?

Khalil: Yo, we don't
glorify violence.

Yo, put it like this.

The government
passed an anti-crime bill

to put more money into brothers
playing midnight basketball.

I'm sayin' that's cool and all,

but meanwhile, it's hard as
hell to get a Grant for college.

And now they talkin'
about cuttin' off poor people

from welfare?

You damn right
people is violent,

but it ain't 'cause of hip-hop.

You know what I'm sayin'?
But speakin' for myself,

I feel like by
bringin' out the truth,

we only makin'
things better. Word.

[Applause]

Rolonda: Anybody else?

Dawson: I've got
something to say.

Yes, sir, please stand up.

Dawson: My son
was k*lled last month,

trying to Rob a liquor store.

Before he went in there,

he was listening to
Khalil and hype's song.

Yo, hold up, hold
up, slow down, pops.

I'm sorry for what happened
to your son, alright?

But don't make me your scapegoat

'cause you failed as a father.

You crummy little louse!

Khalil: What?

[Crowd clamoring]

G?

G, come on now,
if you wanna eat.

You gotta come on.

♪ All a brother needs
is his b*tch and his gat ♪

♪ and a n*gga ain't
down if it ain't like that... ♪

Now, I know I didn't
hear you just say

what I thought you said.

Why you flippin', mom?

- What?
- It's from my tape. Khalil.

Listen, I don't care
where it's from, alright?

You're not dancin' to "b*tch"
and "n*gga" in my house.

- Now, give it to me.
- Come on, mom.

Chantal: Don't test me, alright?

Come on, mom. Dad's
friends with Khalil.

He doesn't have a
problem with me havin' it.

Well then, your dad is gonna
have a problem with me.

Eddie: You think you can tell
where the g*nshots came from?

I think from, from over there.

Okay, let's rewind it.

Hold up, hold up.
Pause it right there.

J.c.: See that old man on
the right? He look familiar?

Khalil: Yeah, that's
pops from the talk show.

But if he hate my music so much,

then why he go
to the concert for?

Maybe 'cause he hates
your music so much.

Okay, you wanna fill us in here?

J.c.: My man here
was doin' a talk show,

and this guy jumps
up out of the audience

and talks about how
his son was k*lled

because he was
listening to Khalil's music.

Then all of a sudden,
he tried to rip his head off.

Alright, torres, I want
you to jump on this.

Eddie: I'm on it.

♪ Word up you know the
flavor bounce to the beat ♪

♪ it's the funkmaster flex to
make you lean in your Jeep ♪

♪ on one time for your mind
c. Boogie break 'em off ♪

♪ a little something!

♪ Hey yo check it out it's
real late in the mornin' ♪

Excuse me, Khalil,
we were wondering

if we could have your autograph?

- You got paper? Angelica: No.

But you could sign here.

Oh. Alright.

♪ Like and sat that inspires

♪ all I ever wanted
was my name on fliers ♪

♪ blowing up the
spot rock hard ♪

♪ with the rhythm that
goes around the clock ♪

♪ tick tick tock is
the hands of time... ♪

Hey, what're you
trippin' for, man?

You think I'm stupid, huh?

Come on, man.
What's all that for?

I saw the way you was
lookin' at that skeezer.

Khalil: Come on now,
Nikki, I was only bein' polite.

Nikki: Yeah? Well,
look, don't try to play me.

If havin' a girlfriend
is becomin' a burden...

Khalil: Yeah, but look, Nikki,
you know I love you, baby.

Come on, now...

[Dramatic music]

I'm not a damn criminal.

That's funny.

Didn't you just try to
m*rder somebody?

He deserved it. Why
can't you see that?

I know how you feel, Mr. Dawson.

I mean, I have three
children of my own.

You can't understand.

You can't know what it's like.

No, you're right.

- What was his name?
- Terry.

He was just 16.

But those b*stards
make it like you're not cool

if you don't become
some kind of gangster.

Cooper: So you wanted to
teach the rappers a lesson, huh?

That's why you
went to that concert

and k*lled that guy?

No.

- I didn't k*ll anybody.
- Come on, Dawson.

We know you were at the concert.

I went there 'cause I
wanted to figure out

why my son idolized those guys.

And that upset you.

So you k*lled hype

just like you were
about to k*ll Khalil.

It wasn't until that talk show

that I knew I had
to do something.

But you said the sh**ting
happened at 10:15?

By that time, I'd
left the concert

and gone home already.

I took a red checker cab.
You can check with them.

It's kind of ironic, though.

I mean, you're the
one talking about

how much you hate the
rappers for their violence,

but you're the one runnin'
around trying to k*ll people.

Kind of makes you wonder

where your son
really got it from.

[Indistinct chatter]

So we got him on
attempted m*rder.

You really think that
he k*lled hype, loo?

It doesn't figure.

I mean, this guy's so
furious about his son's death,

I think that if he k*lled
hype, he'd cop to it.

No question.

He'd want the whole
world to know about it.

Check his alibi, anyway.

[Hip-hop music]

Darnell: Just make sure
that anybody who's anybody

gets on the guest list, okay?

[Indistinct chatter]

It's sheik. Shall
I call the police?

No, it's alright.

- What are you doing here?
- What's with that rah-rah?

- I don't get no love?
- What do you want, sheik?

Alright, let's get
down to business.

See this contract,
it's for $50,000,

for the release of
Khalil as your client.

Or what? He dies, too?

Well, I ain't signin'
a damn thing.

Don't play yourself.
You're signin' this contract.

You know, I really
wish you ain't do that.

Well, sheik, I already
told the police about you,

so if I was you,
I'd watch my step.

I don't think so.

'Cause if you were me,

you'd kick yo' a*s!

[Darnell screaming]

What it look like, huh?
How's the view, baby, baby?

Let me go! [Screaming]

Sheik: Ain't that right?

See, you head over
heels for me, after all.

Nikki: What are you
doin'? Darnell: Let me go!

Sheik: No, he just, he
just wants to hang out.

He don't have no
rope. Ain't that right?

Huh? Right? Come here.

Come here.

[Panting]

Now, you gon' think
about what I said.

I thought you might.

[Dramatic music]

J.c.: You know, I just
wish Dawson's alibi

didn't check out, I'm so sick

of reading all
these psycho letters.

Reminds you of all
your ex-girlfriends, huh?

[Chuckles] Check this one out.

Mailed two days ago.

"Dear Khalil, you
are dead. Signed, l.P."

Just wish the k*ller would've
made it easier on us.

You know, left some sort
of return address maybe.

Maybe he did.

We checked with the
eighth Avenue print shop.

- They said this was yours.
- Sure, that's our stationary.

I designed it myself.

We're making this
place four stars.

Ooh. Why not five?

Don't patronize me, officer.

What do you two want, anyway?

You have any guests stayin'
here with the initials l.P.?

- Do you have a warrant?
- Do we have a warrant?

Nah.

[Laughs] Oh, isn't that a shame?

Why don't you come
back when you get one?

[Laughs]

My man, maybe this'll,
uh, jar your memory.

Five bucks? Sorry,
I can't be bought.

That five dollars is
looking good to you, huh?

Okay. I think you're
looking for Lenny packer.

You'll find him
upstairs. Room 203.

[Intense music]

[Scoffs] Well, he's got the
three basic food groups down.

Crack, crack, and more crack.

Hm.

Yo, this kid look
like a Lenny to you?

Eddie: Yo! Check this.

"Hype is gone, and now, uh..."

J.c.: "Now... y-o...

You're...

N-e-x-t, next."

Eddie: Yo, we better
watch Khalil's back

at the concert tonight.

[Hip-hop music]

[Music continues]

- You see him?
- Nah.

Whoo. You should see
these kids dance, boy.

They put you to
shame, my brother.

Yeah, alright.

[Music continues]

[Applause]

Alright, y'all.

What's up? It's Hollywood,

and we gon' keep the flow goin'.

So check it out. Give
us some love. Khalil!

[Applause]

- With me, alright?
- What's up, peeps?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

♪ When you grab the microphone ♪

♪ and you can't
catch crack yo! ♪

♪ You gets no respect

♪ when you can't catch crack

♪ and your style
ain't correct yo! ♪

♪ You gets no respect

yo! I think I see him.

Where? Where?

♪ You get's no respect yo

♪ you gets no respect

false alarm. False
alarm. It's cool, it's cool.

♪ All the true rappers stay

♪ a fake one's cold
talkin' all this and that ♪

♪ can't even rock
a show yo check it ♪

♪ cool Khalil's in the game

♪ ...is my aim

♪ and I'm known
for baggin' dames ♪

♪ I shame 'em
seize all the mic ♪

♪ tryin' to act like they
can match my skills ♪

♪ they musta hit
the crack pipe ♪

♪ they all o.D.'D
come back to reality ♪

♪ like soul to soul your
rap's old and raggedy ♪

♪ so put 'em in the trash
and run for the border ♪

♪ they ain't workin' they
sorta way outta order ♪

Yo, j.C. Watch out!

[g*nsh*t]

[Crowd screaming]

[Clamoring]

- Are you alright, man?
- Yeah, yeah.

Darnell: I've definitely seen
that guy somewhere before.

He's been at a
few of our concerts.

Well, if ballistics
matches Lenny's g*n

with the one that k*lled hype,
your troubles may be over.

Thank you. For everything.

Eddie: No sweat.

- Khalil, you alright?
- Yeah, I'm alright.

- You alright?
- [Sighs] Yeah.

Thanks, man, you...

Khalil: We even, baby.
Know what I'm saying?

Well, I owe you
one. Now we're even.

My brother.

[Knocking on the door]

- What's up?
- What's up, Chantal?

Look, I've got Sandy
outside, so is my son ready?

- Hi, dad.
- How you doin'?

Listen, slow down.

We gotta talk for a second.

Alright, you can tell
Sandy to come in.

Listen, um, why don't
you two go ahead and talk?

I can come back.

No, Sandy, it's too cold

for you to be walkin'
around out there.

Beside, you'll hear about
this argument anyway.

Uh-oh. So we're about
to have an argument?

For real. We're about
to have an argument

because I don't
appreciate the fact

that you tell him to buy this.

I didn't tell him to buy this.
I just didn't say he couldn't.

"All a brother needs
is a b*tch and a gat?"

Dad, I told her
it's just a song.

You stay out of this, okay?

You have nothing to say?

What do you want
me to say, Chantal?

Do you really think that if
he doesn't listen to this tape,

he's not gonna hear these
same words out on the street,

or in that preppie school
you have him goin' to?

Okay, I expect you to tell
him that he can't be listenin'

to music talkin' about
b*tches and n*gg*s.

[Sighs] Okay.

Son, you cannot listen to music

that talks about
b*tches and n*gg*s.

- J.c.
- Come on, now.

The easiest way to turn
a kid into knucklehead

is to try to shelter him.

What would you
rather, him listenin'

to this tape behind our back?

I'd rather it be
out in the open.

At least, this way,
we can discuss it.

But obviously you're not
discussin' it with him properly.

Okay, he think ain't
nothin' wrong with it.

- [Sighs]
- Don't look at me, j.C.

I agree with Chantal.

Besides, I think
it's a good time

for him to learn about respect.

Oh, I see. So now y'all two
gon' g*ng up on me, right?

Come on, shorty.

[Upbeat music]

[Indistinct chatter]

Yo, my man, I don't
care what anybody says,

Khalil is my boy.

That new cd is the b*mb.

What are you, the
president of his fan club now?

I'm just happy for him.

Brother needed help, I
came through for him.

So did you, remember?

After going through
Lenny's folder,

I don't know.

This may not be the
end of it, you know?

What are you talkin' about?

Ballistics matched the g*n

with the b*ll*ts
that k*lled hype.

Yeah, well then how
does a crackhead

dressed the way Lenny
was slip past metal detectors

and into a concert, huh?

The place was packed.

I'm sure he wasn't the
only one to slip through.

Think about it, man.
We're not saying

he slipped into a
club once with a g*n,

we're saying he did it twice.

And the second
time, for no reason,

he tries to k*ll you?

Come on. Somethin' ain't right.

But we still gotta figure
out what Lenny's deal was.

[Instrumental music]

Alright, detective, let's
investigate this guy.

Man 3: Hey. Yo, wake up, la!

[Indistinct]

Yeah, man. You know, we cold

till we got ol'
Khalil in the house.

Word up. Here to
represent, chillin' my peeps.

- Know what I'm sayin'?
Man 3: I hear you.

- Alright.
- Give a shout out.

Nikki, my manager, Darnell,

they up in here
tellin' me to represent.

Know what I'm saying? Word out.

He do it like this. Yo, you got
a brand new album out there,

just hit the top 40, man.

Let's go ahead and bring it
out for the people out there.

- I am here.
- "You gets no respect."

♪ When you grab the microphone

♪ and you can't catch crack yo

♪ you gets no respect

♪ when you can't catch crack

♪ and your style
ain't correct yo! ♪

♪ You gets no respect

♪ when you can't catch crack

♪ and your style ain't correct

♪ 'cause your
b*tch ain't in check ♪

Radio announcer: Frankie
Hollywood rehearses

on the air, on b-96.

Yeah, what's up? This is
Frankie Hollywood Rodriguez

from b-96. My special
guest hangin' in the house,

Khalil, whose album
just hit the top 25. Khalil!

- What's up?
- How you been, brother?

- I'm right, man. How you?
- You the top of the charts.

- You goin' all the way.
- Them charts are right now.

♪ They can match my skills

♪ they must have
hit the crack pipe ♪

♪ they all od'd come
back to reality ♪

♪ like soul to soul your
rap's old and raggedy ♪

♪ so put 'em in the trash
and run for the border ♪

♪ they ain't workin' they
sorta way outta order ♪

Dr. Dre: Oh, yeah,
that's right, y'all!

This is Dr. Dre in the house!

Word up! And ed lover for
hot 97 with our boy, Khalil!

Yo, man, the song
just broke top ten, man!

If anybody wants to
call you, know the code.

Which is at
one-eight-hundred, call a-t-t.

I know, man. Go look around,

we ain't got no one
representin' us like that, man,

you know what I'm sayin'?

♪ Bottom line kid

♪ gets no respect!

J.c.: So, miss packer,
according to our records,

you're Lenny's next of kin?

So?

So we tried to reach you.
It's concerning your brother...

Look, I've been out of town,
but if this is about my brother,

I don't wanna hear it. If
he's done something ill*gal,

maybe the best thing for him
is to be locked up for a while.

I got a life of my own, alright?

- So then, you don't know?
- What?

[Sighs] Well, there's no easy
way to say this, miss packer,

but your brother's been k*lled.

What?

We're sorry, uh...

Oh, my god.

My mother, she, um,

she washed her
hands of him years ago.

She was always scared the
police would knock on her door

with news like this.
What happened?

Well, apparently he became
obsessed with these two rappers.

He started stalking them
and writing threatening letters,

and he shot one, and when
he went to sh**t the other one,

he got himself k*lled.

No, there must be a mistake.

- We wish there was.
- No, you don't understand.

Lenny couldn't have done this.

He had this, he
had this condition,

it was some sort of dyslexia.

Other than puttin'
down his initials,

he never learned
how to read or write.

Yo, if he couldn't
write those letters,

he's probably
working with someone.

Yeah. Either that, or he
was workin' for someone.

Someone who wanted hype dead.

[Dramatic music]

I remember the first time I
brought you and hype up here.

Told you all the
city would be ours.

And now your album's
almost at the top of the charts.

Too bad hype couldn't
be here to share it with us.

Yeah. Hey, maybe that's what
you can call your next album,

"too bad hype ain't
here to share it", huh?

Always thinkin'
business, ain't you?

Always lookin' out for you.

Yeah. But not enough, though.

Truth is, man...

Truth is, I'm ready to step off.

- [Laughs] What?
- Get off me, man!

Do you think it's a joke?

You need me to
spell it out for you?

I want out of my
contract, alright?

Khalil, what is
wrong with you, man?

Did sheik threaten you?

Man, this ain't got nothin'
to do with sheik, man.

This about you
and this about me!

You know what I'm sayin'!

I ain't bust my a*s to blow up,
just so you could hold me down!

Now, wait a minute, I've
been bustin' my a*s, too.

You've got the most slammin'
rap album in the country!

Don't take no
bows for that, man.

When hype died, your punk
a*s told me we was wrecked!

Remember? You and
hype took me for granted!

But I changed
all that, didn't I?

Now I'm the man. Believe that.

It was you.

You had hype k*lled, didn't you?

That crackhead,
he was hangin' out

because he was your friend!

And when he k*lled
hype, you smoked him!

You know somethin', Darnell?

You ain't as dumb as you look.

It's too bad, though.

[Grunting]

[Jazz music]

[Screams]

J.c.: It seems like
this is right around

where he fell from.

God.

He always say he
might k*ll himself.

I never thought he'd do it.

I thought it was just all talk.

Only thing is, I
mean, why do it now?

I mean, when things are
going so good with you two?

Man, there's a lot y'all don't
know about Darnell, man.

He made some
heavy gambling debts.

Well, we'll look into that part.

But, uh, you should know,
we're not gonna rule out m*rder.

- m*rder? J.c.: Yeah.

We have reason to believe
that kid, Lenny packer,

didn't act alone.

We think he was
workin' for somebody.

Damn.

Yo, uh, what
happened to your ear?

- This? Eddie: Yeah.

Me and Nikki got into
another fight again.

You know how she get, man.

She got all jealous over
one of them girls sweatin' me,

and just ripped my
earring out of my ear.

So is that where you
were last night? With Nikki?

Yeah. I mean, I was supposed
to hang out with Darnell,

but I stood him up
to go chill with Nikki.

I guess if I didn't, he
would've still been alive,

you know?

Alright.

[Dramatic music]

- Yeah.
- Alright. Finally.

Me and you, together.

You know what that
mean now, right?

- What?
- Mad loochie.

- Alright.
- All ends.

Definitely what
I'm talkin' about.

- Yeah.
- But you know somethin', sheik?

I remember you only
wanted to sign hype.

I don't know, I guess

you thought I was
whack, or somethin'.

Nah, nah. You wanna
know the truth, though?

What?

I just ain't think
you was ruthless.

[Scoffs] What you
talkin' about, sheik?

What's that supposed to mean?

First hype catch the hot one.

Then your manager gets canceled.

Yo, man, so what are
all these accusations?

What, you police or somethin'?

I ain't got nothin'
to do with that.

Yo, yo, yo, you ain't gotta pull

no wool over my eyes.

As far as I'm concerned,

bein' ruthless is
just a sellin' point.

In my picture, even
though I ain't exactly thrilled

about the way you did it,

bein' as though they gonna
look at me as though I did.

Khalil: Hey, you're right.
You got a alibi, right?

I see you got to get
to know me better.

'Cause even when I ain't
got a alibi, I gots an alibi.

- [Laughs] Alright.
- Alright.

- I like that. Sheik: Love it.

There's just one
thing you got to know...

Khalil: What's that?
- In this business here.

- What?
- Either you in the way...

Khalil: Uh-huh?
- Or you on your way.

- You know what?
- Alright?

Today, partner, I
think you on your way.

Ooh. Most def.

Better believe that.

Look, I checked
Darnell's records.

Just like Khalil said,
he was deep in debt.

Yo, I saw those records, too.

He's been in debt
for the past five years.

I don't see himself
all of a sudden

killin' himself over it.

So, fine. If you
don't buy suicide,

why don't we look at sheik?

Eddie: Sheik?
Sheik's not that stupid.

He wouldn't publicly
threaten a guy,

and then k*ll him a couple
of days later. Come on.

- Neither would Khalil.
- Why not?

- Because he's your friend?
- Because he's not like that.

Okay, alright. Look.

That Nikki supposedly
spent the night with him.

Let's check out his alibi, huh?

It's like he said.
I got jealous,

we both said a few things
we didn't mean to say,

and I ripped his
earring out of his ear.

End of questioning, okay?

You know, Nikki, this
a m*rder investigation.

We find out Khalil did this,
you're gonna be an accessory.

But he didn't do anything.
I already told you.

- He was home with me.
- So why you actin' so upset?

Because you're
acting like I'm lyin'.

No, sweetheart. You're
acting like you're lying.

[Sighs]

So you think she's lyin', right?

Yep. I think she deserves
an academy award.

Yeah, well, I say we
go check out sheik.

You know what I'm saying?

Eddie: Hangin' with
your manager's rival

the day after he dies?

[Scoffs] Very interesting, man.

J.c.: See, that's
what convinces me

that sheik is our perp.

He wanted Khalil,
Darnell was in the way,

so he got rid of him.

Come on, man, open your eyes.

Nikki didn't pull
out Khalil's earring.

It's obvious she's
lying for him.

Hey, your boy's not clean.
You know, that, right?

- Yo, look, ed, let me tell...
- No, no, no, you look.

I know you want this
to have a happy ending,

but it ain't goin'
down like that.

Khalil is our man.

[Car alarm chirps]

Let's, let's follow him.

[Car doors closes]

[Dramatic music]

Eddie: Friendly guy. First
business, now pleasure.

Word. I think somebody else

needs to see just
how friendly he is.

[Indistinct chatter]

Damn, Nikki! What
the hell you doin' here?

What the hell am I doing here?

Well, if you couldn't satisfy
him, somebody had to.

- Aren't you gonna say
anything? Khalil: Yeah.

Next time, why
don't you just knock?

Khalil, I was with you
before you were all that!

You just another
worthless b*tch,

so why don't you step?

That clear enough for you?

[Indistinct mumbling]

How could you do this to me?

Anything to solve
your damn case, right?

See, you still don't
get it, do you, Nikki?

We're not the ones
doin' it to you. It's Khalil.

All's we did was give
you a wake-up call.

I can't believe I was stupid
enough to be in love with him!

I'd've did anything for him!

Yeah, that's exactly
what he was countin' on.

Don't you think it's time
to stop protecting him?

Look, all I can tell you is that

I didn't pull the earring
out of Khalil's ear,

and Khalil wasn't
with me that night.

Did he tell you what really
happened to that earring?

He just said that
he lost it. I mean, I...

I guess deep down inside, I
knew something was wrong,

but I just wanted
to believe in him.

Yeah, me, too.

Come here, baby.

Cooper: Alright, Khalil,

we know you didn't
spend the night with Nikki,

and we know that she didn't
pull that earring out of your ear.

What we figure is,

Darnell did that when
you threw him off the roof.

Yo, look, Nikki busted me

when I was with
this freak, alright?

Now she tryin' to bring me down.

I guess that's what
happens when you blow up.

Even your own brothers
try to destroy you.

Don't even try that, alright?

We used to be brothers,

but you canceled that.

You played me, Khalil,

from the first time
you walked in here.

But I'm gonna promise you,

when we find that earring
with your blood on it

and Darnell's fingerprints,

that'll be the last
time you play anybody.

[Scoffs]

J.c.: Believe that.

[Upbeat music]

[Dramatic music]

Mc: Alright, party
people, it's the brother

you paid your money
to see, it's Khalil!

[Crowd cheering]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Alright? Yeah!

All the peeps in
the house, word up!

Yo, yo, yo, yo, yo.
Hold on, funkmaster.

Let me introduce
y'all to somebody.

We got detective torres
and detective Williams.

Why don't y'all come
on out? Come on, punks.

[Crowd booing]

You see, these two punk
toy cops been harassin' me.

Guess they ain't got
nothin' better to do.

But look what I
found under my pillow.

Sorry to bust your bubble, punk.

- Can I see that?
- Go ahead.

Oh, yeah, you
found this, alright.

Too bad, 'cause now that
makes you look very guilty.

What? What you
talkin' about, man?

This isn't your earring, clown.

It's ours.

See, we planted this, Khalil,

'cause we figured
your stupid a*s

would go lookin' for it.

We even had it
engraved it for you.

Let me see that, man.

[Crowd exclaims]

"Busted."

I guess y'all got me.

Five-oh's got me, y'all!

All: No! No!

Unless I got my back!

[Crowd exclaiming]

Khalil: Alright, move! Move!

Move!

Nikki!

Hey, what you doin', yo?

Just what a b*tch'd
do. [g*nsh*t]

Watch out, watch out, watch out!

[Groans]

[Dramatic music]

You're under arrest.

You have the right
to remain silent.

If you give up that
right, anything you say

can be used against
you in a court of law.

You have the
right to an attorney.

If you cannot afford one,

one will be provided
for you at no charge.

Do you understand these rights?

♪ Gets no respect

♪ bottom line kid
♪ gets no respect!

♪ All the true rappers
stay fake ones go ♪

♪ talkin' all this and that you
can't even rock the show ♪

♪ yo check it true
Khalil's in the game... ♪♪

So, did you and mom make up?

Nope. Not exactly.

So what are you gonna do?

I don't know.

What would you
do if you were me?

I'd stand my ground.

You always say that's
what a man does.

Yeah, but a man can also
admit when he was wrong.

So what? You're not gonna
let me listen to my music?

No, you definitely cannot
listen to Khalil's tape anymore.

But as far as that stuff
between your mother and I,

I'll talk to her.

Well, tell mom not to worry.

I already know that
women aren't the b-word

and black people
aren't the *-word.

My man.

[Hip-hop music]

[Music continues]