Bel-Air (2022) s03e06 Episode Script
Baggage
1
Previously on "Bel-Air"
If you do cut ties with Erika's firm,
you're gonna need a big client
to fill that gap, you know?
Exactly.
This big development,
I checked it out.
And like you said,
it's got the potential
to bring in some serious money.
This project is gonna
get a lot messier
than a vandalised bulldozer.
I saw you kiss Jazz at Dad's party.
You know this has to stay between us.
Then tell your fiancé the truth.
You left us!
I was in the middle
of a fucking war, Pen!
Yeah, I know. I was
right there with you, remember?
And Roman said he was gonna
take care of you.
Well, he couldn't really
do that from his prison cell,
could he?
All of a sudden,
I just feel, you know, like
if I don't get out of there,
I'm gonna lose control.
You can't take on anybody
else's problems, Carlton,
your parents' or Amira's.
I want to know everything.
Your father was a half-assed dreamer.
He created mess, and I cleaned it up.
Lou's not trustworthy. Listen to me.
He's a con man who was
convicted of robbing an old man
he said owed him money.
Look, I don't know your situation.
But the fact that your
old man is still out there
means it ain't never too late.
No one's family is perfect, I guess.
You either try to make it better,
or you live with it the way it is.
[BELL BIV DEVOE'S "POISON"]
Come on ♪
- BOTH: It's driving me ♪
- Out of my mind ♪
Hit it, Ma. Vocals. Come on.
That's why it's hard
for me to find ♪
BOTH: Can't get it out of my head ♪
- Miss her ♪
- Kiss her ♪
Love her, whoo ♪
- BOTH: That girl is ♪
- Poison ♪
Whoo! That girl poison.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I never trust
a big butt and a smile ♪
You know what?
[LAUGHTER]
Glad to have you back in LA, Ma.
Yeah, I had my vacation days banked.
- Mm-hmm.
- I never missed a summer
with my baby.
♪
Poison ♪
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Oh, God, Will and Vy are
supposed to be here any minute.
I'm sorry about all this.
Things have been heating up
with the Campbell Square project.
Should we let Geoffrey handle it?
All the protests
have been pretty peaceful.
All?
Small pockets all over the city.
I don't want to escalate anything.
[SIGHS]
When I got your text,
"I need you in LA,"
I, you know, got a little worried.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah, what's going on?
Protect our community!
Right now!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Right now!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Hey, Ma, roll your window up.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tell Banks to stop!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Leave our homes and businesses alone!
- Right now!
- Well
welcome back to Bel-Air, Ma.
[EASY MCCOY'S "DEJA VU"]
Oh, yeah ♪
♪
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah ♪
♪
You know, one minute, I was working,
handing out cold towels.
And then the next, I just freaked out
and had to run out of there.
Damn, that's really scary, babe.
Yeah, but I had a really, really good
conversation with Spencer.
And he said that I just need
to stay in tune
with my emotions day-to-day
and we can stop this
from happening, so
OK. [CHUCKLES]
He he also said that,
you know, right now is just
a really vulnerable time
and I might be leaning
into things that feel great
but might not be that great for me.
Oh.
Like, do you think
that I'm a distraction?
I mean I mean, I get it.
The last thing that I want to do
is get in the way of things.
I just want you to be OK.
I really care about you,
Carlton, so
whatever you need,
you just tell me, OK?
You're amazing. You know that?
Doesn't sound like Spencer thinks so.
He doesn't know
how good we are together.
Nobody gets us but us.
You know, I wish I could
come over and lay next to you
right now.
Mm, how would you make me feel better?
OK, lay down.
Close your eyes. Just listen.
You move like water ♪
So what's the plan here, exactly?
Do you really think these threats
are just gonna disappear?
I'm handling it.
I need to be cautious.
Cautious, hmm?
Is that the new Geoffrey?
[SIGHS]
I lost you and Frederick
because of an impulsive decision.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
I don't plan on making
the same mistake again.
♪
There is one man who could help.
Roman.
♪
Can we trust him?
If not him, who?
♪
Look, I can't believe we sold
out of our hoodies that quick.
We have orders coming in from
Sao Paulo, Cape Town, London.
- Yo, all thanks to Pony Rich.
- Yeah!
We're really worldwide.
- [PHONE DINGS]
- Oh, shit.
Oh, hold on.
I thought you were taking
a step back from Amira.
- Yeah, no, I was wrong.
- Mm-hmm.
Look, she gets what I'm going through,
and that's what I need right now.
Right, sounds like
someone's nose is wide open.
- [LAUGHS]
- Bro, chill out.
We're literally going
to an NA meeting later.
OK.
You know, speaking of that, like,
how how do those meetings go?
Like, you just sit around
and talk in a circle?
Like, how do you know what to say?
Are you thinking
about going to therapy?
BOTH: We ready!
Whoo-whoo!
- Oh!
- Yo!
OK, I see you!
Wait, wait, wait, let me get video.
With the bucket hat? Yeah.
OK, to help us unveiling
our brand-new merch
Introducing the two
most important women of Blackccess
BOTH: Our mamas!
Hey! [LAUGHTER]
Give a little something.
Give a little something.
- Strut.
- Walk that walk.
Hey, baby!
- OK, wait. Come here.
- Look at this.
- Come here.
- Y'all look great.
BOTH: Blackccess!
Hey, look, we're really about
this entrepreneurship life, right?
We ain't new to this. We true to this.
Well, we new to this too.
You get what I'm saying, man.
We really about that Blackccess life.
I got this.
Hello, gentlemen.
I need to talk to you.
Let's finish this up
at the office, boys.
- Thank you.
- All right, Phil.
Cutting ties? Seriously, Phil?
I think you know why.
OK, yes, our personal drama
got in the way.
But that's no reason to
Hey, it's reason enough for me.
Look, I'll finish out the work
with the clients we already share.
See, that's the thing, Phil.
There is no finishing out the work.
What are you talking about?
If you walk away,
all your current clients
come back in-house to us,
effective immediately.
[SCOFFS]
So this is how you want to play it.
I'm just telling you
how it's gonna go.
Mm.
Put our shit aside, OK?
You need our business.
And staking your entire firm's
future on Omar Campbell?
It's a huge mistake.
These protests, they're getting
a lot of bad press.
Well
as per my letter,
my law firm's no longer your concern.
[SIGHS]
[TENSE MUSIC]
Good luck, Phil.
♪
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hello, Carlton.
- It's been a minute.
- Good to be back.
And how have you been, Miss Amira?
Apparently I've been too much.
Isn't that what you told Carlton?
Amira
If you have a problem with me,
I'd rather you say it to my
face and not to my boyfriend's.
- ¿Me entiendes o no?
- I'm not about to get
into a back-and-forth with a teenager.
Oh, OK.
Look, this really isn't
that big of a deal.
But it is.
I am sick of people
feeling like they have
something to say
about our relationship
like they know us.
I do know you.
You know what?
Maybe it's time that we find
a different meeting.
[SIGHS] As long
as you're doing what's best
for your sobriety, do you, boo.
Both of you.
Hey, what the hell was that?
I'm sticking up for us.
By attacking Spencer?
He's been in my corner
this whole time.
Yeah, your corner, Carlton.
I need somebody to be in mine.
[SIGHS]
I am.
Are you sure?
Because your parents
don't even like me.
Have you even tried
talking to them again?
Yeah, yeah, of course.
They want you to come over
for dinner tomorrow night.
Really?
Yeah.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
OK, thank you.
[SIGHS]
♪
OK, come on. Let's go.
Oh, hey Jonathan.
- Hey.
- How are you?
Trying to get you
to my point of view ♪
You'll appreciate me when I'm done ♪
Infinity Song.
- Mm, Black folk music.
- Mm-hmm.
- Love 'em.
- Tank and the Bangas, though!
Oh, my gosh, Tarriona
is a poet and songwriter.
- I mean, that's me all day.
- Mm-hmm.
And their songs talk
about real things.
See, that's what's so cool
about music, you know?
It just connects us.
We been on different pages ♪
So what do you like
to write about in your music?
My life.
Got bullied a lot in middle school.
Dang, that sucks.
Yeah.
How'd you handle it?
Wrote a song about it,
then took jiujitsu
and started, you know
[CLICKS TONGUE] Kicking some ass!
- [CLICKING TONGUE]
- [LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS] You feel me?
[BOTH LAUGH]
Mom, this is Eli.
- Nice to meet you, Eli.
- What's up?
I've heard a lot about you.
You too, Mrs. Banks.
Thanks for having me.
Hey, Ash, can I talk
to you for a second?
♪
Eli seems nice.
But you know there's no boys
allowed in the room.
Mom, Eli's nonbinary.
And he uses he/they pronouns.
They're not just a boy.
Well, OK, just keep the door open, OK?
OK.
I don't need you making no excuse ♪
What's your ETA,
I'm coming through ♪
Trying to get you
to my point of view ♪
Did we have to spend
two hours in Simply Wholesome?
Yeah, well, we could have spent more
if you weren't rushing me.
Ooh, I got my chaga mushroom tea.
I got my sea moss tablets
and my chlorophyll.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Since when are you so healthy?
Now, look, I'm trying to live
to be 100, baby, come on.
- I hear you.
- [BOTH LAUGH]
You know, it's wild, you know?
We've been hanging out all day.
We still haven't talked about the fact
that Lou's out here.
Well, that's on purpose, you know?
I didn't want to put
a storm cloud over our trip.
What you doing over there?
Oh, don't worry, you gon' see.
I wanted to show you something
from this box Lou gave me.
[CLEARS THROAT]
This is the first time
I've seen all of us together.
You know, it's wild,
thinking that there was a time
when we were this happy.
[CHUCKLES]
Short as it was, yes.
Look, Mom,
you know, the reason
I called you out here wasn't
just because I missed you.
I mean, obviously I miss you. But
What do you need, baby?
No, look, I was thinking,
you know, since you're out here
and Lou's out here
[SIGHS]
You know, I feel like it would
it would be good if we all
sat down and talked.
Oh, no, uh-uh. No!
What, the three of us?
- Yeah.
- Why?
To answer some questions,
fill in the gaps?
Look, Ma, I know
I know it's a lot for you.
But but I feel like
it could be good for us.
Good?
Nothing good ever comes from that man.
Ma, I know you see it
that way, but you just
Listen, you don't remember
when we were together.
But I do.
I'm not interested
in a reunion with Lou Smith,
not now or ever.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[CHUCKLES] I'm supposed to be
on a no-alcohol detox.
This boy got me out here drinking.
Mm, and and this
all came from Will?
Mm-hmm, yeah, he's got these big ideas
of some sort of a family
reunion in his head.
Can I tell you
it's not the worst idea?
Of course you would say that.
What's that supposed to mean?
Your parenting style,
it's a little soft.
And I think you made it
too easy for Will
to walk away from the one
dream he's worked
so hard for his whole life.
Basketball?
That was his choice to leave behind.
He's a teenager.
What he wants changes with the wind.
Look, Blackccess,
it seems like a fun thing
to do for the summer,
but is it gon' pay for college?
'Cause, see, that was the plan.
My only intention
was to do right by Will.
So what went wrong?
Lou went wrong.
Look, I know his name is a dirty word.
But a lot of Will's
bad feelings around basketball
started when he learned how
important it was to his father.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
He's just working through
so much in his head right now
that even I don't understand.
Well, at least
he's trying to talk about it.
Raising our boys to have
vulnerability like that
is hard.
Yeah, especially our Black boys.
And it's on us to listen.
♪
But that's coming
from the soft parent.
So I don't know
what I'm talking about.
[LAUGHS]
♪
- Penelope.
- Mm-hmm.
Wow.
Never thought
I'd hear that name again.
I know how much she means to you.
Yeah, well, that was a long time ago.
She has Roman's number.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
That a good idea?
Already called him.
He owes me.
Well, you'll finally have
some answers.
Mm.
Until then,
work is a good distraction.
♪
Omar has a list of properties
in South LA that he's looking to buy,
wants the firm to start putting
together some purchase offers.
♪
Charlie's Vinyl, Jazz's place.
Anything we can do?
Just keep our one big client happy.
[SIGHS]
♪
[SIGHS]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
♪
[MUSIC STOPS]
Just came by to say hey to Aunt Vy.
Thought I would drop in.
Cool.
What you doing, making beats?
Don't tell me you're gon' be
the next Missy Elliott.
[CHUCKLES]
Might be.
Can I see what you're working on?
"Sista, sista, not seeing eye to eye.
"Sista, sista, got me losing my mind.
"Sista, sista,
can you please tell me why
we're close but so far
at the same time?"
At least you ain't call me a bitch.
Well, I'm not done yet.
[CHUCKLES]
[SCOFFS]
Look, just so you know,
before everything
happened to LaMarcus,
I was going to tell him the truth.
I'm just glad he's OK.
I love him, Ash.
I really do.
[SIGHS]
And I kind of need you to be on board
because
I want you to be my maid of honour.
Me?
- What?
- Yeah!
I mean, who else is gonna hold
my feet to the fire like you?
- I would love that!
- Aw.
OK, good!
OK, so wait, what is the tea I hear
about you being caught
up here with a boy?
What?
No, Mom's literally overreacting.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Hey, Mom, you got a minute?
Of course. [SIGHS]
What's going on?
[SIGHS]
So I really appreciate the freedom
that you have given me with Amira.
Mm-hmm.
But I was hoping that you and Dad
might make a bit of an effort
to get to know her better.
Of course.
I mean, after Vy leaves town
and the protests die down,
then maybe we could find some time
Well, good, because I
invited her to dinner tonight,
and she's so excited to be here.
Tonight.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
That should be fine.
[SIGHS]
- Aw!
- [LAUGHS]
Mm!
OK, well, I'll let you get back to,
you know, the yoga
and the namaste of it all.
[MELLOW R&B MUSIC]
♪
Summer, late-night drives
when I'm with you ♪
I fell in love real quick,
maybe it's true ♪
[BELL RINGS]
Mr. Banks, what's up?
Hey, what's up, Jazz?
You know.
All right, Stetsasonic.
First hip-hop group
to perform with a live band.
That's right.
There'd be no Roots without 'em.
Damn right. [CHUCKLES]
♪
So how can I help you?
Well, I wish it was
to just buy music, but
I represent Omar Campbell's
legal interests, and
and he he wants to buy Charlie's.
Well, I can make it very easy.
It's not for sale.
Oh, so did you come up with enough
to pay those back taxes?
I'm losing sleep over it every night.
[SIGHS]
Well, the offer
is not unreasonable.
- Damn.
- And you won't get anything
if this place lands
on the auction block
in a few weeks.
So is this Omar or you speaking?
[SIGHS] Look, I know
I know how hard you've been
hustling to stay afloat.
But you're out of time, Jazz.
So what, you want me to give up?
With this cash, you could rebuild,
start over, no more scraping by.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Look, take the money,
and get some sleep.
♪
Now, that's a friend speaking.
♪
I thought about what you said, and
I'll sit down with Lou.
- Yeah?
- But on my terms.
I don't want to bring that man's drama
into this house again.
Pick a neutral place.
I got you.
I'm only doing this because I love you
and I want you to feel supported.
I appreciate that.
But I swear, Will,
if he raises his voice
or if he says something sideways
Ma, I promise,
it's gonna be fine.
♪
Thank you.
♪
All right, so
which one says,
can we all just get along?
- Hmm?
- I'd go with the neutral tone.
It's very MLK 1963.
- OK.
- [LAUGHS]
[SIGHS]
So how you feeling about dinner
with Amira and your parents?
Well, the future of our relationship
hinges on how well it goes, so
terrified. [CHUCKLES]
What about you, man? How you feeling?
I mean, it's been 13 years
since I've been
in the same room
with both my parents, so
terrified.
You know, it's not
too late for us to just
jump out a window and run.
[CHUCKLES]
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHS]
Good luck, bro.
♪
Fortune favours the brave.
♪
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Hey, just checking in.
What up, Unc?
♪
I'm very impressed with you, Will,
the way you're taking the lead,
trying to bring your family together.
I mean, seeing how you all
work stuff out,
you and Aunt Viv, helping out Carlton,
I guess I'm just trying to see
if my family can do the same.
[SIGHS]
Well, I know it isn't easy.
But what's on
the other side is worth it.
You got this, nephew.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
♪
[LOUNGE MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
♪
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Wagwan, Geoffrey.
Wagwan, Roman.
It's been a long time.
♪
[SIGHS]
So is this normal for her?
No, it it's not.
She she's always really on time.
Hmm.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Let's just eat
before the food gets cold.
OK.
♪
[LOUNGE MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
We really appreciate you
coming all the way from London.
Good to see you again, Penny.
♪
Before we get down to it,
there's something I need to say.
I failed you all those
years ago, Geoffrey.
You trusted me
to look after your family,
and I let you down.
♪
Pen told me you got arrested
in Custom House.
Laundering.
Came out to a changed world.
All the mandem scattered,
organisation in shambles.
Look, Roman, what I did
Why don't we just let
the past stay in the past,
if that's all right?
Never one to beat around the bush.
♪
Your son
Leave him out of this.
Going into the care system,
getting adopted by a different family,
probably the only thing
that kept him hidden.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Until I made contact.
Penelope's recent contact with him
also didn't go unnoticed.
♪
Family compromises us.
♪
Now your whereabouts are known,
they want to offer you terms.
[SUCKS TEETH]
Wha di rass.
So you're here to present their terms.
You took out the head
of the organisation.
There was always gonna be a price.
That's on you.
Listen, brethren,
you must be fucking mad
if you think you can
come in here and threaten me.
♪
Careful with your tone, bwoi.
I'm not a bwoi anymore,
you understand?
♪
Hey.
♪
What are these terms?
♪
The organisation has taken some hits.
Not as strong as they once were.
They want you back.
You pay your debts
by serving your time.
And if I don't?
♪
Then your son pays
the price for your sins.
♪
Next meeting isn't happening
for another couple hours,
so space is yours.
Happy to do a solid for Carlton.
Yeah, good looking out, bro.
[CHUCKLES]
Thank you.
Well, if we're lucky,
maybe he won't show.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
I heard you giving fades now.
Hmm.
It's better than catching them.
God's plan.
And was it his plan to have you
in the same city as your son
and never mention it?
- [SIGHS]
- God, there she goes.
Always on my back
like the damn rent is due.
You know what? This is why
I didn't even want to do this.
Ma, Ma, Ma!
See, this is what I'm saying.
There's just so much anger between us.
Maybe that's how it's always gonna be.
I guess I was just hoping for one day
where we could sit down
and just have a conversation,
no drama.
Sorry, baby.
Sorry.
You're in the driver's seat now.
OK.
[SIGHS]
Look, Lou,
last time I saw you,
you laughed at me for saying
I wanted more for my life.
And I'm not gonna lie,
that pissed me off.
Did you mess your life up so bad
that you can't even root for mine?
Nah.
I want everything for you, son.
It's just hard 'cause
when I look at your life,
it's like looking
at myself in the mirror.
[SIGHS]
No disrespect,
but you don't know me like that.
Well, maybe you don't
know me like that.
Then now's your chance to tell him.
[SIGHS]
I told you about my daddy
being locked up?
Yeah.
Well, he died behind bars.
A year later, my mama passed too.
Just like that [FINGERS SNAP]
Both parents gone.
[SIGHS]
Same age as you.
I didn't know that.
So I moved in with my grandparents.
New house, new life.
Sound familiar?
My granddaddy tried
to keep me straight.
But by junior year,
I just dropped out of school.
To do what?
Everything I have no business doing.
I mean, streets be a motherfucker.
But I ain't got to tell you that.
You was in them too.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
When I dropped out of high school,
I left basketball behind.
♪
That was the only good thing
in my life back then.
♪
Crazy how history repeats itself.
- [SIGHS]
- As a father,
there's so much I want to tell you.
But I guess I lost that right.
♪
And yeah, I get angry
because I see a son
making the same damn mistakes,
and there's nothing I can do about it.
♪
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Gee, so nice of you to show up.
[SIGHS]
Walking out of NA meetings,
pressing me
about getting to know my folks,
and then just not showing up?
If this is your idea
of fighting for us, then
You don't know how hard it is.
There is so much going on right now.
Everything OK?
Yes, yeah, it's fine, Mom.
- Everything
- I'm really sorry, Mrs. Banks.
I meant no disrespect.
Amira, are you OK?
Honestly, no.
Today is really hard.
It's the anniversary
of my sister's death.
- What? I I didn't know.
- Oh.
♪
I'm so sorry, Amira.
We were just really close,
and I miss her a lot.
And this time of year
is just really hard.
And I'm I'm sorry.
Hey, hey, hey, it's OK.
It's OK. It's OK.
[CRYING]
[SIGHS]
♪
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, man, you was a wild boy.
Don't give you no sugar.
You was backflipping
off of the furniture.
[LAUGHS]
Oh, man, after you were born, I
I slowed my life down, you know?
Yeah, I was living
for somebody else now.
Yeah, and after having you,
my life sped up.
I had to hustle.
Yeah, bills weren't
gon' pay for themselves.
Those Philly winters were no joke.
Hmm.
Yeah, we went five days
without heat once.
Yeah.
That was some tough times.
So what happened?
Like your mother said
[SIGHS]
Five days, no heat
Yeah, you were three.
And I told Lou, I'm not staying
in this damn ice box
with my baby one more night.
And as a man, I heard
the message loud and clear.
Handle your business, nigga.
And so I did.
That's when you robbed that guy?
Look, your your father,
he did some work for this man,
right, moving refrigerators.
And he promised to pay him,
but he never did.
Vy, it's it's all right.
We all we all know how it ended.
Now, I did not send your father
over there to rob this man.
But I was clear.
Get what you're owed.
Things went south so damn fast.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Look, I know I told you
that I was always
cleaning up your dad's messes.
But he wasn't the only one
to blame for that night.
And I regret how it ended
but never that I tried
to do right by my family.
♪
You know, my granddad used to say
♪
The ultimate measure of a man
♪
Is not where he stands in moments
of comfort and convenience
But where he stands
in times of controversy.
♪
I I saw that quote from Dr. King
in the box you gave me.
Huh.
♪
There you have it.
That's the story.
Yeah, that's all of it.
Hmm.
♪
I guess I just thought
you were locked up
because you was just
in them streets, hustlin',
and you didn't care about me.
But now that I see
that there's more to it
♪
It definitely helps.
♪
Thank you.
♪
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
♪
You're not seriously
considering going back?
If it's between me and Frederick,
it's not even a question.
♪
We both knew when I came here
that things could catch up with me.
♪
I mean, I can't be
hiding forever, can I?
I know.
Keeping everyone safe
my family, yours
that's the priority.
But then what?
- Mm.
- We all lose you?
I don't know any other way.
[SIGHS]
There's always another way, G.
Or maybe this is just how it ends.
♪
[RECORD CRACKLING]
[SOFT R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Ooh ♪
Cloudy days, sleepless night ♪
I lay awake tossing, wondering ♪
Yo, I appreciate you
pouring a little out with me.
Hmm, for Charlie's,
how could I say no?
♪
I remember the stories your
Uncle Charlie used to tell us,
how the Black Panthers
used to meet in the back room.
And after the riots,
the neighbourhood would gather
right here to talk recovery.
Yeah, and I can't survive
a couple of Starbucks
- and a Whole Foods opening.
- [CHUCKLES]
But you always stay hustling.
In high school,
you were selling those little
thumb drives with bootleg music.
[LAUGHS]
I can't believe
you remember that shit.
I think you still got
a little hustle left, Jazz.
You keeping this place open
means something more to this community
than you realise.
If you sell,
what hope do the rest have?
♪
[BOTH SIGH]
When you came into this world,
all I wanted was to protect you
from harm and disappointment
so you could fly.
You have.
But when I saw you with Lou today,
I was reminded how much he
in his own way
he just wanted to do the same.
So you think sitting down
was a good thing?
[SIGHS]
I mean, it was hard.
Yeah.
Mostly because I allowed my issues
with Lou to become yours.
And that's not fair,
not to you or him.
Now, you gon' always be my baby.
[SOFT MUSIC]
And no one should clip your wings,
especially not your own mother.
Mm.
And I never want to stand in the way
of anything you want, Will,
or don't want.
- [SIGHS]
- Mm.
And that includes a
relationship with your father.
♪
Thanks, Ma.
♪
You know, maybe we should have
more of these family sit-downs.
[CHUCKLES]
Yeah, yeah, maybe.
Maybe, like, once a year.
Maybe every two years.
[BOTH LAUGH]
- Love you, baby.
- Love you too.
♪
[SOFT MUSIC]
♪
How come you never told me?
I just didn't want our relationship
to be defined by my mess.
When you disappear like that
it drives me crazy.
How about this?
I
am sharing my location with you.
Now you'll always know where I am.
Cool.
You don't have to hide.
I want to love all of you.
Mess and all?
Especially the mess.
I love you too.
♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better, I gotta
do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
Said I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta pick up the pieces ♪
And master the puzzle upon us ♪
Look the man in the mirror
in the eye and be honest ♪
Slow down time, get back
in line with my chakras ♪
- They always haunt ♪
- Reach for the galaxy ♪
Leave stardust for thus after me ♪
Enter the void, fill in the cavity ♪
Risk the reward
if that's how it has to be ♪
I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta do everything in my power ♪
To try to do what God'd do ♪
Ride the tide, don't fight ♪
With the current that guided you ♪
Melt the ice round the furnace ♪
Burning inside of you ♪
I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta do better ♪
There's nothing they can do
that I can't do better ♪
Better yet,
there's nothing I can do ♪
That I can't do better ♪
What's this?
My counteroffer.
You said the firm is weakened.
This is how I pay my debt.
Not sure they'll go for this.
Then convince them
they don't have a choice.
♪
You owe me that much.
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Goodbye, Geoffrey.
I gotta do better,
I gotta, gotta do better ♪
I gotta do better, I gotta,
gotta do better ♪
Goodbye, Roman.
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
Dribble, dribble,
cross, cross, behind the back.
- [LAUGHS]
- Rake them!
[LAUGHS]
Thanks for coming through.
♪
Thank you for the talk.
They always haunt my dreams ♪
I did leave out one thing that I think
you should definitely know.
What's that?
I'm damn proud of you, boy.
[CHUCKLES]
My man. Now, come on.
You don't want this smoke.
You don't want this smoke.
Watch out, old man.
Watch out, old man!
I don't know if you heard,
but I make people
touch earth out here.
- Oh, that's a whole line.
- Don't play with it.
- Said that back in '92.
- You reach, I'll teach.
You got nothing.
Come on, don't talk.
Ah, that's my boy!
- Yo! [LAUGHS]
- Yes, boy. Yes, boy. Yes, boy.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Previously on "Bel-Air"
If you do cut ties with Erika's firm,
you're gonna need a big client
to fill that gap, you know?
Exactly.
This big development,
I checked it out.
And like you said,
it's got the potential
to bring in some serious money.
This project is gonna
get a lot messier
than a vandalised bulldozer.
I saw you kiss Jazz at Dad's party.
You know this has to stay between us.
Then tell your fiancé the truth.
You left us!
I was in the middle
of a fucking war, Pen!
Yeah, I know. I was
right there with you, remember?
And Roman said he was gonna
take care of you.
Well, he couldn't really
do that from his prison cell,
could he?
All of a sudden,
I just feel, you know, like
if I don't get out of there,
I'm gonna lose control.
You can't take on anybody
else's problems, Carlton,
your parents' or Amira's.
I want to know everything.
Your father was a half-assed dreamer.
He created mess, and I cleaned it up.
Lou's not trustworthy. Listen to me.
He's a con man who was
convicted of robbing an old man
he said owed him money.
Look, I don't know your situation.
But the fact that your
old man is still out there
means it ain't never too late.
No one's family is perfect, I guess.
You either try to make it better,
or you live with it the way it is.
[BELL BIV DEVOE'S "POISON"]
Come on ♪
- BOTH: It's driving me ♪
- Out of my mind ♪
Hit it, Ma. Vocals. Come on.
That's why it's hard
for me to find ♪
BOTH: Can't get it out of my head ♪
- Miss her ♪
- Kiss her ♪
Love her, whoo ♪
- BOTH: That girl is ♪
- Poison ♪
Whoo! That girl poison.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
I never trust
a big butt and a smile ♪
You know what?
[LAUGHTER]
Glad to have you back in LA, Ma.
Yeah, I had my vacation days banked.
- Mm-hmm.
- I never missed a summer
with my baby.
♪
Poison ♪
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Beat back the Campbell attack!
Right now!
Oh, God, Will and Vy are
supposed to be here any minute.
I'm sorry about all this.
Things have been heating up
with the Campbell Square project.
Should we let Geoffrey handle it?
All the protests
have been pretty peaceful.
All?
Small pockets all over the city.
I don't want to escalate anything.
[SIGHS]
When I got your text,
"I need you in LA,"
I, you know, got a little worried.
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah, what's going on?
Protect our community!
Right now!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Right now!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Hey, Ma, roll your window up.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Tell Banks to stop!
If you care, stop Campbell Square!
Leave our homes and businesses alone!
- Right now!
- Well
welcome back to Bel-Air, Ma.
[EASY MCCOY'S "DEJA VU"]
Oh, yeah ♪
♪
Oh, yeah, oh, yeah ♪
♪
You know, one minute, I was working,
handing out cold towels.
And then the next, I just freaked out
and had to run out of there.
Damn, that's really scary, babe.
Yeah, but I had a really, really good
conversation with Spencer.
And he said that I just need
to stay in tune
with my emotions day-to-day
and we can stop this
from happening, so
OK. [CHUCKLES]
He he also said that,
you know, right now is just
a really vulnerable time
and I might be leaning
into things that feel great
but might not be that great for me.
Oh.
Like, do you think
that I'm a distraction?
I mean I mean, I get it.
The last thing that I want to do
is get in the way of things.
I just want you to be OK.
I really care about you,
Carlton, so
whatever you need,
you just tell me, OK?
You're amazing. You know that?
Doesn't sound like Spencer thinks so.
He doesn't know
how good we are together.
Nobody gets us but us.
You know, I wish I could
come over and lay next to you
right now.
Mm, how would you make me feel better?
OK, lay down.
Close your eyes. Just listen.
You move like water ♪
So what's the plan here, exactly?
Do you really think these threats
are just gonna disappear?
I'm handling it.
I need to be cautious.
Cautious, hmm?
Is that the new Geoffrey?
[SIGHS]
I lost you and Frederick
because of an impulsive decision.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
I don't plan on making
the same mistake again.
♪
There is one man who could help.
Roman.
♪
Can we trust him?
If not him, who?
♪
Look, I can't believe we sold
out of our hoodies that quick.
We have orders coming in from
Sao Paulo, Cape Town, London.
- Yo, all thanks to Pony Rich.
- Yeah!
We're really worldwide.
- [PHONE DINGS]
- Oh, shit.
Oh, hold on.
I thought you were taking
a step back from Amira.
- Yeah, no, I was wrong.
- Mm-hmm.
Look, she gets what I'm going through,
and that's what I need right now.
Right, sounds like
someone's nose is wide open.
- [LAUGHS]
- Bro, chill out.
We're literally going
to an NA meeting later.
OK.
You know, speaking of that, like,
how how do those meetings go?
Like, you just sit around
and talk in a circle?
Like, how do you know what to say?
Are you thinking
about going to therapy?
BOTH: We ready!
Whoo-whoo!
- Oh!
- Yo!
OK, I see you!
Wait, wait, wait, let me get video.
With the bucket hat? Yeah.
OK, to help us unveiling
our brand-new merch
Introducing the two
most important women of Blackccess
BOTH: Our mamas!
Hey! [LAUGHTER]
Give a little something.
Give a little something.
- Strut.
- Walk that walk.
Hey, baby!
- OK, wait. Come here.
- Look at this.
- Come here.
- Y'all look great.
BOTH: Blackccess!
Hey, look, we're really about
this entrepreneurship life, right?
We ain't new to this. We true to this.
Well, we new to this too.
You get what I'm saying, man.
We really about that Blackccess life.
I got this.
Hello, gentlemen.
I need to talk to you.
Let's finish this up
at the office, boys.
- Thank you.
- All right, Phil.
Cutting ties? Seriously, Phil?
I think you know why.
OK, yes, our personal drama
got in the way.
But that's no reason to
Hey, it's reason enough for me.
Look, I'll finish out the work
with the clients we already share.
See, that's the thing, Phil.
There is no finishing out the work.
What are you talking about?
If you walk away,
all your current clients
come back in-house to us,
effective immediately.
[SCOFFS]
So this is how you want to play it.
I'm just telling you
how it's gonna go.
Mm.
Put our shit aside, OK?
You need our business.
And staking your entire firm's
future on Omar Campbell?
It's a huge mistake.
These protests, they're getting
a lot of bad press.
Well
as per my letter,
my law firm's no longer your concern.
[SIGHS]
[TENSE MUSIC]
Good luck, Phil.
♪
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
Hello, Carlton.
- It's been a minute.
- Good to be back.
And how have you been, Miss Amira?
Apparently I've been too much.
Isn't that what you told Carlton?
Amira
If you have a problem with me,
I'd rather you say it to my
face and not to my boyfriend's.
- ¿Me entiendes o no?
- I'm not about to get
into a back-and-forth with a teenager.
Oh, OK.
Look, this really isn't
that big of a deal.
But it is.
I am sick of people
feeling like they have
something to say
about our relationship
like they know us.
I do know you.
You know what?
Maybe it's time that we find
a different meeting.
[SIGHS] As long
as you're doing what's best
for your sobriety, do you, boo.
Both of you.
Hey, what the hell was that?
I'm sticking up for us.
By attacking Spencer?
He's been in my corner
this whole time.
Yeah, your corner, Carlton.
I need somebody to be in mine.
[SIGHS]
I am.
Are you sure?
Because your parents
don't even like me.
Have you even tried
talking to them again?
Yeah, yeah, of course.
They want you to come over
for dinner tomorrow night.
Really?
Yeah.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
OK, thank you.
[SIGHS]
♪
OK, come on. Let's go.
Oh, hey Jonathan.
- Hey.
- How are you?
Trying to get you
to my point of view ♪
You'll appreciate me when I'm done ♪
Infinity Song.
- Mm, Black folk music.
- Mm-hmm.
- Love 'em.
- Tank and the Bangas, though!
Oh, my gosh, Tarriona
is a poet and songwriter.
- I mean, that's me all day.
- Mm-hmm.
And their songs talk
about real things.
See, that's what's so cool
about music, you know?
It just connects us.
We been on different pages ♪
So what do you like
to write about in your music?
My life.
Got bullied a lot in middle school.
Dang, that sucks.
Yeah.
How'd you handle it?
Wrote a song about it,
then took jiujitsu
and started, you know
[CLICKS TONGUE] Kicking some ass!
- [CLICKING TONGUE]
- [LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS] You feel me?
[BOTH LAUGH]
Mom, this is Eli.
- Nice to meet you, Eli.
- What's up?
I've heard a lot about you.
You too, Mrs. Banks.
Thanks for having me.
Hey, Ash, can I talk
to you for a second?
♪
Eli seems nice.
But you know there's no boys
allowed in the room.
Mom, Eli's nonbinary.
And he uses he/they pronouns.
They're not just a boy.
Well, OK, just keep the door open, OK?
OK.
I don't need you making no excuse ♪
What's your ETA,
I'm coming through ♪
Trying to get you
to my point of view ♪
Did we have to spend
two hours in Simply Wholesome?
Yeah, well, we could have spent more
if you weren't rushing me.
Ooh, I got my chaga mushroom tea.
I got my sea moss tablets
and my chlorophyll.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Since when are you so healthy?
Now, look, I'm trying to live
to be 100, baby, come on.
- I hear you.
- [BOTH LAUGH]
You know, it's wild, you know?
We've been hanging out all day.
We still haven't talked about the fact
that Lou's out here.
Well, that's on purpose, you know?
I didn't want to put
a storm cloud over our trip.
What you doing over there?
Oh, don't worry, you gon' see.
I wanted to show you something
from this box Lou gave me.
[CLEARS THROAT]
This is the first time
I've seen all of us together.
You know, it's wild,
thinking that there was a time
when we were this happy.
[CHUCKLES]
Short as it was, yes.
Look, Mom,
you know, the reason
I called you out here wasn't
just because I missed you.
I mean, obviously I miss you. But
What do you need, baby?
No, look, I was thinking,
you know, since you're out here
and Lou's out here
[SIGHS]
You know, I feel like it would
it would be good if we all
sat down and talked.
Oh, no, uh-uh. No!
What, the three of us?
- Yeah.
- Why?
To answer some questions,
fill in the gaps?
Look, Ma, I know
I know it's a lot for you.
But but I feel like
it could be good for us.
Good?
Nothing good ever comes from that man.
Ma, I know you see it
that way, but you just
Listen, you don't remember
when we were together.
But I do.
I'm not interested
in a reunion with Lou Smith,
not now or ever.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[CHUCKLES] I'm supposed to be
on a no-alcohol detox.
This boy got me out here drinking.
Mm, and and this
all came from Will?
Mm-hmm, yeah, he's got these big ideas
of some sort of a family
reunion in his head.
Can I tell you
it's not the worst idea?
Of course you would say that.
What's that supposed to mean?
Your parenting style,
it's a little soft.
And I think you made it
too easy for Will
to walk away from the one
dream he's worked
so hard for his whole life.
Basketball?
That was his choice to leave behind.
He's a teenager.
What he wants changes with the wind.
Look, Blackccess,
it seems like a fun thing
to do for the summer,
but is it gon' pay for college?
'Cause, see, that was the plan.
My only intention
was to do right by Will.
So what went wrong?
Lou went wrong.
Look, I know his name is a dirty word.
But a lot of Will's
bad feelings around basketball
started when he learned how
important it was to his father.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
[SIGHS]
He's just working through
so much in his head right now
that even I don't understand.
Well, at least
he's trying to talk about it.
Raising our boys to have
vulnerability like that
is hard.
Yeah, especially our Black boys.
And it's on us to listen.
♪
But that's coming
from the soft parent.
So I don't know
what I'm talking about.
[LAUGHS]
♪
- Penelope.
- Mm-hmm.
Wow.
Never thought
I'd hear that name again.
I know how much she means to you.
Yeah, well, that was a long time ago.
She has Roman's number.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
That a good idea?
Already called him.
He owes me.
Well, you'll finally have
some answers.
Mm.
Until then,
work is a good distraction.
♪
Omar has a list of properties
in South LA that he's looking to buy,
wants the firm to start putting
together some purchase offers.
♪
Charlie's Vinyl, Jazz's place.
Anything we can do?
Just keep our one big client happy.
[SIGHS]
♪
[SIGHS]
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
♪
[MUSIC STOPS]
Just came by to say hey to Aunt Vy.
Thought I would drop in.
Cool.
What you doing, making beats?
Don't tell me you're gon' be
the next Missy Elliott.
[CHUCKLES]
Might be.
Can I see what you're working on?
"Sista, sista, not seeing eye to eye.
"Sista, sista, got me losing my mind.
"Sista, sista,
can you please tell me why
we're close but so far
at the same time?"
At least you ain't call me a bitch.
Well, I'm not done yet.
[CHUCKLES]
[SCOFFS]
Look, just so you know,
before everything
happened to LaMarcus,
I was going to tell him the truth.
I'm just glad he's OK.
I love him, Ash.
I really do.
[SIGHS]
And I kind of need you to be on board
because
I want you to be my maid of honour.
Me?
- What?
- Yeah!
I mean, who else is gonna hold
my feet to the fire like you?
- I would love that!
- Aw.
OK, good!
OK, so wait, what is the tea I hear
about you being caught
up here with a boy?
What?
No, Mom's literally overreacting.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
Hey, Mom, you got a minute?
Of course. [SIGHS]
What's going on?
[SIGHS]
So I really appreciate the freedom
that you have given me with Amira.
Mm-hmm.
But I was hoping that you and Dad
might make a bit of an effort
to get to know her better.
Of course.
I mean, after Vy leaves town
and the protests die down,
then maybe we could find some time
Well, good, because I
invited her to dinner tonight,
and she's so excited to be here.
Tonight.
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
That should be fine.
[SIGHS]
- Aw!
- [LAUGHS]
Mm!
OK, well, I'll let you get back to,
you know, the yoga
and the namaste of it all.
[MELLOW R&B MUSIC]
♪
Summer, late-night drives
when I'm with you ♪
I fell in love real quick,
maybe it's true ♪
[BELL RINGS]
Mr. Banks, what's up?
Hey, what's up, Jazz?
You know.
All right, Stetsasonic.
First hip-hop group
to perform with a live band.
That's right.
There'd be no Roots without 'em.
Damn right. [CHUCKLES]
♪
So how can I help you?
Well, I wish it was
to just buy music, but
I represent Omar Campbell's
legal interests, and
and he he wants to buy Charlie's.
Well, I can make it very easy.
It's not for sale.
Oh, so did you come up with enough
to pay those back taxes?
I'm losing sleep over it every night.
[SIGHS]
Well, the offer
is not unreasonable.
- Damn.
- And you won't get anything
if this place lands
on the auction block
in a few weeks.
So is this Omar or you speaking?
[SIGHS] Look, I know
I know how hard you've been
hustling to stay afloat.
But you're out of time, Jazz.
So what, you want me to give up?
With this cash, you could rebuild,
start over, no more scraping by.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Look, take the money,
and get some sleep.
♪
Now, that's a friend speaking.
♪
I thought about what you said, and
I'll sit down with Lou.
- Yeah?
- But on my terms.
I don't want to bring that man's drama
into this house again.
Pick a neutral place.
I got you.
I'm only doing this because I love you
and I want you to feel supported.
I appreciate that.
But I swear, Will,
if he raises his voice
or if he says something sideways
Ma, I promise,
it's gonna be fine.
♪
Thank you.
♪
All right, so
which one says,
can we all just get along?
- Hmm?
- I'd go with the neutral tone.
It's very MLK 1963.
- OK.
- [LAUGHS]
[SIGHS]
So how you feeling about dinner
with Amira and your parents?
Well, the future of our relationship
hinges on how well it goes, so
terrified. [CHUCKLES]
What about you, man? How you feeling?
I mean, it's been 13 years
since I've been
in the same room
with both my parents, so
terrified.
You know, it's not
too late for us to just
jump out a window and run.
[CHUCKLES]
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHS]
Good luck, bro.
♪
Fortune favours the brave.
♪
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Hey, just checking in.
What up, Unc?
♪
I'm very impressed with you, Will,
the way you're taking the lead,
trying to bring your family together.
I mean, seeing how you all
work stuff out,
you and Aunt Viv, helping out Carlton,
I guess I'm just trying to see
if my family can do the same.
[SIGHS]
Well, I know it isn't easy.
But what's on
the other side is worth it.
You got this, nephew.
[LIGHT MUSIC]
♪
[LOUNGE MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
♪
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Wagwan, Geoffrey.
Wagwan, Roman.
It's been a long time.
♪
[SIGHS]
So is this normal for her?
No, it it's not.
She she's always really on time.
Hmm.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Let's just eat
before the food gets cold.
OK.
♪
[LOUNGE MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
We really appreciate you
coming all the way from London.
Good to see you again, Penny.
♪
Before we get down to it,
there's something I need to say.
I failed you all those
years ago, Geoffrey.
You trusted me
to look after your family,
and I let you down.
♪
Pen told me you got arrested
in Custom House.
Laundering.
Came out to a changed world.
All the mandem scattered,
organisation in shambles.
Look, Roman, what I did
Why don't we just let
the past stay in the past,
if that's all right?
Never one to beat around the bush.
♪
Your son
Leave him out of this.
Going into the care system,
getting adopted by a different family,
probably the only thing
that kept him hidden.
[TENSE MUSIC]
Until I made contact.
Penelope's recent contact with him
also didn't go unnoticed.
♪
Family compromises us.
♪
Now your whereabouts are known,
they want to offer you terms.
[SUCKS TEETH]
Wha di rass.
So you're here to present their terms.
You took out the head
of the organisation.
There was always gonna be a price.
That's on you.
Listen, brethren,
you must be fucking mad
if you think you can
come in here and threaten me.
♪
Careful with your tone, bwoi.
I'm not a bwoi anymore,
you understand?
♪
Hey.
♪
What are these terms?
♪
The organisation has taken some hits.
Not as strong as they once were.
They want you back.
You pay your debts
by serving your time.
And if I don't?
♪
Then your son pays
the price for your sins.
♪
Next meeting isn't happening
for another couple hours,
so space is yours.
Happy to do a solid for Carlton.
Yeah, good looking out, bro.
[CHUCKLES]
Thank you.
Well, if we're lucky,
maybe he won't show.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
I heard you giving fades now.
Hmm.
It's better than catching them.
God's plan.
And was it his plan to have you
in the same city as your son
and never mention it?
- [SIGHS]
- God, there she goes.
Always on my back
like the damn rent is due.
You know what? This is why
I didn't even want to do this.
Ma, Ma, Ma!
See, this is what I'm saying.
There's just so much anger between us.
Maybe that's how it's always gonna be.
I guess I was just hoping for one day
where we could sit down
and just have a conversation,
no drama.
Sorry, baby.
Sorry.
You're in the driver's seat now.
OK.
[SIGHS]
Look, Lou,
last time I saw you,
you laughed at me for saying
I wanted more for my life.
And I'm not gonna lie,
that pissed me off.
Did you mess your life up so bad
that you can't even root for mine?
Nah.
I want everything for you, son.
It's just hard 'cause
when I look at your life,
it's like looking
at myself in the mirror.
[SIGHS]
No disrespect,
but you don't know me like that.
Well, maybe you don't
know me like that.
Then now's your chance to tell him.
[SIGHS]
I told you about my daddy
being locked up?
Yeah.
Well, he died behind bars.
A year later, my mama passed too.
Just like that [FINGERS SNAP]
Both parents gone.
[SIGHS]
Same age as you.
I didn't know that.
So I moved in with my grandparents.
New house, new life.
Sound familiar?
My granddaddy tried
to keep me straight.
But by junior year,
I just dropped out of school.
To do what?
Everything I have no business doing.
I mean, streets be a motherfucker.
But I ain't got to tell you that.
You was in them too.
[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
When I dropped out of high school,
I left basketball behind.
♪
That was the only good thing
in my life back then.
♪
Crazy how history repeats itself.
- [SIGHS]
- As a father,
there's so much I want to tell you.
But I guess I lost that right.
♪
And yeah, I get angry
because I see a son
making the same damn mistakes,
and there's nothing I can do about it.
♪
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Gee, so nice of you to show up.
[SIGHS]
Walking out of NA meetings,
pressing me
about getting to know my folks,
and then just not showing up?
If this is your idea
of fighting for us, then
You don't know how hard it is.
There is so much going on right now.
Everything OK?
Yes, yeah, it's fine, Mom.
- Everything
- I'm really sorry, Mrs. Banks.
I meant no disrespect.
Amira, are you OK?
Honestly, no.
Today is really hard.
It's the anniversary
of my sister's death.
- What? I I didn't know.
- Oh.
♪
I'm so sorry, Amira.
We were just really close,
and I miss her a lot.
And this time of year
is just really hard.
And I'm I'm sorry.
Hey, hey, hey, it's OK.
It's OK. It's OK.
[CRYING]
[SIGHS]
♪
[LAUGHTER]
Yeah, man, you was a wild boy.
Don't give you no sugar.
You was backflipping
off of the furniture.
[LAUGHS]
Oh, man, after you were born, I
I slowed my life down, you know?
Yeah, I was living
for somebody else now.
Yeah, and after having you,
my life sped up.
I had to hustle.
Yeah, bills weren't
gon' pay for themselves.
Those Philly winters were no joke.
Hmm.
Yeah, we went five days
without heat once.
Yeah.
That was some tough times.
So what happened?
Like your mother said
[SIGHS]
Five days, no heat
Yeah, you were three.
And I told Lou, I'm not staying
in this damn ice box
with my baby one more night.
And as a man, I heard
the message loud and clear.
Handle your business, nigga.
And so I did.
That's when you robbed that guy?
Look, your your father,
he did some work for this man,
right, moving refrigerators.
And he promised to pay him,
but he never did.
Vy, it's it's all right.
We all we all know how it ended.
Now, I did not send your father
over there to rob this man.
But I was clear.
Get what you're owed.
Things went south so damn fast.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
Look, I know I told you
that I was always
cleaning up your dad's messes.
But he wasn't the only one
to blame for that night.
And I regret how it ended
but never that I tried
to do right by my family.
♪
You know, my granddad used to say
♪
The ultimate measure of a man
♪
Is not where he stands in moments
of comfort and convenience
But where he stands
in times of controversy.
♪
I I saw that quote from Dr. King
in the box you gave me.
Huh.
♪
There you have it.
That's the story.
Yeah, that's all of it.
Hmm.
♪
I guess I just thought
you were locked up
because you was just
in them streets, hustlin',
and you didn't care about me.
But now that I see
that there's more to it
♪
It definitely helps.
♪
Thank you.
♪
[R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
♪
You're not seriously
considering going back?
If it's between me and Frederick,
it's not even a question.
♪
We both knew when I came here
that things could catch up with me.
♪
I mean, I can't be
hiding forever, can I?
I know.
Keeping everyone safe
my family, yours
that's the priority.
But then what?
- Mm.
- We all lose you?
I don't know any other way.
[SIGHS]
There's always another way, G.
Or maybe this is just how it ends.
♪
[RECORD CRACKLING]
[SOFT R&B MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Ooh ♪
Cloudy days, sleepless night ♪
I lay awake tossing, wondering ♪
Yo, I appreciate you
pouring a little out with me.
Hmm, for Charlie's,
how could I say no?
♪
I remember the stories your
Uncle Charlie used to tell us,
how the Black Panthers
used to meet in the back room.
And after the riots,
the neighbourhood would gather
right here to talk recovery.
Yeah, and I can't survive
a couple of Starbucks
- and a Whole Foods opening.
- [CHUCKLES]
But you always stay hustling.
In high school,
you were selling those little
thumb drives with bootleg music.
[LAUGHS]
I can't believe
you remember that shit.
I think you still got
a little hustle left, Jazz.
You keeping this place open
means something more to this community
than you realise.
If you sell,
what hope do the rest have?
♪
[BOTH SIGH]
When you came into this world,
all I wanted was to protect you
from harm and disappointment
so you could fly.
You have.
But when I saw you with Lou today,
I was reminded how much he
in his own way
he just wanted to do the same.
So you think sitting down
was a good thing?
[SIGHS]
I mean, it was hard.
Yeah.
Mostly because I allowed my issues
with Lou to become yours.
And that's not fair,
not to you or him.
Now, you gon' always be my baby.
[SOFT MUSIC]
And no one should clip your wings,
especially not your own mother.
Mm.
And I never want to stand in the way
of anything you want, Will,
or don't want.
- [SIGHS]
- Mm.
And that includes a
relationship with your father.
♪
Thanks, Ma.
♪
You know, maybe we should have
more of these family sit-downs.
[CHUCKLES]
Yeah, yeah, maybe.
Maybe, like, once a year.
Maybe every two years.
[BOTH LAUGH]
- Love you, baby.
- Love you too.
♪
[SOFT MUSIC]
♪
How come you never told me?
I just didn't want our relationship
to be defined by my mess.
When you disappear like that
it drives me crazy.
How about this?
I
am sharing my location with you.
Now you'll always know where I am.
Cool.
You don't have to hide.
I want to love all of you.
Mess and all?
Especially the mess.
I love you too.
♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better, I gotta
do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
Said I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta pick up the pieces ♪
And master the puzzle upon us ♪
Look the man in the mirror
in the eye and be honest ♪
Slow down time, get back
in line with my chakras ♪
- They always haunt ♪
- Reach for the galaxy ♪
Leave stardust for thus after me ♪
Enter the void, fill in the cavity ♪
Risk the reward
if that's how it has to be ♪
I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta do everything in my power ♪
To try to do what God'd do ♪
Ride the tide, don't fight ♪
With the current that guided you ♪
Melt the ice round the furnace ♪
Burning inside of you ♪
I gotta do better,
I gotta do better ♪
I gotta do better ♪
There's nothing they can do
that I can't do better ♪
Better yet,
there's nothing I can do ♪
That I can't do better ♪
What's this?
My counteroffer.
You said the firm is weakened.
This is how I pay my debt.
Not sure they'll go for this.
Then convince them
they don't have a choice.
♪
You owe me that much.
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Goodbye, Geoffrey.
I gotta do better,
I gotta, gotta do better ♪
I gotta do better, I gotta,
gotta do better ♪
Goodbye, Roman.
They always haunt my dreams ♪
Gotta do better,
I gotta do better, I gotta ♪
Gotta do better,
gotta do better today ♪
Gotta do better
before it's too late ♪
They always haunt my dreams ♪
The green twins with your eyes ♪
Dribble, dribble,
cross, cross, behind the back.
- [LAUGHS]
- Rake them!
[LAUGHS]
Thanks for coming through.
♪
Thank you for the talk.
They always haunt my dreams ♪
I did leave out one thing that I think
you should definitely know.
What's that?
I'm damn proud of you, boy.
[CHUCKLES]
My man. Now, come on.
You don't want this smoke.
You don't want this smoke.
Watch out, old man.
Watch out, old man!
I don't know if you heard,
but I make people
touch earth out here.
- Oh, that's a whole line.
- Don't play with it.
- Said that back in '92.
- You reach, I'll teach.
You got nothing.
Come on, don't talk.
Ah, that's my boy!
- Yo! [LAUGHS]
- Yes, boy. Yes, boy. Yes, boy.
[BOTH LAUGH]