The Get Down (2016) s01e11 Episode Script

Only from Exile Can We Come Home

1 Rock steady Rock steady, baby It's a funky and lowdown feeling In the hips from left to right Yo are you singing? - Pfft.
No, man.
I ain't singing.
- Nigga, you was just singing.
You find something melodic about this situation? No, man.
The whole thing's off-key to me.
Speakers sound good, though.
Was anybody talking to you? - Just an observation.
- An observation.
All right.
I got one singer and one observer, but what I don't got is a motherfucking Shaolin! Yo, check this out, though.
- Don't these speakers look familiar? - Motherfucker.
The Adventures of the Get Down Brothers, the final chapter.
The galaxy was windy that night but Ra's third eye was wide open.
Gentlemen, 57 times have I seen the greatest dramatic work of the 20th century.
I'm talking about Star Wars.
If you wanna get out of this contract and free Shaolin from Darth Annie and protect the get down from her novelty record death laser, we are gonna need a rebel alliance.
The three kings: Flash, Bam and Herc.
All DJs.
And Annie wanna replace the DJ.
So, all three kingdoms gotta come together and show Annie - This ain't a novelty.
- It's a nation.
It's graffiti, and dance, and beats and rhymes.
And requires a DJ.
Shaolin Fan-Faggot! Started from the gutter I gotta get it however Got to admit I was out of my mind This is a letter to my band of brothers My hand to God, it was hard We used to stand together We put impossible plans together Plottin' with my partners Like some little mobsters More like some ill superheroes Straight out the comics New York's finest Superb illustration Enemies, we eliminatin' It takes a steady hand to draw out What we was livin' What's facts, what's fiction I'm a truth, I surpass suspicion My DJ was a dominant figure I was a soldier He was the leader, the inventor The project kids Try to get away from doin' bids They try to take our heads off Shoot us in the wigs Murder, pulling out burners They trying to off us Crossed up Chased by gangsters and real bosses Throw records as weapons Ain't got no talent for violence The streets teach lessons We try to find our balance Man, I wish Dizz was with us.
The alien wasn't with his brothers but I was proud of them.
Tanya.
Selling their cleverness, buying bewilderment.
I thought I was never gonna see you again.
Easing on down the road and unfolding their own myth.
Because only from exile can we come home.
I'm recasting, Roy.
You convinced me to dump Misty.
Now I'm bloody well fucked for a leading lady, - and Solar Wind starts shooting - I know, Stiggy.
- I know.
- Don't tell me this crap about she's gonna bounce back.
Her father blew his brains out, for chrissake, so stop wasting my time or I'll place one phone call and have your bleeding brains blown out! You hear me, you ignorant fuckface?! - Stiggy, Stiggy, relax.
Please.
- Who the fuck am I gonna get to play Starlet O'Hustle on such short notice? You have fucked me, Roy! You've fucked me! - Now I'm - We're gonna get her in the movie.
- I promise.
- I don't care if it's Mylene or the Queen of Sheba! I need a star! I need a star now! Or I'll bury you, you arsehead! Get her in my office today, Shane.
It's the third kingdom.
Welcome to Little Vietnam, y'all.
Come in peace or leave in pieces! Yo, we really safe out here? Z-U-L-U! That's the way to say Zulu! Z-U-L-U! That's the way to say Zulu! - What's the name of this nation? - Zulu! Zulu! - And who's gonna get on down? - Bambaataa! Bambaataa! The nation of Zulu is no gang.
It is an organization of individuals in search of success, peace, knowledge, wisdom, understanding and the righteous way of life.
Negative actions are for the unrighteous.
Mind fucking blown, right? Yeah, it's all good.
- Where Afrika Bambaataa at though? - Digging for rare symphonic treasures.
Zulu Skulls brought him a shipment of new crates, a few from Manhattan and one all the way from Connecticut.
Come on.
He's been expecting you.
A band? Yeah.
With guitars, and drums and everything.
- She says she don't need no DJ.
- No DJ.
The beats that make up the get down come from all nationalities, all races, from all over this planet.
The get down ain't got no prejudice.
If the ingredients is right, it don't matter where it come from.
The DJ conducts an orchestra of interplanetary, international, universal human soul.
You understand me, young brothers? How in the hell a little four-piece band gonna replace all that? Annie says she gonna simplify it.
We're asking for your help, Mr.
Bambaataa.
Not for our sake, for the sake of the get down galaxy.
Do you have a plan in mind? - Any chance you seen Star Wars? - No, but I heard it was good.
Well, in the movie, there's a band of ancient warriors called Jedi.
There's this thing called the Force.
You mean the unstoppable flowing energy field of truth? Carrying all human and extraterrestrial kind to their one true destiny, which is unity.
- That Force? - Unity.
Yes.
The way I see it, every DJ, every MC - and every B-boy and B-girl - Mm.
we're all Jedis.
And the music? It's our Force.
It unites us.
We wanna summon every Jedi from every corner in every kingdom in the galaxy.
Zulu's Warriors, Flash's Caesars, Herc's Heavies and every B-boy and B-girl.
And together, we'll have a show.
A big drug-free show.
And when Annie shows: Boom! We ambush her, tell her not only is the Get Down Brothers not gonna make your record, the Bronx ain't gonna make your record.
Our music is ours.
Fuck your contract.
If you don't release us, you're gonna get fucked up by the greatest Jedis the Bronx has known.
And I mean fucked up.
The Zulus will offer you sanctuary and records.
And if you can create the unity of which you speak, then we, too, will join your rebel alliance.
Get down.
Hey, Ma.
- Got somebody here wanna see you.
- Yeah? - Well, it's about time already.
- Feeling any better, Ma? Stop with the bullshit.
Where the fuck is Shaolin? - I ain't found him yet, but - You said somebody here wants to see me.
I do.
See for yourself.
What the fuck is this? That there's a fine pedigree feline, Ma.
A Persian.
And dig, she only eat special food that come in cans from Manhattan.
I sent Slim out to pick up a case or two.
I told you to go get Shaolin and bring his ass back here - and don't come back without him.
- Don't worry about it, Ma.
I got my people on it.
Yeah, except for Slim, who's out buying damn cat food and you sitting here sucking up my air instead of being on the streets looking for my Shaolin! I don't know what you see in that boy, Ma.
And quite frankly, this obsession you got with him, it ain't healthy.
- I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that.
- Just it's bad for business.
Him and his little ashy niggas not making this novelty record, that's bad for business.
Find his little runner, Boo-Boo.
Go on.
Get Slim.
Take some leg-breakers with you.
Make some goddamn noise, raise a motherfucking ruckus! But bring Shaolin here.
Or else I'll take this kitty and shove it so far up your ass you'll be burping fur, nigga.
You understanding me? Yes, Mama.
Consider it done.
Yeah? Well, fuck you, too.
In my room, staying up late And I'm planning my escape Because I know I can't stay In my veins got the feeling Like there must be something more Never been so sure All night and day I dream of a place - Somewhere far, far away - Shh.
I know, I know.
Beyond the crowds and city lights Out of the darkness we could shine I'll see you on the other side - Adiós.
- Bye, Luis.
De nada.
Bambaataa, check.
Tomorrow, Flash and Herc.
- What about finding Dizzee? - I told you, he with that longhaired, pretty white boy, Thor.
- Pretty? - You ever looked in his eyes? All right, look, we gonna hit pause on this Dizzee thing.
Once the kings is with us then we'll all go looking for Dizzee, cool? - Yeah.
- Yep.
Now, what are we gonna do about the music? 'Cause I thought, what if we ask our rivals to rock with us? - Zulu Queens, Notorious Three? - Man, I'm fixing to throw up.
That's what Bam means when he says "no prejudice.
" The Black Panthers, Young Lords, Elijah Muhammad, Christianity or aliens.
The Zulus find the truth in any ideology, like the DJ finds the truth in any record.
Rival or not, everybody got a little truth inside, - and y'all need all the truth you can get.
- Thank you, my Nubian princess.
She's smart as hell, Ra.
I like her.
You got a sister? I got a friend.
- She cute? - She cute and she rocks the mic.
- Hey, Zulu Queen, I'm down.
- More hard news - for the Cruz family in the South Bronx.
- Hey, yo, Zeke! - Oh, shit.
- Pastor Ramon Cruz, father of rising Bronx superstar Mylene Cruz, was laid to rest this morning after shooting himself in the family church.
- Hey, Zeke.
- Shit.
This is crazy.
Cadillac is looking to kill you.
I gotta go.
I'll be back.
I gotta see Mylene.
long a pillar of his community is now under a borough-wide arson scandal.
Though investigators stress no evidence of a connection, the timing of the warrant has raised eyebrows.
As for Mylene, radio stations were overwhelmed today with callers expressing their condolences and love.
A world of love for Me and you So, I can Yo, Caddy, you sure now's the right time to be bringing this girl flowers, man? Yeah, let me school you young 'uns.
See, I've got a label, but Mylene is on a bigger one.
Now, if I push up too hard, she'll back off.
All right? We know this.
But if I show up with a boatload of her favorite flowers that her mom said were her favorite, then what? She knows I'm thinking about her.
I'm caring about her.
I'm loving her Ain't we supposed to be looking for Shaolin? I see, y'all think this is a joke.
But if anyone knows where that little faggot and his friends is hiding, it's Mylene.
That's three birds with one stone, you dig? I know we said no goodbyes but, um, I just wanted to drop off something for you before I go.
El diablo laughs.
Yet it is I who will save Mylene and I who shall save my brother Francisco who helped the barrios torch their own buildings to buy up their desperate wasteland.
Okay, then give it to me and go, 'cause, you know, you gotta go.
- What's this? - For you and Mylene.
Tell her I'm sorry, huh? - I can't take it.
I can't accept this.
- Yes, you can.
- You're gonna need it where you're going.
- No, I'm not.
I'm gonna be fine.
Instead of uplifting his people, my brother has destroyed them.
Just as my wife destroyed me.
What I feel for you, Lydee What I feel for you, that ain't never changed.
Since the first day we met.
And yet I stand before you, Jehovah, and I say forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Okay.
Now go.
And be careful.
I'm gonna see you again.
Yeah, I know.
Ti amo.
And I know now, dear Lord, that you made me strong that I may bear their burden and pay their penance.
Thanks be to God! A smart nigga will shut the fuck up and learn himself something now.
Puffy-haired motherfucker couldn't stay away from my future wife for ten minutes.
Shit, I know that for goddamn sure.
Zeke.
Mylene, I came as soon as I heard.
Zeke, where have you been? - It's okay.
- I needed you.
- It's okay.
- Tio, and Mami and Papi they lied to me.
It's them.
It's them.
Uh-huh, un secondito.
Ya voy.
Good evening, Mrs.
Cruz.
- I'd like to offer my condolences.
- Thank you.
- Is that? - That's very kind of you.
- Is Mylene at home? - She's resting.
- I brought her roses.
- They're beautiful.
- Wait.
- What? Thank you.
I'll let her know that you came.
Any chance that friend of ours been by? - Ezekiel Figuero? - Come on.
No.
No, I don't know where he is.
Just go with it, man.
Run, motherfucker! - Why is he after you? - I'll explain later.
- What? - Come on.
Here.
In here.
Come in.
- Is he coming? - Do you see him? Oh, shit.
Motherfucking steps! I'm closed here, papo.
Can we use the bathroom? Oh, man.
I gotta clean out back.
- Closed in 15.
- You go that way.
Oh, my God.
Gracias.
Are we gonna be okay? Yeah.
Yeah.
But there's something I gotta do first.
These dreams are amazing And I need your hand to hold So I'm not alone A show? Come on, Zeke.
I got money, we got each other.
Let's get out of here.
Fuck the Bronx.
- God, fuck the Bronx, let's go.
- Hey.
And we will.
We gonna cross that East River together, Mylene, I promise.
After I do the show, I'm gonna come find you at Jackie's.
- What if he's mad at me? - Jackie loves you, Mylene.
Everything's gonna be okay.
You're okay.
You're okay.
You safe, okay? Okay.
I just need two days.
Mylene, you my queen, you my butterscotch queen.
And I'm gonna see you on the other side.
- Zeke, are you sure you won't come? - I need two days! I promise! Then we'll be free! I'm packing my bags I'm gonna leave it I love you, Mylene! All behind I wanna open up my eyes I'll see you on the other side Mr.
Cruz, please step down from the car.
Take a look out there, fellas.
Tell me what you see.
Mr.
Cruz, you have the right to remain silent.
'Cause I see something beautiful.
Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.
And I got a lot to say.
You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.
I wanna open up my eyes Jackie.
Come on.
Open up.
- Oh Mylene.
- Thank you.
Oh, yeah, yeah, of course.
I'll see you on the other side Mylene, it's all right.
She probably don't wanna be found.
Roy's gonna flip.
For real.
And there was this tape Like, next to his body was this tape recorder and a microphone and shit.
It was fucking weird.
You mean like a suicide letter or something? - Yeah.
- That was the last time you saw her, huh? Honestly, I think she blames herself.
- Well, shit.
- Hey.
Can't find her? What do you mean, Shane? Gotta get to Stigwood tomorrow.
I'm gonna stall, play for time, but you get her! Roy, I'm working with her girlfriend, Regina.
We're gonna find her.
Just give me a day.
Jett Blueshift I finally see that Disco Jesus And George Washington And the Galactic Rebellion is where My heart must be Can't you see Roy, you can't just show up at my casting call.
You're making a mistake, Stiggy.
We're recasting, Roy.
No buts.
Come on, Stiggy.
Have a heart.
She's a young girl.
She's hungry.
Shane's talking to her.
We're recasting.
She's in no state to star in Gone With the Solar Wind.
Come on, Stig.
All I need is 24 hours.
It's sensitive.
The entire family's consumed with grief.
And cut.
Hello.
Where am I? Am I dead? No, you ain't dead, no, but you ain't in Kansas anymore.
Sweetheart, this is Jackie.
You're in my room.
You came here.
- You came here last night.
- I did? You were in a highly hysterical state, dear.
So, we medicated you.
Heavily.
- Oh.
- And you told us all your troubles.
- About your tio.
- Who's really your dad.
- And your poor papi.
- Who's really your tio.
And, girl, we're here to help.
No.
Even if Mylene did turn up to play my Starlet O'Hustle, I wouldn't let her because I need good PR, mate, not bloody suicides and funerals.
Good PR? Why didn't you say so? See you around, mate.
No, listen, listen.
Next week Disco Forum charity fundraiser.
Mylene performs.
We spin it like: "Young star set to carry big new Stigwood film rises from the ashes to sing in honor of her father who did so much for the community.
Proceeds go to suicide victims, the Bronx " - I'm crying as I'm saying it.
- Yeah, I am crying, too.
Yeah, but I've got this great tragic little ballad, "See You on the Other Side.
" It's It's fucking awesome! It's written by my favorite songwriter, Jackie Moreno.
This song, I'm telling you, it'll be to funerals what "Happy Birthday" is to birthdays.
Just give me 24 hours.
Give it a rest, Roy.
We're out of time and I'm very keen on this young lady here.
I hopped in my hover pod and flew home to tell you.
Oh, Jett Blueshift, my darling, my darling.
Twenty-four hours, you say? And you'll have your Starlet O'Hustle.
I'll be auditioning this singer, Jobriath, Roy.
Ring up as soon as you hear.
Now, we need a different get down part for each crew.
You need something special for your lady? How about this? - What? - Actually, forget that.
How about this? Maybe this could work.
How about this Meters joint for Grandmaster Caz? - It's silly fucking funky.
For real.
- Okay.
For Caz, Meters, - "Stretch Your Rubber Band.
" - What we really need is a secret weapon.
Something new, something revolutionary.
I gotta up my game.
Yo, Shao, think fast.
Boo I sent you to the store for crazy records, not some Super Sugar Crisp.
Tell me you didn't spend all that money on some motherfucking Super Sugar Crisp.
I most certainly did.
But it is a record! Look.
See? I got them all.
See? "Hide and Seek," "Sugar Sugar," "Archies Party," "Jingle Jangle.
" Let Yeah.
You just pop it out like this and put it on a turntable.
No prejudice.
Yo, Boo this cereal shit right here is heavy.
That's lots of fun - Whoo! - It's an old game With a brand-new twist Whoever gets caught Is gonna get kissed Uh-huh Yo, B, pass me that record.
Yeah.
To be young, gifted and black To be young, gifted and black Related to what And the Father, the Son And the Holy Ghost, too To be young, gifted and black To be young, gifted and black That's where it's at Related to what Related to what While Shao's digging, me, Ra and Boo hit the road, starting with Herc and working our way back.
If you spot Dizz writing on a wall or something, you'd better holler.
I created the original playlist.
I spun the original breaks.
"The Mexican.
" "Hot Pants," "Apache.
" Music controls the crowd, - I control the music.
- We know, Grandmaster.
One can't record spontaneous improvisational energy.
We built this music up from nothing.
Made names for ourselves by plugging homemade speakers into their lamp poles, giving free jams in the park and giving the B-boys a place to rock.
She wanna replace the DJ, Mr.
Frosty.
- Frosty Freeze, man.
- Frosty Freeze.
She kill the DJ, she kill the get down.
Without that, how y'all gonna rock? The crowd wants to go up, I take them up.
When they wanna come down, I let them.
We trade that energy back and forth, three, four, five hours sometimes.
The get down ain't some bubblegum radio pop tune.
It's a live art form.
Some gangster wanna take it out the parks and the clubs? And lock it up on some record? Some novelty record? That is blasphemy.
It's a drastic change in the culture, huh? That's right, Mr.
Herc.
Fuck that.
That's why we want every crew on-stage with us, including the Notorious Three.
You can count all my people in.
Right, y'all? The South Bronx is down.
Right, Caesars? You damn straight, Flash.
And we gonna put our differences aside.
And we will stop this together.
Chelsea Pier, huh? Hey, you - Hey, you - Hey, hey, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah You're losing, you're losing You're losing, you're losing - Your mind - Hey, hey, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah See, I like this green, but there's a green that I like even more.
Red devil avocado, where are you? I'm right here.
I'm painting.
And I want you to paint.
- But I don't want you to die.
- This about my Ed Koch idea? Dizz, I don't want you bombing no more.
Just 'cause you got unlucky one time? No way, bro.
And the dogs up there got Team.
The barb wire, the Magnum Force? It's like Nazis.
Believe me, I know how hard the Man's cracking down.
That's why we have to fight back.
Viva la revolución, remember? I remember.
My red devil avocado.
Let it groove you Till you're out of your mind My name is Jobriath Boone.
I am a Sagittarius, and I will be performing a selection from my 1974 audition for Dog Day Afternoon.
- Say "action," Robert.
- Sorry.
Um - Action.
- I'm a Catholic.
I don't wanna hurt anybody.
Scene.
Friends You guys are so sweet.
You are.
Thank you.
But you don't get it.
I lied to everyone, including you, Jackie.
You wrote me that song and I betrayed you when I did that slutty act at Ruby Con.
And I'm not even a real church girl.
I only pretended to love the church because they would let me sing.
I'm full of shit.
I'm no good.
And I got nothing now.
Nada.
Oh, excuse me.
I, uh I may not be, like, a smart guy, you know? Like, uh some people think I'm kind of dumb.
- Not dumb, slow.
- Okay, well, what I do know is this, okay? I know that you might not got the words to say, you know? You might not got nothing at all but you have a heart, you know? You have a heart that sings.
Let it sing for you, not for anyone else.
You know? Whoa.
Dee Dee, say that again.
What you just said.
Oh, um What was it? Fuck.
You said He said he may not have the words to say No.
No, no, no, Mylene.
- You What he just said, you sing that.
- Yeah, sing.
Come on, right now.
I may not have the words to say May have nothing at all But what I got is a heart - That's nice.
- What's it do? Sings meaning to it all Beautiful! What's next? A whisper in the dark Where I keep hearing my name A voice that finds me.
When I'm down And lifts me up again I love it.
You? Great.
Hold it.
You love it, too? We're all gonna die There you are.
Looks better now.
Let it move you and let it Groove you Till you're out of your mind Oh, great.
Hold it, hold it, hold it.
Ladies and drag queens.
- Oh - This is Mylene Cruz, declaring her state of independence.
- Let me get some bass, Dee Dee.
- Oh, right.
Mylene - take it from the top.
- Ah I may not have The words to say May have nothing at all But what I got Is a heart That sings meaning to it all A whisper in the dark where I Keep hearing my name A voice that finds me When I'm down And lifts me up again To all the ones I loved To all I needed To all I thought I knew The fighting we did No, time has no mercy Will strip you clean Let it come We're all gonna die So enjoy the ride Let it move you and let it Groove you Till you're out of your mind You asked me what I want I said one thing When the music plays Got my heart on a string No matter how wound up I might be The music Spins my heart around And leaves a melody Whoo-hoo! I hear it call and lift me up Ohh Hey It revs me up and turns me on Whoo-hoo! Underneath it all Ain't gotta wrestle with you I got a song, I can go on I'm here to tell it to you You're your own number one.
- Whoo! - Mylene! Ooh-ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh Ooh-ooh - Ooh-ooh, whoo! - I'm my number one Yes! Mylene! - Ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh - Till you're out of your mind I invented sounds for the culture.
I see paint for my vision.
I see lights in the darkness! Yes! New York is my canvas! Till you're out of your mind Put those fucking guns down! Attica! Attica! Pacino! Oh, for the love of Christ and maypoles and all the little pagan imps of German tree worship.
We learn to love Then learn it's complicated Dance, honey! No matter how much pain We can take Is it fear of being alone Or a habit we can't break? And now I'm here, here on my own And I just can't stop shaking Whoo-hoo-hoo! Animals! Animals! - Animals! - Wait, wait, wait.
Is this part of Dog Day Afternoon? No, it's from my bullshit life and this is me fucking angry as a bull and I hate them.
- Animals! - Wait.
- Animals! - Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
I think I know that voice.
Stigwood, you fool.
Solar Wind's garbage.
You need something artful and gritty and true! Brilliant! Bravissimo! What an epiphany! Oh, what a night! Look at you.
Oh, I love it.
I'm here to tell it to you I'm my number one I'm an alien in a top hat.
Weighing his heart! It's light as a feather! Now let it move you And let it groove you I'm an alien in a top hat! I'm your number one I love it! Aah! I am your humble servant.
No, Mr.
Stigwood.
You call me Stiggy! You call me Stiggy and I'll call you my liberator! Forget Solar Wind! We're gonna make the Rocky of musicals! Something real, set in the Bronx, about a girl who sings.
Because you are my Rocky! And we can use Jackie's band and he can compose a score and he can play Mickey the trainer! What do you say? I'm ready to die now! And to see my first opera! And let it move you And let it groove you Until you're out of your mind Let it come We're all gonna die So enjoy the ride Shao.
So, uh the fuck is going on here, man? Dizz.
You know there's a reason I go by Shaolin Fantastic, right? Because you're a superhero? Because people don't need to know everything about me.
Don't worry.
I got you, my alien brother.
Now let's get our Get Down Brothers! Shaolin's having a party? That boy is up to something.
- Clarence.
- Yes, Mama? Go and crash this party.
And bring your brother home.
No excuses.
Let's dance.
- Hey, he's here, man.
- Is Annie with him? No.
Just Caddy and his henchmen.
Time to school these motherfuckers.
Conduct, Grasshopper.
Control the crowd.
Move the crowd.
You have to learn how to see for yourself hear for yourself and think for yourself, and then judge for yourself.
Dear Mr.
Cadillac, from all of us party people in the place, you're about to witness something from the get down that you never seen before.
We about to reveal and drop a jewel and show why the DJ is king not no damn tool.
Now, let's rock y'all To the beat, y'all Let's rock, y'all To the beat, the beat Let's tell 'em through our oral history Passed down from Mozambique, y'all Let's rock, y'all, to the beat, y'all Let's rock, y'all To the beat, the beat Let's tell 'em Through our oral history About masters of ceremony Standin' on the street corner Talkin' jive Around a burnin' trash can Just slappin' five Everything we would say Would end with a rhyme So we memorized 'em And said ten at a time Then we noticed People started callin' us poets Poets? Three kings threw parties Everybody was goin' Hear these fools? Here's a story, a fantasy About a fly homeboy who came to me Once upon a time, light came from dark On the ocean the man came on his ark He wasn't Noah This before BC time He was the first MC And he came to rhyme He had a staff in his hand No magic wand He said his ancestors had passed it on You gotta use this tool To teach the fools There's 26 letters In the alphabet for you Got adjectives, nouns, verbs Bam spoke, we heard To build an army Knowledge is the word But there's people on welfare Home from 'Nam Junkies everywhere With holes in their arms Prostitution on a big-time high And it's crazy Young teenage girl She threw away her baby Everybody's unemployed Vacant buildings Slum lords don't care They making millions, so it's up to us To be the host with the most Politicians acting like It's all our fault So I speak at 100,000 volts Tell the news to the world The Bronx is no joke Puttin' art on the subway trains So names can be seen Through Brooklyn, Bronx And Harlem and Queens Hey! Hey! Hey, yo, Dizzee Why don't you tell Cadillac How you get up? If hardship got you down Get up That job you wanted shot you down Get up Labeled you a problem child Get up Tag your name, get up Bomb walls, get up I'm a frustrated artist, blow me Get up Michelangelo ain't got shit on me Get up In the house Butch, Kase and Dondi Get up Blade, Lee, Chain 3 and Comet, get up Phase 2 Get up Hey, you, get up Everything that we dreamed came true Get up Mitch and Noc 167, get up Iz the Wiz And it just gets better, get up Lady Pink, get up Stay High, get up Team and Tracy and 168 Get up The mayor considers me nobody Ed Koch'll know my name When the train rolls by him I see you B-boys and B-girls In the cypher It's time to burn our adversary And let 'em know You dare to turn against my brother? En garde! Shaolin Fantastic.
Come on! - Fearless warrior Frosty Freeze.
- Come on, Frosty.
Our DJ Shaolin Cuts as sharp as a knife If you dare challenge him He will chop off your lights You gonna take this shit, boss? Hey, yo, Mama's Boy Think a band can do this shit? Check out the melting pot of Musical madness cut up by your brother DJ Shaolin Fantastic Protégé of Grandmaster To be young, gifted and black To be young, gifted and black To be young, gifted and black To be young, gifted and black Hey, yo, tell your fat mother that Shaolin's the DJ that we call conductor 'Cause Shaolin Fantastic's A bad mother Whoa.
Hey! What the fuck, B? Come on! I can't move! - Look, he's behind you.
- What the hell? - Is he fucking nuts? - Who did that? Yo, where the exit? Shaolin Fan-Faggot! You think you're real slick.
You think I can't read between the lines.
You think you invented the metaphor.
But I can hear all of y'all loud and clear.
And what I hear sounds like one great big old "fuck your novelty record"! And Mama ain't gonna like that.
Now, I don't give a fuck about your little faggoty friends.
But you need to stop playing make-believe and come on home this instant.
Or all fondnesses aside, there's gonna be a lot of blood - and a lot of bodies.
- Disco Duck.
I say hold the fuck up before you get stuck up.
Before they back a truck up, before you run your luck up, hold the fuck up.
Because ain't nobody going back to Annie's table.
Or making no record.
What the fuck? This here is our liberty from your wack-ass label.
Have you lost your fucking mind? Annie ain't taking what we made just to get paid.
Say that shit again, I double-dare you.
Annie won't take what we made just to get paid.
Or what we made.
Or what we made.
Or what we made.
Or what we made.
Hmm You ain't got the balls to kill me.
And you can keep your fucking contract.
Oh, you thought we was done.
Grab him.
Hey, get your fucking hands off me! - Get - We ain't gonna kill you, Caddy.
But school ain't over, Mama's Boy.
It ain't all about the Get Down Brothers here tonight.
We got a lot of people we wanna bring to the stage because this here's about unity.
So, we want y'all to join in and make some noise for them.
Let's go! Grandmaster Caz And the Zulu Queens Onstage Come join us please! They held their own in a battle Gloriously We extend this invitation To Notorious Three Put those hands up! Put those hands up! Put those hands up! Put those hands up! - Put those hands up - Come on! Come on! Brothers and sisters Let's bury the hatchet, mobilize Stick together like magnets Kill the beef, it's suicide Disciples of the three kingdoms I really wanna see us unified Peace to the gods and earth Keepers of the knowledge Built the pyramids But sleep in the projects Names in graffiti on a obelisk Extend the olive branch Peace is the process Don't try to bypass it This culture is five-faceted Attend the school Go get you a diagnostic Writers get graphic, so bold and vivid On the train cars, tunnels and bridges B-boys and B-girls Uprock, spin on your back Freeze, burn your competition And don't stop - I'm the C-A-S-A, the N-O-V-A - Oh! The rest is F-L-Y You see, I go by the code Of the doctor of the mix And these reasons, I'll tell you why Ha, ha There's a time to break And a time to chill To act civilized and act real ill But whatever you do in your lifetime You never let an MC steal your rhyme Peace, love, unity Having fun's the thesis Come in peace Or leave the jam in pieces When you know better, then you do better Each one teach one, come together If you know better Then you gotta do better Each one teach one, come together When you know better Then you do better Each one teach one, come together If you know better Then you gotta do better Each one teach one, come together Kool Herc is the father He discovered the playlist That ultimately gave us the culture Came from Jamaica, home of the toast The sound clash And lit the spark In Grandmaster Flash Grandmaster Flash Invented the backspin Without his contribution We might not be rappin' Did it for love and never to cash in If you sell your soul to the devil once Your ass in Afrika Bambaataa Master of records and brought knowledge Which is last on the checklist Father of our Zulu Nation Gotta respect it Find what you love And then go and protect it When you know better, then you do better Each one teach one, come together If you know better Then you gotta do better Each one teach one, come together When you know better Then you do better Each one teach one, come together If you know better Then you gotta do better Each one teach one, come together Yah! Yeah! Yeah, boy! Yeah, boy! Bronx! Yeah! Bronx! Here.
Sign it.
- And leave in peace, my brother.
- You ain't my brother.
And you never will be.
Why? Your mom is fucking crazy.
You know the shit she done to me, man.
I know she did the same shit to you.
You saying we not brothers, but yes we are.
Don't hate me for that.
I'm just trying to live free.
Just like you.
When you know better, then you do better.
Each one teach one, come together.
We did it, man.
It's the motherfucking Bronx! Yeah, man! It's the boogie down motherfucking Bronx! We own this shit! Shaolin Fantastic.
- Get down! - Yeah! - Get down! - Get down! Get down! Get down! Get down! Get down! - Get down! - Get down! Yeah! Shaolin Fantastic! Yeah! Each one teach one, come together.
And for a moment, we had our kingdom just like Shao always said we would.
You know I've been building the Super High Voltage record label since I was like ten years old, right? Probably younger.
All my life I only ever wanted two things.
To dance.
You know send that positive message to all womankind, but - with a little subtext.
- What's the second thing, man? To go to space.
Be the first black man in space.
What? That's I'd dance all over that motherfucking moon.
I ain't going back in that house, man.
Not tonight, not ever.
I can't face her, and I don't wanna.
- Y'all own the place, man.
- I don't own shit.
Them kids back there, their music stinks, but they own it.
And I ain't never liked Shaolin Fan-Faggot but I respect his move.
Living for his art.
Telling his truth.
Yeah, well now it's time for me to tell my truth.
What you doing, man? Here.
I won't be needing this as the full-time president of Super High Voltage Records.
- Full-time, man? - That's right.
I'm cashing all out of my gangster and going all in on my label.
No more hedging life's bets.
Shit, I'll be 30 next week.
Good night, Caddy.
Mylene, Mylene.
If I'm a disco king would you be my disco queen? You tell Shane if he hasn't found Mylene by sundown, he's fucking fired.
- Mylene.
- Roy.
So, my darlings, are we all in agreement here? Absolutely, Stiggy, we cannot wait to start doing business - with you.
- No, not business, Roy.
Big business.
Always think big, matey.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to organize a chopper to take me and John to the airport.
A helicopter? Why not just take a cab? Travolta prefers choppers.
So do I.
Back in a minute.
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
This is all very tremendously exciting.
So, before Stigwood comes back in here, we have to be sure that we are conjoined at the hip on certain critical issues, starting with the Starship Twins banging out the rest of your tracks so we can get you in the studio to record "See You on the Other Side" as the first single off your full-fledged new Mylene Cruz record album.
- What do you think about that? - Roy, you forgot the Soul Madonnas.
- Who? - We're Mylene Cruz - and the Soul Madonnas.
- Yep.
What's the matter, you don't like us? Listen, why don't you take Veronica here down to the 21 Club, pick up some nice shrimp cocktails for yourself, okay? Two hundred enough? - Her name's Regina.
- Of course.
Yo, yo, give Roy the money back.
Are you crazy? Why? Because Roy is fired.
- What? - Ooh, ooh, ooh.
- Roy's fired? - That's right.
- I'm keeping this money.
- Hells yeah.
Jackie, I don't know if you're fucking around Don't look at me.
Okay? This is news to me.
Okay? I mean, I like it.
Roy, we can make Stigwood's new movie without you.
- Isn't that right, Jackie? - It's true.
It's true, Roy.
You know, me, the kid, Stiggy, we hit it off.
You know? We bonded.
- Call it kismet.
- You call it kismet, I'll call my lawyer.
Listen, Mylene, you signed a contract with me, an exclusive contract, and that contract says that I have creative control and final say on everything you sing or record for the next seven years.
I am from the Bronx.
My father is dead, my family is destroyed and I am still here.
You have no idea what I am capable of.
Jackie, girls, we're leaving.
Okay, okay, okay.
Wait, wait.
Wait.
Sit down.
I'm impressed.
Why don't you tell me what you want? From now on, you work for me, Roy.
Here.
I wrote it all down.
Fucking bullshit! This is fucking highway robbery! Are you fucking kidding me? - Let me tell you fucking - Travolta wants pizza.
Care to join? - Is everything copacetic here? - Fine, fine, beautiful.
Pizza, great.
Pizza.
Twenty four and a half percent, not a penny more.
Done.
Done.
We'll take it.
Fly, fly Watch me fly Fly, go - Float like a butterfly - Sting like a bee - Annie's hands can't hit - What her eyes can't see - Float like - A butterfly - Sting like - A bee - Annie's hands - Can't hit - What her eyes - Put it to my lips, yo.
Thank you.
Check out the new Sony boombox, motherfuckers.
- Oh, snap! - Sony's the best.
Oh, and I got a new Caz tape right here, yo.
I bought it with the advance we getting to play the Hotel Diplomat in Times Square this Friday night.
Manhattan? Did my man just say "Manhattan"? - Bigger than Yankee Stadium.
- Bigger than the Bronx.
Bigger than the whole world.
Inspector Moran! Open up! You ain't gotta bang on my fucking door like it's a drum, pig.
Miles Kipling, you are under arrest for distributing felony quantities of PCP.
And Shao, Mama says Tell my little Superman I know exactly where he keeps his kryptonite.
What'd you do, Shao? What the fuck did you do? Get in there.
Fuck this kung fu fucking bullshit.
Yo, Books.
- Yo, what the fuck is wrong with you? - Wrong with me? If you got something to say, don't be a bitch.
- Say it.
What? - All this motherfucking time.
You had Boo-Boo selling for you, you lied to my face! You lied to all of us.
He's a fucking kid.
He don't even know his multiplication tables.
- What was you thinking? - Ain't what you think.
It never is.
You got an excuse for everything.
- Believe what you want, but the truth - The truth? The truth is that kid was selling for you.
And you got him busted.
You gonna convince me that you a good dude? The same dude that brought a gun to the Ivy Club? The same dude who got us mixed up with Annie? I mean, I could go on and on.
Well, fuck you! Who the fuck do you think you are? You know what people say about you? That you're empty inside.
That no one ever gave a fuck about you so you don't have any idea how to look out for anybody but yourself.
What other people say or what you say? Oh, you wanna know what I say? Yeah, nigga, brother.
I say you fooled me, Shao.
- Get the fuck out of here.
- You got me living in this world believing in Grandmasters and Zulu Warriors and Hercules and kung fu.
It's all bullshit, man.
Like life's one of Dizzee's comics and they're our heroes.
They can't save us.
They can't protect us.
And outside the Bronx, it don't matter.
And it never will because it ain't real.
- It's fantasies! - It's real to me.
You don't even have a real name.
- I got a name.
- Yeah? What's your name? - Shaolin Fantastic.
- That ain't a name.
- You don't have the balls to tell me.
- I got some balls! - What's your name then? I did - My name's fuckin' Curtis! Curtis? Yeah, nigga, my name is fucking Curtis.
You know what, Curtis? Papa Fuerte, Mr.
Gunns, Mylene, they was all right about you.
They were right since jump street.
You ain't magic Shaolin Fantastic.
You broken Curtis.
Never ever should have trusted you.
Hey, hear me when I say this, all right? We're done.
"Done" done.
Don't come around me no more.
Hey, yo, before you go, man, check this shit out.
We fucking done, huh? We fucking done, huh? What happened to fucking family, Books, huh? What happened to fucking family? Look at you.
What's stopping me from fucking you up right now, huh? What's stopping me from fucking you up right now, Books? You fucking lucky.
All you do is put niggas on.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Please take me back.
Of course.
Well, well, well.
If it ain't my Mark Antony trying to play his Cleopatra for a fool.
Fuck you doing here, Annie? Unfinished business.
Well, I ain't sorry for what I done to you.
You looking for this? You wanna kill me kill me.
A mother doesn't kill her own.
That'd be unnatural.
However I will kill every member of your little music group if you don't go home with Mama right now.
Kill them.
- I don't give a fuck.
- Your problem, boy, is you do give a fuck.
You never should've let that Boo-Boo work with you.
You should've stood alone.
But you needed a friend, didn't you? I raised you ruthless, but you went out on your own and got soft, but that's okay.
Mama forgives you.
Now you coming with me? Or do I need to go on a murder spree? Starting with half-black, half rice-and-beans Ezekiel Figuero boyfriend of yours.
He's not my fucking boyfriend.
Mama misses you, baby but she ain't got all day.
Let's go.
Let's go home, Mama.
There's hope for you yet.
You're leaving your shopping bag.
What's in there? Something moving.
It ain't moving no more.
And that's how our adventures ended.
But the revolución's not over.
No.
Me and Thor still got one last train we gotta bomb so that the people who sleep in their beds will know about us.
The little army.
You cannot imagine what we'll become.
Mm, mm, mm.
Your politicians They all the same.
Dirty rats.
That came for you this morning.
What does it say? I I got in.
- Oh, my Lord.
- You got in! Zekey! Let me see this.
It says here they realized if they didn't reach out to you you could go the other way like Shaolin.
Yeah, Shao.
Hey, hey.
Don't take it like that.
This ain't no charity, boy.
Yale don't accept every Tom, Dick and Henry.
Now, that said - how in the hell they know about that boy? - I wrote about him in my essay.
You wrote about a drug dealer in your essay? And they took you? Oh, Zekey.
I do not understand white people.
Your mother would be so proud of you.
- I'm sorry.
I'm a mess.
- Nah, don't cry.
You're gonna make me cry.
- Hey.
I'm a guest of Mylene Cruz.
- There.
Hey, Mylene.
- Hey, Zeke.
- I got great news.
Yeah, I got news, too.
Um All right, come on, let's go eat.
I did like you said, I called the restaurant, made a reservation.
I'm not done recording yet.
- I'm sorry.
I feel awful.
- That's cool.
No, we can go eat after.
Uh, without a reservation, but Zeke, I'm going to California.
I know.
Tonight, on a private jet.
I just got off the phone with Stigwood.
- Oh.
- Come here.
Hey, uh, sorry, kids.
I need you back inside, Mylene.
Just give me a minute.
- Yeah, but Sure, but Mylene - Roy, I said give us a minute.
No problem.
So, I was talking to Yolanda and Regina.
And they said that maybe it's not fair for me to ask you to wait for me.
But you coming back, right? I think so.
Yes, eventually.
Then I'll wait for you.
- You will? - I'll always wait for you.
I've been waiting on you my whole life.
Even when we together, there's still a part of me waiting on you.
That's okay.
- It is? - You're worth the wait.
You're my butterscotch queen.
Okay.
Zeke, why are you so good to me? You know why.
For real, you're the best thing that ever happened to me, Mylene.
I love you.
I won't stop loving you.
I love you.
Forever.
Mylene we gotta do this.
I'd better You better.
Hey, kid, come on in.
Check this out.
Oh, Zeke, what was that good news that you wanted to tell me? Oh.
Not now.
Open it on the plane.
Okay.
In my room Stayin' up late And I'm planning my escape 'Cause I know I can't stay In my veins I got the feeling There must be something more Never been so sure All night and day I dream of a place Somewhere far, far away Beyond the crowds and city lights Out of the darkness, we could shine I'm packing my bags I'm gonna leave it all behind I wanna open up my eyes And see you on the other side Life is a test It'll break you or drive you Into the ground In the game of survival Take a look around in my town All the kings, the crowns The tools will provide you Find yourself in a strange place Where it's too late to about face - What the hell was that? - Oh, nothing.
- Didn't sound like nothing.
- It's just this This thing we do.
Did.
But usually to like a beat.
Far out, man.
- Go on.
- Whoa.
- Get in there.
- Record? - Me? - Yeah, yeah, it's like, uh poetry.
You're like Gil Scott-Heron or something.
Whatever you're doing, I dig it.
- Let's play around a little.
- In the booth? - Okay, yeah.
- Yeah.
Life is a test It'll break you or drive you Into the ground In the game of survival Take a look around in my town All the kings, the crowns The tools will provide you Find yourself in a strange place Where it's too late to about face When you going through emotions When you going through it With the ones you were close with We was street brothers riding the trains And the subway tunnels Are the veins and the body of the city Underground I remain Me and my brothers, we reign Who woulda knew our cold fate? Who woulda knew my soulmate Would have wings to fly Leaving me with heartache? And now she's the queen of the party And I knew one day I'd see her In the flesh or next life I'll meet her Till then, my sweetheart, I swear Nothing shall make me stop What happens when You was just laughing? When happens when a struggling artist Turns to a rich has-been? What did I miss? - My brother used to cut and mix, Shaolin - used to cut and mix Shaolin It's funny The money, the glamour, the glitz In the horizon, envious guys watchin' Suddenly my brothers and me Are divided Where am I headed to? It's about to be the '80s The master of ceremony Will miss his golden lady Hope she don't betray me - We both started off - We both started off with a wish Suddenly it turned to this Yeah, stardom is seductive Temporarily broken-hearted - But regardless - But regardless - I am stuck with hope - I am stuck with hope That I will see you in the future I know That we will be on top So, here we go No matter if I live or die Promise I'm 'a meet you on the other side Promise I'm 'a meet you on the other side Here it goes Get off of me! Thor! Oh, Jesus! Fucking come back! Get back here! Making moves Shout it from the rooftops I'm turning to you Yeah Somewhere far, far away Beyond the crowds and city lights Out of the darkness, we can shine Somewhere far, far away Beyond the crowds and city lights Out of the darkness, we could shine So, I'm packing my bags I'm gonna leave it all behind I wanna open up my eyes And see you on the other side I promise I'm 'a meet you On the other side See you on the other side
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