Wu-Tang: An American Saga (2019) s01e09 Episode Script
I Declare War
1 BOBBY: Mic check, one-two.
Mic check, one-two.
Yo, I can't even hear myself, man.
Yo, what the fuck? My name is Rakeem, not "Rakim"! GARY: Do you know what your name means? R is for rule.
To rule is in the nature of the black man.
Rules are given to those who are living a righteous way of life.
Once you gain knowledge, it's gon' wipe away that fear in you.
You want the Lessons? This shit is real.
DIVINE: I'm a really hard worker, okay? And I really need this job.
JANITOR: We keep a tight ship over here.
You gotta show up on time, do what you're told.
Always wear your uniform and keep it clean.
This sounds like a great opportunity.
- [ELECTRICITY SPARKING.]
- Oh, fuck.
This is where you should be putting your work into.
Ain't making no bread off no music, son.
Shit's just a hobby we picked up in the lobby, - you know what I mean? - We got a gang of MCs in here tonight from all over the island competing for $5,000, courtesy of my man Cressy.
You shoulda signed up.
Illest flows in Staten Island.
Yeah, that's what you think, son.
I'm not leaving us alone.
We'll look out for each other.
But it's different.
You men now.
You have to make something of yourself.
MONICA: You have style that's not like any other artist that we have on our roster, and I think that this video is gonna showcase that.
You're gonna love it, all right? - I promise.
- [BOTH LAUGHING.]
I see you got your groupies and shit, huh? SHA: Who the fuck what the fuck you just said, son? You heard what the fuck I said, bum-ass motherfucker.
What up? Jump, nigga.
You here all buddy-buddy with these Park Hill niggas like ain't shit happen.
Them niggas still gotta answer for what they did, Prince Rakeem.
[HEAVY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
You know what? I spoke to Monica and Tom at the label.
The single, it's not moving like they hoped it would.
There's not gonna be an album.
It's over.
They're dropping you.
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING.]
- [BUZZER BLARES.]
[SHOUTING CONTINUES.]
You're just a bitch! [METALLIC BANGING.]
[BUZZER BLARES.]
[DOOR CLANGS.]
[FUNKY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
[AIR RUSHING.]
[GATE SCRAPING, CLANGING.]
Yo, what up, Attila? [DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
Oh.
[METAL CREAKS.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
You actually got bigger in there.
- [ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
- [ENGINE RUMBLING.]
RAPPER OVER RADIO: Back it up, back it up Hey, yo, you're playing me close So back up off Hey, yo, you're playing me close They tore down the field.
Put in a new Blockbuster Video.
You see any good movies while you was in there? - DJ: New York's home for hip-hop and R&B.
- Cool, cool.
["I LOVE YOU RAKEEM" PLAYING.]
BOBBY: I got too many ladies Remember Divine? Diggs? This his little brother, go by Prince Rakeem.
Saw his video on The Box.
Kinda catchy.
- [DIAL CLICKS.]
- [MUSIC STOPS.]
Cool, cool.
Divine got locked up.
Yeah, man, fucked up the whole game in Stapleton.
[SCOFFS.]
Gotta go to Park Hill just to get decent shit.
Crazy.
[HEAVY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
You bring my shit? Cleaned it this morning.
Something wrong? The whole time I was locked up you didn't put a single cent on my commissary.
I thought me and you had an understanding.
Attila, we we do got a understanding.
I was [GROANS, STAMMERS.]
Oh, shit.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
PERSON: Oh, no, no! Attila! - PERSON: Attila's out! - PERSON: Attila is out! PERSON: Attila! [PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
PERSON: Shit! [HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
[MEN GRUNTING.]
[BLADE RESOUNDS.]
[GUN COCKS.]
[DICE THUD.]
[BLADE RESOUNDS.]
All right, well, let's get him down here as soon as we can.
I mean You know what'd be I'll call you back, all right? - It's the worst part of the job.
- BOBBY: [SIGHS.]
It's, uh it's show business, right? Not show friends.
- It wasn't my decision.
- I just don't understand, Monica.
I mean, I I did everything you guys asked me to do.
I revamped my image.
I did that poppy song, that cheesy music video.
Hell, I even wore that damn top hat.
Okay, our marketing strategy may have been a mistake.
I did things your way.
Now try mine.
- MONICA: The single didn't pop.
- Yo, fuck the single, Monica.
"I Love You Rakeem" was a test balloon.
It's a way for the label to justify making more songs.
I have other songs, better songs, I mean, shit you ain't even heard yet.
All right, look, between you and me, there's talk about a larger company acquiring us, and Tommy just he wants to change course, all right? So instead of pouring money into launching solo artists, they're looking to sign groups.
Well, that's good.
Yeah, that's that's good because I actually I have my own group.
All right? - Wu-Tang? - BOBBY: Wu-Tang Clan.
It's myself, my boys Dennis and Shotgun, and my cousin Ason.
Wait, isn't he a backup dancer? BOBBY: Yeah, but he raps too.
Yo, yo, maybe we even get my my boy Gary to sign on.
Yo, I'm sure that he'd love to hop on this with us, man.
- It's - MONICA: Gary is signed to another label, okay? That's just not how the system works.
Look [SIGHS.]
I know this is the end of the road for you here at Tommy Boy, but I am sure that Andre has a plan for you.
All right? Let me walk you out.
[LAUGHS RUEFULLY.]
[CLICKS TONGUE.]
Yeah.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
Fine.
[TAPES CLATTERING.]
DARIUS: That's the evil lady, right? DENNIS: Nah, man, that's bald-headed nigga's sister.
Hey, yo, pay attention.
Chou Fong-Wu, you're guilty of murdering your master.
He had no choice! DENNIS: Hey, yo, these two right here, they in love.
He's banging his best friend's sister? That's real fucked up.
No wonder why you love this flick so much.
Yo, shut up and watch the damn movie.
- YEN LAN: He didn't kill his master! - LEE: Who are you? - I'm Yen Lan of the Shaolin.
- The Shaolin? DENNIS: Shaolin and Wu-Tang got beef that goes back hundreds of years.
DARREN: Mm-mm.
Nah, bro, that's a wig.
- Who the fuck are they? - DENNIS: Qing soldiers.
DARIUS: Oh, she got fucked up.
Rewind that shit.
YEN LAN: Take care [WHIMPERING.]
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
Hey, yo, y'all think this shit is funny? Seconds ago, she was whupping that dude's ass.
Now she just dying in her man's arms.
Could you imagine losing someone like that? [BOTH LAUGHING.]
Boo-hoo-hoo.
Go cry to Shurrie.
- [LAUGHS.]
- [SCOFFS.]
Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothing to fuck with.
[LAUGHS.]
- [TAPE REWINDING.]
- [ARROWS WHIZZING.]
YEN LAN: Careful! [BOTH LAUGH.]
PHOTOGRAPHER: Higher.
Higher.
Too high.
[FLASHBULB POPPING.]
- And look at me.
- ANDRE: Yes, yes.
Very good, Gary.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Right there.
BOBBY: That wack-ass robe is still better than that fucking top hat y'all had me in.
- ANDRE: [LAUGHS.]
- PHOTOGRAPHER: Good.
Can't blame it all on the video.
Tommy Boy just wasn't the right fit.
[RAP MUSIC PLAYING.]
What about Def Jam? Maybe even Wild Pitch.
Uh, you don't fit there either.
All right, so what's the plan? ANDRE: [SCOFFS.]
You might wanna accept the fact that you're not gonna make it as a recording artist.
PHOTOGRAPHER: More.
Okay.
And if not as an artist, then maybe a producer? You know, I got I got a shitload of beats just sitting in my room right now.
You mean those dusty snare drums with Bruce Lee noises? - No.
- Yo, what the fuck, 'Dre? Yo, wrap that shit up.
So what are we gonna do? Look, I don't know what you're gonna do, but I gotta get back to work.
Hey, are you are you dropping me? Look, you had your shot.
You missed.
Did more than most other guys would have.
But now I gotta focus on my other clients like your cousin.
Okay, okay.
So it's it's like that.
Hey, I I still love you, Rakeem.
- [CLICKS TONGUE.]
- [SCOFFS.]
Hey, 'Dre.
We better settle up, then.
Right? Wait, uh, after the video shoots, recoup costs, commissions, studio fees shit, I mean, technically you owe me.
But I'm a fair guy, so, you know, I'll waive all my fees.
[DISCORDANT, MEANDERING MUSIC.]
[DOG BARKING.]
What's good, big man? What you need? [GUNSHOTS.]
[GRUNTS.]
The mystery God doesn't exist.
You don't need to search outside yourself to find that mystery God [PAGER RINGING.]
Because you are God, brother, and the search is within.
- Ask yourself - Hey hey, yo, 'Vine! - FIVE PERCENTER: And solve the mystery.
- DENNIS: Hey, yo, 'Vine! [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Do you have knowledge of self? DENNIS: Do you have knowledge of self, nigga? Fuck.
Get the fuck up out of here with all that shit.
FIVE PERCENTER: So sad.
Try to give the brother some knowledge that he's not ready to receive.
Hopefully one day, he will be, as we all shall on our journey.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
'Sup, D-Lover? Keep the change.
That watch gold? 24-karat.
- That shit is nice.
- Thanks, man.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Give me that shit.
But, D-Lover, we're boys.
Give me that fucking shit.
- Hey, whoa.
- Do what the fuck I say.
All right, easy, easy.
Hurry up.
Give me the glasses too.
- For real? - Give me the fucking glasses.
My name ain't D-Lover to you.
[CURIOUS MUSIC.]
- So he became a monk? - Yo, be quiet, son.
You gon' make me miss the best part.
Wait.
Hey, yo, he all fucked up trying to get over his sister's death.
DARIUS: She shoulda learned how to dodge some fucking arrows.
DENNIS: Yo, shh.
Hey, shit, soon as this motherfucker finish training, he gon' be unstoppable, know what I mean? You never practice.
You always act as if it's for real.
You never practice.
You always act as if it's for real.
Spit that shit again.
[REMOTE CLICKS.]
DARIUS: Yo, the Shaolin Kang fist Is the most powerful style It's as powerful as it can get Until you master the Wu-Tang sword style Brother, you ain't seen nothing yet That's dope.
You should write that shit down.
Put that kung fu shit in a song or something.
Yeah, Bobby already tried that shit.
Then you know that's a good idea.
What's the real reason you two don't make music no more? Are you mad at him? LINDA: He's got the whole world In his hands He's got the whole wide world In his hands [BOTH LAUGH.]
Feels good to get your hands dirty.
Mm-hmm.
Mama, since when do you garden? - LINDA: Since we got one.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
- LINDA: Hmm? - SHURRIE: Oh, I have homework.
Well, technically this is "home work".
Mm-hmm.
I'll get dinner started.
[FUNKY MUSIC.]
- Thank you, baby.
- SHURRIE: Mm-hmm.
[VACUUM WHIRRING.]
[SIGHS.]
BANKER: $25 million in one day is pretty good, if you ask me.
Oh, screw Ernie, that gullible prick.
[SIGHS.]
Bulls and bears make the money while the pigs get slaughtered.
Yeah, see, that's the difference between professionals and amateurs.
Pros look for what's wrong with the system while amateurs assume that it's right - and go along with it.
- [BUTTON CLICKS.]
Yeah.
25 fucking million.
[LAUGHS.]
BOBBY: I got too many ladies I got to learn to say no SINGERS: Wow, Rakeem But then my ego gets into the way And always says something that I'll never say I'd just bag 'em, keep 'em under my wing Put 'em in a posse and let them all sing SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem - BOBBY: Do you? - SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem - SHA: Yo! - BOBBY: Say it again, baby Whoo! Word! Hell yeah! Yo, you heard this shit? Shit crazy, son.
Bobby out here blowing up.
SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem Yeah, well, I hope he got paid to dress up like Thurston Howell and shit.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, why'd they change the music up? The old version was way better.
So you have heard this shit.
Word.
Now, let's bounce, my nigga.
We're going to Cressy's.
You'll never rhyme again When stepping in me lion's den I retire men when I'm writing fire with the iron pen Repping for the streets from the belly of the beast Like I'm lying in a leviathan playing violin I am him Cressy got company.
[UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
- What's the party for? - No party.
This business.
Business, huh? Movie business.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but all due respect, you know what I'm here for, you know what I mean? [SNAPS FINGERS.]
My cousin Deidrich from Baltimore.
Everything go through him now.
DEIDRICH: How much you need? How about we talk somewhere else? Don't worry, we keep things tight.
I promise.
What about the talent show over there? CRESSY: There money to be made in music.
They rap about my life.
About time I get in on that.
My cousin already making moves.
Go downstairs, check out that studio we building.
- CRESSY: Yeah, man.
- Studio? Here? So how about that youth from Stapleton that blow up and thing like that? Prince Rakeem.
Bobby.
CRESSY: Know him? Yeah, we recorded some shit together.
- You rap? - My man's here for work.
DEIDRICH: Well, we the ones who give you your work, so you gonna spit something or what? This nigga, right, man? RAPPER: King of battle raps, I dismantle cats Hopping out of Cadillacs draggin' a battle-ax The new Attila the Hun wielding a gun And the gun is Lawrence Taylor You're getting killed if you run Hey, yo, soon as I lock and load And aim and squeeze, you know who the top shot is Dressed to impressed the godfathers Alliance is fruitful, I manifested to be truthful Problems with the businesses sending troops through And yet they shoot through Any type of armor you use to block 'Cause you a fool to try to stop this Another chamber is open, I'm enforcing this hotness So the whole globe will know who to pop with - Oh! - Whoo! PERSON: Mm-hmm.
I didn't know you had a star on your hand, Power.
Yeah, he got skills.
Yeah, man.
BYRON: But what's the chorus? Hey, yo, it's no hook.
It's only clips from the flick in between verses.
And sword sounds.
[SCOFFS.]
Niggas love kung fu movies, know what I mean? My boy Bobby was saying how the Wu-Tang is Hey, yo, how is this reppin' Staten Island? Nigga, Shaolin is Staten Island.
Yo, that don't even make no Didn't you just say that the Wu was at war with Shaolin? Yeah, and that the very end, the two blend they secret styles to defeat the evil lord because they know they stronger together.
Yo, pass the blunt.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, I'm saying, like, what if we merged the two styles kung fu and rap? You know, blend the music with the movies.
The lyrics, the whole fucking vibe.
Yo, Dennis we not Chinese.
We black.
[EXHALES SLOWLY.]
ASON: Yo, B-O-B! Dah-na, dah-na, dah-na What's up, man? All hail Prince Rakeem, son.
PERSON: Man.
Yo, can I get your autograph? BOBBY: Yeah, yeah.
Sign right here.
ASON: Hey, yo, you better keep that hat in a safe, little man.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, when's the next album coming out? I'm still working on it.
How much you get for that? A gentlemen never tells.
Man, they gave him a hundred grand advance.
Pshh! - Yo, I ain't no gentleman.
- [LAUGHS.]
ASON: [LAUGHS.]
Nah, yo.
They gave me 60 thou.
Pshh, I'm trying to get some money too, man.
Hey, yo, let's go to the studio right now.
Let's work on some music, man.
I got these verses I been working on.
Hey, uh, maybe later.
A'ight? We'll catch you.
Stay up.
Man, yo, can you believe Prince Rakeem got 60 Gs for that shit? [FUNKY MUSIC.]
BOBBY: [SIGHS.]
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[SNIFFS.]
[SIGHS.]
[BED CREAKING.]
"Supreme 120 Lessons.
For the nation of the Gods and Earths compiled by God, Supreme Allah.
" "The Five Percent: built on the knowledge that 85% of the population lack the knowledge of self.
" "10% have this knowledge but keep it hidden, so we, the 5% of the population, are the righteous teachers.
" "We must liberate the minds of the 85.
" "To build is to add on in a constructive way elevate and educate with positive energy whereas destroy is subtracting that which is negative from your cypher.
Both things must coexist, as building and destroying are natural processes of life.
" [SCOFFS.]
[DOG BARKS.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Hey, yo, Sheba, shut the fuck up! [BARKING CONTINUES.]
Sheba, what's going on, huh? Huh? [SHUSHING.]
[MUFFLED BANGING.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Fuck, fuck! [DOOR CRASHES.]
Come on, come on.
[GLASS SHATTERS.]
BOBBY: Sheba! - Yo! - [DOOR SLAMS.]
[DOG BARKS.]
SHA: Man.
Word.
Tss! Yo.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
- Just ill as I wanna be.
- CRESSY: Yo, Sha.
SHA: [LAUGHS.]
What's good? CRESSY: How's it going? [LAUGHS.]
What is? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
"Beat dem bad man.
Just as ill as I wanna be.
Stake on grapes in all kind of wineries.
" - Word.
- Lookin' sharp, brethren.
- Yeah, man.
- Word.
[LAUGHS.]
Word.
Mind if they get in on the action? SHA: Shit, you know, rap is a spectator sport, you know what I mean? - [LAUGHS.]
- Yeah, man.
- SHA: Word.
- CRESSY: Yeah, queens, have a seat, get a drink, you know? [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Thought I knew all the regulars around here.
What's your name? [CHUCKLES.]
You don't care what my name is.
So how you know Cressy? Y'all two work together or something? Yeah.
We do music.
We're making music together.
Oh.
You rap.
I spit darts, baby.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Word is bond.
- What you laughing at? - Mm.
I Oh, you wanna see a real MC, huh? CRESSY: Yeah, we have a good time and thing like that, you know? SHA: A'ight.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN AND SHUT.]
Yo, play that beat.
[ROUSING HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING.]
[ELEVATOR DINGS.]
DIVINE: [SIGHS.]
JANITOR: How are things around here? DIVINE: Quiet.
JANITOR: All finished? DIVINE: You know, boss, all this work gets finished in about two hours, tops.
Sounds about right.
DIVINE: Well, I been sitting here for eight by myself, staring at a wall.
You know, cool if I head out when I'm done? These rich white people think it takes ten hours, so someone's gotta be here for ten full hours.
[LAUGHS.]
JANITOR: Got a radio in the closet.
Oh, great.
[OBJECTS CLATTERING.]
[DARK MUSIC.]
[OBJECTS RUSTLING AND CLATTERING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
You can't be here.
We can't just accept students on their own say-so.
DENNIS: [CHUCKLES.]
Hey, yo, my mans is all fucked up.
His sister's death is too much.
Come on, son, don't do me like that.
Who calls the shots around here, yo? MONK: Who do you think? The Abbot.
LIU: I traveled a long way to come here, know what I mean? So I'm gonna see the Abbot.
- I ain't playing.
- DARIUS: [SCOFFS.]
Who are those motherfuckers? Why they wanna see the Abbot so bad for, anyway? The Abbot is wise.
He'll know how to get Fang straight.
Gotta shave your head and do all that work? Fuck that.
DENNIS: Yeah, that haircut is wack.
DARIUS: They don't even want him there.
It's better than being alone.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
Did did you get them? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
Those the wrong ones.
- DENNIS: It got swine in it.
- So what? Darius don't eat no pork.
You should know that by now.
Pigs are born to be eaten.
You watching that same damn movie again? Gets better every time.
Those fight sequences are just dope.
DENNIS: Yeah, but it's more than just the fight sequences.
They teach lessons about loyalty and honor and brotherhood.
ANN: Hmm.
Well, maybe you should pay closer attention.
Aren't you beefing with all your friends? Shouldn't you be out working instead of lying around the house all day? [MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[SCOFFS.]
I gotta eat all that? No, there was a deal at the market.
Your daddy lost his mind, bought the whole shelf.
Boy needs to eat if he gon' play football.
Too skinny as it is.
And so are you.
[CHUCKLES.]
No.
- JEROME: Yes, you are.
- Don't you even.
- JEROME: Yes, you are.
- [LAUGHING.]
JEROME: You know you are.
- Perfect timing.
- LINDA: Where you been? School.
Well, Shurrie, it's after 7:00.
I auditioned for the school play.
RANDY: What part are you gonna be? They announce in a couple days, so - Congratulations.
- LINDA: That's wonderful.
Sun shine a little brighter in Ohio.
Daddy got that job he was talking about.
- Oh.
- JEROME: Yeah, it's official.
Calls for celebration.
Yeah, let me get you a plate.
No, I'm not hungry.
LINDA: No, Jerome's been cooking all day.
- Come on.
- Oh.
LINDA: Take a bite.
Yeah.
JEROME: We gon' throw that football around after this, - yeah? - RANDY: Okay.
LINDA: Doing good on these collards.
- JEROME: Yeah, well - LINDA: They're perfect.
Excuse me.
It was good you got a lot of 'em.
- JEROME: Mm-hmm.
- I can make a stew.
SHURRIE: [VOMITS, COUGHS.]
[PANTING.]
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
[DOOR SQUEAKING.]
[GLASS CRUNCHING.]
DIVINE: Yo, I don't think he's here anymore.
- Yo.
- Goddamn.
What the fuck? At least there's nothing worth stealing in here, huh? [RAPID FOOTSTEPS.]
- BOBBY: Fuck! - DIVINE: Bobby? He took my fucking music, man.
- DIVINE: Y-your records? - All my fucking shit, yo! My fucking DATs, my fucking equipment, my fucking rhyme books, yo! - All my shit.
- That's fucked up.
BOBBY: Fuck, man! Hey, for real, 'Vine? Yo! You can't until you get to work for all of that? Yo, it's just music, Bobby.
You can make more.
SHA: I'm just as ill as I wanna be Take time to get mine right, you know what time it be I'm just as ill as I wanna be Stakes in grapes in all kind of wineries Yeah, man.
[CHUCKLES.]
That boy were born to be in the booth.
Sha gon' be a star, man.
Put a contract together.
I want his signature on it before the sun come up.
Made man for real, y'all dudes playing with it - Hot dollar bills - Ah, Power, how it going? - What up, bro? - Yeah, man.
SHA: Yeah, I earned the title Hold on.
Hold on, Power.
We're in the middle of a song, man.
Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt your little music session.
Making my margin POWER: Yo, I've been paging you all night.
I've been here, son.
Working.
CRESSY: Working for me.
[SNAPS FINGERS.]
Yo, Cressy, I need to speak to my mans for a minute.
- Cool? - CRESSY: [SIGHS.]
- Yeah, man.
- POWER: All right.
- SHA: Two minutes.
- CRESSY: Bless.
I'm parked over here.
Yo, I had told Cressy I was coming What, you a entertainer now, Sha? Huh? You gon' book birthdays and weddings and shit? The fuck outta here, man.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
SHA: Where we going? [SIREN WAILING.]
- Shit! - POWER: Get in the car! - Hurry up! - SHA: Shit! - [SIRENS WAILING.]
- [TIRES SCREECHING.]
SHA: Man, why are the jakes here? POWER: Oh, shit, they're raiding Cressy's, yo.
[BUTTON CLICKS.]
[SNIFFS, SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
CYNTHIA: Bye-bye, dirty boy.
[GIGGLES.]
Wouldn't miss this job.
Never take your eye off the ball.
BOBBY: "To build and destroy.
To build is to add on in a constructive way" [PHONE RINGING.]
"Elevate and educate with positive energy whereas destroy is subtracting that which is negative from your cypher.
" - Hello.
- ATTILA: You want your shit back? I want that money.
[DARK MUSIC.]
Yo, I swear to God ATTILA: Yo, you got 60 Gs, Prince Rakeem? Yo, I don't got that shit.
I never did, never.
ATTILA: I got your shit.
You want it back, you better get me my money.
DARIUS: Yeah, I remember this one.
It's two best friends forced to fight each other to the death.
[DRAMATIC MARTIAL ARTS MUSIC.]
LORD: Listen up.
This will be a fair competition.
Whoever wins will be recognized as the new chief, Yeah, know what I mean? [EAGLE CRIES.]
So we doin' this shit or what? Fuck it, yo.
[BLADE SWISHING.]
Motherfuckers ready? Fight! - [HOLLERS.]
- [BOTH GRUNTING, SHOUTING.]
Damn, son, you've come a long way.
Yeah, you too.
Your sword game got mad tight.
If y'all are done sucking each other's dicks, shut the fuck up and fight! [BOTH EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
[SUSPENSEFUL MARTIAL ARTS MUSIC.]
What the fuck? Wu-Tang, don't hold back.
Use your secret style.
You too, Shaolin.
[BOTH EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
Hey, yo, Li Na wasn't my fault! Keep my sister's name out of your motherfucking mouth! You're the one who killed her! Damn, you hit homeboy's sister? That's some cold shit.
I loved her, man.
You my peoples.
Fuck you, you ain't my peoples! ZANG LING: [HOLLERS.]
LORD: Shaolin.
What you doing, huh? The Shaolin fist is strong.
Finish him.
Fuck you know about the Shaolin fist? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what the fuck? Couldn't keep his damn mouth shut.
[MOCKINGLY.]
"What do you know about the Shaolin fist?" I bit both your styles.
Yeah, I bodied your master and your sister.
Now all y'all have to do is murk each other.
Then I'll be the only motherfucker left that knows this shit.
If you think you can take me, do it! [ALL GRUNTING.]
LORD: He's got my sword.
Hey, yo, use the sword! Use the Wu-Tang sword style? Shit.
[BOTH GRUNTING, EXCLAIMING.]
LORD: Yeah.
If he can use the Wu-Tang sword style, - I can use yah! - [BOTH GRUNTING.]
Damn, he's using Shaolin technique.
[GRUNTS.]
How you gonna switch up styles like that? [BOTH GRUNTING, EXCLAIMING.]
[HOLLERS.]
[ALL SHOUTING, GRUNTING.]
[SHOUTING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
Shaolin versus Wu-Tang.
More like Shaolin versus Poo-Tang.
[BOTH PANTING.]
- [BOTH GRUNT.]
- What the fuck? [ALL HOLLERING, GRUNTING.]
- [BOTH GRUNT.]
- Motherfucking traitors.
Mixing Shaolin and Wu-Tang.
Nah, man, they're just the same shit.
Yeah, kung fu don't belong to anybody.
It evolves.
Evolve this, motherfuckers.
[ALL EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
[REVELATORY MUSIC.]
Hey, yo, I'm sorry for this, y'all.
[VCR CLICKS, WHIRS.]
Where the fuck you going? To see the Abbot.
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Down, down, down.
You gotta get down.
[DOOR LATCH CLICKS.]
What you doing here, D? Hey, yo, y'all charge late fees? I thought you was mad at me.
Hey, yo, somebody had to be the bigger man.
I figured it'd be me this time.
Oh, shit.
- DENNIS: Wu-Tang.
- [LAUGHS.]
This one Shaolin.
This one Wu.
Together, they'll fuck you up.
That tastes like shit.
[SIGHS.]
Why did you come here, D? To see the Abbot.
Hey, what the fuck is you talking about? Yo, from from the movie.
The Abbot.
Damn, I jacked one of them Wall Street guys, fucked up the whole business.
Hey, yo, look, I woulda never done this shit if you was around.
Yo, that shit's fake as fuck anyway, so [BOTH LAUGH.]
Suit-wearing motherfucker.
Hey, yo, look, you are the Abbot.
Whether it's back at the crack spot or the hustle in the park, the Abbot always got the right answers.
[WATCH CLATTERS.]
I don't know about that.
I mean, lately It hasn't been feeling like that.
Yo, Bobby Tommy Boy dropped me.
[SIGHS.]
Good.
Fuck all that tuxedo-wearing bullshit.
That shit ain't you.
[SCOFFS.]
Hey, yo, what happened here? BOBBY: Attila.
DENNIS: Attila? [SIGHS.]
Nigga took my music.
Even if I never make another beat again, spit another rhyme, you know, just to have them them tapes Know what I'm saying? Hey, yo, why we sitting here for? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Let's go take that shit back.
MONK: The Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.
[BLADES CLANGING, PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[CLANGING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
[CLANGING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
[BLOWS LANDING, PEOPLE GRUNTING.]
PERSON: Get on the line.
Mic check, one-two.
Yo, I can't even hear myself, man.
Yo, what the fuck? My name is Rakeem, not "Rakim"! GARY: Do you know what your name means? R is for rule.
To rule is in the nature of the black man.
Rules are given to those who are living a righteous way of life.
Once you gain knowledge, it's gon' wipe away that fear in you.
You want the Lessons? This shit is real.
DIVINE: I'm a really hard worker, okay? And I really need this job.
JANITOR: We keep a tight ship over here.
You gotta show up on time, do what you're told.
Always wear your uniform and keep it clean.
This sounds like a great opportunity.
- [ELECTRICITY SPARKING.]
- Oh, fuck.
This is where you should be putting your work into.
Ain't making no bread off no music, son.
Shit's just a hobby we picked up in the lobby, - you know what I mean? - We got a gang of MCs in here tonight from all over the island competing for $5,000, courtesy of my man Cressy.
You shoulda signed up.
Illest flows in Staten Island.
Yeah, that's what you think, son.
I'm not leaving us alone.
We'll look out for each other.
But it's different.
You men now.
You have to make something of yourself.
MONICA: You have style that's not like any other artist that we have on our roster, and I think that this video is gonna showcase that.
You're gonna love it, all right? - I promise.
- [BOTH LAUGHING.]
I see you got your groupies and shit, huh? SHA: Who the fuck what the fuck you just said, son? You heard what the fuck I said, bum-ass motherfucker.
What up? Jump, nigga.
You here all buddy-buddy with these Park Hill niggas like ain't shit happen.
Them niggas still gotta answer for what they did, Prince Rakeem.
[HEAVY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
You know what? I spoke to Monica and Tom at the label.
The single, it's not moving like they hoped it would.
There's not gonna be an album.
It's over.
They're dropping you.
- [OVERLAPPING SHOUTING.]
- [BUZZER BLARES.]
[SHOUTING CONTINUES.]
You're just a bitch! [METALLIC BANGING.]
[BUZZER BLARES.]
[DOOR CLANGS.]
[FUNKY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
[AIR RUSHING.]
[GATE SCRAPING, CLANGING.]
Yo, what up, Attila? [DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
Oh.
[METAL CREAKS.]
[DOOR SLAMS.]
You actually got bigger in there.
- [ENGINE TURNS OVER.]
- [ENGINE RUMBLING.]
RAPPER OVER RADIO: Back it up, back it up Hey, yo, you're playing me close So back up off Hey, yo, you're playing me close They tore down the field.
Put in a new Blockbuster Video.
You see any good movies while you was in there? - DJ: New York's home for hip-hop and R&B.
- Cool, cool.
["I LOVE YOU RAKEEM" PLAYING.]
BOBBY: I got too many ladies Remember Divine? Diggs? This his little brother, go by Prince Rakeem.
Saw his video on The Box.
Kinda catchy.
- [DIAL CLICKS.]
- [MUSIC STOPS.]
Cool, cool.
Divine got locked up.
Yeah, man, fucked up the whole game in Stapleton.
[SCOFFS.]
Gotta go to Park Hill just to get decent shit.
Crazy.
[HEAVY HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
You bring my shit? Cleaned it this morning.
Something wrong? The whole time I was locked up you didn't put a single cent on my commissary.
I thought me and you had an understanding.
Attila, we we do got a understanding.
I was [GROANS, STAMMERS.]
Oh, shit.
[DOOR SLAMS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
PERSON: Oh, no, no! Attila! - PERSON: Attila's out! - PERSON: Attila is out! PERSON: Attila! [PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[GUNSHOTS.]
PERSON: Shit! [HIP-HOP MUSIC.]
[MEN GRUNTING.]
[BLADE RESOUNDS.]
[GUN COCKS.]
[DICE THUD.]
[BLADE RESOUNDS.]
All right, well, let's get him down here as soon as we can.
I mean You know what'd be I'll call you back, all right? - It's the worst part of the job.
- BOBBY: [SIGHS.]
It's, uh it's show business, right? Not show friends.
- It wasn't my decision.
- I just don't understand, Monica.
I mean, I I did everything you guys asked me to do.
I revamped my image.
I did that poppy song, that cheesy music video.
Hell, I even wore that damn top hat.
Okay, our marketing strategy may have been a mistake.
I did things your way.
Now try mine.
- MONICA: The single didn't pop.
- Yo, fuck the single, Monica.
"I Love You Rakeem" was a test balloon.
It's a way for the label to justify making more songs.
I have other songs, better songs, I mean, shit you ain't even heard yet.
All right, look, between you and me, there's talk about a larger company acquiring us, and Tommy just he wants to change course, all right? So instead of pouring money into launching solo artists, they're looking to sign groups.
Well, that's good.
Yeah, that's that's good because I actually I have my own group.
All right? - Wu-Tang? - BOBBY: Wu-Tang Clan.
It's myself, my boys Dennis and Shotgun, and my cousin Ason.
Wait, isn't he a backup dancer? BOBBY: Yeah, but he raps too.
Yo, yo, maybe we even get my my boy Gary to sign on.
Yo, I'm sure that he'd love to hop on this with us, man.
- It's - MONICA: Gary is signed to another label, okay? That's just not how the system works.
Look [SIGHS.]
I know this is the end of the road for you here at Tommy Boy, but I am sure that Andre has a plan for you.
All right? Let me walk you out.
[LAUGHS RUEFULLY.]
[CLICKS TONGUE.]
Yeah.
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
Fine.
[TAPES CLATTERING.]
DARIUS: That's the evil lady, right? DENNIS: Nah, man, that's bald-headed nigga's sister.
Hey, yo, pay attention.
Chou Fong-Wu, you're guilty of murdering your master.
He had no choice! DENNIS: Hey, yo, these two right here, they in love.
He's banging his best friend's sister? That's real fucked up.
No wonder why you love this flick so much.
Yo, shut up and watch the damn movie.
- YEN LAN: He didn't kill his master! - LEE: Who are you? - I'm Yen Lan of the Shaolin.
- The Shaolin? DENNIS: Shaolin and Wu-Tang got beef that goes back hundreds of years.
DARREN: Mm-mm.
Nah, bro, that's a wig.
- Who the fuck are they? - DENNIS: Qing soldiers.
DARIUS: Oh, she got fucked up.
Rewind that shit.
YEN LAN: Take care [WHIMPERING.]
[BOTH LAUGHING.]
Hey, yo, y'all think this shit is funny? Seconds ago, she was whupping that dude's ass.
Now she just dying in her man's arms.
Could you imagine losing someone like that? [BOTH LAUGHING.]
Boo-hoo-hoo.
Go cry to Shurrie.
- [LAUGHS.]
- [SCOFFS.]
Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothing to fuck with.
[LAUGHS.]
- [TAPE REWINDING.]
- [ARROWS WHIZZING.]
YEN LAN: Careful! [BOTH LAUGH.]
PHOTOGRAPHER: Higher.
Higher.
Too high.
[FLASHBULB POPPING.]
- And look at me.
- ANDRE: Yes, yes.
Very good, Gary.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Right there.
BOBBY: That wack-ass robe is still better than that fucking top hat y'all had me in.
- ANDRE: [LAUGHS.]
- PHOTOGRAPHER: Good.
Can't blame it all on the video.
Tommy Boy just wasn't the right fit.
[RAP MUSIC PLAYING.]
What about Def Jam? Maybe even Wild Pitch.
Uh, you don't fit there either.
All right, so what's the plan? ANDRE: [SCOFFS.]
You might wanna accept the fact that you're not gonna make it as a recording artist.
PHOTOGRAPHER: More.
Okay.
And if not as an artist, then maybe a producer? You know, I got I got a shitload of beats just sitting in my room right now.
You mean those dusty snare drums with Bruce Lee noises? - No.
- Yo, what the fuck, 'Dre? Yo, wrap that shit up.
So what are we gonna do? Look, I don't know what you're gonna do, but I gotta get back to work.
Hey, are you are you dropping me? Look, you had your shot.
You missed.
Did more than most other guys would have.
But now I gotta focus on my other clients like your cousin.
Okay, okay.
So it's it's like that.
Hey, I I still love you, Rakeem.
- [CLICKS TONGUE.]
- [SCOFFS.]
Hey, 'Dre.
We better settle up, then.
Right? Wait, uh, after the video shoots, recoup costs, commissions, studio fees shit, I mean, technically you owe me.
But I'm a fair guy, so, you know, I'll waive all my fees.
[DISCORDANT, MEANDERING MUSIC.]
[DOG BARKING.]
What's good, big man? What you need? [GUNSHOTS.]
[GRUNTS.]
The mystery God doesn't exist.
You don't need to search outside yourself to find that mystery God [PAGER RINGING.]
Because you are God, brother, and the search is within.
- Ask yourself - Hey hey, yo, 'Vine! - FIVE PERCENTER: And solve the mystery.
- DENNIS: Hey, yo, 'Vine! [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Do you have knowledge of self? DENNIS: Do you have knowledge of self, nigga? Fuck.
Get the fuck up out of here with all that shit.
FIVE PERCENTER: So sad.
Try to give the brother some knowledge that he's not ready to receive.
Hopefully one day, he will be, as we all shall on our journey.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
'Sup, D-Lover? Keep the change.
That watch gold? 24-karat.
- That shit is nice.
- Thanks, man.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Give me that shit.
But, D-Lover, we're boys.
Give me that fucking shit.
- Hey, whoa.
- Do what the fuck I say.
All right, easy, easy.
Hurry up.
Give me the glasses too.
- For real? - Give me the fucking glasses.
My name ain't D-Lover to you.
[CURIOUS MUSIC.]
- So he became a monk? - Yo, be quiet, son.
You gon' make me miss the best part.
Wait.
Hey, yo, he all fucked up trying to get over his sister's death.
DARIUS: She shoulda learned how to dodge some fucking arrows.
DENNIS: Yo, shh.
Hey, shit, soon as this motherfucker finish training, he gon' be unstoppable, know what I mean? You never practice.
You always act as if it's for real.
You never practice.
You always act as if it's for real.
Spit that shit again.
[REMOTE CLICKS.]
DARIUS: Yo, the Shaolin Kang fist Is the most powerful style It's as powerful as it can get Until you master the Wu-Tang sword style Brother, you ain't seen nothing yet That's dope.
You should write that shit down.
Put that kung fu shit in a song or something.
Yeah, Bobby already tried that shit.
Then you know that's a good idea.
What's the real reason you two don't make music no more? Are you mad at him? LINDA: He's got the whole world In his hands He's got the whole wide world In his hands [BOTH LAUGH.]
Feels good to get your hands dirty.
Mm-hmm.
Mama, since when do you garden? - LINDA: Since we got one.
- [BOTH LAUGH.]
- LINDA: Hmm? - SHURRIE: Oh, I have homework.
Well, technically this is "home work".
Mm-hmm.
I'll get dinner started.
[FUNKY MUSIC.]
- Thank you, baby.
- SHURRIE: Mm-hmm.
[VACUUM WHIRRING.]
[SIGHS.]
BANKER: $25 million in one day is pretty good, if you ask me.
Oh, screw Ernie, that gullible prick.
[SIGHS.]
Bulls and bears make the money while the pigs get slaughtered.
Yeah, see, that's the difference between professionals and amateurs.
Pros look for what's wrong with the system while amateurs assume that it's right - and go along with it.
- [BUTTON CLICKS.]
Yeah.
25 fucking million.
[LAUGHS.]
BOBBY: I got too many ladies I got to learn to say no SINGERS: Wow, Rakeem But then my ego gets into the way And always says something that I'll never say I'd just bag 'em, keep 'em under my wing Put 'em in a posse and let them all sing SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem - BOBBY: Do you? - SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem - SHA: Yo! - BOBBY: Say it again, baby Whoo! Word! Hell yeah! Yo, you heard this shit? Shit crazy, son.
Bobby out here blowing up.
SINGERS: Oh, we love you, Rakeem Yeah, well, I hope he got paid to dress up like Thurston Howell and shit.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, why'd they change the music up? The old version was way better.
So you have heard this shit.
Word.
Now, let's bounce, my nigga.
We're going to Cressy's.
You'll never rhyme again When stepping in me lion's den I retire men when I'm writing fire with the iron pen Repping for the streets from the belly of the beast Like I'm lying in a leviathan playing violin I am him Cressy got company.
[UPBEAT HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS.]
[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY.]
- What's the party for? - No party.
This business.
Business, huh? Movie business.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but all due respect, you know what I'm here for, you know what I mean? [SNAPS FINGERS.]
My cousin Deidrich from Baltimore.
Everything go through him now.
DEIDRICH: How much you need? How about we talk somewhere else? Don't worry, we keep things tight.
I promise.
What about the talent show over there? CRESSY: There money to be made in music.
They rap about my life.
About time I get in on that.
My cousin already making moves.
Go downstairs, check out that studio we building.
- CRESSY: Yeah, man.
- Studio? Here? So how about that youth from Stapleton that blow up and thing like that? Prince Rakeem.
Bobby.
CRESSY: Know him? Yeah, we recorded some shit together.
- You rap? - My man's here for work.
DEIDRICH: Well, we the ones who give you your work, so you gonna spit something or what? This nigga, right, man? RAPPER: King of battle raps, I dismantle cats Hopping out of Cadillacs draggin' a battle-ax The new Attila the Hun wielding a gun And the gun is Lawrence Taylor You're getting killed if you run Hey, yo, soon as I lock and load And aim and squeeze, you know who the top shot is Dressed to impressed the godfathers Alliance is fruitful, I manifested to be truthful Problems with the businesses sending troops through And yet they shoot through Any type of armor you use to block 'Cause you a fool to try to stop this Another chamber is open, I'm enforcing this hotness So the whole globe will know who to pop with - Oh! - Whoo! PERSON: Mm-hmm.
I didn't know you had a star on your hand, Power.
Yeah, he got skills.
Yeah, man.
BYRON: But what's the chorus? Hey, yo, it's no hook.
It's only clips from the flick in between verses.
And sword sounds.
[SCOFFS.]
Niggas love kung fu movies, know what I mean? My boy Bobby was saying how the Wu-Tang is Hey, yo, how is this reppin' Staten Island? Nigga, Shaolin is Staten Island.
Yo, that don't even make no Didn't you just say that the Wu was at war with Shaolin? Yeah, and that the very end, the two blend they secret styles to defeat the evil lord because they know they stronger together.
Yo, pass the blunt.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, I'm saying, like, what if we merged the two styles kung fu and rap? You know, blend the music with the movies.
The lyrics, the whole fucking vibe.
Yo, Dennis we not Chinese.
We black.
[EXHALES SLOWLY.]
ASON: Yo, B-O-B! Dah-na, dah-na, dah-na What's up, man? All hail Prince Rakeem, son.
PERSON: Man.
Yo, can I get your autograph? BOBBY: Yeah, yeah.
Sign right here.
ASON: Hey, yo, you better keep that hat in a safe, little man.
[LAUGHS.]
Yo, when's the next album coming out? I'm still working on it.
How much you get for that? A gentlemen never tells.
Man, they gave him a hundred grand advance.
Pshh! - Yo, I ain't no gentleman.
- [LAUGHS.]
ASON: [LAUGHS.]
Nah, yo.
They gave me 60 thou.
Pshh, I'm trying to get some money too, man.
Hey, yo, let's go to the studio right now.
Let's work on some music, man.
I got these verses I been working on.
Hey, uh, maybe later.
A'ight? We'll catch you.
Stay up.
Man, yo, can you believe Prince Rakeem got 60 Gs for that shit? [FUNKY MUSIC.]
BOBBY: [SIGHS.]
[MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[SNIFFS.]
[SIGHS.]
[BED CREAKING.]
"Supreme 120 Lessons.
For the nation of the Gods and Earths compiled by God, Supreme Allah.
" "The Five Percent: built on the knowledge that 85% of the population lack the knowledge of self.
" "10% have this knowledge but keep it hidden, so we, the 5% of the population, are the righteous teachers.
" "We must liberate the minds of the 85.
" "To build is to add on in a constructive way elevate and educate with positive energy whereas destroy is subtracting that which is negative from your cypher.
Both things must coexist, as building and destroying are natural processes of life.
" [SCOFFS.]
[DOG BARKS.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Hey, yo, Sheba, shut the fuck up! [BARKING CONTINUES.]
Sheba, what's going on, huh? Huh? [SHUSHING.]
[MUFFLED BANGING.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Fuck, fuck! [DOOR CRASHES.]
Come on, come on.
[GLASS SHATTERS.]
BOBBY: Sheba! - Yo! - [DOOR SLAMS.]
[DOG BARKS.]
SHA: Man.
Word.
Tss! Yo.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
- Just ill as I wanna be.
- CRESSY: Yo, Sha.
SHA: [LAUGHS.]
What's good? CRESSY: How's it going? [LAUGHS.]
What is? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
"Beat dem bad man.
Just as ill as I wanna be.
Stake on grapes in all kind of wineries.
" - Word.
- Lookin' sharp, brethren.
- Yeah, man.
- Word.
[LAUGHS.]
Word.
Mind if they get in on the action? SHA: Shit, you know, rap is a spectator sport, you know what I mean? - [LAUGHS.]
- Yeah, man.
- SHA: Word.
- CRESSY: Yeah, queens, have a seat, get a drink, you know? [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
Thought I knew all the regulars around here.
What's your name? [CHUCKLES.]
You don't care what my name is.
So how you know Cressy? Y'all two work together or something? Yeah.
We do music.
We're making music together.
Oh.
You rap.
I spit darts, baby.
- [LAUGHS.]
- Word is bond.
- What you laughing at? - Mm.
I Oh, you wanna see a real MC, huh? CRESSY: Yeah, we have a good time and thing like that, you know? SHA: A'ight.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN AND SHUT.]
Yo, play that beat.
[ROUSING HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING.]
[ELEVATOR DINGS.]
DIVINE: [SIGHS.]
JANITOR: How are things around here? DIVINE: Quiet.
JANITOR: All finished? DIVINE: You know, boss, all this work gets finished in about two hours, tops.
Sounds about right.
DIVINE: Well, I been sitting here for eight by myself, staring at a wall.
You know, cool if I head out when I'm done? These rich white people think it takes ten hours, so someone's gotta be here for ten full hours.
[LAUGHS.]
JANITOR: Got a radio in the closet.
Oh, great.
[OBJECTS CLATTERING.]
[DARK MUSIC.]
[OBJECTS RUSTLING AND CLATTERING.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
You can't be here.
We can't just accept students on their own say-so.
DENNIS: [CHUCKLES.]
Hey, yo, my mans is all fucked up.
His sister's death is too much.
Come on, son, don't do me like that.
Who calls the shots around here, yo? MONK: Who do you think? The Abbot.
LIU: I traveled a long way to come here, know what I mean? So I'm gonna see the Abbot.
- I ain't playing.
- DARIUS: [SCOFFS.]
Who are those motherfuckers? Why they wanna see the Abbot so bad for, anyway? The Abbot is wise.
He'll know how to get Fang straight.
Gotta shave your head and do all that work? Fuck that.
DENNIS: Yeah, that haircut is wack.
DARIUS: They don't even want him there.
It's better than being alone.
[DOOR CLICKS OPEN.]
Did did you get them? [CLICKS TONGUE.]
Those the wrong ones.
- DENNIS: It got swine in it.
- So what? Darius don't eat no pork.
You should know that by now.
Pigs are born to be eaten.
You watching that same damn movie again? Gets better every time.
Those fight sequences are just dope.
DENNIS: Yeah, but it's more than just the fight sequences.
They teach lessons about loyalty and honor and brotherhood.
ANN: Hmm.
Well, maybe you should pay closer attention.
Aren't you beefing with all your friends? Shouldn't you be out working instead of lying around the house all day? [MELANCHOLY MUSIC.]
[SCOFFS.]
I gotta eat all that? No, there was a deal at the market.
Your daddy lost his mind, bought the whole shelf.
Boy needs to eat if he gon' play football.
Too skinny as it is.
And so are you.
[CHUCKLES.]
No.
- JEROME: Yes, you are.
- Don't you even.
- JEROME: Yes, you are.
- [LAUGHING.]
JEROME: You know you are.
- Perfect timing.
- LINDA: Where you been? School.
Well, Shurrie, it's after 7:00.
I auditioned for the school play.
RANDY: What part are you gonna be? They announce in a couple days, so - Congratulations.
- LINDA: That's wonderful.
Sun shine a little brighter in Ohio.
Daddy got that job he was talking about.
- Oh.
- JEROME: Yeah, it's official.
Calls for celebration.
Yeah, let me get you a plate.
No, I'm not hungry.
LINDA: No, Jerome's been cooking all day.
- Come on.
- Oh.
LINDA: Take a bite.
Yeah.
JEROME: We gon' throw that football around after this, - yeah? - RANDY: Okay.
LINDA: Doing good on these collards.
- JEROME: Yeah, well - LINDA: They're perfect.
Excuse me.
It was good you got a lot of 'em.
- JEROME: Mm-hmm.
- I can make a stew.
SHURRIE: [VOMITS, COUGHS.]
[PANTING.]
[GASPS.]
[PANTING.]
[DOOR SQUEAKING.]
[GLASS CRUNCHING.]
DIVINE: Yo, I don't think he's here anymore.
- Yo.
- Goddamn.
What the fuck? At least there's nothing worth stealing in here, huh? [RAPID FOOTSTEPS.]
- BOBBY: Fuck! - DIVINE: Bobby? He took my fucking music, man.
- DIVINE: Y-your records? - All my fucking shit, yo! My fucking DATs, my fucking equipment, my fucking rhyme books, yo! - All my shit.
- That's fucked up.
BOBBY: Fuck, man! Hey, for real, 'Vine? Yo! You can't until you get to work for all of that? Yo, it's just music, Bobby.
You can make more.
SHA: I'm just as ill as I wanna be Take time to get mine right, you know what time it be I'm just as ill as I wanna be Stakes in grapes in all kind of wineries Yeah, man.
[CHUCKLES.]
That boy were born to be in the booth.
Sha gon' be a star, man.
Put a contract together.
I want his signature on it before the sun come up.
Made man for real, y'all dudes playing with it - Hot dollar bills - Ah, Power, how it going? - What up, bro? - Yeah, man.
SHA: Yeah, I earned the title Hold on.
Hold on, Power.
We're in the middle of a song, man.
Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt your little music session.
Making my margin POWER: Yo, I've been paging you all night.
I've been here, son.
Working.
CRESSY: Working for me.
[SNAPS FINGERS.]
Yo, Cressy, I need to speak to my mans for a minute.
- Cool? - CRESSY: [SIGHS.]
- Yeah, man.
- POWER: All right.
- SHA: Two minutes.
- CRESSY: Bless.
I'm parked over here.
Yo, I had told Cressy I was coming What, you a entertainer now, Sha? Huh? You gon' book birthdays and weddings and shit? The fuck outta here, man.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
SHA: Where we going? [SIREN WAILING.]
- Shit! - POWER: Get in the car! - Hurry up! - SHA: Shit! - [SIRENS WAILING.]
- [TIRES SCREECHING.]
SHA: Man, why are the jakes here? POWER: Oh, shit, they're raiding Cressy's, yo.
[BUTTON CLICKS.]
[SNIFFS, SIGHS.]
[INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
CYNTHIA: Bye-bye, dirty boy.
[GIGGLES.]
Wouldn't miss this job.
Never take your eye off the ball.
BOBBY: "To build and destroy.
To build is to add on in a constructive way" [PHONE RINGING.]
"Elevate and educate with positive energy whereas destroy is subtracting that which is negative from your cypher.
" - Hello.
- ATTILA: You want your shit back? I want that money.
[DARK MUSIC.]
Yo, I swear to God ATTILA: Yo, you got 60 Gs, Prince Rakeem? Yo, I don't got that shit.
I never did, never.
ATTILA: I got your shit.
You want it back, you better get me my money.
DARIUS: Yeah, I remember this one.
It's two best friends forced to fight each other to the death.
[DRAMATIC MARTIAL ARTS MUSIC.]
LORD: Listen up.
This will be a fair competition.
Whoever wins will be recognized as the new chief, Yeah, know what I mean? [EAGLE CRIES.]
So we doin' this shit or what? Fuck it, yo.
[BLADE SWISHING.]
Motherfuckers ready? Fight! - [HOLLERS.]
- [BOTH GRUNTING, SHOUTING.]
Damn, son, you've come a long way.
Yeah, you too.
Your sword game got mad tight.
If y'all are done sucking each other's dicks, shut the fuck up and fight! [BOTH EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
[SUSPENSEFUL MARTIAL ARTS MUSIC.]
What the fuck? Wu-Tang, don't hold back.
Use your secret style.
You too, Shaolin.
[BOTH EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
Hey, yo, Li Na wasn't my fault! Keep my sister's name out of your motherfucking mouth! You're the one who killed her! Damn, you hit homeboy's sister? That's some cold shit.
I loved her, man.
You my peoples.
Fuck you, you ain't my peoples! ZANG LING: [HOLLERS.]
LORD: Shaolin.
What you doing, huh? The Shaolin fist is strong.
Finish him.
Fuck you know about the Shaolin fist? Yeah, yeah, yeah, what the fuck? Couldn't keep his damn mouth shut.
[MOCKINGLY.]
"What do you know about the Shaolin fist?" I bit both your styles.
Yeah, I bodied your master and your sister.
Now all y'all have to do is murk each other.
Then I'll be the only motherfucker left that knows this shit.
If you think you can take me, do it! [ALL GRUNTING.]
LORD: He's got my sword.
Hey, yo, use the sword! Use the Wu-Tang sword style? Shit.
[BOTH GRUNTING, EXCLAIMING.]
LORD: Yeah.
If he can use the Wu-Tang sword style, - I can use yah! - [BOTH GRUNTING.]
Damn, he's using Shaolin technique.
[GRUNTS.]
How you gonna switch up styles like that? [BOTH GRUNTING, EXCLAIMING.]
[HOLLERS.]
[ALL SHOUTING, GRUNTING.]
[SHOUTING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
Shaolin versus Wu-Tang.
More like Shaolin versus Poo-Tang.
[BOTH PANTING.]
- [BOTH GRUNT.]
- What the fuck? [ALL HOLLERING, GRUNTING.]
- [BOTH GRUNT.]
- Motherfucking traitors.
Mixing Shaolin and Wu-Tang.
Nah, man, they're just the same shit.
Yeah, kung fu don't belong to anybody.
It evolves.
Evolve this, motherfuckers.
[ALL EXCLAIMING, GRUNTING.]
[REVELATORY MUSIC.]
Hey, yo, I'm sorry for this, y'all.
[VCR CLICKS, WHIRS.]
Where the fuck you going? To see the Abbot.
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT.]
[DOG BARKING.]
Down, down, down.
You gotta get down.
[DOOR LATCH CLICKS.]
What you doing here, D? Hey, yo, y'all charge late fees? I thought you was mad at me.
Hey, yo, somebody had to be the bigger man.
I figured it'd be me this time.
Oh, shit.
- DENNIS: Wu-Tang.
- [LAUGHS.]
This one Shaolin.
This one Wu.
Together, they'll fuck you up.
That tastes like shit.
[SIGHS.]
Why did you come here, D? To see the Abbot.
Hey, what the fuck is you talking about? Yo, from from the movie.
The Abbot.
Damn, I jacked one of them Wall Street guys, fucked up the whole business.
Hey, yo, look, I woulda never done this shit if you was around.
Yo, that shit's fake as fuck anyway, so [BOTH LAUGH.]
Suit-wearing motherfucker.
Hey, yo, look, you are the Abbot.
Whether it's back at the crack spot or the hustle in the park, the Abbot always got the right answers.
[WATCH CLATTERS.]
I don't know about that.
I mean, lately It hasn't been feeling like that.
Yo, Bobby Tommy Boy dropped me.
[SIGHS.]
Good.
Fuck all that tuxedo-wearing bullshit.
That shit ain't you.
[SCOFFS.]
Hey, yo, what happened here? BOBBY: Attila.
DENNIS: Attila? [SIGHS.]
Nigga took my music.
Even if I never make another beat again, spit another rhyme, you know, just to have them them tapes Know what I'm saying? Hey, yo, why we sitting here for? [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Let's go take that shit back.
MONK: The Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.
[BLADES CLANGING, PEOPLE SHOUTING.]
[CLANGING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
[CLANGING AND GRUNTING CONTINUE.]
[BLOWS LANDING, PEOPLE GRUNTING.]
PERSON: Get on the line.