Previously on American Soul
We are in this together.
We started this group together.
Mr. Cornelius,
these kids are great. They are nailing all
-the latest steps. -Then maybe you don't understand.
I don't need dancers nailing the latest moves.
I need stars creating the next dance craze.
-Where are the boys? -I'm not moving to L.A., Don.
I won't put the kids through that.
Keep the car running. Lights off.
You see anything, you blink the high beams twice.
Officer down. - Is there somewhere we can speak in private?
No. My husband is coming home.
Ma.
I gave the Army a good man,
and this is what they give back to me?
Yes, it's Don Cornelius calling for Mr. Gaye.
Yes, I know that he's about to kick his tour off,
and I wanted to extend a special opportunity for him
to kick that tour off on Soul Train.
Yes, it's Don Cornelius.
-You called already. -Yes, I know that I...
-Is this about your TV show again? -Yeah, well, if I could just...
Because Mr. Gaye's schedule is really quite busy these days.
-I know. Thank you. -Yeah, you're welcome.
Have a nice day.
Don Cornelius.
Tony's missing. Look, the-the school called, they said that
he wasn't at class, they didn't think to call and tell me.
And-and Raymond, he-he was sick, so I sent him to Mom's house,
and I thought Tony was there, but he wasn't.
-Okay, did you call Joyce? -Yes! I checked with Joyce.
I checked with his friends, I went to the arcade,
and I walked every park in town,
-and no one has seen him, Don. -Okay, okay, okay.
I was supposed to go to the post office yesterday
and mail you off a package, but I just got so busy,
and it just seems like
I'm behind before the day even begins, and...
You know, look, I called the police,
but they're not taking it serious.
Well, what do you want me to do, Delores?
I'm 2,000 miles away.
Exactly, Don.
I will be on the first flight out.
What if we don't find him?
It'll be fine, Red.
I promise.
All right, Don. I got TWA holding two flights
for Chicago tomorrow. First one leaves at 7:00 a.m.
Of course, we'd have to push taping.
Flight two gets you out after dinner.
I'll take the late flight.
Your timing is shit, Donnie. You have not been working
-on your footwork. -Have so.
Boy, don't you lie to me.
Now, you got yourself a choice:
either you become a boxer like Johnson
or a mailman like me, boy.
Either way, you're gonna learn some discipline today.
Put your hands back up.
Come on.
You have the next five acts for me?
We promised the syndicate top talent.
This list is two artists light, and three of them are awful.
We're ready for you, Mr. Cornelius.
Okay, getting the music is my job.
Getting the money that makes the music is yours.
I do my job, Brooks.
Yes, sir.
And following up on an ongoing story,
while police have yet to make a formal arrest
in the shooting death of Officer McMartin,
19-year-old Jamie Collins remains in critical condition.
Investigators vow...
Three days under.
We make them pull him out, it could kill him.
He's a cop killer. He's dead already.
Mrs. Clarke, um, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Jeffrey.
Daniel?
Tamales.
I'll put these away.
Got a busy life pulling you in every direction?
No time to cook?
Well, relax. The Colonel has got you covered
with Kentucky Fried Chicken's hot and delicious chicken.
Made fresh, never frozen and always finger-lickin' good.
So take a trip to the Colonel's kitchen tonight, and hey,
tell them that Don C. sent you.
That's good. Keep three.
All right, guys. Get back on two.
That's good, everybody.
Let's keep it up.
Make sure they know where to go.
12 grand for one spot?
I do my job, Don.
All right, let's go again.
I think you got it on take nine.
And someone get me a towel.
I'm sweating like a Baptist preacher over here.
I can assure you that Mr. Cornelius
is a very conscientious and caring parent.
He would never do anything to put his child in danger.
Daddy, look what I brought you.
Boy, if I'd have done that type of foolishness
when I was your age, I wouldn't have an ass to sit on.
How did you pay your fare? Look at me
when I'm talking to you, Tony. How did you pay your fare?!
I took the Amtrak ticket you left Mama.
You're not even old enough to dull a razor,
and you're over here taking a train across country?
I'm not a baby.
Oh, so you a grown man now, that it?
Okay, you say you're grown, I'll treat you accordingly.
The first thing you're gonna do is get on the phone
with your mother... and apologize.
Get over here.
After you apologize, you will find Miss Lorraine here,
pull up those sleeves that I paid for and do whatever work
- it is that she tells you to. - Hi, Mommy.
You cannot keep rewriting my job description.
-I am not a babysitter. -It's funny.
I don't recall asking for one.
Work him like anyone else.
I'm sorry, Mom.
I won't do it again.
We don't have time to be gigging in some dive bar for $50.
Well, $50 is $50,
and it's the Blackbird, and we need the exposure.
No. What we need is to pull shit together around here, Simone.
-Okay, everything else can wait. -You can't just...
We all agreed to this, Kendall, weeks ago.
Yeah, well, Dad wasn't dead then, now, was he?
Fight for what you want.
Isn't that what he taught us?
Hey, hey.
I think Encore will be just fine if we cool it for a bit.
So now you bailing, too?
I'm doing the show, JT, even if I'm doing it by myself.
Digging in about this gig tonight--
think maybe that's more about what you want
than what your dad would?
I mean, come on, Monie.
A good dad would want your heart to heal
before you did anything else.
How would you know?
Your dad was never around.
Um...
I guess you'll do what you want, then.
-Mama, which one is Pop-Pop? -I don't know.
-You tell me, bichito. -This one.
He's the best one...
that does this.
Yeah.
Excuse me, Mr. Cornelius?
I'm sorry to... interrupt.
But I was just wondering...
if I could have a minute
of your time.
Cut.
I like it.
Work on. Back to one.
Moan and groan if you want to.
- Back to one in ten. - I'm sorry.
I didn't get your name.
Mona St. James.
Actress, artist,
entrepreneur.
Miss Tessa, I'm hungry, and...
-I lost my dollar for the food machine. -Oh.
Okay. Well, let's go see what your dad has in mind for dinner.
You know what? We'll find you something.
You like biscuits?
Perhaps we could go somewhere private
and, um...
become better acquainted.
So, you're an entrepreneur?
-Among other things. -Mm.
Well, Mona, let me give you the two best bits of business advice
that I ever got,
both from my father.
All right, Rockefeller.
Lay it on me.
Well, first,
success doesn't happen by chance.
Happens by choice.
Everything you do and you don't do defines who you are.
And, second, never let a trick
trash your future. Get the hell off my set.
Stone gas, my ass.
You ain't shit, Don Cornelius!
You hear me?!
What are you looking at?
Yo, Rufus!
-Just like I thought. -Rufus Thomas.
-You see that? -My main man.
What's happening, baby?
-So good to see you. -Mr. Thomas.
All right, all right.
-Y'all ready for the chicken? -You know it.
We about to give you the chicken, okay?
All right. Bock-bock!
-Make sure they have my check. -You got it.
Not one word.
You see this?
Got us living like roaches so long, we forgot we were kings.
Look, man, I really need my cut.
Loot's too hot to move right now.
Got to wait till the heat dies down.
Be cool, man.
Next time, we'll hit a straight cash spot.
Ain't no next time, Reg.
-I'm out. -Out?
You a black man in America.
Ain't no getting out till we get them out.
Listen, man, I didn't come here for one of these rallies.
-I came here for rent. -Brother Reggie,
we got a problem. We got to go.
Oh, okay.
There's always room for one more at the spot.
Well, my one more come with two more.
I'm not about to see them in the street.
Continuous revolution in progress.
It costs before it pays.
You hear anything about Latch?
Latch is a soldier.
You got nothing to worry about.
What I got to worry about?
I ain't steal nothing.
I didn't kill nobody.
Cops can't put nothing on me.
One of us go down, we all go down.
Just the way of the world, brother.
And we're clear!
-Tessa, she won't... -Work it out. I don't have time.
She has been crowding me all day!
Mm. Come on. Doo-wop on out of here.
Tessa, somebody keeps stealing my supplies.
You better get your girls before I do, 'cause I'm telling you...
Get me a list, Kat. I'll replace what's missing.
All right. One minute to show, everybody!
Let me take you somewhere that's sweet and sexy.
You've never been to Malibu?
Rufus.
-Don Cornelius. -Hey, hey.
Thanks again for coming through, brother.
Oh. I'll take any
of James Brown's leftovers anytime, you know?
You are the full meal tonight.
-Oh, thank you. -We're all family here,
so if you need anything, just, um...
Uh, I'm not gonna need for much.
Except a good intro.
Make sure that that check is made out to cash,
all right?
'Cause I got things to do tonight.
-All right? Come on. -Right on.
All right, and we're back in five,
four, three...
We're about to hear a number from one
of the hippest hit-makers in the business,
the man that's got us all getting down to his funky sound.
Let's put your hands together for Mr. Rufus Thomas.
And I'm gonna show you exactly what I'm talking 'bout.
I'm talking 'bout the Funky Chicken.
Y'all ready?
No! I said, "Y'all ready?"
Okay, here we go.
You want to tell me what you were doing out there with Rufus?
It's called dancing.
-You should try it sometime. -It's called crossing the line,
Flo, and you went too far.
I know you're reaching for something bigger,
but it's not guys like Rufus who pay the price
when everything goes wrong.
I know you.
I was you.
You're talented, but you've got to start making...
Every day of my life, I got somebody
trying to tell me how to live it.
But I ain't taking no jive
about how to make it out on the dance floor.
'Cause if you really had what it took to make it,
your bougie ass wouldn't be out here wiping Don's,
now, would it?
I wonder if you know where you are.
Some of you would say that you're on
an old Hollywood soundstage.
True.
Some of you would say that...
you're on the hippest trip in America.
And I don't disagree. Now, most of you would say
that you just tired as hell and ready to go home.
Let me tell you where you are.
Right now you are standing in a dream.
My dream.
And in case you've never had a dream of your own,
let me tell you, it doesn't come fast, cheap or easy.
You will protect it at all costs.
I will protect it at all costs.
You want to do what you want, when you want,
with whoever you want?
Do it somewhere else.
See, in this dream, this is the reality.
There is no sex on my set.
No fraternizing. No messing around with the guests,
with each other, not even with your damn self.
Now, if you ain't down
with those rules, that's cool.
Just go find your own dream.
Understood?
-Yes. -Yes, sir.
Great episode, kids. Keep it up.
Mama!
Sh...
That pipe's still busted?
Drips every time you turn on the water.
Course, your dad said he'd get to it as...
soon as he got...
Remember that time your daddy tried to make lasagna?
- Army-style. - Army-style.
Yes.
What did he use for the sauce?
Barbecue and Tabasco.
With the hard noodles.
One bite, you taste pure sugar. The next, your mouth was
-on fire. -On fire.
Yes, hi. It's Don Cornelius for...
I was wondering...
Like I said, he gets worked like anyone else.
Look, I don't have time for girl talk, Tessa,
so just spit it out.
That speech you gave out there, does that apply to you, too?
I make the rules, Tessa.
I don't have to keep them.
Flo is not welcome back on my set.
-Get rid of her. -What about Rufus?
-He welcome back? -The acts make the money.
And the dancers make the show.
Flo is too good to fire.
Suspend her for a week. She'll get the message.
One week's suspension.
She pulls that shit again,
it's on you.
Well, I got to go.
Ruby's gonna catch me up on my assignments and stuff.
Bye, Mama.
Be careful, baby.
I'm tired.
Think I'm gonna turn it in.
You know, it may not feel like it, but...
it'll get easier.
The pain will fade into memories,
and the joy will come back.
That's my prayer.
Mama, the only reason I'm here and not in Vietnam
is because Dad died.
I mean, what do I do with that?
You let it go.
You become every bit the man he raised you to be.
Y'all give it up again for the Blackbird band!
Daddy, don't leave me out here alone.
All right, Blackbird,
Papa's got a brand-new bag tonight.
Stepping on our stage for the first time,
put your hands together
for Simone Clarke.
- Okay, yeah. - Yeah! Okay, Simone.
I don't know who she is.
I never heard of her.
Come on, sugar.
Ah, sister!
Now, I know you know this...
but it's got to be said.
I can't fail again.
I'm too close on this one. I need one...
-What you praying about, Daddy? -What are you doing in here?
-I just... -No, when I put you to bed, that's where you stay, Tony.
Or you so grown now you making your own rules, huh?
Huh? Tony, come back here!
Tony, I said come back here!
Boy, get in here!
Up on out of here. Go, go, go, go.
Donnie, get on in here!
I said get on in here!
Sit on down.
Used to be a...
little white girl I played with when I was your age.
We were all the same kind of poor,
but my daddy told me to leave her alone anyhow.
I ain't pay him no mind.
One day he sees us out catching frogs.
Drags me back home.
Hangs me up on a tree long enough
to make me understand how he got those scars around his own neck.
However bad you think you got it, boy,
you remember your daddy had it worse.
And my daddy had it worse than both of us put together.
You keep away from dirty women like the one you saw me with.
Don't you say one word about this to your mama.
Not one word!
All right, all right, now, son, stop all that crying.
Stop all that crying. What you saw,
you need to respect what's private for people, son.
And prayer is a private thing.
I'll give you this, you-you worked like a man today, son.
And working men earn.
It's all yours.
Anything you want.
I want to go to the movies with you.
Speak clear and look a man in the eye
when you talk to him, son.
I want to go to the movies with you.
Only thing left now is the late shows.
Think you can make it through without falling asleep?
Well, go ahead, get dressed.
Hurry up.
What's your name, soldier?
Don't worry, I'll get you home. You're gonna be okay, son.
Dad?
Dad? Dad?
Thank you.
Thank you, Blackbird.
Thank you. Thank you.
That means more than you know.
I want to close with a song,
um, a friend helped me write.
I was saving it to sing with my dad...
but I guess I'll just have to sing it for him instead.
I'm so sorry.
I-I'll start again.
I can start again.
Just...
Come on! What you waiting for?
Got the make and model on the car.
Look, we don't make this call now,
we lose our best chance to get this little shit
to give up a name.
Whose side are you on, anyway?
Ask me that when questioning a witness won't kill him.
The doc said that waking him was 50-50,
but our careers are 100% over if we don't make this case.
We're on day six here, Patrick.
It's now or never.
Okay, I'll get the doctor.
You put a BOLO out
for a '63 Chevy II Nova.
Find that car, we find our killer.
It's crazy, huh?
It's like a whole nother planet up here.
Just...
just tell me what to say, Simone.
Please. I can't...
Nah, it's not supposed to happen this way.
Yes, it is.
My name is Detective Lorraine,
and in three minutes, a crazy white dude
that don't like brothers is about to bust through that door,
get your confession.
Yeah. I know you think you ain't gonna snitch,
but let me tell you why you will.
'Cause he's gonna hurt you in every way imaginable
if you don't.
You think somebody here is gonna stop that?
They pulled you out of a coma to talk,
so whose side do you think they're on?
Daddy, who's the man?
Shut your mouth.
Okay, Shaft, you can put the gun away.
Daddy, I'm not gonna tell Mama we saw Shaft.
But I thought you were grown.
I'm grown, not stupid.
I'm your one chance, Jamie.
Give me a name.
I'll protect your family.
He's eaten, but if he gets hungry, it's okay.
-Use the rest for gas. -I don't need this.
And it's his first time flying, so if he needs anything,
just get him a gift or something.
You're not coming with us?
Tony, Daddy's got to work.
Okay?
Okay.
Come on, Tony.
If you can reach the brakes in the car, I'll let you drive
a few laps around the parking lot before we go.
Daddy would never let me do that.
Lucky for you, I'm not your dad.
Why don't you put those clothes up,
and I'll make you something to eat.
I can't imagine they have anything
like your mama's kitchen on that fancy plane,
now, do they?
Why'd you make me come back?
I was gonna stay with Daddy and work on his show
and live in a house with a pool and...
and have a new school with nice friends.
-Tony. -Daddy wanted me to stay,
but you made me come back.
-You made me! -Okay, listen.
So... Tony. T-Tony. Tony. Tony. Tony.
Why doesn't he want to be with us?
Now, you listen to me, baby boy.
Has your mama ever lied to you?
Well, you believe me when I tell you
that your daddy loves you so strong
that it'd break the world in two,
and whatever he's done wrong is small
when you hold it against that.
And he is the luckiest man alive
to have a son as-as smart
and nice and kind
and as brilliant as you.
And one day,
you're gonna be your own man, Anthony.
You know, that man gonna... he's gonna be something special.
I promise.
Yeah, hi. It's Don Cornelius
for Bobby Krasnow.
Same as last time, booking Ike and Tina.
Yeah, still holding.
Cornelius. Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah. Thanks.
Come on, boy. Get up.
Get that ass up, boy.
We's just starting, boy.
Come on. Come on.
I signed up for the Army.
And I'm marrying Delores.
You got a problem with either one of those,
keep it to yourself.
Come... back here, boy.
Come back.
Come back here, boy.
-Next time on American Soul...
Police! Get on the ground!
-Don't move! -Get on the ground!
- Man, what? - Stay down!
Episode eight, your dancers were dragging.
They made Clarence Carter look ridiculous. I can't afford that.
My dancers can only work
with what they're given.
My syndicators are making demands.
I need talent, Ilsa.
-Diana Ross. -No.
That inner circle is like a human force field.
Get this one right, Detective.
A lot of lives depend on it.