♪ One, two, one, two, three ♪
♪ Where Brooklyn at? Where Brooklyn at? ♪
First Icee of the summer!
Ready?
♪ My life, my life In the sunshine ♪
One dollar. One dollar. One dollar.
♪ Everybody loves the sunshine ♪
Hey. Thank you.
Appreciate you.
One-handed.
♪ Sunshine ♪
Oh.
Look at that!
I'm beating you!
Woo!
♪ Sunshine ♪
♪ Folks get down in the sunshine ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Sunshine ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Folks get 'round in the sunshine ♪
Now you throw it back. Now you throw it back. Throw it back.
Good job. High five, mama.
- Morning, students. - Good morning, Ms. Moss.
♪ Just bees and things and flowers ♪
- You're... You're done. - Yeah.
It feels like your whole, like, toe is like...
♪ My life, my life, my life ♪
That was you...
- ¡Carajo! - Don't look at me, man!
♪ Everybody loves the sunshine ♪
♪ Sunshine ♪
♪ Everybody loves the sunshine ♪
♪ Sunshine... ♪
"Ships at a distance have every man's wish onboard.
For some, they come in with the tide.
For others, they sail forever on the horizon.
Never out of sight,
never landing until the watcher turns his eyes away in resignation,
his dreams mocked to death by time.
That is the life of men.
Now, women... forget everything they don't wanna remember
and remember everything they don't wanna forget.
The dream is the truth.
Then they act and do things accordingly."
That is the opening paragraph to my favorite novel of all time.
Hold up, I said "my," not anyone else's.
Their Eyes Were Watching God,
by the saint, Zora Neale Hurston.
Why is that?
Do yourself a flavor and read it.
You will thank me.
If I'm lyin', I'm flyin'.
And Nola Darling hasn't spread wings...
yet.
♪ Sunshine ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
Ah.
Don't waste a drop.
- Keep tilting it for me. - Okay.
Cheers.
- To us. - To us.
♪ You only see What your eyes want to see ♪
♪ How can life be What you want it to be? ♪
♪ You're frozen ♪
♪ When your heart's not open ♪
♪ You're so consumed With how much you get ♪
♪ You waste your time With hate and regret ♪
♪ You're broken ♪
♪ When your heart's not open ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ If I could melt your heart ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ We'd never be apart ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ Give yourself to me ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ You hold ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ We'd never be apart ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ Give yourself to me ♪
♪ Mm, hmm ♪
♪ You hold ♪
♪ The key ♪
♪ If I could melt your heart ♪
I love you.
Oh, God. I love you.
I love you.
Mm, I love you.
Nola Darling...
You have just been Opal Gilstrapped.
Room service.
Do not disturb.
Oh, sorry. We'll just leave this here in the hallway.
What does your daughter think about you guys in public?
I mean, not the making out, but, like, holding hands in the street?
Um... Our daughter Skylar loves it.
Our daughter?
Um...
I mean, she's definitely curious about it.
She's way too grown for her age,
but I kinda feel like she could flip at any minute and just be over it.
No fucking way!
Ladies, me and Sky are thick as thieves, okay?
We're like sisters, it's great.
How are the two of you like sisters
when you and I are trying to raise her as a...
I'm gonna have to remember that move.
What's the story, Morning Glory?
After My Name Isn't,
I feel inspired to increase my use of video and photography
as a part of my artistic game.
So that's what we're calling it now.
I don't wanna just do one thing well, okay?
I don't wanna just be known as a painter. I wanna be multi-disciplinary.
Like who?
Magic and MJ.
Scorsese.
Prince.
Angelou.
Simone.
Sinatra.
Carrie Mae Weems.
Alexandria Smith.
Do you need more names? Do you know who they are?
I...
am a man of the arts and letters,
and I will thank you to not forget that.
Can we get my camera now?
Merci!
Can we get some help? Thanks.
- How may I help you? - Hey, man.
The lady here is looking for a model D-LUX 109
if you have 'em in stock.
Yes, we do.
- Fantastic. - The lady here definitely has a mouth.
Hi. I'm Nola Darling. What's your name?
- Gifford. - Nice to meet you, Gifford.
Yes, can we take a look at that Leica model D-LUX, please?
- Of course. - Thank you.
- Does this model take video? - Yes, it does.
Amazing.
And what is the damage?
I'll...
take it.
Ms. Darling, be right back.
- What? - It's definitely my entire rent check.
Décisions, décisions...
- Decision made. - Yeah?
Yeah. Oh! Don't hurt me now.
What is that, your shy guy?
- I don't know. - He don't know?
Thank you.
Um... May I...
uh, spread it out over three cards? Is that possible?
Anything for you, Ms. Darling.
I didn't wanna say anything, blow up your spot,
but I loved your My Name Isn't manifesto.
That was dope.
Thank you very much.
Do I get a "that was dope" discount?
And that's a no. Thank you. All right.
Laughing in my face. Cool, cool, cool.
Same shit, different day.
- Mm-hmm. Could've gone boarding. - Oh, totally.
This motherfucker.
What's up?
Joey Chainz is closed.
- Closed? - Yeah, for good.
Yeah. As usual, your late ass is late,
and for those of us who are on time all the time,
when we got here, shit was closed down, locked up.
No notice, no nothin'.
- Not even a courtesy email. - Nuh-uh. Nada.
How can they do some shit like that?
Easy. They probably got priced out, raised the rent mad crazy.
Where does that leave us?
- Ass out. - Unemployed.
So, what are we supposed to do?
Look for work!
Yo, this is some straight up shenanigans.
I'm going back to bed, y'all.
Fuck this shit.
That's some bullshit!
Let your sacred water wash over me,
cleanse me, nurture me, embrace me.
YemayáMi Madre, sustain me.
I ask you, Iyáto, fill me with your healing energy
and shine your light into me.
IyáMi Modupe,
allow your presence to be known in this Ilé,
your sacred space.
O Mio Yemayá. Ase O.
- What up, sis? - Hey, what's up?
- Huh? - Yeah.
Buenos dias to my favorite sister.
You only have una sister.
The one and only sister.
All right. Cut the bullshit. What do you want?
- Bullshit or caca? - Both.
- Alright. Let's chase to the cut. - Oh, my God, yo.
I was born this way. Act like you know.
What do you want?
Since you put it that way,
I gots the good news
and I gots the bad news. Which one you want me to hit you with first?
The good news.
Lulu,
I love you.
I love you more than any brother could love a sister
without it being freaky and shit.
I love you so much,
it hurts.
- It hurts all right. - No, no, no.
But do you actually
understand the deepness and proximity of my love...
Mars,
just give me the bad news. I can take it.
All right. I woke up this glorious morning
feelin' funky, fresh, and fly.
I rode my handmade bike built by me to Joey Chainz
and guess what?
Surprise me.
Joey Chainz was closed.
Cerrado.
- And? - Well, Joey Chainz is closed for good.
They lost their lease. Gentrification. The empire strikes again.
So, like, what are your plans now?
I don't know. I got some serious figuring out to do.
But...
here's a generous
advance.
Bong to the motherfuckin' bong.
I don't need fucking $50, Mars. I need half the fucking rent.
Didn't you hear me? You deaf?
Joey Chainz is closed.
I have no place of employment.
- Get a fucking J-O-B then! - Where?
I don't know, man. Hit the fucking pavement. You know what?
Because you're my brother and because I love you,
- I'm kicking your ass out. - The fuck?
- You gotta go. - No. Wait.
You're kicking your brother out who you love with the deep deepness
- and proximity... - Mars.
- ...so much to the curb? - You gotta go!
- Go where? - That's between you and your god.
Lord willing, this will make you grow the fuck up!
You're not a little kid anymore, Mars! Be a fucking man!
Grow the fuck up!
Goddamn. You know what? Get out! Get out!
Get out, go. You gotta go.
You gotta go.
It's like that?
It's like that and a bag of barbecue chips.
Hola.
I'll be back later to get my shit.
Yeah, don't take too fucking long.
Jah. Go.
Lulu, I'mma remember this!
Let me get this straight.
Joey Chainz gets shut down,
Lulu kicks you out, and now you wanna sleep on my sofa.
You right. You right.
No. You wrong. You wrong.
No. You right. You right.
How long would this be?
Just until I get settled.
Please, baby. Baby, please. Baby.
Please, baby, baby, baby, please. Please.
Por favor and shit.
Okay. Enough already.
No shenanigans, a'ight?
It's short-term only,
one hundred percent platonic.
Yeah, hunnid.
No rawness, nigga.
You didn't know what I was talking about.
Oh, no fucking!
Why didn't you say so?
God give me the strength.
Yo, word to mother.
Nah, no touchy, no feely.
I know you and Opal got your thing going on,
so mad respect.
Love the one you're with.
Thank you.
Yo, oh...
But here's a little something something with the rent.
Nola, take it. It's good money.
Boy, you are on the clock and the clock is ticking.
Tick-tock.
Tick... tock.
- Morning, Mr. Jamie Overstreet. - Guess we should keep it formal.
You guess right.
How you been?
Well, Cheryl and I, uh...
we're getting a divorce.
I failed my family.
You could never fail your son.
Jamie, I have been talking to a divorce lawyer.
As have I.
Let's have an amicable divorce.
Is that even possible,
with us?
Yes.
But it will be up to you.
Me?
You and I both know why.
You will blame me.
Blame me for the break-up of our marriage.
I don't blame you, Cheryl.
That's what you're saying now,
but I know you.
You will blame me.
You have never blamed yourself for anything
since that fateful day we met.
You are incapable of being honest.
Yes or no?
We will have an amicable divorce.
My number one concern is for our son, Virgil.
You should have thought of that before.
Amicable?
Mars.
What are you doing, ringing my bell?
I just took a chance to see if you was home.
Okay.
And as you can clearly see, I am. Now what?
Why you gotta be so hostility to me and shit?
I just need a friend to talk to.
Oh, we're friends now?
Womb to tomb?
Not birth to earth.
Stop playing.
I lost my job.
I was wondering when Joey Chainz would finally fire you.
Not fired me.
Your boy Danton came and shut Joey Chainz down.
Henceforth and whatnot, Lulu kicked me out the crib.
So, indirectly, directly,
you're responsible for me joining the ranks of the unemployed.
Me?
Yeah, you, Clorinda.
You really know how to pick' em.
Yeah. You know what? I really do know how to pick 'em.
I'm sorry, Mars.
What's... What's next?
What's your plan?
- You're not gonna laugh at me? - I'm not gonna laugh at you.
- You promise? - Promise, Mars.
- You promise? - I promise.
Cross your heart and hope to die, stick a needle in your eye?
Oh my God. You are really trying me.
Clorinda, cross your heart.
- Music. - What about music?
About to make my dream a reality.
Nothing to it but to do it.
Word.
Well, thanks for not laughing at my dream.
Thanks for sharing it with me.
Can I come inside?
It was almost,
almost a nice moment.
♪ Such pretty hair ♪
♪ May I kiss you ♪
♪ May I kiss you there ♪
What? Are you in Pilates? Keep still!
I'm sorry! I'm stiff. How much longer is this gonna take?
♪ Beautiful ♪
I saw Mars today.
And?
And what?
What, you two are talking again?
His sister Lulu kicked him out.
He told me he needs to stay with me until...
Until...?
Until he gets back on his Jordans.
I mean, feet. His feet.
Until he gets back on his feet.
Well, why didn't you talk to me before you agreed to let him stay with you?
I guess I forgot.
Yeah. Well, I don't know how I feel about you cohabiting with a former lover.
Um...
Do you trust me?
Look at me. Do you trust me?
Yes, I trust you.
Then trust
I will lay down the law.
Just because you lay down the law
doesn't mean Mars is going to listen to it.
Baby, it's gonna be okay.
I can take care of myself.
- You think so? Huh? - I know so.
Hmm.
I guess we'll see about that.
♪ So beautiful ♪
Don't be mad at me.
I'm not mad at you.
I'm annoyed with you.
I'll take annoyed.
I'm sure you will take annoyed.
And now she wants to liquor me up.
♪ One, two, three The devil's after me ♪
♪ Four, five, six ♪
♪ He's always throwing bricks ♪
♪ Seven, eight, nine ♪
♪ He misses every time ♪
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Amen ♪
♪ Nine, eight, seven ♪
♪ We're on our way to heaven ♪
♪ Six, five, four ♪
♪ There's always room for more ♪
♪ Three, two, one ♪
♪ The devil's on the run ♪
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah ♪
♪ Amen ♪
♪ One, two, three The devil's after me ♪
♪ Four, five, six He's always throwing bricks ♪
♪ Seven, eight, nine He misses every time ♪
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Amen ♪
♪ Nine, eight, seven We're on our way to heaven ♪
♪ Six, five, four ♪
♪ There's always room for more ♪
♪ Three, two, one ♪
♪ The devil's on the run ♪
♪ Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah Amen ♪
Race you.
These strawberries are so ripe.
They're so red.
- They're almost overripe. - Mm-hmm.
Skylar, finish your breakfast.
I'm done.
Eat your cereal.
You know how many children wake up and don't have a breakfast?
Yes, and it's a criminal act.
Sky. Finish your cereal so we can...
Okay.
So, you can...?
Finished.
No. What did I say about this?
Oh. Come on. Just a couple.
Yes!
- Sky. Give your mom a kiss. - Skylar, stop.
Opal. Come on. Just one smile.
- I don't wanna smile. - Smile, come on.
Okay. More big, juicy kisses.
Skylar, stop it.
You don't like my kisses?
Okay, move in. One more family portrait.
I said stop!
- Can we just do... - If I...
If I have told you once, I have told you twice.
Breakfast is not about a fashion photography shoot.
In my house,
we will sit down...
and eat like civilized people, like we've got some goddamn sense.
Do I make myself clear?
- Yes. - Yes.
Skylar.
Listen to your mother.
You gonna listen too?
I always listen.
Do you?
Put your bowl in the sink and grab your stuff.
- We can't be late for summer school. - Okay.
- You and I are gonna have a talk. - Why, though?
Me and Sky were just having fun.
Hey, Skylar. Please don't forget your backpack this time.
Okay, Mommy.
Love you.
Love you too, Nola.
Love you too... too.
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
Why? Why?
♪ There's a star in the east ♪
♪ Over pyramids at Kingstown ♪
♪ Where there once lived a girl ♪
♪ She ruled the world... ♪
Mars!
Who that be?
Who the fuck do you think it is?
I'm on the toilet.
Let me finish my business.
Por favor and shit.
Oh. Oh.
Oh, snap!
Boy, that's some funny shit!
Yo, what they call that?
A pun.
Like Big Pun?
Rest in peace, my manz.
♪ Nights over Egypt ♪
Oof!
♪ Incense and myrrh ♪
♪ And girls that swirl ♪
Yo. Excuse me.
Them rice and beans got a half-nigga.
What did I tell you about bringing those fucking carcinogens in my house?
And did you put the toilet seat down?
No. Who shits with the toilet seat up?
My bad.
But here we are.
- Shit. - Mars.
Uh...
What? I did what you told me to do.
Did I tell you to break the motherfucking toilet seat?
Did I tell you that? No.
Well, if it ain't fixed, don't broke it.
Why?
Why you yellin'?
Mars, you gotta go. G to the O.
What did I do?
Clemente!
Yo. I only wore these Jordans once.
Have a seat.
Okay.
Woosah. Woo... woosah.
Can I have a couple more days. A'ight?
It won't be long.
How long is long?
Not long.
Please, baby.
Baby, please.
How long is long?
Please.
Baby...
Oops.
Not baby.
Just please.
You promise?
Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
What the fuck are you, ten?
I need you... Mars.
I need you to vacate my premises, okay?
I... I can't live like this. I can't work like this.
- I need all your shit to go. - I promise.
Look, I promise. All right?
Nola, I ain't mad at you.
I appreciate everything you've done for me.
All right? I will leave. Soon.
Pinkie promise.
Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
I can't...
Wait a moment.
I spoke a lie.
I never really wanted to die.
But if I may or if I might, my heart is open for the night.
Though my lips are sealed
and a promise is true, I'll never break my word to you.
I'm willing to risk our bond that we owned so long
as you're safe.
You'll never be alone.
Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
Break my promise, tell a lie.
Save my friend, though.
Maybe it's bye.
Who the fuck are you right now?
Mars de Blackmon.
Brooklyn's finest, baby.
Mars de Blackmon needs to get his shit together.
Ha!
F'real, f'real, f'real.
Yeah? Come in! I'm indecent!
Mars?
- Sorry, I'm just playing, yo. Come on in. - Whatcha doin'?
I'm just working on a little something something in here.
You got some bangin' acousticals up in here in your bathroom.
Yo, can I work on my day-but album in here?
I'll give you a credit, a'ight?
It's gonna be on vinyl.
Old-school album jacket.
There will be no debut album of yours recorded in my small ladies room.
But I may have something better.
Like what?
We might have a... a gig.
What kinda gig?
A singing gig. Singing background.
It'd be a great gig if we could just get it.
No details?
I don't wanna jinx it,
so as soon as I know, you will know.
What you know about singing, though?
Don't get it twisted. I can blow.
Wait, when did that happen?
Since I was a child in the Baptist church choir.
Have you ever been inside of a church?
Yes. I have. You think I'm not religious?
I started practicing Catholicism
when I heard they was giving out grape juice and crackers once a week.
You're impossible, Mars.
Impossible is Mars!
They call me Luciano Paparazzi Rodriguez Hernandez!
Shut the fuck up!
Ooh, right here, right here.
Woo!
Get off the toilet!
Are you and Clorinda still good?
Yeah, we're good. Not as close, but still good.
I think you gotta watch that one. I don't really trust her.
What? You don't even hang with her like that.
Well, I don't need to. I can see it in her eyes. Something's not right.
She is off-kilter. Off balance.
Okay. Okay.
What do you see in my eyes?
I see me, Nola.
Hm.
Nola, I see my reflection in your eyes.
And I see mine in yours.
I see you, Opal.
Welcome to the Hot-N-Trot!
Whose house?
Winny's house!
Whose house?
Winny's house!
Motherfuckin' right!
Make some motherfuckin' noise
for none other than Stew and The Negro Problem!
Woo!
You don't make no motherfuckin' noise,
I'll throw you right in the motherfuckin' street!
♪ Brooklyn ♪
♪ I want to move ♪
♪ To a place that's calm and green ♪
♪ I've got nothing left to prove ♪
♪ I'm tired of feeling wound up ♪
♪ Ground up in Gotham's machine ♪
♪ Time to make a soul brother hippy move ♪
♪ Oh, but nature sucks ♪
♪ And my head just stays in flux ♪
♪ I believe my ambition undid me, baby ♪
♪ Now I need a place ♪
♪ A hood in outer space ♪
♪ Jump off the grid And see what's under my lid ♪
♪ And maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
Me! Me!
♪ Maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
♪ I wanna move ♪
♪ To a place that's calm and green ♪
♪ You mean like Central Park, babe ♪
♪ I've got nothing left to prove ♪
♪ Build a treehouse in the dark, babe ♪
- ♪ I'm tired of feeling wound up ♪ - ♪ With me? ♪
♪ Ground up in Gotham's machine ♪
♪ I can't sleep without noise ♪
♪ It's time to make A soul brother hippy move ♪
♪ I need to be in reach of all my toys ♪
♪ Oh, but nature sucks ♪
♪ I am nature ♪
♪ And my head just stays in flux ♪
♪ Let's go to a Broadway show, babe ♪
♪ I believe my ambition undid me, babe ♪
♪ The one With the rock and roll negroes? ♪
♪ I need a place ♪
♪ Look at my face ♪
♪ A hood in outer space ♪
♪ Let's go to Harlem and chill, babe ♪
♪ Jump off the grid and see ♪
♪ What's under my lid ♪
♪ I'm off the pill ♪
♪ Maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
♪ Brooklyn ♪
♪ Maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
♪ Brooklyn ♪
♪ Maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
♪ Brooklyn ♪
♪ Maybe there's black people In Fort Greene ♪
♪ Brooklyn ♪
♪ And when he said, "What about Brooklyn?" ♪
♪ She said ♪
Where?
♪ And when he said, "What about Brooklyn?" She said ♪
There?
♪ And when he said, "We oughta move to Brooklyn" ♪
♪ She said ♪
No.
♪ And when he said "No Brooklyn, no children" ♪
♪ She said, "What the fuck, let's go" ♪
Come on, Nola, come on!
Come on, Opal.
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ If you wanna ride ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Please don't make a fuss ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Step right up inside ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Resurrection bus ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ You don't need to hide ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Only you can trust ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Ain't deep but it's wide ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Resurrection bus ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ If you wanna ride ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Please don't make a fuss ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Step right up inside ♪
- ♪ To gentrify ♪ - ♪ Please don't make a fuss ♪
♪ My soul too high ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
♪ My soul too high ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
♪ Roll out, roll out, roll out! ♪
♪ If you wanna ride ♪
♪ Please don't make a fuss ♪
♪ Step right up inside ♪
♪ Resurrection bus ♪
♪ Ain't no need to hide ♪
♪ Only you can trust ♪
♪ Ain't deep but it's wide ♪
♪ Resurrection bus ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ If you wanna ride ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Step right up inside ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Ain't no need to hide ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Ain't deep but it's wide ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ If you wanna ride ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Step right up inside ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ My soul too high ♪ - ♪ Ain't no need to hide ♪
♪ To gentrify ♪
- ♪ Roll out! ♪ - ♪ My soul too high... ♪