♪ One, two, one, two, three ♪
♪ Where Brooklyn at? Where Brooklyn at? ♪
Shooting the Brooklyn Joy campaign for earWave has been
one of the most satisfying projects I've completed in a while.
And what's not to love?
My muses, the beautiful faces and bodies of black and brown Brooklyn.
My chosen medium, photography. My patron, earWave.
And yet something about the way it all came together
makes me feel a little bit off.
Listen, I'm not trying to put my business on Front Street, okay?
But things between me and Clo have been out of whack for a while now.
On one hand, she's the homie, right?
My chosen fam, one of my nearest and dearest.
But on the other hand, Clorinda is a business associate,
one who's gotten really good at introducing my art to the world
and the world to my art.
- That's it. - Wow.
Nola, I love them.
- Really? - No, quit.
You better not downplay your talent,
'cause, hell, in corporate America is where you sell your shine the hardest.
- You hear me? - All right.
What I'm really proud of here is the color saturation.
You sell your shine.
True that.
It's super important to me that the hues feel
like those old three-strip Technicolor movies. You know what I mean?
It elevates the subjects to... this mythic status.
Like, they're still people like us, but vibrant somehow, glorious.
This is great. I'm gonna go run these by the creative directors
and then we're all set.
Oh, I didn't realize anybody else would be chiming in.
Oh, no, it's just a formality really.
Just a way to make everyone feel like they're involved.
But trust, I'm running point on this,
and what I say goes.
And I say Nola Darling is life.
- Yes. - Life.
Yes, you are.
And trust.
Sweetie, Danton,
baby, it's going to be fine.
I promise you, it's already been days.
We just have to stay focused.
Excuse me?
Yes. I am still committed to being your community outreach spokeswoman.
No, it is not too much for me to handle.
Listen, baby, I promise you,
no one will remember this press conference in another week. Okay?
Just give it some time. It will all blow over...
Mm-hmm.
Okay, I will talk to you later.
- Mon Amour. - Bonjour.
So it sounds like earWave loves your photographs.
Oh, my God, you don't even know. It's been so dope.
First of all, the exec is this bad-ass black woman.
She pretty much did a triple backflip when she saw the images,
- but that's not the best part. - What's the best part?
I just got my advance. Where Brooklyn at!
Nola Darling is a bona fide motherfucking working artist.
Whoa.
Get up.
I'm so proud of you.
You mean that?
Of course. You're stepping up your photography game. Respect.
Thank you.
And... you're paying for these tickets.
Okay. All right.
The protagonist was problematic as fuck, though.
Like, only a white feminist would care more about the life of a damn dog
than the black people the dog's been trained to kill.
To be fair, that "damn dog" saved her from getting raped.
"To be fair"?
Okay, what I mean is...
some people need a little space to grow,
white feminists included.
What, so we black folks got our shit all the way together?
Mm-hmm?
No? No issues in our communities with misogyny, transphobia, colorism?
Not I. I love all black people.
- All black people? - Mm-hmm.
You didn't seem to exactly love Reed.
Reed, who's what, like, one sixteenth black?
One drop rule.
You're right. Okay.
Bi-racial. Momma's black, Daddy's white. She's the opposite of me.
Yeah.
But even if she was white,
I'm dating her and I am happy.
I have to admit, meeting Reed caught me a little off guard.
If I had a picture of that look on your face
when I introduced the two of you...
Oh, my God.
So what? You two are serious?
Serious enough.
Is that a problem?
Not at all.
Reed seems really cool.
- No fronting, she fine as a motherfucker. - Oh, my goodness.
- Fine as a motherfucker. - To Sam Fuller.
Sam Fuller.
She is fine, though.
Have you seen your father's new apartment?
Nah, my Mom won't let me go there.
So on weekends, my Dad and I meet up and do stuff
that he thinks I think is fun.
We played tennis last weekend.
I hate tennis.
Tell me about it.
When my Mom broke up with Nola,
she just kept on jogging and jogging.
I thought she was gonna tear her ACL again
like when she did when she trained for the New York City marathon.
Okay. Other side.
Do you and Nola still hang out?
I wish.
My Mom was way easier to handle when Nola was around.
Nola's an artist, so it's easy for me to relate to her.
You know Nola seduced my dad, right?
And now my parents are getting a divorce.
I'm sure Nola didn't know about your mom.
Or you.
That's probably why she was so surprised when your mom confronted her.
My mom thinks she knew.
Your mom's upset.
Why are you defending Nola?
I'm not. I just know her better than you do.
Adults do terrible things to each other all the time
and it's our job to protect ourselves from it as best we can.
But I wish my parents weren't getting a divorce.
Virgil, do you want me to finish your hair or not?
Nah, Skylar, it's okay.
I was gonna take it out before my mom got home anyway.
Yo.
You're in my kitchen.
You okay?
Bet you ain't know I could cook and shit. Call me Chef Boyardee.
I would hardly call macaroni from a can cooking.
Yo, don't be fronting on the chef. All right?
Got mad skills.
I'm not fronting, Mars. Just...
Whatever, it's all yours. I just need a fucking drink.
Okay. That's how Ms. Bradford getting down tonight?
Yo, Clorinda.
- You want a bite? - What are you doing? No.
What happened? Spilled on you? I'm sorry.
No? You sure? You don't know what you're missing.
All right.
Little more.
I'm glad you find me amusing, you know what I'm saying?
- Stop. - Why?
- You laughing, what's going on? - You know I don't like being tickled.
Why you laughing? Why you laughing though?
'Cause I like being touched.
♪ I remember you telling me ♪
♪ Bout this love making ♪
♪ You said it felt less like love More like taking ♪
♪ So forgive me ♪
♪ Cos I hate to see you ♪
♪ You putting up with this ♪
♪ Putting you down Ignoring the sweet truth ♪
♪ That he's an imposter ♪
♪ A wolf in sheep's clothing ♪
♪ Do you care that he do what he do When he know that you're broken ♪
♪ Yeah, he's an imposter ♪
♪ And I know that you know this ♪
♪ So why waste your precious energy ♪
♪ Going through the motions ♪
Wait, wait, wait. Before we fuck,
you need to take off your Jordans.
For real?
I'm thinking it over.
- Mars, just take them off. - All right.
Oh, my God.
It's a big moment.
Help me, Jesus.
MJ, don't be mad.
- You good? - We good.
They good?
♪ The real thing ♪
Don't front. You know I had you seeing stars.
My macaroni game ain't gonna get me on Top Chef no time soon,
but real talk,
that was the first meal I made for myself in a long time.
Well, ever, really.
So...
just big-ups, Mars Blackmon, just big-ups.
I told you music is my passion and now I'm making my passion come true.
Finished writing my first song today.
Now, did I tell you?
Yo, can I sing you some real quick?
Um...
- Can I get a rain check? - No, Clo, it's a song.
It's gonna take, like, three minutes tops, you know?
Weren't you the one supposed to be helping me with my music?
Okay, whose apartment and whose bed are you in right now?
Sharpie the black butt. Duly noted.
I'm sorry. Just...
Danton is breathing down my neck about this...
thing that I have to do and I just don't have the bandwidth.
Yeah, well, your width had the band for this chorizo a few minutes ago, so...
All right.
Do you need help kicking his old crusty ass to the curb?
'Cause if you do, I got you.
Fucking Danton.
Just, you're the last person that can help me, really.
What you looking at? Let me see.
Can you... Mars, can you give me back my laptop?
Look at this.
Hey, Nola's IG page reported for abuse. What's this? What the fuck is this?
Nola's IG page is causing Danton some problems.
He asked me to take care of it. Just...
Danton stops getting bad press and Nola doesn't even need to know why.
But you tell her, 'cause you're her friend.
Look, I know that this looks shady, but this is also my job.
Doing Nola dirty's your job? What?
- You hear yourself right now? - Whoa, who's doing Nola dirty?
I'm looking out for the bigger picture here,
helping her pave the way
to help her make significant strides in her career,
if she would just stop with the whole,
"Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud," vigilante fucking act for five seconds.
It's not an act and you know it.
Nola's not backing down from nobody, not now, not ever.
- Well, like I said, I'm just doing my job. - Well, your job fucking sucks.
- Okay. - And so does your man, Danton.
What? Like you have your life all together?
- Whatever. - And it's all peaches and cream? What?
You make a song. Why don't you make a couple more
and then you can finish a mix tape
and stand at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic
and sell it with the rest of the aspiring artists?
In the meantime, some of us with actual goals need to get ahead.
Yeah, well, my shit is fire and if you were smart, you'd peep that.
No, you know what, if I were smart,
I would stop fucking around with a deadbeat manchild
who started sleeping with my best friend when I got pregnant.
What?
What did you just say?
Nothing.
You fucking with me right now?
You know, Mars, it's getting late and I think you should go.
Nah. Nah. Nah. You were pregnant?
Yeah, I was.
And it was mine?
Yes.
Why you never told me?
Because, as an ardent feminist,
I thought that any and everything I do with my body is my choice.
Fuck that.
Who's coming for your choices?
Besides the entire US government?
But who's sitting with you right here in your bed?
Nobody.
Nobody?
Nobody.
♪ Last night as I got home ♪
♪ About a half past ten ♪
♪ There was a woman ♪
I guess your Brownsville hound dogs don't hear too good.
I said, "bark," remember? No "bite."
These guys must have misinterpreted
the dog whistle with shit like that.
- How does this come back to us? - It don't, fam.
We ain't got no fingerprints, no DNA on this shit. We good.
How do you figure?
Turns out, this Andrew Goldling dude ain't a punk after...
Well, he's a fucking punk, he ain't a rat though.
Pointed out some Russian dudes from Brighton Beach.
We in the clear.
I hope you're right.
'Cause I don't want this getting out of hand like '92.
Me some wet-behind-the-ears kid
and you sitting for almost a dime in Rikers.
C-74 under the motherfucking bing.
If this shit goes south
with this Andrew Goldling,
I'm not letting you fall on the sword again.
Once was more than enough.
These two kids, they owe me their fucking lives.
Anybody gonna fall on the sword, it's these motherfuckers.
We good, fam,
I got you.
♪ All work and no play ♪
Hey. What's going on?
What took you so long?
Is everything okay?
Does your mom know you're here?
Are you just gonna stroll in like this is some everyday nonchalant occurrence?
You're not really good at being a disciplinarian, are you?
What are you doing here, Skylar?
I need to ask you something.
Okay. Shoot.
Did you know Jamie was a husband and a dad when you were fucking him?
I'm sorry?
My friend Virgil and I have been talking.
He's Jamie's son, if you haven't figured that out yet.
I know who Virgil is.
His parents are getting divorced and he's been pretty upset.
Sorry to hear that.
Are you though?
Yes, I am, Skylar.
Then why did you sleep with his dad?
Excuse you?
Virgil thinks it's because you're not a good person.
I told him that you are.
I told him that you probably thought his dad was single
when you were fucking him.
Okay, okay. Can you at least cool it with the language, please?
Intercourse.
My question is not rhetorical.
Did you know Jamie was a husband
- and a dad... - Okay,
I heard you the first time.
Well?
It's complicated, Skylar.
Adults always say that,
and it's usually not true.
Usually, the answer is not complicated, just unpleasant.
That's fair. That's totally fair.
So you did know?
Yes.
You see? Unpleasant.
Okay, okay. That's enough.
Let's get you home, please.
What is going on?
You were supposed to be home over an hour ago.
Inside.
Don't be too hard on her, okay? It's totally my fault.
Oh, really?
Yeah, I was, you know, painting and organizing
and I found her favorite purple headphones and I texted her directly...
Nola, you should have been texting me. I am her mother.
Thank you for walking her home though. I'll take it from here.
♪ This beat is mad ♪
♪ Everybody's hiding something ♪
What the fuck? The door is locked!
Can you unlock the door, please?
Harris, can you help me with this?
We have a trespasser on the property and she needs to vacate the premises.
Crazy. So crazy.
Don't worry about this. I got this.
What the fuck?
I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
That's ridiculous. This is my gallery.
- [scoffs[ This is... - I'm sorry.
Really...
- Ma'am... - Let me handle this, big man.
- Danton, I... - Actually, it's my gallery now,
and I'm naming Iliana head curator this morning. So goodbye, Clorinda.
Best of luck.
Get her out of here.
I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
Stop fucking calling me ma'am.
All right. You gotta go.
Have a good day.
Stop chauffeuring me out.
Thank you very much, toy cop.
So what class did you have today?
I had music theory.
And we did some classical music, which is cool,
but I kinda wish we could do some Hendrix tunes once in a while.
I know. Be patient though.
I think you'll come to appreciate the classics.
Took me a while too.
Yeah.
Hey, Dad.
Hey, son. Good to see you.
Cheryl.
Ten minutes, on the stoop.
Thanks.
Hey.
How was your day?
Sit down.
You know, I never did like summer school.
I thought you said you would never leave me, Dad.
Why did you lie to me?
I didn't lie to you, son.
- You didn't lie to me? - No.
You don't live here anymore.
Should I even still call you Dad?
Of course you're supposed to call me Dad.
Virgil, I'm your father.
My father?
Yes.
Are fathers supposed to chase girls around when they have a wife
and a son waiting for them at home?
Was the sex that good to make you break a promise to me...
- Hey! - ...and break up our family?
What did you just say to me?
Virgil!
Fall back. Remember who the hell you're talking to, you understand me?
Watch your mouth.
Sorry, Dad.
I'm here now. Okay?
When I'm not here physically,
I'm right in here, son.
It's like, I did some foolish, stupid things
as a husband, and that affected me as a father.
But do you blame Mom for that?
No, absolutely not.
Your mother's a great woman, never ever forget that.
Come inside, Virgil.
Go on.
You too, Jamie.
I wanna say to you, Cheryl, and to you, Virgil,
that I am so sorry.
I've been a stupid man
and I did some very stupid things, and for that I am incredibly sorry.
Virgil, your father did not leave you.
Nor did he want to leave.
I asked him to leave, and being the gentleman he is,
he agreed.
But he didn't want to.
So, Mom, why did you ask him to leave?
No, Virgil, I didn't give your mom much of a choice.
I need you guys to work this out,
please,
because I need you both.
Be the bigger people.
I know adults can be worse than the children that they raise,
but I need Mr. and Mrs. Overstreet
to find their common ground,
which would be me.
Because if not,
who's gonna sew me back together
after you both have completely ripped me apart?
I love you and I love you too.
So please figure it out.
I'm tired and I'm hungry.
I'm going to the kitchen to make myself a turkey Swiss sandwich.
You guys want anything?
Figure it out.
Hey!
- Hey, Mama, what's up? - Spotted the hair.
Nice to see you.
- Nice to see you. - Hello, Shemekka.
- It's so good to see you. - Hey.
Looking healthy and vibrant.
Healthy. That's a word?
You okay? What's up, you on your Mary J.
Just, sorta.
What's wrong?
I don't know. I just feel like...
Hey. Everybody's here for you, okay?
They're just glad to see you back and healthy and whole.
Yeah, you and half the damn room.
I just feel like everybody's laughing at me.
- They're not. - You sure?
Yeah.
Feel my hands sweating.
Your hands are always sweating. You run hot as fuck.
- Your eyebrows are hot as fuck. - Well, thanks.
Yeah, what's up, Hot-N-Trot!
Make some noise!
I see my girl in the front. Shemekka, what's up, baby?
Whose casa?
Win's casa!
Whose casa?
Win's casa.
Motherfucking right.
I've got a special young lady coming up.
She's been helping the people back in Puerto Rico.
Give it up for Xiomara Caro
from the Maria Hurricane Relief Fund.
Thank you.
Hello.
Oh, wow!
My name is Xiomara Caro.
I live in Puerto Rico and I helped found the Maria Fund.
People ask me, "Well, Xiomara, what's happening in Puerto Rico?"
People are struggling
and the Maria Fund is committed to giving the money
specifically to grassroots organizations that are doing the work on the front line.
But people been struggling before the hurricane.
Yes.
People been struggling because there are other disasters
that we have been living for a long time
and it's been unveiled for the world to see now.
The disaster of colonialism.
The disaster of racism.
The disaster of structural inequality.
Those are the disasters that we wanna support in rebuilding,
and who better than the people in the community,
turning it into a path to liberation.
'Cause that's the ultimate goal.
Yes.
And for all my Spanish-speaking people in the house...
Yes.
Yes!
Give it up. This next guy coming to the stage is
a very good friend of mine, my brother,
Mars Blackmon and Willy Win!
♪ I got problems ♪
♪ And I'll be the first to call them out ♪
♪ Yeah, I get lonely ♪
♪ 'Cause lately friends don't stick around ♪
♪ But I keep my hopes up ♪
♪ 'Cause that's the one thing I can control ♪
♪ I don't fill my mind with petty lies ♪
♪ And let that go ♪
♪ I don't fill my mind with petty lies ♪
♪ Let that go ♪
♪ And all the troubles in my life ♪
♪ Won't bring me down ♪
♪ And all the struggles in my life ♪
♪ They teach me how ♪
♪ How I'm perfectly imperfect ♪
♪ And when it hurts I just remember there's a purpose ♪
♪ So I'll cry today ♪
♪ Smile tomorrow ♪
♪ I cry today ♪
♪ Smile tomorrow ♪
♪ And those nights ♪
♪ When I'm all alone ♪
♪ Feeling defeated and beaten Abandoned and far from home ♪
♪ I sit in silence on the sidelines As the world moves on ♪
♪ With puzzle pieces in my palms ♪
♪ Wondering what the hell I did wrong ♪
♪ And all the troubles in my life ♪
♪ Won't bring me down ♪
♪ No ♪
♪ All the struggles in my life ♪
♪ They teach me how ♪
♪ How I'm perfectly imperfect ♪
♪ And when it hurts I just remember there's a purpose ♪
♪ So I'll cry today ♪
♪ Smile tomorrow ♪
♪ I'll cry today ♪
♪ And smile for all of those walls I've broken through ♪
♪ All those times I couldn't choose The cards on the table ♪
♪ The facts and the fables ♪
♪ Smile for all the ones who hold me up ♪
♪ When the weight is just too much ♪
♪ And I can't bear it on my own ♪
♪ Even when I know ♪
♪ That all the troubles in my life ♪
♪ Won't bring me down ♪
♪ And all the struggles in my life ♪
♪ They teach me how ♪
♪ Teach me how ♪
♪ How I'm perfectly imperfect ♪
♪ And when it hurts I just remember there's a purpose ♪
♪ So I'll cry today, smile tomorrow ♪
♪ I'll cry today, smile tomorrow ♪
♪ Cry today, smile tomorrow ♪
Thank you.
You killed me!
Take the flag!
Puerto Rico!