Highest 2 Lowest (2025)
Running time: 2h14′
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Evan Hunter, Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni
Stars: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera
Plot: When a titan music mogul (Denzel Washington), widely known as having the “best ears in the business”, is targeted with a ransom plot, he is jammed up in a life-or-death moral dilemma. Brothers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee reunite for the 5th in their long working relationship for a reinterpretation of the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s crime thriller High and Low, now played out on the mean streets of modern day New York City.
* * *
[“Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” playing]
♪ There’s a bright golden haze On the meadow ♪
♪ There’s a bright golden haze On the meadow ♪
♪ The corn is As high as an elephant’s eye ♪
♪ And it looks like it’s climbing Clear up to the sky ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful morning ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful day ♪
♪ I got a beautiful feeling ♪
♪ Everything’s going my way ♪
♪ All the cattle Are standing like statues ♪
♪ They don’t turn their heads As they see me ride by ♪
♪ But a little brown maverick ♪
♪ Is winking her eye ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful morning ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful day ♪
♪ I got a beautiful feeling ♪
♪ Everything’s going my way ♪
♪ All the sounds of the earth Are like music ♪
♪ The breeze is so busy It don’t miss a tree ♪
♪ And an old weeping willer Is laughing at me ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful morning ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful day ♪
♪ I got a beautiful feeling ♪
♪ Everything’s going my way ♪
♪ Oh, what a beautiful day ♪
[person] Yeah. Yeah, Gabe. No, no, no, no, no, no. It’s not a risk. It’s a rebirth. Look, the biggest mistake I ever made was selling off parts of Stackin’ Hits in the first place. Yeah. Yeah, it all came to me last night. TheThe money, the buyout, the vote. It’sIt’s not the ending. It’s an opportunity for a new beginning. When God gives you an opportunity for a new beginning, you gotta take it. You don’t tell God, “No.” You just… You take it and you-you make it work. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Whatever needs to be in there. You’re the smart guy. That’s why I pay you 5%. Whatever needs to be in there, you put it in there. I’ll have Paul pick it up within an hour. That’s correct. Yes, yes. That’s it. That’s it, that’s it. All right. Good. Good. Good. Good, good, good.
It is a beautiful day.
Ah, there she is.
Good morning, Mr. King.
Great morning.
Ah, are you leaving already?
I can wait.
I got an early meeting, but it can wait.
[laughs] I have somewhere to be too, you know.
What’s the occasion?
I’ve got this Studio Museum in Harlem board luncheon.
Oh, right.
I’m gonna pledge the same half a million dollars we did last year.
Now, can we wait on that?
David, you know I’m chairperson of the board.
[exhales heavily] Well, how about a smaller check for now?
What is up?
Nothin’. We just need to keep things tight and right for right now.
“Right now”? That sounds wrong to me.
Okay.
We’ve always supported young, Black artists. I’m positive our sister, Thelma, will, you know, give us a grace period, let us circle back.
You’re right.
Yeah, if we need to.
We’re good. We’re good. We’re good.
“Good, good, good,” until when? Until after you’ve sold Stackin’ Hits?
[laughs] Trey, we gotta go!
[Trey] I’m coming.
Your mother’s giving me the third degree over here.
[both chuckling] Couldn’t find my headband.
Yeah, you should’ve really forgot it. What’d I tell you about wearing ’em colors in my house?
You know, that’s the… I can’t even say it. [stammers]
Boston Celtics?
This team like… Celtics!
[both chuckling]
I’m out. Hurry up.
I’m comin’.
[David] Gotta go.
[both] Mwah. Mwah.
Love you.
I love you more. Play hard. Play smart.
You like to gamble?
Do I gamble? No.
You gamble? I bet you can’t turn that phone off for five minutes.
How much you paying?
How much you got?
Not enough to bet with you.
How many hours a day you on that?
Uh, I don’t know.
Okay, take a guess. Approximate. You know, uh, ballpark.
[sighs] Ballpark, I’ll probably say five hours.
All right. Five hours on the phone, ten hours sleeping, three hours eating…
[chuckles] …and two minutes with your girl. [chuckles] You don’t think that’s a little excessive?
Five hours?
I gotta get more followers.
To have followers, you gotta be leadin’. Where you leadin’ ’em to? I’m just askin’. Where you leadin’?
To the promised land. Mmhmm.
Oh, yeah? [chuckles] Wow. You a preacher now? You leadin’ ’em to the promised land? Wait, what scriptures you give ’em? “Thou shalt not listen to bad music”?
[both laughing]
Just do what your father said. Turn it off, son. This ain’t the promised land. We on Earth. Turn it off.
I have to… I have to turn…
Turn the phone off. David said so. Or I will strike thee down with a vengeance, and… Aw, he mad now. He mad. My baby mad. Yeah, he grown mad.
[chuckles] Come on, man.
Did you get a chance to listen to Sula yet?
Sula who?
Now, come on, Dad. She’s the shorty that I put on your needtoknow, needtolisten playlist.
Now, come on.
[laughs] So, the girls DM you to get me to listen to them?
It’s one of the perks. What can I say? Got it like that.
You got it like that, huh?
Uhhuh.
So, what is she like, this, uh, Sula?
Uh, she-she’s great. She can sing. She writes her own songs. Um, kinda look like a more “lightskinneded” Zendaya.
A “lightskinneded” Zendaya? [laughs]
[laughs] I need you to listen to her soon, ’cause I’m supposed to hook up this weekend.
You mean, like, “hook up” hook up?
Nah, not “hook up” hook up. Just hook up, like a legit business meeting.
You want me to listen to her because she can sing, or do you want me to listen to her because you like her?
Yeah, both.
[chuckles] Okay, okay, okay. Well, I’ll listen to her. Soon as I come up for air.
“We slow, we blow. We snooze, we lose.” That’s how we lost the last artist, and those are your words. Just give me something I could tell her. Just anything.
I’ll listen… when I come up for air.
Dad, you know, Stackin’ Hits Records is my legacy too.
[coach] This week will be about your talent, your attitude, and your skill. Most important being your attitude. Do not bring the wrong attitude into this gym.
Coach Fox runs a tight ship.
Yeah, too tight.
Nah. That’s the way it is. That’s the way it should be.
There go Mr. King. Gonna get that.
All right.
Good morning, David.
What’d you say?
Uh, good morning, Mr. King.
Good morning, lil Kyle.
Yes.
Okay. Yeah, okay.
What’s poppin’, man?
Yo, what’s going on, man?
[David chuckles] Hello there, Mr. King.
[David] Yes, sir.
Is that my headband?
Yeah. You left it in my closet. I just took it.
Uh, okay, okay.
All right. How you been?
I’m good.
[David] All right. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Excited for another summer camp session.
See if we can get Trey and Kyle here to pass to someone other than each other.
Good luck with that.
Where do I put my… my gear?
Bags by the bleachers, but no phones this year.
[Trey] Yes, sir.
Thank you. Jewelry too. We gonna work on your handles, not your TikTok highlight reels. Put this in the lock box. You’ll get it at the end of the day.
You hanging around, right?
I gotta get to the office. Something important came up. Paul is gonna pick me up. I promise, I promise I’ll be here tomorrow.
You told me last night you were gonna come.
Tomorrow. That’s a promise.
I’ll put this in the lock box.
[Trey] They lock yours too?
Obviously.
All right, love you, Dad.
[David] Love you more.
You got two fine young men there.
Yes, I do. Godson and son.
Purple and gold.
You almost got me to say it. Orange and blue, right?
Ah! Come on. Hey, we got 17, y’all got two!
Green’s my color, you know what I mean?
[Trey] Where you going?
How many you got of the 17?
I got three. That’s better than two, though.
You got me. You got me by 15. All right.
Hey! What are y’all doing? Get on the baseline! Both of you, let’s go. What do you think this is?
[Trey] Sorry, Coach.
You think this is a circus?
[Trey] No, sir.
Trey, Kyle, down back, down back. Go! You got Jordans on. What would Michael say?
Who’s Michael?
Who is Michael? [sighs] Faster, let’s go! Faster!
[sighs]
[Paul] King.
Yeah. Yeah.
My fault. Traffic. Let me run in real quick and say goodbye to Kyle.
That’s all right, we’ll see him when we get back.
Damn!
[sighs] This, uh… this is everything he gave me. He said all the statements are in order, and the formal offer’s at the very back. … Everything there?
Yeah. It’s just strange seeing your whole life reduced to a series of numbers.
I over stand.
NYSID #12022001K. That was me upstate. I like your numbers better.
[laughs] What else did Gabe say?
He said, uh, “David is officially the craziest client I ever had for trying to pull this off.”
Yeah? What you think?
My name is Bennett, and I’m not in it.
No, no.
My name is Paul, and I can’t call.
Come on now.
[chuckles] You’re the mogul, I drive the vehicle. I’m just the man next to the man.
And your sister’s name is Ruth, right? So tell the truth. On the serious tip, what you think? Seriously.
Listen, you either build or destroy, beloved. I think you gotta be a little crazy sometimes in this world to get what you want.
Appreciate you, bruh.
New mixes or mood music?
I need a theme.
Theme music.
Theme music.
Theme.
[“Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” playing]
[music stops] You again? We not doing this today.
It’s all right, Luther. You again?
Sixty seconds.
Quick 60. Go ahead. Go.
♪ Have you heard the good word? ♪
♪ Oh, I’m free as a bird ♪
♪ Oh, I have what it takes ♪
♪ You can make no mistake ♪
♪ When you fell bigger beasts I’m the choir who sings ♪
♪ I’m the best of the kingdom ♪
♪ And you are the king ♪
♪ The keeper of brothers The parter of seas ♪
♪ You just need a miracle Made out of me ♪
♪ If one minute’s all that I get of your time ♪
♪ To you I will dedicate every line ♪
♪ If this is my last chance I humbly beseech ♪
♪ His highness King David Sir David the King ♪
David, David, sir. This Marisol Cepeda. She’s a young lady from the Boogie Down Bronx.
It’s a dream come true to meet you.
My pleasure.
I grew up on your work with Mariah.
She sings like her and raps too, sir. She’s a double threat.
Good, good. What part of the Bronx you from?
Fordham and Davidson.
There you go. I hope to see you again.
Yeah.
I hope so too, Mr. King.
You can call me David. You ain’t gotta call me Mr. King.
I hope so, David.
Okay, I like that. It’s okay to be nervous. It’s all right. I like her.
I’ma hold you to that promise.
[David] Okay, I bet you will. I got another meeting. It was nice to meet you.
Morning, Julie.
Good morning to you, Mr. King.
David.
Hey.
Got your text about this new singer Sula.
Yeah, yeah. My son says she’s the next big thing.
You gonna bring her in for a meeting?
When I get the time.
By the time you get the time, Stray Dog Enterprises will have bought us out.
Watch me.
Uh… I know what you gonna say before you say it.
“They’re more than just a water business.” They’re not only a water business. They’re a holding company. A foreign conglomerate.
Do they care about the brand, Stackin’ Hits Records? Do they care about the legacy?
If they didn’t care, why’s a deal on the table?
The minute they buy us out, they’ll drop all the new artists we’ve been trying to develop. They’ll pimp out our entire catalog for tampons and Viagra commercials. They’ll squeeze every drop of Black culture and artistic integrity that I spent the last 25 years of my life trying to build. And I’m not even talking about the… What do you call it? The AI and the IA and the AEIOU. Do they care about the music, Patrick? About our music?
AI’s the future of music, David.
Yeah? Machines that compose music with no soul, no heart.
They wanna keep you on as an adviser.
I bet they do.
David, it’s a lot of money.
I know it’s a lot of money.
Do you? Really?
Yes! Yes!
If we do this, we both will walk away with a very substantial sum.
There’s more to life than just making money. There’s integrity. There’s what you stand for. There’s what you actually believe in.
I believe in the basic fact that it’s called the music business for a reason. “Business” being the key word.
All money ain’t good money, Patrick.
[groans]
I know what you gonna do. You’re gonna vote yes when it comes down to the vote, huh?
Yeah. In my opinion, it’s time to sell.
I agree. Sell it to me.
What?
Sell to me.
What is this?
That’s, uh, a financial document. A prospective on Stackin’ Hits Records. I had Gabe write up a formal offer for me to buy out your shares.
You wanna buy me out?
Yeah. Same deal you’d get from Stray Dog. And if I have your shares, I can control the vote. You understand the company business.
You talked to the rest of the board?
No.
If you didn’t wanna fill them in, why did you sell five years ago to begin with?
At the time, I thought it was a lucrative deal, and it was an expensive mistake. I’m sorry. My company’s been going downhill ever since, andand I’m trying to take back control. And I’m trying to keep it quiet because if I tell Alex, they’ll go across the street to Stray Dog and get a better offer, and you know I can’t compete with them at a bidding war. Patrick, say yes.
No, no, David. No, no, no, no. It doesn’t feel right.
Say yes. Say yes. It doesn’t have to feel right. Right depends upon your point of view, and II came to you because I thought we shared the same point of view. I guess I was wrong. … Say yes. [clicks tongue] Make the deal. Say yes. Say yes. Say yes.
[sighs] Can you have the money ready before the vote?
Yes, we can. Thank you. Thank you, brother.
[mellow music playing] No, I got you, but you don’t get me. I said, if we liquidate the entire…
Mr. King, you got a package.
If we liquidate the entire account, what does that leave us? That’s it? All right, all right. All right, pull the trigger. Pull the trigger.
[Paul] I’ll be at my station.
Okay. Pam, you here?
[Pam] I’m in the kitchen. What are you doing home?
[David] Ah! I got great news.
[Pam] Do tell.
Buying back Stackin’ Hits Records.
You’re buying back Stackin’ Hits Records?
Just the controlling interest for now. This way I’ll be able to veto the sale.
Wait a minute, you… [sighs] You said this whole deal was a good move. That… I mean, that you’d be slowing down. That we’d be off this rat race. That we’d be traveling more once Trey went off to college.
I changed my mind.
When?
When I realized I was about to abandon the very thing that I took my entire adult life trying to build.
Is this why you didn’t want us to write that check to the Studio Museum today?
That’s why I married you, girl. And I apologize for not telling you. I didn’t even know for sure at that time.
I-I tried to convince Patrick to vote against it, but he just didn’t have the vision.
Where are we getting the money?
That’s the tricky part. We’ll take a loan out on the penthouse, and we can cash out on some of our stocks and bonds and other investments. Maybe sell off the Sag Harbor…
Take a loan out on our home? You’re gonna cash out our stocks and bonds for a record label that barely breaks even.
It’s called the music business, baby. In the music business, you’re always one hit away from being back on top, and when I get controlling interest of Stackin’ Hits Records, we’ll be back on top again. I can guarantee you that.
But maybe some things aren’t meant to go back to the way they were. Maybe they can’t.
What’s that supposed to mean?
My darling… it just means… that maybe this whole thing is a sign that it’s time to move on to the next chapter of our lives.
Maybe I don’t wanna move on.
It just feels like a risk. For us.
Everything I’ve ever done, accomplished in my life was involving taking risks. Even you. You think it wasn’t risky for me when I saw you across the room at that party and asked you if you wanted a drink? You don’t think that was a risk?
You had just won a Grammy. It was your afterparty and Quincy Jones had just called you the future of music.
But I was still nervous. You know why I was nervous? That’s because of how beautiful you were. You’re still beautiful. Come on.
[Pam] All right, answer me this.
[David] What?
Do you still love it?
Hell yeah.
I’m talking about the music, David.
Of course I love it.
You sure? Because I remember when we first started dating, you would leave the studio downtown, you’d put your headphones on, and you would walk all the way over the Brooklyn Bridge to my apartment, and I nearly broke up with you for it because you made us late for everything, but I would always forgive you because you would show up so excited.
I mean, oh, beaming over some new artist or a band you discovered.
I mean, you don’t do that anymore.
And when you talk about your work, it’s…
It’s always about how the music business has changed, or how the Internet has made it hard to stay on top of what works, but it is never ever about the music.
And as your loving, silent partner, I will no longer be silent.
I will always be loving and supportive, but I will no longer be silent.
Gonna answer that?
Yeah. Oh, the phone?
I thought you meant…
We’ll talk more about this later.
All right. That’s a promise.
All right. Promise.
Yes.
Pam.
Somebody’s got Trey.
What do you mean somebody’s got Trey?
Somebody’s got Trey.
TheyTheyTheyThey… I think they kidnapped him.
What do you mean?
I don’t know.
TheyThey said they’d call me back. They said they want money. I…
Paul! Paul!
They said they’d call back. Paul.
What’s the matter?
Somebody’s just called and said they’ve kidnapped Trey.
[stammers] What?
See if you can get Kyle on the phone.
Shoot.
Hello?
Yeah.
[Paul] Damn. Straight to voicemail.
David King, 30 Front Street.
Somebody’s kidnapped ourour son.
[sighs] Yes. King. Trey King. TRE… TR…
Yes. All right.
Are you okay?
[dramatic music playing]
[sirens approaching]
[tires screeching]
[doorbell rings]
[David] Hang on.
[doorbell rings] Coming. Coming.
Hello, Mr. and Mrs. King. I’m Detective Dillon.
Um, can I come in?
Yes, please.
You’re welcome to set up in here.
If you need to use the table, you can, just move the candelabras out of the way.
Maybe flowers to the left of the fireplace.
That’s all?
[Pam] Yes. You can bring them in.
All right, come on in. We’re gonna set up over here in the dining room.
Trey’s a great kid.
A young star.
Keeps his nose clean. On his grind. Always there for my son, Kyle, since his mother passed.
My wife.
What can I tell you? Uh…
How about the truth?
Have we seen each other before somewhere?
I don’t know, mmaybe at Junior’s.
I like the cheesecake over there.
Nah. That’s not it.
Mr. and Mrs. King, I’m Detective Bridges.
I’m with the Major Case squad.
I’ve been assigned to investigate your son’s abduction.
Now, Detective Higgins told me that the kidnapper gave you instructions on the phone?
Right, right. Said, uh… [inhales deeply] …uh, $17.5 million in Swiss francs.
[Bridges] Hmm.
Uh, unmarked 1,000…
[smacks lips] Sorry, he said 1,000franc notes, and, uh…
and he’d call us back tonight.
Hmm. That’s it?
That’s it. He hung up.
They’ll get it.
Whatever they want. As long as we get Trey back unharmed.
Absolutely. Absolutely.
Right, David?
Yes, and…
I need my baby boy home.
I certainly understand.
Has anyone issued an Ebony Alert?
Um…
Yeah, Ebony Alerts, David.
They are a “system activated on behalf of Black youth” who are reported missing under suspicious circumstances or may have been abducted.” It needs to happen.
Respectfully, Mrs. King, we are all aware of the Ebony Alert System.
But, as of now, it’s not a law in New York State, but rest assured, we take Trey’s abduction and all kidnappings seriously.
We will find your son.
I scanned the photo of Trey and sent it to Special Investigation Division.
It’s being forwarded to the Real Time Crime Center for the Amber Alert and also to be distributed to patrol.
Now… [clicks tongue] …often times, kidnapping is done by someone with an intimate knowledge of the family.
I ask you this just to see if…
YYou trying to say that maybe somebody in our house did this?
Is that what you’re trying to say? I’m sorry.
No. [scoffs] There’s nobody here like that.
Are you sure?
Yes, I’m sure.
I’m just trying to understand the process of finding our son.
Yes, and we are trying to find your son as quickly as possible.
Thank you.
We all want the same thing.
With all due respect, I know a man of your stature is not used to being told what to do, but we need you to trust us.
And please, do as I say.
For Trey’s sake.
[dramatic music playing]
[chattering]
[Bridges] Now, Mr. King, when the kidnapper calls, please remain calm.
I know you have a lot of emotion, but it’s important to keep your composure on the call.
I understand.
Personnel at LIU arena now.
Hey, is Kyle there? My son.
Mr. Christopher, please.
It’s just, I tried calling him…
Your boy’s at the camp. There’s a lot going on over there right now.
You’re starting to bother me. Let me do my fucking job, all right?
He’s a handsome young man.
He’s kind too.
Have you noticed anything different about him lately?
Anything that may cause concern?
Cause concern?
He’s at an age where he may find his way into the wrong crowds.
I remember how I was at 17.
No, he’s a great son.
Trey is a smart young man.
No one is saying he’s not.
Shit just got real.
Hey.
Yeah.
LIU personnel just found a green headband outside the basketball arena.
What? That’s Trey’s. That’s Trey’s, David.
Higgins, contact Real Time Crime Center at 1 Police Plaza and ascertain if there are any stills or videos from the vicinity of the LIU basketball arena.
Right.
Detective Bell, have all vehicles with LPRs download their images right away.
[shushes] Mr. and Mrs. King, everything we see and recover is to be considered leads or information until we can put all the pieces of this puzzle together.
Can we… Can we…
All right. Okay.
Got you.
Thank you. Come on.
I’ll tell you what I know.
We’re listening.
I had the kids running suicides…
All right!
…and I saw Trey was limping. There ain’t no time to be hurt. Let’s go.
So I told him to sit out, and ice his ankle.
Stretch that out, stretch that out.
Yeah.
Did you see him after that?
Officer, I got a hundred kids here.
I mean, he may have snuck out before lunch.
Fair enough.
Is Trey okay?
As far as we know.
[Fox] And Kyle’s okay too?
We have no reason to believe he’s not.
Okay.
Look, let me give you my number.
[officer] Sure.
In the event you hear anything, please let me know.
We’re just gathering information right now, Coach, all right?
Coach Fox, uh, I’m a huge fan.
Would you mind also an autograph?
If it’s not too much to ask.
Yeah, sure thing, Officer Bolton.
Bolton.
Officer McGillicuddy, you want one?
Nah, I’m good.
Celtics fan.
Ah, yeah, that figures.
Thank you. Enjoy your day, Coach.
Thank you.
Please, let me know of anything.
We’ll keep you in the loop, Coach.
[Fox] All right.
Larry Bird.
Yeah. [sighs]
[TV news theme plays]
[Don Lemon] And in breaking news, NYPD sources confirmed that Trey King, the 17yearold son of Stackin’ Hits Records founder, David King, has been kidnapped. You all know David King as founder and the brainchild behind Stackin’ Hits Records’s decadeslong dominance in the early 2000s. Although not the “Kingmaker” he once was, David is still the man with the plan, known to be blessed with the best ears in the business. He has worked to guide and develop over 50 Grammy winners. The Bronx native has always been known as a devoted family man and philanthropist. So the outpouring of love and support is not a surprise during this unfortunate situation. Let’s all send our prayers for the safe return of our young brother, Trey King. We through?
I don’t know. Are we?
Detective, I’m gonna go look for my son.
We don’t think that’d be in the best interest for everyone involved.
“We”?
Yes. We.
Are we his father?
You can’t stop me from trying to find my son. Am I under arrest?
No. Should you be?
Should you be?
Mr. Christopher, we know your parole officer.
[Paul scoffs] You don’t want us to make that call.
You got his number? I’m off parole. Call him.
Oh, Jesus Christ. Give it a rest, would you? Sit down.
Pretty please?
You give my dick a rest. [sighs]
[Bell] We are wondering why you haven’t heard from Kyle.
“We”? Are you French?
Oui, oui.
[chuckles]
[Lemon] There’s an enormous outpouring of love…
[knocking on door]
[David] Hang on. Who’s that?
It’s Paul.
Oh, come on in.
All vic…
[sighs] Vultures.
Turning you and Pam’s private issue into a circus.
Come on, sit down.
It’s the deal I made, Paul. I don’t mind complaining about it when, uh…
when we’re popping that Cristal, and… you know.
I made a call uptown.
And?
Just to see if the streets heard anything, that’s all. Can’t hurt.
I understand.
Don’t do nothing stupid now.
I’m cool like Herc.
[David laughs] You cool like who? [laughs] See that’s why I love you, boy. Man, I appreciate you.
You know that.
Anything else you need from me?
Not right now.
It’s nothing, King.
I know.
After everything you’ve done for Kyle and me, all the time I’ve spent with Trey, this family, it’s like my own son is missing.
I’d do anything to get him back, you understand?
I over stand.
[Pam] David!
[groans]
[Pam] David! David!
[David] Yeah?
[Pam] David! Baby, baby, they found him!
They found him.
[sobs] They found him and they’re bringing him home. [chuckles]
[sobs] Oh, God, thank you.
Thank you!
[Paul] Our young men are safe.
Huh? Kool Herc.
Mmm. Mmm.
Kool Herc. I told you. I told you.
Kool Herc. [laughs] I told you.
I told you.
[David] Yeah, you did.
[laughs] You did. You did, brother.
You sure did.
[dramatic music playing]
[sirens blare]
[crowd chattering] Where is he?
Kyle!
Where is he? Where is my son? Trey!
Trey, my… [panting] Trey! My baby! [sobs] My baby. My son.
Oh, my God! Thank you, God. Thank you.
[Paul] Trey, where’s Kyle?
Baby, let me look at you.
[Trey] I’m sorry.
Oh, my God. Why?
[Paul] Where’s my son? Where’s Kyle?
[Trey] I’m so sorry.
What’s up? Trey?
[Trey] I’m so sorry.
I’m sorry.
Mr. Christopher, there was a mixup.
Where’s Kyle?
There was a mixup.
A mixup? What are you talking about? Where’s my son?
The kidnapper has him.
[Paul] King!
Hold on!
He grabbed Kyle by mistake.
Wait, no, no, no, no…
Trey said Kyle was wearing his headband when they left the gym.
We think the kidnapper got them confused.
Confused? Nah, nah, nah, nah. Wait, wait, wait.
Trey!
[Bridges] Mr. Christopher…
Get the fuck…
What’s going on?
What’s going on? Am I being detained?
[Bridges] Back off. Back off.
Am I being detained?
No, you are not being detained!
Name a statute!
No, Mr. Christopher…
Am I being detained?
I ain’t naming no goddamn statute!
No, Mr. Christopher, you are not being detained!
Correct!
Let him go. Let him go. Let his ass go.
Motherfuckers.
Kyle and I, uh, we hate those lunches at the camp, so…
we snuck out to grab something to eat.
I wanted pizza, he wanted his chopped cheese at the bodega.
I said bet.
You know, “I’ll grab my slice and meet you back here.”
So you split up?
Yeah.
When I went back to the bodega, I was…
I was waiting for him for a while.
I went back in, II didn’t see him. He was gone.
Why didn’t you tell somebody?
I thought he’d come back.
I mean, we didn’t have our phones, I…
YouYou waited 30 minutes?
II didn’t wanna leave him.
II didn’t know what to do.
It’s okay.
I didn’t even know that any of this was gonna be a thing.
He’s gonna be okay, right?
Yeah.
He’s gonna be okay.
Pam, maybe that’s enough.
I think it is too.
[Bell] Why don’t we take a break?
Hold up. Trey, you didn’t see anything else?
Paul, he said that’s good for tonight.
[Bridges] Finish up another time.
Mr. Christopher, we have his initial statement.
We can work off that.
How? Where is my son?
[Bridges] We are looking for your son.
I need a minute.
Come on, man. Come on, man.
Hold on.
I swear on my wife’s… I swear on my wife’s grave!
Swear on my wife’s grave!
Yo!
Outta here, man.
[Pam] How you feeling?
Truthfully.
I don’t know.
That’s fair.
If you need anything, you call us, okay?
I love you guys.
All right, son.
[grunts] Is Kyle gonna be okay?
[David] Hope so.
But, like, if something happens, we’re…
we’re gonna pay the ransom. Right?
Well, there’s a lot of good people working very hard on this case to make sure that that doesn’t happen.
But you…
Baby, you don’t need to concern yourself with any of that. You just rest up, okay?
I mean, if… if we’re his only chance.
[phone ringing]
[Bridges] Mr. and Mrs. King, come on down! The phone!
[ringing continues] Come on! Come… Come on down.
All right, it’s still ringing. Okay, get some chairs, get some chairs.
Okay, listen to me, listen very carefully.
Keep him talking, so speak slowly, stay focused, engage him in conversation.
He may slip up, give us the break we need.
He need to know he got the wrong kid.
Well, to the kidnappers, this is strictly business.
They have something you want and they want you to pay for it.
Let him know, King.
Mr. King, the phone, please.
Answer the phone, please.
Okay. Relax.
Hello.
[caller] King David. Now ain’t this something? Sorry?
I got your full attention now, huh? You finally listening to me. Yeah, I’m listening.
Good. You know you got the wrong boy, right?
Yeah, so I’ve heard. And I also learned you can never trust the help.
[chuckles] But luckily for me, it was never about the boy, it was always about you. Well, fair enough, but if it’s about me, then you can’t expect me to pay $17.5 million for somebody else’s son if it’s about me.
Well, then, his blood is gonna be on your hands then. How you want it? Nah, man. Come on now.
Nigga, this ain’t no fucking negotiation. This a day of reckoning. You not God no more, nigga, I am! All right, listen.
God give you everything you want, right? No, God give you everything you need.
So, the question is, what do you need? How can I help you?
Ain’t saying I’m God, but I could help.
Oh, you can help me? Nah. I can. I… Yeah, you ain’t listening.
Nah. It’s quiet. It’s late for all that, bro. Listen to me.
You let him go, I’ll make sure you’re set free.
Get the fuck outta here. Who you think you talking to? I can. I got it like that in this town, baby boy.
I hit you off, you can start over.
You could start over.
It’s too late for all that. It’s never too late. Aight, listen.
And you know what? Check this out, right? 17.5 million fucking dollars in 1,000Swissfranc notes in an old black Jordan backpack, or this little nigga dead and stinking. Try me if you think I’m playing.
Brother, it’s not my son, goddamn it. Help a nigga, man.
I’ll hit you tomorrow with the dropoff details in the mornin’, pussy!
II ain’t got…
[line disconnects]
[caller] Pussy!
Can you trace that?
Burners can’t be traced.
Why not?
They have no unique identifiers…
Y’all can’t trace that?
…no SIM card.
It’s 2025, y’all ain’t got…
I mean, shit, y’all watch SUV. What the fuck?
Fuck outta here.
[all murmuring]
[melancholy jazz playing] Can one of y’all tell me why this asshole wants Swiss francs as the ransom?
It beats the hell out of me. I couldn’t tell ya.
Hey. Hey, fellas. Before I was transferred to Major Case…
[Bridges] Mmhmm.
…I was assigned to O.C.C.B.
Mmhmm.
Asset forfeiture, money laundering.
It’s all about the size.
The package will only weigh around 35 pounds in 1,000Swissfranc notes, as opposed to 385 pounds in US $100 bills.
How’s Mr. King gonna make the drop lugging a 385pound backpack? He can’t.
A 1,000Swissfranc note is the equivalent value of ten $100 bills.
Damn, sister, where’d you go to college at, huh?
Spelman College. Black woman excellence.
[Higgins chuckles]
[knocking on door]
[David] Yeah?
[Paul] Paul.
Come on in. [clears throat] Come on in, man.
Can, uh…
CanCan we talk?
Of course.
You’ve never been a good liar, Paul, so let’s get right to it.
He, uh… He threatened to kill Kyle, right?
He’ll kill my son, that’s what he said, right?
YouYou know how hard I been trying.
He’s all I got.
I got nothing, just me and him.
Look, man, they want $17.5 million.
That cop, Bridges, said we can get the money back. I swear on my life…
I swear on my life, King, it’s just a loan.
[stammers] What… YouYou mean, you gonna pay back the loan?
I’ll make it up to you, inshallah.
Where you gonna get the money from? You ain’t never seen no $17.5 million.
You can’t even count to 17.5. Forget the million part.
I’ll make it happen, inshallah.
How?
You don’t…
You don’t feel any kind of responsibility here?
For what? A kidnapper’s mistake?
They didn’t want Kyle, they wanted Trey. It had nothing to do with me.
TheyThey wanted your son to come after you.
They don’t even want my son, they want me. And they want me, and you expect me to pay for some kidnapper’s mistake.
I don’t do that.
You were gonna work it out for Trey.
Yeah, I was.
Tell me how I can make this work.
Stackin’ Hits.
What about it?
I know all the deals, King.
What deals?
I’m no Warren Buffett, but I know there’s enough money on the table to make it work.
You ever look under the table?
See, don’t nobody look under the table.
Everybody looks on top of the table, that’s what they see.
You countin’ my money, now count it all. Don’t raise up on me, Paul.
You know how much people owe me? You know how many people I pay?
Do you know what my taxes are? Do you know…
Listen, listen, beloved, I see all you do.
AndAnd I can never stop thanking you for what you did for me.
But I never really asked you for anything.
You never had to, Paul.
That’s right, that’s right.
You gave it to me freely. I love you for that.
Right now, I’m asking you for everything.
I’m asking you for my life.
Nah, you ain’t asking me for life.
Right now, you asking me for $17.5 million.
That’s all people do is ask me for stuff.
“Can you give me this?”
Help my son. That’s my son, too.
They just want me to pay. “Stack hits. Pay for this.
Give me that. Give me this.
Put this on top of that, on top of this, on top of that, on top of this, on top of that, and this, and that.”
You see this?
I thought about blowing this motherfucker up many times.
I couldn’t find the power.
That’s what I got, man.
See if there’s anything for you in there.
[sighs]
[doorbell rings] I got it. I got it.
Sorry to disturb you, Mr. King. I have a Mr. Bethea downstairs to see you.
He says he called a couple of times and no response, so he sent me up.
[David] Okay.
How’s Trey? Pam?
Uh, good as to be expected under the circumstances.
I mean, the kidnapper still wants the ransom.
Says if I don’t pay he’s gonna kill Paul’s son if I don’t pay up.
$17.5 million mixup.
He still wants you to pay?
Yeah.
And I don’t think I can.
David, how can you not pay?
I pay, number one, our deal is dead.
I still have to sell off Stackin’ Hits. That’s too much to ask.
[sighs] I don’t see that you have much of a choice.
Yeah, I got a choice. It’s my money.
What are people gonna say when you sacrifice Paul’s kid to buy Stackin’ Hits back?
I don’t know. Shit’s complicated.
[scoffs] Shit.
Complexity doesn’t matter to John Q. Public, the masses.
You see how it is when an artist is canceled.
Yeah.
When social media finds out, and you can bet your bottom dollar they will find out that you abandoned Paul’s son, that’s the whole label. The whole shebang.
The kit and caboodle. That’s it.
You will be done and finished.
Over and out. Canceled. End of story.
We don’t know that for sure.
We don’t? You sure about that?
I mean… I mean, you’re right, I mean, but…
I can’t even believe I’m gonna say this, but…
You know how things move so fast right now in the news.
I mean, they’ll be onto something else next week.
It’ll be another news cycle.
David.
A story about another war…
What?
Do you hear what you’re saying?
Yeah. I mean, I know what it sounds like, but I’mI’m just trying to be practical.
Is that the chance you wanna take?
I just wanna see you do what’s right.
Thank you.
Get some sleep.
Yeah.
What do you think people will say if we don’t pay the ransom?
I think the important people in our life will understand the decision we make.
But what about the public?
Patrick says if we don’t pay, the backlash will ruin what’s left of my career.
[scoffs] Well, I guess that settles it then.
What do you mean?
Earlier today you were ready to risk your family’s security for Stackin’ Hits.
Why should this be any different?
Yeah, but now this has got nothing to do with earlier.
Now, it’s all intertwined. It’s everybody.
It’s you. It’sIt’s Stackin’ Hits.
It’sIt’s… Kyle, Trey, Paul.
David, it’s so much money.
It’s practically everything we have, isn’t it?
It’s close.
So, what should we do?
I don’t know.
Me either.
Whatever it is, we have to figure it out together, yeah?
How’s Trey doing?
He’s asking for you.
Has he been?
Yeah.
Love you.
[knocking on door]
[knocks on door] Trey.
There you go.
How you feeling, champ?
Like a chump.
Um…
Please don’t tell Mom, but my ankle’s kinda sore from doing suicides up and down the court.
It’s not serious, it’s just…
It’s bothering me a little bit.
Hmm. I’ll keep that between you and me.
[clears throat] And I wanna apologize for, uh…
telling you that I was gonna stay and watch you ball out and then leaving.
Yeah, that doesn’t matter now.
No, it does matter. It does matter.
I just want you to know that everything I do, everything I do, I do for you…
for your mother, for us.
Family first.
Not paying the ransom for Kyle isis what’s best for everyone?
For me, Mom, Uncle Paul?
HHow does that work, Dad?
Well, itit’s hard to understand now, but itit’s not quite that easy.
It’s more complicated than that.
But Uncle Paul was right. We’re the ones to blame.
That’s not true. We’re not the ones to blame…
It’sIt’s not just Uncle Paul.
Front page of the New York Daily News, The New York Post.
I mean, social media, TikTok, IG, voice mail, stuff online.
I’m getting DMs like I should’ve been the one that got snatched.
Son, I told you…
Dad, you don’t understand.
Media Take Out, Black Twitter is doggin’ me out, I…
You got… You can’t listen to that nonsense. That’s poison.
That’s garbage.
Dad, it’s everywhere.
You don’t understand.
This is not just a bad Rolling Stone album review that you can just look over.
You still gotta ignore it.
I can’t ignore it.
My friends are gonna think I’m the reason my best friend was murdered in cold blood.
Oh, come on, son.
You know what that means?
I mean, how can I go back and finish high school?
What colleges are gonna accept me, Dad?
WeWe gotta think of something.
We gotta think of something.
WeWe have to think of something.
All right, II…
I don’t know, son.
What do you mean you don’t know?
I just… Right now…
You know everything and everybody.
I just… Yeah, but right now, I just…
No, no, Daddy, you do know! Pay the fucking 17.5 million!
It’sIt’s just fucking money!
So, you’re gonna curse at your father like that?
You’re gonna disrespect me like that?
In my own house.
I see.
Now, don’t get it twisted, son.
There’s only one man in this house, and you’re looking at him.
You ever talk to me like that again, and I’ll bust your little narrow, norentpaying ass.
You understand me?
I’ma say it again.
Do you hear me?
Huh?
I hear you.
Do you?
Yes, sir.
Do you?
Yes, sir.
All right, then.
David King.
My father, thethe man with the best ears in the business…
but the coldest heart.
[hinges squeak] I gotta get this door fixed.
[no audible dialogue]
[melancholy music playing] What would you do, James?
What would you do, Stevie?
Jimi?
Aretha, what would you do?
What you gonna do about it?
I don’t know.
Well, figure it out.
I’m trying, man.
I’ve lost my son.
What do I tell him, huh?
What do I tell him? Y’all talk to each other, ’cause I can’t talk to him.
[sobs] Oh, my son. Oh, man.
[sobs] I’m sorry.
[knocking on door] Yeah. Hang on. Hang on.
Yeah, come in.
[blows nose, grunts] Sorry. Yes?
Summer cold.
How you holding up?
[both chuckling] You all right?
Wow.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I hear you.
How can I help you, boy?
Um, we’ve been going over plans for tomorrow.
Yeah?
Yeah, and, uh…
You think you’d be okay with telling the kidnapper you will pay the ransom?
[clicks tongue] It would buy us more time.
[sucks teeth] It’s all right. Okay.
[David] Keep negotiating.
Will do. Thank you.
“Will do. Thank you.”
[footsteps approach]
[David] Paul.
Paul.
Go on, Trey.
We gonna pay. We gonna pay the ransom.
[David] Speak up, son. What’d you say?
We’re gonna pay the ransom, Uncle Paul.
You serious?
Serious as prediabetes.
[grunts] Ah!
[Paul] Thank you.
[chuckles] You’re welcome.
[Paul] Bless you.
Bless you.
Let me get in here.
[Paul] Bless you.
Oh, Detective.
Tomorrow morning…
I’ma… [chuckles] …go to the bank…
[chuckles] …and, uh… see what we can do.
All right.
Anything else?
Nah, we good. Yeah.
We train for situations like this.
We gonna bring Kyle home.
And your ransom.
All right, let’s all get some shuteye. We gonna need it.
Yeah.
[Pam sighs]
[Bridges] Good night.
Good night.
[Higgins] Let’s do this.
[Paul grunts]
[exhales deeply]
[melancholy music playing]
[sobs, murmurs]
[“Pack Out the Trunk” playing on speakers]
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
[music fades]
[breathes shakily]
[melancholy music playing]
[phone ringing]
[detectives chattering] Hello?
[caller] Yo. You got the chicken? How you want it? Baked, fried or jerked?
Ain’t no time for no cornyass jokes and shit. You know what the fuck I’m talking about, the ransom money. Where it at? Yes, I have it.
Fo’ sho. Now, 11:00 a.m., board the 4 train at Borough Hall going to moneymaking Manhattan. First car. Take your phone with you, I’ll text you the directions. What about Kyle? I need to see Kyle first.
[sighs] You will, you will, in due time. Be easy, B. Oh, and by the way, I want you to throw your wifey Cartier bracelet in with the loot as well. How do you know about that?
‘Cause she always flexing it online. You know your wifey like to flaunt, right? Showing off at the Grammys on the red carpet. [sucks teeth] Ain’t shit private no more these days, David. Can’t do that. Can’t do that, B.
Come on, man. I’ll pay you the money.
I’ll pay the ransom, but that’s a…
15thweddinganniversary gift, man. That’s from my heart.
You ain’t in control no more, nigga! Ain’t running this shit, nigga, I am! Oldass, pussyass nigga!
[line disconnects] There it is.
Does anybody think this guy is stupid enough to make the exchange on the subway?
Maybe a station.
But it’s the way he wants to keep Mr. King on the move.
Maybe it has nothing to do with the subway?
What difference does it make?
It makes one to us.
Yeah.
[officers chattering]
[David] What’s the plan?
The ransom will be in a black Jordanbrand backpack, equipped with tracking device.
You can all follow with your iPhones.
We track the kidnapper once Mr. King makes the drop, and we swoop in right away. I’ll be with Mr. King at all times. A team will cover the rest of the train. We’ll have prestaged RMPs located between where we board at Borough Hall and the following stations: Wall Street, Union Square, Grand Central, 59th, 86th, 125th, 149th, 161st, Yankee Stadium, and until the last stop at Woodlawn. That way we can leapfrog, should there be any police activity above ground.
Mr. Christopher, you’ll ride with our other team.
And when we locate and secure Kyle, you’ll both be brought to a location for observation and debriefing.
Safety is always job number one.
The next priority is the money. It’s showtime.
Let’s give the Kings a second, you guys.
Uhhuh.
Hey.
Yeah?
No hero ball.
Come home to us, okay?
Out.
Love you.
More.
Come on, let’s go.
All right.
Don’t worry. We got this.
[suspenseful music playing] This one, right here.
You’re riding with me and Detective Bell in this car.
[officer] Just watch your head.
[tires screech] Entering the transit system now.
[train horn honks] Take that seat over there.
[PA announcer 1] This is a Manhattanbound 4 train. The next stop is Bowling Green.
[PA announcer 2] Stand clear of the closing doors, please.
[crowd chattering] Hit the siren! Let’s go! Come on, let’s go, let’s go! Damn it!
[sirens blare] Let’s go, Yankees!
[all] Let’s go, Yankees!
[all clapping]
[all] Boston sucks! Boston sucks!
[all] Let’s go, Yankees!
[all clapping]
[all] Boston sucks! Boston sucks!
[all] Let’s go, Yankees!
[all clapping] Boston sucks! Boston sucks!
They just departed 149 Street station, still heading north.
[crowd cheering] Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, make some noise!
[street vendors calling in Spanish] I want y’all to give it up, give it up for the beautiful, the perfect and immaculate Rosie Perez!
And give it up to my brother from another, the very handsome and talented Anthony Ramos!
[all cheering] Give it up for the legendary…
The incomparable Eddie Palmieri and Salsa Orchestra!
[crowd cheering] One, two, one, two, three, four!
[playing salsa music]
[passengers] Let’s go, Yankees!
[passengers clapping]
[phone buzzes]
[passengers] Let’s go, Yankees!
[passengers clapping] Hello?
Move to the back of the subway car. Go between the cars. Between the cars?
Take the backpack with you too. Between the cars?
Yeah, nigga. The fuck? Is you deaf? Nigga fucking retarded, B. Which part don’t y’all understand? Hurry the fuck up. I’m moving, I’m moving.
He’s leaving the subway car.
[singing in Spanish] Yo, okay, I’m here. So, do I drop it now?
No! When I tell you. What?
Drop the backpack when I say. Yeah, but I…
You’re getting close, man. Where’s Kyle?
Yo, drop the fucking backpack first. I wanna see Kyle first.
[all] Let’s go, Yankees!
[alarm blares]
[brakes squeal]
[all screaming]
[siren blaring] I got a hit on the backpack.
It’s River Avenue and 157. Heading to Yankee Stadium.
Did y’all get the money? I didn’t see shit!
Don’t worry! We got a GPS on the bag!
I didn’t drop it, it fell!
[shouts indistinctly] We got a GPS on the bag!
Go, go, go, go, go.
Police, make way!
[all] Boston pulled the motherfucking emergency brake!
[all] Boston pulled the motherfucking emergency brake!
[sirens blaring] Goddamn it, move it!
[blasts horn] Fucking hate parades! Move it!
[horn honking] Get the fuck outta the way!
Give me that fucking flag! Get the fuck outta here! Move it!
[blasts horn] Get off my fucking car!
[siren blaring] Move it! Fuck!
Oh, shit!
It was an okey doke switcheroo.
I got this guy. He’s on a fucking moped. No problem.
Goddamn it! Fuck! Goddamn it!
David, I promise we’re getting your money back.
How do you know?
I just know.
Well, yeah, well, make me know.
[Higgins, on radio] Bridges, you there? Yeah, I’m here with Mr. King.
I lost visuals on the moped. I can’t see him anywhere.
Got this motherfucker.
Get me additional units here, pronto!
I need units on foot available now, now!
[horn honks] Now I got you, motherfucker! I fuckin’ got you!
I fuckin’ got you, you fuckin’ pussy!
Yeah, you better fuckin’ run for it!
[dog barks] Fuck!
Move out of the fuckin’ way!
Get out of the fuckin’ way! Move it!
[sirens blaring] Get out of the fuckin’ way! Get him!
Cuff him! Are you fuckin’ kidding me, huh?
Give me this fuckin’ bag! Give me the fuckin’ bag!
Get on your fuckin’ knees!
What? Are you fuckin’ kidding me? A tampon?
You think this is fuckin’ funny, huh?
You having your period, motherfucker?
[crowd jeering] Fuck off!
[song ends]
[crowd cheers]
[crowd chanting] Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
Eddie! Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
[person shouts in Spanish]
[on radio] Bridges. Higgins, talk to me, talk to me.
Bridges, you there? Where’s the backpack?
The ransom money is not in the bag.
I repeat, the ransom money is not in the bag.
The fuck?
Shit.
[David] Hey.
[Pam] Hey.
You all right?
[Pam] Yeah.
[Trey] Yeah. How is Kyle?
[David] Uh, he’s a little bangedup.
NYPD, well, they found him up there by Yankee Stadium, and sent him to the hospital for observation, said they’d keep him there a couple days.
[Trey] Good. Good. Good. That’s really good.
[sighs] Hope we can see him soon.
[David] Hope so, son. And how are you?
I’m all right.
And the money?
They said, uh…
said they’re working on it.
Have you seen the news? Social media?
No.
You’re everywhere. Everybody is calling you a superhero.
Black Panther of the Boogie Down Bronx.
[Pam chuckles] Damn.
Uh…
You don’t like it?
No. No. Actually…
Spelled my name right.
All right. I’ma go upstairs and change. I’ll see y’all later.
All right.
Love you.
And what about the room you were tied up in?
Maybe a sound? Or did you smell anything?
Uh, I smelled something funny.
There was, uh, weed. Marijuana.
I could… I could hear music, a lot of music. Rap.
Like somebody’s room or a club?
Uh, it was in another room, another apartment, uh…
They had me tied up in the bathtub.
I could hear it in and out.
Anything specific?
[sighs] Not really.
There was this one song that kept playing I’d never heard. It was like…
Like, uh…
♪ BBack it up to the… The back to the f… ♪
♪ Back… ♪
♪ Back it up to the back to the front ♪
♪ Back it up, back that front back ♪
Kyle, Kyle.
Anything else?
[sighs] It’s okay. Take your time, Kyle.
Can I take a break?
Let’s just keep going, just a little more.
Just keep trying, Kyle. Just…
I’m sorry.
I don’t remember anything else.
[Paul] Okay.
Just a little more.
Detective, can he maybe have a little break?
Kyle, I know it’s hard, but every second we’re not out there looking for who did this, they’re getting away.
Did you not hear me?
How come when Trey needed rest the other day, y’all were ready to tuck him in bed?
Now, listen, I heard you, Mr. Christopher.
Now, why won’t you stop being a pain in my butt?
Good you’re in a hospital. They got ointments for that.
Maybe you need the Preparation H.
No, I’m fully prepared, brother.
[Bridges] Oh, you are?
Maybe we need to all take a break.
CanCan my son have a minute with his father, just him and me alone please?
Come on, guys. Let’s give him a minute.
Thank you.
Let’s go. Come on. Partner.
Let’s go. Come on. Come on.
Bridges.
It’s all right, man. It’s all right.
[sighs]
[knocks on door]
[David] Yeah. Come on in, Gabe.
David.
Gabe.
[both chuckling] So, you talk to Michelle?
Talked to Michelle, Barry, Lindsey.
All the, uh, principal creditors and their partners.
And?
They greatly admire what you did, uh, but they don’t want to be held responsible.
What you saying?
That viral video that went global.
You dropping the $17.5 million from the 4 train.
Okay. What about it?
The deal was contingent on you using that financing to buy back control of Stackin’ Hits Records.
Right.
The deal is off.
Deal is off? I mean, I can come up with the money to pay the interest.
I can scrounge that up, Gabe. You know that.
I’m a hustler, man. I can hustle.
Normally.
Yeah. Normally you could. Yeah.
Normally?
Yeah, but this is some abnormal shit. You know, this is a breach of contract.
Breach of contract?
Yeah. Or fraud.
Fraud? Like FRAUD? Like prison?
Prison.
Jail.
Damn. Gabe. Talk to me.
Well, the reason is because your investors negotiated a provision for use of proceeds, that their investment has to be used for certain defined purposes.
And that’s buying back Stackin’ Hits Records.
And they want their money back.
When?
Two weeks.
Two weeks?
I didn’t stutter.
Two weeks?
Two weeks.
Two weeks.
And after that, they’ll start collection process.
Your penthouse, your Sag Harbor home, your Basquiats. All your artwork.
You did a good thing and…
[laughs] It’s not fair.
I did a good thing, but I don’t feel good, Gabe.
Hhow can I feel good? Make me feel good.
I know.
Gabriel. Come on, man.
I know.
I can’t go out like this. You know that.
A man can’t go out the same way he came in.
A man’s gotta add up to something. And that’s you.
Two weeks.
[snapping fingers]
[“Love Is the Message” playing]
[David] Yes?
I’m so sorry to bother you.
Alex and Patrick would like to chat with you.
Send ’em in.
[assistant] Mr. King will see you now.
[David] Just the two I wanted to see.
I would wanna be you if I wasn’t me.
Listen, with everything that has happened in the last few days, I’ve gained a new perspective on the Stray Dog Enterprise deal.
Now, I know I was the lone holdout, but I’ve changed my mind.
Let’s do it. Let’s do the damn thing.
I see. Well, II would have let you know sooner if I’d known, but the cat’s in the bag and the bag’s in the East River.
The who’s in the what? What do you mean?
It’s dead in the water.
What do you mean dead?
After your unfortunate situation, I had a change of heart too.
II told Stray Dog Enterprises we’re out.
You killed the deal because of what happened. Why?
Your hero status has us back on the front page.
Every artist in our catalog has seen a jump in sales.
So, it’s like you always said:
“Attention is the only true currency nowadays.”
Don’t you know? You’re…
You’re “Da Black Panther of Da Boogie Down Bronx.”
[David] All right. Uh, easy one.
I’ll call Stray Dog myself, talk with them personally.
I suggest not until we see this play out.
Who knows how much money we could be leaving on the table?
How much money we leave… Look, I need this money now.
Like, with an alacrity, a quickness. I need it yesterday. I need the money now.
Oh, I got it.
Well, that’s ironic.
You certainly didn’t need the money when you were trying to sabotage the deal two days ago.
Alex!
I see.
Patrick, you told him, didn’t you?
You didn’t leave me any choice.
When the news about Trey came out, Alex called me multiple times asking what I thought.
About what?
The attention we were getting.
So, the two of yo use discussed the attention we were getting from my son being kidnapped.
Stop. It wasn’t like that.
What was it like? It was a good thing he wasn’t killed. Shot in the head.
Coulda got rich.
[Patrick] David!
Nice house in the Hamptons.
David, stop!
[David] Stop what?
Stop being so selfrighteous.
You stood in your lobby trying to convince me that the bad PR would pass if Kyle died.
That was different. I was talk…
I was talking out loud, you know that. I was just trying to figure things out.
Well, so was I. That’s why I called you.
I didn’t know if your situation changed.
So, you threw me under the bus?
No.
I tried to protect myself.
Because in this business I know no one else will.
Alex!
Uh…
[smacks lips] Oh, shucks.
[“Pack Out the Trunk” playing on headphones]
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ At 35 and I’m still a pretty guy ♪
♪ Pussy never dry You know, shorty’s certified ♪
♪ Pancake ass Niggas stay turning sides ♪
♪ Cookiecutter nigga, soda pop Get a Canada Dry ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ All gold fronts From the front to the back ♪
[music stops]
[Bell] Stand down, stand down. I got this.
All righty. Make it quick. Make it quick.
[David] I’m sorry. Sorry.
I just need to see what he knows.
What the fuck?
[Paul] King, what’s up?
Just something I wanna play for him.
Mr. King, Mr. King, wwe’re trying to get new information here.
No, I understand. I understand.
Is this the song… Was this the song you heard when they had you?
[on speakers] ♪ …to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
That’s crazy. How’d you know?
That’s him, right?
What?
His name is Yung Felon. He’s a rapper.
He was on the playlist that my son Trey gave me.
It’s the same voice, the same voice from the phone. It’s him.
I don’t know, Mr. King. All these new rappers these days sound alike to me.
I think I’ve seen this clown before.
[David] What?
[Paul] He came up to me once.
Do you remember where or when?
I remembered his face. Something was off about him.
He wanted to meet you, said he was from around our way.
Do you remember his government name?
People come up to me all the time wanting to meet King.
I don’t get into all that with them.
It could be the kidnapper, Detective.
Yeah, but identifying a rapper is not what I would call a slam dunk.
I’m telling you, it’s him. I got the best ears in the business.
I know it when I hear it. I can hear the desperation. It’s him.
I know him when I hear him, and this is him.
It’s him. It’s the voice.
[Bridges] It could be.
Nobody’s refuting that.
Whoa. Hang on a second. We got the recordings, right?
[Bell, Bridges] Yeah.
All right, so Forensics can do a digital comparison of them both.
Maybe even check on AI, right?
Yeah, we could send something over. It may take time, but we’ll send it over.
I don’t need no AI to tell me what I already know.
I know music, and I know that’s him.
Mr. King, you know what I know?
I know police work, okay? And I know how these cases go.
Can you just let us get back to interviewing Kyle here, please?
And then we will get to your clue, I promise you, in the order it’s deserved.
Please. I’m begging you.
[Bridges] It’s just protocol.
[Higgins] Please.
[Bell] Thank you for stopping by.
[Bridges] Thanks, Mr. King.
Thank you, Mr. King.
Thank you.
King.
You really think that’s him?
I don’t think. I know. I can hear it.
I know it’s him.
Fuck these dicks.
Let’s go get your money.
Yeah, but where we gonna find this kid?
I’m betting these streets know.
[phone buzzing] Yo, you saw what I sent you?
You sure that’s him? Where?
[chuckles] Bet. I owe you one.
Where’s he at? Where?
I got him. 804 Forest Avenue.
Right in the old hood.
That’s him.
[“The Payback” playing]
[music stops]
[gun cocks] What is that?
Insurance.
That’s Jake from State Farm.
[pedestrian] Where are you? I’m out here. I haven’t seen him.
[David] Here’s a yard. Watch my car.
All right, chief.
Yeah, yeah. Good lookin’ out. I got you. I got you.
[mambo music playing]
[resident] Hello? Can I help you?
How you doing, mami?
[gasps] Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
I know you. I know you.
I’ve just seen you on TV. You from the kidnapping, right?
[chuckles] Right.
I hope 12 got your money back.
I’ll wait in the car.
Blessings. Sorry.
Thank you.
Can I come in?
Yeah. I’m Rosa. Come in. Please.
I just put the baby down.
Archie named him after you.
Archie?
His tag is Yung Felon.
But I ain’t really trying to call him no Yung Felon.
I tell him if he keep up this stuff, he gonna be an oldass felon.
Where’s he at?
He’s at the studio.
He’s basically been living there for, like, two weeks.
Oh, my God. He gonna lose his mind.
He gonna bug the fuck out.
Why you say that?
You’re like a god to him.
He follows you on social media.
He listens to your podcast. He watches all your interviews.
He knows everything about you.
Really?
He been saying for years King David will come and discover him, and change everything for us. Even I believed it.
He’s been at this music thing ever since he came home from Upstate.
Hmm.
He said that music was the only thing that was giving him hope while he was locked up, besides me.
[both chuckle] I think I should call him. This is crazy.
Uh, no, III wanna surprise him.
Uh, I’ll go by the studio.
WWhere’s it at?
Oh, it’s right around the corner. It’s 333 Trinity Avenue.
If you go to the basement, you’ll find a red door.
Okay.
He’s there now.
Well. That’s a… That’s a nice piece there.
He got it for me yesterday.
[David] Yesterday?
[Rosa] Yeah.
I don’t know where he got it from, and I didn’t ask where he got it from, but I know it’s not no Cartier.
[chuckles] Mind if I take a picture?
I’m thinking about getting my wife something like that…
God. Yeah. Please take a pic.
…for our wedding anniversary.
Get my good side.
[laughs]
[shutter clicks]
[David] Thank you.
[Rosa] I seen your wife online. She’s beautiful. You a lucky man. Thank you.
Yes, I am.
I’m so happy you’re here, ’cause Archie been acting really weird.
He been off lately.
I feel like he been losing hope.
And hope is the only thing he had for a long time.
Me being a new mom and you showing up at our front door, I feel like it’s a sign.
You’ve changed so many people’s lives in a positive way.
God is great.
[“The Boss” playing] Gimme that thing.
Thing? What thing?
That fourpounder, kid.
[gun cocks] What is that?
That’s mayhem.
Shit.
How you wanna do this?
King, you wanna follow my lead?
You’re not going in.
What do you mean?
I mean I got into this by myself.
I’m gonna get out of it by myself. You’re not going in.
Hold up. Hold up. I’m with you.
We here right now.
You saw what he did to Kyle. I’mI’mI’m…
I ain’t gonna lie. I wanna hurt this boy.
Meet me in the front.
I’ll be there.
[music fades]
[barks]
[shouts]
[barking continues]
[hiphop track plays faintly]
[hiphop track continues]
[Yung Felon] ♪ Going one way down a wide road ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Hope I don’t drown but the tires slow Both eyes closed ♪
♪ One way down a wide road Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Hope I don’t drown but the tires slow Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Down this lonely road ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Just as long as it’s over ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Nowhere else to go ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Heaven only knows ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Never been on ten toes ♪
♪ Both eyes closed ♪
♪ Just wait till II Just wait till II return ♪
♪ II return II can’t wait till ♪
♪ II just wait till II return ♪
♪ II can’t wait till II return ♪
♪ Yo, shit Those bricks ain’t worth ♪
♪ Gotta help me escape This hell on earth ♪
♪ That we make pop, what? ♪
[music stops] Yo, what the fuck?
So, what, you got police waiting outside for a nigga or something?
How the fuck you found me?
You ain’t hard to find. I heard one of your hot joints.
Okay, and? So, what about it?
You got a lot of potential.
Potential?
[clicks tongue] Nigga, fuck outta here. You deaf, nigga?
My shit lit. My shit buzzing out there.
Beyond potential. Proof is in the pudding.
My niggas on the block, all the niggas in the trenches and shit.
They show a nigga that real love, that hood love.
That’s my core audience. That’s all I need.
You want a bigger audience? Do the math.
You talking about 50 niggas, man.
They love you.
They payin’ you?
Are they showing you any money? That’s a yes or no answer.
They don’t gotta show me shit, nigga. I’m up right now.
How much you up? Seventeenfive?
To be precise. [chuckles] You sure?
Yeah. Uhhuh.
You’re seventeenfive to the good?
Swiss francs.
You think you gonna leave here with it?
[scoffs] You’ll see.
Who taught you to do wrong, B?
Who told you you weren’t any good? Who broke your heart?
Where’s your father?
Fuck that nigga.
So, he did what you did, huh?
So, you gonna be better than him? Bigger than him?
You gonna do a longer bid than him?
Huh? What you wanna do? Decades? Yards? What you want?
What the fuck you want me to say, nigga?
Doesn’t matter what I want.
It’s a matter of what you want. You want some advice?
Advice? [scoffs] Aight.
We here, why the fuck not? I’m all ears.
On the chorus, adlib a little bit.
Layer the vocals differently. Something like, uh…
♪ Nigga, where’s my money? ♪
♪ I got the fourpounder Sitting right here ♪
♪ Don’t try nothing funny ♪
Something like that, you know? Nasir, ’93, ’94.
[clicks tongue] Man, all that old shit you talking about…
Nah, nigga. Sound more like…
♪ I got the blicky on me, OG So don’t try nothing tricky on me OG ♪
♪ I got mine too, young G Nine millimeters ♪
♪ A lot of reasons why you shouldn’t Fuck with me either, young G ♪
♪ I’m the one that can pay you ♪
♪ I don’t need to be the one That’s gon’ slay you ♪
Fuck, is this a battle right now?
♪ I’m the brutalizer ♪
♪ I’m the Buddhasizer I’m the accelerator ♪
♪ I ain’t the type of nigga That be pissing in your elevator ♪
♪ But sometimes the rap game Remind me of the crap game ♪
♪ I used to sport Ballys And Cazals with black frames ♪
♪ But now I’m into new chicks TECs and Beck’s ♪
Come on, represent. Give me something.
♪ I gotta feed the streets My lady and a newborn kid ♪
♪ And I ain’t tryna go back And do another bid, you dig? ♪
Then handle your business and do what’s right.
Keep your head up.
Now this nigga a motherfucking rapper. [scoffs]
[laughs] I ain’t no rapper.
I’m a chance giver.
Chance?
Yo, you mad late, son.
I been gave you a chance to give me a chance. You baited.
Nah, I’m good, B. It’s quiet. Curtains.
I know what it is to risk everything you have for something that you want.
I know what that means.
To have nothing and want everything.
I met your girl.
Fuck you mean?
I been in your house, and I appreciate you for naming your son after me.
Damn! Stupid bitch talk too fucking much, B.
Why she gotta be a bitch?
Fuck.
Why she gotta be a bitch?
Damn, B.
Now, I’ve made some mistakes. Big ones. We all have.
I just wanna try and help you.
Help me? Man, fuck outta here, man.
Aight, so what? You know where I lay. I know where you stay.
Nigga, what? What you wanna do? What?
What?
You hollow on the inside.
You lonely on the inside.
You quiet on the inside.
You hurt on the inside. That’s what I wanna feel.
That’s what I wanna see. That’s what I wanna know.
I wanna know what’s inside you.
Fuck all this fake outdoor shit.
Who are you?
Yo, you know what’s crazy?
You don’t know how long I dreamt about this shit.
Me and you in the lab together, just like this.
When I got out the pen, I stood out of Stackin’ Hits offices, recording studios, business meetings.
I even followed your little nigga Trey on social media.
See where y’all niggas gonna be at dining and shit.
Hoping we could meet up. Hoping I’d bump into you.
Hoping you’d give me time of the day.
Hoping you’d hear me.
I used to be on the Brooklyn Bridge just looking up at you, at your terrace.
You know, the Dumbo Olympia, nigga.
I told you I know where you lay too, nigga.
Shit ain’t about nothing.
Just to find out you got the worst ears in the fucking business.
But you hear me now though, right, nigga? You hear me now though, right?
Now what? Now what do we do? Now what?
Unfold your arms, nigga. Now what do we do?
What, you bad? You big?
Your elbows is showing, so is your nine.
You got your blicky and I got mine.
What you wanna do, nigga?
It’s between me and you, nigga.
Show me what you got, nigga.
You know what, B? Manifestation is a motherfucker.
[chuckles] You should never underestimate the power of prayer, nigga.
[suspenseful music playing]
[groans]
[groaning] King! King!
[groaning] My eye. My eye. Glass in my eye, glass in my eye!
Get the money! [groans] Get his bitch ass! Get that bitch motherfucker!
[groans] I got glass in my eye.
[horns honking]
[horns honking]
[door chimes]
[Yung Felon exclaims]
[both grunting]
[groans] Let me go! Let me go, man!
What you doing? Let me go!
Huh?
What you doing? Let me go!
I ought to let your ass go.
Come on, man. I don’t wanna be here.
Let me go!
What?
Let me die!
Where’s my money?
Let me die, man!
You lucky you got a son named after me.
Get your ass up here.
[groans]
[both grunting] Come on!
[grunting]
[groans]
[Bell] Yo, Higgins!
Detective Bell.
What’s up?
Lord have mercy.
When will my people understand that under the bed is the first spot we’re gonna look?
Don’t ask me about your people, hmm?
Watch that, son.
“Son.”
Come on in.
Hey, come on in, fam. Don’t be shy.
How are you?
Oh, as good as can be expected, I guess.
How many times I ask you to bulletproof that Rolls?
[laughs] Oh, yeah, well, oneeyed man is king in the land of the blind.
[laughs] Well, that’s true.
But it’s the third eye that sees, beloved.
Mmm.
Correct, Cyclops.
[both laughing] I hope you see…
that I want you to come back and work with me.
I appreciate that, King.
But I… I think it’s time to find something new for…
for me and Kyle.
So, I’ll respectfully decline.
I understand.
Yeah.
I over stand.
You good?
Yeah, yeah. Little bumps and bruises, but, uh, I’m good.
[grunts] Never got a chance to… thank you.
Ah, it’s nothing. You know, I’d do it all again.
You know, I always got your back.
And I got yours.
Dad, did you see this?
Four of the top ten songs on Billboard Hot 100 are from Stackin’ Hits artists.
It’s almost like it’s 2004.
[all laughing]
[chuckles] 2004.
Yeah.
No.
Four out of ten, that’s not bad, though.
That’s not bad.
Paul, you keep getting better, okay? Let’s give ’em a minute.
All right.
Yeah, bruh. Kyle, give us a minute.
Yeah, give us two minutes. [grunts] Yeah.
[chuckling]
[door closes] Always.
Forever.
And a day.
[both chuckling] All right, brother.
Yeah.
Stay Black.
Yes, beloved.
[crowd chanting] Free Yung Felon!
Free Yung Felon! Free Yung Felon!
[sirens blaring] Free Yung Felon! Free Yung Felon!
Let’s go. Come on, come on. Get out of the way.
I’m innocent! I’m innocent.
Get away. Stop it.
I didn’t do shit.
Get outta here.
Free me! Yeah.
I ain’t do shit.
I’m innocent.
Come on, let’s go.
Keep it going, movie star.
[Yung Felon] Peace and love, people!
Come on, let’s go. Move it. Move it.
Peace and love.
Let’s go. Move it.
Peace and love, people!
Only God can judge me now, baby.
[chanting continues] Free Yung Felon!
Free Yung Felon! Free Yung Felon!
Turn around. Say bye to your fans.
Free Yung Felon!
[Higgins] Let’s go.
I ain’t do shit!
We very much appreciate you stopping by.
Yung Felon’s attorney and the DA’s office has just finished hashing out the details of his plea agreement.
There’ll be no trial.
So, no appeal? No media circus?
The only thing he asked for was to talk to you one more time.
Talk to me?
That’s what the man requested.
How many years is he getting?
Twentyfive years.
Not enough.
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back, uh ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ At 35 and I’m still a pretty guy ♪
♪ Pussy never dry You know, shorty’s certified ♪
♪ Pancake ass Niggas stay turning sides ♪
♪ Cookiecutter nigga, soda pop Get a Canada Dry ♪
♪ Shout out to my felons, bro We caught another felony ♪
♪ Yung Felon, nigga Up town, fuck you telling me ♪
♪ Of course I ride around, no bros Of course I’m selling out my shows ♪
♪ Of course I slime and wipe my nose Of course, yeah ♪
♪ Your Honor, I can’t go to court My baby mom want child support ♪
♪ Fuck college, can’t enroll, no course ♪
♪ She celebrating, pop the cork Of course ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Nigga got a grudge Motherfucker, where you at? ♪
♪ Pack out the trunk From the front to the back ♪
♪ Nigga tried to front We gon’ leave him where he at ♪
[music ends]
[liquid draining]
[cork pops]
[liquid pours]
[chuckles, sucks teeth] King David.
It’s been a little minute. Good to see you.
Again.
What can I do for you?
Well, actually, quite the contrary.
I’m here to do something for you.
For me?
Hell yeah.
I’m going to let you have the privilege and honor of signing me to Stackin’ Hits Records.
A lucrative business deal.
My lawyer will be contacting you with a quickness.
Excuse me?
Huh?
I’m the biggest newest streaming artist in the world right now.
Really?
Over a billion streams since my arrest.
Not even just in the US, but globally.
Is that right?
How the fuck you ain’t know that?
Yo, that’s buggedthefuckout, like, you gotta keep up with the times, man. Where you been at?
[sucks teeth] Do your homework, King David.
Yo, I ain’t gonna lie, this shit is surreal right now.
I swear, this shit is buggedout, like.
Hmm.
You know how long I’ve been waiting on this moment?
My whole life, nigga.
Since I was a kid, I wanted to be just like you.
We all idolized you.
It’s crazy. Even my mom said I looked just like you and shit, twin.
You could be my pops or some shit, man.
[chuckling] I might be.
[chuckles] You’re from the same block, same hood.
Shit, it’s only right.
Mmm.
You know, I’ve been doing this rapping shit for the longest, B.
Like, since I was a young ‘un.
Nobody never gave two fucks, though.
Even my shorty, she was like, “Nah, this shit ain’t it.”
I… I just decided to give up and shit, man, you know?
When I looked at you, I always tried to reach out, you was at your highest and I was at my lowest.
[sniffs] I said I was going to bring you to hell with me.
And then, next thing you know…
like magic. Abracadabra. Poof.
Every fucking label on my dick now trying to sign me, chasing me and shit like that.
Giving my lawyer all type of crazy business offers and deals that you can only dream of, B. But I said, “Fuck that shit, nah.”
[sniffs] I want to sign with you, man.
I want to be with you with Stackin’ Hits Records, man. Together.
Look, man. I’m telling you, like, you could produce for me on some Pharrell, Timbalandshit type shit, like…
Man, we could be like…
Weezy and Birdman, word.
[laughs] Shit, signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours if you’re with it.
Bet you ain’t know I fuck with Stevie Wonder like that, huh?
Yeah. You didn’t listen to the whole song.
[both chuckling] You ain’t the sunshine of my life, that’s for sure.
[clicks tongue] I’m, uh…
I’m leaving Stackin’ Hits.
What? You is Stackin’ Hits.
I’m starting my own label. A little something smaller, you know?
Something I can have more control of, give me more time to spend with my family.
But more importantly, or just as importantly, more time to…
to concentrate on the music, to get to the…
Back to the music.
Yo, focusing on the music and getting back to the music?
What’s more important than the money?
You gonna go broke doing that shit.
Yeah.
Attention is the biggest form of currency nowadays, B.
Yo, you signing me would be the biggest fucking deal in music history ever.
Think about it.
All money ain’t good money.
Come on, man. Don’t look at me like that like I’m a mad man or some shit, man, like I’m a piece of shit.
I’m only playing the game that y’all motherfuckers invented.
Get on the wave, man. Before it’s too late. Ride the wave.
Not interested.
Not interested?
Can’t do nothing with your music. It’s not for me.
What? You don’t wanna see a nigga on the top?
Oh, you some hatingass nigga for real, man.
Yo, fuck you, you oldass nigga. Fuck you, B.
Nigga, think about it.
Before the kidnapping, nobody gave two fucks about you.
They forgot about your washedup ass, nigga.
I saved your fucking career, nigga. I brought you back, nigga.
Me. That’s who did that. Yung Felon, nigga.
Nobody else. [spits] Nigga, fuck you!
I should’ve kidnapped your son. And I ain’t pop that…
You lucky, nigga.
[David claps] That’s why your bitch on my visiting list, nigga!
Fuck you, nigga! Fuck you! Fuck you, motherfucker!
You ain’t shit without me, I made you! Fuck you too!
Get the fuck off me!
Amen.
Are we really going to be all right?
Yes, we are.
We’re gonna be uptight, we’re gonna be out of sight.
Baby, everything is all right.
[chuckling] I am being serious.
So am I.
Please. Not time for jokes.
Are we good?
Is James Brown?
Is Barry White? Is Al Green?
You!
[laughing] Is Aretha Franklin?
Is Aretha Franklin?
[phone buzzing] Is Trey King?
[Pam laughs] So…
Pleasure to meet you.
My wife, Pam.
Hello.
My son, you know, Trey. Trey says you’re the next big thing.
Oh, well, uh, pleased to meet you all.
This is my pianist, Ric’key.
How you doing, Ric?
Pleasure to meet you.
[clicks tongue] Oh.
“Sula…”
“Sula Janie Zimmie.”
That’s correct. My mother loved Toni Morrison and Zora Neale Hurston.
The Bluest Eye is my favorite novel.
Sounds like you come from a very literate family.
Not really. My father was a rolling stone.
Pun intended.
[laughing]
[Sula] My family has always had a music background.
Singers, composers, musicians.
And I actually wrote this song I’m about to sing.
Okay. You have a stage name?
Sula, initial C, Sing.
What does the C stand for?
“Can.”
Oh.
Ow.
[chuckles]
[chuckles] All right, Sula “Can” Sing.
You’d better be able to sing if that’s your name.
You should find out.
Let’s find out.
[plays mellow chords]
♪ Said I’m too young ♪
♪ So he took me for a fool ♪
♪ Selling me lies but wore a disguise ♪
♪ My mom warned me about you ♪
♪ He said I was naive ♪
♪ You underestimate me ♪
♪ In this journey of life ♪
♪ I learned from the games That he loved to play ♪
♪ But now I’m stronger ♪
♪ Without you I’m feeling much lighter ♪
♪ Think you’re older so you’re right ♪
♪ I know I’m young But I was alone ♪
♪ Last night ♪
[vocalizing]
♪ Oh, no ♪
♪ You mistook my youth for ignorance ♪
♪ And truth for innocence Thought he took my life ♪
♪ And wouldn’t survive But I’m still alive ♪
♪ He said I was too green ♪
♪ So why should he listen to me? ♪
♪ But soul don’t have an age I’ve been through the pain ♪
♪ And I’m not ashamed ♪
♪ Now, now I’m wiser ♪
♪ Without you I’m feeling much brighter ♪
♪ Now that you’re out of my life ♪
♪ Now that you’re gone I can finally sleep ♪
♪ At night ♪
♪ Oh, yeah ♪
♪ And I found some peace in the pain ♪
♪ And I found my way through the rain I’m a fighter ♪
♪ Listen to me I’m a fighter ♪
♪ Oh, no ♪
♪ Oh, won’t take my pride Or take my name ♪
♪ ‘Cause I’ve always found the light In the dark ♪
♪ Oh, the dark ♪
♪ Now I’m better ♪
♪ Don’t bother sending no letters ♪
♪ Put me through hell I’ll survive ♪
Come on.
♪ Now that you’re gone I can finally see ♪
♪ Oh, I see it clearer ♪
♪ Love what I see in the mirror ♪
♪ Remembered how you made me cry ♪
♪ And now that you’re gone I can finally see ♪
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
♪ The light ♪
♪ I finally see ♪
[vocalizing]
[vocalizing]
[music ends]
[laughs] And let the church say…
[all] Amen, amen.
Amen. So, Sula…
I see, you can…
sing.
What’s the name of the song?
“Highest 2 Lowest.”
[David] Oh.
Sula, do you believe in yourself?
Yes.
[David] Do you believe in me?
Yes.
Do you believe you’ll be successful?
Yes.
Do you believe in having hard times?
‘Cause that’s what it’ll be.
And the hard times will come from the good times.
The hard times will come from success. The hard times will come from the money.
And the mayhem follows.
So, can you handle the mayhem? Can you handle the money?
Can you handle the success? Can you handle the failure?
Can you handle the lovers? Can you handle the memes?
Can you handle everything that there is in between?
That’s the question I have for you. Can you handle it?
Yes.
I believe you.
Trey?
I think we should go to studio tomorrow.
You ready?
Mr. King, I was born ready.
No, wait. We gotta talk about my cut, Dad.
I’m the one who discovered her.
About your cut?
[Pam chuckles] Pam, talk to your son.
We’ll get to that when I’m cochairperson of the board…
[Trey] Mmm!
…of our new label.
Family business.
I like that. Family business.
“Highest 2 Lowest.”
Let’s get to work.
[“Prisencolinensinainciusol” playing]
