Tijuana Jackson: Purpose Over Prison (2020) - full transcript

[METAL CRANKING]

[METAL CLINKS]

[BUZZER BUZZING]

TJ: Middle finger to the judges

because I ain't on trial.

Props Caitlyn Jenner

because there's a lot

of bitch niggas

that's still in denial.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- TJ: Yeah, dope on that.

- MAN: Uh-hmm.

TJ: Put a sponge on that.

They call me boomerang dick

because I come on back.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: They going out

for the mom like...

- MAN: Oh, yeah.

- MAN: Oh, yeah.

TJ: I'm going in like

two fingers on prom night.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: I get my inspiration

from my folks and ancestors.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: Me and my family

stick together

like thighs on pressure.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: Bar.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

RACHEL:

My name is Rachel Cho.

But my friends call me Rache.

Pretty soon,

I'll be graduating from one

of the top universities

in the country.

I have so much

to look forward to.

I'm moving back in

with my parents

and I'll probably start

waiting tables

to help pay off

my student loans.

Surprisingly,

this is the same plan shared

by much

of my graduating class.

We're having to come

to terms with the fact

that college debt

does not miraculously blossom

into a promising career.

In fact, college debt

and promising careers

have no relation,

whatsoever.

I've maintained a 3.4 GPA

and done everything

I was told to do,

but I don't think

it's working.

You know

what's even more depressing?

Reading the blog of a felon

who's more optimistic

about his future

than I am of mine.

I'm talking about a man

who spent...

- Careful.

- RACHEL: ...more years

in confinement

than I've been alive.

BRIAN: This is nuts.

RACHEL:

And he has a clear vision

for his future

than anyone I know.

BRIAN: More, more, more, more.

RACHEL:

Including my professors.

BRIAN: Stop.

RACHEL: I have to meet this man

face to face.

BRIAN: Got it.

RACHEL:

My final film assignment

is a 10-minute short

which explores the contrast

between my bleak...

Hello?

...uncertainty

as a soon-to-be college grad

and the adrenalizing

confidence of a convict

soon to be paroled from here.

The Miami-Daye

Correctional Facility.

RACHEL: The optimism

in your blog is...

TJ: Hotter than Sriracha.

That works too.

It's actually what inspired me

to interview you.

TJ: If that shit inspired you,

I got this seminar called,

"What You See Is What You Saw."

That shit go hard

in the paint.

RACHEL:

Can you perform some of it?

Maybe I can put it

in my short.

I can a little bit.

I can make you a little...

hot little 10-minute set.

Okay.

Here go a little piece I just...

I just finished off.

But it's a little story of hope.

I once knew this kid,

10-year-old boy,

and his parents

named him Monica.

They thought naming him Monica

would help build character.

And they spelled the shit

M-Y-N-I-G-G-A, Monica.

CO. LAYNE: All right, TJ.

Sit the fuck down.

Oh, I asked him to perform

a little bit of his seminar.

Yes, ma'am.

And I'm telling him to do it

with his ass in the seat.

Make me say it again, there's

not gonna be an interview.

Actually, come tomorrow

and collect that Gate Money,

- so you know.

- RACHEL: What's "Gate Money?"

TJ: You give like a hundred

dollars in a bus ticket.

You know what I'm saying?

When you get out of prison,

this is the way

if you want, you know.

We can do this interview

in the fresh air

while I smoke my Newport.

- What did I say, TJ?

- I'm sitting down.

All right.

I'm sitting down.

- CO. LAYNE: Come on.

- TJ: I was sitting down.

- CO. LAYNE: Roll over.

- TJ: That's what I was doing.

Nigga, hold up.

Look, wait, wait, hold up.

RACHEL:

Are you serious? Excuse me.

CO. LAYNE: Turn over, TJ.

Turn over.

TJ: You're getting

this shit on camera?

You're getting

this shit on camera?

- You see how they do?

- CO. LAYNE: Why are you trying

to fuck this up, TJ?

You're fucking it up.

- CO. LAYNE: Okay.

- RACHEL: What is your problem?

We have a permit to film this.

CO. LAYNE: Do you have

a permit to film me?

I do not think so.

Shut that thing off.

RACHEL: Serious?

- See how they do?

- MAN: You got him.

[CHUCKLES] Enjoy.

- MAN: Hey.

- Prime time TV.

I appreciate you sticking up

for a nigga, you know, but...

this is what they do.

You know, they'll come tomorrow,

TJ on their skip duty. Heard me?

RACHEL: Shouldn't Officer Layne

be reported for kicking you?

What about the next inmate?

What about him?

Let's say I file a complaint,

it make it all the way up

to the Inspector

General's office.

Still it's my word

against white folks.

First time in my life,

I can see the light

at the end

of the fucking tunnel.

It ain't just some nigga burning

a cigarette in the dark.

You heard me?

So, I got to decide.

Do I want justice

or do I want freedom?

- RACHEL: Why not both?

- Both?

You're a vegan

or something, huh?

Well, she wild as shit.

People always seem amazed

with the fact

that I could be so, you know,

I could be such a visionary

from behind these walls.

Anything is possible,

understand? You can do it.

It's just like...

it's like prison pussy,

you know, you just got

to use your imagination.

You need to get good to you.

Niggas just think

you just walk up

out the prison like you do

in a movie.

And I got a lot to prove, man.

A lot to prove.

You know, because there's

a lot of folks out there,

they think I ain't shit

but a runaway hamster, you know,

because the nigga keep

getting put back in that cage.

When I get up out this bitch,

I'ma be like stripper glitter.

Nigga, I'm rubbing off

on everybody.

Heard me?

- MAN: [INDISTINCT]

- MAN: Two minutes.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

MAN: I heard you put you

on your bathtub [INDISTINCT]

I got to do a last minute review

on my pre-release plan

to make sure a nigga

capitalizing on all the options

available to me

when I'm on the outside.

- This way...

- [DOOR OPENS]

Uh, no. Cameras

are not allowed in here.

TJ: But, Ms. Judy, it's the

documentary starring me.

So, obviously, the cameras

got to go where I go.

Last I checked,

you're the subject

of a 10-minute student film

not The Green Mile.

- TJ: Okay. Can they just...

- Uh, uh-uh, uh-uh, no.

TJ: Can they... can they film

a nigga from the hallway?

Come here.

Don't ever use that word

in front of me again.

- Yes, Ms. Judy.

- Okay. Back up.

[CLEARS THROAT]

You wanna get him down?

- Thank you.

- MAN: Wait, wait.

Y'all just got to lay

in the cut, okay?

Get one camera here

then you get another camera here

like this, right?

And be phantom

because it's like

that "catch the predator shit."

Heard me?

MRS. JUDY: Hmm.

You dye your hair?

- J. LINDAHL: No.

- TJ: No.

Mr. Jackson, you haven't filed

for any housing aid.

You don't qualify

for any child tax credits

or disability related benefits.

What are your plans

for employment?

TJ: Oh, I'ma just... I'm really

just gonna start my company,

follow my calling

being a life coach,

motivational speaker,

well-renowned.

Uh, okay.

Have you contacted

your family,

arranged for room and board

or would you like us

to help you with that?

TJ: Y'all kidding, right?

My family probably waiting

for me outside right now.

Okay. When it comes

to the Jackson family,

I'm Michael, okay?

They're probably gonna throw

a big old block party for me.

Supposed to be a secret,

but you know how it is,

- hood niggas talk.

- Language.

TJ:

Copy that. I'ma get me

a cool little spot

in The Wood.

Give me a sec.

ROBERT:

Uh, Hollywood, Florida.

TJ: Yeah, you know,

caught me a whip.

- MRS. JUDY: And that's?

- Vehicle.

- TJ: Yeah.

- Uh-huh.

ROBERT: I am a CLS

for the department.

Uh, Communications

and Linguistics Specialist.

One of the things

we discovered

was a major disconnect

between inmates and COs,

uh, Corrections Officers,

primarily due

to the street vernacular

that is used by inmates

in prison.

So, I was a natural fit

to step in and to translate.

It's gonna be like they throw

a Scar Mitzvah for me.

You know,

it's gonna be like that.

ROBERT:

Uh, it's the party you throw

when you sue the state

for police brutality and win.

- TJ: Yeah. Right. So, then...

- Hang on.

The kids are... could you...

J. LINDAHL:

Uh, my job is to make sure

that each inmate's transition

back to civilian life

is smooth and practical.

And usually they move from here

to a "halfway home" to help them

with that transition back

to civilian life.

But, um, Mr. Jackson

opted to spend

his halfway time

here at the prison.

I have never seen him

get a visitor.

Uh, he hasn't had

any phone calls.

He maybe had one letter

and that's what prompts

my concerns.

Without a community

to lean on,

prisoners usually end up

back here with us...

for another round.

TJ: Most y'all know me as TJ.

Heard me?

But my government name

is Tijuana Jackson.

Life coach with a goon-hand,

motivational speaker,

real nigga shit.

Now look, I know Ms. Judy

usually don't like this,

but maybe since

it's my last day...

MRS. JUDY:

Ah, don't even try it.

- Nope.

- TJ: Okay. Uh, just checking.

He knows better.

He's just, uh...

showboating for the cameras.

Mr. Jackson is one

of our more colorful inmates.

He fancies himself

a life coach

and a lot of the inmates

do look up to him.

He has helped me

just talk some sense

into some of these jits.

MAN: Who said [INDISTINCT]

we can want [INDISTINCT]

- Don't make me get loud.

- MAN: Some bullshit.

TJ: I got this sentence,

you know,

for siphoning gas

out a school bus.

The shit was really like

a little misdemeanor, you know.

But it escalated to a felony,

you know what I'm saying?

Because nigga's

smoking a cigarette

therefore endangering

the lives of the kids

that were still on the bus,

short bus, whatever it was.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

UPGRADE:

You know, with me and TJ,

we grew up together,

you know?

Roach, Judy boss,

Judy boss, your boy on TV.

Don't mine he's small.

You know,

he thinks big, very big.

He's good people.

He's good people.

I got my sentence

reduced to 10 months,

but statistics say

that I'm likely to return

to this slave track, okay?

Let me tell you something.

I ain't coming back.

Y'all could have that.

Product of the state.

So ill I bleed HAZMAT.

Fucking with a Beast.

Savage. Beast.

Beast. That Beast.

Y'all don't know that one yet.

You're gonna know that shit

when my mixtape drop.

Better believe that shit.

Heard me?

The PPRP is 100%

volunteer-based.

Some programs rescue

any species of animal.

But this one here

is a dog's only rescue.

TJ: What's good, Chance?

Huh?

I named her Chance

because it's very rare

a black man

gets a seventh chance.

RACHEL: Did you say

a second chance?

No, I said a seventh chance.

Come on, girl. Come on.

She's smarter than

my ex-girlfriend,

I tell you that.

Raise yourself.

Show me that Mayweather.

You want this, huh?

Show me that Mayweather.

Stop and freeze,

stop and freeze.

Huh, what you got?

You got heat on you, huh?

You holding?

Good girl.

Good girl. Good girl.

Come here.

Come here, Chance.

MRS. JUDY: He's done

an exceptional job with her.

TJ: Not always, man.

I done...

I done stepped on her tail.

I done stepped on her paw.

I done all kind of crazy.

I'm not incriminating

myself, am I?

No, you're fine.

TJ: But I've done

all kind of stuff to her.

Heard me? She ain't...

she ain't never had no grudge.

She just let that shit go.

Now, she about to be free.

Meanwhile,

there's niggas in here

getting shanked

over correctional cake.

RACHEL:

What's correctional cake?

Oh, it's cake

made from crushed Oreos,

peanut butter, and M&Ms.

But as I was saying

before she interrupted

my fucking monologue...

we don't hold grudges,

do we, Chance?

Grudges hold us, huh?

[LOUD KNOCKING ON DOOR]

TJ: You fucking seen me.

Open the fucking...

I see you.

I know you fucking seen me.

Get off me.

Get the fuck off me.

Get off, nigga.

Get the fuck.

- It's beyond my control.

- TJ: It's bullshit.

I asked them. I asked them.

I asked them when I got my ERD.

Why y'all ain't tell me then?

Because I thought

it was gonna work out.

I always talk about closure.

I tried really hard.

He deserves Chance,

but the Prison Pet

Rescue Program

doesn't service civilians

and they would not

make an exception

for Mr. Jackson

even though I asked.

Prison is a bitch.

But they won't let you take

that bitch with you.

TJ: Don't let her

chew her hot spots.

- Heard me?

- UPGRADE: Uh-hmm.

- Okay?

- UPGRADE: Uh-hmm.

And don't breed her.

I don't want them other mutts

shoving their cock off

in my dog like that.

She ain't no Instagram ho.

Don't worry as such, bro.

It's Upgrade

you're dealing with, you know.

TJ: I want you

to give her like half

a Nutraloaf in the morning.

You get them out

the chow hall.

give her

the other half at night.

- UPGRADE: Uh-hmm.

- TJ: You dig?

And you got to give

a whole lot of water

in between meals,

'cause that Nutraloaf

- will shank your asshole.

- Brethren, it's family.

This is like my little sister

with blood.

Anything interfere with us,

bleed.

TJ: Bleed.

Nigga, you can't...

nigga, if you do...

if you do that, nigga,

you're gonna end up in IMU.

If you end up in IMU,

she's gonna end up

in that bean slot.

Heard me?

Look, Upgrade, Upgrade.

No, no, no, no.

Listen, man.

You got to treat her life...

you got to treat her life

like it's your life.

You do that,

you ain't gonna believe

what you get out of it, man.

Nigga, nigga,

I'm about to be free, nigga.

And when I catch you

on the outside,

- I got work for you.

- Good.

- Okay?

- Uh-hmm.

Full-time life coach

assistant, okay?

- Full salary.

- Okay.

- Benefits with it, okay?

- Got you.

TJ: And all the roti

you can eat, you dig?

You can't get this

kind of respect

unless you're a chief.

Heard me?

ARYAN BROTHER: I fucked you

in your ass good, didn't I, TJ?

You bitch. Come on.

Tell me you like it.

Can you all edit that out?

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

SINGER: ♪ Woo ♪

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

SINGER: ♪ Woo ♪

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

They probably caught up in that

Fort Lauderdale traffic.

They'd be here.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

So, should we just conduct

the interview here?

Is that okay?

I thought you all wanted

to get my family in?

Had a whole family

in the interview?

RACHEL: Mr. Jackson,

this is my cameraman, Justin.

What's up, homie?

Hey, you fuck black guys?

Hey, hey, hey, hey.

Hold up.

Hey, I'll tell you

all something.

Can a nigga catch a ride

with you all?

Well, it's getting kind of late

and we have to drive all...

Shotgun, homie.

I called it, shotgun.

They sent me this shit

right before I got popped.

It said,

"Dear Mr. Tijuana Jackson,

Toastmasters reality show

is seeking contestants

to participate

in our nationally televised

speakers competition program.

They must... they must have

found me from my blog.

RACHEL: I thought inmates

weren't allowed

to have computers in prison?

TJ: They're not.

RACHEL:

So, how did you maintain a blog?

Hey.

Hey, fam, is she gonna talk

through the whole thing?

It ain't

but 10 minutes long, huh?

RACHEL: Do you mind

not smoking in my car, please?

- Thank you.

- TJ: It's menthol.

Take a right after the light.

Right here, take a right here

because this... yeah.

This Toastmaster reality show

was like shark tank

of public speakers.

They put a nigga on the map.

Heard me?

Hey, black cop.

What up, nigga?

MAN: Oh, yeah.

[SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

TJ: That's the homie.

Built this whole empire

collecting them cans.

I'm gonna build my empire off

this Toastmaster thing.

That's how I'm gonna get

my motivational speaking career

off the block

and then you can see

by this dope head architecture

this is Hollywood, Florida.

I told you all they was

gonna be waiting for me.

Now you can get your interview.

Hold my shit.

What up, momma?

MOMMA:

What you do now, Junior?

Nothing. They're just here

to film my homecoming party.

MOMMA: Party?

I'm supposed to celebrate you

getting out of jail

and let the whole neighborhood

- know my son is a felon?

- TJ: Momma.

SHAREA:

They already know that, Momma.

Excuse me.

If it ain't no party,

why is she...

why is she dressed like that?

SHAREA: Dressed like what?

Like you

Martha Stewart's house, nigga.

Why are you dressed

like a homeless fam?

MOMMA: Junior,

why are all these folks

following you around

with these cameras?

Momma, they're making

a movie about me.

That's Rachel

and that's her white friend.

Y'all making

a movie about Junior?

JUSTIN:

Just a short movie, ma'am.

- Goddamn, these mosquitoes.

- MOMMA: Watch your mouth, boy.

Copy that.

What's wrong with her?

Late for work.

Lil Eric out of control,

can't tell him nothing.

Well, let me talk to him.

- Where he at?

- MOMMA: I don't know.

He out there running

with them hoodlums.

He running with... Sharea.

- Where my nephew?

- Leave me alone.

I bet you I find him.

What'd you all do

with my BB gun?

- SHAREA: I don't need your help.

- MOMMA: Junior. Stop.

You just got out of jail.

TJ: Where is it?

- MOMMA: Uh-uh. Come on now.

- SHAREA: Oh, no, no, no, no.

Goddamn, Sharea.

This shit cost me $4.

Yeah, but you just

sit your slow ass down.

You just got out of jail.

I'm about to call Big Eric.

- Oh, y'all on speaking terms?

- SHAREA: Not really.

TJ: Her baby daddy,

he don't give a shit

about his own son, it's to claim

little nigga on his income tax.

Should have named

little nigga W-2, heard me?

If she... I go away,

do a little bid.

She can't look

after her own son. Know why?

'Cause she too busy

trying to get that eggplant

- off the Internet.

- SHAREA: I know you did not

- just say that.

- TJ: I said what I said.

Okay. Let me tell you

all something.

Don't get this thing

twisted, okay?

I'm the only person

in this family with a degree.

When I was pregnant,

I went back to school

- to get my bachelors, okay?

- Okay. Ask her who paid for it.

Now meanwhile, this fool

right here in other news,

he done went backwards,

State pen University,

State pen University.

TJ: Ask her... ask her

who paid for the damn degree.

- SHAREA: It don't matter.

- MOMMA: TJ.

TJ: It don't...

let me tell you all something.

MOMMA: TJ.

Sit down.

And you stop too.

JUSTIN:

Excuse me. Can we go now?

MOMMA: Come on, baby.

- JUSTIN: Thank you.

- RACHEL: Thank you.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

- [RACHEL SCREAMS]

- Watch out, hon.

[DOGS BARKING]

TJ: That's Rukus, he's a cool,

little motherfucker.

He don't like black people

but he think I'm Dominican.

Go back inside

and get you some juice.

I'll be back.

MOMMA:

My children, I don't know

what I'm gonna do with them.

SHAREA: Momma, you know

can't nobody tell TJ nothing.

I taught you all

better than that.

You all is plural.

Don't include me in his mess.

Are you serious?

No. Why?

Because I asked for somebody

to cover my shift

for 20 minutes?

All he had to do was say,

"No, ma'am."

Sharea? You ain't gonna offer

the white people no juice?

Oh, get the hell

off this, boy.

TJ: Hey, we're gonna finish

this conversation

- before you go home. Hear me?

- We don't have a home.

What you mean?

Quit acting like

it's your business.

- Quit acting like you care.

- I don't care?

You got me twisted

with Big Eric, boy.

Have I ever one time...

have I ever one time

missed one of your debates?

Yes.

- Because I was in jail, right?

- Whatever.

Well, nigga, don't act like

it ain't a good excuse.

Anytime I was out of jail,

I was at this nigga's debates.

So, what're you gonna do now,

play good uncle

for a couple of weeks

- then go back to jail?

- That's what you want?

No, but that's what

always happens.

SHAREA: Lil Eric,

get your ass in this house.

TJ: Can I...

I can't even talk

to my damn nephew.

I'll tell you, man.

We got this thing in prison

called peek-a-boos, right?

And what it is,

is when you really wanna

humiliate a motherfucker,

you push your dick

between their legs,

make them blow you from the back

this way when you cum

you can shit in his face.

I tell you,

that shit is humiliating.

Hey. Oh.

Momma said you need those

and this is from me.

You get these

from the Indian Reservation?

SHAREA: Yeah. Why?

So, you're gonna go all the way

to the damn Reservation

and you can't come scoop

a nigga from the joint?

SHAREA: In what, nigga?

I looked the fucking

Underground Railroad to you?

TJ: What happened to your car?

SHAREA: Mind your business.

- Where did you find Lil Eric?

- Mind your business.

It ain't a man's business

to speak

on another man's business.

Well, you ain't much of a man.

So, we don't have that problem.

TJ: At least I ain't no snitch.

SHAREA: Okay. See.

this is exactly why he ain't

gonna get no gold seal.

This motherfucker

got his freedom,

but still operating

on the outside

like his ass is in prison.

Black fucker.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

Welcome home.

- What you watching?

- LIL ERIC: Fight.

TJ: And you got school

in the morning?

- No. School closed out.

- What, teachers on strike?

Sewage backed up

and flooded the first floor.

Started to smell

like grandma's bed pan.

I thought they fixed

that shit last year?

Uh-uh.

They just moved the gym

to the second floor

and served lunch outside.

But everybody

started getting sick,

so the health department

shut it down

after a few people died.

Why you ain't transfer

to a different school then?

Uh-hmm. We tried,

but there wasn't enough room.

Hmm, I'm cool with it though.

Florida's finest.

SHAREA: God, I didn't know

you're gonna bring

- these cameras with you.

- This is my room.

Not anymore.

Momma said I could use it.

Now, get out.

Where am I supposed

to sleep, Sharea?

Sleep? I'm still waiting on you

to wake the fuck up.

Bitch, I've asked you nicely.

Get the fuck back.

You know Lil Eric out there

sleeping on the sofa, huh?

I know. He don't like

to sleep in here.

- Goddamn.

- Why not?

SHAREA: You just don't want me

to shit in peace, do you?

We got the whole room smelling

like Michael Moore asshole.

SHAREA: Fuck you, TJ.

TJ: Light a goddamn match.

Tropic thunder

all in the hood and shit.

[DOGS BARKING]

- RACHEL: Mr. Jackson?

- Show's over.

You can go home now.

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

RACHEL:

Is this the same house?

JUSTIN:

I guess they mowed the lawn.

Most of it, anyway.

TJ: I thought you all

would be gone by now.

All the shit

you all done see.

You all really

trying to fuck with TJ, huh?

- You like being on TV?

- No.

You do now.

Show me the carburetor.

Um...

What the fuck you pointing at,

little nigga?

It ain't no carburetor.

It's fuel injected, boy.

SHAREA: Lil Eric?

Boy, you got me walking

all over this house

looking for you.

Where did you sleep last night?

LIL ERIC:

In the car with Uncle TJ.

SHAREA: Okay. Well, baby,

unless you want mama

to break both your damn ankles,

you're gonna need to let me know

before you leave

out this house, okay?

Thank you.

And why can't your ass

park on the street

like regular fucking people?

Damn get... you don't have shit.

TJ: Try it now.

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

Well, hold on, nigga,

before you flood it.

Try it now.

[CAR ENGINE STARTS]

Hey, go park it over there.

Got my first DUI

when he's like 10 years old.

Little nigga been driving

ever since.

Fuck Uber.

[SIREN WAILS]

Shit.

CHERYL: What happened?

You ain't get a copy

of your parole release rules?

I couldn't get my car to start.

That's why I'm late.

What's this?

What's the camera crew?

- Uh...

- You ain't filming

- no porn shit, are you?

- No. Hey.

Say hi, Lil Eric.

- Hey.

- Hey, Lil Eric.

Your shirt... put a shirt on.

TJ: Three hundred dollars

a month in court cost.

Fifty dollars

to the crime victims right fund.

Ten dollars a month for a year,

eleven dollars a month

to pay for my CCs

and I got to pay

for UAs too, though?

- That's a decent payment plan.

- TJ: For who?

Well, how much're they paying

for your little life story?

That's classified.

Uh-uh. Hey. You, two.

Come here. Come here.

What are you all

really filming?

You know, being TJ's PO...

is frustrating, you know,

because he got a lot

of potential, you know?

But he stay doing

some stupid shit.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

TJ: So you gonna go

closed caption on a nigga?

I'm trying

to help you earn a living

and you're steady

blowing wolf tickets.

- But Cheryl.

- Don't touch me.

Got... you know what?

Hey, hey.

I don't know when Cheryl

got the SuperGluing

her asshole like that.

But let me tell

y'all something...

- Nigga, perimeters.

- Hey, hey, she wasn't

this uptight back

in high school. Hear me?

She used to manage

rappers and shit.

- Remember Wonder Dyke?

- Oh.

♪ Love dick. Hate men. Yeah ♪

♪ Might suck dick now and

again, but we ain't friends ♪

She was cold as fuck.

What happened to her?

She was... she was tight.

She grew up.

She got married.

She has some twins.

What about you?

Have you coordinated

one job interview yet?

Interview for what, Cheryl?

I'm gonna build

my motivational company

from the floor up until

it blow up and get my dough up.

How you gonna eat?

How you gonna pay bills, hmm?

How you gonna

stay off them blocks?

By being the world's

coldest life coach.

- That's how.

- You better find that bridge.

You better find that bridge

because you ain't about

to be idol on my watch.

Oh, I'm gonna

be somebody's idol.

- You can count on that.

- And you can count on me

taking your ass back to jail

if you stay unemployed.

- I mean that.

- Okay. Hey, hey, hey, Lil E.

Lil E.

Lil E, what's old boy's name?

The Tech Jew

went on the internet,

the entrepreneur and got rich.

- He'll never know.

- Evan Spiegel?

No, the one that be

with all the Asian gals.

- Oh, I know.

- Mark Zuckerberg?

That nigga. Yeah.

Go on Mark Zuckerberg page

and tell him

that Cheryl said

that he's unemployed.

- Let me know what he say.

- No. Don't tell him that.

I ain't say that.

You the one on probation.

Yeah. Okay. But nobody

wanna hide no ex-felon

and that's why I'm trying

to explain to you, Cheryl.

You got a list of companies

that do just that, TJ.

Yeah. But that list...

that list ain't as long

as the list of companies

that I worked for

when I was inside the joint.

And that's real nigga shit.

Heard me?

Yow, I might as well

talk to a fucking corpse

because this,

this one don't listen.

Okay. I'ma be a rich corpse.

Heard that?

CHERYL: I promised Momma Jackson

that I was gonna do my best

to keep TJ out of prison

and that's what I'm gonna do.

TJ: I'm gonna do my best

to keep TJ out of prison.

- Stop ear hustling.

- TJ: Cheryl don't do shit.

I'm not talking to you.

I'm talking to them.

- TJ: It's about me, though.

- Okay. As I was saying...

- TJ: It's about me though.

- ...this is what we're gonna

do starting bright

and early tomorrow morning,

I'ma be on TJ's doorstep

every single day until he finds

himself a job. And you know

what? I'ma personally drive

him to every single interview

because that's, that's what

- I'm... is that a check?

- Can I... Can I just... can I

- show you something? No.

- Is it a check stub?

- No. Okay. No. Okay.

- Is it proof of employment?

Wait. But wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Hold on.

Okay. Well, then there's

nothing that I need to see.

The Toastmasters... if the

Toastmasters came to you

and said I want you

to be on a reality show.

Does that not say something

about your credentials?

Nice talk, TJ.

I'ma see you tomorrow,

- all right?

- I... you just...

WOMAN: Do you think your Uncle

would make a great life coach?

TJ: Don't show up

when I blow up.

I don't know.

SHAREA: You can't be a failure

and a life coach

at the same time.

What's wrong, Junior?

TJ: I, as in Insurgents.

J as in Jamiroquai.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes.

Jackson.

Yeah.

That's right.

Uh-hmm.

So how many contestants

do y'all usually have?

Okay.

Uh-hmm.

Well, how did Toastmasters

find me, anyway?

Oh, yes.

Okay.

No. Yes, ma'am, I did.

Yes, I am.

Uh-hmm.

No, thank you.

Okay.

Toastmasters just left

a little message.

Your sister won't sign

the release waiver

for a documentary.

Fuck, I don't want her

to be in my shit, no way.

But some of our best material

is with you and Lil Eric.

It's the heart of our story.

Shit. Give it to me.

I'll sign it.

No.

Lil Eric is a minor.

We need a signature

from his legal guardian.

Is that Sharea?

You think we can get her

to sign up before we leave?

Before you leave?

- Well...

- We have everything

that we need.

So you...

you're gonna end the show

in the middle

of the fucking cliffhanger?

Y'all don't wanna see a nigga

go from baboon to tycoon?

RACHEL: Mr. Jackson,

we actually didn't intend

to film as much as we did.

But you did. I mean, you past

that whole fucking

10-minute class assignment.

Now you're in that Spielberg,

Tyler Perry level shit

with all the footage

you done got.

Yes. But that wasn't

the assignment.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, okay.

Oh, I see. College,

College Education

got you trained

real good. I get it.

- Okay. I get it.

- What does that mean?

No. Just means that your

professor told you to do

a 10-minute assignment, right?

And you happened into a full

length feature blockbuster,

but all you can think about

is little 10-minute project

that he told you to do,

right?

RACHEL: Well, maybe if

you did what you were told,

you'd spend less time

in jail.

TJ: Oh.

Wow.

Spunky little Wild Child,

huh?

Well, let me tell you

something.

You're a little younger.

You might not get this.

But you don't need bars

to be in prison.

You gotta ask yourself,

"Why is it a nigga fresh out

the joint can see

a brighter future for you

than you can see

for yourself?" Hmm?

How's that for confinement?

You wanna hear some music?

What music?

Your music?

- Yeah.

- No.

It's obvious

you don't have a plan.

- Would you like to hear mine?

- TJ: Okay. Look, first of all,

don't be rolling your eyes at me

because I ain't your momma.

And if you tell me your plan,

don't tell it to me like you

think you're smarter than me.

LIL ERIC: Uh-hmm.

First things first.

You have at least 10,000

followers on Prison Logic.

- TJ: Uh-hmm.

- RACHEL: That's his blog?

- LIL ERIC: Yup.

- RACHEL: That many followers?

- Are you sure?

- I'm the one who maintains it,

I think.

Can I talk to my nephew

off camera for a minute, please?

- Can you step outside, please?

- LIL ERIC: Yeah. Let's go.

[DOOR CLOSES]

You can't be snitching.

- I'm not.

- You just told her

that I got you maintaining my

blog while I'm inside the joint.

- But it's true.

- TJ: Yeah. Okay.

Well, just don't talk

about it on camera, okay?

Now, now, look, I'm talking

to you like a man, okay?

Because your momma

can't do it, okay?

You see that white girl

over there?

She's not white.

She's Asian.

Okay. Whatever. Well,

she's so black curious,

she's probably gonna let me hit.

But you got to make me

look good.

- Make you look good?

- Man, just tell me your plan.

Well, the first thing

you should do is make

an announcement on your blog.

Let all your followers

know you're out

and starting your own

consultation business.

Post it all over

the Internet.

But you just can't rely

on social media.

You have to connect

with the people.

You have to campaign

and let the people

know you're the real deal.

Make flyers, go door

to door, shake hands,

kiss babies.

I like that.

Uh-huh.

You know what? Okay.

Let me tell you something,

man.

Look, I know you

ain't been hearing

from your daddy lately

and then your momma

having a tough time.

But,

you know, it don't mean

that they don't love you,

you hear me?

I know.

Okay. I like your plan though,

that's good.

Come on. Let's go.

All right.

Sometimes that seatbelt

don't lock in so if it don't,

just sit safe, okay?

Now, look, I just heard

my nephew's plan,

I'll tell you the truth,

okay?

Okay. It would be perfect plan

if we were selling Girl Scout

cookies.

This means I'm gonna stick

to my initial blueprint,

okay? What I'ma do

is I'll make an announcement

on my blog, okay?

Let all my followers know

that I'm out the joint

and the nigga launching

his own consultation company.

And in fact, I'm gonna post

that shit all over the internet.

- LIL ERIC: I just said that.

- But I can't just rely

on social media, see?

So what I'ma do is I got...

I got to connect

with the people

on the grass roots level.

You know what I'm saying?

So what I should do

is I got to print flyers,

I gotta go door to door,

I got to shake hands,

I gotta kiss babies.

Heard me?

Okay. Let's get started.

[CAR ENGINE ON]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

I got another spot.

Hey, y'all interested

in some motivational speaking?

Some life coaching?

I can come to y'all schools

and talk.

How would you feel about

yourself knowing you cheated

on a woman that you spent

so much time choosing?

WOMAN: I just now realize

how much I am insecure.

My situation, my daughter

made a choice for me

not to date anyone.

Well, nigga,

she's your daughter.

My girlfriend dumped me

in a foreign country.

So, you know Hakeem

on Little Chicken?

Yeah. Them niggas

doing like 12 years

in MKT for kidnapping

and armed robbery.

WOMAN: I told her she's like,

"Oh, look at me."

I'm like, "Bitch,

look at me. Shit.

Your love bubbles

and banging.

I'm fucking up here with

the white girl ass and shit.

I'm enjoying

this motherfucker.

And he ain't even reply back.

I'm like, "Look, nigga,

People should be with you

by choice

not by manipulation.

You've been through your

share of pain.

But it's not up

to your daughter

to determine

your healing process.

I had just seen him,

went home,

and the nurse

had called and said,

"You know, your dad wants

you to come up here."

You want wife,

a side chick,

but you're ruining

your family for one.

Well, when you say it like

that, it sounds very dumb.

Well, at that point,

I will agree.

- You don't like questions?

- No.

Especially questions

from the people that love you.

I just sit and think

that he would,

you know, actually ever

really pass away.

TJ: Life is like a vending

machine, man.

It's full of change.

So you got to be wise

about your smacks.

You're on this green grass

looking beautiful, okay?

You find a way

to point out stars

and flat asses.

One thing you learn

in prison,

it's not about the size

of the ass,

it's the size

of the asshole.

We rather our kids go to

school and ask questions

than come home

and ask questions.

And that's the problem.

You are meditating more

on a daily basis...

about your history

than you are about your future,

and then you ask yourself

why you keep finding niggas

that can't appreciate

flat asses.

Y'all getting this?

This is good shit.

I'm [INDISTINCT]

give you an assignment.

Lil E, we're getting low

on flyers.

Just put them

on a nice card.

That's the way

you promote a business.

Let's do some more.

You heard that quote

I told that one girl?

RACHEL: Which quote?

There were so many.

"Just because someone admires

you for your integrity

doesn't mean

they have integrity."

It's one of my favoriteas.

RACHEL: People really took

your advice to heart.

I should've made a hundred

and thirty-seven dollars

off that shit too.

How?

[INDISTINCT] you got no pocket,

do you think

I can get like

five dollars from you?

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

Can I hold $20?

Can I please hold $20?

So, you're actually

asking for $20?

You got like $20 I can hold?

Hold?

Like just a hold?

Were you talking

to my daughters?

- You are a fake coach.

- Yeah.

I was just telling them

that I can speak at they school.

You got three dollars,

you got four dollars.

- You got some change?

- I don't... I... my wallet is on...

is on the beach with my towel.

You didn't say in the beginning

that it's gonna cost me

anything, you came up to me.

- TJ: Okay.

- I mean, you did a great job.

Can I just get, like...

you got... you got $10?

Don't give him any money.

Don't give him any money.

- Did you give him money?

- TJ: Lil Eric?

- Did you give him money?

- Come on.

I was just talking to this

man about my life problems

and he asked me for money.

- WOMAN: Uh-huh.

- He took the money.

- They are with him.

- TJ: Come on, boy!

That's for you, little nigga.

You worked hard.

You.

That is my money.

Give me my money! Hey.

- You want to run?

- Put on your seatbelt, boy.

Give me my money.

You cannot run!

You cannot... hey. Hey.

Hey.

What's your problem?

You cannot run.

TJ: If I had my gun [INDISTINCT]

I'd whoop that nigga ass.

Give me my money.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

RACHEL: Lil Eric, don't you

miss being in school?

I'm not missing nothing.

RACHEL: You're not concerned

with Lil Eric

- not being at school?

- WOMAN: Excuse me.

- Do you have a permit?

- RACHEL: Sorry.

WOMAN: Do you have a permit?

Hey.

TJ: All you get taught

in these lower income

public schools is how to fade

on Sharkeesha.

RACHEL: I went to public school,

I did fine.

Is that right? How much you

wanna bet this little nigga

- right here smarter than you?

- RACHEL: How?

TJ: Let me ask you this.

Okay.

There's three birds

sitting on a wire,

I take out my pistol,

I shoot one of the birds

on the wire, how many birds

left on the wire?

What will be the proper

response to that question?

- Ooh.

- I'm not talking to you,

Lil Eric.

Come on now, Wild Child.

RACHEL: What am I missing?

I don't get it.

TJ: Think about it, okay?

There's three birds

on the wire,

I pull out the duel-y,

bust it on one.

- Ah! Me.

- RACHEL: I get it.

No birds because the sound

of the gunshot would scare off

the other two birds?

- Is that right?

- Ooh.

- RACHEL: What?

- Yes, Lil Eric?

The proper response would be

to ask another question.

- Uh-hmm.

- Why are you shooting

at the bird? Are you hungry,

Mr. Jackson?

Would you like

something to eat?

Hmm.

Assembly line response.

Human response.

I don't know what you think

you learned. Shit.

Oh, shit.

- What's going on?

- Oh, shit.

Damn. Shit.

Okay.

Goddamn.

Shit.

Wait. Wait.

Look. Come here, boy.

Get over here.

[CAR ALARM BEEPING]

Just hold on one second.

Wait a minute.

Oh, shit. Put your foot

on the brake, boy.

You're gonna put it in neutral

before hitting on the brake.

Well, take your foot off the

brake now and maybe you're gonna

break my back. It's rolling

back, but it [INDISTINCT]

roll back [INDISTINCT] give

a footing because my gators,

they slip.

RACHEL: So, you're saying

Lil Eric doesn't need to go

- to school?

- No, I'm saying the school

is supposed to be a place

of learning, right?

So, if 90% of the curriculum

is memorization,

what exactly have you learned?

You might learn

how to memorize

but have you learned

how to learn?

Justin, get your ass out

of the car and help push.

Just like that, Lil Eric.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

We got to get some gas.

Come on, boy.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

RACHEL: For the first time

in my life,

I found myself rethinking

everything I memorized,

everything I thought

I'd ever learned,

who taught it to me and why.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[FOOTSTEPS ARRIVING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Man, I tell you, you know.

Don't get it twisted,

there ain't a sentimental bone

in my body, you know,

but me and Cheryl,

we was cool.

We had like...

this motherfucker

is just trying to sabotage me.

Goddamn, Momma.

That's why I don't like

nobody in my room.

Who left the phone off

the hook?

I'm out there beating

the pavement all day trying

to get the phone to ring,

I come home,

the phone off the hook.

When I get my money up,

man, I'm getting me a iPhone

with a gang of minutes.

You didn't leave my phone

off the hook, did you?

WOMAN: Yes the fuck I did

'cause don't nobody call it

but bill collectors

and telemarketers

and it's getting

on my damn nerves.

How'd y'all do today?

I'll let Uncle TJ tell it.

RACHEL: You were very optimistic

when you first left prison.

- How do you feel now?

- Well, it's obvious

we had some setbacks today

but like we say in prison,

"If it ain't ISIS,

it ain't a crisis." Heard me?

Four more Lil Eric, then go

down and do your push-ups.

LIL ERIC: I can't.

What?

I've got it.

I've got it.

I've got it.

That's what I thought.

Now go down and do four

push-ups like I showed you.

We don't use that language

around here, boy,

especially when TJ home.

And when Cheryl come here

tomorrow, I'm gonna tell her ass

straight up that I ain't

gonna apply for no damn gigs.

TJ work for TJ.

Can't take me out the plastic

and put me back in the box

like some of these

collectible niggas.

That's why we ain't together

now. Good job, wardy.

Go and get you a meal.

LIL ERIC: Momma.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

I think if I show people

some of my writings,

I might give them a good idea

of what I'm capable of,

this [INDISTINCT]

my seminar called

"What You See

Is What You Saw ."

Shit might be a good title

for this documentary.

- RACHEL: Is it published?

- It's not yet but once

this movie come out,

watch what happens.

Hey, we gotta go

before Cheryl get here.

LIL ERIC: Where are you going?

I can't go with you?

MOMMA JACKSON: Junior?

Is that you out there?

TJ: This one's hotter.

It's a little hotter, Momma.

Here, just... okay.

- I'll just put it right here.

- MOMMA JACKSON: Ooh, all right.

TJ: All right.

MOMMA JACKSON: Oh, thank

you, baby.

- Ooh, and...

- Okay.

And empty my bedpan,

please.

Momma, act like

you got some shame.

There's cameras in here.

Oh, boy.

When the last time

y'all emptied this out?

About a week ago

when Oprah's on "The Butler."

You taking them things

on an empty stomach?

That's probably why you're

getting sick in the morning.

Get them out of here, boy.

[OIL SIZZLES]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

You hungry?

Give this to your grandmomma.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

CHERYL: Hey.

Hey.

Look [INDISTINCT] early,

I'm impressed, TJ.

I get to spend the day

with you.

- I was looking forward to it.

- Oh, man.

- You look nice.

- CHERYL: Aw, thank you.

Look at you.

You just... you know what?

Uh-uh. Uh-uh.

Uh-uh.

Hey.

Y'all two.

I'm feeling a little

cooperative today,

TJ and I showered up early.

Come on.

Y'all wanna rode?

Catch them glimpses

- of his little life?

- TJ: I told you.

You ain't tell me and then

you was over there messing

- with that other girl.

- TJ: She was messing with me.

I was just doing

what I had to do.

- CHERYL: You know she got shot.

- TJ: Yeah. Uh-hmm.

Lost her leg.

Yeah. I heard.

I heard.

I thought she lost her leg

with diabetes.

That's what they said

but she started

stripping again,

- so I...

- Oh with a little specialty shot

what they do

on the amputees.

- Yeah.

- TJ: Yup.

That shot

make a lot of money.

Give me that.

RACHEL: Oh, my God.

Thank you.

CHERYL: I try not to deal

with that kind of,

negative environment

anymore, you know?

You know, I try

to stay positive.

I'm back in church.

I have to make sure

the job don't take...

part of me,

take hold of me,

you know?

What the focus is...

with you is to really...

hey, Sharlene.

But let me tell you

something about Sharlene,

Sharlene...

Sharlene got three jobs.

How old he tell you

he was?

How old?

What did he say?

- JUSTINE: I think like 32.

- What?

[laughs]

TJ: No. I said... no.

I said it's been 32 years

since I've been to juvie.

- Don't let her fool you.

- CHERYL: Don't listen to the...

Don't let Cheryl fool you.

Just so you know,

- okay?

- I wonder, uh... listen.

TJ: She might look young

but let me tell you something.

Cheryl got that

vintage pussy.

Don't let her fool you.

She got that vintage

pussy, okay? She...

- MVP.

- TJ: She might be young

- MVP.

- [LAUGHS]

[LAUGHS] That's what

it's there for.

- MVP.

- Uh-huh.

Okay. Uh-hmm.

You know, nigga.

Don't... listen.

This is...

this on camera,

take...

hey, take... you can take

that shit out.

- They can edit that out?

- Y'all gonna take that part out.

- Please do.

- Okay. Y'all can't handle that

'cause you're professional.

Exactly.

Go inside,

ask for application,

and I'mma have you

fill it out.

Hurry up,

ain't got all day.

Give me some nuts.

CHERYL: Okay. Age.

Same as you.

Shit.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

Next is previous

job experience.

TJ: Telecommunications,

hotel management,

hotel reservations,

tilapia farming,

- toxic waste management.

- Wait.

- Pick one.

- For real?

Yeah.

CHERYL: Reasons

for leaving prior jobs?

What? What do you mean?

Why did you stop doing

telecommunications?

Because I got out

of prison.

Okay. Why did you

stop tilapia farming?

Because I got out

of prison.

CHERYL: What about

toxic waste management job?

- 'Cause I got out of prison.

- You got out of prison.

Okay. All right. I get it.

TJ: What the fuck I'd do

- with my lighter?

- CHERYL: Just use mine.

It's right in the glove

compartment, it's two in there.

- That's all filled out?

- That's everything.

- CHERYL: All right.

- TJ: All right.

Hey. Hey, hey,

hey, hey.

- What?

- What is that?

- This?

- CHERYL: Yeah. What's that?

- It's my mixtape.

- Nah, give it to me.

All right. Go ahead.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

TJ: Tijuana Jackson.

Ex-convict turned

motivational speaker.

I'm a life coach

with a goon hand.

If you hit me on Twitter,

I help to get your life right.

Desired position?

Doggy style.

- That's it. I'm done.

- What?

- No, Cheryl.

- No, you play too much. No.

- I was in jail. Cheryl, come on.

- Fill it out for me.

-CHERYL: No, you fill it out.

Wait. What's that?

You said to get an application.

CHERYL: No, no. Not that.

That. Those.

Why can't I get you

no flowers?

CHERYL: Oh, wait,

those are for me?

Well, you ain't

getting on my nerves

as much as I thought

you would.

CHERYL: [CHUCKLES]

Well, ditto, nigga.

'Cause you kind of

remind me the old days

a little bit.

Remember when [INDISTINCT]

'cause you throw them

the rent party?

[CHERYL LAUGHING]

- Yeah. That's for you.

- Oh, thanks. Nice.

You ain't steal this,

did you?

Uh-uh. Let's fill out

this application.

They're pretty.

All right. So,

gonna see you tomorrow.

Will nigga got a choice?

You? I mean,

yeah, you...

get a job

or go back to prison.

- That's the choice.

- TJ: [CHUCKLES]

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

All right.

- CHERYL: Bye.

- TJ: Bye-bye.

Hey, uh, TJ, thanks.

Oh, yeah.

I thought you like

the colors.

Yup. Yeah.

No, I like it.

Yellow [INDISTINCT]

[LAUGHS] right.

You won't get

the fuck out of the car?

Momma.

Cameras on deck.

- Hey, unc.

- Hey.

Hey.

Did he find a job?

Doubt it.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[PHONE RINGS]

What was that?

I got three messages.

Y'all are rolling...

y'all are rolling, right?

ROBERT:

Hello, Mr. Jackson.

This is Robert Marshall

of Hollywood Carwash.

We reviewed your application.

Unfortunately, we're not...

WENDY:

Mr. Tijuana Jackson,

this is Wendy Reisman

from the...

99 Cent Store in Plantation.

You dropped off an application

earlier this afternoon

and a mixtape.

Was that intentional?

BRENT:

Mr. Tijuana Jackson, this is...

Brent Cobbler

calling in behalf

of Orlando's International

Toastmasters Club.

We would like

to congratulate you

on being selected

to audition for a spot

in this season's

Toastmaster's reality show.

You stand to win

a worldwide speaking career

and up to $50,000 in cash

and prizes.

If you are interested at all,

please give us a call

at 954-280...

4979. Look for Cindy.

I told you.

What the fuck did I tell you?

Did you...

did y'all get that...

did y'all get that on video?

Did you get that?

You get that?

- What did I tell you?

- Orlando?

- Disney World?

- Shh. Goddamn.

- What is it, Junior?

- Nothing, momma.

Just got me a job.

That's all.

Let me be the one to tell her

what it is, okay?

Goddamn.

Hold it down, nigga.

What'd I tell y'all?

What did I say?

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

TJ: Is it a progress,

only have one source of ID?

Okay.

Uh-hmm.

Yes, ma'am.

Oh, I'mma be there bright

and early.

No, thank you.

If you do an inventory check

of your thoughts,

85%, 95% of your thoughts

is negative.

You know I'm saying?

You have to un-niggafy

yourself and start

focusing on...

positive outcomes.

You gotta focus

on the positive possibilities

in order to produce

positive results.

What I'm not gonna do

is I'm not gonna let

a bad day dictate

the outcome

of my whole year.

Hear me?

WOMAN: I totally get it.

That's what's up.

And I still got a few

hurdles ahead of me,

you know, because...

my momma ain't

gonna approve of me just,

you know, running off

to Orlando like that.

And as a parolee,

I can't really just,

you know,

I gotta get permission

from my probation officer.

Because she ain't...

Speak of the devil.

What if I get

my shit rolling,

and make you my manager?

I give you 10%

off the top right to you.

I don't want 10%

of your pipedream.

That was high school.

Come on, we grown-ups now.

Okay. Note to self,

real quick.

Bagging groceries

are what grown-ups do,

- being a self-made...

- Travel permits denied.

You are not listening.

She is not listening.

CHERYL: I'm not listening.

I'm not gonna put my job

in jeopardy

for you anymore.

She about the dumbest deputy

this side of Broward County.

CHERYL: Wait a minute.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

- Get out.

- Cheryl,

I just gave you an

opportunity to be somebody.

- You know what you said?

- Get out.

No, y'all get out first,

so y'all can see me

when I merk

on her ass, okay?

CHERYL: Get out.

You all get

the fuck out, too.

Turn that camera off.

[SIREN WAILING]

TJ: Errbody ain't gonna get

to play on the All-Star team,

you heard me? No one.

As long as I've known Cheryl,

that Cheryl problem.

The only future

she see for herself

is the future

that they laid out for her.

You heard me?

So it's hard for her to relate

to a visionary such as myself.

Let me tell y'all

something I've learned.

If you consistently feed

and exercise your faith,

it will eventually

outgrow your fears.

Today's billionaires,

they earn they billions

by taking chances

on the unknown,

while the rest of us stay

enslaved by the familiar.

Today, and as of today,

I'm strictly on my

billionaire ground,

and I denounce

that petty hustler.

Shit.

Hey, y'all got...

y'all got some change

or bus pass

a nigga can borrow?

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

TJ: What's up Lil Eric?

MOMMA JACKSON:

Nothin'. [LAUGHS]

Yo, this yo gal?

Darlene,

this is my Uncle TJ.

Hi.

TJ: She ain't white,

she light skinned, boy.

I'm half white.

TJ: No, with all them yams

on your plate.

MOMMA JACKSON: She is

celebrating with us, Junior.

- God damn. Y'all made greens?

- Watch your mouth, boy.

Copy that.

What are we celebrating?

Didn't you just get a job?

- Too bad it's in Orlando.

- What?

- You shut up.

- Orlando?

Yeah, momma.

He tried to sneak down

to Orlando to be a Toastmaster.

I guess he too good

for us now.

If you don't wanna be

on camera,

all you gotta do

is shut your mouth.

- Fuck you.

- Momma, you heard her curse,

- right?

- Orlando, Junior? You know,

- my arthritis acting up.

- TJ: Momma, you gonna

- let her curse like that?

- What am I supposed to do?

You gonna let her curse

like that in front of company?

How come every time

I say a bad word.

'Cause you're

the eldest, Junior,

- and you should know better.

- God damn.

- Say it in front of the camera.

- Watch your mouth, Junior.

Why she get to curse

and I don't?

You heard her, Dick Gregory,

because you're old as hell.

TJ: I hope a porcupine

crawl up in your mouth

while you sleep

and take a shit.

You ain't going

to Orlando, Junior.

Momma, you want

the house with the pool?

This is how

I'm gonna get the house

with the pool for you.

You want me to get a job?

This is a legitimate job.

Junior, why don't

you date Cheryl?

Junior, why won't you pick up

Lil Eric from school?

Junior, why don't you go

pick up my meds?

What do y'all do

when I'm not here?

I'mma tell you

what they do.

They do just fine.

See, that's a

rhetorical question.

This ain't about me

going away,

this is about me

growing away.

They scared of that change,

they came...

they came to us with that

transformation.

Y'all ain't never made

this big a deal

- of me going to jail.

- Nigga, you chose jail.

Yeah, I'm choosing

this now, which is why

I got selected for the

Toastmasters reality show,

and somebody with

stretch marks did not.

- That's enough, Junior.

- TJ: I'm not talking about

your stretch marks, momma.

I'm talking about Sharea.

They didn't have no time

for a nigga

when he was in the joint,

now I'm outside,

they gonna try to tell me

what I could do.

You know I can't write

no letters

with this arthritis.

I can't even get on a computer.

TJ: So, you couldn't just make

a call, momma?

You can't shoot me

a kite, not one.

You know, if Sharea

was in jail,

- you know that you...

- Don't put my name

in your mouth, TJ.

Start me out, all right,

because you don't know

what momma would do.

MOMMA JACKSON:

You want me to pay

a $10 deposit fee

and a $3 flat fee

just to put money on your phone,

just so I can call you?

That's $13 for 15 minutes,

Junior.

And the only thing I can hear

is your misery,

and the absence

of the Holy Ghost

in the background.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOOR SHUTS]

TJ: Look at this material.

This man's club.

I got it in Vegas.

They was doing this deal

if you buy

two tanks of gas,

you get a free suit.

This shit nice.

Get a close up on it.

Look at this material.

Look at that.

Man's club,

look at these lapels,

that's gotta be,

that's Italian

or French, or something.

They probably import shit

with the tag on it.

You can't read it,

but...

you can tell about it

just by the font.

That's some upper echelon

shit right there.

Uh-hmm.

This motherfucking

into plastic, heard me?

Look, you gonna sign this

release form or not, okay?

Because my whole future

riding on this signature.

- I just need you to put...

- TJ, get that fucking paper

out of my face, okay? 'cause

I'm not signing this shit

because I don't wanna be in your

stupid ass movie.

Okay?

Okay.

Would you, uh...

Yeah. Okay.

...shake your ass on

Instagram though, huh?

Uh-hmm.

Underscore, underscore,

MrsTwerkulance.

Ain't nobody seen it yet,

but they will,

and don't try

to delete the account,

but guess what?

I already downloaded

all the videos.

Hmm. Okay.

Your son could use

a riding on this, too.

Hey, can you turn the

cameras off, please?

[CRICKETS CHIRPING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[DOGS BARKING]

Come see a happy Jackson family

for a change.

Come on in.

We gonna start...

we gonna start the whole,

show whole the room, okay?

This is my ugly sister,

Sharea.

My name is Tijuana Jackson,

life coach with a goon hand.

You can't stand him,

no, they can't.

That's the thing about

family, man, you know,

it's a place you have

your biggest battles,

you know,

but it's also a way you go

to heal your wounds,

if you lucky.

And I'm hoping

my shit take off

like Miley Cyrus panties.

Once they happen,

then we out this bitch.

I'm gonna get my mom

that big old house

with the pool, heard me?

- Thank you.

- SHAREA: Momma,

TJ is smoking in my room.

No, I'm not.

[SUSPENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

Momma, we only gonna be gone

for a couple of days.

Anything you need,

just tell Sharea.

Just like when I was

in the joint.

Okay. Bye, boy.

Okay. You know,

I can't stand you,

but momma like you,

so hurry back.

Yeah. But don't let her

take the medication

on an empty stomach, man.

She'll nag you all damn day.

- Bye, Unc.

- TJ: You think all the shit

in the car packed just for me?

Your momma packed your shit

last night, boy,

this ain't Malaysia Air.

I need a good co-pilot.

- Get in the car.

- Listen. I don't...

- For real?

- Yes for real. I don't want you

sitting here

playing on your iPad all day.

I figured, what would your

uncle learn new stuff.

LIL ERIC:

Can we go to Disney World?

It's already

in the itinerary.

Get in the fucking the car.

LIL ERIC: Jesus is alive.

TJ: In the car.

Better watch out he talking

to my fucking son.

TJ: Get in the car.

Come on, Justin.

Put on your seatbelt, boy.

Get in the fucking car.

Shit.

[TIRES SCREECHING]

LIL ERIC: Hey,

what y'all doing?

Isn't that your

probation officer?

[BIRDS SQUEAKS]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

SINGER: Tijuana Jackson,

he got miles,

yeah, that's right.

Ex-convict turned

motivational speaker.

Yeah. Prison Logic

[INDISTINCT]

♪ You got to stop,

getting complimentary start ♪

♪ Getting ready, yeah,

dig up on your confidence ♪

This from my own mixtape,

my new mixtape

about to rape the game,

fam style, heard me?

Ain't nobody stopping

when it's time

to take your lane.

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

♪ Take your lane ♪

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

[CAR HONKS]

Somebody stole my

Alpine stereo

back in the day.

Is that why you

don't hear nothing?

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: Are you enjoying yourself?

Yeah, but I can't wait

to get to Disney World.

Well, it's coming.

Y'all get it all on film.

I just wanna show

some bonding moments

with my nephew.

Y'all, y'all, come get

a close up of this.

Y'all wanna see some gators?

Throw that rock

in there, Lil Eric.

They didn't swarm this out

because they ain't

- throwing it off far enough.

- Son, that's an example...

- Throw it. Yeah, like that,

flick your fist, boy.

Put your hands down like...

there you go, there you go.

So what now?

Hey, you seemed

you're taking a picture

- while you're smiling.

- I'm not smiling.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Come on, boy.

I'm not getting in that water.

You better come on.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

- Oh, that's a gator.

- What?

That's a...

ain't no gator, boy.

I'm just playing with you.

You're driving.

You can drive if

you want to.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

LIL ERIC: Why can't

we go inside?

TJ: Watch your tone

with me, boy.

LIL ERIC: I thought you said

it was in the itinerary.

TJ: I said it was

in the itinerary.

I didn't say it was

in the budget. Now,

look, look here.

We ain't got

that Disney World

money right now,

but when this Toastmaster

thing pop off,

I might buy

your own Disney World.

Matter fact,

you know what I might do,

is I might buy Michael Jackson's

Neverland Ranch,

and open that up

to black folks.

Do you wanna go back

to the street sign

and get a picture

under that?

You can show your friends?

Wise man speaks

because he has

something to say.

And nigga talk

because he always got to say so.

LIL ERIC: Momma said

this is for you.

What's this?

I don't know.

Nigga,

this the release form.

This the release form.

She signed it.

We're making a movie, nigga.

We're going platinum, nigga.

You better be famous, boy.

Y'all see that?

She signed it.

I told you

what I told you.

I told y'all that I was

gonna get her to sign.

She know what's good for.

Toastmasters auditions.

This is that moment

of truth.

I'mma let you

carry my briefcase.

No.

[DOOR CLOSES]

My collar straight,

everything cool?

It's good.

Let's go

change some lives.

Nigga look

familiar as fuck.

WOMAN: [LAUGHS]

That nigga looks

familiar.

How you doing, man?

Tijuana Jackson, life coach,

motivational speaker.

I'm here for

the Toastmasters.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Listen, man, no minors,

no smoking, and, uh,

you know, no cameras.

Oh, no, like, they... this is

like a little student film, man,

they just... they, they

filming my body, the glory.

Well, yeah, they can... they can

film whatever they want, man,

as long as it's not

inside, you know.

Oh, well, shit.

Well, Lil Eric, you gonna

stay in the car, okay?

You can't be serious?

No, not me, it's him.

He's saying no minors.

Yeah, sorry little, bro.

What is this,

a Miley Cyrus concert?

And y'all gonna have to

stay outside.

You got to... you got to sit

in the car, Lil Eric.

No.

Hey, Eric, do you want to film

some stuff out here?

Here.

Take this.

Look, this is on

and off, record.

TJ: Hey, look, I left

the key in the car,

you can listen

to the radio.

Heads up.

[HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRRING]

TJ: Definitely got this.

Look at all these Rounders.

How do you plead?

No contest, Your Honor.

They ain't even in my league.

What these niggas don't

understand is

when it's gang time,

they're playing stops.

No class.

- MAN: Now, yo, yo, yo.

- No class.

Fuck you nigga,

I was already up here.

I just went back to get

something in my car.

All right. All right.

Easy, easy.

MAN: Fuck you

[INDISTINCT] ass.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

TJ: That's what I do

with my mixtape,

Affirmation Music

Volume 1.

It's a drop, nigga.

- MAN: Oh, shit.

- TJ: What the fuck? Wait. Wait.

- It's a drop.

- MAN: Amiga.

TJ: Get out. Get out. Okay.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

Wait. Wait up.

[GUNSHOTS]

MAN: Get away from me

[INDISTINCT]

MAN: Yo [INDISTINCT]

POLICE: Get down

the [INDISTINCT] get down.

Ow, what is your problem?

Fucking crazy.

Are you serious right now?

MAN: And you, yeah, you.

Come here, man.

I see... no, I see you, man.

Come here. Hey, hey.

Yo, I need you to

stop filming me right now.

RACHEL: You said we can film

whatever we wanted

as long as not inside

the fucking building.

I know. I know

I'm saying you can.

TJ: Hey, Rachel. Rachel.

We're back to do

what we told now, huh?

You're gonna let that

bitch clown nigga

- intimidate you and to be like...

- RACHEL: Shut up.

- MAN: Hey, Maricon.

- RACHEL: I thought filming

police officers in Florida is

in accordance with Florida law,

as long as I don't interfere

with the investigation

and maintain a safe distance.

I can think of

about maybe two things

that you guys have

in common.

Does anybody wanna guess

what they are?

Go ahead.

You know what?

Raise your hand

if you still think

you're part of a Toastmasters

reality program.

Go ahead,

raise your hand.

Oh, my God. These are...

these are brilliant human

beings right here.

I got some bad news

for you, guys.

You all have outstanding

warrants [SPEAKS SPANISH]

right here in Orlando County.

[SPEAKS SPANISH]

So if you guys wanna pay off

your debts today,

hey, you guys are gonna walk

away with no problem,

but the rest of you guys

are going for a little joyride

- [SPEAKS SPANISH]

- [PHONE RINGING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Appreciate y'all paying

off my warrant.

I'mma pay y'all back as soon as

I get my company up and running.

Where the fuck is my car?

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Where the fuck

did I park my car?

Hey, Lil Eric.

What the fuck

happened to my car?

[CAR ENGINE REVVING]

Hey, man, y'all see

a little 14-year-old kid

about this big?

Not this time.

Have a nice day though.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Lil Eric.

Lil Eric.

It's okay, Lil Eric,

where you at?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

Fuck.

Let me see your phone.

RACHEL: No.

Then stop filming me.

Stop filming me.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

RACHEL: Mr. Jackson,

we found Lil Eric.

He's at the precinct.

He's fine.

What precinct?

This point

got no damn sense.

Look, I'm outside

of my jurisdiction,

so if I go up

in that motherfucker,

I might not come

out. Okay?

So, one of y'all got to go in

there and get him.

[SIREN WAILING]

There is a time

and place, homie.

There's a time

and a fucking place.

Did you find him?

RACHEL: They'll only release

him to a legal guardian.

TJ: Shit.

What if I'm ain't that?

So, I just sneak in

to Disney World.

What the fuck you do

with my car?

I don't know.

Do I look like Minnie Mouse?

Now we call Sharea,

she gonna blow this shit

way out of proportion,

I'm telling y'all now.

Well, yeah, we lost

the child.

Wouldn't want you to die

from second-hand smoke.

Be free.

So, did you call his mom yet?

TJ: We don't need

to call them.

- RACHEL: Why not?

- Because...

she gonna take that shit

to another level.

And she gonna overreact,

and then, she gonna get my momma

blood pressure,

man, you gonna fucking

piss me off.

[DIAL TONE RINGING]

So, who you calling?

[PHONE RINGING]

Come here.

Hey, come here.

No, it's Rachel,

the girl with the camera.

I'm Asian.

Mr. Jackson wanted me

to let Sharea know,

Lil Eric is perfectly fine.

He is in jail,

but he wasn't arrested.

SHAREA: That nerd try to

question my damn

parenting skills,

dud, you gonna take my kid

for one day and leave

and sit in the car

like he's some kind of animal.

MOMMA JACKSON:

I think his demon is trying

to separate us with you, girl.

It ain't no damn demons, momma,

we should stop saying that shit.

It ain't nobody but Junior.

And you don't wanna see

it that way.

You wanna live in

the make believes.

I'mma just gonna sip my tea.

If you're looking for a demon,

his ass right there.

Jesus, you finish Sharea?

SHAREA: Don't call me

by my government name, nigga.

TJ: Are you done?

Are you done?

- TJ: No.

- Are you done?

MOMMA JACKSON: Jesus.

- Check stub please.

- Cheryl...

- Proof of employment, please.

- No, I got... Cheryl, I got...

- Check stubs.

- I got them, Cheryl.

I got them,

but I forgot them.

Hmm. I know it's always

something with you.

- No. Cheryl...

- Are you trying to go back

- to jail, TJ?

- I thought they was in my car.

But then I realized

that I might...

You know what, TJ?

Don't play with me today

because I'm not

in the mood.

[CRICKET CHIRPING]

[DOG BARKING]

Cheryl.

Cheryl.

Cheryl.

[DOG BARKING]

TJ: What the fuck you

doing up there?

- TJ?

- TJ: You fucking with that

- Freddie Mercury-looking nigga?

- MAN: Oh, I got your

- Freddie Mercury right here.

- TJ: No, thanks, nigga.

- I don't do porn.

- Okay. Let me handle this.

Hey, you better tell that

motherfucker to kick rocks.

Turn them cameras off.

Turn those cameras off.

TJ: Yeah. Yeah. You know why,

because she don't

want the world to know

that she fucking around with

Doug, the Bounty hunter.

MAN: All right.

You about 30 seconds

- from getting choked out, boy.

- TJ: Boy?

Nigga, we don't in

the inside no more,

you fucking around

and get your manhood breach

- messing with me.

- CHERYL: Hey, listen, wait.

ain't the DJ, boy.

I don't play, heard me?

CHERYL:

TJ! What do you want?

What do you need, TJ?

What do you need?

You wanted... you wanted

proof of employment

- for the last few weeks, right?

- Yeah.

You got this push

broom motherfucker

all off in the crib.

Motherfucker,

all in his drawers and shit.

TJ.

You got check stubs?

Nigga, I'm proud of you.

[CHUCKLING]

I'm proud of you, TJ.

You can get back

to sling blade now.

- [YELLING]

- [GRUNTING]

[DOG BARKING]

Don't tell nobody

I was in a fight,

and don't put that shit

in my documentary.

RACHEL: Why not?

Because it's a violation

to my parole.

How long it take for me

to wake up?

SINGER: ♪ They talk about the

money I talk about the time ♪

♪ They talk about they needs

I talk about what's mine ♪

♪ They sitting on the comb,

I'm sitting on the home ♪

♪ They wanna super head,

shit, I wanna super dome ♪

♪ I got a bigger vision

I'm young Russell Simmons ♪

♪ I'm like a chicken hawk,

but I'm fucking pigeon ♪

♪ I only share with friends

They call it nepotism ♪

♪ And then remember all

the plan I am messing with ♪

- TJ: Watchtower.

- Yeah.

TJ: What do you think

about that?

Hey, man. Look, nigga,

if we gonna take this musical

empire to that next level,

don't sugarcoat that nigga,

just tell me how you feel.

You like it or not?

It was trash,

- like, hot garbage.

- Man, fuck you, nigga,

that version was cold than

a can of pussy,

eat you that shit,

let's do the hood.

This nigga is

just disrespectful, man.

- [DOOR KNOCKING]

- Just...

CHERYL: Hey.

Where the fuck is TJ?

Fuck.

Hey, man, I'm gonna drop

[INDISTINCT] for real,

this shit cold,

watch out, nigga.

TJ: Watchtower.

Punch it, nigga,

and after the refrain.

[DOOR KNOCKING]

TJ: Watchtower.

[DOOR KNOCKING]

Nigga, are you...

where the fuck he go?

- [TAPPING ON WINDOW]

- Watchtower.

I'm recording vocals.

I don't give a fuck.

I don't care

if you're recording

the national

motherfucker anthem,

get the fuck out

here, TJ.

You [INDISTINCT]

your fucking lot.

My brother is one of the first

niggas from Hollywood, Florida,

he got arrested on tops

and cheaters,

punch a girl on the face.

Ever since then,

I've been camera shy.

You broke my Rolex,

this should cost me $50.

CHERYL: What is these, TJ?

I told you.

They check stub.

They counterfeit stubs.

I don't know

nothing about that.

Yes, you do, and why would

you walk off your job?

You was doing so good,

and you left?

Get my cigarettes,

it's on my pocket, for me.

I ain't getting shit.

Hey, get off

with that cock.

Hey, take the... you know,

move that cock.

Y'all get his cock

on camera?

You about to get a lot

of cock where you going.

Y'all get his cock?

All right.

One second,

but this the last one.

All right. Look, uh...

you know, TJ

is... he's a gifted man.

That's, you know,

that's, that's real,

but you got to watch him.

You got to watch him

because you don't know

what you're gonna get with TJ.

You don't know

if you gonna get...

if you gonna get sunshine,

or if you gonna get moonshine.

And the terms

of TJ's parole,

honestly, for me... for me,

they're pretty reasonable,

honestly.

And every day,

I ask him,

I say the same shit.

I say, uh, "TJ, you know,

you go to counseling."

You know what I get?

Legs up.

Then I say, "Okay.

What about... what,

about community service?

Did you go to community service?

Did you do it?"

"Oh, I'm a soul train."

"What about work?"

"Yo, am."

This nigga.

Really, the truth is

you just... you can't help a man

that refused to help himself.

And that's what I got to know.

You know, that's...

that's it.

So, all right.

[ENGINE REVVING]

CHERYL: And you know

the worst part is that

I actually believed you.

I believed your down shit.

TJ: Do you ever think about

getting back into music though?

- TJ, do you hear me?

- Have a nigga pump his mixtape?

Counterfeit is a serious

offense. This is real.

Affirmation

music Volume 1.

Hey, you know what,

hey, he came back.

You know

what his cock.

Hey, homie, let me get you

with your cock, homie.

Hey, hey [INDISTINCT]

So get your dog off

to prison can,

and this is the things

I get from you?

Okay. Cool.

- I can't.

- You call the cops on a nigga.

- I ain't doing it no more.

- Cheryl, you call the laws

- on a nigga, though?

- Hey, get him.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Tell me the truth,

and I can help you.

- MAN: [INDISTINCT]

- Or you're going back inside.

We have not used since

we got out.

We have two months

to give up in life.

- [LAUGHING]

- MAN: I haven't [INDISTINCT]

- MAN: I don't know what...

- Okay. So...

- MAN: All the respect, man.

- So you both clean?

- A hundred percent.

- A hundred percent.

- A hundred percent.

- Absolutely.

- [LAUGHING]

- I'm on [INDISTINCT]

Okay. Okay.

I'm giving you one last chance

and tell me the truth,

or you both taking

the piss tests.

MAN: Give me a tiny little

meth on the weekends,

or it's fine.

Nothing serious.

MAN: Don't look at him,

look at me.

He's not the one

that's gonna book you, I am.

[INDISTINCT]

You ain't talk to him?

Well, I'm not surprised.

You know

what to do with these?

Cheryl.

Do you know what

to do with those?

Okay.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Goodbye.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[CAR ENGINE REVVING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Hey, watch out.

MAN: Oh, shit, he saw us.

LIL ERIC: Why didn't you tell me

you were out?

TJ: I think the more distance

between you and me,

- the better off you gonna be.

- How did you figure that?

Watch your tone

with me now, boy.

Why didn't you call?

- Because Lil Eric...

- Because what?

Because your momma

keep making this thing

like everything

was my fault.

But it was your fault.

The first night

you came home,

there was no one

in the house

so you had to sleep

in the car.

What did I do?

I came out to sleep

in the car too

because I didn't want you

to be out there

all by yourself.

But as soon as we get

to the contest,

what did you do?

You told me

to wait in the car

all by myself for some stupid

Toastmaster thing

that turned out to be...

TJ: But what you ain't even

realizing is that great success

- requires great sacrifice. I...

- Great success?

If the only one benefitting

from it is you,

how great can it be?

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Oh, whose bike is that?

TJ: Boy.

You gotta rinse it before

you put it up under the bed.

[DOOR CREAKS OPEN]

SHAREA: Put it down.

Put it down now.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[SOBS]

Oh, why are you

so skinny, boy?

I've been riding my bicycle,

Momma.

Oh.

- [CRYING]

- [INDISTINCT]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

I saw this blog

and it said that...

MOMMA JACKSON: [GROANS]

...this was good

for the arthritis.

MOMMA JACKSON: [GIGGLING]

- TJ: You okay, Momma?

- Oh, yeah, I'm fine.

- Ooh.

- TJ: Okay.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: So, what

exactly are you interested in?

Like, what's your passion?

What do you wanna do?

I wanna be a public speaker

like my uncle.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR:

Hmm. Okay.

So, then we need to look

at your transcripts,

let's see what courses

that you already took.

I see you

took time to speak,

and you're

in regular English.

Maybe you should get

into English AP

to kind of learn grammar.

Legs up.

- GUIDANCE COUNSELOR: Okay.

- SHAREA: Listen.

If you put a black woman's

baby in danger,

she gonna go from zero

to Remy real quick.

And if I'm being honest,

TJ has been more of a father

to little Eric

than my baby daddy ever was.

Now, he ain't perfect,

but he's trying.

Oh. [CHUCKLES]

Um, I only had two prayers.

One was to see

my family unified

under the blood of Jesus.

Praise the Lord.

[CHUCKLES]

TJ: What's the other one,

Momma?

A big house

with a pool [CHUCKLES]

so that we can

live together comfortably.

But as long

as we're together,

I don't need no pool.

[CHUCKLES] I do.

- Listen now...

- Oh, shut up, boy.

[CHUCKLES] "I do."

[LAUGHING]

- Here we go.

- LIL ERIC: Ooh. Yes.

TJ: Yeah,

that's what I'm talking about.

MOMMA JACKSON: Y'all put down

your cameras and come here.

- Come on.

- SHAREA: Is it enough for now?

TJ: Seriously?

[LAUGHS]

Y'all stop acting up now.

TJ: Yes, ma'am.

Lord, we ask you

to bless this food,

and we ask you to bless

the white people

at this table.

Amen.

- ALL: Amen.

- TJ: All right.

Y'all, let's eat for real

and stop playing, okay?

MOMMA JACKSON:

What's wrong with the forks,

why I gotta stick me up...

oh, Lord, Jesus.

TJ: Let me tell y'all

something, man.

One thing my nephew

I would like to call it

my little guru

made me realize is

the whole point

of being a life coach

is to help others, you know?

Mainly my family

and my community,

heard me.

and there's a lot of people

out there winning the rat race.

Then what's a million dollars

to a slave

if he can't buy

his own freedom, you heard?

She own [INDISTINCT]

the tall white boy

with the big carwash mustache.

MRS. JUDY: He's already

been asked to resign.

What up, Levaughn?

Levaughn?

What up, nigga?

Yes, ma'am.

Boy, what happenin',

[INDISTINCT]

I here because I care

about y'all.

Tune, as far as I'm concerned,

someone fucked up

on their life already.

But me, for me,

I was a master

fuck-up-ist.

And this man

changed my life.

So that it could change yours.

It's just a matter of listenin'

and paying attention, you know.

a matter of

paying attention.

I'm... yo, fucking

pay attention, now man,

because every time so,

but yo,

I want to bring

my brethren right now,

no other than

Tijuana Jackson.

Yeah. Give it up

for my homie, Upgrade.

You know what I'm saying.

That's Toucan fam

right there.

It's Toucan fam,

real nigga shit, heard me.

I didn't get it.

Took getting cursed out

by my nephew,

I call him my guru,

Lil Eric,

to realize that

my success would come

from being selfless,

not selfish.

INMATE: Uh-hmm.

Because when you got

a sense of purpose,

you gotta service

more than just you.

Oh, y'all didn't think

I would get that deep, huh?

Well, hold on, niggas,

because I'm deep

like giraffe pussy.

TJ: And what if I told you

that every nigga in here

got a purpose?

And that purpose stems from

one moment in your damn life?

I'm in my one moment like

the shit happened yesterday.

- INMATE: Uh-hmm.

- INMATE: Yeah.

When I was 13 years old,

my uncle tried

to put his finger

in my asshole

while I was asleep,

but I caught him.

Took about seven hours

of surgery

to get my foot out

of his fucking larynx,

fucked that nigga

voice box up good.

To this day when he talks,

he sound like...

uh, what's the name

of the, uh...

INMATE: What?

What's the name

of the big old buff nigga

with the raspy voice who used

to win all the Grammys?

Uh, Big strong nigga used

to work out back in the 90s?

Had all the hit...

Macy Gray,

he sound

like that nigga.

- [LAUGHTER]

- OFFICER: Quiet!

TJ: Y'all go ahead and laugh,

but that's why

I brought up my uncle

and his big-ass fingers.

Your pain should be

the pathway to your purpose.

So when y'all get up

out these blocks,

don't seek success.

Seek purpose,

and let success find you.

Because success,

that's just an illusion.

Purpose,

that's the motherfucking

conclusion,

heard me?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

RACHEL: I take it you two

are in good terms again?

CHERYL: Well, uh, we, uh...

we have... we have

an understanding.

RACHEL: Any plans

for the future?

Well, I mean, for me,

you know,

I just believe that

if you gonna be a life coach,

you gotta be a life coach 24/7

because life is a full-time job,

you know?

So you don't get

no off days on life,

and once this Prison Logic

take off,

you know,

phone gonna be ringing like

the second hand, heard me?

You know,

like the second hand

because the second hand

go around the clock.

Why you always

gotta speak in parables?

You know, I'mma need travel

permits once this shit take off?

I'll think about it.

What you mean

you gonna think about it?

Do you need me to speak

in parables, too?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

- MOMMA JACKSON: Drop me.

- I got you.

DOCTOR: Well done.

I should have you

train my staff.

[SCOFFS] I do the same thing,

but this old nigga in the joint,

used to have to put him

on the toilet

and put stool out of

[INDISTINCT] whenever

they fed us

that nutraloaf.

I remember TJ saying to me

[CLEARS THROAT]

excuse me, Mr. Jackson

saying to me when I was going

through my divorce,

"Sam," and I quote,

"You too good

for that chicken-head skank.

She be creeping."

And I knew exactly

what he meant.

May I see your license

and registration, please?

Fuck, he's acting out,

nigga, look like

[INDISTINCT]

any time you all need me,

just call that number.

Are you guys

filming something?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, what's that about?

About my life.

It's about...

Well, I'm a filmmaker, too.

It does nothing

for a nigga's self-esteem

when you got

a bigger motherfucker

twice your size

and put on the condom.

You wanna get honest

about it.

[LAUGHING]

You okay, Momma?

[LAUGHING]

TJ, stop!

[LAUGHING]

I'm about to hit a funny bone.

S-U-I-C-I-D-E.

Suicide.

Because Sharea is an unhappy

individual committed

to the immediate demise

of my endeavors.

Suicide.

[BELL RINGS]

TJ: I need to go out and get

the [INDISTINCT] okay.

I'm gonna get

the back leg.

I'm gonna get

the finger pop.

I'm gonna get

the dungarees,

I want no clean up.

LIL ERIC:

It shouldn't take this long

to hand out some flyers.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

MAN: Well, at one point,

did you say to yourself,

"We have a hit documentary

on our hands"?

At no point.

Oh, I thought

right away.

Well, it started out

as a class assignment,

just a 10-minute short,

but...

BRIAN: Yeah. But then Tijuana

inspired us to make it like a...

like a [INDISTINCT]

whole documentary.

MAN: How did you do that?

RACHEL: Well,

he made us see that whether

it's a class assignment,

family engagement,

community service,

what's most often

asked of us

is the bare minimum.

It's up to us to do more.

TJ: Hey, you always

gotta give credit

- to the white folks.

- I'm not white.

And you were in prison

when we filmed this.

BRIAN: Yeah. They only wanna

interview you.

Man, just drink your juice.

That's okay, though.

Who got the book deal

and the merchandising deal?

- Matter of fact...

- Oh...

TJ: ...mixtape out too,

cop that.

Why are you being

a little dramatic?

Don't you... uh-uh, don't you

lit that up down here.

- TJ: That's okay, momma.

- They really want it.

Y'all do the

pretty tiddy-diddy,

I won't get the keys

to the city now.

- Why y'all over this?

- But it was good, right?

You're too close.

Get in the back.

[INDISTINCT] momma.