Godfather of Harlem (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 9 - Rent Strike Blues - full transcript

You can't do this,
you dumb fucker!

I'm made!

Ahh!

Flossie, I need you
to get out of town.

You hear me?

I told you,
this guy's off his rocker.

The Bureau can't expect
any valid information

from this lunatic.

I'm here to talk to you
about your son

and who you blame
for his murder

Vincent "Chin" Gigante.



I don't believe you.

You don't have to.

You can hear it
from his daughter.

But it's over, baby.
You know that.

And if you want to stay alive,
it has to stay our secret.

What -- What do you mean
it's over?

Come on, Stella.

I'd rather give you
up than see you dead.

I'm trying to walk the line
with Mayme

this time around,
you know?

I'm sureI'll be seeing you soon.

I'll take $200,000
and not a penny less.

I ain't giving this bitch a dime.

I'd like you to be
my ears and ears



within the wallsof
Mosque Number Seven.

I want to know what
Malcolm is saying, doing,

and even thinking
at all times.

If the "gangster" can be
madepolitically conscious,

Islam can sweep through every
ghet to in this country.

Well, you wanted
to start a war.

And when Bonanno finds out that
Chin killed his kid,

you gonna have it.

We will rise, we will rise
with the fire in our eyes

Yeah, yeah, yeah

With no hate in our hearts
and the future in our minds

Yeah, yeah, yeah

We will rise, we will rise,
with the fire in our eyes

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Don't want to give us no heat,
we ain't gonna move our feet!

Don't want to give us no heat,
we ain't gonna move our feet!

Let the landlords hear it!
Let the landlords hear it!

That was Teddy Greene's
new single, "Rise,"

which is doing just that
up to the top of the charts.

It's a cold Tuesday in Harlem

where thousands of NYC tenants
have refused to pay their rent

until their rat-infested
buildings are taken care of.

Local police as well as
Nation of Islam soldiers

hope to ensure that
the protest remains peaceful.

I'm sorry, Reverend Powell,

but I have orders to evictthe
tenants of this building.

Well, we are engaged

in a non-violent act
of civil disobedience.

There will be
no evictions today.

I have my orders.

These tenants will not pay rent
until repairs are made!

Gonna ask you nicely,

please
unchain yourselves,

or we will have to
cut you loose.

I'm sorry, officer,
but we will not.

Ma'am,we have a job to do.

So do we.

Don't want to give us no heat,

we're not gonna
move our feet!

Don't want to
give us no heat,

we're not gonna
move our feet!

Don't want to
give us no heat,

we're not gonna
move our feet!Stand strong.

Stand strong now!
Stand strong.

No,
don't touch that woman.

Wait!
No, no, no, no!

No, no, no!
Stop! Stop!

Hey, hey! Come on, now!
Easy, easy, easy, easy!

Hey!
Do not hit back!

We will have
our day in court.

My man Mr. Bumpy.

Hey there, Mr. Johnson.

Bumpy!

Hey, Nell.

I didn't expect to see you
out so soon,

after what happened...

Got to mind the store.

How we doing tonight?

Place is jumpin',
as you can see.

We got a high-roller dice game
going on out in the back.

Got a couple of
big-time duji buyers

from Detroit
up with Junie Bird.

Probably gonna pull in $40,000
tonight.

That's good to hear.

There was a -- a lady
looking for you.

Yeah?

Yeah.
Real man-eater.

You wouldn't know nothing about all that,
right?

See,
you better watch it,

or you'll end up
back in that hospital.

I called the hospital as soon as
I heard you were shot.

I didn't leave word'cause
I knew that you were...

with family.

It's awful.

Thanks for
checking on me.

I'm worried for you,Bumpy.

I thought that

you were gonna be at
the Kentucky Derby this week.

Fuck the Derby.

Are you in pain?Does it...
still hurt?

I'm fine.

Coincidentally, um...

Your wife and I are involved
inthe same cause.

Adam Clayton Powell
solicited my help

to pay for the lawyersthat
he needs

to carry out this rent
strike in the courts.

Be careful, Amy.

Careful
is my middle name.

I mean, since when
you been involved

with the civil rights movement,
huh?

I was at the March.
I heard Dr. King's speech.

White America
has to take notice

of what's going on
in this country.

The hatred,
the violence.

Only took a couple hundred
years, huh?

I'm serious.

I'd do anything to advance the
cause of the Negro.

Yeah?

Yeah

Change

Yeah

Open up my window again

Open up my window again

I can hear death
calling my name

I can hear death
calling again

I swear to God,
things ain't g'on change

I swear to God,
things ain't g'on change

I keep a revolver
with your name

I keep a revolver
with your name

Just in case

Lay on my back
watching the ceiling fan

I had a dream
to touch a kilo gram

Still at odds
with the Irish mob

Rolls-Royce down
Malcolm X Boulevard

Lord, these haters literally
out here preying on me

Got the .40 on me
and his hand on me

Snow White mink like
I'm Dutch Schultz

Run the books and let me show
you how the numbers look

You can't be Lucky
like you Luciano

The kilos slamming like
they new pianos

And Fat Boy got the big body

Coast-to-coast,
I could shoot product

Open up my window again

Open up my window again

I can hear death
calling my name

I can hear death
calling again

I swear to God,
things ain't g'on change

I swear to God,
things ain't g'on change

I keep a revolver
with your name

I keep a revolver
with your name

Just in case

Yeah.
Come on in.

You see these toy rats?

Oh, those were sent to me
by my constituents.

That's when I knew that
the community had had enough,

and I took up this rent strike
as my cause.

It had nothing to do with

all that bad publicityon
Esther James?

None whatsoever.

Huh.

Make yourself
comfortable.

Speaking of rats...

How can I help you,
Johnson?

Lots of rats in Harlem
these days.

Real ones.

And ones seeking
publicity.

This is more than just
a publicity stunt.

Hmm.

People's lives and well being
are at stake.

The people in Harlem live in
miserable conditions,

and someone's got to do
something about it!

I can help.

I talked to,
uh, some landlords,

and they're willing
to grant

a sum of moneyto fix
the buildings.

In exchange for what?

For your helpin ending
the rent strike

and making sure that this
doesn't go to court.

And your friends,

are they of
the Italian persuasion?

Not at liberty to say.

Well, I'll find out.

There's a shell company
that owns

millions of dollars worth of
real estate in Harlem.

The owners are entirely hidden
from view and pay no taxes.

"Bowery Lane
Holding Corporation."

I have some very expensive
lawyers working night and day,

funded by Amy Vanderbilt,

so I can expose those names
at the hearing.

And when I do, I will put those
buildings into receivership,

I will
prosecute the owners,

and I will make sure
that all of them go to jail.

Is there nothing that I can
doto change your mind?

Most assuredly not.

Easy.

I'm moving shitloads
of your dope.

Very sophisticated,
huh, Donny?

I've never seen
an operation like this.

Yeah.

My man Bumpy's
one of a kind.

I've known Bumpy since
the Cotton Club days.

Yeah. You know,
don't think I don't know

that my war with Chin
benefits you more than anyone.

You got the best dope pipeline
you ever had,

straight off the boat
from Marseilles.

Junie Bird,
how many kilos

we take from
Mr. Bonanno this month?

Close to 1,000.

1,000.

Chin's backed into
a corner.

There's nothing more
dangerous than a cornered animal.

You're gonna need moneyto
-- to fight him off.

How about
I take 1,500 kilos

and you mark the price
down to $22,000 per key?

Sure, but that's not why
you asked me here.

You got big problem son
the horizon.

You heard about the --
therenter strikes in Harlem, right?

Yeah.The, uh, Five Families own

about 35% of all of
the slum buildings.

If mob control of Harlem and
real estate is exposed,

it'll be bad.

They can't connect
those buildings to us.

I wouldn't be so sure.

Powell's got somehigh-priced
lawyers now.

If Powell finds out
that it's the mob,

we'll lose those buildings into
government receivership.

So,
what do you propose?

Chin's off his rocker.

He's... he's walking around in
afucking bathrobe, for God sake.

It's fucking --
it's a fucking embarrassment.

This is who you gotrunning
the Genovese Family?

How aboutI get Powell to back off

on the Bowery Lane
investigation?

Hmm?

Could you help make a
casefor Chin's removal?

Don't you see?

This war with 27
deadon either side.

It's Bumpy Johnson.

He's the cause
of all these.

What?

Bumpy Johnson,
he did this.

He did it all.

Get out of here.

Johnson convinced
Bonanno that I'm responsible

for the disappearance of Lorenzo.

The kid fucking disappearedin
19-fucking-57 in Harlem.

He's blaming me?

He killed Lorenzo,
and I'm gonna prove it!

I think that crazy act of yours
has finally gone to your head.

He killed
Richie Zambrano.

You told me that
you killed Zambrano.

I was lying.
All right?

He had my daughter hostage.

Bumpy saved my life
in Lewisburg.

He has never lied to me,
not even once.

You remember the trial of
Don Vitone?

Naturally.
Okay.

That brutto cazzo judge,

he tells the jury that if
they caught a witness in one lie,

that they could dismiss the
entire testimony.

You remember that?

If I convince youthat
Johnson killed Zambrano,

you will arrange a summit
with Bonanno.

Oh, boy.
We all meet.

Hey!
What do you think?

Okay.

Bumpy Johnson,
he's playing all of us.

Harlem is a tinderbox.

It's about to explode.

This morning, cops were sent
to evict those tenants,

and it was only
the protection

from the Nation of Islam
soldiers

that kept those tenants
safe.

Our Black Self-Defense Army

is the natural evolution
of what we preach.

Very good, Malcolm.

Very good.

Once again,you've exceeded
my expectations.

In your Honor,
Dear Holy Apostle.

Let's have a word
in private.

You've come so far,
Malcolm.

Your father was killedwhen
you were a child,

your mother in
a mental hospital,

years in foster care,

then, inevitably, prison.

When you wrote me
that letterfrom jail,

even I had no idea
that someday,

I wouldsay these words to you.

You have enemies among the
leadership in Chicago.

And even likely,
you haveenemies in this mosque.

They think you use the
platform I have given you

for your own advancement.

It's not --

But I hope
when the day comes

that I leave
this Earth plane,

my successor will be you,my son.

I could never replace you,
Dear Holy Apostle.

I don't want youor your Black
Self-Defense Army

to be involved in any
"civil rights" actions,

including how they were
utilized for the rent strike today.

May I ask why,
Messenger?

As I have said
many times,

we are a religious organization,
not a political one.

We work for souls,
not apartment buildings.

You don't need to antagonize
the government.

You got enough enemies
without them.

Let me get a Schlitz.

Ernie!

My man!

Good to see you!
Where you been?

I ain't seen you in ages,man!

I'm working, Isaiah.
You know, makin' a living.

Oh, come on.
Nell!

Nell, this Ernie Nunzi
right here.

Huh?

Hello.

How you doin', sister?

How's everybody
doin' today?

Or is it still
last night?

Nell. Nell, give my man Ernie
here a real drink.

Come on, what you want?
What you drinking?

No, no, I'm good.
I'm looking for a lady.

Take a look around.

You see something
you like, you just ask.

And if it's not here,
I can call it in.

I'm talking special delivery,
baby.

She used to do a guy named
Richie Zambrano.

Her name's Flossie.

I don't know
no Flossie, man.

She ain't one of mine,
no, sir.

I know you used to get girls
for Richie from time to time,

so how is it
you don't know Flossie?

Zambrano...

Italian guy?
Yeah.

Is..
Is that the cat that got iced?

Isaiah, I'm asking
the questions.

Where is she?

I know where she is.

Where?

Why you want to know?

I hear she dresses up as a maid,
has this whole act.

I'm into
that kind of thing.

Pretty boy like you
could get any girl he wants,

you like
"domestic" service.

Ah,
don't be ashamed now.

We all got our kinks!

Unfortunately, you're gonna
have to find another "Hazel"

to feather-dust that sweet meat
between your legs.

Where is she?

Flossie
left the business.

Became
a Seventh-day Adventist.

Last I heard, she took a child
and moved to Washington state.

Mm.
Good for her.

She got some of that
good ol' time religion,

as some of the girls will do
from time to time.

I'm lookin' for a woman
by the name of Flossie.

I got a $100 bill for anyone
who can tell me where to find her.

All right.
Thanks, anyway.

There's a hundo in it for you,
too, if you hear anything.

My man, I'll -- I'll --
I'll ask around.

I got to call Bumpy.

If those guineas are looking for Flossie,
that's bad news.

Back so soon, Johnson?

What is it this time?

I want toend this rent strike,

and I brought someone to
help persuade you.

Esther James.

She's come herein the
spirit of compromise.

Where is my money?

You owe me $211,000,
and I want my money!

Hello, Esther.

And I'm tired of
your sweet talk, too, Bumpy.

I had an idea
for how we could

kill two birds
with one stone.

Settle your rent strike

and end your proceedings
with Esther James.

She's willing to
with draw the case

and settle
for the sum of $1.

Are you trying tobribe
a congressman?

No, I'm trying to
stop this woman

from tarnishing
your legacy.

I mean, it may seem
like a joke to you,

but she has that power.
Really.

Get out, both of you, right now,
or I'll call the FBI.

You can take that
with you.

We will rise, we will rise
with the fire in our eyes

Yeah, yeah, yeah

With no hate in our hearts
and the future in our minds

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Daddy, look.
Mommy's in the newspaper.

Oh, yeah?

You should be
proud of your mom.

What is it, Daddy?

It's time toget to your homework.

I think we had enough of
thisrent strike business for now.

Good picture.

It was really
quite a scene.

The cops were attacking us.
It was terrifying.

But Doug Jones, he was there
to protect you, right?

He was there,
Delia and Lillian was there,

Malcolm,lots of folks were there.

I don't see Lillian's arms
around you.

He intervened when a
cop pushed me.

You angry he was there,
or that you weren't?

Look, this is about fighting
for tenant rights.

Don't turn it into
something it's not.

I don't care
about what it's not.

I care about what it is.

What is it?

You remember
what you said to me

before they put you
on that transport plane

to Alcatraz in '52?

"Do what you got to do,
but do not ever disgrace me."

I have never, ever disgraced
youin public or otherwise.

Okay,
11 years is a long time.

And you're a beautiful,
intelligent woman.

But I need to know,

do I have anything
I need to worry about?

Do I?

What're you
talking about?

I could smell Amy Vanderbilton
your clothes last night.

$500 an ounce perfume has
a wayof announcing itself.

She don't mean nothin'.

Showgirls and
flooziesmean nothin',

not the sixth wealthiest
womanin America

who shares your
loveof "literature."

Look, you and I,
we're a team.

We have each other's back
from Day One.

It's not something you're gonna
see in that newspaper.

Come in.

Brother Minister.

I brought you
some food.

Well, thank you, Sister,
but I'm not hungry.

I'm sorry,
but you don't have a choice.

You ain't eat
since yesterday

and I'm gonna stuff it down
your throat if I have to.

I apologize,
Brother Minister.

Sometimes
I forget myself.

It's fine, Sister.
Apology accepted.

What's got you down?

I'm overcome
with the feeling

that the white man
is going to win.

We are out-manned,
out-weaponed,

and our philosophy seems empty
to me right now.

Because the Messenger says
wecan't fight at the rent strikes?

The Black Self-Defense Army,

that was us putting words
into action.

I must admit, I --
I feel discouraged.

Like you once said to me,

stumbling is not falling.

Sister, there's a new patient,
and she's very sick.

Please come with me.

That song
shot up way too fast.

Look at him.

You think
he on that duji?

Hey

I'm just a simple dude
with simple needs, you know?

That's why
all the girls love me

Bobby knew that.

Bobby Robinson.

Rest in peace.

Because when I get to lovin'

I'm as lovable as I can be

I'm a raging ball of fire,
babe

I'm a barrel of fun

Can we talk?

I'm a whole barrel of fun

Ladies,
give us a minute.

Why don't y'all
get us a drink?

60 minute man all in one

It's a nice little
party you got going.

It's amazing how
quick "Rise" got hot.

You and Bumpy really set me up
right at Royal Chord.

I'll always be grateful
for that.

I keep hearing your
voice playing on the radio

all over the city.

Even got paid for it.

I know you're angry.

You should be.

You should also know
what you mean to me.

You don't know
who means what to you.

You're just a confused
little white girl.

And I don't need you
anymore.

You. Yeah.
Get in the car.

$5 for a blow.

$20 for
everything else.

$100 for the blow job.
What do you say?

It's your money.

No, you're gonna tell me
what I want to know.

About what?

I know
you know something.

I seen the way you reacted
at the club.

It's a lot of money.
You can buy a lot of dope with that.

No one knows
you're here with me.

It's easy money.

Flossie used to see
that Italian guy,

Zambrano.

He was real regular,
but then she left town.

Yeah?
Where did she go?

Uh,she got family in Philly.

I heard she went there,

but somebody tell me she came
back to see her mama in Harlem.

Where can I find her now?
She working these corners?

Ain't seen her.

Nell would know more about that,
not me.

I just know she came
back to Harlem.

All right.

Thank you.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Where you going?

Come on, I gave you $100
for a blow job.

You're not finished.

That was a joke, sweetie.
Don't -- Don't worry.

You're beautiful,
sister.

Powell wants to control all
of those buildings.

Government's just
another form of the Mafia.

I mean, since when
does the government

care about our people?

Winter's coming.

And I can give people
immediate relief.

Elise, uh,
where did Powell say

the demonstration
was going to be held today?

625 117th Street.

My offer to Powell
is a fair one.

It'll getpeople's homes fixed.

Turn the heat on.
Replace some pipes.

Yeah, well,
when the offer comes from

a consortium of
Italian mobsters,

I can understand
his hesitancy.

It'll help
the community.

I mean,isn't that the point?

I need you to help me
convince him.

Here you are.

And you.

Here you go.

The sausages
are not mine.

I got yours.

You're off the pork now,too?

Yes, Daddy.

I remember when you
was a little girl,

you used to love
some bacon.

I still do love it,
I just don't eat it.

The Qur'an forbids us
the flesh of swine.

You got her brain washed
pretty well now.

It's called devotion.

This is ridiculous.

Is there nothing you can do?

You have to do something.
You can't let this happen.

I'm sorry, sir.

They must have
paid off the precincts.

My supervisor
won't send any men.

Take your hands
off that man!

This is private muscle,
hired by the landlords.

This is --
This is disgraceful.

Look at the children.

Wingate.

I'm so sorry.

I put this in your lap,
Johnson.

What are you talking about?

Your "paisans" have sicced
their goon squads

on these good people,

evicting them
from their apartments!

I came here to help these people,
all right?

Reverend Powell, uh, in perhaps
light of the coming winter,

maybe we should consider
Bumpy's proposal.

To help
ease the suffering.

The only suffering Bumpy wants
to ease is his own.

My lawyers
have finally found out

the true owners of
Bowery Lane Holdings.

Wingate, would you hand me
the affidavit, please?

These are just a few of
the names of the real owners.

Bonanno.

Gigante.

Lucchese.

Genovese.

Costello. Gambino.

And here's one that doesn't
end in a vowel.

Johnson.
That'd be you.

I have nothing to do with these goons,
all right?

Well, you can explain that
to the judge.

He'll either get you for this
or he'll get you for tax evasion.

Sister.

Look.

I have interest
in Bowery Lane.

Me and the guineas,
we bought some buildings in Harlem

back in the '40s
when we were tight.

But my buildings,
they're not slums.

All right?

That would have been
nice to know...brother.

Before
you tried to use me.

-Oh, my God.
-Olympia?!

Oh, my God, Vin?

Vin, hurry!

Hurry! Vin!
Vin! Vin!

Vin!

Oh, my God,
it's bad.

Where is she?She's upstairs
in the bedroom.

Can't you
call a doctor?

No,
I was waiting for you.

I didn't know
what to do.

All right, call my guy!

His name is Dr. Kogan.

Tell him
to meet us now!

Stella!

Ah, Jesus.

Baby, baby, baby.

Come here, come here,
come here, come here.

Look at me.

Ah, Jesus.

Stella.
Come here, baby.

Come here.

Ah, Jesus.

Oh, baby, please.

Please.

What'd you take?

What'd you take?

How many did you take?!

Stella!

Stell, baby,
please, please, please!

Get some coffee!

Bring some ice or something,
please!

I love you so much, okay?

I love you so much.
I'm sorry, all right?

I -- Forgive me, please.

Oh, my God, please.

Where were you?

There's no need for that,
Sister Marny.

Was Brother Malcolm
on 117th Street?

Oh, please, Sister.

You know good and well.

Minister Malcolm and I

heard about the violence
on the street.

We went, but it wasn't
anything planned.

He didn't do anything.

Should Malcolm
have done something?

No,
Dear Holy Apostle.

I asked you to be
my eyes and hears

here at the mosque,
Sister Elise.

You did,
Dear Holy Apostle.

Do you understand how
important that mission is?

For Malcolm's own protection,
we need to know everything.

He's only ever spoken of your
glories, Dear Holy Apostle.

You are to report,
without fail,

to Sister Marny,
anything you see or hear.

I don't understand.

Why would Flossie
come back to Harlem

when I gave her express orders
not to come back here?

Her mama's dying.
Her last days.

She wanted to come
back and say goodbye.

You gave her
a whole new life

when you paidto
set her up in Philly.

She found God,
got herself right.

Really started raisingthat
little girl of hers.

If the guineas
are after Flossie,

then Chin is trying to prove
that I killed Zambrano.

Listen, Isaiah's got
Flossies tashed at a hotel.

Clyde's gonna drive her
down south for a while.

We're gonna put her
up at Rawley's Farm

just outside of Charleston.

You done good, Nell.

I'll be in touch.

Nell.

Apreda.

Have a seat.

Still drink
those old fashions?

You have a good memory.

Don't mind if I do.

I'm gonna have a ginger ale,
but I'll pour you a scotch.

When was the last
time we saw each other?

Cotton Club, I think.

Duke Ellington
was playing.

That was the night that, uh,
you killed Jimmy Richards.

Chopped him up into
a few pieces, if I recall.

He was a good friend
of mine.

He owed money.

Yeah.

Why you here?

Powell's got the names
ofthe Bowery Lane owners.

The real owners.

There's a paper trail that
could prove tax fraud.

Bonanno wants to know
what you're gonna do about it.

I'm working on it.

That's not good enough.

Oh, is that a threat?

Not to you.

It would not be wise to take
outa sitting congressman.

Bonanno agrees.

That's why he wants
you to handle it.

If you don't,
we will.

Stell.
Stella, babe.

Hey, hey,you're gonna be okay.

Get away from me.

Baby.

You tried to
have Teddy killed.

And Lorenzo.

Lorenzo?
What're you talking about?

Stop lying to me.

I know what you've done.

You're a monster...

Look, I come here,
I see you lying on the floor,

my whole fucking life
passedin front of my eyes.

Every mistake
I ever made.

And it ends like this?

No,it's gonna end like this.

'Cause...

there's nothing in the
worldI love more,

I need more than you.

And yes,
I've done horrible things.

Yeah.

Will you
leave Teddy alone?

Yeah.

Yeah,I-I-I swear on Jesus,

and -- and the Holy Mother,

and -- and anything else you
want me to swear on.

Tell me what happened
to Lorenzo.

Well...

You know --

I always liked him.
He was a good kid.

Not too bright,
but, you know.

He was a good kid.

And I knewyou were seeing him.

You know,
sneaking out after school.

You forget, I -- I got people
that report back to me, right?

And I know that you --

that you got an abortion,

and I think that you should've
come to me.

I was terrified
what you might do.

He was older than you.
He should have known better.

He didn't deserve to die.

I'm protective.

I didn't want him to put
you through any more pain.

Daddy...

I loved him.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know.

I know, okay?

And I'm sorry,
all right?

And I'm sitting here,

and I'm asking for
your forgiveness.

All right?

You're my little bambina.

Always been
my little bambina.

You're my first.

Come on, come back to me,Stella.

Baby.

Hey.

Come back.

Come back to me.

Mrs. Johnson.

Hello, Roy.

Saw your picture
in the paper.

It's admirable
what you're doing.

I can say the same
for you.

All right,
Congressman Powell is ready.

Ah.
Mrs. Johnson.

Reverend.

Pleasure to see you.

Delightful.

Uh, excuse us,
Wingate.

Oh, you asked me
to be in here.

And now
I'm asking you to leave.

Please,make yourself comfortable.

Thank you.

I am here to promise you that
Bumpy will settle his tax bill.

And I would hope you won't
mention him in court?

Your husband is in cahoots
with Italian mobsters

who are laundering money,

evading taxes,
and ruining our city.

His properties
are not like theirs.

You know that.
Hmm.

Well,
he hasn't paid his fair share.

I mean,
someone has to pay my salary.

He's willing to pay his taxes
with interest.

Bumpy Johnson
is a criminal.

How does he deserve
a smart,

good-looking,fine woman like you?

It's easy to think
that you hit a home run

because you were born
on third base.

My husband
grew up at a time

where the path he chose
was his best option.

Don't put him in the same bag
as the Italians.

Mrs. Johnson.

I just wanted to tell you that
I came to Congressman Powell's aid

because
he asked for my help,

not out of any desire
to step on your turf.

It's quite all right.

Has the good Reverend made
a move on you yet?

Why, no.

You know how men are.

They get tired ofthe
filet mignon at home,

so they go out fora
greasy cheeseburger.

I tried to convince him,
but Powell isn't gonna budge.

They'll go to court tomorrow,
he's gonna spill our names.

But, uh, we can
fight this out legally.

'Cause we got
good lawyers, too.

I agree.

Your man Donnie Apreda,

he, uh -- he said if I don't
do it, then you will.

What do you want me to do,
whack the Congressman?

The one I'd like to whackis
that Bobby Kennedy,

that back-stabbing Irish
mickdonkey motherfucker.

But like you said,
we got good lawyers.

We're good then.

We'll fight this
in court.

We're good.

You okay?

I stood there today
and watched tenants

be brutalized
and did nothing.

Then Powell tells me
that Bumpy is a slumlord,

so, no, Sister,
I'm not okay.

My father's a gangster.

And so were you.

And I love your father.

I've always had
a soft spot for him.

I overlook
the choices Bumpy makes

like I would those of
no other man

simply because
I have always believed

he was
fundamentally decent.

But I'm telling you, Sister,
it is imperative

that I recalculate
based on his association

with the very things that cause
suffering in this community.

I know Dear Holy Apostle
for bade you to act,

but maybe
my father can.

Didn't you say the man
white America fears most

is the Negro gangster?

I said that when
the black gangster

gains a political
consciousness,

white America would
drop to its knees.

Then go to him.

Get him to protect
Powelland the tenants.

Make the gangster
a political weapon.

In here, baby.

We're gonna get you to
South Carolina.

Come on. In here.

You're gonna
regret this!

Nah, sister.
Bumpy Johnson'sgonna regret this.

Get in the car.

You didn't have to hit him,
Benny.

Yeah,he was drawing on you!

He fucking knows me!
He wouldn't have shot me!

Jesus Christ.
Somebody had to get hit.

And so how did Bumpy
approach you?

He came up to me
over at 22 West,

asked me if I knew
this Zambrano cat.

And what'd you say?

I said I knew him...
intimate-like.

And then what?

Promised me $1,000
if I let him know

when I was up with that boy
again,

if I could leave the door open
a crack.

And you said yes.

Honey, I got three kids
got to eat every single day.

They don't take a day off
when it come to food.

You knew that Bumpy
wanted to kill Zambrano.

I ain't know nothing.

I don't get into
folk business.

Where did you go
afterwards?

Bumpy thought it would be best
if I moved out of Harlem,

go live with my kinfolk
in Philly.

Gave me another $500
for the move.

Did you see Bumpy
kill Zambrano?

Carve that
motherfucker up.

Come on.

What good's it gonna do
to lie now?

I ain't gonna
walk out the door.

You guineas don't let people
like me walk out.

So, being plain honest,
I'm gonna say this --

I saw Bumpy cut that peckerwood
into ribbons

with his straight-razor,

and I enjoyed
every single minute.

That cracker squealed like
a motherfuckin' pig.

Now take my ass out

so I don't have to look at
y'all ugly faces no more.

This rent strike situation
is heading toward disaster.

Powell's life could be in
danger to these hoodlums.

If he goes to court,
they could be exposed.

They ain't dumb enough
to touch him.

And you trust what
the Italians tell you?

Every man has a legacy,
whether they want one or not.

What is yours
going to be?

How much money you have?

Or will it be because
of your larger service

to the world
and to your race

that you left your community
better than you found it?

What is you want from me,
Malcolm?

Get conscious, brother.

Get conscious.

Boss, can I ask you a question?

What is it?

You told me
how Bumpy Johnson

shut down
the protest of Fidler's

'cause of what was hidin'
in that basement.

He knew you had
somethin' down there.

Maybe Bumpy Johnson told
Bonanno that you killed Lorenzo.

You got to convince Bonanno
that Bumpy was behind it all.

Don't worry, smartass.

I got it covered.

This is 1010 WINS.

You give us 22 minutes,
we'll give you the world.

In today's headlines,

Congressman
Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

is due in federal court
this morning

for hearings on
the Harlem tenant strike

affecting over 5,000 people.

Powell says
he's gonna make public

a list of the secretive owners
behind a shell company

that has allowed
slum conditions

to flourish in the ghetto.

-Hey!
-Hey!

-Good morning, Calvin.
-Good morning, Reverend.

I didn't see you at church
on Sunday.

Oh, I'll be there
next week.

They say they're
cold-blooded,ah

Yeah, he cold-blooded

This is one of Bumpy Johnson's
filthy dope houses.

I had to torture of his friends,
Bobby Robinson,

to find out where it was.

We raided it
this morning.

Why am I here?

I didn't kill Lorenzo.

Your own daughter
said you did.

Nah, Bumpy forced her
to lie to you.

He wants your drug connection,
right?

He told her
he was gonna kill her.

Evil is as evil does

Mama looked away,
blamed it on his needle buzz

Sold the food out the freezer
when he needed drugs

Begging like he Cool J
when he needed love

Yeah

Even when Bumpy Johnson
was in prison,

niggers had to
take sides.

When we was at war in '57,

Bumpy Johnson was helping
Vito Genovese.

And the niggers
that killed your son,

they was under
Bumpy's control.

They said his skin
wasn't light enough

And his future
wasn't bright enough

Bumpy Johnson
killed your son.

He's trying to
blame it on me.

They say they're cold-blooded,ah

Yeah, he cold-blooded

Your neck too soft,
put a knife to it

Funeral room zone,
get your wife to it, whoo!

They say he cold-blooded

Upper hand, who want it?
Huh?

Saint Christopher.
Yeah, he cold-blooded

I gave this to my son.

He was supposed
to protect him.

Niggas ain't really talkin'
for some hours

You g'on die if you try
to take ours

Bumpy Johnson instigated
this war, Joe.

Boy, we cold-blooded, ha

He's fooling us all.

What are we gonna
do about it?

Yeah.

Yeah.

They say he cold-blooded

"...in which Congressman
Powell achieved a victory

for the residents of Harlem

when a judge ruled
in the tenants' favor,

putting an end to the long
and costly rent strike.

The slumlords,

which Powell named in the
successful bid for receiver ship,

are currently being investigated
for fraud

and tax evasion
by FBI and IRS.

They include the
following names --

Thomas Lucchese,
Joseph Bonanno,

Frank Costello,
Joe Proface,Vincent Gigante."

He left your name
out of it.

Maybe he realized we're on
the same team, little prick.

So are we.