Star (2016–…): Season 2, Episode 2 - Insecure - full transcript
A new label head wants the girls to re-brand their image so they'll have a shot at competing with other artists.
Okay, so last time
y'all saw Star.
I just went up in that board
meeting and got fired.
They got a new head coming in,
and she's a bad bitch.
Yeah, I got to see my probation
officer once a week.
And then I got to pay back
Elliot the 20 stacks I stole.
Carlotta Brown,
meet Ayanna Floyd,
the president of y'all label.
My girls have been working
really hard since...
Set up an appointment
with my assistant.
- I like your shoes, baby.
- Come up off 'em.
- I ain't giving y'all nothing.
- Yes, you is.
Hey, doll. It's Arlene.
They know about those
girls you set free.
They're coming for you.
It's a great day in Miami.
Partly cloudy with low humidity.
What a great day...
_
_
_
_
_
Come on, brother.
_
And you know what, I'm betting
that maybe you had it
smuggled here from Peru when
you set up shop here in Miami.
So here's what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you
three seconds to
tell me where it is
before I paint these walls
with the inside of your head.
Where's my damn money?
Stop!
What's up, nephew?
You're supposed to be dead.
That's what I wanted
people to think.
- Now I need my money.
- Then you're gonna have to
kill me then, 'cause that
money is gone, Jahil.
I'm not leaving here
empty-handed, Javier.
You want to take something?! Take
your freaking nephew then, huh?!
'Cause he's doing nothing but
taking up space aquí anyway.
Hell of a reunion.
♪ I bring me ♪
♪ Get mine, 'bout
mine, go hard ♪
♪ Looking for another like me ♪
- ♪ Boy, stop ♪ - ♪ I bring me ♪
♪ Whose love is the tightest?
Whose kiss is the nicest? ♪
♪ Me ♪
♪ Whose touch is the rightest? ♪
♪ I bring me ♪
♪ I bring, I bring me. ♪
- Carlotta.
- Yeah?
Where you at?
I'm here.
We never get to come in here.
It's cool.
It's like Lord of
the Wigs in here.
Shut up.
See, that's why this
room is off limits.
Miss C, what is you
and Miss Bruce's
obsession with wigs all about?
It's not a wig obsession.
It's a attitude.
A lifestyle.
- Okay.
- See, this girl right here,
she's telling you, "I'm mellow."
"I'm-I'm just relaxed.
Everything is all good."
- But this one right here...
- Mm.
- She's like, "I'm feeling myself."
- Uh-huh.
"I'm ready to hit the
club, get my groove on."
"See what's going on out there."
Looks like you haven't
worn that one in a while.
Yeah, you right. Give it to
Miss Bruce for a makeover.
And, uh, what about this one?
- Scare the hell out of a bitch.
- I can tell.
Come on, who coming
for you wearing this?
- Not I.
- Not one person.
Little bouncy.
Y'all know we got to be on
point for this meeting, right?
- Yeah, we know.
- Do you?
I mean, when is the last time you
had to impress a label head?
This is an out-of-date
conversation,
because labels are old-school.
That's not what people care
about anymore; it's about views
and uploads and likes
on the Internet.
- The music game is changing.
- It ain't changing that quick.
You still got to play the game.
Ayanna Floyd ain't no joke, so
just follow my lead in there.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Carlotta, how's it feel being
on the other side of things now?
Feels good.
♪ Give me all the chicken
heads from Pasadena ♪
♪ To Medina, bet Big
get in between ya ♪
- ♪ Then peep the prognosis
♪ - ♪ That's right ♪
♪ Doses, blends and
bends like Twizzlers ♪
♪ Biggie's fitting to hurt
what's under that skirt ♪
♪ Slow down, son,
you're killin' 'em ♪
♪ Who fillin' 'em with octane... ♪
I don't give a damn.
You're my lawyer.
That's what I pay you for.
Fix it or you're fired.
♪ Guy in 850i ♪
♪ Smoke tint, rap terror,
four chrome Anteras ♪
- ♪ I like that ♪ - ♪ Two
fives by the livers ♪
♪ The fifth's inconspicuous,
Bad Boy slipped in '95? ♪
- ♪ Ridiculous ♪ -
♪ That's right ♪
♪ My rap rhymes is
like land mines ♪
♪ One step, kaboom, black
suits fill the room... ♪
- Go.
- Earvin left word this morning.
- He said it was urgent.
- Do you have my latte?
What kind of question is that?
Skinny, easy foam.
What's on tap today?
Well, the marketing team,
they want to sit down
and talk about strategy. I
told them not to come up
with those trash-ass PowerPoint
presentations anymore.
Saw the mock-up. They don't
grasp the direction of Midtown.
- Arrange a meeting.
- Will do.
- What's next?
- Carlotta Brown has been in your office
for about 30 minutes.
She's with Big Trouble.
- Listen, I ain't trying to be petty...
- Then don't.
I don't understand how the winners of
Atlanta's NextFest fit into our pedigree.
It's not for you to understand.
- Are we clear?
- As vodka.
That exit never gets old.
So, what do you think?
You won a talent show.
And although your sound is
decent, it's not distinct.
Excuse me?
Crane, your father came
out of the gate swinging.
I can name every song
on his debut album.
- You don't have that, sweetheart.
- That's because
he whored himself out
and licensed every cut.
No, it's because his
album was curated
on the pureness of his sound.
Well, have you listened
to all the music?
I've heard all of their music.
Their lyrics are uninspired.
I'm not saying that
every track has to be
Winehouse, Joplin, or Mary J,
but until the lyrical pool
they're swimming in is deeper,
that's my thought.
I know you just got here, but
we been here for five months
and we have nothing to show for it.
That's my thoughts.
We have an expiration date.
I know that.
If we don't get our studio
time in, we're done.
We're not just gonna
let you do that.
You're very low on my
list of priorities.
So we may or may not be here?
They need an image rebranding,
and that Rachel Dolezal
look's got to go.
- Really?
- Yeah, really. Simone,
your unique shape needs to
be handled more delicately.
- Carlotta?
- I'm speaking.
We need to make sure that
you're not accentuating
what you don't have.
Alex, you're a bit
of an ice queen.
Image is everything, especially
when I can go out on YouTube
and get the next Ed
Sheeran, so warm it up.
Look, you and I can
discuss the image later.
- Where does that leave us for now?
- On my label.
And the last I checked,
being on any label
as a talent show
winner is a good look.
So it's not nothing.
For now.
Thanks for coming in.
I heard you this morning
on the phone with Elliot.
Thought y'all were done.
He found out the terms
of my probation
- and offered me a job.
- So he done got you locked up
for stealing and then
gonna offer you a job?
I don't even know how the hell
I'm supposed to trust him.
It's a setup.
Bitch, don't do it.
Unless you want him back.
Quit slamming doors in here.
This is a business.
Put them dirty towels
in this trash bag.
Alexandra, clean the sinks out.
- Where's Carlotta?
- At the label,
trying to make the new
president like us.
Or not hate every song
I've ever written.
- What you buying now?
- None of your business.
That's not gonna make you
feel better about us.
It might.
Bruce, she really tore us apart.
She said I looked
like Rachel Dolezal.
- Who is that?
- The point is, Bruce,
this lady is vicious
and she don't like us.
And she can end us
any time she wants.
Carlotta your manager, right?
Let her manage.
That's your problem... you want
to control every damn thing.
It don't matter who's
managing me, Bruce.
I'm not gonna stop
looking out for myself.
Ayanna said she can go
online and find new artists.
There are bomb-ass singers popping
up everywhere, every day.
So what if she finds us?
What do you mean, find us?
We been at that label,
what, five months?
They're not gonna get
us with any producers.
They're not gonna
shoot a video for us.
We got our own songs. Why
don't we shoot our own?
We don't have money
for a music video.
We know a couple dudes in
Atlanta we can finesse
to bring out their cameras
and shoot something.
Did you not hear her say
she didn't like my music?
I'm telling you, if we take
that song and we shoot
a little 2000s cheap video,
people will watch it.
It's not just one thing this
lady doesn't like about us.
She has a whole list.
What else she say?
She said that I'm cold.
You is.
And that we need a new look.
You do.
Look, if y'all trying to
get this lady attention,
you need to switch it up.
Nah. I'm good.
Ornery ass. Sit down.
What?
I'm about to teach you
how to slay this bitch.
Oh, God.
Ain't nothing wrong
with wigs and weaves.
- Girl, I got to see this.
- We got scissors.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
What are you doing?
Girl, turn around. Ain't
nobody finna cut your hair.
Cut it! Make it look like yours.
You better shut up.
Let's talk about family.
My moms said she's
supposed to come at 1:00.
I don't even know why I
believe her lying ass.
Because she's your mom.
Or maybe it's because
she never wanted
you to begin with.
- What?
- Sit down, Dee!
Dee. Now.
Now.
Switch places with her. Go on.
All right, let's try this again.
_
Anyone else want to share?
What about Superstar?
You don't never talk.
Simone can speak
whenever she's ready.
Nah, Superstar ain't
got no problems.
Except for all that cracne.
And-and she got a white
sister named Star.
"Star"?
Yo, Dee, chill, yo.
- What?
- Chill out.
Oh, what? What,
that's your girl now?
- No, I'm just saying, like...
- What? What is you saying?
You're doing a lot right
now, and it's not necessary.
No, what's not necessary
is you calling me out.
- Dee, why would I call you out?
- Dee. Dee!
- What you saying?
- I don't know. You're switching up on me.
- I'm not switching sides.
- Nah, bitch. St-Stand up, ho.
Code green to multipurpose!
Code green to multipurpose, now!
- What's really...
- Now! Code green!
That's what I want to do, bitch!
Who you loyal to?!
- Get the hell off me, Dee!
- I thought you had my back!
Hey, hey, hey!
Get off her! Get off her!
Come on, get off her!
Get off! Get her out of here!
Just get out. Now.
Thanks, for standing up for me.
- What?
- I know you and Dee are friends.
I'm just saying, it was
real nice, what you did.
That's my friend, a'ight?
I just didn't feel like
seeing your punk ass cry.
Get out of here with
your perfect-ass life.
You nervous? You look nervous.
Yes, I would like to see.
It's cute.
Oh, my God.
I mean, how many more
of these can you make?
Mm-hmm. Told ya. Now you're
about to drag that record lady
to the floor with this one.
And what you got to say?
I look different.
But I ain't no different.
Carlotta might know labels, but
I know how to get attention.
That's what we're about
to do with these.
Well, I'm about
to go show Derek.
- Thanks, Miss Bruce.
- Mm-hmm.
The hell you do with this?
- Girl, wrap it, honey.
- It's so flat.
Wrap it that way, fool.
Hey.
Hey. Come look at this.
A man goes to work
and finds a noose
resting on his desk.
Like, people don't even
want to be subtle no more.
Wow.
You look sexy.
You cut your hair.
No, I didn't.
It's a wig.
I just wanted to try
something different, and...
that new head at the label
went in on my music.
She said it was ordinary.
Sounded just like my dad.
Oh.
Come here.
One thing you're not...
is ordinary.
- Let-let me touch... this.
- No. No. Do not... touch my hair.
♪ ♪
All right, we got
to move, like, now.
- What's the hold up?
- I'm sorry.
- Uh, Simone. Hurry up.
- Simone.
Is this shirt too tight?
Does my stomach look okay?
Girl, you're serving.
Come on, you got it. Trust me.
Lord, bless her heart.
- You look cute.
- You three up front.
Dancers in the back. I'll
be moving this camera.
- You look right at me.
- Okay, are you gonna be able to
get it all shot and edited today?
That's all we care about.
In enough time for me to take
your fine ass out tonight.
Yeah. We'll talk about
it if you get it done.
For real? All right, people, we're
burning daylight. Let's go!
Gross, bitch.
♪
♪ I'm not the type
to sit and cry ♪
♪ In a psychiatrist chair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not the one to
take your charity ♪
♪ 'Cause life isn't fair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not a silly, silly girl ♪
♪ That you can whisk
around the world ♪
♪ With your money ♪
♪ Cash, nope, got it ♪
♪ Blue cheese, yeah, so ♪
♪ And if you think
you'll get a piece ♪
♪ Boy, please ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You may think you know me ♪
♪ But you don't ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't into making friends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't your cutty buddy ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Now this ain't
Netflix and chill ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Hey, you got it
twisted for real ♪
♪ I'm not your
ordinary bad girl ♪
♪ With the blonde curly hair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ I'm not that
chick over there ♪
♪ That chick over there,
that thot over there ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm too hood for
these bougie people ♪
♪ You can't take me nowhere ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't into making friends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I'm not your cutty buddy ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ And I ain't here
to take your ends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ And I ain't gonna
tell you again ♪
♪ So if ya gonna
speak, talk nice ♪
♪ Think I won't leave,
think twice, yo ♪
♪ But if you wanna
come true with it ♪
♪ Then we can do
what it do with it ♪
♪ So if you gonna
speak, talk nice ♪
♪ Think I won't leave,
think twice, yo ♪
- ♪ But if you wanna come
true with it ♪ - ♪ No, no ♪
♪ Then we can do
what it do with it ♪
♪ I'm not the type
to sit and cry ♪
♪ In a psychiatrist chair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ Ah... ♪
♪ I'm not the one to
take your charity ♪
♪ 'Cause life isn't fair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not a silly, silly girl ♪
♪ That you can whisk
around the world ♪
♪ With your money ♪
She actually is rich.
- Okay, so...
- Well, what you think?
So you gonna post it on
your website or not?
Can't you post it yourself?
Why do you think we
brought you here?
What, we have to
kiss her ass, too?
- Look, Rachel.
- This is so stupid.
You know nothing in
Atlanta gets buzz
without its biggest
social media queen,
- which is you.
- I try.
So you gonna post
it on your site?
♪ ♪
Tell you what.
Kiss from little mama and
you got yourself a deal.
- I'm sorry. A kiss?
- Who...?
I didn't stutter.
That's all you want?
You just want a kiss
and you'll post the video?
Okay. Come here.
Not you.
Her.
Me?
Simone.
Congratulations, ladies.
Y'all are about to
break the Internet.
Oh!
♪ ♪
This is good. You make it?
Yeah. I've been working
on it for a while.
No, I'm talking about
the rice and beans.
But the beats are dope, too.
Trying to be like you, man.
Even though Pop
thinks I'm no good.
Well, that's because he
thinks you're like me.
So you gonna tell me what's
up with you or what?
- Why'd you leave Atlanta?
- Oh, come on, nephew.
Things happen, man.
It's all good now, though.
Come on, man.
Tío... you don't
got to lie to me.
All right.
I got into some
trouble in Atlanta.
I left town because I thought
I was gonna be framed up
for a couple of murders, but...
the cops made an arrest.
So you're clear to go back.
I'm clear with the cops, but...
I double-crossed
the devil's wife.
That's why I'm here. I
came to get my money,
see if I could try to...
convince her to squash our beef.
I guess I got to figure
something else out now.
Take me with you.
Come on, man.
I'm trying to get my music
out in the A, anyway.
- It's a perfect...
- Hey, hey.
Atlanta ain't no place for you.
Play me that beat again.
And make me a copy so I can
take it on the road with me.
All right?
Yeah, I got you.
Good.
- How much longer?
- Um...
She's still in a meeting.
That's what you
told me a hour ago.
- Yeah.
- Carlotta.
This new stylist done
left relaxer on too long.
- You got to get down here.
- I can't right now, Bruce.
I'm still at the label trying
to fix things with these girls.
Eh, you talking about some girl...
Carlotta.
Seriously, I'm two seconds
from pulling my switchblade
out on this ho. You
need to get down here.
Bruce, handle it.
Okay, when this ho sue your ass
from here to kingdom come,
- I'm not going to court with you.
- All right, fine. I'm on my way.
Damn.
I know you've been
a loyal customer.
And I tell you
what, here you go.
Six free visits.
Will that work for you?
Okay.
All the best.
Thank you, Grace.
You take good care.
I hope this wedding works.
Three is the charm, Grace.
- Six free visits?
- Mama, we can't afford that.
Don't y'all know Grace is crazy
enough to actually sue us?
I ain't got time to be
caught up with that.
I'm trying to figure out what's
going on with these girls
and these label changes. I
mean, we need to keep up...
Where y'all been?
We shot a music video and
had Rachel Wells upload it.
Why would you pull
a stunt like that?
You know Ayanna already
don't like y'all.
I just dodged one lawsuit, they
walk me right into another one.
You know she'll sue us for
everything we got, right?
- Ain't much.
- Okay.
Yeah, we need to hear her out.
You make a point.
Yo, let her come for us. Who cares? At
least she's paying attention to us.
What's wrong with you, Star?
Why wouldn't you run
this past me first?
- Take the video down.
- No.
We're not taking the video down
till we know she's seen it.
No, that's what you
don't want, is for her
to see the video. Take it down.
We fought our way
into that label,
so we're gonna have
to keep fighting.
If Jahil was here right now,
he'd be in Ayanna's
face, not mine.
You're really trying
me right now.
I'm not. No, I'm not
trying you, Carlotta.
I'm doing what I got
to do, like always.
Got to say, you are persistent.
Because I want you on my label.
And what other label
is going to sign you
after you were arrested
for beating up the exec
at your last one?
Man, that dude tried it.
People get shot for way less.
We can argue the First
Amendment later.
You are a hothead and you
run with a hothead crew.
Now your friends may
think you're still it,
but no other label's
gonna sign you but mine.
We're in talks with
Empire right now.
I talked to Cookie.
That's a lie.
Now we can sit here and
admire the high life
you're representing
on the Gram, or...
we can admit that you're
not making enough.
Midtown is your last stop.
So what's the deal?
Mmm.
Are you still nursing that?
I'm having a very splashy
showcase in three months.
Leading up to that,
I'm going to have a
very public competition
amongst the label's
best artists.
Five of those will be
picked for the spotlight.
But only one will be
able to drop an album.
So, what's that got
to do with me?
Crickety-ass door.
How you gonna only
put out one album?
That don't even make any sense.
Your assistant let me in, by the way.
He's mad cool.
You changed your hair.
It's a good look on you.
Thank you.
I was just telling
Noah that I'm looking
for one new artist who is going
to let the industry know
that Midtown Sound is back.
If you want to bring your label
back, maybe you should go online
and check out the
video we put up.
I did. I took it down.
You are artists on my label.
When you go releasing
what is the equivalent
of video mix tapes, it
bifurcates the focus
- from Midtown.
- I'm sorry. I only understood, like,
three of the words
you just said.
All right, sweetie,
- well, then let me educate you.
- Please.
The industry has a long history
of artists trying to
usurp their label.
You'll always end up
on the short end.
Okay.
So your plan is to
have all the artists
participate in a
musical Hunger Games?
It's not what I want. It's
what the public wants.
Makes them feel that
they're a part of Midtown.
Your group released property
of this label without
my written consent.
As a result,
you won't be competing for
a spot in the showcase.
Okay.
So where does that
put me and my group?
You're parked.
Indefinitely.
Welcome to the
Hunger Games, baby.
So we're stalled until
our contract expires?
I thought Atlanta NextFest would
have us leap-frog all this crap.
I think the video
might have backfired.
Backfired?
We got bitch-slapped
to square one.
I wouldn't disagree with that,
but if you were there,
you would've seen it.
There's something in her eyes
that said she really loves us.
Yeah, and so did the
other 10.000 people
that viewed that video
before she took it down.
That doesn't mean we have
an album release date.
But it does.
Star, make sense.
We got under her skin.
That's all that matters.
She can deny anything she wants,
but she cannot deny talent.
And we have it, she knows it,
and she can't control it.
That freaks her out. She's
gonna put all of the money
from the label behind one album,
and it's going to be ours.
Look, if she doesn't drop us,
she's gonna ride out the terms.
- And then do what?
- Whatever the hell she wants.
Like, she can have us doing
scratch tracks, backup.
Do you want to do backup?
So we keep grinding.
That's what we do.
We've been on the grind,
and where has that gotten us?
'Cause we still don't
have a drop date.
Every time we take one step
forward, we take 30 steps back.
Yeah, and we keep trying
to prove ourselves over and
over and over again, Star!
This is the hustle
that we chose!
We could be doing a lot worse.
Yo, we are in this. I'm
not about to tap out.
Fine, okay. Then we need to talk
to Miss Carlotta and come up
with some sort of game
plan to fix all this mess.
I'm-a just say it.
Maybe Carlotta's part of it.
A part of what?
Maybe she's not the one to
get us all the way there.
I love Miss Carlotta. We all do.
She's family.
But for this group,
for what we want and
what we need right now,
maybe we got to have somebody
with the same hustle we got,
who thinks outside the box.
She might be too old school.
We're not firing Carlotta.
Period.
Miss Carlotta's family.
We got to do whatever
it takes, right?
You're ruthless.
I done told you to keep
your drugs out of my house.
I'm out of the house, am I not?
And the Molly?
Who Molly?
I don't know no Molly.
But I did hear you were
dealing with a real Becky.
- Ayanna Floyd?
- Ugh.
I'm ready to go up in her mouth.
She getting on my nerves.
And the girls think they
know better than me.
You juggling too much.
You need to focus on the
girls and the girls alone.
- Let me handle the salon.
- You might be right.
You up to it?
Up to it?
I'll add some Caucasians and
Asians in this equation.
That's where your real
coin gonna come from.
See, don't get
ahead of yourself.
Is that a yes?
That's a "run things by me first
before you turn my salon
into bougie central."
Mm-mm. Bad and bougie central.
Hi. Yeah, it's Alexandra Crane.
I know you're closing, but
can you keep the store open?
Of course, Miss Crane.
You're a VIP customer.
Okay, great.
Yeah, I'll be there
in ten minutes.
Bye.
♪ ♪
- The hell?
- Welcome back to Atlanta.
Hey.
Look, I know you may think
you're alone, but you're not.
You know, whatever
we got to deal with
with Ayanna and Midtown,
we gonna do it together.
Something else going on?
What's up?
Me and the girls been talking.
We feel like our
music is kind of in
this crossroads spot where
it's either gonna pop off
- or flatline.
- Say what's on your mind, Star.
So we were thinking...
I was thinking...
we might need a change.
What kind of change?
Like... management.
You gonna say something?
Nah, I'm straight.
You just keep talking.
Carlotta, this is
not easy for me.
No? What's hard for you, Star?
Is it hard for you 'cause maybe
you're feeling some type of way
'cause you know it's wrong?
And who's supposed to
manage the group? You?
- Listen, if I could...
- Just, no, no, no, you listen.
You think going it alone in
the world makes you unique.
It don't.
You sleep with the
president of the label.
Then you drop a video without
talking to me first,
and who's there to
clean up your mess?
Me.
So, this how you
want to play this?
'Cause I'm not the
problem here, Star.
You are.
You create your own drama.
You not unique.
You selfish.
- ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ - ♪ Hey ♪
♪ I done kept it
real from the jump ♪
- ♪ Kick, kick, kick,
ooh ♪ - ♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Pull up the fan, see me
then see a hell of a man ♪
Miss Crane? Miss Crane.
Thanks for keeping the
store open for me.
It's a rule for all VIP
customers, Miss Crane.
Thank you.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Come help, please!
Somebody, please!
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Somebody, please.
♪ Ooh... ♪
Hello.
So do I get my own parking spot?
We can talk about
that on Monday.
9:00 a.m.?
♪ Been such a long, long time... ♪
But this is just business.
Okay, okay, okay.
Stop complaining now.
Maggie could've had you killed.
She knew that dropping
the dime on Leonard
for killing Hunter and Eva would
probably smoke my ass out.
She never got over me letting
those girls free from that man.
I-I'm sorry.
But I didn't have
no money for her.
I paid her with the
only thing I had.
I think what happened
with Hunter and Eva
is enough punishment.
♪ Turns the flicker
to a flame... ♪
Maggie's never gonna know
that you helped me, Lottie.
Never.
- Is there enough blood?
- Yeah, it's enough blood.
I can't believe you
got me in this mess.
When I said good-bye
to you that night...
I thought I was never
gonna see you again.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Take off the gloves.
♪ Listen to me good, baby... ♪
Take care of it, all right?
- Keys.
- No, no, no.
Give it to her.
- Cotton?
- Yeah.
- Where you going?
- Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.
But somewhere far from here.
♪ Baby... ♪
You ain't coming back, are you?
Not if I want to stay alive.
♪ Heaven knows I tried... ♪
I got to clean up.
You know, Lottie...
- ♪ Ah ♪ - ♪ Baby... ♪
if you didn't come tonight, if you,
if you didn't know what to do...
♪ I'm glad we're through... ♪
I probably would've
just let him take me.
♪ Deep in my heart, I
know I've lied... ♪
Thank you.
♪ I've lied ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Just the thought of you ♪
♪ Misty blue... ♪
I got to go.
♪ Oh, honey ♪
♪ It's been such a
long, long time ♪
♪ Looks like I'd get you
off of my mind... ♪
- What's up with the girls?
- They dumped me.
Oh, that Star ain't never gonna change.
I'll tell you that right now.
And I ain't have no
paperwork on them.
I thought my word was cool.
Maybe I've been out
of the game too long
to know what the hell
the new rules are.
This is the music business;
there ain't no damn rules.
If that's what you're looking
for, go make your own.
This new label president, she's
trying to push them aside.
I argue with her, but she
ain't trying to hear me.
Stop arguing, just...
give her something
that she needs.
Yo.
You show up on my doorstep
half dead giving me advice.
Hey, I could show up at your
doorstep all the way dead,
I'd still try to
give you advice.
No, I don't play
that ghost stuff.
You ain't gonna have
my hands in no clay.
You ain't no Patrick Swayze.
- Ow, ow.
- Careful, careful.
Hey.
Can you, uh, put that
on loop right quick?
- Copy that.
- Get some of these lines.
- That good?
- Yeah, that's good.
Yo. Looks like you decided to sign.
Congrats.
I need the booth.
Can you get out?
What are you doing?
Oh, does this, does this
talk-back button not work?
Does this talk-back
button not work?!
Get out the booth! I need it!
- Look.
- Now!
Can you turn the
music up, please?
- Thank you.
- Do not...
- Copy that.
- You know what?
Say I won't!
- This bitch is crazy. I'm out of here.
- Hold on.
- Get out the booth!
- Okay, okay, okay.
Sh...
All right.
Come on, let's go.
Let's get out of here.
Where are you going?
Home.
What am I supposed to do, record
myself running back and forth?
Figure it out. It's
track number three.
And FYI, all these buttons work.
Another glass of champagne?
Only if you join me.
Come on.
Aren't you basically off anyway?
You've got a point.
- To a great night of shopping.
- Yes.
Let me get these wrapped up
and get you out of here.
Okay.
What did I do with
that bracelet?
Is everything okay?
Nothing. It must be
on the other tray.
Probably the bubbly.
Really?
Andy, you're fired!
You're cute.
Oh, and, technically, HR
would have to fire me,
and they're closed right now.
And besides, they love me.
So, thanks again.
See you tomorrow.
Oh. And, uh, Carlotta
Brown's here to see you.
I assume you heard your
girls have been parked
since they released their video.
I did my homework on you.
You the black sheep
of the family.
This is your last stop.
And if this doesn't work,
what you got left?
Small trust fund and a
mean shoe collection?
Do I need to call security?
I am security.
I'm security for those girls.
And if you take your head
out your ass for a minute,
you'll see that I'm
security for you, too.
You want to prove you belong at the
head of the Floyd family table?
Put my girls back
in the showcase.
Be the first to break
a hot girl group.
Don't let God-given
talent pass you by
just 'cause you got your perfect
surgically-enhanced nose bent.
It was a bad doctor.
Put the music video back up.
If we don't get 100.000
views in five days,
then we walk, empty-handed.
But if we do, you put
us back in the mix.
- We're not firing Carlotta.
- You're ruthless.
You won't be competing for
a spot in the showcase.
You not unique. You selfish.
- Move.
- Will you leave me alone?
Look, I'm trying to help you.
Whatever you got inside you
right now, let's put it down.
Don't lose it.
- I got you.
- What, you gonna record my vocals?
Yes, I'm gonna
record your vocals.
Come on. Get in there. Star.
You're a weird-ass dude.
What track is it?
Three.
I'm ready when you are.
Give me a minute.
Can we cut the lights
down or something?
It's super bright.
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Don't be scared to
spread your wings ♪
♪ And fly ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ You'll never fly
again if you ♪
♪ Don't try ♪
♪ Just don't be afraid ♪
♪ Of what the world
has done to you ♪
♪ Just know you're
strong enough ♪
♪ To make it through ♪
♪ Make it through ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Letting go of pain
is just a start ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Let it go and you
can go so far ♪
♪ There will be times ♪
♪ When you feel alone ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ But I'll be right here ♪
♪ Right here with you ♪
♪ All along ♪
♪ All along, oh... ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Everything will be ♪
♪ Just fine ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ I believe you can touch ♪
♪ The sky. ♪
y'all saw Star.
I just went up in that board
meeting and got fired.
They got a new head coming in,
and she's a bad bitch.
Yeah, I got to see my probation
officer once a week.
And then I got to pay back
Elliot the 20 stacks I stole.
Carlotta Brown,
meet Ayanna Floyd,
the president of y'all label.
My girls have been working
really hard since...
Set up an appointment
with my assistant.
- I like your shoes, baby.
- Come up off 'em.
- I ain't giving y'all nothing.
- Yes, you is.
Hey, doll. It's Arlene.
They know about those
girls you set free.
They're coming for you.
It's a great day in Miami.
Partly cloudy with low humidity.
What a great day...
_
_
_
_
_
Come on, brother.
_
And you know what, I'm betting
that maybe you had it
smuggled here from Peru when
you set up shop here in Miami.
So here's what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna give you
three seconds to
tell me where it is
before I paint these walls
with the inside of your head.
Where's my damn money?
Stop!
What's up, nephew?
You're supposed to be dead.
That's what I wanted
people to think.
- Now I need my money.
- Then you're gonna have to
kill me then, 'cause that
money is gone, Jahil.
I'm not leaving here
empty-handed, Javier.
You want to take something?! Take
your freaking nephew then, huh?!
'Cause he's doing nothing but
taking up space aquí anyway.
Hell of a reunion.
♪ I bring me ♪
♪ Get mine, 'bout
mine, go hard ♪
♪ Looking for another like me ♪
- ♪ Boy, stop ♪ - ♪ I bring me ♪
♪ Whose love is the tightest?
Whose kiss is the nicest? ♪
♪ Me ♪
♪ Whose touch is the rightest? ♪
♪ I bring me ♪
♪ I bring, I bring me. ♪
- Carlotta.
- Yeah?
Where you at?
I'm here.
We never get to come in here.
It's cool.
It's like Lord of
the Wigs in here.
Shut up.
See, that's why this
room is off limits.
Miss C, what is you
and Miss Bruce's
obsession with wigs all about?
It's not a wig obsession.
It's a attitude.
A lifestyle.
- Okay.
- See, this girl right here,
she's telling you, "I'm mellow."
"I'm-I'm just relaxed.
Everything is all good."
- But this one right here...
- Mm.
- She's like, "I'm feeling myself."
- Uh-huh.
"I'm ready to hit the
club, get my groove on."
"See what's going on out there."
Looks like you haven't
worn that one in a while.
Yeah, you right. Give it to
Miss Bruce for a makeover.
And, uh, what about this one?
- Scare the hell out of a bitch.
- I can tell.
Come on, who coming
for you wearing this?
- Not I.
- Not one person.
Little bouncy.
Y'all know we got to be on
point for this meeting, right?
- Yeah, we know.
- Do you?
I mean, when is the last time you
had to impress a label head?
This is an out-of-date
conversation,
because labels are old-school.
That's not what people care
about anymore; it's about views
and uploads and likes
on the Internet.
- The music game is changing.
- It ain't changing that quick.
You still got to play the game.
Ayanna Floyd ain't no joke, so
just follow my lead in there.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Carlotta, how's it feel being
on the other side of things now?
Feels good.
♪ Give me all the chicken
heads from Pasadena ♪
♪ To Medina, bet Big
get in between ya ♪
- ♪ Then peep the prognosis
♪ - ♪ That's right ♪
♪ Doses, blends and
bends like Twizzlers ♪
♪ Biggie's fitting to hurt
what's under that skirt ♪
♪ Slow down, son,
you're killin' 'em ♪
♪ Who fillin' 'em with octane... ♪
I don't give a damn.
You're my lawyer.
That's what I pay you for.
Fix it or you're fired.
♪ Guy in 850i ♪
♪ Smoke tint, rap terror,
four chrome Anteras ♪
- ♪ I like that ♪ - ♪ Two
fives by the livers ♪
♪ The fifth's inconspicuous,
Bad Boy slipped in '95? ♪
- ♪ Ridiculous ♪ -
♪ That's right ♪
♪ My rap rhymes is
like land mines ♪
♪ One step, kaboom, black
suits fill the room... ♪
- Go.
- Earvin left word this morning.
- He said it was urgent.
- Do you have my latte?
What kind of question is that?
Skinny, easy foam.
What's on tap today?
Well, the marketing team,
they want to sit down
and talk about strategy. I
told them not to come up
with those trash-ass PowerPoint
presentations anymore.
Saw the mock-up. They don't
grasp the direction of Midtown.
- Arrange a meeting.
- Will do.
- What's next?
- Carlotta Brown has been in your office
for about 30 minutes.
She's with Big Trouble.
- Listen, I ain't trying to be petty...
- Then don't.
I don't understand how the winners of
Atlanta's NextFest fit into our pedigree.
It's not for you to understand.
- Are we clear?
- As vodka.
That exit never gets old.
So, what do you think?
You won a talent show.
And although your sound is
decent, it's not distinct.
Excuse me?
Crane, your father came
out of the gate swinging.
I can name every song
on his debut album.
- You don't have that, sweetheart.
- That's because
he whored himself out
and licensed every cut.
No, it's because his
album was curated
on the pureness of his sound.
Well, have you listened
to all the music?
I've heard all of their music.
Their lyrics are uninspired.
I'm not saying that
every track has to be
Winehouse, Joplin, or Mary J,
but until the lyrical pool
they're swimming in is deeper,
that's my thought.
I know you just got here, but
we been here for five months
and we have nothing to show for it.
That's my thoughts.
We have an expiration date.
I know that.
If we don't get our studio
time in, we're done.
We're not just gonna
let you do that.
You're very low on my
list of priorities.
So we may or may not be here?
They need an image rebranding,
and that Rachel Dolezal
look's got to go.
- Really?
- Yeah, really. Simone,
your unique shape needs to
be handled more delicately.
- Carlotta?
- I'm speaking.
We need to make sure that
you're not accentuating
what you don't have.
Alex, you're a bit
of an ice queen.
Image is everything, especially
when I can go out on YouTube
and get the next Ed
Sheeran, so warm it up.
Look, you and I can
discuss the image later.
- Where does that leave us for now?
- On my label.
And the last I checked,
being on any label
as a talent show
winner is a good look.
So it's not nothing.
For now.
Thanks for coming in.
I heard you this morning
on the phone with Elliot.
Thought y'all were done.
He found out the terms
of my probation
- and offered me a job.
- So he done got you locked up
for stealing and then
gonna offer you a job?
I don't even know how the hell
I'm supposed to trust him.
It's a setup.
Bitch, don't do it.
Unless you want him back.
Quit slamming doors in here.
This is a business.
Put them dirty towels
in this trash bag.
Alexandra, clean the sinks out.
- Where's Carlotta?
- At the label,
trying to make the new
president like us.
Or not hate every song
I've ever written.
- What you buying now?
- None of your business.
That's not gonna make you
feel better about us.
It might.
Bruce, she really tore us apart.
She said I looked
like Rachel Dolezal.
- Who is that?
- The point is, Bruce,
this lady is vicious
and she don't like us.
And she can end us
any time she wants.
Carlotta your manager, right?
Let her manage.
That's your problem... you want
to control every damn thing.
It don't matter who's
managing me, Bruce.
I'm not gonna stop
looking out for myself.
Ayanna said she can go
online and find new artists.
There are bomb-ass singers popping
up everywhere, every day.
So what if she finds us?
What do you mean, find us?
We been at that label,
what, five months?
They're not gonna get
us with any producers.
They're not gonna
shoot a video for us.
We got our own songs. Why
don't we shoot our own?
We don't have money
for a music video.
We know a couple dudes in
Atlanta we can finesse
to bring out their cameras
and shoot something.
Did you not hear her say
she didn't like my music?
I'm telling you, if we take
that song and we shoot
a little 2000s cheap video,
people will watch it.
It's not just one thing this
lady doesn't like about us.
She has a whole list.
What else she say?
She said that I'm cold.
You is.
And that we need a new look.
You do.
Look, if y'all trying to
get this lady attention,
you need to switch it up.
Nah. I'm good.
Ornery ass. Sit down.
What?
I'm about to teach you
how to slay this bitch.
Oh, God.
Ain't nothing wrong
with wigs and weaves.
- Girl, I got to see this.
- We got scissors.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
What are you doing?
Girl, turn around. Ain't
nobody finna cut your hair.
Cut it! Make it look like yours.
You better shut up.
Let's talk about family.
My moms said she's
supposed to come at 1:00.
I don't even know why I
believe her lying ass.
Because she's your mom.
Or maybe it's because
she never wanted
you to begin with.
- What?
- Sit down, Dee!
Dee. Now.
Now.
Switch places with her. Go on.
All right, let's try this again.
_
Anyone else want to share?
What about Superstar?
You don't never talk.
Simone can speak
whenever she's ready.
Nah, Superstar ain't
got no problems.
Except for all that cracne.
And-and she got a white
sister named Star.
"Star"?
Yo, Dee, chill, yo.
- What?
- Chill out.
Oh, what? What,
that's your girl now?
- No, I'm just saying, like...
- What? What is you saying?
You're doing a lot right
now, and it's not necessary.
No, what's not necessary
is you calling me out.
- Dee, why would I call you out?
- Dee. Dee!
- What you saying?
- I don't know. You're switching up on me.
- I'm not switching sides.
- Nah, bitch. St-Stand up, ho.
Code green to multipurpose!
Code green to multipurpose, now!
- What's really...
- Now! Code green!
That's what I want to do, bitch!
Who you loyal to?!
- Get the hell off me, Dee!
- I thought you had my back!
Hey, hey, hey!
Get off her! Get off her!
Come on, get off her!
Get off! Get her out of here!
Just get out. Now.
Thanks, for standing up for me.
- What?
- I know you and Dee are friends.
I'm just saying, it was
real nice, what you did.
That's my friend, a'ight?
I just didn't feel like
seeing your punk ass cry.
Get out of here with
your perfect-ass life.
You nervous? You look nervous.
Yes, I would like to see.
It's cute.
Oh, my God.
I mean, how many more
of these can you make?
Mm-hmm. Told ya. Now you're
about to drag that record lady
to the floor with this one.
And what you got to say?
I look different.
But I ain't no different.
Carlotta might know labels, but
I know how to get attention.
That's what we're about
to do with these.
Well, I'm about
to go show Derek.
- Thanks, Miss Bruce.
- Mm-hmm.
The hell you do with this?
- Girl, wrap it, honey.
- It's so flat.
Wrap it that way, fool.
Hey.
Hey. Come look at this.
A man goes to work
and finds a noose
resting on his desk.
Like, people don't even
want to be subtle no more.
Wow.
You look sexy.
You cut your hair.
No, I didn't.
It's a wig.
I just wanted to try
something different, and...
that new head at the label
went in on my music.
She said it was ordinary.
Sounded just like my dad.
Oh.
Come here.
One thing you're not...
is ordinary.
- Let-let me touch... this.
- No. No. Do not... touch my hair.
♪ ♪
All right, we got
to move, like, now.
- What's the hold up?
- I'm sorry.
- Uh, Simone. Hurry up.
- Simone.
Is this shirt too tight?
Does my stomach look okay?
Girl, you're serving.
Come on, you got it. Trust me.
Lord, bless her heart.
- You look cute.
- You three up front.
Dancers in the back. I'll
be moving this camera.
- You look right at me.
- Okay, are you gonna be able to
get it all shot and edited today?
That's all we care about.
In enough time for me to take
your fine ass out tonight.
Yeah. We'll talk about
it if you get it done.
For real? All right, people, we're
burning daylight. Let's go!
Gross, bitch.
♪
♪ I'm not the type
to sit and cry ♪
♪ In a psychiatrist chair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not the one to
take your charity ♪
♪ 'Cause life isn't fair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not a silly, silly girl ♪
♪ That you can whisk
around the world ♪
♪ With your money ♪
♪ Cash, nope, got it ♪
♪ Blue cheese, yeah, so ♪
♪ And if you think
you'll get a piece ♪
♪ Boy, please ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You may think you know me ♪
♪ But you don't ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't into making friends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't your cutty buddy ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Now this ain't
Netflix and chill ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Hey, you got it
twisted for real ♪
♪ I'm not your
ordinary bad girl ♪
♪ With the blonde curly hair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ I'm not that
chick over there ♪
♪ That chick over there,
that thot over there ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm too hood for
these bougie people ♪
♪ You can't take me nowhere ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I ain't into making friends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ I'm not your cutty buddy ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ And I ain't here
to take your ends ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ And I ain't gonna
tell you again ♪
♪ So if ya gonna
speak, talk nice ♪
♪ Think I won't leave,
think twice, yo ♪
♪ But if you wanna
come true with it ♪
♪ Then we can do
what it do with it ♪
♪ So if you gonna
speak, talk nice ♪
♪ Think I won't leave,
think twice, yo ♪
- ♪ But if you wanna come
true with it ♪ - ♪ No, no ♪
♪ Then we can do
what it do with it ♪
♪ I'm not the type
to sit and cry ♪
♪ In a psychiatrist chair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ Ah... ♪
♪ I'm not the one to
take your charity ♪
♪ 'Cause life isn't fair ♪
♪ You don't know me ♪
♪ You don't know ♪
♪ Baby, you don't know ♪
♪ I'm not a silly, silly girl ♪
♪ That you can whisk
around the world ♪
♪ With your money ♪
She actually is rich.
- Okay, so...
- Well, what you think?
So you gonna post it on
your website or not?
Can't you post it yourself?
Why do you think we
brought you here?
What, we have to
kiss her ass, too?
- Look, Rachel.
- This is so stupid.
You know nothing in
Atlanta gets buzz
without its biggest
social media queen,
- which is you.
- I try.
So you gonna post
it on your site?
♪ ♪
Tell you what.
Kiss from little mama and
you got yourself a deal.
- I'm sorry. A kiss?
- Who...?
I didn't stutter.
That's all you want?
You just want a kiss
and you'll post the video?
Okay. Come here.
Not you.
Her.
Me?
Simone.
Congratulations, ladies.
Y'all are about to
break the Internet.
Oh!
♪ ♪
This is good. You make it?
Yeah. I've been working
on it for a while.
No, I'm talking about
the rice and beans.
But the beats are dope, too.
Trying to be like you, man.
Even though Pop
thinks I'm no good.
Well, that's because he
thinks you're like me.
So you gonna tell me what's
up with you or what?
- Why'd you leave Atlanta?
- Oh, come on, nephew.
Things happen, man.
It's all good now, though.
Come on, man.
Tío... you don't
got to lie to me.
All right.
I got into some
trouble in Atlanta.
I left town because I thought
I was gonna be framed up
for a couple of murders, but...
the cops made an arrest.
So you're clear to go back.
I'm clear with the cops, but...
I double-crossed
the devil's wife.
That's why I'm here. I
came to get my money,
see if I could try to...
convince her to squash our beef.
I guess I got to figure
something else out now.
Take me with you.
Come on, man.
I'm trying to get my music
out in the A, anyway.
- It's a perfect...
- Hey, hey.
Atlanta ain't no place for you.
Play me that beat again.
And make me a copy so I can
take it on the road with me.
All right?
Yeah, I got you.
Good.
- How much longer?
- Um...
She's still in a meeting.
That's what you
told me a hour ago.
- Yeah.
- Carlotta.
This new stylist done
left relaxer on too long.
- You got to get down here.
- I can't right now, Bruce.
I'm still at the label trying
to fix things with these girls.
Eh, you talking about some girl...
Carlotta.
Seriously, I'm two seconds
from pulling my switchblade
out on this ho. You
need to get down here.
Bruce, handle it.
Okay, when this ho sue your ass
from here to kingdom come,
- I'm not going to court with you.
- All right, fine. I'm on my way.
Damn.
I know you've been
a loyal customer.
And I tell you
what, here you go.
Six free visits.
Will that work for you?
Okay.
All the best.
Thank you, Grace.
You take good care.
I hope this wedding works.
Three is the charm, Grace.
- Six free visits?
- Mama, we can't afford that.
Don't y'all know Grace is crazy
enough to actually sue us?
I ain't got time to be
caught up with that.
I'm trying to figure out what's
going on with these girls
and these label changes. I
mean, we need to keep up...
Where y'all been?
We shot a music video and
had Rachel Wells upload it.
Why would you pull
a stunt like that?
You know Ayanna already
don't like y'all.
I just dodged one lawsuit, they
walk me right into another one.
You know she'll sue us for
everything we got, right?
- Ain't much.
- Okay.
Yeah, we need to hear her out.
You make a point.
Yo, let her come for us. Who cares? At
least she's paying attention to us.
What's wrong with you, Star?
Why wouldn't you run
this past me first?
- Take the video down.
- No.
We're not taking the video down
till we know she's seen it.
No, that's what you
don't want, is for her
to see the video. Take it down.
We fought our way
into that label,
so we're gonna have
to keep fighting.
If Jahil was here right now,
he'd be in Ayanna's
face, not mine.
You're really trying
me right now.
I'm not. No, I'm not
trying you, Carlotta.
I'm doing what I got
to do, like always.
Got to say, you are persistent.
Because I want you on my label.
And what other label
is going to sign you
after you were arrested
for beating up the exec
at your last one?
Man, that dude tried it.
People get shot for way less.
We can argue the First
Amendment later.
You are a hothead and you
run with a hothead crew.
Now your friends may
think you're still it,
but no other label's
gonna sign you but mine.
We're in talks with
Empire right now.
I talked to Cookie.
That's a lie.
Now we can sit here and
admire the high life
you're representing
on the Gram, or...
we can admit that you're
not making enough.
Midtown is your last stop.
So what's the deal?
Mmm.
Are you still nursing that?
I'm having a very splashy
showcase in three months.
Leading up to that,
I'm going to have a
very public competition
amongst the label's
best artists.
Five of those will be
picked for the spotlight.
But only one will be
able to drop an album.
So, what's that got
to do with me?
Crickety-ass door.
How you gonna only
put out one album?
That don't even make any sense.
Your assistant let me in, by the way.
He's mad cool.
You changed your hair.
It's a good look on you.
Thank you.
I was just telling
Noah that I'm looking
for one new artist who is going
to let the industry know
that Midtown Sound is back.
If you want to bring your label
back, maybe you should go online
and check out the
video we put up.
I did. I took it down.
You are artists on my label.
When you go releasing
what is the equivalent
of video mix tapes, it
bifurcates the focus
- from Midtown.
- I'm sorry. I only understood, like,
three of the words
you just said.
All right, sweetie,
- well, then let me educate you.
- Please.
The industry has a long history
of artists trying to
usurp their label.
You'll always end up
on the short end.
Okay.
So your plan is to
have all the artists
participate in a
musical Hunger Games?
It's not what I want. It's
what the public wants.
Makes them feel that
they're a part of Midtown.
Your group released property
of this label without
my written consent.
As a result,
you won't be competing for
a spot in the showcase.
Okay.
So where does that
put me and my group?
You're parked.
Indefinitely.
Welcome to the
Hunger Games, baby.
So we're stalled until
our contract expires?
I thought Atlanta NextFest would
have us leap-frog all this crap.
I think the video
might have backfired.
Backfired?
We got bitch-slapped
to square one.
I wouldn't disagree with that,
but if you were there,
you would've seen it.
There's something in her eyes
that said she really loves us.
Yeah, and so did the
other 10.000 people
that viewed that video
before she took it down.
That doesn't mean we have
an album release date.
But it does.
Star, make sense.
We got under her skin.
That's all that matters.
She can deny anything she wants,
but she cannot deny talent.
And we have it, she knows it,
and she can't control it.
That freaks her out. She's
gonna put all of the money
from the label behind one album,
and it's going to be ours.
Look, if she doesn't drop us,
she's gonna ride out the terms.
- And then do what?
- Whatever the hell she wants.
Like, she can have us doing
scratch tracks, backup.
Do you want to do backup?
So we keep grinding.
That's what we do.
We've been on the grind,
and where has that gotten us?
'Cause we still don't
have a drop date.
Every time we take one step
forward, we take 30 steps back.
Yeah, and we keep trying
to prove ourselves over and
over and over again, Star!
This is the hustle
that we chose!
We could be doing a lot worse.
Yo, we are in this. I'm
not about to tap out.
Fine, okay. Then we need to talk
to Miss Carlotta and come up
with some sort of game
plan to fix all this mess.
I'm-a just say it.
Maybe Carlotta's part of it.
A part of what?
Maybe she's not the one to
get us all the way there.
I love Miss Carlotta. We all do.
She's family.
But for this group,
for what we want and
what we need right now,
maybe we got to have somebody
with the same hustle we got,
who thinks outside the box.
She might be too old school.
We're not firing Carlotta.
Period.
Miss Carlotta's family.
We got to do whatever
it takes, right?
You're ruthless.
I done told you to keep
your drugs out of my house.
I'm out of the house, am I not?
And the Molly?
Who Molly?
I don't know no Molly.
But I did hear you were
dealing with a real Becky.
- Ayanna Floyd?
- Ugh.
I'm ready to go up in her mouth.
She getting on my nerves.
And the girls think they
know better than me.
You juggling too much.
You need to focus on the
girls and the girls alone.
- Let me handle the salon.
- You might be right.
You up to it?
Up to it?
I'll add some Caucasians and
Asians in this equation.
That's where your real
coin gonna come from.
See, don't get
ahead of yourself.
Is that a yes?
That's a "run things by me first
before you turn my salon
into bougie central."
Mm-mm. Bad and bougie central.
Hi. Yeah, it's Alexandra Crane.
I know you're closing, but
can you keep the store open?
Of course, Miss Crane.
You're a VIP customer.
Okay, great.
Yeah, I'll be there
in ten minutes.
Bye.
♪ ♪
- The hell?
- Welcome back to Atlanta.
Hey.
Look, I know you may think
you're alone, but you're not.
You know, whatever
we got to deal with
with Ayanna and Midtown,
we gonna do it together.
Something else going on?
What's up?
Me and the girls been talking.
We feel like our
music is kind of in
this crossroads spot where
it's either gonna pop off
- or flatline.
- Say what's on your mind, Star.
So we were thinking...
I was thinking...
we might need a change.
What kind of change?
Like... management.
You gonna say something?
Nah, I'm straight.
You just keep talking.
Carlotta, this is
not easy for me.
No? What's hard for you, Star?
Is it hard for you 'cause maybe
you're feeling some type of way
'cause you know it's wrong?
And who's supposed to
manage the group? You?
- Listen, if I could...
- Just, no, no, no, you listen.
You think going it alone in
the world makes you unique.
It don't.
You sleep with the
president of the label.
Then you drop a video without
talking to me first,
and who's there to
clean up your mess?
Me.
So, this how you
want to play this?
'Cause I'm not the
problem here, Star.
You are.
You create your own drama.
You not unique.
You selfish.
- ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ - ♪ Hey ♪
♪ I done kept it
real from the jump ♪
- ♪ Kick, kick, kick,
ooh ♪ - ♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Pull up the fan, see me
then see a hell of a man ♪
Miss Crane? Miss Crane.
Thanks for keeping the
store open for me.
It's a rule for all VIP
customers, Miss Crane.
Thank you.
♪ ♪
♪ ♪
Come help, please!
Somebody, please!
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Somebody, please.
♪ Ooh... ♪
Hello.
So do I get my own parking spot?
We can talk about
that on Monday.
9:00 a.m.?
♪ Been such a long, long time... ♪
But this is just business.
Okay, okay, okay.
Stop complaining now.
Maggie could've had you killed.
She knew that dropping
the dime on Leonard
for killing Hunter and Eva would
probably smoke my ass out.
She never got over me letting
those girls free from that man.
I-I'm sorry.
But I didn't have
no money for her.
I paid her with the
only thing I had.
I think what happened
with Hunter and Eva
is enough punishment.
♪ Turns the flicker
to a flame... ♪
Maggie's never gonna know
that you helped me, Lottie.
Never.
- Is there enough blood?
- Yeah, it's enough blood.
I can't believe you
got me in this mess.
When I said good-bye
to you that night...
I thought I was never
gonna see you again.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Take off the gloves.
♪ Listen to me good, baby... ♪
Take care of it, all right?
- Keys.
- No, no, no.
Give it to her.
- Cotton?
- Yeah.
- Where you going?
- Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you.
But somewhere far from here.
♪ Baby... ♪
You ain't coming back, are you?
Not if I want to stay alive.
♪ Heaven knows I tried... ♪
I got to clean up.
You know, Lottie...
- ♪ Ah ♪ - ♪ Baby... ♪
if you didn't come tonight, if you,
if you didn't know what to do...
♪ I'm glad we're through... ♪
I probably would've
just let him take me.
♪ Deep in my heart, I
know I've lied... ♪
Thank you.
♪ I've lied ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Just the thought of you ♪
♪ Misty blue... ♪
I got to go.
♪ Oh, honey ♪
♪ It's been such a
long, long time ♪
♪ Looks like I'd get you
off of my mind... ♪
- What's up with the girls?
- They dumped me.
Oh, that Star ain't never gonna change.
I'll tell you that right now.
And I ain't have no
paperwork on them.
I thought my word was cool.
Maybe I've been out
of the game too long
to know what the hell
the new rules are.
This is the music business;
there ain't no damn rules.
If that's what you're looking
for, go make your own.
This new label president, she's
trying to push them aside.
I argue with her, but she
ain't trying to hear me.
Stop arguing, just...
give her something
that she needs.
Yo.
You show up on my doorstep
half dead giving me advice.
Hey, I could show up at your
doorstep all the way dead,
I'd still try to
give you advice.
No, I don't play
that ghost stuff.
You ain't gonna have
my hands in no clay.
You ain't no Patrick Swayze.
- Ow, ow.
- Careful, careful.
Hey.
Can you, uh, put that
on loop right quick?
- Copy that.
- Get some of these lines.
- That good?
- Yeah, that's good.
Yo. Looks like you decided to sign.
Congrats.
I need the booth.
Can you get out?
What are you doing?
Oh, does this, does this
talk-back button not work?
Does this talk-back
button not work?!
Get out the booth! I need it!
- Look.
- Now!
Can you turn the
music up, please?
- Thank you.
- Do not...
- Copy that.
- You know what?
Say I won't!
- This bitch is crazy. I'm out of here.
- Hold on.
- Get out the booth!
- Okay, okay, okay.
Sh...
All right.
Come on, let's go.
Let's get out of here.
Where are you going?
Home.
What am I supposed to do, record
myself running back and forth?
Figure it out. It's
track number three.
And FYI, all these buttons work.
Another glass of champagne?
Only if you join me.
Come on.
Aren't you basically off anyway?
You've got a point.
- To a great night of shopping.
- Yes.
Let me get these wrapped up
and get you out of here.
Okay.
What did I do with
that bracelet?
Is everything okay?
Nothing. It must be
on the other tray.
Probably the bubbly.
Really?
Andy, you're fired!
You're cute.
Oh, and, technically, HR
would have to fire me,
and they're closed right now.
And besides, they love me.
So, thanks again.
See you tomorrow.
Oh. And, uh, Carlotta
Brown's here to see you.
I assume you heard your
girls have been parked
since they released their video.
I did my homework on you.
You the black sheep
of the family.
This is your last stop.
And if this doesn't work,
what you got left?
Small trust fund and a
mean shoe collection?
Do I need to call security?
I am security.
I'm security for those girls.
And if you take your head
out your ass for a minute,
you'll see that I'm
security for you, too.
You want to prove you belong at the
head of the Floyd family table?
Put my girls back
in the showcase.
Be the first to break
a hot girl group.
Don't let God-given
talent pass you by
just 'cause you got your perfect
surgically-enhanced nose bent.
It was a bad doctor.
Put the music video back up.
If we don't get 100.000
views in five days,
then we walk, empty-handed.
But if we do, you put
us back in the mix.
- We're not firing Carlotta.
- You're ruthless.
You won't be competing for
a spot in the showcase.
You not unique. You selfish.
- Move.
- Will you leave me alone?
Look, I'm trying to help you.
Whatever you got inside you
right now, let's put it down.
Don't lose it.
- I got you.
- What, you gonna record my vocals?
Yes, I'm gonna
record your vocals.
Come on. Get in there. Star.
You're a weird-ass dude.
What track is it?
Three.
I'm ready when you are.
Give me a minute.
Can we cut the lights
down or something?
It's super bright.
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Don't be scared to
spread your wings ♪
♪ And fly ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ You'll never fly
again if you ♪
♪ Don't try ♪
♪ Just don't be afraid ♪
♪ Of what the world
has done to you ♪
♪ Just know you're
strong enough ♪
♪ To make it through ♪
♪ Make it through ♪
♪ Oh ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Letting go of pain
is just a start ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Let it go and you
can go so far ♪
♪ There will be times ♪
♪ When you feel alone ♪
♪ Oh, oh ♪
♪ But I'll be right here ♪
♪ Right here with you ♪
♪ All along ♪
♪ All along, oh... ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ Everything will be ♪
♪ Just fine ♪
♪ Little bird ♪
♪ I believe you can touch ♪
♪ The sky. ♪