Swagger (2021–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - Are We Free? - full transcript

Hi, my name is Armond Collins,

and I'm committed to the
University of Southern California.

[inmates chattering]

I'm Tyriq Williams, and I'm taking my
talents to the University of Virginia.

[radio chatter]

[inmates chattering]

My name is R-R-Ramel Evans,

and I'm going to be
p-p-playing for the-the CBA…

in-in Ch-China.

[inmates laughing, chattering]

[exhales deeply]



Hey, what's up? My
name is Deandre Wright.

I may go to the University
of Texas or Georgetown.

[scoffs] Or Indiana State.

I'll let y'all know. [chuckles]

Do you all know who I am?

Do you all know who I am?

Get off of me, man, please!

This ain't right.

[crying] Get off of me!

Let me go! [grunting]

Let me go! Let me
go. Let me go, man.

["Day Ones" playing]

- [ball dribbling]
- [people chattering]

Crys, you good?



I don't even know what
that means anymore.

I feel you.

Last night, Phil, Drew and
Musa made an announcement.

I heard.

They're my henchmen.

You know, y'all are
so stupid, right?

I wouldn't say that, but
we definitely not smart.

[both laugh]

Your post on IG made you famous.

A million views for
calling people out.

Everyone… [sighs] …acts like
what happened to me is a joke.

It isn't.

Never was.

We got this community
service game today.

Something set up through Coach
Ike and Meg's Swagger DMV program.

School doesn't have their
hands on it, so I can play.

If we all don't end up suspended
from Cedar Cove basketball,

today could be our last
time hooping together.

What about the legal stuff?

My mother's spearheading a
letter campaign to the DA.

Gladiator Sneakers got
us a really dope lawyer.

And I'm trying not to be
tight about all of it.

That's good, Jace.

I gotta go.

Speaking of being famous,
saw your sex tape online.

Kissing video?

Anyway, that's old news.

What? She broke your
heart or something?

Believe me, if I want my heart
broken, I know exactly where to go.

What's that supposed to mean?

Excuse me?

After sophomore year, you were
the one who said you needed space.

I said that because you
said you needed time

to focus on taking your
game to the next level.

[Crystal scoffs]

But I'm glad things are going
so amazingly well with, uh...

- Roderick.
- Right.

Yeah. It's been a little hectic.

So, uh, him and I
decided to take a break.

[moans, sniffs]

There has been a
lot of heat on us.

Not everyone can handle it.

Ball out, okay?

Always.

["Friends" playing]

[car doors open]

[car doors close]

- Morning, Coach Meg.
- [Meg] Morning.

- Coach Ike.
- [Ike] Morning, Mus.

Hop on the bus. First
come, first serve.

Thank you.

[car door closes]

[car alarm chirps]

[parent] Your dad and
I talked about it.

We don't feel good
about you going.

It doesn't matter if the
school sanctioned it.

This is my team.

And if there's any time to
stand with them, it's now.

They're playing an
exhibition game at a prison.

And by the end of the week,
some of them might end up there.

- It's a detention center.
- It is a sinking ship.

The answer is no.

Bus is leaving in ten.

[Diane] We've talked about this.

And it doesn't make sense.

I'm not comfortable with
that group of individuals.

- That group of individuals are my friends.
- I'm not comfortable with that either.

And that's your problem.

I'm going to play.

I did not sign
that consent form,

and I don't intend to.

This is bullshit.

How are we even able to
afford an attorney, Ma?

We can't. [sighs]

But Alonzo from Gladiator
Sneakers, he's taking care of it.

He just asked us
to keep it quiet.

[sighs]

Hey, Ma.

Hmm?

It's all gonna be okay.

Yeah, it is.

[sighs]

[speaks Spanish]

[in English] I agree with
your decision to stay home.

Nicholas, sometimes you have
to do what's best for the team.

But sometimes you have to
do what's best for you.

Hmm?

["Friends" continues]

- What's up, homey?
- [car alarm chirps]

[Meg] The other players either
canceled or didn't respond to my text.

Our starting five is on the bus.

I know we said we'd be there.

I'm just triple-checking that we
feel all right about this timing.

I think it's necessary.

I don't know what to think.

Maybe... Maybe it's
something the kids need.

With all due respect, I
know what my kid needs.

Let's do this.

Okay.

Hey, hold on. Hold on.

- [Nick] What's up, Coach?
- [bus door closes]

What's up, Royale?

[Nick exhales deeply]

Okay.

Our athletic director is
not exactly my biggest fan.

Need a tissue?

[laughs]

Not shedding tears,
but he may fire me.

Can't say I'd miss
working with him,

but I would miss that big-ass
house he got me and Tonya.

[laughing]

[laughs] Me too.

[gate buzzes]

We appreciate y'all visiting.

Just got to let Betty
do her job here. Search.

- [radio chatter]
- Let's go. Search.

Go on.

- Wait a second, I know you.
- [person] Hey.

- I'm Phil Marksby, Mr. Carlos.
- [Mr. Carlos] Nice to know you, Mr. Phil.

- Pleasure to meet you.
- All right.

- Hello, Mr. Carlos. I'm Jace Carson.
- How you doing, brother?

- Good.
- What's up, man?

- What's going on there, Ikey?
- [Ike laughs]

Man, I ain't seen you since you
was knee-high to a grasshopper.

[Ike, players laugh]

Man, how's the family doing?

- Everybody's good, sir. Everybody's good.
- Fantastic.

Everybody, this is
John Carlos, okay?

- Yeah.
- [Ike] He was in the 1968 Olympics.

Now, I want y'all to go
ahead, take a look at this.

This man is a hero
to many of us.

Left fist in the air
during the national anthem.

He loved his country
enough to challenge it.

- [sighs]
- Okay, so go ahead

and introduce yourselves.

- Dr. Carlos, Naim Rahaim.
- All right, brother? All right.

- Uh, M-Musa Rahaim. It's an honor, sir.
- Yeah.

- Drew Murphy, sir.
- Hmm. All right, brother.

- Royale Hughes.
- Nice to know you, brother.

- Nick Mendez. Thank you for everything.
- All right, Nick.

- Megan Bailey.
- Thank you, Coach.

All right. Now, I'd like to
pose a question to you guys.

What is the largest mental health
provider in the United States?

Yes, sir, Phil.

- Prisons.
- [John] Absolutely correct.

There's prisons. There's jails.
And there's detention centers.

In this country, the majority of people
with mental illness are behind bars.

We also incarcerate more people per capita
than any other country in the world.

And at this day and time,

there are more Black people in the
penitentiaries across this nation

than there were Black people
enslaved before the Civil War.

The prison system has
become the new plantation.

Does that sound like a problem?

- [all] Yeah.
- [Phil] Absolutely, sir.

Now, these young men out there

that you guys are going
to play against today,

it's been buzzing around about...
They out here to kick y'all ass.

[laughing]

So in turn, I want
you guys to think

about the same premise
of kicking their asses.

- [players clamor, laugh]
- [John] All right?

All right, guys, I want you to remember
this when you go into the game today:

Winners are made on the court.

Champions are made
off the court.

[applauding]

- Thank you.
- Yes, sir.

Now we're going to turn the
program over to Sergeant Hampton.

- Hello.
- [Ike, Meg] Hello. Hi.

The Maryland Youth Facility
houses male incarcerated people

from the ages of 13 to 17.

None of the people you'll interact with
today will have weapons of any kind,

and you will only be
interacting with the young men

who have exhibited
good behavior.

I'm gonna split you off into groups
and let you visit various classrooms.

As Mr. Carlos mentioned,

we want our young men to
have college in their future,

so you are encouraged to engage.

- All right?
- [players] All right.

- [Ike] Thank you.
- Let's get you all processed.

[Ike] Thank you.

Phil Marksby… [sighs] …Musa Rahaim,
Drew Murphy, and not to mention,

Jace Carson, got on the
biggest stage they could find

and in one swoop
embarrassed Cedar Cove.

[chuckles]

Four of our starters could end
up in jail or on probation.

And you, my friend, bear
much of the responsibility.

[stammers] How am I involved?

[clicks tongue] You convinced the
board for me to hire Ike as head coach.

Were he a better role model,

this whole thing could
have been contained.

So it's safe to assume

that you're considering the
pros and cons of expulsion.

This institution is
bigger than the kids.

Nothing is bigger than the kids.

This institution is bigger
than those four kids.

I assume, like us, you
have others to save.

[sighs]

The governing board of the
Maryland Unified Athletic Council

should take the lead on this.

Look, you and me both know
how restrictive they are.

How, uh, buttoned up they
want their athletes to be.

If Cedar Cove expels the Cedar
Cove Four, as they're being called,

or if Gladiator pulls
their sponsorship,

that's bad PR for the
both of us. But...

You're proposing we let
the MUA be the bad guys.

They analyze the series of events, make
a ruling concerning their future play

and we follow suit?

I think following their… [inhales]
…conservative recommendations

may be a better way to lead.

Hmm. I thought your sympathies
lay with the Swagger players.

They do, 100%.

[sighs] But as you said, there
are others to save, right?

[chains clanking]

[breathing heavily]

[student] "What happens
to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up like
a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a
sore... And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over...
[chuckles] like a syrupy sweet?

- Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.
- [mouthing along]

- Or does it explode?"
- [mouthing along]

What do you think Langston Hughes
is trying to say with that poem?

If people don't get opportunities
or figure their lives out,

their dreams can go away.

And when your dreams go away,
shit can get crazy for you.

- [laughs] You're already crazy.
- [students laugh]

Settle down.

Thank you.

I noticed one of our visitors is
pretty adept with Langston Hughes.

Am I right?

Huh?

Oh, sorry.

Yes.

My mother used to
read his poems to me

when... when-when
she was locked up.

If you don't mind me asking,
how long was she incarcerated?

[sighs] Two years.

Do you remember any lines
from one of the poems?

- I think I might.
- We'd love to hear it.

Come join us.

[sighs]

"Well, son, I'll tell you:

Life for me ain't
been no crystal stair.

It's had tacks in it…

and splinters,

and boards torn up,

places with no
carpet on the floor.

But all the time

I'se been a-climbin' on

and reachin' landin's…

and turnin' corners,

and sometimes goin' in the dark

where there ain't
been no light."

[door closes]

[sighs]

"So boy, don't you turn back.

Don't you set down
on those steps

'cause it's kinda hard.

Don't you fall now…

for I'se still goin', honey.

I'se still climbin',

and for me, life ain't
been no crystal stair."

[breathes heavily]

[students applauding]

Well done. Thank you.

[bees buzzing]

Our students are
future scientists.

They'll be gardening,
working with solar power,

and this semester, they're
working with bee colonies

and understanding how
bees help the earth.

That's amazing.

The biggest de-escalator to
violence in this detention center

has been the classes
we've offered.

[exhales deeply]

[no audible dialogue]

Is it all right?
He-He-He played for me.

[exclaims]

- How you doing, Coach?
- It's good to see you, Vince.

- What up, Drew? Boy.
- [Drew] Real good to see you, Vince.

Hey.

I tried reaching you.

Look, I'm sorry. I know. I know.

[teacher] That is why you must challenge
each claim and not each person.

Class, we have some visitors
today from Cedar Cove Prep.

Let's welcome them.

[applauding]

Hey.

So, which one of you is the
star on the debate team?

- Uh, s-star?
- That would be Royale.

This is a rare treat for us. You
see, this is our debate class,

and we never get the opportunity to
debate with someone of your stature.

[chuckles] Hold on. I think
there is some kind of confusion.

I just joined the debate team this
semester and I'm an alternate,

but somebody quit. So
now I'm first speaker.

- But I don't think it's...
- Even an alternate at Cedar Cove is elite.

It really would be a rare treat for
you to debate one of our students.

What do you say, Cedar Cove?

- [chuckles] Ce...
- I don't think he's exactly asking.

Yeah.

[shutter clicks]

[shutter clicks]

[sighs]

[shutter clicks]

[teacher] All right. You've
been given your prep notes.

The debate topic is:

America's Independence Day
should be January 1st, 1863,

the date that the Emancipation
Proclamation was signed.

Royale Hughes has opted
for the affirmative.

Royale, the floor is yours.

Resolved. America's Independence
Day should be January 1st, 1863,

when the Emancipation
Proclamation was signed.

According to the
Library of Congress,

on July 4th, 1776, the Declaration
of Independence announced

the colonies' separation
from Great Britain.

The decree was, "All
men are created equal."

However, all men and women did not have
the legal right to be treated equally.

According to the National
Archives, on January 1st, 1863,

the Emancipation
Proclamation was announced.

Thousands of enslaved people attained
their freedom in an unjust society

where we were told
we were barely human.

African Americans walked
off the plantations

and walked away from
their "slave owners."

The Pittsburgh Courier reports
that we were legally emancipated.

But we were still mistreated,
denied our rights.

In fact, we were denied the
information of our own freedom.

However, we do not mark this date because
emancipation was finally realized.

We mark this date because
emancipation was finally proclaimed.

Thank you.

[applauding]

[teacher] Marcus Johnson.

[sighs]

When I get released next
month, it'll be bittersweet.

I mean, let's face it, I won't have to sit
next to Gary and deal with his bad breath.

[students laugh]

But my brother… [sighs]
…is in this institution.

Like, literally, my biological
brother is sitting right there.

See, I'm being released
due to good behavior.

He isn't.

And when I go home,
my mother will hug me.

But there will still
be a hole in her heart

because her other son never
walked through that door.

When our so-called
emancipation was proclaimed,

thousands of African
Americans were never told.

News never reached them.
And it was deliberate.

On June 19th, 1865, two and a half years
after the Emancipation was proclaimed,

enslaved Africans in Texas learned of
their freedom for the very first time.

Now, my opponent is correct that while
America was free of British rule in 1776,

all of America was not.

He contradicts himself by suggesting that
we celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation

as part of our independence,

knowing that many of us were
denied that very same proclamation.

Now, is this not in fact,
just like my brother and I?

Hmm?

You see, as long as my little
brother is in this place…

I won't truly be free.

And until Black Americans learned word
on June 19th, they weren't either.

That is the date of
our true independence.

Because we can't proclaim freedom
until we all proclaim freedom.

- Thank you.
- [students applauding]

[student] Yeah!

All right, all right, all right. Quiet
down, please. Quiet down. [sighs]

I see that some of you
feel that Marcus has won.

- Hell yeah.
- [students chuckle]

Like everything in life… [sighs]
…it is not just about the passion.

You must also be disciplined.

You must be prepared, and
you must know the rules.

Marcus, did you
cite any research?

- I was citing myself. [laughs]
- [students laugh]

So you didn't cite any of the
research provided in the prep notes?

[Marcus sighing]

Your closing line, "We can't proclaim
freedom until we all proclaim freedom."

Who were you citing?

Marcus Johnson.

[stammers] Excuse me, Mr. Miller.
I thought Marcus was brilliant.

Oh, he is. He is.

And yet the victory goes
to you, Mr. Royale Hughes.

[Nina] I wanna thank Camden and
Margarite for having us all over.

We have made great
progress at Cedar Cove.

We have two African
American teachers,

one Latinx teacher, and
an Asian American teacher.

We have a African American
athletics director,

a African American
basketball coach,

and a African American diversity
and inclusion counselor.

When my daughter started as a freshman, we
didn't have one African American teacher.

In fact, we didn't have a Spanish
teacher teaching Spanish. [chuckling]

[all chuckling]

But now, we must continue to be leaders
for our children in the community.

And unfortunately, that means we must
talk about our four basketball players

who have confessed
to criminal activity.

The Cedar Cove Four.

Well, hold on, Nina. They
weren't selling drugs.

They were, as I understand it,

14 years old, defending a young
lady who was being abused.

But… [stammers] …they
attacked him in an alley.

They nearly beat
the man to death,

and Jenna Carson wants us to
write letters on their behalf.

I mean, have you seen the video?
It's quite disturbing. What...

Now I know why I'm always too
busy to come to your meetings.

You don't know
anything about my son.

No one was looking to offend you,
Jenna. People were just talking freely.

I'd love to talk freely to you
bougie-ass Jack and Jill wannabes.

Jace Carson is a B-plus student.

He goes to practice after school
and he practices after practice,

and he still has to study.

And it's not just his work ethic that
makes him a damn good human being,

it's his heart.

And his love for his friends.

You have no damn idea what he's been
through in his life to be where he's at.

You can talk about his
teammate all you want.

You can talk about him all you want.
You can talk about me all you want.

And while you at it, you
highfalutin brothers and sisters,

don't forget to
kiss my Black ass.

- Jenna, hold on. Hold up. Hold... Jenna.
- [all muttering]

- Jenna, hold on. Come on. Ho-Hold up.
- [parent] She didn't have to go there.

- [whispering indistinctly]
- [Camden] Hold on.

You ain't no better
than the rest of them.

Wait. Hold on, sister. There's no
need for you to get so riled up.

Excuse me?

We're all here because we
wanna do right by our kids.

Okay? Believe it or not, I
care about everyone's kids.

I care about your kid.

He's been good to my son.
He's looked out for CJ.

Thank you. I appreciate that.

Yeah.

Now, unfortunately, because of
everything that's transpired,

I don't think it'll be likely that things
will work out for him at Cedar Cove.

But just let me
make a couple calls,

see if I can, uh, help him to land
somewhere that's gonna be a good fit.

Mmm.

[sighs]

[sighs]

[spits]

[exhales sharply]

Hey, Grandma.

Did you send the highlight
reel to the coach?

And Shaun put a track to it?

N-No cussing, right? I don't want no
cussing and shit on my highlight reel.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll watch my mouth. [sighs]

After today's game,

we're gonna be able to
tell him I lit up Swagger.

I will. Love you too.

[call ends]

Y'all ready to…
[stammers] …run me that?

Man, y'all going to
get y'all asses beat.

Pu-Put some money on it then.

I bet you a bag of Flaming Hots
and a case of Oreos, y'all lose.

[chuckles] Nah, nah, man.

See, how about we bet a
week's worth of phone time?

If we win, y'all transfer that
m-m-money into my account.

If y'all win, I...
I-I-I'll do the same.

- Aight, bet.
- [chuckles]

It's d-d-done.

[chattering]

What do you think?

It's beautiful.

It's gonna rain.

It looks sunny, man.

I love the rain. Rain washes it away,
and we get to start all over again.

It was nice to meet you, Nico.

You know, the last couple
of schools we had come over,

their coaches and
Mr. Carlos actually swapped.

What you saying?

[stammers] Well, their
coaches would take on MYF,

and Mr. Carlos would
take on the visitors.

It gives my guys an opportunity
to hear another voice.

- Mm-hmm.
- And also, it gives Swagger an opportunity

to be coached by
a living legend.

[chuckles] Let's do it.

- Right on, bro.
- All right. Let's go then.

- All right, Ikey. Let's go.
- [laughs]

- You ready?
- [Phil] It's going down right now.

[player] Okay.

[player 2] Get back.

[players cheering]

[exhales sharply, gasps]

- What up, bro?
- Good to see you, dog.

- Yeah.
- Hey, Vince. What's up?

Bros.

- What's up, bruh? Good to see you, bruh.
- It's great to see you, bro.

- Good. What's up, man?
- Whoo.

- Hey. What's good, Vince?
- Coming for you, bro.

We'll see.

[players cheering]

[Jace] Hey, yo, Mus.

[Musa] I got you. Let's get it.

- [grunts]
- [players shout, gasp]

Way too easy.

[players booing]

Man, I've been waiting
for this all week.

Oh, yeah?

Jace Carson.

Deandre Wright.

It's been, like, what,

three years since we last played
on the ABO circuit together?

Yeah, something like that. You were
the second best dude out there.

[chuckles] Crazy.

Mmm.

I'm coming for you today.

I'm right here.

Aight.

[inmates cheering]

- You ready?
- I was born for this.

- [Naim] Black going this way.
- [Ike] Let's go!

[Naim] White go this way.

- Hope you ready.
- [whistle blows]

- Hope you ready.
- Hey, come on.

[Deandre grunting]

[Musa] Lock that up!

- [cheers] I'm different, Jace.
- [inmates cheering]

You know that. You know that.

Let's go. We up, we up.

- Come here, little bro.
- [Ike] Communicate, communicate!

Excuse me.

- [Ike] Swing! Watch the swing.
- [Musa] Cook him, Jace!

- [grunting]
- [Musa] Cook him.

- [players, inmates cheering]
- [John] Jace, let's go. Let's move.

Listen, listen, listen,
listen. You don't weigh enough.

- [scoffs]
- [Vince] Ball, ball, ball.

[Ike] Talk to each other.

- [player] Yeah, Vince!
- [Ike] Let's go, let's go, let's go!

[blows]

[Ike] Let's go, baby.

[Naim speaking indistinctly]

[Ike speaking indistinctly]

[groans]

[player] Come on, y'all.

- My bad.
- [players, inmates cheer]

Yeah, boy.

[cheers]

[John] Take your
shot right here.

[exhaling sharply]

[inmates clamoring]

[whistle blows]

[Ike] Hey, hey, hey.
Talk to each other.

You know, one good thing about
being in this place? [pants]

- What?
- I get my old number back.

You got to show me.

[inmates cheering]

Come on! Let's go!

[inmates cheering]

Hey, you about to
collect on that bet.

[players cheering, shouting]

Let's go. Feed the big man.
Feed the big man down low!

- Feed him. Feed him.
- [Naim] Come on, Pop.

- [Ike] Let's go, guys!
- [cheering]

[cheering]

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

Move, move, move, move, move!

Gotta work that defense
down below. Better defense.

[Jace] Hey, yo!
Slide up, slide up.

- [Ike] Hop to it.
- I'm right here.

- [Naim] Watch 21, watch 21!
- [Royale] Come on! Energy! Energy!

[Naim] Eyes on 21!

[grunts]

[screams]

Will the real "My
bad" please stand up?

[Ike] Don't lose focus.
Don't lose focus.

[Jace] Hey, lock up, y'all!

[no audible dialogue]

- [cheers, speaks indistinctly]
- [shouting, cheering]

Five seconds! Five seconds!

Drew, wait.

- Hey, look here. Look here.
- [Ike] Lock down D.

- [grunting]
- [Ike] Go right here! Lock down D!

- [player] Get back, get back.
- [Jace] Get it!

[cheering, clamoring]

- [Musa] Let's go!
- We do this.

- [referee] Swagger win.
- [players cheer]

We promised you a showdown.

You did great, baby. You
did great. All right.

[sighs]

- [Musa chuckles]
- [Drew] Let's go.

- Yeah. [chuckles]
- Yeah.

[John] Great job.

- [groans]
- [Jace] Yes, sir, 21.

What are we doing?

We supposed to make a statement!

This is bullshit!

- Hey, hey, hey. Chill. Chill.
- This was our chance!

- This was our chance.
- [Vince] Damn.

Relax. I got him. I got him.

- Why y'all walking up on me, man? Back up.
- Bruh, chill. Yo, these my brothers, man.

- These my brothers.
- [Jace] Hey, tighten up, bruh. You good.

Me and you just went
toe-to-toe. You that guy.

- Good, bro.
- Aight.

Y'all good. I got
y'all. Come on.

[Naim] Stay in it.

Well, guys, I want you to know
it's been a fantastic weekend.

You guys played
a hell of a game.

And what I got out of it, no
matter was you incarcerated or not,

we are one.

We are free in our
minds and our hearts.

They asked me how come I don't
take a picture putting my fist up,

and I tell them
because I am the fist.

I'm bestowing that upon you,

each and every one of
you players here today.

You are now the fist. Carry
it strong. Be proud of it.

Remember, fist means unification.
Togetherness. Thank you.

Let's raise 'em up.

[players chattering, laughing]

[drumming on table]

Oh, right. This... This what
we doing? This what we doing?

- [Nick] Go ahead, boy. Go ahead.
- [Drew] Come on, Mus.

All right, I got y'all. I
got y'all. Listen, listen.

♪ Got bars just like the pen ♪

♪ The spot where they're holding
us down The Black and the brown ♪

♪ They profiting off our
young men Bodies in chains ♪

♪ But brain, I let it run free ♪

♪ Time's ticking I'm
watching Big Ben ♪

♪ 'Cause when I get out about
Ain't worry about clout ♪

♪ Gon' make me a million
and ten Raising the bar ♪

♪ We setting the trend Said
make me a million and ten ♪

♪ In the meantime
Between time I do rhyme ♪

♪ I'm with my
brothers and them ♪

♪ Allah got us, don
dadas Young ballers ♪

♪ We practicing
teachings of Zen ♪

♪ Meditate, never
hate No debate ♪

♪ Our swagger gon'
ring out again ♪

[all] ♪ Our swagger gon' ring out
again Our swagger gon' ring out again ♪

- ♪ Our swagger gon' ring out again ♪
- Hold on, hold on. Yo, yo, yo.

Start a beat for me real quick.

[drumming on table]

♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah ♪

♪ Today I read a note It filled
my heart with warm pleasure ♪

♪ Seven pounds, six ounces
Measures my born treasure ♪

♪ I thought I knew happiness
But I'm informed better ♪

♪ God gifted me a son
Now I'm blessed forever ♪

♪ I'm on the straight and
narrow now, man This is it ♪

♪ MJ lifestyle, smooth
criminal bullshit ♪

♪ I'll shoot my shot A new
life with a full clip ♪

♪ That's the target, me
This bull's-eye is on it ♪

[players cheering]

[line rings]

Tiffany, talk to
me. What's the word?

[Tiffany] Hey, I said I'd call you when
we're done. We're on a break right now.

Okay, but what is the
governing board saying?

I mean, you guys do realize that when
Crystal Jarrett went on her IG Live,

she got one million
viewers, right? One million.

Not to mention the turnout that they
had at the Hilltop Central game.

A whole network of Black students
from all across the DMV showed up.

The DA's office has been
flooded with letters

in support of Jace
Carson and his teammates.

Now, you guys don't wanna be on
the wrong side of this, do you?

[Tiffany] Dr. Emory Lawson seems
to think you and him are aligned.

Well, it's safer for
him to think that.

Look, Tiff, you know me, aight?

You know I'm not trying to cross
any lines here, but... [stammers]

[Tiffany] Then don't. Like I said, when
we have a ruling, I will let you know.

- Tiff...
- [call ends]

[sighs]

Oh, it's pretty good, man.

Yeah, that's because you
don't got to eat it every day.

Right. That's why we got this.

- Is that Mumbo sauce?
- [Tyriq] You know it.

You mix a little bit of ketchup,
barbecue sauce, hot sauce and applesauce.

- Then boom… [kisses] …Mumbo on deck.
- [Musa] Nah.

- Bruh, you lunching.
- [chuckles] Nah.

- Ain't no way. Hold on. Hold on.
- I'm trying to tell you.

- [Jace] That boy lunching.
- [Phil] Crazy.

[Musa] Little bit of that.

Can't forget the applesauce.

[Royale] Yo.

Aight, let me see.

- Hmm.
- [Royale grunting]

- Yeah.
- Nah.

Yo, yo, no cap. This tastes
just like the carryout.

- [players laughing] Yo! Yeah!
- [Jace] Let me see.

[Musa] Yo. Get some of
this, get some of this.

[Jace] Yo, he ain't lying!

[Tyriq] Mm-hmm.

[guard clears throat]

Vince Charles.

You holding up?

Yeah. Listen, I know
I let you down, man.

- I mean, I know I let everybody down.
- [Ike sighs]

I didn't even want you guys
to find me here, to be honest.

Vince, I feel like
I let you down.

I was on some dumb shit, Coach.

- We were broke. Look, it was me and my f...
- [Ike sighs]

[stammers] Listen. Listen, you don't
have to explain none of that to me.

- Okay?
- [sighing] Aight.

How much longer are you in here?

Three more months.

When I turn 18, they
transfer me to Patuxent.

Then I gotta do
another year there.

I mean, well, look, uh, don't
freeze your coach out… [stammers]

- [scoffs]
- you know.

I'ma write you, and your
ass better write me back.

Yeah.

Listen, Vince,

I know you.

And you are not your
biggest mistake.

Damn, Coach. That... That
really means something.

I'm glad.

All right.

- [Deandre] I got about six more months.
- Aight, bet.

I mean, you already got it,

but you can use this last bit of
time to just train, train, train.

- By the time you out of here…
- Nah.

My basketball days, man.

Look, I don't do
well with stress.

Looks like you handled all the
stress out there today pretty well.

Man, that? Man,
that was light work.

- [players laugh]
- You shouldn't play with me.

He called us light
work. [chuckles]

Y'all ever heard of
South Plains College?

That's a juco in Texas. Got some
good things going on over there.

They wanna take a look
at me after I get out.

[chuckles] That's what's
up. And congrats on that.

Thank you. You think
y'all can put in a word?

With your hops and your nasty
defense? You got my word.

Hey, hey, team. Y'all gonna put a…
[stammers] …dollar in my phone account?

[Tyriq] Oh, here you go.

- Always begging for some shit.
- [Vince scoffs]

I'm for real.

I bet a week's worth of
c-ca-calls on this game.

I can't not call my
family for a week.

[Tyriq] And what does
that have to do with us?

Everything. What you mean?
I got into this by losing.

Hey, man, I'll put three
dollars on there, bro.

Thanks, D.

Hey, hey, hey, Vince,
what about you?

Oh, I gotta check my account, make
sure my mom's wire came through.

Sergeant Hampton?

Hypothetically, if a visitor wanted
to put some money on someone's account

so they could use the
phone, is that possible?

Hypothetically, yes.

On the way out, visitors can
stop by account services.

[Deandre] It's a bug in my food.

Who put that shit in there,
huh? Huh, who... who did it?

- [Armond] Yo, D, chill.
- Relax, man.

- We can get you another tray.
- Man, I'm not even hungry anymore.

You know, that's probably
what they wanted too.

- Have me starve after the game.
- [Jace] Hey, hey, hey.

Man, that's some
straight up bullshit.

- Hey!
- Yo, yo, relax.

- Come on.
- What?

- [guard] Deandre, sit down.
- They always messing with me in here!

- Why is that? Why is that?
- Deandre, calm down.

What... Man, let me
go. Let... Get off me.

- No. What are you doing?
- Yo, yo, yo! What are you doing?

- That's not necessary. Let him go.
- Back up. This is for his own protection.

- This some bullshit.
- Jace, that's enough!

[Deandre groans] Man. [groans]

[inhales sharply] Don't
let them do this to you.

Don't let them take your
heart from you, Jace Carson.

If they think they can…
[stammers] …they will!

They've been putting me on
medication since I was 12.

But I keep fighting.

I keep fighting! [screams]

[Royale] Jace.

[sighs]

[Jace sighs]

This is not the way I
hoped the day would end.

[stammers] I wanna thank you
guys. Appreciate what you did.

More than you'll
ever know. Thank you.

In this room right here
to your right, son.

Um, Pop.

Hey.

I, um…

[sighs] I haven't been wearing
my kufi like I used to do.

I noticed. But you don't gotta
rock a kufi to be a good Muslim.

I know. It's just…

after everything that happened…

I didn't know what I believed.

I get it.

You know, you told me… [sighs]
…that I was here for a reason.

Yes.

You told me I can
make a difference.

And if I lose faith in that?

We lose everything.

I really wanna
make dua right now.

Me too, Son.

[breathes heavily] Bismillah.

[sighs] Bismillah.

[murmuring softly]

[Musa, Naim] We praise you,
Allah. We beseech you, Allah.

[Ike] You okay?

I just felt rain.

Let's hit the road.

[cell phone ringing]

Hello.

You sure?

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

Okay, um, can you
text that to me?

All right. All right.

Um, I just got off the
phone with Alonzo Powers.

He connected with some of your parents,
and the DA decided not to charge you.

[exhales softly]

They're gonna want
community service…

- [cell phone chimes]
- …but there's no jail time.

And "the Maryland
Unified Athletic Council

has suspended you from
all basketball endeavors."

[sighs]

"However, if you apologize
for your actions…

you'll be immediately
reinstated."

You're free.

Let's go home.

[gate buzzes]

[thunder rumbles]

[Nico] Let's go! Let's go!

[Nico shouting, cheering]

Whoo! Yeah, it's raining!
Wash it all away!

Wash it all away! Wash it all
away! It's raining! Let's go!

- [guard] Okay, Nico. Let's go.
- Let's go!

[Nico] Whoo! Let's
go! Whoo! Yeah! Whoo!

[chuckles]