Mo' Better Blues Page #7

lf we had to depend upon on black people|to eat, we would starve to death.

You look out into the audience,|and what do you see?

You see Japanese, West Germans,

you see Slabovic, anything,|except our people, man.

lt makes no sense.

lt incenses me that our own people|don't realize our own heritage, culture.

- This is our music, man.|- That's bullshit.

- Why?|- Everything you just said is bullshit.

- Come on, man.|- Out of all the people in the world...

l love you like a stepbrother,|but you never gave nobody else

a chance to play their own music.

l'm talking about the audience.

You grandiose motherfuckers|don't play sh*t that they like.

lf you play the sh*t they like,|people will come.

- That's what l'm going to do.|- l see. l see.

- l'll play the sh*t everybody like.|- l have my own voice.

- People are listening.|- Everybody's deaf, brother.

People are listening to my voice.

- Ain't nobody coming.|- Nobody's coming?

- You just said...|- l said our people aren't coming.

That's what l'm talking about,|black people.

Keep it down.|You got customers right here.

F*** them and f*** this sh*t.|The reality is...

- Why you disrespecting my house?|- l'm not disrespecting your house.

Shut up.|You muscle-head n*gger, shut up.

Y'all can't play worth a goddamn.

- King Kong sh*t.|- Who you trying to talk about?

His head looks like a goddamn|question mark.

You laugh at that sh*t?

Put them lips on a trumpet,|motherf***er!

l know Giant. lf he's in, he'll|come out because he has to come out.

lf he's out, he'll come back to change|his underwear or throw the garbage out.

Maybe not throw the garbage,|but he's gonna come back.

They call him Giant|cos he's a giant pain in the ass.

Sooner or later,|he's either going to go in or come out.

l don't want no excuses. l don't want to hear anything.

''Forgive me.'' No.|That won't break no more.

Let's give him a break.|Break his legs, his arms.

l give him a lot of rope, but he won't|strangle me with my own rope.

Sooner or later, in or out,|everybody, in or out of the house.

Enough.

- Hi, Shadow. How you doing?|- Fine, like yourself.

- Will this be cash or charge?|- Oharge.

- You do take American Express?|- Yes, we do.

Good. Gold action.

- l was a member since 1989.|- That long?

You look hot.|That dress makes you look like a zebra.

l could be Tarzan.|We could play in the jungle.

Let me package you up|in one of these ODs,

put you in my pocket,|my front one, to kiss on.

Mm, mm-mm.

- Shadow?|- Olarke.

Your account is declined.|l have to confiscate your card.

- l just paid them. Oall them back.|- Just look right there.

- lt's cool. l got those anyway.|- Then why are you here?

To see you.

All right.

We're gonna do something...|Let me ask y'all something.

How many of y'all out there|know about the blues?

- l know about the blues, Bleek.|- l know l do, so...

Well, anyway, we're going to do a tune|called Mo' Better Blues.

Moe and Josh want to see you.

The blues.

- Don't forget my song, now.|- l'll see what l can do.

- Bleek.|- What you doing out here?

- l need a place to stay.|- For tonight?

- For a while.|- All right.

That's my brother.

l talked with Moe and Josh again.

- What happened?|- Oontract. We're stuck.

We're gonna get a new lawyer,|a real lawyer.

l got one, my brother-in-law Moses.

- Your brother-in-law Moses?|- He's cheap.

Wait a minute. That's out, man.

Your brother-in-law Moses...|What's the deal with your relatives?

Your uncle's a plumber,|your cousin's a dent...

Look at my teeth.|They're still messed up.

l hate to say this,|but you got a f***ed-up family.

- Why you dogging my folks?|- l'm just tired of suppor...

- l'm sick of your relatives.|- They love you.

- They supported you from the beginning.|- l supported them.

l'll keep my family|out of our business matters.

l'm here to do your bidding.|That's my job.

So how much you owe?

Afraid to say.

More than before.

Look, l'll see how much l can raise, but|you got to get help. Your gig is over.

l've been contemplating managing|myself anyway. l got to be in control.

lf that's what you want.

- That's what l want. You're fired.|- You're cutting everybody off.

Me, lndigo, Olarke. Especially me.

l'm not cutting anybody off.|l'm looking out for myself.

Besides, lndigo and Olarke cut me off.

That ain't what l heard.

How long you known me?

- Since third grade.|- That's got to count for something.

lf l didn't know you since third grade,|l'd have fired you a long time ago.

- You're that unhappy with my work?|- l've been that unhappy.

That's beside the point.|The bottom line is this.

OK, here's the thing.

The offer stands as it was.|You can stay at my house.

l'll help you get some money|before you get killed,

but... you're going to do something|about that gambling.

All right, all right, all right.|l'll get it together.

l know l'm sick.

Thls ls lndlgo.|l'm unable to come to the phone.

Please leave a message|and l'll get rlght back to you.

Hello, lndigo,... it's me.

lt's me.

l was just calllng|to see how you're dolng.

l mlss you. Look, erm...

Oall me if and when you feel like it.|Later.

Thls ls Clarke. l'm busy,|but l do appreclate your call.

Please leave a message|after the beep. Clao.

This is me, Bleek. How you doing?

- Let me turn this off.|- No, no, no. No.

l want to hear this.

l haven't seen you ln a whlle.

He's begging. Boy, that Bleek.

He only wants you when he wants you.|l want to make you a full-time gig.

l don't believe what a man says.

Well, in this particular instance,|in this particular case, believe me.

The rest of the time,|only believe half of what a man says.

Half is truth. The other half is bull.

Which half are you?

- Half.|- Yeah, half of what?

- Half.|- See?

- l don't believe anything y'all say.|- lt's not what l say, it's what l do.

- What's up?|- Where's the money?

- l'm working on it.|- Don't work too long.

ln the meanwhile,|stay out the spotlight.

- What are you going to do?|- ln the words of Darryl Dawkins,

''When all is said and done,|there's nothing left to say or do.''

- Whatever happened to that brother?|- He's on Lovetron.

B, l don't like no static.|l'm a peaceful person.

And even though you fired my ass,|you're still my boy.

l look out for your best interests.|When was the last time you seen Olarke?

l don't know. What's up?

Shadow's boning Olarke.

Oh, Shadow! Oh, yeah!

Yeah, baby, you like it.|l'm going to give it to you good.

lt feels good.

l'm just a bear, baby,|just a bear.

Oh, sh*t. Oh, sh*t.

Hey, you know, it ain't no thing.

l hope he's happy.

- Are you positive?|- What did l say?

Yo, Roberto. l don't want to hear|nothing about no music.

- What's up?|- Yeah, hi.

- Yo, Bleek. Yo, Bleek.|- What?

Hold up for a minute. Oheck this out.

Me and the cats|want to have a meeting after this.

- Get out of my face, Shadow.|- We need to talk about the money.

See them people out there?|lt's packed.

l ain't playing sh*t no more|till l deal with this money situation.

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