Straight Outta Compton Page #11

DRIVER:

But we’re in the middle of nowh -

DRE:

Stop the f***in’ bus, man!

52 EXT. GAS STATION - MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, USA - MOMENTS LATER 52

The BUS is parked in a nearly-empty PARKING LOT outside of a

lonesome, isolated GAS STATION. It’s a dark, starless night.

Dre shuffles slowly out of the station, in a daze, like he

just awoke from a f***ed-up dream. He walks over to the BUS.

But instead of getting on, he SITS DOWN on the pavement, eyes

filled with shock and disbelief.

The sound of FOOTSTEPS as Ren, Yella, Cube, and Eazy exit the

bus, surround Dre. They can tell something is very wrong.

YELLA:

Yo, Dre. What’s goin’ on?

ON DRE as he forces back the tears that wanna come, his voice

barely a whisper:

56.

DRE:

My Moms called. Tyree. He’s dead.

Somebody killed my little

brother...

Shocked:
"What?" "Hell naw!" "What happen?" are heard amongst

Cube, Eazy, Yella and Ren-- they crouch down next to Dre. Not

sure what else to say or do. They wait for Dre to say more...

DRE (CONT’D)

He got into a fight near Leimert

Park. A big mothafucka fell on top

of him -- broke his neck. He killed

Tyree. I can't believe this sh*t.

Face buried in his hands, Dre quietly weeps.

Jinx, Laylaw and DJ Speed gather in the front window of the

bus. Not wanting to interrupt the group's moment.

Cube rests a hand on Dre's shoulder as the others tighten the

circle. There’s silence... until:

CUBE:

Never told y’all, but when I was

twelve, my sister got murdered by

her own husband-- A f***in' wanna

be cop who couldn't make it in the

academy. Life changed for me that

day. Everything became serious--

EAZY:

Dope game took my cousin's life. I

remember when they found him.

DRE:

He shoulda been out here with me.

If he was out here-- It never

woulda happened...

REN:

Or it could've happened in another

way. Can't blame yourself, Dre...

Life has to end for all of us, but

love don’t. Feel me? Tyree is

always gonna be with you. No matter

what.

Eazy moves closer. Slowly, he places a hand on Dre’s head.

Rubs it. It’s a bit startling -- Eazy’s not one for

tenderness. But it’s clear he feels Dre’s pain.

57.

EAZY:

Gonna be aiight, Dre... We with

you.

PULL BACK as the guys remain clustered around Dre. Looking so

small, so vulnerable, crouched in front of the Bus, alone in

the parking lot. NWA against the world.

FADE TO BLACK:

FADE UP:
ON;

53 INT. MAUSOLEUM - LOS ANGELES - DAY 53

In a suit, Dre stands beside Tyree’s MEMORIAL WALL, his arm

draped around his heartbroken mother, Verna. She cries

without end or apology, surrounded by family, including his

other brother, WARREN G, plus Eazy, Cube, Ren and Yella.

It’s solemn and quiet. Dre remains stoic, staring hard,

trying his best to remain strong for his mother. All members

of the band keep a close eye on him, as the pastor wraps up

his eulogy.

PASTOR:

Death is a threshold we all have to

pass through. No one is exempt.

Tyree will set a place for us on

the other side and we will see him

again. The flesh will always return

to the earth. But our spirits will

live on forever. Amen!

The congregation repeats the pastor with a follow up "Amen."

54 INT. MAUSOLEUM - LATER 54

A shattered Dre slumps out with his mom, Verna.

DRE:

If I brung him out on tour with me,

like he wanted --

VERNA:

This is not on you, Andre.

Dre doesn’t say anything. Keeps his head bowed.

VERNA (CONT’D)

Andre.

DRE:

We was supposed to kick it... Next

chance I got --

58.

VERNA:

This is not your fault. Understand

me? Stop this nonsense. Stop it

now.

He looks at his momma. This strong woman.

VERNA (CONT’D)

Your brother looked up to you. And

you took great care of him. We both

did. It’s time to let someone else

take care of him now.

With that, she can no longer hold back the tears. Dre hugs

her, mother and son comforting each other.

VERNA (CONT’D)

I’m proud of you... So proud of

you, baby...

Dre fights back tears of his own, the words he’s longed to

hear. As Verna slowly turns and walks away, Cube, Eazy, Ren

and Yella surround him, brothers in arms. They walk out the

Mausoleum.

55 TOUR BUS MONTAGE: 55

55pt1 -- Rural farmland. Flyover-ville. Where the f*** are we? 55pt1

55pt2 -- Dre stares out the window, despondent, lost in thought...

55pt2

55pt3 INT./EXT. TOUR BUS 55pt3

-- Cube and Ren jot lyrics on notepads as the bus passes by

more PROTESTORS...

CUBE:

Check this out -

PROTESTOR 1 PROTESTOR 2 PROTESTOR 3

Ban gangsta rap! Get the hell out NWA is filth!

of here!

THUD! An egg smacks into the window OBSCURING OUR VIEW.

REN:

We should get out and beat his ass.

55pt4 INT. TOUR BUS 55pt4

-- Yella watches porn next to Eazy who’s grown bored...

EAZY:

Man shut that off. Put on my sh*t.

59.

Disgruntled, Yella obliges. Puts on SCARFACE. Eazy smiles.

55pt5 INT. TOUR BUS 55pt5

-- Eazy and Jerry mastermind backstage at a concert. Jerry

HANDS a BILLBOARD MAGAZINE to Eazy.

JERRY:

Moving up on the Billboard 200

albums chart, Holding our bullet

the R&B, Hip-Hop chart. I mean, you

have any idea how many records

we’re selling? Ruthless has

arrived. Eric, we are huge!

Eazy scans the magazine. Drinks it in, sly smile as we -

56 EXT. HOTEL - POOL SIDE - NIGHT 56

Surrounded by GROUPIES, living the life, the GANG hangs by

the pool. Odd looks are sent their way from snobby HOTEL

GUESTS, a school of fish out of water as --

JERRY looks worried as he makes a bee-line toward the pool in

his trademark velvet sweat suit, LETTER in hand. He

officiously hands it to Eazy, who scans it. Growls:

EAZY:

The muthafuckin’ FBI?

These words catch everybody's attention. We catch a GLIMPSE

OF THE LETTER on FBI stationary -- Dre snatches it from Eazy.

DRE:

Damn, they comin’ after us, too?

Now Cube leans over -- reads aloud:

CUBE:

“... advocating violence and

assault is wrong and we in the law

enforcement community take

exception to such action.” Have

they ever heard of freedom of

speech? What the f*** can they do

to us?

JERRY:

It’s a warning. A message to our

record label about “F*** the

Police”. We should really think

about not performing that song for

a while.

60.

That doesn't sit well with the group. Moans and growns are

heard.

JERRY (CONT’D)

(over their PROTESTS)

Relax. RELAX. No need to worry--

All I’m saying is, we should be

aware of this threat...

CUBE:

If it was from the LAPD, then I’d

be worried.

EAZY:

We should all be happy, not

worried. This is a gift, man. More

free publicity for NWA.

(waves letter)

That’s why we gonna send this to

the press. Let everybody know about

this kind of harassment and

intimidation by the government.

Right, Jerry?

Jerry does not think this is the best idea ever but...

JERRY:

Well, uh. If that’s what you wanna

do, then maybe we -

EAZY:

Do it, Jerry. Let everybody see

this bullshit.

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