Straight Outta Compton Page #13

JERRY:

What the f*** were you guys

thinking? They can hold us libel

for inciting a riot! No one cares

that the police started it...

Dre, Ren and Yella start paying attention as Eazy switches

channels. Finds another report about the riot. And another.

And another. Images blurring by of the concert.

JERRY (CONT’D)

Whether you like it or not, you are

a political group. Never give these

a**holes a reason to hurt you. Next

time they might take it.

The guys watch, realizing that they’re becoming a part of the

zeitgeist. No longer in the news, they are the news.

KURT LODER (PRE-LAP)

The explosive Compton rap group,

N.W.A. -HARD

CUT TO:

64 CLOSE ON MTV NEWS REPORT (STOCK FOOTAGE) 64

KURT LODER:

-- aka N*ggers With Attitudes,

officially had their video banned

here at MTV due to gang-like images

that could incite violence. This is

not the first scrape with

controversy for the band -

66.

65 INT. HOTEL - CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS 65

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! NWA sit at a long table being

interviewed for a PRESS JUNKET, dozens of microphones thrust

in their faces, cameras flashing. All the members are

engaged, leaning forward, elbows on the table. They got each

other’s back as WE PARACHUTE IN:

JOURNALIST 1

How do you explain insighting a

riot in Detroit? What do you have

to say about that?

EAZ:

We didn’t insight sh*t.

DRE:

You just got a snapshot of how

Americans honestly feel.

REN:

We didn’t create that.

JOURNALIST 2

Your songs glamorize the lifestyle

of gangs, guns and drugs.

CUBE:

My art is the reflection of my

reality. What do you see when you

go outside of your door. I know

what i see.

YELLA:

And it ain’t glamorous.

CUBE:

And by the way, the hood gets AKs

from Russia and cocaine from

Columbia.

EAZY:

We don’t even have passports. Check

the source.

REN:

Who is responsible for that?

JOURNALIST 3

You are experiencing a metoric

rise. How can you explain that

artits like Axl Rose from Guns and

Roses are wearing your tshirts and

hats?

67.

DRE:

Isn’t it obvious. Real recongnize

real.

CUBE:

WE must of struck a nerve.

Journalist 4 quickly interjects -

The guys let that lie a moment as other JOURNALISTS speak up.

JOURNALIST 4

Will you be more careful about what

you say, and how you say it?

REN:

Nope.

Everyone LAUGHS.

CUBE:

Hell no. Last I heard, this is

America and we got Freedom of

Speech. Pretty sure that includes

rap music. Exercisin’ our Free

Speech across this whole damn

country, openin’ people’s eyes. Far

as I’m concerned that’s our job.

The Journalists take that in, impressed by Cube’s media savvy

and forthright demeanor. Cube points to another JOURNALIST.

JOURNALIST 4

So Cube, what’s a guy from Compton

do when he starts making real money

like this?

Laughter from the assembled. Not from Cube. Silence. Then:

JOURNALIST 4 (CONT’D)

Cube..?

66 EXT. DOUBLETREE SUITES - PHOENIX - ESTABLISHING - NIGHT 66

The typical cookie-cutter hotel blights the beautiful desert

landscape as the band exits the tour bus, enters -

67 INT. DOUBLETREE SUITES - PHOENIX - NIGHT 67

CUBE walks down the hotel hallway, stops in front of a door.

He KNOCKS, but there’s no answer. He notices the door is

PROPPED open with the dead-bolt, so he pushes inside -

68.

68 INT. DOUBLETREE SUITES - JERRY’S SUITE - CONTINUOUS 68

Cube enters the dark room. At the far end of the room,

there’s a DESK, with a lone LAMP illuminated, casting weird,

creepy shadows across the room.

And JERRY HELLER sits behind the desk, his face mostly

obscured in shadow. Cube grins, bemused, because this tableau

is clearly deliberate, a dramatic show of power.

JERRY:

It’s nice to see you, Cube.

CUBE:

Well I can barely see you, Jerry.

What’s with all this Godfather

sh*t?

Jerry ignores the comment, rises from behind the desk,

carefully places a stapled sheaf of PAPERS on the desk.

JERRY:

I know you’ve been very eager to

sign a contract with Eric’s

company, Ruthless Records.

CUBE:

It’s your company too, right? You

and Eric. All for one, one for all.

Jerry sighs, shakes his head.

JERRY:

That’s incorrect. It’s not my

company. I work for you. I’ve made

that clear from the beginning.

Cube just nods, like, yeah right. Picks up the thick

contract, pages through it. It’s full of dense legalese.

CUBE:

Alright, cool. So I can take this

one, show it to a lawyer or

somethin’?

Jerry stares at him for a beat. Places his hands on the desk.

JERRY:

Cube, lawyers get paid to make

trouble. That's what they do --

create problems where problems

don't exist.

69.

CUBE:

But I have no idea what it says. At

least let me take it to show my

family.

JERRY:

I can assure you, it’s all

standard. You can read it now, if

you like.

Cube’s expression darkens. He clenches his jaw.

CUBE:

Jerry, you know I can’t understand

this legal sh*t. None of us can.

That’s why we need to show it to a

lawyer-

JERRY:

Cube, I thought you knew? Everyone

else signed already. You’re the

only one who hasn’t.

Cube flips to the last page. The Signatory page. Sure enough,

there’s EAZY’s signature, DRE’s, YELLA’s, and REN’s. Cube can

only shake his head with confusion, disappointment.

CUBE:

What the f***..?

JERRY:

Look. Cube. This is a great thing.

This is what you always wanted your

whole life. And there’s also this.

Jerry lays a CHECK on the desk in front of Cube, made out to

O'SHEA JACKSON. And it’s for $75,000. Cube can’t help it, his

eyes go wide. It’s more money than he ever dreamed of.

CUBE:

Damn. (beat) Thanks, man.

He reaches for the check, but Jerry pulls it back.

JERRY:

Soon as you sign this contract, the

money is all yours.

Cube freezes. Realizes he’s being shaken down.

CUBE:

That’s my money anyway, Jerry. I

earned it. I wrote a lot of hit

songs. I been on tour for months.

(MORE)

70.

CUBE (CONT'D)

Performing. Gettin’ arrested and

sh*t. And you gonna try to gank me?

JERRY:

That’s ridiculous.

CUBE:

Give me my money, Jerry.

JERRY:

You’re kidding me, right? Who do

you think pays for everything? All

the hotel rooms, the parties, the

transpo? You think that’s free?

Cube closes his eyes. Takes a deep breath. He must literally

will himself to not implant his fist in Jerry’s face.

CUBE:

Why all this now, Jerry? Back in

the beginning, if you thought we

were so good, why didn’t you just

give us contracts then?

JERRY:

Nothing’s a sure thing, Cube. Even

a great talent can crash and burn.

Too much ego, too much excess, too

many expectations -- it tends to

ruin things. You oughta keep that

in mind.

Cube stares hard. Knows exactly what Jerry’s implying.

CUBE:

I’m gonna ask one more time. Are

you sayin’ I can’t have the money I

earned, unless I sign this

contract, right now, without

showin’ it to anybody?

Jerry just crosses his arms, looks at Cube, says nothing.

CUBE (CONT’D)

Bye, Jerry.

He turns and walks out of the room --

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