Godfather of Harlem

I left you breathing

so that you could keep me one step ahead.

How come we got to hear about this all secondhand?

That's just gonna get you a shallow grave

on the Eastern Parkway, you hear me?

I don't know, Frank, you in biz with all these Italians,

you playing with fire.

- - Aah! Shit! Ah!

- Did a good piece of work. - You almost got me killed.

It's a risky business.

You think I'd dime you over fucking ledgers?!

But I can't leave room for no error.

Joe Colombo.

But there's no active investigation against him.

Care to explain?

The New York Fine Arts Board

is a very influential group of people.

I imagine that's why you're trying so hard to get on it.

I am trying to get on it to help Black artists

get the recognition they deserve.

If you're gonna keep hanging ot with these militants,

you're not gonna be welcome at the house.

So, you agree with the Panthers' mission,

but you don't want me to be a part of it

'cause I might get hurt.

I can't have this around Margaret.

You think there's room for me to crash here a while?

I don't see why not.

- You got a son? - Rodney.

Chewed him up in basic training,

spit him out into the Big Muddy.

- Fuck! - Bumpy, you all right?

- Whoa, whoa. - Oh, shit.

Hey! Hey, talk to me, Bumpy.

Mr. Johnson, you've had a minor heart attack.

I figured Colombo would send your sorry ass.

The real enemy is not our fellow Black man,

but the system that pits us against each other.

Get out.

Thank you all for coming

to the groundbreaking for Club St. Clair,

Harlem's new culture and entertainment center.

- -

Together, we're building

a New Harlem Renaissance, prosperous and vibrant,

where our legacy is defined by both individual achievements

and solidarity.

The future of Harlem...

is us.

Thank you, and welcome to Club St. Clair.

Monique?

Look at you, girl.

Shit!

On the come up!

Look at this chain, girl.

Mm. It was a gift. Frankie here, he treat me right.

- I'll be back, all right? - Okay.

[laughter, indistinct conversations]

I'll say, Mayme, this is all quite impressive.

I sourced everything from artists

based right here in Harlem.

So... eclectic.

Mayme, your...

extensive knowledge of art

is one reason why

we'd like you to join our board.

- - Oh.

Uh... Thank you.

Thank you. I am honored.

Well, I'll put you in touch with my girl Friday

to arrange the paperwork...

and the payment of dues.

Dues?

Just a one-time fee of a hundred.

A hundred...

$100,000...

Sweetheart.

Look at this fucking clown.

Guy thinks he's the fucking king of Harlem.

Oh, he's definitely moving junk for somebody.

The question is who.

Mr. J.

You sounded aces up there.

I apologize if me coming in stepped on your speech.

- It's all right. - Yeah.

I mean, I got to say, this place?

Real nice. You done good.

Looks like you done good, too.

I'm gon' be good.

Yeah, you see, I'm a fighter.

I'm gon' fight for what's mine.

- You know what I'm saying? - I can guess.

No duji in the club, all right?

I ain't here for that, man.

I ain't here to sell nothin'.

I'm just here to celebrate you. That's it.

You got a new coat.

Yeah, yeah. Chinchilla.

You like that?

Know what chinchilla is?

Some kind of fox.

Chinchilla is a rodent.

Ooh, Frankie.

I think I'm-a keep you.

I'm gon' keep you.

- Oh, you are? - I'm-a hold you real tight.

Oh, okay.

- Go on, get in this car. - Don't keep me waiting now.

- Get you on home. - And then what?

Hey, man, Lucas.

Slim Lou.

That damn coat.

Ain't nobody tell you it's summertime, man?

You out here swinging pelt?

- Yeah. - Go ahead with your bad self.

Somebody got to do it. But I got to take off, man.

You be safe. You know how these streets is.

Come on, you ain't--You ain't got no time for your boys?

You see what's in that car. Come on, now.

Man, I guess I ain't as pretty as her, man.

Monique!

Whoever done this shit gon' fucking pay!

No, fuck that! You know who did it, huh?

Who did it? Who was it?!

Look, we don't know who it was.

Bullshit! I think you're lying to me.

Some Italian heads gon' roll for this shit.

You gon' feel my pain.

Somehow they found out

that you were selling our dope out of state.

I wonder how that fucking happened.

Yeah, I was making more money selling those kilos

than you ever had in your fucking life.

That's right, but the other families,

they wanted that dope for themselves.

We've been shorting them.

And they come after me for it?!

Maybe 'cause they seen you strutting around town

like a fuzzy fucking peacock.

This is your fault.

- Fuck you! - Fuck you!

- I'll cut your... - All right, calm the fuck down,

the both of you.