The Players Club

My name is Diana Armstrong, but my stage name is Diamond.

I worked at the Players Club 4 years before it burnt down...

and to tell you the truth, I'm glad It's gone.

When I was a senior in high school...

all I wanted to do was attend a famous black college...

and study journalism.

But my father had different plans for my life.

You're not going to one of those nigger colleges!

You have the opportunity to go upstate to a good college...

and that is where you are going!

No, I'm not! That's where you want me to go!

I'm going to Southern Tech!

No, you are not! Not with my goddamn money!

You are not!

We don't need yo, money! We don't need nothin' from you!

You must think you grown, huh?

You think you got this whole world figured out.

If you are that grown...

you need to get the hell out of this house!

Get out there and get a house of your own!

No! She is not goin' anywhere!

That's right! And don't come back...

till you get some sense in you!

Don't pay attention to what he says!

Diana, he'll calm down. Just wait. Honey!

You got that baby!

-Do you hear me? -Mama, I'm gone!

So to show him...

I got a little apartment with my baby's father.

And it was all good until he needed his space--

whatever the fuck that means.

So instead of checking into Southern Tech that semester...

I had to deal with the real world.

That's when I met Tricks and Ronnie.

Ain't you supposed to help me try these on?

You need help?

I ain't trying to get in your business...

but can I ask a question?

How much money you make working here?

I make enough.

Enough to do what?

They couldn't pay me enough to smell feet all day.

You could be making a lot more money...

if you would just use what you got...

to get what you want and forget this chump change.

-What's that mean? -Just what it sound like.

Don't be stupid, girl.

Use what God gave you.

y'all some prostitutes?

Hell, no. We dancers.

Dancers? Where y'all dance at?

The Players Club.

The Players Club was owned...

by this low-life named ''Dollar Bill''--always in debt.

He was the one that gave me the name Diamond.

He said 'cause my face was so pretty...

but he never really looked at my face.

How you doing?

Hi. I'm Diana.

Dollar Bill.

Kinda cute.

A little makeup...

fix your hair a little different.

Turn around. Let me see.

Damn, she got ass.

You can start tonight if you want to.

I got to call the baby-sitter.

All right, then. They was cheap tonight.

Just quit fuckin' with my shit! Please!

What's up, new booty? How you doing?

Nervous.

Don't think I can go out there looking like this.

Yeah, you can. You just gotta learn how to relax.

Took around you. Everybody here is naked.

Every girl was nervous their first night...

but they got used to it.

You drink?

Here. Let me show you something.

Try not to look at the customer.

Just look in the mirror and dance sexy to the music.

Pretend You're at home in your bathroom by yourself.

That's it?

And drink as much as you can as fast as you can.

You might as well get faded.

Hold on.

Where's my money from the party you did?

I want my money, and I'm not playing.

-Tet's go, ho. -What?

That's what they about to call you upstairs...

so get used to it.

Now, let's go, ho.

When it was my turn to dance...

I was shittin' bricks.

I felt like a mouse in a room full of snakes.

What's up?

That's it!

Damn, baby! Work that shit!

You want a dance, Miron?

What you waitin' on, girl? You better get yo, money.

My first table dance...

was the most degrading experience of my life.

But after a few hours, and a few more drinks...

I didn't even worry about it.

The money was fast and easy.

And I needed it.

I tried not to let this club change me, but it has.

You can't park there.

I'm not the same person I was before.

God damn it! I said you can't park there!

I walked in a young lady and came out a woman...

knowin' a lot more about life.

Like in this business, hounds can be male and female.

And I tried to avoid both.

Excuse you. You better watch where you going!

I had a four-year hustle plan that was the bomb.

I would go to school in the daytime...

and I would pay for it at night.

I got all the way up to my senior year...

without getting caught in any bullshit the club had to offer.

I had Lance, my new boyfriend.

And my father and I was even speaking again.

Everything was cool.

At least until...

my 18-year-old cousin Ebony moved here from Tallahassee...

a month before finals.

And my mama told her mama I would keep her out of trouble.

I said, ''Yeah,'' because she was my favorite little cousin.

-How are you? -I'm fine.

Look at you.

Come on in. Give me your stuff.

Lance, this is my cousin Ebony.

How you doing?

After seeing my new apartment...

she asked if she could work with me at the Players Club.

Stripping business started in Africa.

Long time ago...

Long, long time ago, white men went to Africa.

And he saw all these bootiful black women...

walking around, singing...

dancing, working, living...

in the nude.

Bucket nekkids.

You could see they public hairs.

This white man went from village to village...

to seek out these bootiful black women.

Watching them perform in the nude.

Titties! Asses. Free.

White man got a idea.

He figure he go back to Europe...

and start the same type of business...

take away from my black womens.

Try to get those white bitches to dance the same identical way.

But to no avail.

Wasn't no shame in our black women.

Wasn't no shame in them walking around bucket nekkid.

So he went to Europe, tried to start the same thing.

But it didn't happen.

Those white bitches told him the most bootiful words...

you ever wanna hear in our profession.

What she say?

Baby, those white bitches looked at that white man...

dead in the eye and told him, ''Fuck that. Pay me.''

That's why I get thirty percent.

When can I start?

Immediately.

Ebony jumped head-first into this lifestyle.

She would stay out all night...

and I would have to spend all morning looking for her.

Hey, girl. Have you seen my cousin?

See you tomorrow, man. You got your bag?

Yeah, I got it. Bye, Mama.

Bye. Don't tell Grandma Ebony didn't come home.

I know. And don't tell her she works at the club.

Right. Very good. Give me a hug.

See you later.

Bye, Mama.

Hi, sweetheart.

-Grandma, me here! -That's my pudding.

Come inside. I made you some chocolate chip cookies.

Wake up, Dollar Bill!

Shut up!

Now, you open your mouth wide and say, ''Ahh.''

Open your mouth, nigga!

Now what we have here is a failure to re-compensate.

Hold this.

Hold the damn gun!

Don't jerk your head. Got a hair trigger.

William Dollar. You own the Players Club.

You borrowed $60,000 from St. Louis.

You haven't made one payment yet.

Mr. St. Louis is coming to your club...

and he wants a payment of $10,000.

If you don't pay him, he don't pay me...

and I'm gonna take that real personal and come get you.

I'm supposed to get some pussy tonight.

You make that payment...

or listen for the pop.

Maybe I should just blam !

It's gonna be a pop, fool.

Oh, my mama.