Voila! Finally, the Zebrahead
script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Michael Rapaport
movie by Anthony Drazan. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly
transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Zebrahead. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally
tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to
drop me a line. You won't
hurt my feelings. Honest.
It's not their problem.
It's ours.
Like it's not theirs,
it's our problem.
Fucking assholes of the world.
Leaking their shit into my yard.
Fuel-leaking motherfuckers.
It's bullshit, man.
It's bullshit.
All right, in case Mrs. Wilsonhasn't said so...seniors who are late see her,sophomores and juniors see me.
Mr. Wimms, you're late.
Yeah, special situation. I had to get
my cousin Nikki. It's her first day.
Tough break. She's late too.
- Go ahead.
- This is the office.Kelvin Macraeis returning to school.
- Says who?
- Says Kelvin.
Oh, yeah?
You send him to me right now.
Yes, sir.
One more time, and it's ice for you
for a week, my friend.
You know, Mr. C., you ain't makin'
a good impression on my cousin here.
- Bye.
- Later.
- Name?
- Nikki Patterson.
Oh, yeah. Midterm transfer
from Brooklyn, right?
- Yeah, East New York.
- East New York, right.
Well, things are different
here in Detroit.
- Yeah, you have more walkie-talkies.
- Exactly. Very different.
- Mr. Cimino.
- Hello, Michelle.
- Look, this isn't my fault.
- It's my fault, Mr. Cimino.
By the way, that's a nice tie. MyJeep
broke down and had to be towed.
Towed?
And I have a note here
from my mechanic.
- Your mechanic?
- Glazer!
- Come on, Michelle.
- What? YourJeep didn't break down.
- Lovers quarrel, huh?
- No, Mr. Cimino.
This has nothing to do with lovers.
Not anymore.
This one's on me, pal.
Nut, get down here.
Take off the hat.
Off with the hat!
Didn't I tell you next time I see you,
I want to see you with your parents?
Where's your mother?
- Where's your father?
- How many times do I gotta tell you?
When a teacher tells you
to leave the room, you leave the room.
- But I wasn't doin' nothing!
- I don't care.
Next time, your ass is gonna be
out on the street.
Don't embarrass me in front of a
beautiful sister. It's not that serious.
- I ain't your sister.
- Shit.
- That's right, I ain't your sister.
- Don't mess with her, Nut.
- She'll be in your face.
- We'll see about that.
Yeah, we will too.
Don't worry about him.
He's in special ed.
- For the gifted.
- Yeah.
It's our gift to you that
you're still here. A week in ice.
Two weeks in ice.
- Go for three.
- Enjoy the hat.
Dad?
- Zack.
- How ya doin'?
- What's up?
- What are you doin' home?
What's it look like?
Downtown store was dead,
so I closed up early.
I don't know. People just aren't
walking in off the streets.
People aren't walking in off the streets
because there are no one on the streets.
Well, well! Figured that all out
by yourself, did you?
It's all right.
It's a specialty business.
Besides, downtown's
bouncin' back anyway.
Dad, you know I split up
with Michelle today.
She wasn't puttin' out, huh?
Not like some.
Keep laughing, Richard.
See what happens next time
you want a blow job off the turnpike.
Don't listen to any of that.
Yeah.
- So we losin' the store?
- No, but I'm losing money.
It's suckin' off every buck
we make at the mall.
So maybe Diane's right.
Fuck Diane.
So, what happened with Michelle?
- She wasn't right for me.
- Fuck her too.
Thanks, Dad.
Yo, Zack, hey,
the big spenders are here.
Those are my grandparents, man.
Watch your mouth.
- Hello, Zack.
- Hi, Nana. Hi, Pops.
I'd kiss you, but the garlic's
a little heavy today.
A kiss is a kiss, honey.
That's my boy.
Want some bread?
How come you guys don't eat my bread?
Well, if you're gonna give it to him,
give it to him.
Zack, it's been years
since Mommy died.
- What's this?
- It's a Yortzeit candle.
Light it next week
on the anniversary of her death.
I gotta get back inside,
finish up work.
You guys are gonna smell
like garlic now.
- I'll see you at the store later.
- All right, Pops.
What's up, man?
What's going on?
- Out of my locker, man.
- Ten dollars each.
- Ten dollars apiece, boy.
- I ain't got nothin' for you.
- She wasn't right for you anyway.
- Nah?
She was too smart, too mature,
too beautiful, too suave.
- Hey, fellas, what's up?
- How you doin', man?
- Yo, let us have two for twenty.
- This shit is fifteen apiece, man.
Oh, but you give it to the brothers
for ten each, right?
You see how he does me, man?
We were bar mitzvahed together,
and he's hustling me.
Hustling you? Are you stupid, man?
This shit is flavor, B.
- Let me get a taste.
- No, you gotta get that on your own.
- You forgot, huh?
- Yeah.
Yeah, whatever.
Damn, man! Look at your eyes.
All fucked up on crack.
Yo, Nut, check this brother's eyes.
He fucked up or what?
What's up with you, bitch? Smokin'
the commercial weed joints and shit.
Just get the fuck out of here
and leave my homeboy alone.
My shit ain't weak, man.
My shit's sent down from the gods.
- Let me hit that shit, then.
- It's for special people, man.
- That's why you don't have none.
- Let me hit it. You just frontin'.
- Ain't no future in that shit, man.
- What kind of name is Nut, anyway?
Check these nuts, man.
You do look fucked up, don't you?
Come on, let's take somebody's food.
- Shit! Dee, give it back.
- No, Connie. Yo, yo, yo.
- Let me just see it!
- No! Give it to me!
- I want to see it.
- Fuck you!
- Give it back!
- I'd go out with him.
- Nah, I ain't even with that.
- I would. He's fine.
No, he ain't.
I don't want no white boy.
- Why wouldn't you date a white boy?
- I just wouldn't.
All right, then, would you
go out with a Dominican?
Yeah, the right one.
Not a motherfucker on crack.
- Would you go out with a Chinese boy?
- Yeah.
You'd go out with a Chinese boy
before you'd go out with a white boy?
- Hell, yeah.
- By yourself.
Say he gets angry at you and starts
cursing you in that Oriental talk.
You're not gonna understand
a word he's sayin'.
All right, then, would you
kick it with an Italian boy?
- Why not? Yeah.
- You'd kick it with an Italian boy?
- Yep.
- Italian's not white?
- No, not really.
- It's not.
They may look white,
but they damn sure don't act white.
- Let me see it, then.
- Come on, stop playin', Nut!
Give me that, man!
You fuckin' can't even read.
- What's up then, nigga?
- You a stupid-ass basehead, man.
- Just 'cause I ain't livin' like you.
- That's all you is!
- So what you sayin', man?
- What's up, fool?
Nut! Get over here!
Ice. I-C-E.
- Take off the hat.
- Ice.
- You're too rough on the brother, man.
- Shut up.
Why don't you show the brother
some respect?
Same respect you show Zack here.
Look, man, don't even start
with that shit, all right?
- Where do you belong?
- Wherever I want.
Take off the hat.
You don't have to put up
with that nigga's bullshit.
- Yeah, I do.
- Busted, where you live?
Yo, doesn't matter where I live.
We're all African.
You live in a white neighborhood.
You don't have to deal.
So don't give me
that "we're all African" bullshit.
- Where are you going?
- I have to deal.
- I have to deal with you right now.
- Go on.
Tweedledum follows Tweedledee, huh?
Check this out.
Yeah, yeah.
Yo, my name is Deeand this is ZacharyI'm in the frontHe's in the back of mePeople say"Zack, you act too black for me"But, yo, I like the waythe brother acts to me
You get props for that. You hear that,
Mr. Wimms? Your son can rhyme.
My eight-year-old daughter can rhyme.
But can he read and write?
Gonna break my drinkin' glasses, and he
won't be readin', writin' or rhymin'.
Hey, man,
you gonna be his promoter?
You gonna take half
of every dollar he makes?
- Don't be mean, Otis.
- I'm just teasin' him.
He knows that.
He better know that.
You know about Reverend Calvin Butts
from the Abyssinian Baptist Church?
- I know you know.
- No, Mr. Wimms, I don't. I'm sorry.
He's goin' around
with children aboutJasmine's age.
They paintin' over liquor
and tobacco billboards aimed at blacks.
What do you think about that?
That's right. Think about it.
You think about it too.
- Come on, Pop.
- Come on what?
He come over here, he needs to think
about where he's at, that's all.
I sure as hell have to think about it
when I go over there.
Please don't start.
It took me a goddamn year
to get those crackheads...
out of my house
that your aunt is in now.
Leave it alone, baby.
Remember when they cleared those
houses to build a community center?
- Yeah.
- You do, don't you?
- Yeah.
- The Mac Avenue Center.
Now they sellin' crack
and shit all over there.
Took me a goddamn year to get those
motherfuckin' crackheads...
out of my goddamn house!
You wanna rhyme somethin'?
You rhyme about that!
I gotta make up at the airport.
He just gets wound up
and starts buggin' out, man.
Don't worry about it.
Dee, get that other mattress
over to your cousin's...
so she doesn't have to sleep
on her hardwood floor again.
Yes, ma'am.
They probably got
all kind of black-headed...
- Where we goin', man?
- Elbowed, ankled...
animals in here
just ready to tear me up.
Your sister could be in here.
Yo, they can have lions
and tigers and bears. Oh, my!
- This shit is heavy, Dee.
- I know, man. I know.
- Goddamn!
- You're a weak son of a sucker, man.
- Your cousin better be lookin' good.
- That runs in the family, dog.
- Better be.
- Ugly motherfucker.
- Goddamn!
- Yo, juggle my nuts, Zack.
- You got some lemonade?
- Over here.
Thanks, y'all.
- Hard labor's a bitch.
- Oh, man, think it ain't what it is.
Look, y'all needed
the workout, okay?
I'm Zack. And you're...
- Nikki.
- You're from East New York?
- Where's that?
- It's in Brooklyn.
My mother was from there.
What's it like?
It's rough.
- Why'd you move?
- It was time.
Got any brothers or sisters
in Brooklyn?
- He likes to ask questions.
- I see that.
He wasn't askin' too many
the other day, though.
- The other day?
- Oh, you should have seen this boy.
It was terrible.
His girl just dissed him.
I'm surprised you're still
on your feet still standin'.
- Yeah, well, I'm not really.
- Yeah, okay.
- I guess I got what I asked for.
- You admit it. You were doggin' her.
We were just goin' through the motions.
There was no real intensity involved.
- It looked pretty intense to me.
- That ain't the first time, either.
I remember this one time at the movies.
Remember that, Zack?
Yeah, I remember that time
at the movies, too, Dee.
- Forget it. Remember, it was the mall.
- I remember that time at the mall too.
That was the time at the mall, yeah.
I ain't gonna say. I'll tell you later.
- Are you Italian?
- No, I'm Jewish. Why?
'Cause you smell like garlic, and I'm
gonna need to spray that bed with Lysol.
All right.
That's really funny, Dee.
That's really funny.
Don't call me if you need somebody
to carry your mattress out.
All right.
And be careful, Zack.
Make sure she don't plant
no bombs in your mailbox.
Yeah, well, I live at Burnside,
if you wanna come check it out for me.
That's where I live.
Yeah, okay. I don't think so.
What?
- Nikki.
- Yeah? What about her?
- Well, she's beautiful, man.
- Yeah, she's fine.
- Yeah, she's your cousin.
- So ask her out.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, man. Why not?
I don't think I'm ready.
You know, I just broke up.
- Yeah, you better give it some time.
- Right. I need to give it some time.
Yeah. Plus, she's new...
new at school.
- And I don't want to pounce on her.
- Yeah, you don't wanna sweat her.
- Not right away.
- Yeah.
'Cause I will sweat her.
She's probably not ready
to get into anything right now.
- She needs time to get acclimated.
- Yeah, acclimated.
- Do you think?
- Yeah. I guess.
- Would you mind?
- Who?
You. Would it bother you?
What?
If we did go out.
Me, man?
Why would it bother me?
- She's your cousin.
- Yeah.
- And I'm your friend.
- Uh-huh.
- And I'm white.
- No!
Technically, I am white.
I hear you, man.
- You do?
- Yeah, I do.
I hear you.
But still, ask her out.
And don't be smellin'
like garlic when you do, all right?
- You know what I'm sayin'?
- Yeah, I know what you're sayin'.
- Come on.
- Strike.
Hey, girl.
Wanna kick it with me?
Not really.
This is the real nigga here.
Not like them bullshit punks there.
- Yeah, I know what you are.
- You got that figured out right, girl.
You don't know me.
You don't know nothin' about me.
Do you know I used to live in this house
till your punk-ass uncle kicked us out?
I used to sleep butt-naked
right in that room up there.
Now I stay over there.
And now we're neighbors.
Bet you didn't know that, either, huh?
As you can see,
the crib needs a lot of work.
Shit oughta torn down and built again,
it needs so much work.
Come inside, baby.
Well, see ya.
Are we talkin' about love,
or are we talkin' about sex?
We're talkin' about infatuation.
Infatuation? What is that?
That's nothing.
You wanna look for that, go look
in the easy listening section. Go ahead.
- So what about sex, Dad?
- That's my boy. Sex.
If we're talking about sex,
fuck the lyrics. Who needs words?
Then we're talking about rhythm.
It's like we're talking
aboutJames Brown.
Wilson Pickett.
- Sam and Dave. I mean...
- I got you, Dad.
So, what about love, Dad?
Love?
Love. That's a horse
of a different color now, son.
We're talkin' about...
Well, when we talk about love...
we're talking about the idea...
expressed in the essence of a song...
in a sexy arrangement.
They want to hearJohnny Mathis,
Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra.
Silky, smoothy, satin voices.
It comes from here.
This Johnny Mathis album?
You put this on for her
if you really...
I promise you,
her nipples will melt.
I gotta take care of this customer.
Don't scratch the albums, huh?
They're priceless.
Hey, come here.
I love your father, but he's
a little bit of a schmuck, you know?
You know what love is?
Love is about communication.
Love is about commitment.
Love is about responsibility.
- Do you like this girl?
- Yeah, I like her.
Give her a chance to get to know you.
You get to know her.
Everything will be all right.
Think. Okay?
All right.
- Thanks, Pop.
- You'll be all right.
Now, let's get back
to the question...
of why prices go up
when people steal.
Don?
Would you quit it, idiot?
Mr. Spera? Thank you, Kathy.
- Would you answer the question?
- Go ahead, Vinnie.
Yo, for the person who steals,
the prices go down.
Raise your hand, Mr. Wilson,
if you want to be heard.
- Connie?
- They need more security guards?
More security guards in the stores.
That's very good, Connie.
Yo, it's a natural
redistribution of wealth.
The rich pay more to subsidize people
who can only get stuff by stealing it.
- That's right.
- Who pays for that?
- Your mother.
- We do.
- Uh-huh.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What's up?
It's fly. Who's that?
Oh, hey, that's my man Z.
He's the best DJ out here.
Nah, my brother, nah.
Listen, y'all, it isn't possible.
Even if he is, he ain't.
You know? Only brothers can be.
Yo, Nikki, why ain't you modeling
clothes like they is?
- You look good modelin' clothes.
- You look good modelin' nothin' at all.
Check your history, man. Every great
musical innovation of this century...
has been made by who?
The African. And every one of them
stolen and reshaped by who?
Yo, homeboy, the white man.
You know what I'm sayin'?
- Why you always holding your dick?
- Waitin' for you to suck it, fool.
Well, why don't you go suck on a book?
Why don't you learn about yourself?
Read about your culture
and your history, all right?
Kumbaya, motherfucker.
Farrakhan Annie.
That's what I'm talkin' about.
- You like that?
- Who is that?
Could be Frank Zappa.
Could be Captain Beefheart.
Captain Beefheart?
Oh, I know him.
My mother listens to that.
- You like that?
- Yeah.
- Check this out.
- Ooh, let's go!
Hurt that shit, Z. Yeah.
What you makin' faces for?
Perpetrator. That's all you are.
You know what I'm sayin'?
You know nothin'. The drums
are African. We created them.
Just leave music alone!
You know what I'm sayin'?
Went into Africa,
took our music, took our people.
Now here in America,
you gonna take rap? Bull! Not anymore.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Just leave it alone.
- Puccini.
- Puccini?
He need his motherfuckin' ass beat.
I should go over there straight
and knock his motherfuckin' head off.
He need to go The Simpsons show
with that shit.
Punk-ass. Nigga can't DJ. Probably
scratchin' up the records and shit.
- Do you like that?
- I like that.
You can sample anything.
Anything.
- Looks good.
- We was just gonna throw it away.
It's all right.
She gonna be redoin' the whole house.
Wanted to know
if we could use the curtains.
Yeah, that's what I thought too.
They could look all right.
So, I got a date this weekend.
- A date?
- Yeah.
Saturday night.
- He picks up and he pays?
- I think so.
You think so? Girl,
I think you better know so.
- Who is he?
- This guy from social studies class.
He's funny. He's cute.
He's real smart.
Yeah. That sounds
just like the last one.
Oh, and the one before that
and the one before that.
I don't think so.
This one's kind of different.
Yeah. They all different.
Watch.
One hit on a crack pipe
don't make you a basehead.
- Nigga, you a basehead.
- No, I'm not.
- Look at you. Paranoid and shit.
- I ain't no damn basehead.
- Look at you. Eyes all read.
- I'm not a fuckin' basehead.
Sit your motherfuckin' ass down.
Motherfuckin' basehead.
You all shakin' and shit.
This ain't no motherfuckin' rehab.
What the fuck's wrong with you?
Eyes all red and shit.
Motherfucker, what's wrong with you?
Look at this motherfucker.
Hey, yo, white boy!
- Sorry ass.
- Bart Simpson head-ass bitch.
Nigga frontin' 'cause he with
a black girl and shit. Punk-ass.
Blond-haired motherfucker.
Sorry ass.
- You ain't shit!
- Bart Simpson head motherfucker!
Reminds me of a motherfuckin' zebra
tryin' to date a black bitch.
- She should stay with her own color.
- Hi. I'm here to get Nikki.
- You're here to get Nikki?
- Sorry-ass motherfucker!
You ain't shit! Straight up!
- What the fuck you lookin' at?
- Your date's here.
Turn your ass around before
I bust you in the mouth, motherfucker.
What the fuck you lookin' at?
Punk-ass!
White punk!
Let me ask you somethin'.
Is this a curiosity thing?
Curiosity thing?
You datin' my daughter.
You slummin' or what?
See you later.
She's got a curfew.
Don't worry, Mrs. Patterson.
I'll have her back on time.
What the fuck is this?
Look at this motherfucker.
Punk motherfucker.
You ain't shit. Need your ass whipped.
Sorry motherfucker.
Dumb-ass bitch.
Nikki is a hooker!
So I took her!
- Shut up!
- Bitch!
Yeah, why don't you come over here
and give me head, motherfucker?
They just talkin' shit.
Just let that stuff slide, you know?
Fuck y'all!
Nikki, what do you wanna do?
Where you wanna go?
I don't know. It's your city.
You tell me.
Go to a movie, go to a mall,
go to the zoo, go get somethin' to eat.
- I can't believe you.
- Roller skating.
Go play miniature golf.
Go to a driving range
and hit long balls.
- What are you laughin' at, Nikki?
- You're different that what I expected.
Oh, yeah?
What do you mean, different?
You know what I mean.
You're more on the homeboy side
than on the white boy side.
This is Detroit, you know?
This is where I live.
I may not live downtown, but it's
still a predominately black city.
This is me, though.
This is who I am.
Listen to this song.
I made this with Dee.
This is Saul's Medley Land.
My grandfather opened this store
after the Second World War.
He was always on the cutting edge.
Blues, big band, bebop,
R & B, cool...
free jazz, fusion, everything.
So much music, history.
Listen to this.
- Do you like that song?
- Yes.
This is my home.
This is my treasure.
This is me.
Fuck that camera.
Yo, Nut, wait up.
Get away from me,
you stupid-ass basehead.
My money! Bitch!
Your ass still ugly.
What's up, white boy?
Just 'cause you listen to black music,
that don't make you black.
That's my tape.
I made that tape.
You should listen to that tape.
That tape is all that.
- I don't wanna listen to that shit.
- It's your loss, Nut.
What's goin' on, Z?
Chillin'?
You know that.
Hey, watch she gonna get tired
of your white ass, you punk!
Motherfucker!
Fuck that kid, man.
He's a stupid motherfucker.
Let me ask you something.
- The answer is no.
- Why?
I never went out
with a black girl before.
How'd you know
what I was gonna ask you?
I'm psychic.
You ever went out
with a white guy before?
In East New York? No.
What does your mother
think about this?
What does she really
think about this?
She's not trying to
hear it at all.
What does your father think?
My father doesn't care
who I date.
As long as I date regularly...
he don't care.
What do your friends think?
You know my man Dee's
cool with it, right?
The rest of them
I don't care about.
I don't care what they think.
- What are we doing here?
- Come on.
I wanna show you something.
You're not gonna believe this.
- What is this?
- Watch this.
You see what I'm talkin' about?
Hey, what the hell
are you doing?
- This is private property.
- What are you doing?
- Why you hurting me?
- Come on.
This is a fucking game
to you, right?
It's Disney.
I'm a fuckin' clown, right?
Get the fuck outta here!
Get the fuck out!
It's a fucking game, right?
- Dad.
- Zack.
When did you get home?
What difference does it make?
- You must be Nikki.
- Hi.
Of course she's Nikki.
Who do you think she is?
Hey, hey.
How you doing, Nik?
Listen, don't be so sensitive.
I just wanted to make sure, okay?
I'm assuming that you two took
the necessary proper precautions.
- Yes.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Yes.
Lighten up.
Good.
You know why?
Because I got a shitload...
excuse my language...
of Chinese takeout, as you can see.
Nikki, come over here.
Sit over here.
Don't mind him.
He's a brooder. Sourpuss.
- Thank you.
- There you go.
You hear that sound?
That's like...
That's great.
That is the classic example
of the Philadelphia sound.
Oh, freedom.
It's very romantic.
It's like a teardrop.
For lovers only.
Right after Motown.
They had bands like Billy Paul...
The O'Jays, The Spinners...
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
Don't leave me this wayDon't you understand
This chick is all right.
That's great.
She's great.
Hey, what are you...
Come over here and sit down.
Come on. Sit next to
your girlfriend.
Come on.
Stop being a mooch.
Yeah, I'll tell you...
Teddy Pendergrass,
he had some set of chops.
Yeah.
Wow, those were the days.
Actually, these are
the good old days.
Right?
Hey, I propose
that we make a toast.
To all the souls of the great
vocalists wherever they may be.
Drink up.
Let's go, Dad.
We broke out with bebop.
Come on, Dad.
We gotta close up.
Come on.
I'll wait for you outside.
You all right, man?
- Don't be a stranger.
- You know I won't.
See you later.
Talk to you too.
Somethin' on your mind?
Maybe I should invite
my man over here too.
Your man?
I don't think so.
Take his bishop with that knight,
and his king is vulnerable.
- Dad, I'm about to crush him.
- You stupid.
How long does this game
last, anyway?
For hours.
Sometimes for days.
Not if you stop
giving him hints.
Come on, Nikki. What's up?
Hold on. I'm tryin' to concentrate.
- Just let him win.
- Hey, wait.
- Come on!
- Stop playin', man. Damn!
Nikki, why don't you come over,
give us a hand?
Biscuit head.
It's your move, man.
- Come on.
- I'm gonna see what's up with that.
The game ain't over, though.
- She's been like that all day.
- She'll be all right.
Yeah, as long as
he ain't usin' her.
Usin' her? Zack's not usin' her.
He don't use people.
I wouldn't worry about Zack.
He's a good kid.
Yeah, he's a good kid,
but he is white.
And she's black,
and this is America.
- And that's a problem.
- Why that's a problem?
This is . Things changed
since back in the days.
- Y'all gotta get with it.
- Man, you gotta get with it.
- I don't care what year it is.
- I'm not tryin' to hear you.
Come on, man.
Now look, you got to hear me.
Look, Dee.
Zack is all right with us, okay?
That's not what we're talking about.
But anytime you got a couple...
made up of a black person
and white person in this society...
anything is liable to happen.
We're at home here. We're at home
among our home, and so is Zack.
That's all I'm sayin'. Okay?
Come on.
Nikki, what's the matter?
What's wrong?
I'm playin' chess.
My queen is exposed.
My king is defenseless.
I gotta concentrate, you know?
- Your cousin's good.
- I don't like to be ignored.
I'm not ignorin' you.
What's wrong?
What's the matter, Nikki?
I want my respect.
If you don't give it to me,
I'm gonna be all up in your face.
You understand?
I understand.
I understand. All right?
- What's up?
- Hey, Zack.
- How you guys doin'?
- Hi, Zack. How are you?
I'm doing good.
Working hard. The whole thing.
- How's your father?
- He's surviving.
I guess, you know,
I'm surviving him.
Yeah, well, you know your dad.
Don't let him push you around.
All right, Phyliss.
I gotta go back inside.
- I'll talk to you guys later.
- I'm having a party Friday night.
It's gonna be great.
Why don't you bring Nikki?
- Oh, yeah?
- Yeah.
Really. It's cool.
I really want you to be there.
- All right, I'll be there.
- Okay.
- Thanks.
- Bye.
- You guys take it easy.
- See ya.
- Who's Nikki?
- Zack's new girlfriend.
- She's black.
- So?
So nothing. He's going out with her
to get back at you, that's all.
No, I don't think he is.
I think he really likes her.
We'll see.
Don't wait up, all right?
Don't wait up, all right?
How you feeling, all right?
Praise be to Allah.
Yo, it just feels good to get out
of my parents' house for a while.
Get to these study meetings,
you know?
You hear that music, Akim?
Nothin' but shay time in my ears.
They're always dropping
parties around here.
Yo, with the will of Allah...
I won't be saying I'm the onlyJones's
in my neighborhood, you know?
Down there livin' amongst
the masses of my people.
With the will of Allah.
Nikki, I'm telling you, we don't have
to stay long if you don't want to.
Get outta here. I get to talk
to your ex and compare notes.
All right.
Hey, you guys. I didn't think
you were gonna make it.
- Good to see you, Nikki.
- How you doin'?
Hey, you guys made it.
I was getting worried.
- How you doin', Bobby?
- Good, man.
Someone's lookin' at you, Zack.
Better go check it out.
- Be right back.
- Yeah, where have you been?
I was waiting for you.
How you doing?
- Doing good.
- Takin' care?
Did you bring Nikki? Hi.
Nikki, right?
You need a drink.
Step into my office.
Those are oceanic pieces
of the Eskimo tribe.
You have a lot of
interesting things.
Yeah. My mom, she studied art
and anthropology in college.
- Hey, Zacky.
- How you doin', Phyliss?
- Oh, you havin' a good time?
- Yeah, I am. Thank you.
- It's a nice party.
- Good. She's very pretty.
Yeah, she is.
Thank you very much.
You're just like your old man,
you know that?
This is, I think,
your boyfriend's new tape.
My boyfriend.
Yeah, that's him.
That's him.
He's really into
this black thing.
Yeah, I guess so.
And he's really nice.
I like him.
He is.
I liked him too.
So, Zack, I'm speechless, man.
We need to talk.
Come on.
We grew up together, right?
So, I gotta ask you one question.
What's it like
fuckin' a black chick?
- She won't go down on you, I bet.
- It's totally taboo. Am I right?
They hate it.
That's what I hear.
Do you wanna shed some light
on that subject, Zack?
What about those big lips?
You guys sound like a bunch
of fuckin' clowns, you know?
Oh, man, I bet she wails
like a banshee.
There it is. I knew it.
You are a fuckin' pioneer.
Once you go black,
you never go back.
The darker the berry,
the sweeter the juice.
- Hey, Nikki.
- Nikki, wait a second.
I don't wanna even hear it.
Nikki, wait a second.
Listen. They were
just being stupid.
They didn't mean anything
by it, all right?
They were just bein' stupid?
They didn't mean anything by it?
What about you?
Man, you wanna be so different?
You ain't no different from them.
Just 'cause you walk the walk
and you talk the talk.
Just 'cause you listen to the music
you think you know about the culture.
It doesn't mean a thing.
I can't believe him.
How about this?
Why don't you go get something
by Nikki Giovanni?
"Spin a Soft Black Song"
is a good one.
Yo, I'll talk to Zack,
all right?
Don't worry about it.
All right.
"The blacker the berry,
the sweeter the juice."
This chick is too much.
You want her?
She's yours.
Good morning.
She wore me out.
Been us since : a.m.
Every time I close my eyes...
I get bugged.
Oh, I mean, you know...
I can fuck 'em,
but I can't sleep with 'em.
It's weird.
The moment that I get off, I'm gone.
I mean, my body is still there,
but my head is in outer space.
You know what I mean?
You don't, do you?
What's up?
Nothin', Dad.
Get me some of that
granola stuff, will you?
- Hello.
- Hi, Mrs. Patterson. Is Nikki there?
It's Zack.
- No, she's not.
- Tell her I called, please.
Okay.
Hey, baby girl,
wanna play some gin later on?
- I'll tear you up.
- Maybe.
- Hey, y'all, what's up?
- Where you been?
Yeah, girl, you been hangin'
in the wrong 'hood.
Girl, you ain't never
gonna mean shit to them.
- Just a dash of color.
- No, it ain't about all that.
Y'all are just talkin' shit.
I get my respect.
Nikki, ain't no white boy gonna give
you your respect. That's straight up.
Shut the fuck up, Nut. Like you're
gonna give any bitch her respect.
- Shut up, bitch!
- Fuck you, ho!
Why you always gotta make
so much noise?
Why I always gotta
make so much noise?
Oh, shit.
Why's I always gotta
make so much noise?
To be heard.
Yeah, to be heard.
Well, you don't need
to be so loud...
'cause I can hear you fine
without all that.
Come on.
Come on.
Well, I guess
you're scared of me. Shit.
I don't know
where you're takin' me.
Just come on.
I ain't gonna bite you.
Neither are they.
I ain't afraid of you.
Little cat.
Why do they call you Nut?
'Cause I'm crazy.
'Cause I used to
be real small.
'Cause of the shape of my head.
Peanut.
What's your real name?
Kelvin Macrae.
Kelvin Macrae.
It's nice.
But Nut fits you better.
- Come on. What did you stop for?
- I gotta go.
I'm just getting comfortable.
Hey, yo, Nikki, wait up.
Just stay away from me.
Yo, Dee, it's dope, man,
but it ain't faithful.
- You know what I'm sayin'?
- We're here to teach, man.
- And you've got to learn, all right?
- Education's our passport to the future.
- Sure.
- Yo, you're laughing, man.
But we come into this world
mentally dead.
Programmed from birth.
You know what I'm saying?
The devil's setting up a structure
to keep you down...
to keep you and I
from being strong.
Yeah, and speakin' of the devil,
your homeboy.
Why don't you leave him alone, man?
Zack ain't doin' nothing to you.
Man, the way he disses your cousin,
and you still act the same?
- You oughta be ashamed.
- We don't dis our women?
No, we programmed to dis our women.
Come on, sister, let's go.
We programmed to dis our women.
I don't dis our women.
We programmed to dis our women
like your homeboy.
Hey, what's his problem, man?
You, man.
Yo, Dee, man, it wasn't my fault,
what happened with Nikki.
I mean, you know how it is
when guys get together, man.
Zack, I don't. How is it
when guys get together?
You know, they say things
they really don't mean to say.
Dee, man, I apologize,
all right?
I didn't mean
to disrespect your cousin.
Don't tell me, man.
Tell her, all right?
Look. Call her up, all right?
'Cause you messed up.
You messed up big time.
We all mess up.
Ain't nobody perfect.
And if she can't see that,
then she ain't worth the trouble.
Listen to you, man.
- What?
- The insight.
Where does it come from?
How do I get some?
You don't, dog, you don't.
The faggot devil
tryin' to get some soul!
It's cool, though.
I fucked up, man.
I apologize, all right?
- Yeah.
- All right?
But make sure
you tell my cousin that.
All right, I'm gonna do that.
My man, I apologize.
Get the fuck off me.
She ain't a dog.
I know that.
Nikki, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I hurt you.
I'm sorry that I was so stupid.
I screwed up.
But I miss you, Nikki.
And I wanna be with you.
I'm sorry.
All right, you apologized.
Now you can leave.
You know, you're lucky, Nikki.
You're really lucky.
You were able to go to that party
that other night and fit right in.
I can't do that,
and I never could.
You have a mother...
and I can't remember mine.
And you know how it is
with my father.
I'm sorry.
Maybe I'll see you
later on at the rink.
Okay.
Still tryin' to throw
that tired rap. No.
Girl, don't talk to him.
- Hey, yo, what's up?
- Get the fuck outta my face.
Hey, yo, what you gonna do?
Yo, Nikki.
You all right?
- Yeah.
- You are? You know Zack's coming.
It could be so easy to forget about.
But he made me so mad...
I almost didn't want to have
anything else to do with him.
- But, you know.
- Yeah, I wanted to bust his shit too.
He was just being stupid
lookin' for that rep.
- Dogs. Y'all dogs.
- Look. Zack ain't no different.
Since you're my cousin, let me
tell you, let me bust it for you.
See, we get hurt at a young age,
and when we grow up...
we don't wanna feel
like that again, so we hurt ya.
We don't show you
our real feelings.
Ruff, ruff.
- Watch some real skatin'.
- By yourself.
You know, you treat me
like a complete stranger and shit.
- I'm sorry. Will you move?
- Come on, girl, once around.
- No, I ain't tryin' to get killed.
- Why you trippin' and shit?
Damn, give me a chance. Come on.
You wanna get close to me, right?
Yo, what's up, fella?
What's up?
- Yo, coolin', checkin' out the women.
- Hey, Dee.
- Hey, Connie.
- You wanna dance?
Yo, go ahead, Dee.
You the man.
Dance with the girl.
Dance with all the girls.
Looks like love to me, Dee.
Yo, Brother Dee,
you call that black magic?
You need to give me
a chance and shit.
Get close to me, all right?
Yeah, you with me now.
Fuck him, all right?
If we're gonna be together,
I do for you.
That punk ain't gonna
do shit for you, you know?
Don't be treating me
like that, shit.
Just forget about it.
She don't want no part of you.
She want a real man,
not no wannabe.
Fuck you.
Don't be treatin' me
like I ain't nobody.
Gimme a chance at least
before you say somethin'. You know?
You been hidin' from me all through
this whole thing, you know?
Nut's dissin' you, man.
Look at him.
Don't even fight me, you know?
You with me now, all right?
Yo, Nikki!
Why don't you leave it alone, old man?
Still chasin' after the sisters.
- Stop!
- You're with me now.
Don't trip.
Don't you ever fuckin' touch me.
You ain't got nothin' to do with this.
I didn't do nothing to you
that you didn't do to your damn self.
- Why don't you leave her alone, Nut?
- You gonna be a hero, white boy?
Why don't you
just leave her alone?
Punk-ass. What you gonna do, nigga?
You can't get 'em up anyway.
- You can't get 'em up anyway.
- Why don't you get a job or something?
- Get a life. No one likes you.
- Fuck you!
- What's wrong?
- What's wrong with you?
You skate up like
a motherfuckin' cop and shit.
Why don't you take your boy home,
you motherfuckin' homo?
Both of you are bitches.
You motherfuckin' bitch!
Get the fuck outta my way!
Help! Somebody get
some fuckin' help!
Dee, don't die!
Please don't die!
Somebody call an ambulance!
"For as much as it has pleased
Almighty God...
in His wise providence,
to take out of this world...
the soul of our deceased brother...
we therefore commit
his body to the ground.
Earth to earth,
ashes to ashes...
dust to dust.
Looking for a general resurrection
in the last day...
and the life of the world to come
through our Lord Jesus Christ...
at whose second coming in His
glorious majesty to judge the world."
"And the life of the world to come
in our Lord Jesus Christ."
"According to His mighty workings,
whereby He is able to subdue...
all things unto Himself."
How was it?
Is everything a fuck to you?
I was only asking a question.
Well, how was it when Mom died?
How was that?
- Mom?
- Mom.
- You know how that was.
- No, I don't know how that was.
How was it?
Where is she buried?
- In Boston.
- What's it like, Dad?
'Cause I've never been there.
I don't know.
It's minutes
outside the city, Zack.
It's...
a cemetery.
Why wasn't I there?
We felt you were too young.
We?
I should have been there, Dad.
I should have been there.
I don't know
if I should blame Nut...
or I should blame Dee.
- How y'all doin'?
- What's up?
Takes a lot of guts, man.
A lot of nerve.
A lot of heart.
What's up?
How ya doin'?
Don't say shit! Don't!
All I wanted was to be with you.
That's all I wanted.
But your punk-ass cousin
got in the way.
I don't give a fuck!
I could kill you too!
- Nikki?
- Yeah?
Where you been?
Down at the center.
The police was here.
They said they wanted
to ask you a few questions.
I ain't got nothin' to tell them.
They said you was dancin'
with that boy...
before he killed Dee.
I was dancin' with a lot of boys.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'm goin' to bed now.
You was dancin' with a whole lot
of boys, huh, Nikki?
Nikki, do you know
what those boys really want?
Your cousin is dead, Nikki.
And you were dancin'
with a whole bunch of boys?
- Dee is dead, goddamn it!
- Don't you think I know that?
Mom?
Oh, Nikki.
I don't wanna lose you, baby.
It's okay, Mom.
I don't wanna lose you.
This is so stupid!
Zack, are you all right?
You all right?
- This don't make no damn sense!
- It does.
- No, it don't.
- Yes, it does. She asked for it.
- No, she didn't.
- She did. She went out with him.
- So?
- Nadine, shut up!
- I know. Just be quiet.
- She deserved it.
- No, she don't.
- It's good for her.
- Oh, look at this.
- It's not your business.
Who did this?
- Is somethin' funny?
- Yep.
Who did this, Nik?
Did you do this?
- Did you do this?
- No. Did you do it?
- Glazer.
- Did you fuckin' do this?
- You did it.
- Glazer!
Yo! Fuck both y'all!
Now what, sister?
I should have thrown Nut
out on his ass a long time ago.
Maybe I should throw
you and your girlfriend out too.
For what?
If I've said it once,
I've said it a hundred times.
Always, always, always...
stick with your tribe.
If it's Italian,
you stick with it.
If you'reJewish,
you stick with your tribe, boy.
Armenian, African...
It doesn't matter. Whatever.
That's how you know who you are.
- You hear me?
- I hear you.
That's how you know.
Are you finished?
Yeah.
- Can I leave?
- Yes.
- Listen to me, Glazer.
- I'm listening to you, Cimino.
- All right.
- I'm listenin'.
May I have your attention, please.Unfortunately, I havesome very sad news to report.For those of you who don't alreadyknow, one of our students...a senior, Dee Wimms,passed away last Saturday night.Dee was truly a terrific young manand a good friend to many.I'm sure we will miss him.There will be a grieving room set upin room at the language lab.Professional counselorswill be there to help.And now, there will be a school- widemoment of silence in Dee's memory.
- You won't need your books today.
- I didn't read the shit anyway.
Everything's a fuckin'joke
to you, man.
- You're the biggest joke of all.
- Why don't you both shut up?
- Yeah, for real.
- Just shut the fuck up.
It's okay to cry, Connie.
No, it's not okay.
Dee was a nice guy.
I mean, what's the point?
Why did Nut do it?
'Cause he's a wild motherfucker.
- You keep laughin', Guido.
- What are you gonna do, shoot me?
You guys are being
a little insensitive, aren't you?
Hey, Dee was all right.
But Nut? Nut had it goin' on.
- Word.
- All right, let's talk about Nut.
Anybody know where he is?
- Why do you think he did it?
- Who gives a fuck?
- I don't know.
- He just went off.
No, they was always up
in each other's face all the time.
- Shut up!
- You shut up!
It's the truth.
Dee got killed
because he was a Uncle Tom...
and Nikki here
just another white man's whore!
- What?
- Why don't you watch your mouth?
Yo, when push came to shove, Dee
was willing to fight a black brother...
to protect his white friend.
Truth is, the white devil
didn't have Dee's back.
Everything with you is race.
Race, race, race.
- That's right, everything is race.
- This isn't even about race.
This is about ignorance!
An ignorant fool with a gun!
No. If she'd have been datin'
a black guy...
and he'd have been datin' a white girl,
everything would've been squash.
- That's ignorance.
- No, it's not. What you talkin' about?
Nikki, I don't blame you
because you're a sister.
- If you're gonna...
- I blame this white devil you was with.
If you're gonna blame him,
then you better blame me.
'Cause we were in this together, okay?
And you better blame him...
because he thought Nut pullin'
the fuckin' trigger was wild.
If you're gonna blame us,
then you better blame your fuckin' self!
- You need to wake up, sister.
- No, you need to wake up!
That was my cousin.
My blood, not yours.
Dee got killed
'cause he was my friend.
And I was his friend, and it had
nothin' to do with me bein' white.
We were like this!
Can you live with that?
Can you? Can you live with that?
Black and white like this?
Asshole!
You want truth?
Truth could be anything.
- Truth is niggas killin' niggas.
- Yo, what did you say?
Come on, man! Come on!