ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA_SINGING ALL ARELENE ARLENE BELLMAN BOTH CHERYL CHOIR_SINGING CONGREGATION COTTON DANIELLE DEREK HEFTY_WOMAN HUNTER JAHIL JUANITA MAN MC MICHELLE MISS_BRUCE MISS_CARLOTTA MISS_CARLOTTA_SINGING MUSIC OTIS_LEECAN PARTY_GUESTS POLICE_OFFICER RACHAEL ROBERTA ROLAND SIMONE SIMONE_SINGING SONG STAR STAR_SINGING TICKET_CLERK WOMAN WOMEN MISS CARLOTTA Ever since Star was little, she believed her name was who she was. But I told her fame is a trip. It ain't love, like a lot of people think. But she wouldn't listen. Star don't listen to nobody but herself. SONG Who shot ya? Who knocked ya? Point 'em out, let 'em know I'm coming for 'em STAR Yo, that sounds crazy. ALEXANDRA Think so? STAR For real. STAR It sounds so good. ALEXANDRA I'm not finished writing it, though. STAR What do you have to add? ALEXANDRA I have to add your vocal at the end. STAR Oh, I get it-- like a best for last sort of thing. ALEXANDRA Look, we have to get you out here to New York. STAR Right. Like me going to New York is gonna happen any time soon. Do you see this place? Can you see it? Look. Look, you see her? That's what meth'll do to you. This is where I live. ALEXANDRA Well, we got to figure out something. This video chat thing is getting old. STAR Okay, I get it. We should be in the same city if we're gonna do this for real. ALEXANDRA I'm telling you. STAR First thing I'm gonna do when I turn 18 is go get my sister. You're gonna love her. She has a voice... almost as good as mine? Not quite? ALEXANDRA Wow, okay. HEFTY WOMAN Hey. Get in here and do these dishes, now. STAR All right, got to go. Ursula's calling. STAR She ain't worth the money we're getting for her. Mama, that ain't how you peel a potato. Where'd you get that phone? STAR Obama. HEFTY WOMAN Do them dishes now, smart ass. Dishes? Sink? Hello? Do them damn dishes. Where are you going? STAR Social services. HEFTY WOMAN Oh, no, you're not. STAR I'm going to beg them to process me out of here. HEFTY WOMAN Oh, hell, no. Oh, you get back here right now. STAR You better learn how to work that washing machine. HEFTY WOMAN Oh, God... how dare you speak to me like that, as much as I've done for you? Get your ass back right now... ROLAND You want money from your trust for what? ALEXANDRA I met this girl on Instagram. She has a great voice, Dad. I mean, perfect for the songs I've been writing, and I just... ROLAND The Internet? What-what girl? ALEXANDRA She's this white girl from Pittsburg. She grew up in foster care, and everything she's been through is in her voice. It's real, Dad. And we need to get in the studio. I want my money. ROLAND Your money? So you want me to open up your trust fund for some white trash you met on the Internet? She's just using you to get to me. ALEXANDRA She doesn't even know about you. I made up an Instagram account with a different name. ROLAND Oh, so you're ashamed of my name? So, I guess that means you're not gonna sing background for me, either, huh? ALEXANDRA You still don't get it. I need to break out on my own, Dad. I need to make music that feeds my soul. ROLAND And my music don't? ALEXANDRA My soul, not yours. When's the last time you felt something when you sang your songs? You need to get back to your old stuff, Dad. Not this trash you've been trying. ROLAND Who do you think you're talking to, you talentless brat? You sound just like your mother. JUANITA Star, you've been through six foster families in the last two years. You're a thief, habitual liar, and you have no regard for rules. And you want what? STAR Simone's address. JUANITA You must out your mind. STAR I'm about to be old enough to take care of her. All you got to do is tell me where she's at. JUANITA Sit down. STAR Please, just tell me where she is. JUANITA It's not going to happen, Star. STAR Why? JUANITA 'Cause you've got a record. So you're not getting any information on a child in the system, even if she was your sister. CHERYL Rachel has a boyfriend. OTIS LEECAN No, I don't. RACHAEL He's just a friend. OTIS LEECAN Well, I hope so. JUANITA You think it's any easier on the outside? Do you even have anywhere to go? OTIS LEECAN Finish up, you two, or you're gonna be late for school. SIMONE I'll take 'em. You can go to work and I'll just drop 'em off on my way. OTIS LEECAN Oh, she think she running our house now. I guess that's what happens when you think you white. But you ain't white, Simone. You ain't no better than anybody else in this house. SIMONE I never said I was. JUANITA Oh, you want to end up on the streets, addicted, just like your mother? STAR Don't talk about my mother. JUANITA You finna make me call security again? STAR We're not gonna end up like her. We're not, but you got to tell me where she is. I haven't seen her in five years, and she needs somebody to take care of her. RUTH-ANNE Come on, kids, it's time for school. SIMONE Miss Ruth, can you drop me off? RUTH-ANNE Sure, come on. OTIS LEECAN Oh, she ain't got no class till later. I'll take her to school. OTIS LEECAN Clean up the kitchen. STAR Do you know what the system does to us? JUANITA I know, Star. STAR You know? Well, then let me see my sister. JUANITA You gon' make me lose my job. They're gonna process you out of the system. And I better not hear my name out your mouth. STAR One ticket to Harrisburg. TICKET CLERK Round trip? STAR Hell no. STAR Next time you see this face, it's gonna be on the cover of Vanity Fair. MISS CARLOTTA I've been looking for Star and her sister Simone for ten years now, ever since their mother passed and Social Services took 'em. Please help me find 'em. Those girls sing like angels. They need to be safe with each other under the same roof. STAR Simone? MISS CARLOTTA I can still hear 'em in my head, voices like their mama had. STAR Hello? Hello? OTIS LEECAN Daddy's little girl. SIMONE You're hurting me. SIMONE Star! Oh, my God, stop it! Stop it! You killed him! What the--?! Oh, my God. I want... I want Mama. STAR Mama's dead. She's not coming back. I came for you. SIMONE Oh, God, no. STAR Okay? Where does he keep his keys? SIMONE In his... STAR Where does he keep his keys? SIMONE Back pocket! STAR Go get your stuff. SIMONE Oh, my God. STAR How long has he been doing that to you? SIMONE What if they come looking for us? STAR They won't, okay? Just put it out your head. You still sing? SIMONE Yeah, I still sing. Do you still sing? STAR SINGING Don't go chasing Waterfalls SIMONE SINGING ...falls STAR SINGING Just stick to rivers and the lakes That you're used... You loved that song. I hated it so much. You played it every single day. SIMONE How we gon' to be stars, fool? STAR I got a plan. We're gonna start in Atlanta. The music scene there is rancid. SIMONE Where we gon' live? STAR There's this lady named Miss Carlotta. She's been writing letters to Social Services saying she's our godmother. SIMONE We still got family left? STAR I guess. At least a place to crash. ALEXANDRA Hello? STAR Hey, it's me. I got a TracFone, so I don't have a lot of time to talk, but I just left Pittsburg, and I'm with my sister. We're headed to Atlanta and we got a place to crash. ALEXANDRA Atlanta? STAR Are you in or not? BELLMAN What do you want? STAR It's okay. BELLMAN Good morning, Alexandra. ALEXANDRA Morning. Thanks, Charles. Hello. STAR Damn girl, you straight off a page of Vogue. But you are shorter than I thought. ALEXANDRA And you're heavier than I thought. STAR Oh, my God. ALEXANDRA I can't believe I'm doing this. STAR No second thoughts, girl. You're the special hot in the sauce. ALEXANDRA What's going on with her? Never mind. Let's just do this. ALEXANDRA I'm not getting my stuff stolen in this dive. STAR You're actually ridiculous. Well, everything ain't Fendi and Prada, Alexandra. You need to let your weave down, girl. ALEXANDRA Oh, Blondie. This is real. Not all black girls wear weaves. STAR ALEXANDRA Your sister's half black? MUSIC Drop 'em like flies when I sting 'em... STAR Yeah, her dad was black. Did you ever think when I hit you up on the 'Gram you'd end up like this? ALEXANDRA No. But I'm glad you saved me. I mean, the music we're making-- it's my new life. I'm not going back. STAR Your parents cool with that? How come you never mention them? ALEXANDRA My dad's a surgeon. He likes going around talking about how many lives he's saved. My mom's dead. STAR At least you got a dad. SIMONE SINGING Yo...This is so dope. Like... like, for real, I can't even take it. All right, the verse should be in E minor. And then you can come in with...  I'm-a knock 'em down like Muhammad Ali Dropping like flies when I sting 'em with the bee Who shocked ya? Who knocked ya? ALEXANDRA Damn, girl! SIMONE SINGING Point 'em out let 'em know I'm coming for 'em ... Who... ALEXANDRA What...? Ew. What is that? SIMONE What? ALEXANDRA On your shirt? SIMONE Oh, it's... barbecue sauce from those hot wings. ALEXANDRA Looks more like blood to me. Anyway, I'm gonna go to sleep. Better get my beauty rest for tomorrow. STAR Yeah, girl! Atlanta in the morning! ALEXANDRA If I don't get mugged while I'm walking to my room. STAR ALEXANDRA Ha! STAR Simone, what did I tell you? SIMONE It's the only undershirt I got, unlike Princess Peach over here. STAR I told you that everything about our life has to go. I meant everything. STAR I killed that man for us. Now we can focus on our dream. SIMONE Our dream? Your dream. STAR Take that shirt off. ALEXANDRA I'm not taking it off. This has his blood on it, and I like it 'cause he's dead. I'm free. I'm free! MISS CARLOTTA SINGING As I look back on my life WOMAN Yes, God! MISS CARLOTTA SINGING And see where I come from I wonder if I'm Ever gonna see the tables turn 'Cause I've been way too low For way too long But I know somehow Some way... WOMAN Take your time! MISS CARLOTTA SINGING My change gon' come... STAR Oh, my God, that's the 85. We're in Atlanta. SIMONE Wait. Oh, my gosh. We're in Atlanta? ALEXANDRA I have a GPS. STAR Um, yes. Yes, we're here. Look for a cookout, 'cause that's what I want. SIMONE It smells like weed in here. STAR Why do you think that is? SIMONE I don't know STAR Really? STAR Y'all stay here while I figure out what's going on, okay? Two minutes. SIMONE I'm gonna come with you. STAR I just said two minutes? ALEXANDRA What, do you think I'm gonna eat you or something? SIMONE Bitch, all you eat is greens. WOMAN Mm. Hmm. STAR Is Carlotta here? COTTON You find us on Groupon or something? MISS BRUCE Let me see who the little white girl is, hold on. STAR Yeah, we'd be lucky to get on Groupon. COTTON Carlotta's my mama. She ain't here. DANIELLE She at church. STAR Oh, okay. Well, when is she back? COTTON Why you want to know? MISS BRUCE Oh, you one of Mary's girls. Baby, Carlotta about to gag, honey. She's been looking for you and your sister a long time. Mm-hmm. You need your roots done, ASAP. STAR Okay, it's nice to meet you, too. MISS BRUCE She like that every day? COTTON Girl, yeah. She can't help it. She ugly. STAR MISS CARLOTTA SINGING I was down Far from the shore I was weak in my soul CHOIR SINGING One day MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Facing trouble Tears on the floor I was tired and worn CHOIR SINGING One day MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Couldn't find no peace Down on my knees I was lost in a storm CHOIR SINGING One day MISS CARLOTTA SINGING But I knew the Lord heard my cry CHOIR SINGING So one day I won't worry no more CONGREGATION CHOIR SINGING One day... MISS CARLOTTA SINGING 'Cause just when I was about to give up CHOIR SINGING One day MISS CARLOTTA SINGING I heard Jesus say CHOIR SINGING One day MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Jesus said, change gon' come one day CHOIR SINGING Ooh, ooh MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Streets wasn't safe CHOIR SINGING Ooh MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Couldn't find my way But I found His grace one day CHOIR SINGING Ooh, ooh, ooh MISS CARLOTTA SINGING Tears down my face Jesus said, Jesus said Change gon' come one day One day, yeah I knew it would happen for me CHOIR SINGING One day, one day One day, one day One day, one day One day, one day One day, one day... Step right in and change my situation. MISS CARLOTTA Good singing sure makes me hungry. ALEXANDRA My arteries are clogging looking at it. MISS CARLOTTA Girl, you're too young to have arteries. I'm surprised you never set foot in a church. ALEXANDRA Nothing wrong with being an atheist. DEREK What's up, Miss C? MISS CARLOTTA You gonna burn. DEREK Hey, hey. MISS CARLOTTA Now, I know you came by for the food, 'cause I certainly ain't seen you in service. DEREK You knew we was busy today with the activism thing. Come on. How y'all doing, ladies? I'm Derek. I live next door to Miss Carlotta. MISS CARLOTTA And he always activating about something. What is it this time? DEREK Racial inequality in the criminal justice system. This weekend we're having this rally, and I really need your help. Let the church folk know I'm good people. Can you? Check it out. MISS CARLOTTA I'll see what I can do. DEREK Miss C, this is me you're talking to. You know how hard we worked for this. Miss C, please. MISS CARLOTTA Okay, boy. Get out of here. DEREK Well, it's much appreciated. Y'all ladies have a nice day. STAR Bye. DEREK Come on, y'all. STAR Say, bye, Derek. MISS CARLOTTA Mm-mm, mm-mm. SIMONE So... you're like our new mother now? MISS CARLOTTA Your foster parents treating you all right? STAR Yeah. Simone and I both got real lucky. MISS CARLOTTA And what kind of foster care you come from? ALEXANDRA I'm actually not from a foster family. My parents just think traveling is a real learning experience. STAR And we heard the music scene in Atlanta was crazy. And we're a girl group. MISS CARLOTTA Me and your mother had a group before y'all were born. We even had a song hit the charts. ALEXANDRA What? STAR That's crazy. ALEXANDRA What was the name of the group? SIMONE Was she pretty? MISS CARLOTTA Look, y'all want to sing. Why don't you come sing with me in Church? ALEXANDRA "Church"? MISS CARLOTTA Yes, you little witch. Church. Look, why are y'all really here? You looking to stay with me? SIMONE Yes. MISS CARLOTTA Okay, then. Well, let's get home. We got a busy week ahead of us. STAR What does that mean? You want to stay with me, you got to contribute. My shampoo girl got pregnant and quit... again. You know how to shampoo hair? STAR She do. MISS CARLOTTA Grab my keys. SIMONE I'm going. ALEXANDRA I'm not shampooing anyone's hair. STAR I got a sick plan. You just got to learn how to be a part of it. ALEXANDRA Just come on. MISS CARLOTTA This is my wax room. Clean it up, and y'all can take the bed or the floor. ALEXANDRA The bed or the floor, huh? SIMONE Can I, can I sleep in your room? MISS CARLOTTA You don't want to sleep with the other girls? SIMONE They're just gonna be singing all night and stuff. MISS CARLOTTA I thought you wanted to sing. Come on, I got a daybed you could sleep in. But don't be snoring. I got to get my rest. SIMONE Okay. STAR SINGING Then you presented symptoms of brain damage I'm convinced that you bumped yo head Let my heart slip right outta yo hand... Why do you forget it every time? SIMONE STAR I know you know how to do it. ALEXANDRA Why do I have to be the one to get her fried apple pies? SIMONE The real question is, why are we rehearsing when we ain't got no gigs? ALEXANDRA So when we do have a gig, we're ready. STAR That's right. They said we would end up like Mama. That's not gonna happen. SIMONE I miss her. STAR Well, you got me. Come on, let's start rehearsing. Get on this side. ALEXANDRA What are you doing? STAR I'm standing in the middle. I sing lead. ALEXANDRA There is no lead. I wrote this song to showcase all of our voices. STAR Where do you want me? You want me here, or, like, one inch over? SIMONE Are we rehearsing? Or no? ALL DANIELLE Miss Bruce, I am loving this splash of color. What's the inspiration? MISS BRUCE Girl, Rihanna, Charlize Theron mixed with Lupita Nyong'o, honey. MISS CARLOTTA I got a taste for some grits. WOMEN Morning, Miss Carlotta. SIMONE Hi. WOMAN Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. God is good. MISS CARLOTTA Ain't He, though? MISS CARLOTTA Yes. MISS CARLOTTA All day. You got some kind of problem, Star? SIMONE Star don't feel like working. MISS CARLOTTA Star will get past that. STAR Oh, my God! Oh, my God! ALEXANDRA What happened? STAR I just burned myself on this busted-ass sink. ROBERTA What's wrong with you, girl? Carlotta, you got a white girl in here messing up my hair. STAR Really? MISS CARLOTTA Roberta. ROBERTA I'm out of here. COTTON Hey, Roberta, you still got to pay. MISS BRUCE Carlotta, I don't know why you let that little Caucasian to work in here. She can't even work a shampoo ball, nasty attitude. Always something wrong with her. STAR What did you just say, bitch? Say it one more time for me. I'm really, really tired of you two Bible-thumping whores-- yes, you-- coming in here and talking about me every single day. DANIELLE See, that's my cue. STAR Bye. Why is that you think you know anything about me, where I was raised, who raised me, who was good to me, black or white? MISS CARLOTTA Star. STAR 'Cause of what I look like? MISS CARLOTTA Come on upstairs. Let's talk. STAR You're a racist... bitch. MISS BRUCE And now that you finished, bitch your little ass right on out the door. MISS CARLOTTA Mouth just like her mother's. SIMONE What was our mother like, Miss Carlotta? Am I just like her? MISS CARLOTTA You high, ain't you? MISS CARLOTTA Come on, let's walk that buzz off. I'm going to Church. I'll tell you all about your mama. Mail that for me. ALEXANDRA Star, we've been here for over a week. I've been shampooing goat hair, sleeping in a bed with you and living off of fried apple pies. What we need to do is get in the studio and lay some tracks. But this woman's in here working us like dogs. Look, we got to figure this out, or I got to go. STAR Oh. Go! Go back to New York City. I've got nowhere to go. All I've been doing is trying to figure this out. And all we got to do is get to Jay Z or Future or 50's tired ass. I don't care. ALEXANDRA They're not just sitting in a room waiting for us. We need to build some kind of a buzz. Get our faces out there. STAR You mean, like, online or something? ALEXANDRA Now, I've been looking into amateur nights. There's a contest that I saw online in Decatur. There's industry people there. Managers, too. You have to trust me on this. STAR When did you say the contest was? ALEXANDRA It's tonight. Which means we need to get cute after work. STAR Ha. BOTH WOMAN Get off the damn stage! MC Put-put the mikes down, please. Put the mike... It's... This ain't for you. This rap thing ain't for you. Ladies and gentlemen, the next act we're gonna bring to the stage is three young ladies who traveled a long way STAR Simone. MC to be here with us. Give it up for Alexandra, SIMONE Shut up. MC Simone, and Star, or as their initials spell out, ASS. SIMONE Hi. ALEXANDRA SINGING  Had the baddest, upped your status to a pro Me on your arm made you a superstar SIMONE SINGING Hand in my hand, transformed you to a man like damn Everybody knowing who you are STAR SINGING Then you presented symptoms of brain damage  I'm convinced that you bumped yo' head Let my heart slip right out of yo' hand Right out of yo' hand ALEXANDRA SINGING You say without me here  Life is like a nightmare SIMONE SINGING So dream on STAR SINGING So dream on ALEXANDRA SINGING You swear your heart has lost its rhythm 'cause I'm gone SIMONE SINGING Dum, dum, dum STAR SINGING Dum, dum, dum ALEXANDRA SINGING  You telling me It's like you're bleeding from the inside But you made your mess, now roll in it  And the next time your heart beats  I hope it breaks your chest STAR By the way, Alexandra, where were all the managers tonight? ALEXANDRA We need to keep at it. STAR No. We did it your way. Now we're gonna do it my way. ALEXANDRA And how do you suggest we do that? STAR I know where to find a manager on a Saturday night in Atlanta. He's throwing dollar bills at some poor girl's ass. SIMONE ALEXANDRA No. We cannot go-go in Atlanta. COTTON Girl, the important men ain't at no go-go bars anyway. STAR I'm confused about where you just came from. COTTON And I know you ain't think that y'all was about to win at that dump. ALEXANDRA Wait, you saw us? COTTON Yeah, I saw y'all. I mean, y'all are, y'all okay. But are you really looking for a manager? STAR Yes. ALEXANDRA Yeah. COTTON They at the strip club. I know one. I work there. And it's full of industry people. STAR How you know that? COTTON Baby, 'cause I'm connected. You know, in certain ways. STAR Well, connect me! ALEXANDRA No. No strip club. No way. STAR She's sort of right. I will go-go, but I don't show my cash and prizes. COTTON You won't have to. I can get you in the champagne room. And that way ALEXANDRA Uh-huh. COTTON you can set your own limit. But don't tell my mama. That bitch is crazy. ALEXANDRA Well, actually, we have to think of our future. What if someone photographs you? Then what? STAR So what if they do? SIMONE Okay, okay. Look at Kim Kardashian. I love her. And she showed every hole in her body. And now she's famous. STAR Genius. ALEXANDRA Wow. STAR Truly genius. ALEXANDRA Okay. STAR She's right, and I'm in. ALEXANDRA Of course. SIMONE Okay, well, I'm too tired to strip, and I'm hungry. So... see you at home. STAR Okay. You know what? Just watch her. ALEXANDRA You are not... STAR Yeah, th-that's all you got to do. COTTON You watch it. STAR You watch her, and I'll strip ALEXANDRA Star. STAR for the both of us. Come on, girl. ALEXANDRA Star. STAR Come on. Come on. One cheek, two cheek, both cheek, hey! MISS CARLOTTA Where's Star and Cotton? ALEXANDRA They went... bowling. MISS CARLOTTA "Bowling"? What you take me for, girl? ALEXANDRA What do I do that seems to get under your skin? MISS CARLOTTA I want what's best for Star and Simone. ALEXANDRA What's best for them is the music we're making. Have you listened to it? Have you even asked them about it? Or about anything else that matters to them? Like how you were too unfit to take care of them. I read those letters you sent. Trying to be big mama now. MISS CARLOTTA I know you're trying to be something you're not. You're running from something. And you're using Simone and Star to do it. ALEXANDRA You know what? I'm done with this goat hair. MISS CARLOTTA Keep it up with your fresh ass. ALEXANDRA DEREK So you're gonna be living next door to me, huh? ALEXANDRA I'm so done with this place. DEREK I never got your name. ALEXANDRA That's because I never told you my name. DEREK Why you got to be so rude? ALEXANDRA It's Alexandra. You really think you can change the world? DEREK You see how crazy it is in these streets? How they treating us? I think I can make people's lives better. ALEXANDRA I plan to do that with my music. DEREK Your music, huh? Alexandra, why don't you come over here so I can make you feel better. ALEXANDRA Ew. Can't you think of a better pickup line? DEREK Get over here. ALEXANDRA No, you get over here. DEREK Okay. STAR Girl, I really feel like I got a camel toe in this thing. COTTON Girl, it's the only thing in my locker that would've fit your little ass. Let me see. Girl, shut up, you look good. Come on. COTTON Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Ooh, I think that's one of 'em right there. Girl, that's a big fish, bitch; talent manager. STAR Okay. Well, he's with somebody. What do we do? COTTON Not for long, okay? I'm about to get that bitch up out of here. Come on, wait for my cue. Hey, girl, Michelle, I need to talk to you. MICHELLE Can't you see I'm making my money? COTTON Tisha just called. Your mama's diabetes is kicking in. MICHELLE Bitch, you better not be lying. COTTON For real. MICHELLE I'll be back. COTTON Come on. I want you out back. JAHIL Oh, no. I-I'm good, baby. I'm with Michelle. STAR Oh, you don't want Michelle. She got syphilis. JAHIL Syphilis? STAR That's what she just Yeah, come with me went to tell her. to the champagne room. Come here. JAHIL What you mean, syphilis? STAR Come on. SONG  I bring me, get mine, 'bout mine Go hard, looking for another like me Boy, stop I bring me  And I bring, I bring, I bring, I bring me I bring me  I bring me STAR SINGING  Now, who you thought, thought I was  Something that'll just sit around looking pretty  Not gonna be about hers  Not gonna make no fuss  Not gonna be about us, I get it If that's what you like, but I ain't 'bout that life See, I can't be something I ain't  Won't do something I can't Yeah, I'm gonna ride for you, baby But I ain't gonna lie to you, baby Anything I want, anything I need I'm able  So as far as what I'm bringing to the table I bring me, get mine, 'bout mine  Go hard, looking for another like me Boy, stop Whose love is the tightest, whose kiss is the nicest? Me Whose touch is the rightest? Me Bad bitch That's me That bitch That's me Game bitch That's me Lame bitch Not me What you get is what you see  I bring me And I bring, I bring, I bring, I bring me  Get mine, 'bout mine, go hard, looking for another like me Boy, stop I bring me What you get is what you see And I bring, I bring, I bring, I bring me  I bring me JAHIL You're trouble. STAR Sometimes. JAHIL I have an idea. All right? STAR Okay. JAHIL I'm putting together the entertainment for this party at Hunter Morgan's house. He's a good friend of mine. You sing at it like you did just now... girl, I'm gonna have to take you on. STAR But I'm a package deal. Two other girls. We're a girl group. JAHIL All right. Take this. Call me in the morning. Maybe we'll discuss it. STAR Cotton! Damn it, where are you? COTTON STAR Oh, my God! What are you doing to her?! COTTON STAR You want to fight, bitch? MAN STAR Leave her alone! MAN Leave him alone! This black freak needs to tell people what's down there! COTTON You knew exactly what was down there. MAN STAR Get your money. I knew there was something I liked about you. And you were right. I caught that big fish. COTTON MISS BRUCE I'm getting ready to drop her. DANIELLE Why? MISS BRUCE From coming-- Because she's always late and she likes to sit and blame it on them badass kids of hers. I can't take her. MISS CARLOTTA I know where you took Star last night. COTTON We just went out dancing at the... MISS CARLOTTA What happened to your eye? COTTON Nothin'. Mama, we was just at the club dancing. That's it. MISS CARLOTTA You better not be doing what I think you're doing. COTTON Mama, we was just at the club. MISS CARLOTTA Stop lying, boy. COTTON Girl, Mama. SIMONE Wait, Cotton's a boy? MISS BRUCE Girl, Miss Simone, if you don't wake up. That ain't hard to figure out. COTTON Stop hatin', Miss Bruce. MISS BRUCE Girl, I... girl. I'm not... COTTON 'Cause I can pass, unlike your ugly ass. MISS BRUCE If you could pass, sweetie, you wouldn't be sitting there with a black eye. MISS BRUCE You turtle-headed-looking bitch. You're a delusional gentleman. COTTON I'll staple that... MISS CARLOTTA Stop all that cussing in my house! Look, you want to be a woman, a'ight. I ain't got no problem with it. But I know what goes on in that club. I ain't new to the game. COTTON Mama, we found a manager while we was down there. MISS CARLOTTA Mm-hmm. SIMONE Wait, Star. For real, you got a manager? COTTON He's in charge of the entertainment at the house party for Hunter Morgan. DANIELLE That famous NFL player. STAR He said we could sing at it. And if we do good, he's gonna sign us. MISS CARLOTTA So, who exactly is this manager you found at a strip joint? STAR Jahil Rivera. MISS BRUCE Oh. Damn, how you...? Girl, I can't. JAHIL Hey, hey, hey, hey. Where are all the pretty people at? ARLENE What are you doing here? JAHIL What, I can't come see my godson? HUNTER Jahil, my man. What's good? JAHIL Looking good, baby. You know, just doing what I got to do, right? ARLENE Where you been? HUNTER Yeah. Where have you been? JAHIL I'm glad you asked. Check this out. I got a new act. I got these three girls-- amazing singers, man. I want to add them to the line-up at your party. HUNTER Come on, man, that last group? JAHIL Who? HUNTER Ma, what was that last group? ARLENE The Koreans. HUNTER Yeah, the Koreans. ARLENE I'm embarrassed. JAHIL No. Hey, hey, look, look, no, this... this ain't that, okay? These girls, they're talented. Come on, Hunter, it's one song, man. Just do me a solid. HUNTER Ma? STAR SINGING I can be ya hip-hop Bulletproof vest ALEXANDRA SINGING I can be ya hip-hop Bulletproof vest ALEXANDRA SINGING I can be the tattoo bleeding on ya chest... STAR I can't do this. ALEXANDRA What? STAR We should not be singing "I Can Be," we should be singing "Break Yo Chest." SIMONE Are you kidding me? STAR That's the one that the crowd will like. ALEXANDRA No, "I Can Be" is much further along sonically and lyrically. STAR Simone, where have you been? And what are you wearing? SIMONE It's my church outfit. Miss Carlotta gave it to me. ALEXANDRA Simone, we've been rehearsing for hours. SIMONE Chill. I'm already warmed up from choir practice now. Miss Carlotta says singing for the Lord could save me. Miss Carlotta says singing for the Lord could save all of us. Star... let's get saved. STAR There's something wrong with you, Simone. SIMONE Ain't nothin' wrong with me. Miss Carlotta really loves us, Star. She wants to be our new mother. STAR I'm a little over new mothers, aren't you? You're not singing in anybody's choir. And the only person who's gonna save us is that manager. SIMONE Where's my weed? STAR Oh, my God. ALEXANDRA Star, this is getting nuts. STAR It's okay. It's cool. SIMONE You ain't got to worry about me. All that stuff in the past is in the past. MISS CARLOTTA Working from home now? We made an agreement. I kept my part. JAHIL About what? Huh? MISS CARLOTTA You're tangling in my life again, and I'm not having it. That's Mary's kid. JAHIL Who? MISS CARLOTTA Star. JAHIL Damn. The minute I heard that girl sing, it made me feel exactly the way I felt when I first heard Mary. MISS CARLOTTA I'm not interested in your feelings. I'm interested in how you can afford $10,000 watches. I know this is all smoke and mirrors. You sitting on money in Peru. JAHIL I think Star could learn a lot from you. She's good. Lottie, I'm telling you right now, she's really good, and... if those other girls are half as talented as she is, we got the makings of a super group. MISS CARLOTTA You could tell all that to the D.A., 'cause that's exactly who I'm finna call if you don't stay away from them. JAHIL I killed myself to make you and Mary stars. I bet everything I had on you dumb bitches, and you blew it. Mary with the drugs, and you... gaining all that weight, never showing up on time, acting like an amateur. And who paid for that? Me. My career. And now you're gonna come up in here, you're gonna try to derail me again? No. MISS CARLOTTA You know what? My father always said to me, you only need three things in life. JAHIL Oh, yeah? What did your daddy say. MISS CARLOTTA He said you needed... your Bible... your word... and your gun. Stay away from those girls. ALEXANDRA That drag queen can sew her little ass off. SIMONE She ain't a drag queen, stupid. She's trans. STAR We got to hurry. Carlotta'll be back from that Bible study any minute. SIMONE We gonna slay today. STAR Yeah, we are. My butt looks good. SIMONE It does. ALEXANDRA You'll slay if you're sober... and coherent. SIMONE I'm sick of your ass. STAR Simone. SIMONE No, I'm sick of her ass. She thinks she's the boss. And you think you're the boss, dragging my ass all around Atlanta! STAR Dragging your ass? SIMONE Yeah, dragging it. STAR I saved your ass. SIMONE Yeah, well, save it now. ALEXANDRA All right, take it easy. STAR You got two seconds. ALEXANDRA Always arguing. STAR Do you want to change our lives today? Scooch over. So, how is that boy? ALEXANDRA What boy? STAR Derek. Mr. Light-Skinned Matter. She'll be okay. HUNTER Hey! My man! ARLENE I'm Arlene. JAHIL His mother. ARELENE It's my house. JAHIL Hunter, these are the girls I told you about. That right there is Simone, this one here is Alexandra, and that one right there, that's Star. HUNTER You guys are gonna be performing in the other room. Anybody want a drink? STAR A drink wouldn't kill me. JAHIL All right, one drink, you hear me? Then meet me in the living room. Come here, girl. HUNTER Come on. JAHIL Girl, let me see this. Hey, I want to see more of what we got going here. COTTON Whoa. ALEXANDRA Where's Simone? SIMONE This tastes like apple juice. You got scotch? HUNTER I mean... any jackass can run up and down a field, toss a ball. But to sing? To take someone inside your soul? STAR Speaking of balls... you been throwing some pretty big ones this season. HUNTER Oh-ho, I have, have I? STAR HUNTER They are pretty big. STAR Where's your bathroom? HUNTER Upstairs. SIMONE There's lipstick on my glass. ALEXANDRA What are we gonna do? SIMONE You're gonna help me up. That's what you're gonna do. We finna perform. Come on. Don't look at me like that. Come on, Simone, you got this. STAR SINGING Who shot ya? Who knocked ya? Point 'em out, let 'em know I'm coming for 'em Who said that? What hoodrat? Grab my coat, girl I'm about to clap back SIMONE SINGING Ima knock 'em down like Muhammad Ali Drop 'em like flies when I sting 'em with the bee STAR SINGING So, who shot ya? 'Cause I got ya I won't ever let another run up on ya For better or worse ALEXANDRA SINGING Through thick and through thin SIMONE SINGING I'm going all in I'm putting ya first ALEXANDRA SINGING It's what you deserve SONG Let me hold this down 'Cause you know I got ya I can be ya soldier, I can be the king I can be ya president gangsta on the scene I can be ya hip-hop bulletproof vest I can be the tattoo Bleeding on ya chest I can be ya soldier, I can be the king I can be ya president gangsta on the scene I can be ya hip-hop bulletproof vest I can be the tattoo bleeding on ya chest Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa I can be that Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa I can be, I can be that Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa I can be that Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa I can be, I can be that Ima rain down like a fireball Ooh! Ima make ya jaw drop, give you more Ooh! I'm a super girl when ya rocket falls When ya rocket falls, when ya rocket falls Who shot ya? Who knocked ya? Point 'em out, let 'em know I'm coming for 'em Who said that? What hoodrat? Grab my coat, girl, I'm about to clap back I can be ya soldier I can be the king I can be ya president gangsta on the scene I can be ya hip-hop bulletproof vest I can be the tattoo bleeding on ya chest I can be ya soldier, I can be the king... JAHIL You wanted legit, homey? This is it. I've been asleep for the last ten years. SONG The tattoo bleeding on ya chest I can be, I can be that Grab my coat, girl, I'm about to clap back I can be, I can be that Ima knock 'em down like Muhammad Ali Let me hold this down, 'cause you know I got ya Who shot ya? PARTY GUESTS POLICE OFFICER Mr. Leecan, can you think of any reason why anyone would want to harm you?