American Me (1992) Movie Script
Ain't nobody talking
when I'm talkin', fellas,
so shut the fuck up!
The following items you place
in the envelope as I call them off.
An empty wallet.
Legal paperwork.
First three out of the tank.
Line up single file
along the bench. Let's go.
Open your mouth.
Stick out your tongue.
All right. Do your ears. One at a time.
Bend your heads over,
shake 'em out with your fingers.
Put your hands
above your head.
Hands out in front of you.
Over. Move those fingers.
Reach down and lift up
your nut sack.
Drop your nut sacks,
and skin back your dick.
Turn around.
One foot at a time,
pick it up and wiggle the toes.
Other foot.
Bend over, grab your ass,
spread your cheeks and give me two good coughs.
Stand right there.
You're like two people.
- Inmate Montoya Santana?
- One is like a kid.
Doesn't know how to dance.
- Step this way.
- Doesn't know how to make love.
That's the one I cared about.
Step inside.
But the other one,
the other one I hate.
The one who knows,
the one who has his rap down,
who knows how to run drugs.
Who kills people!
Until now, I would've thought
it a sign of weakness...
to even listen to what
you said to me that night.
But I see that you were right.
I am two people.
One was born when I met you.
The other one began in a
downtown L.A. Tattoo parlour.
My father, Pedro,
was showing his love
for my mother, Esperanza.
"Por Vida. "
For life.
My mother was
a beautiful woman.
They were pachucos,
zoot-suiters, and proud of it.
In June of 1943,
America was at war.
Not only overseas,
but with itself.
The racial tension was running high
against anyone that was different.
Excuse me!
Esperanza!
Hey! What a fine looking woman!
- Is it new?
- For me, esa, put together with a lot of love!
- Whoo!
- Yeah, esa. Vmonos.
Congressmen and senators,
we don't need a third front.
Read all about it!
Get your paper.
Let's bring our boys home
to fight those zoot-suited dandies...
that are making it unsafe
to walk our streets today.
Last night in Detroit six people
were killed and many injured...
when army, navy and marines
clashed with zoot-suited thugs.
- Nice hair.
- Let's just go.
Riots have been reported
throughout our country.
Come on, guys,
you don't want to start any trouble.
Get your late Times.
Hey, it's time
to be moving, ladies.
Let's get Pedro and get over to the dance
and off of these streets.
De volada.
What'cha lookin' at?
On the night of the Zoot Suit Riots,
Pedro and Esperanza
had a date.
Hey, cousin, almost ready?
Hey, my woman!
Hey, let's see the
finished product, hombre.
You're gonna like it, esa.
Now you'll always be
a part of me.
Chingao!
- Este vato's a fine artist, ese.
- It's beautiful!
Orale. And so is the price.
We better be hattin', ese.
The streets are hot, hombre.
And so...
If you got a problem
being on the streets wearing your colours,
get rid of your suit. Understand?
Between the Hearst newspapers
and Walter Winchell on the radio,
you'd think the pinche war
was right here in L.A., hombre.
It's getting hot
all over America, carnal.
I'm groovin' with my woman
down the boulevard.
She's so fine.
My ruca's all mine.
No telling what time I may
get home 'cause I'm here.
Here comes the main man,
Mr Number One.
Doesn't even need a weapon...
he's so bad.
Say that fast three times, ese.
Hey, it's real hot tonight...
real hot!
Forget about it.
Watch out!
Leave him alone!
Leave him alone! No!
- Leave him alone!
- Esperanza!
- No! No!
- Don't let go!
Goddam no! Stop!
- Esperanza, Esperanza!
- No!
Pedro! Pedro!
Esperanza!
Come on over here.
No!
- Get out of here!
- Let's give him a haircut.
Esperanza!
Don't touch me!
Break it up!
No!
Esperanza!
Esperanza!
Esperanza! Esperanza!
Zoot suit, new suit.
It sounded all the same.
I had no clue what
they'd been through.
It was a mystery.
But to be 16 in '59,
stayin'away from home
even if I didn't have a dime,
'cause the old man
was just waiting...
to give me his piece of time,
drove me to the street
just to save my mind.
What's happening?
Don't forget the spark plug, homes.
I'll see you guys later.
- What's up? Hey, chico?
- Santana.
I'm not gonna make it.
I'm gonna go eat.
- Later.
- All right, man, later.
- Hi.
- Smile.
Abuelito, qu hubo?
- Huh?
- La puerta, la puerta!
You got it. Puerta, la puerta.
You're always nagging.
- There. You happy? You get your coffee?
- Yes.
Good, good. Hey, Mom.
You're home, huh? You should
respect your grandfather, huh?
I didn't say anything mean.
- Yt, qu? How you doin'?
- Okay.
- How was your day?
- Good.
- Just go sit down.
- I'm hungry.
Paulito, how're you doin'? Woof, woof!
Turn that thing off.
You know what "off" means?
It was easy to blame
my father for everything I did.
Isn't that the life
of every kid?
Shit. Took me a long time
to understand that rhyme.
J. D!
C'mon,J.D.
How's it hangin'? What's new?
What are we gonna do
about Mundo?
He's young, he's weak.
But I think we oughta let him in;
show him the way, you know?
Orale.
Keep an eye out, man.
Come here.
Give me your hand.
You know what, ese?
White Fence, Maravilla, Lomita...
have been around a lot
longer than us, you know?
It's cool.
We've got our own gang,
strong gang.
We're finally
getting into our own.
Gaining respect.
Our gang, our neighbourhood...
our families, that's all we got, ese.
Yeah.
When we were kids,
belonging felt good.
But having respect,
that feels even better.
You know, La Primera
lives through us, ese.
It gives to us. It is us.
We make it, carnal.
We don't fake you,
we just take you.
- 'Cause La Primera's ese.
- Always has been, always will be.
Orale.
Welcome to the clica, carnal.
For life, man, for life.
Coming to terms with
the lessons one learns...
through the choices
one makes is not easy.
Mundo, me and J.D.
Boy, were we crazy!
Oye. I gotta be makin' it back to my pad
or my mother's gonna whip my ass.
Forget it, man.
Wait up, okay?
We'll be hattin' with you.
Let's take the short cut.
Hey... no need to, man.
We don't need to nothin'.
We do what we do, ese.
Entiendes, Mendes?
Hey, fuck it, ese.
Get on down the road, ese.
- Orale.
- Orale!
- Shit!
- Orale. Where you vatos from?
La Primera, so what, man?
Hazard rules all!
Bullshit.
Fuckin' little punk!
- Fuck you!
- Primera lives!
Orale, ese.
There they are!
Oh shit!
C'mon, let's go!
Putos!
- Shit!
- Fuck!
- Orale! Andele!
- Get those guys!
Shit!
We're surrounded!
C'mon, down the alley.
To the left, homes.
We'll meet at the boulevard.
Hurry up,J.D.
Hurry up, ese.
You all right?
C'mon,J.D. Go!
C'mon, Mundo, let's go!
Hurry up.
Go, go, go!
Open that door, homes.
Come on, carnal.
Here they come!
Got it. C'mon!
- C'mon, c'mon.
- They're comin'! Close the door.
Here they come.
- Orale!
- Orale.
Oye! Where're
you vatos going? Shit!
Santana, please man.
What are you laughing at?
We gotta get out of here, man!
- Goddam it, turn that fuck...
- Orale.
Oh shit!
Don't move!
No, Mundo, don't, man! Don't!
This is the last time you will
steal and destroy my property!
You hear? I said, don't move!
J.D., stop, man, stop!
My leg!
I can't feel my leg!
J.D., c'mon!
Go call an ambulance, man.
Go call a fucking ambulance!
I told him not to move.
Hurry up!
Thought I knew it all.
Ended up in juvie hall.
And the shit got even deeper.
To the right.
Open up your mouth.
Okay, pick your clothes up.
Take it on down
to the property room...
to exchange your clothing.
Don't fuckin' move, you fuck!
Don't make a fuckin'sound.
Hear me?
Does it feel good?
Fuck yeah.
You say one word about this,
there'll be shit on my knife,
not on my dick!
Fucker.
Damn you, you fuckin' asshole!
Kill him! Kill him.
Killing that first night got me...
the worst that juvie
had to offer:
An extended sentence with
a guaranteed bus ride...
to the big time
as soon as I turned 18.
But the respect I earned,
made me think
I'd found the answer.
When J.D. Showed up a year later,
I knew we'd get even stronger.
Hey, man, what's your name?
Hey! Where you from?
La Primera. East Los.
You talk like a
fuckin' chicon, man.
I'll check you out later.
Orale, I see they finally let your
white ass out of the hospital, carnal.
- Santana!
- How you doin', man?
- Cool, ese.
- Mundo!
You guys, check it out, man.
This right here's J.D.,
my best crime partner.
This is Chewie, Casper, Chuco,
Raymond and Big Happy.
- Orale.
- Can I talk to you, ese?
Yeah, come here.
What's wrong, brother?
You thinking of
letting him in, ese?
I told you he was
my best crime partner.
He ain't Mexican, ese.
You know what, he's like my brother.
Understand?
Orale.
So, homes, how's that leg?
Check it out, hard as a rock, ese.
Shit, homes,
throw some shellac on it!
Shit! I'll still run
your ass to the ground, ese.
- Check him out!
- Punk.
I seen that dude before.
Ese vato
sitting on the bench.
- I think he's with 18th Street.
- Chale, ain't no barrios in here, man.
No La Primera, 18th, Hazard.
Nada.
Over here you see what we got
is the blacks.
They stick together playin' ball.
See those white boys
on the steps?
They thought you
belonged to them, ese.
Over here, we gotta
stick together, homes.
One big clica.
Frog, you owe me three packs!
See you at the canteen.
- Orale, homes.
- Let's go.
Choices we made to survive...
got Mundo, J.D. And me
ten to 25.
- Give me a year,J.D.
- Fuck you, homes.
- I'm gonna go make my collections.
- Orale.
What's up, peckerwood?
Power became our game.
Make sure the meeting's set for tonight
with the Black Guerrilla Family.
Power to provide everything
you find outside.
Make sure the Aryan
Brotherhood's behind us.
Make sure they're part
of the whole thing.
Be careful.
I'll be over with the carnales.
- You got your people, big Jim?
- Be straight with me, man.
Hey, Santana.
Extortion.
- They wanna do it. What should we do?
- Go ahead.
- Look, we're getting it together.
- Gambling.
You just give it
a little bit of time.
Prostitution.
All right. It's done, man.
We give you three packas.
Make sure it's done right.
We got it together because we had to,
didn't have a choice.
The Eme is here because
before there was nothing.
You all right, Santana?
This is your home too, ese.
Power to make every
inmate pay rent.
And the biggest
money-maker: Drugs.
- Oye, loco.
- No, I need to clean up my tab, man.
You know, pick up
some more shit.
The thing is, I gotta get it
right away 'cause I'm out.
The Aryan Brotherhood...
and the Black Guerrilla
Family shared the yard.
But Folsom belonged to us,
the oldest clica, La Eme.
The Mexican mafia.
Hey, Montoya.
Homes, I got ya at
table eight over there.
- Orale, carnal.
- Orale.
Orale, carnal!
- How ya doin', Paulito?
- Fine.
Move over.
Hi, mama.
- How are you?
- I'm okay.
- How you doin', little one?
- Fine.
- Doing good? Drawing the pumpkin man, huh?
- Yeah.
Bus ride is hard for you, isn't it?
It's okay, Santana.
You know, your father wanted
to come see you, but...
something came up.
He couldn't make it.
Whatever, mama.
Santana, I brought
you something.
You know, when Jesus
was crucified on the cross,
there was a thief named Dismas
on the cross next to him.
He believed in Jesus and asked him
not to forget him when he died.
When Jesus died, he took Dismas
to heaven and Dismas became a saint.
I want you to wear it.
Let me see it, mama.
Mijo, let's put it on your brother.
Okay.
- Santana.
- Excuse me, ma'am.
You're not supposed
to pass items to convicts.
- But you see what it is.
- Sorry. That's policy.
He can pick this up with the rest
of his property you brought for him.
- You'll wear it, huh?
- I'll wear it.
Don't worry.
They'll give it to me later.
Don't cry, Mama.
I'm okay.
Watch out.
Orale.
Cheetah?
Take it.
Pie Face.
Pass the wire.
- Japo.
- Orale.
Watch it.
- Hey, homes, you got a visitor.
- I ain't seein'nobody.
Have it your way.
Pass the wire.
Orale, pass it on, ese.
Pass it on.
- Hey, vato, pass that wire.
- Just a minute.
Pinche, mayate.
What the fuck's going on, ese.
Pass that wire.
Orale, pass the wire!
Here you go, man.
Here you go.
Fuck!
Chow release! Let's go.
Let's go, gentlemen. Chow release.
Okay, gentlemen, let's go.
C'mon, move it.
Give him the uppercut.
He's going down.
That shit wasn't
even clean, man.
Let him go, Huero.
What's your problem?
- I paid for a full load.
- Don't worry. We'll take care of business.
Don't worry?
I'm sick, motherfucker!
- Make sure he gets what he ordered right now.
- Simn.
Thank you.
I fuckin' appreciate that.
- Who copped his wire?
- Some fuckin' mayate.
He's dead.
Make sure nothing happens
to these guards.
Orale.
Steve!
- Cover them for me.
- Orale.
They haven't started to kill each other
yet. They're still throwing shit.
C'mon, motherfucker!
That's right,
you fuckin' son-of-a-bitch!
Bring it on, then!
Fuck you, you motherfucker!
You motherfucker!
- Fuck him up!
- C'mon, kick his ass!
Your motherfuckin'ass!
Talk to me, baby.
Talk to me!
Dead dude burned somebody
for their stash.
- Colour wasn't involved.
- You sent the wrong message.
We can do this
any way you want, Doc.
One to one
from the chest...
Or we can all get down!
Yeah, we can all really
fuck this place up!
I'm not going
against the guns.
You're gonna lose, Doc.
Any move you make,
we're on you.
You fucked up!
You're staying in the hole
for as long as it takes...
to break up your
little gang, Santana.
There was nothing
the system could do to stop me.
I could run this show
from solitary.
Gracias, carnal.
J.D. Takin' care of business?
Simn, ese, but the heat's on.
They're tryin' to break us up.
They're transferring everybody
to different prisons.
Danny's down in Soledad.
Stevie's down in Chino and
Willie boy's in Vacaville.
We need a meeting,
keep ourselves together.
Any of our people
on the outside coming up for trial?
Puppet's little brother got busted.
Tell our lawyer to subpoena us,
get us together in one place.
- The brothers send their love, carnal.
- Gracias.
The state is so lame,
they paid for the game.
There were a couple of things from some
of our people who've already gotten out...
that weren't in sync with instructions
I've been getting from inside.
Inside runs the show. If there's any
problems with that, let us know.
I'd like to interview
each of you individually.
- Who wants to go first?
- Corky.
Corky.
Santana, how was
the bus ride home?
Sunshine felt good.
This is my brother, ese.
They call him "Little Puppet. "
- He's a genius, homes.
- Don't get carried away, ese.
He does the best placas
in East L.A. Check it out!
Nice tits!
He had a lightweight Jones
goin' and got popped.
He's comin' up to Folsom.
I want him in with us.
- Can he take care of himself?
- He don't know nothin', but I'll be responsible for him.
- You know what you're doin'?
- How you doin' on the tecato side?
I'm clean now, ese.
Thank you for helping us
get this meeting together.
Yeah, I'd do anything
for my carnal.
When you come up,
if you need anything, let us know.
- You run into problems, we'll take care of it.
- Gracias.
My little brother.
Oye. Orale.
Sparky, how're we doin' in Vacaville?
Goin' slow, homes.
Tryin' to get it together,
but we got a little problem.
Some of the farmers
we won't take into La eMe
are starting up their own gang.
They're calling it Nuestra Familia.
We spent all of our time
tryin' to get it together.
Dealing with whites and the mayates,
only to be dealing with our own.
Orale, carnal.
These aren't our own people.
They're nothin' but
lame farmers from up north.
- They're chicanos.
- It's too late, homes.
They're already too big
in Vacaville.
And now they're makin' a play
on our shit in Folsom.
- They gotta pay the bill, ese.
- Who's carrying all the weight for them?
Dude named El Chucko Pea.
I know that vato.
I know him real well.
Good, then you get to kill him.
Me and him shared the same
needles many a time.
That should make it easier
to get next to him, ese.
He used to be
my crime partner!
That dude is the best!
What the fuck is wrong with you, ese?
It's cool.
Pie Face had left me
only one choice,
the strength of a gesture,
a thought... but no voice.
Careful! The guard.
Come on, Pie Face, pump it!
Orale.
Sabes qu? Little Puppet.
Her tits and her ass
are too big, ese.
Looks like your mother.
Chale, loco. Sabes qu?
It looks unnatural, ese.
Bullshit, man.
Don't get all mad, man.
Open your eyes, vato.
I was proud I didn't let
my feelings get in the way...
of doing what we had
to do to Pie Face that day.
Killing one of our own,
had earned us a new respect.
But none of us knew the price.
Little Puppet.
Orale, homes.
- How you doin'?
- All right.
That's good, ese.
Got a little favour to ask you.
- All right?
- Simn.
You know that dude, El Chucko?
I want you to handle
that for us, all right?
I'll take care of it, ese.
Was I talking to you, ese?
Santana?
Let me do it.
Mi carnalito, that's not his thing.
He's not no punk or nothin', but...
He's not talking to you.
There's something I want you
to understand, Little Puppet.
What happened to Pie Face,
I didn't like it,
but it was necessary.
Especially right now.
Take a look over there, ese.
El Chucko and La Nuestra Familia's
making their play to get respect, ese.
La Eme took a long time
earning their respect in this place.
And if we want to keep it,
we gotta show some class.
Now I know, Pie Face
wasn't weak, ese.
And you know
he wasn't weak, either.
But how 'bout other people?
How 'bout El Chucko,
what'd he think, ese?
'Cause that's what it's about.
It's not just about being
weak that we can't accept.
It's about other people even beginning
to think we're showing weakness.
It's up to you, you know?
Don't try to serve
a summons on me!
I'll do it.
Get down!
Get down!
I said get down!
Wipe your face.
I got him, ese. I got the vato.
You're bleeding, carnal.
Hey, the dude had a filero.
He cut me, man.
I got him in the neck.
You did good, Little Puppet.
Take it easy, J.D.
T.C.B., J.D.
Orale, carnales.
Look at this guy.
You're looking good, brother.
We'll be ridin' right alongside of you
out there on Broadway.
Feels good, ese.
Orale. T.C.B. Out there.
You know I will, ese.
You keep taking care
of it in here, homes.
Orale.
We ain't many, but we're crazy.
Get laid out there for me, brother.
Life was changing
forJ.D., Mundo and me.
But I didn't know how much.
Orale.
- Want some grilled cheese, ese?
- Simn.
Paulito, you grew up
on me, man.
Did you get my letters?
Where's mama?
Did you come here
by yourself?
She's sick?
She's dead.
I love you, carnal.
You never stop to think...
of what life has meant...
'til reality hits hard.
You ride behind pride...
thinking you can hide...
feelings deep within you.
I had years on the tier to
think about how my life...
had affected my mother.
All these years,
nothing's changed.
A lot has changed, homes.
Took me a while to see it.
To see where we can
move out here, man.
Dig that shit out.
- It's nothing new.
- It's the numbers that are different, brother.
We're talkin' about 200,000 tecatos
doin' their thing every day, brother.
The Italians are still runnin' the show,
but they're gettin' sloppy.
It's a move with a heavy upside.
Runnin' that show on
the inside's one thing.
Runnin' it out here
is a different trip.
Inside and outside
go together, brother.
You're the one who
pulled our coats to that.
Control the inside,
you own the outside.
Welcome to Broadway, homes.
Yeah.
Shit takes a while, ese.
Heard that.
It's good to see you, ese.
I'm gonna get a drink.
Pedro.
Santana.
I got home a couple hours ago.
I know.
If it bothers you, I won't stay.
I remember when I was
a little chavalito.
I used to sit by the window...
waiting for you to come home.
I would get so anxious, I'd pinch myself
on the hand until it would bleed.
Then when you came...
There you are, man!
I was looking for you!
I want to show you something.
Hey, Papa.
Check it out.
It's the letters you wrote me.
From the time I was a little vato.
I used to read 'em
to my homeboys.
They listened, too.
Said it was like poetry
the way you wrote them.
Check it out.
This is the homeboys.
- Heard a lot about you, homes.
- Homes, Paulito talk about you.
Good to meet you guys.
Hey, you bastard!
Lighten up, ese.
You know Puppet
and Little Puppet?
They're my cousins.
- They're good people.
- Simn.
- Hey, Chuy.
- That's Neto.
He's our neighbour.
He lives in 116 with his mom and sister.
See that fine-lookin' one
over there in the white blouse?
- No, you're not going over...
- I'm gonna go hang out with the guys over there.
- What guys?
- Them there.
Are you okay, man?
Yeah, just not used to
socializing, you know?
You want a beer?
J.D., want a beer?
Hey, little vato,
hidin' the tequila?
- Tequila.
- Go get him some.
You live with your sister...
and her husband?
Her husband?
- The guy with the suit.
- That's my primo Eddie.
He's Puppet
and Little Puppet's brother.
He thinks his shit don't stink
because he's going to college.
Hey, Julie!
Come over here.
Santana wants to meet you.
Julie, this is Santana.
This is my brother, man.
Only dude around
who'll walk the main yard alone, eh?
Hey, relax.
Oldies rule forever.
Let's move over here, all right?
- Hey, homes.
- Simn.
Yeah.
So, how long's it been
since you've been home?
About 18 summers, you know?
Hmm, since you were a kid.
You like to dance?
C'mon.
When was the last time
you danced?
I never really tried it, you know?
Shit! I don't know how to dance.
I guess this is your
first time, huh?
- Sorry.
- It's all right.
Watch.
Just relax, okay?
Yeah.
Just, um, you know, just move.
There you go.
That's good.
You're doing really good.
Afraid I'm gonna
step on you again?
No, no, I was, uh...
I was checking out your shoes.
I haven't seen any
like that in a long time.
They're nice, though. I like 'em.
Mom!
- This your boy?
- Yeah.
- Oh, you're tired, son.
- Yes.
Mico, say hi to Santana.
It's all right.
I better get him home.
It's... it's late.
Thanks.
C'mon.
I should have thought
with my heart instead of my head.
But I didn't know about that.
Orale.
- How long's he been in?
- Six months.
Gentlemen, Mr Scagnelli
would like to see you.
- We appreciate your taking time to talk to us.
- What can I do for you?
There's gonna be some changes
in the way business is done in East L.A.
From now on our people are gonna be
responsible for the East L.A. Exchange.
All deliveries between Mexico and the
exchange are gonna be done through us.
All collections are
gonna be done by us.
Is that what you came here for,
to tell me my business?
From now on, your business in the barrio
is gonna be our business too.
Let me explain something.
For you, for us, for anybody
who does business, things happen.
And you or your family or friend
can end up doing time.
Somewhere along the line
we have to deal with that.
You run the distribution
on the outside, we run the inside.
Our offer is this:
We guarantee your people
no problems on the inside.
You listen to me.
I don't know who you think
you are, but if anything,
and I mean anything,
happens to make my son's stay...
any more uncomfortable
than it already is,
you'll regret the day
you make that choice.
Ese, Toni, got some
new trays for you, bro.
- Hey, wait a minute, what's happenin', man?
- Good news, carnal.
Hey, man, I got word
from my old lady, ese.
She said the meeting with your father
went real well, bro.
- Yeah, man?
- Simn.
Glad to hear it, I wasn't sure
how it was gonna work out.
They say your father
was a real trip, ese.
Yeah, man, he can get
kinda crazy sometimes.
Some of the carnales just finished
cookin' up a batch of pruno.
- Oh, yeah? Good stuff?
- Simn.
We're gonna have a taste tonight
after dinner. Catch you later, bro.
- Hey, hey, hey, man. Uno ms.
- Orale.
- Hey, I'm into it man, I'm into it.
- Orale.
- Shit, yeah.
- I'll see you at the party.
- All right, man, party.
- Okay.
That was funny, man.
Yeah, chale, homes.
That chick ugly, homes.
Hey, homes, fuckin'...
Check it out, Neto, she ugly, homes.
- Orale, carnalito.
- Hey, what's happening, homes?
Listen, I was just over at
your house. Your sister home?
Nah, she's at work at
the bakery store, homes.
Right there on Soto and Firs...
On Soto and Brooklyn.
You guys are flyin' high, huh?
- Chale, dude. Just some lightweight shit.
- You only live once.
Just don't live it too fast.
You might burn out.
- Take it day by day.
- Simn.
It's not for me to say, but you gonna
have to learn the hard way.
I'll be watchin' you later,
right, carnal? Cudate.
- Take it easy.
- Later, carnal.
- What's wrong with him?
- I don't know, eh.
He think he your dad or someone?
- Hi.
- Hi.
So this is where you work, huh?
I mean, I know this is where you work,
your brother told me.
Yeah, were you just
in the neighbourhood or what?
I was thinking about
my shoes, you know?
Your shoes?
What you said the other night made me
think maybe they're old-fashioned.
Hey, it's, it's okay. I was just...
I was thinking maybe if you could,
if you would wanna help me,
buy another pair of shoes.
You don't have to, if you don't want to.
Everything's okay, you know.
If you got things to do
and everything, you know.
These are pretty good.
- I'd like to buy these...
- I'll be with you in a minute.
Hey. Look at me when
you talk to me, all right?
I have a customer waiting.
I'll be right with you.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
What, you thought
he wasn't showing you respect or what?
I didn't think nothing.
Hey, ese, the vato was
just doing his pinche job.
You know?
Orale.
Taste this, this is really good.
These are chinchalones.
S. Uh-huh. S.
Gracias.
Give me one of those,
one of those with the green chiles.
Watch, this is really good.
Why don't you taste this?
It's not too hot, is it?
Huh?
- Get me some water!
- Por favor.
Un agua, por favor.
When I got off at Folsom first time,
I took a look around,
smiled and said,
"I finally made it to the big time. "
Mmm, how did you survive there?
Got the clica going.
Had anything I wanted.
Mmm.
Before, you know, before if somebody
wanted something from you like, uh,
cigarettes or your manhood
and they were stronger than you,
they just took it.
We changed all that.
We made it better for
our people in the joint.
But you never finished school.
But I fed myself.
History, politics, biography.
Anything I could get a hold of.
To help me forget about myself,
think about something else.
Our people, the revolution,
the movement...
I loved it in there.
Had whatever I wanted.
Yeah? How about walking outside...
or going out with a girl?
Hmm?
I didn't know about that.
Didn't care about it either.
Salud.
- Friends!
- Friends, yeah!
Forever, eh?
Oh, man.
Hijo, hijo.
- Te aventaste, Puppet man.
- Chingao.
Good, man. It's good shit.
Okay, now, just let...
Ease the clutch out and push on the gas.
Okay, good, are you sure
you've never driven before?
Good.
- Why does it do that?
- You got to let the clutch out...
and push the gas in
at the same time.
'Cause... watch.
Okay, step on the brake...
You did real good.
To the greatest fighter
pound for pound,
vato, see, without a doubt,
con los left jab, los hooks,
los uppercuts,
hands down, Mando Ramos.
- Mando Ramos.
- Simn.
Vete, hombre.
Mando Ramos.
Who the hell
is Mando Ramos?
All right, a toast
to Mando Ramos.
Do you like what you do?
It's nothing special.
What do you wanna do?
I don't know.
I used to want to go
to school, you know?
Really learn something.
Why don't you do it?
Oh, man, wouldn't
be that easy now.
I got a kid. I got to work.
I'd be older
than everybody else.
Read. Go to school
once a week.
Educate your mind.
It'll be good
for you and Mico.
Or is it, uh,
that all you want is
for things to be easy?
I don't know.
You wanna
know something?
What?
I never been
at the beach before.
For reals?
Yeah, for real.
You like it?
Yeah.
I like it.
Oh, man, I'm gettin' dizzy.
This pruno goes right to your head.
Hey, man, come on, drink up.
It's good for you.
Great party, man.
This is a great party.
Hey, wait 'til
the broad gets here.
Oh, yeah, who's the broad?
You are, baby.
Don't even think about it.
Your father didn't think
much of our business offer,
or you.
Relax, you might enjoy it.
You've never been
with a woman before.
I told you you'd like it, huh?
It's okay. It's o...
Wait. No.
Wait. Wait!
No. No! Stop it!
No! Stop it!
No!
- We always have beans every single night!
- No, we don't.
- We're gonna put some salsa in it so it'll taste better.
- Okay, grandma.
Why does he listen to you?
He never listens to me.
Neto! Neto, come and eat, please.
Neto, come and eat.
The food's getting cold, hurry.
- What are you doing?
- I'm making a burrito.
Come on, Neto.
Look at the mess!
That's why you're here,
to clean it up.
Neto?
You're dropping it all
in the plate.
I'll scoop it back up.
Neto.
Neto? Mama!
Mama! Mama!
Mama! Mama!
Call an ambulance!
Get Mico outta here!
Come on, Neto, wake up!
Neto!
Damn you! What did you do,
you stupid shit!
- Wake up!
- Neto!
You better wake up,
goddam you!
Wake up! Wake up!
Wake up!
Damn you! Wake up!
- Let me see!
- No, Mico, no!
Let me just see. He's my uncle.
No!
It started happenin' around 7.00 tonight
as soon as the new stuff hit town.
How many O.D. S?
30, 40, maybe more.
That's just the first ones
we know about.
It's all over town, ese.
Scagnelli let the shit
run through uncut.
100 percent pure.
Every tecato's dream come true.
- Don't make no sense, carnal.
- It makes a lot of sense.
He must have known
what would happen.
He's killing off
his own customers.
How many Italians O.D. 'd?
Italians? There ain't
no fuckin'Italians in East L.A.
What are you doing?
Those are Paulito's things.
- Where is he?
- I don't know.
- What kind of shit is he on?
- I don't know.
Where is he?
He don't listen to me,
just like you.
- Where is he?
- Get your hands off me.
- Listen to me, where is he?
- Don't touch me.
- I said, where is he?
- Let me go!
Where is he?
Where is he?
Talk to me, where is he?
What are you guys doing?
Let go!
What kind of shit are you on?
What you talkin' about?
I'm clean, man.
Paulito told me you've
been coming here everyday.
About the other night, I, uh...
Forget it.
Whatever I did to you
or to mama...
to make you hate me,
I'm sorry.
Your mother...
was a beautiful woman.
She made me feel proud.
She was 19 years old.
Raped...
by sailors.
After it happened...
we never talked about it.
Then we got married...
and we tried to forget.
When you were born...
I tried to love you.
But every time
I looked at you...
I wondered who
your real father was.
I wondered which sailor's
blood you carried inside you.
Stop.
Hey, what're they,
football uniforms?
Certainly not, they're space suits.
Hey, Les, don't I look like
a piece of bubble-gum?
Step on it again, homes.
J.D. Wants a good count.
It's gotta be right.
Our names goin' out behind this.
Makes me nervous
lookin' at all this shit...
and not bein' able to chip
a little taste, brother.
Business, Tin Man, then we'll think
about takin' a little off the top.
Now we're talkin', brother.
Watch out, homes.
Look, watch this.
Orale, homes!
- Relax, homes.
- He's gonna get fired.
I'm just watchin' the tube.
What happened to
Abbott and Costello?
- They're on their way to Mars.
- They ain't the only ones.
Drop the gun! Now!
Back up against the wall!
Who the fuck are you?
Down on your knees,
put your hands behind your back.
Now!
Bow your heads! Do it!
You know who we are!
- You know who we are?
- Yeah, I know who you are.
Now breathe! Deep!
Breathe!
Breathe... real deep.
The word is, it was
the Black Guerrilla Family.
Scagnelli had his people check
out how things work in here.
Farmed it out to the B.G.F.
What the hell are the mayates
doing with the Italians?
Scagnelli hooked up with
the Compton dope exchange.
B.G.F. Runs muscle for Compton.
I hear our lawyers are getting
some of our people dates, huh?
Yeah, Puppet and Little Puppet
gonna see daylight real soon.
Little Puppet in about 3 weeks,
Puppet in about 7.
Little Puppet wants to get married
on the day he gets out, eh?
He wants me to be best man.
Qu vato.
Santana, watch your back.
If we show weakness now, homes,
everybody's gonna see it.
Not just the mayates and wops,
but the Nuestra Familia as well.
They're just waiting
to make their fucking move.
There's a way
we can do it clean.
Do what Scagnelli did.
Farm the shit out.
To who?
Aryan Brotherhood.
They hate the mayates.
Mayates hate them.
Ain't no big fuckin' thing.
Let the A.B. Give
the blacks the message.
That way we don't
have to risk anything.
We're spending all of our time
dealing with the Italians...
and now with the Black
Guerrilla Family, ese,
instead of getting our people
out and keeping them out.
You know what?
If we don't fight
for this shit now,
we're gonna lose
it all now, homes.
I also want to take a minute to thank
the owner of the club, Maynard.
Let's have a good time. Let's party!
- Get down!
- Back, motherfucker.
We don't need no trouble.
Just take the money...
Everybody, shut up! Get down!
- What is your name?
- Arthur J.
Uh-huh.
Now it's Mrs J.
For weeks I wanted
to tell you how I felt.
But when I was finally with you,
I couldn't find the courage.
This is how
I always imagined it.
The only thing,
I wish my brother was here.
When he comes out,
let's have a party for him.
I want to have a party, a big party.
Orale.
Lourdes, this dude
and my brother, man,
are the only reasons I made it.
You know, without them...
I can't believe
we're out here, ese.
We made it, qu, no?
Yeah, we made it.
Let's get a drink, qu, no?
Yeah.
Day in, day out.
Same fucking thing.
You know what it was
in there, homes?
Dead time,
wasting my fucking life away, ese.
And for what? So I could
look in the fucking mirror...
and say, "You're bad, ese.
You're bad. "
Shit, homes,
the best tattoos in East L.A.
Now I can't draw shit, ese.
Fuck it, homes.
It's okay. I'm lucky, huh?
- I can still do somethin'.
- Go sit him down.
Hey, you know, I'm here, ese.
Orale.
You know what? I don't need to be bad any more.
What you laughing at, punk?
Wipe that fucking smile
off your face, asshole.
Hey, carnal.
Wedding present, man.
Chale, ese. Be cool, man.
Be cool? Orale,
I don't need to be cool.
Sabes qu?
I'm married now.
Orale. You're cool.
You're so cool...
I'm gonna call you asshole.
What went down in
Compton was wrong, ese.
It was supposed to be business.
It came out racial.
We wanted to send a message to the B.G.F.
About stayin' away from our business.
And we send a bunch
of fucking cowboys...
into other people's home turf,
talking trash
and shooting some guy in the dick.
I don't know
what's wrong with you?
I don't know
if it's that woman or what.
But you're starting
to show weakness.
And we both know
that you can't do that.
Give me one honey, a kiss,
c'mon, give me one!
Get away, damn it, your
breath smells like goat shit.
Oh, shit, come on, Little Puppet.
- Come on, primo, get up.
- You all right?
Come on, guy.
Time for you to take a walk.
Come on.
Excuse me.
You okay?
My cousin, man,
she a fox or what?
Hey, Santana, I don't want to
be in the La Eme any more, ese.
I wanna be a John Doe,
t sabes, you know?
Sears and Roebuck
all the way, homes.
Work for a living.
Move to Bakersfield.
Have some fucking kids, ese.
Give him to me.
Excuse me.
Oh, man,
oh, I feel better now,
except I'm fucking hot.
Take it easy, nobody wants to see
you naked, all right?
Okay, homes.
I'm gonna go wash up
a little, all right?
- Wait up, I'll go with you.
- Oh, no, that's okay.
Julie, I'm sorry, huh?
It's okay.
You're my cousin, remember?
Fox is my cousin, qu, no ese?
I'm sorry to hear about Neto.
I don't know what to say to you.
Whatever, you know.
You're like two people.
One is like a kid...
who doesn't know
how to dance,
who doesn't know
how to make love.
That's the one
I cared about.
But the other one,
the other one I hate.
The one who knows,
who has his rap down,
who knows how to run drugs,
who kills people.
I don't have to listen to this shit,
all right? If you were a man, I'd...
You'd kill me.
Oh no.
No, you'd fuck me in the ass, right?
Right?
I guess we got nothing
to say to each other.
You know, when I met you,
I was impressed.
Yeah, you talked about
La Raza and education...
and the revolution,
but you know what, man?
You really don't care about
any revolution, do you?
You're nothing but
a fucking dope dealer.
- Just a road to where we're going, esa.
- Bullshit!
Sabes qu?
I don't do drugs.
I don't even like them,
but they're there.
It's a reality.
If I don't take care of that business,
somebody else will.
Yeah? Well, your business
kills kids, man.
It kills kids!
Like Neto and Paulito...
and Mico, my son,
who look up to you.
They idolize the ground
you walk on.
What the fuck
do you want from me?
Do you want me to start over?
Get a job?
How about become a citizen?
There's no fucking hope...
for our kids...
for our barrios...
with people
like you around.
Good evening, buses stopped running
at midnight. Is everything okay?
Yeah, what's the problem?
You ever been in the joint?
- Yeah.
- What about you, miss?
No. We weren't
doing anything wrong.
Can I see some I. D?
This yourjacket?
Any weapons?
Okay, step to the car.
Put your hands on the hood.
Now!
- He wasn't doing any...
- Stay out of this, ma'am.
She's just a chick
I picked up at a party.
- Come on, he wasn't do...
- Stay back!
Step away from the car
and put your hands on top of your head.
Hands out in front.
Over. Wiggle the fingers.
Reach down and lift up
your nut sack.
- Can I talk to you a minute?
- Simn, ese.
I heard about what happened.
I'm sorry, Santana.
Mi carnalito, he messed up.
It wasn't his fault, ese.
It was an All-American beef.
When they wanna pop you,
they're gonna pop you.
Want some grilled cheese, ese?
- No, thanks.
- You sure, ese?
It's good.
People are saying
it's Little Puppet's fault.
- It wasn't his fault, ese.
- You know me, carnal.
I'll do anything for La Eme, anything!
But I'm asking you, please,
take my brother's name off.
Your brother's name's
on a piece of paper, ese.
They want me to kill him.
It's a mistake, ese.
Don't worry about it.
I'll take care of it.
Nothing's gonna happen
to your brother.
That's good to hear, ese.
That's good to hear.
I hear Little Puppet's name's
on a piece of paper, ese.
I want you to co-sign it.
- I'm taking it off, ese.
- That punk got you kicked back in the hole.
Set us all back.
Now he's runnin' around talkin'
about how he wants out of La Eme.
His number's up, homes.
I said I'm taking it off, ese.
What's gonna happen...
is gonna happen.
Don't try to stop it.
You understand me?
I'm asking you, carnal.
Is that where it's gotten to, ese?
The brothers
are talking about you.
What are they saying, ese?
They're saying that you're
not showing them anything.
You know, a long time ago,
two best homeboys,
two kids were thrown into juvie.
They were scared, and they thought they
had to do something to prove themselves.
And they did what
they had to do.
They thought they were doing it
to gain respect for their people,
to show the world that no one
could take their class from them.
No one had to take it
from us, ese.
Whatever we had,
we gave it away.
Take care of yourself, carnal.
But it's looking good
as far as the appeal is concerned.
I'd say maybe
in the next six months,
but it's gonna be tough.
- Puppet.
- Orale, Mundo.
What's the word, mockingbird?
Gonna fly the coop on us?
Simn.
You gonna take care of that
business for us, right?
You brought your brother in.
You gotta take him out.
- Santana was gonna talk to J.D.
- Come on,
don't punk out on us, ese.
If you can't take
care of it, we will.
Anybody that happens to be with him
gets to go along for the ride.
One-two-three, five!
One-two-three, six!
One-two-three, seven!
Dear Julie...
maybe the reason I learned
how to read and write...
was so that I could
write you this letter.
Here in this cage,
behind these bars,
I can read, I can learn.
I can even make love,
but it's distorted.
I thought that what
I had learned on the inside...
was everything
I needed to know...
even on the outside.
Like they say,
things don't always turn out
the way one feels they should.
'Til now,
all the books I've ever read...
have been to try to get power.
Let's see.
- Mico, help me find my shoe.
- Yeah?
You'd lose your head
if it wasn't fastened on.
You were the door to another life,
where my seed
might have been affirmed.
Ta-da! I found your shoe!
I've brought back to this home...
a breath of life,
which I am trying to use.
We make it, carnal.
We don't fake you,
wejust take you.
'Cause La Primera's ese.
Always has been, always will be.
- Orale.
- Orale.
Welcome to the clica, carnal.
Por vida, ese. Por vida.
- Are you coming out, ese?
- Stayin' in.
Are you sure you know
what you're doing, ese?
Simn.
You scared me by showing me...
a glimpse of what my life
might have been.
That's Lourdes.
She looked hot that day.
- Orale.
- Hey, be careful!
Don't worry, homes,
I ain't gonna crash.
Check that one out.
See all the people?
They were throwing
rice and shit.
Look at mama.
Pull over up here.
I gotta take a leak.
This medal I send to you as a gift...
for helping me find my voice,
a key to my soul which I will use.
St Dismas is the patron saint
of all those in prison.
He has protected me.
May he do the same for you.
Have hope. You deserve it.
La Primera lives, ese.
It lives through us.
It gives to us. It is us.
Simn, ese, it's all we got.
It's all we've ever had.
Carnal, remember that time
we went down to the L.A. River?
We drank that funky,
funky wine, ese.
Man, I was sick for a week.
You wanna know
what Lourdes asked me?
I'm telling you this
'cause you're my carnal.
She wanted to know if the reason
why they call me "Little Puppet" was...
You know.
Made me real angry.
I think she's pregnant now.
I guess I showed her, huh?
Don't look at me!
Don't look at me.
Don't fight. Please, don't fight!
Just die!
Just die.
Mi carnalito.
Goddam me.
Goddam me.
Comin' out?
Paulito.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
Your brother sent this for you.
He wants you to have it.
- You know what it is, right?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I went with my mom
to give it to him,
years ago.
Thanks.
Orale.
Hey, check it out!
Look at what my carnal sent me.
Mommy, where're you going?
- To school, Mico.
- To school?
Give me a kiss.
Mmm, I love you.
- Is it okay if I go with the guys?
- No, it's not okay.
- Why not?
- Because I said so.
- Please?
- No, you can't.
Looks good, don't it?
You're a man now, ese.
- Let's go cruise the boulevard.
- Paulito.
- Be right back!
- Paulito!
- Paulito!
- Papa, I'll be right back.
You coming out, ese?
Yeah.
You got a lot of heart, carnal.
Maybe too much.
You've always gotta give it
your best shot, you know?
Which one, ese?
Don't matter.
Fuck it, homes.
La Primera lives!
What is time?
Time is when a man is tryin'
to make time with your woman,
but you doin'time behind bars
and your time is standin'still.
Yo, Frost, kick it to
these people for real.
- Likejust last night
- What happened, man?
Yo.
- But no, you didn't think
- Sucker.
True.
Yo, kick it.
Just for you in '92.
You know what I'm sayin'?
So if you don't want
to do no time,
you better take time
and try to draw the line.
Or you're gonna be the next
fool in line doin'time.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Like my man said.
Ain't no sunshine, fool.
Ain't nothin'happenin'up there.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yo, me and Frost
is outta here.
when I'm talkin', fellas,
so shut the fuck up!
The following items you place
in the envelope as I call them off.
An empty wallet.
Legal paperwork.
First three out of the tank.
Line up single file
along the bench. Let's go.
Open your mouth.
Stick out your tongue.
All right. Do your ears. One at a time.
Bend your heads over,
shake 'em out with your fingers.
Put your hands
above your head.
Hands out in front of you.
Over. Move those fingers.
Reach down and lift up
your nut sack.
Drop your nut sacks,
and skin back your dick.
Turn around.
One foot at a time,
pick it up and wiggle the toes.
Other foot.
Bend over, grab your ass,
spread your cheeks and give me two good coughs.
Stand right there.
You're like two people.
- Inmate Montoya Santana?
- One is like a kid.
Doesn't know how to dance.
- Step this way.
- Doesn't know how to make love.
That's the one I cared about.
Step inside.
But the other one,
the other one I hate.
The one who knows,
the one who has his rap down,
who knows how to run drugs.
Who kills people!
Until now, I would've thought
it a sign of weakness...
to even listen to what
you said to me that night.
But I see that you were right.
I am two people.
One was born when I met you.
The other one began in a
downtown L.A. Tattoo parlour.
My father, Pedro,
was showing his love
for my mother, Esperanza.
"Por Vida. "
For life.
My mother was
a beautiful woman.
They were pachucos,
zoot-suiters, and proud of it.
In June of 1943,
America was at war.
Not only overseas,
but with itself.
The racial tension was running high
against anyone that was different.
Excuse me!
Esperanza!
Hey! What a fine looking woman!
- Is it new?
- For me, esa, put together with a lot of love!
- Whoo!
- Yeah, esa. Vmonos.
Congressmen and senators,
we don't need a third front.
Read all about it!
Get your paper.
Let's bring our boys home
to fight those zoot-suited dandies...
that are making it unsafe
to walk our streets today.
Last night in Detroit six people
were killed and many injured...
when army, navy and marines
clashed with zoot-suited thugs.
- Nice hair.
- Let's just go.
Riots have been reported
throughout our country.
Come on, guys,
you don't want to start any trouble.
Get your late Times.
Hey, it's time
to be moving, ladies.
Let's get Pedro and get over to the dance
and off of these streets.
De volada.
What'cha lookin' at?
On the night of the Zoot Suit Riots,
Pedro and Esperanza
had a date.
Hey, cousin, almost ready?
Hey, my woman!
Hey, let's see the
finished product, hombre.
You're gonna like it, esa.
Now you'll always be
a part of me.
Chingao!
- Este vato's a fine artist, ese.
- It's beautiful!
Orale. And so is the price.
We better be hattin', ese.
The streets are hot, hombre.
And so...
If you got a problem
being on the streets wearing your colours,
get rid of your suit. Understand?
Between the Hearst newspapers
and Walter Winchell on the radio,
you'd think the pinche war
was right here in L.A., hombre.
It's getting hot
all over America, carnal.
I'm groovin' with my woman
down the boulevard.
She's so fine.
My ruca's all mine.
No telling what time I may
get home 'cause I'm here.
Here comes the main man,
Mr Number One.
Doesn't even need a weapon...
he's so bad.
Say that fast three times, ese.
Hey, it's real hot tonight...
real hot!
Forget about it.
Watch out!
Leave him alone!
Leave him alone! No!
- Leave him alone!
- Esperanza!
- No! No!
- Don't let go!
Goddam no! Stop!
- Esperanza, Esperanza!
- No!
Pedro! Pedro!
Esperanza!
Come on over here.
No!
- Get out of here!
- Let's give him a haircut.
Esperanza!
Don't touch me!
Break it up!
No!
Esperanza!
Esperanza!
Esperanza! Esperanza!
Zoot suit, new suit.
It sounded all the same.
I had no clue what
they'd been through.
It was a mystery.
But to be 16 in '59,
stayin'away from home
even if I didn't have a dime,
'cause the old man
was just waiting...
to give me his piece of time,
drove me to the street
just to save my mind.
What's happening?
Don't forget the spark plug, homes.
I'll see you guys later.
- What's up? Hey, chico?
- Santana.
I'm not gonna make it.
I'm gonna go eat.
- Later.
- All right, man, later.
- Hi.
- Smile.
Abuelito, qu hubo?
- Huh?
- La puerta, la puerta!
You got it. Puerta, la puerta.
You're always nagging.
- There. You happy? You get your coffee?
- Yes.
Good, good. Hey, Mom.
You're home, huh? You should
respect your grandfather, huh?
I didn't say anything mean.
- Yt, qu? How you doin'?
- Okay.
- How was your day?
- Good.
- Just go sit down.
- I'm hungry.
Paulito, how're you doin'? Woof, woof!
Turn that thing off.
You know what "off" means?
It was easy to blame
my father for everything I did.
Isn't that the life
of every kid?
Shit. Took me a long time
to understand that rhyme.
J. D!
C'mon,J.D.
How's it hangin'? What's new?
What are we gonna do
about Mundo?
He's young, he's weak.
But I think we oughta let him in;
show him the way, you know?
Orale.
Keep an eye out, man.
Come here.
Give me your hand.
You know what, ese?
White Fence, Maravilla, Lomita...
have been around a lot
longer than us, you know?
It's cool.
We've got our own gang,
strong gang.
We're finally
getting into our own.
Gaining respect.
Our gang, our neighbourhood...
our families, that's all we got, ese.
Yeah.
When we were kids,
belonging felt good.
But having respect,
that feels even better.
You know, La Primera
lives through us, ese.
It gives to us. It is us.
We make it, carnal.
We don't fake you,
we just take you.
- 'Cause La Primera's ese.
- Always has been, always will be.
Orale.
Welcome to the clica, carnal.
For life, man, for life.
Coming to terms with
the lessons one learns...
through the choices
one makes is not easy.
Mundo, me and J.D.
Boy, were we crazy!
Oye. I gotta be makin' it back to my pad
or my mother's gonna whip my ass.
Forget it, man.
Wait up, okay?
We'll be hattin' with you.
Let's take the short cut.
Hey... no need to, man.
We don't need to nothin'.
We do what we do, ese.
Entiendes, Mendes?
Hey, fuck it, ese.
Get on down the road, ese.
- Orale.
- Orale!
- Shit!
- Orale. Where you vatos from?
La Primera, so what, man?
Hazard rules all!
Bullshit.
Fuckin' little punk!
- Fuck you!
- Primera lives!
Orale, ese.
There they are!
Oh shit!
C'mon, let's go!
Putos!
- Shit!
- Fuck!
- Orale! Andele!
- Get those guys!
Shit!
We're surrounded!
C'mon, down the alley.
To the left, homes.
We'll meet at the boulevard.
Hurry up,J.D.
Hurry up, ese.
You all right?
C'mon,J.D. Go!
C'mon, Mundo, let's go!
Hurry up.
Go, go, go!
Open that door, homes.
Come on, carnal.
Here they come!
Got it. C'mon!
- C'mon, c'mon.
- They're comin'! Close the door.
Here they come.
- Orale!
- Orale.
Oye! Where're
you vatos going? Shit!
Santana, please man.
What are you laughing at?
We gotta get out of here, man!
- Goddam it, turn that fuck...
- Orale.
Oh shit!
Don't move!
No, Mundo, don't, man! Don't!
This is the last time you will
steal and destroy my property!
You hear? I said, don't move!
J.D., stop, man, stop!
My leg!
I can't feel my leg!
J.D., c'mon!
Go call an ambulance, man.
Go call a fucking ambulance!
I told him not to move.
Hurry up!
Thought I knew it all.
Ended up in juvie hall.
And the shit got even deeper.
To the right.
Open up your mouth.
Okay, pick your clothes up.
Take it on down
to the property room...
to exchange your clothing.
Don't fuckin' move, you fuck!
Don't make a fuckin'sound.
Hear me?
Does it feel good?
Fuck yeah.
You say one word about this,
there'll be shit on my knife,
not on my dick!
Fucker.
Damn you, you fuckin' asshole!
Kill him! Kill him.
Killing that first night got me...
the worst that juvie
had to offer:
An extended sentence with
a guaranteed bus ride...
to the big time
as soon as I turned 18.
But the respect I earned,
made me think
I'd found the answer.
When J.D. Showed up a year later,
I knew we'd get even stronger.
Hey, man, what's your name?
Hey! Where you from?
La Primera. East Los.
You talk like a
fuckin' chicon, man.
I'll check you out later.
Orale, I see they finally let your
white ass out of the hospital, carnal.
- Santana!
- How you doin', man?
- Cool, ese.
- Mundo!
You guys, check it out, man.
This right here's J.D.,
my best crime partner.
This is Chewie, Casper, Chuco,
Raymond and Big Happy.
- Orale.
- Can I talk to you, ese?
Yeah, come here.
What's wrong, brother?
You thinking of
letting him in, ese?
I told you he was
my best crime partner.
He ain't Mexican, ese.
You know what, he's like my brother.
Understand?
Orale.
So, homes, how's that leg?
Check it out, hard as a rock, ese.
Shit, homes,
throw some shellac on it!
Shit! I'll still run
your ass to the ground, ese.
- Check him out!
- Punk.
I seen that dude before.
Ese vato
sitting on the bench.
- I think he's with 18th Street.
- Chale, ain't no barrios in here, man.
No La Primera, 18th, Hazard.
Nada.
Over here you see what we got
is the blacks.
They stick together playin' ball.
See those white boys
on the steps?
They thought you
belonged to them, ese.
Over here, we gotta
stick together, homes.
One big clica.
Frog, you owe me three packs!
See you at the canteen.
- Orale, homes.
- Let's go.
Choices we made to survive...
got Mundo, J.D. And me
ten to 25.
- Give me a year,J.D.
- Fuck you, homes.
- I'm gonna go make my collections.
- Orale.
What's up, peckerwood?
Power became our game.
Make sure the meeting's set for tonight
with the Black Guerrilla Family.
Power to provide everything
you find outside.
Make sure the Aryan
Brotherhood's behind us.
Make sure they're part
of the whole thing.
Be careful.
I'll be over with the carnales.
- You got your people, big Jim?
- Be straight with me, man.
Hey, Santana.
Extortion.
- They wanna do it. What should we do?
- Go ahead.
- Look, we're getting it together.
- Gambling.
You just give it
a little bit of time.
Prostitution.
All right. It's done, man.
We give you three packas.
Make sure it's done right.
We got it together because we had to,
didn't have a choice.
The Eme is here because
before there was nothing.
You all right, Santana?
This is your home too, ese.
Power to make every
inmate pay rent.
And the biggest
money-maker: Drugs.
- Oye, loco.
- No, I need to clean up my tab, man.
You know, pick up
some more shit.
The thing is, I gotta get it
right away 'cause I'm out.
The Aryan Brotherhood...
and the Black Guerrilla
Family shared the yard.
But Folsom belonged to us,
the oldest clica, La Eme.
The Mexican mafia.
Hey, Montoya.
Homes, I got ya at
table eight over there.
- Orale, carnal.
- Orale.
Orale, carnal!
- How ya doin', Paulito?
- Fine.
Move over.
Hi, mama.
- How are you?
- I'm okay.
- How you doin', little one?
- Fine.
- Doing good? Drawing the pumpkin man, huh?
- Yeah.
Bus ride is hard for you, isn't it?
It's okay, Santana.
You know, your father wanted
to come see you, but...
something came up.
He couldn't make it.
Whatever, mama.
Santana, I brought
you something.
You know, when Jesus
was crucified on the cross,
there was a thief named Dismas
on the cross next to him.
He believed in Jesus and asked him
not to forget him when he died.
When Jesus died, he took Dismas
to heaven and Dismas became a saint.
I want you to wear it.
Let me see it, mama.
Mijo, let's put it on your brother.
Okay.
- Santana.
- Excuse me, ma'am.
You're not supposed
to pass items to convicts.
- But you see what it is.
- Sorry. That's policy.
He can pick this up with the rest
of his property you brought for him.
- You'll wear it, huh?
- I'll wear it.
Don't worry.
They'll give it to me later.
Don't cry, Mama.
I'm okay.
Watch out.
Orale.
Cheetah?
Take it.
Pie Face.
Pass the wire.
- Japo.
- Orale.
Watch it.
- Hey, homes, you got a visitor.
- I ain't seein'nobody.
Have it your way.
Pass the wire.
Orale, pass it on, ese.
Pass it on.
- Hey, vato, pass that wire.
- Just a minute.
Pinche, mayate.
What the fuck's going on, ese.
Pass that wire.
Orale, pass the wire!
Here you go, man.
Here you go.
Fuck!
Chow release! Let's go.
Let's go, gentlemen. Chow release.
Okay, gentlemen, let's go.
C'mon, move it.
Give him the uppercut.
He's going down.
That shit wasn't
even clean, man.
Let him go, Huero.
What's your problem?
- I paid for a full load.
- Don't worry. We'll take care of business.
Don't worry?
I'm sick, motherfucker!
- Make sure he gets what he ordered right now.
- Simn.
Thank you.
I fuckin' appreciate that.
- Who copped his wire?
- Some fuckin' mayate.
He's dead.
Make sure nothing happens
to these guards.
Orale.
Steve!
- Cover them for me.
- Orale.
They haven't started to kill each other
yet. They're still throwing shit.
C'mon, motherfucker!
That's right,
you fuckin' son-of-a-bitch!
Bring it on, then!
Fuck you, you motherfucker!
You motherfucker!
- Fuck him up!
- C'mon, kick his ass!
Your motherfuckin'ass!
Talk to me, baby.
Talk to me!
Dead dude burned somebody
for their stash.
- Colour wasn't involved.
- You sent the wrong message.
We can do this
any way you want, Doc.
One to one
from the chest...
Or we can all get down!
Yeah, we can all really
fuck this place up!
I'm not going
against the guns.
You're gonna lose, Doc.
Any move you make,
we're on you.
You fucked up!
You're staying in the hole
for as long as it takes...
to break up your
little gang, Santana.
There was nothing
the system could do to stop me.
I could run this show
from solitary.
Gracias, carnal.
J.D. Takin' care of business?
Simn, ese, but the heat's on.
They're tryin' to break us up.
They're transferring everybody
to different prisons.
Danny's down in Soledad.
Stevie's down in Chino and
Willie boy's in Vacaville.
We need a meeting,
keep ourselves together.
Any of our people
on the outside coming up for trial?
Puppet's little brother got busted.
Tell our lawyer to subpoena us,
get us together in one place.
- The brothers send their love, carnal.
- Gracias.
The state is so lame,
they paid for the game.
There were a couple of things from some
of our people who've already gotten out...
that weren't in sync with instructions
I've been getting from inside.
Inside runs the show. If there's any
problems with that, let us know.
I'd like to interview
each of you individually.
- Who wants to go first?
- Corky.
Corky.
Santana, how was
the bus ride home?
Sunshine felt good.
This is my brother, ese.
They call him "Little Puppet. "
- He's a genius, homes.
- Don't get carried away, ese.
He does the best placas
in East L.A. Check it out!
Nice tits!
He had a lightweight Jones
goin' and got popped.
He's comin' up to Folsom.
I want him in with us.
- Can he take care of himself?
- He don't know nothin', but I'll be responsible for him.
- You know what you're doin'?
- How you doin' on the tecato side?
I'm clean now, ese.
Thank you for helping us
get this meeting together.
Yeah, I'd do anything
for my carnal.
When you come up,
if you need anything, let us know.
- You run into problems, we'll take care of it.
- Gracias.
My little brother.
Oye. Orale.
Sparky, how're we doin' in Vacaville?
Goin' slow, homes.
Tryin' to get it together,
but we got a little problem.
Some of the farmers
we won't take into La eMe
are starting up their own gang.
They're calling it Nuestra Familia.
We spent all of our time
tryin' to get it together.
Dealing with whites and the mayates,
only to be dealing with our own.
Orale, carnal.
These aren't our own people.
They're nothin' but
lame farmers from up north.
- They're chicanos.
- It's too late, homes.
They're already too big
in Vacaville.
And now they're makin' a play
on our shit in Folsom.
- They gotta pay the bill, ese.
- Who's carrying all the weight for them?
Dude named El Chucko Pea.
I know that vato.
I know him real well.
Good, then you get to kill him.
Me and him shared the same
needles many a time.
That should make it easier
to get next to him, ese.
He used to be
my crime partner!
That dude is the best!
What the fuck is wrong with you, ese?
It's cool.
Pie Face had left me
only one choice,
the strength of a gesture,
a thought... but no voice.
Careful! The guard.
Come on, Pie Face, pump it!
Orale.
Sabes qu? Little Puppet.
Her tits and her ass
are too big, ese.
Looks like your mother.
Chale, loco. Sabes qu?
It looks unnatural, ese.
Bullshit, man.
Don't get all mad, man.
Open your eyes, vato.
I was proud I didn't let
my feelings get in the way...
of doing what we had
to do to Pie Face that day.
Killing one of our own,
had earned us a new respect.
But none of us knew the price.
Little Puppet.
Orale, homes.
- How you doin'?
- All right.
That's good, ese.
Got a little favour to ask you.
- All right?
- Simn.
You know that dude, El Chucko?
I want you to handle
that for us, all right?
I'll take care of it, ese.
Was I talking to you, ese?
Santana?
Let me do it.
Mi carnalito, that's not his thing.
He's not no punk or nothin', but...
He's not talking to you.
There's something I want you
to understand, Little Puppet.
What happened to Pie Face,
I didn't like it,
but it was necessary.
Especially right now.
Take a look over there, ese.
El Chucko and La Nuestra Familia's
making their play to get respect, ese.
La Eme took a long time
earning their respect in this place.
And if we want to keep it,
we gotta show some class.
Now I know, Pie Face
wasn't weak, ese.
And you know
he wasn't weak, either.
But how 'bout other people?
How 'bout El Chucko,
what'd he think, ese?
'Cause that's what it's about.
It's not just about being
weak that we can't accept.
It's about other people even beginning
to think we're showing weakness.
It's up to you, you know?
Don't try to serve
a summons on me!
I'll do it.
Get down!
Get down!
I said get down!
Wipe your face.
I got him, ese. I got the vato.
You're bleeding, carnal.
Hey, the dude had a filero.
He cut me, man.
I got him in the neck.
You did good, Little Puppet.
Take it easy, J.D.
T.C.B., J.D.
Orale, carnales.
Look at this guy.
You're looking good, brother.
We'll be ridin' right alongside of you
out there on Broadway.
Feels good, ese.
Orale. T.C.B. Out there.
You know I will, ese.
You keep taking care
of it in here, homes.
Orale.
We ain't many, but we're crazy.
Get laid out there for me, brother.
Life was changing
forJ.D., Mundo and me.
But I didn't know how much.
Orale.
- Want some grilled cheese, ese?
- Simn.
Paulito, you grew up
on me, man.
Did you get my letters?
Where's mama?
Did you come here
by yourself?
She's sick?
She's dead.
I love you, carnal.
You never stop to think...
of what life has meant...
'til reality hits hard.
You ride behind pride...
thinking you can hide...
feelings deep within you.
I had years on the tier to
think about how my life...
had affected my mother.
All these years,
nothing's changed.
A lot has changed, homes.
Took me a while to see it.
To see where we can
move out here, man.
Dig that shit out.
- It's nothing new.
- It's the numbers that are different, brother.
We're talkin' about 200,000 tecatos
doin' their thing every day, brother.
The Italians are still runnin' the show,
but they're gettin' sloppy.
It's a move with a heavy upside.
Runnin' that show on
the inside's one thing.
Runnin' it out here
is a different trip.
Inside and outside
go together, brother.
You're the one who
pulled our coats to that.
Control the inside,
you own the outside.
Welcome to Broadway, homes.
Yeah.
Shit takes a while, ese.
Heard that.
It's good to see you, ese.
I'm gonna get a drink.
Pedro.
Santana.
I got home a couple hours ago.
I know.
If it bothers you, I won't stay.
I remember when I was
a little chavalito.
I used to sit by the window...
waiting for you to come home.
I would get so anxious, I'd pinch myself
on the hand until it would bleed.
Then when you came...
There you are, man!
I was looking for you!
I want to show you something.
Hey, Papa.
Check it out.
It's the letters you wrote me.
From the time I was a little vato.
I used to read 'em
to my homeboys.
They listened, too.
Said it was like poetry
the way you wrote them.
Check it out.
This is the homeboys.
- Heard a lot about you, homes.
- Homes, Paulito talk about you.
Good to meet you guys.
Hey, you bastard!
Lighten up, ese.
You know Puppet
and Little Puppet?
They're my cousins.
- They're good people.
- Simn.
- Hey, Chuy.
- That's Neto.
He's our neighbour.
He lives in 116 with his mom and sister.
See that fine-lookin' one
over there in the white blouse?
- No, you're not going over...
- I'm gonna go hang out with the guys over there.
- What guys?
- Them there.
Are you okay, man?
Yeah, just not used to
socializing, you know?
You want a beer?
J.D., want a beer?
Hey, little vato,
hidin' the tequila?
- Tequila.
- Go get him some.
You live with your sister...
and her husband?
Her husband?
- The guy with the suit.
- That's my primo Eddie.
He's Puppet
and Little Puppet's brother.
He thinks his shit don't stink
because he's going to college.
Hey, Julie!
Come over here.
Santana wants to meet you.
Julie, this is Santana.
This is my brother, man.
Only dude around
who'll walk the main yard alone, eh?
Hey, relax.
Oldies rule forever.
Let's move over here, all right?
- Hey, homes.
- Simn.
Yeah.
So, how long's it been
since you've been home?
About 18 summers, you know?
Hmm, since you were a kid.
You like to dance?
C'mon.
When was the last time
you danced?
I never really tried it, you know?
Shit! I don't know how to dance.
I guess this is your
first time, huh?
- Sorry.
- It's all right.
Watch.
Just relax, okay?
Yeah.
Just, um, you know, just move.
There you go.
That's good.
You're doing really good.
Afraid I'm gonna
step on you again?
No, no, I was, uh...
I was checking out your shoes.
I haven't seen any
like that in a long time.
They're nice, though. I like 'em.
Mom!
- This your boy?
- Yeah.
- Oh, you're tired, son.
- Yes.
Mico, say hi to Santana.
It's all right.
I better get him home.
It's... it's late.
Thanks.
C'mon.
I should have thought
with my heart instead of my head.
But I didn't know about that.
Orale.
- How long's he been in?
- Six months.
Gentlemen, Mr Scagnelli
would like to see you.
- We appreciate your taking time to talk to us.
- What can I do for you?
There's gonna be some changes
in the way business is done in East L.A.
From now on our people are gonna be
responsible for the East L.A. Exchange.
All deliveries between Mexico and the
exchange are gonna be done through us.
All collections are
gonna be done by us.
Is that what you came here for,
to tell me my business?
From now on, your business in the barrio
is gonna be our business too.
Let me explain something.
For you, for us, for anybody
who does business, things happen.
And you or your family or friend
can end up doing time.
Somewhere along the line
we have to deal with that.
You run the distribution
on the outside, we run the inside.
Our offer is this:
We guarantee your people
no problems on the inside.
You listen to me.
I don't know who you think
you are, but if anything,
and I mean anything,
happens to make my son's stay...
any more uncomfortable
than it already is,
you'll regret the day
you make that choice.
Ese, Toni, got some
new trays for you, bro.
- Hey, wait a minute, what's happenin', man?
- Good news, carnal.
Hey, man, I got word
from my old lady, ese.
She said the meeting with your father
went real well, bro.
- Yeah, man?
- Simn.
Glad to hear it, I wasn't sure
how it was gonna work out.
They say your father
was a real trip, ese.
Yeah, man, he can get
kinda crazy sometimes.
Some of the carnales just finished
cookin' up a batch of pruno.
- Oh, yeah? Good stuff?
- Simn.
We're gonna have a taste tonight
after dinner. Catch you later, bro.
- Hey, hey, hey, man. Uno ms.
- Orale.
- Hey, I'm into it man, I'm into it.
- Orale.
- Shit, yeah.
- I'll see you at the party.
- All right, man, party.
- Okay.
That was funny, man.
Yeah, chale, homes.
That chick ugly, homes.
Hey, homes, fuckin'...
Check it out, Neto, she ugly, homes.
- Orale, carnalito.
- Hey, what's happening, homes?
Listen, I was just over at
your house. Your sister home?
Nah, she's at work at
the bakery store, homes.
Right there on Soto and Firs...
On Soto and Brooklyn.
You guys are flyin' high, huh?
- Chale, dude. Just some lightweight shit.
- You only live once.
Just don't live it too fast.
You might burn out.
- Take it day by day.
- Simn.
It's not for me to say, but you gonna
have to learn the hard way.
I'll be watchin' you later,
right, carnal? Cudate.
- Take it easy.
- Later, carnal.
- What's wrong with him?
- I don't know, eh.
He think he your dad or someone?
- Hi.
- Hi.
So this is where you work, huh?
I mean, I know this is where you work,
your brother told me.
Yeah, were you just
in the neighbourhood or what?
I was thinking about
my shoes, you know?
Your shoes?
What you said the other night made me
think maybe they're old-fashioned.
Hey, it's, it's okay. I was just...
I was thinking maybe if you could,
if you would wanna help me,
buy another pair of shoes.
You don't have to, if you don't want to.
Everything's okay, you know.
If you got things to do
and everything, you know.
These are pretty good.
- I'd like to buy these...
- I'll be with you in a minute.
Hey. Look at me when
you talk to me, all right?
I have a customer waiting.
I'll be right with you.
- What's wrong?
- Nothing.
What, you thought
he wasn't showing you respect or what?
I didn't think nothing.
Hey, ese, the vato was
just doing his pinche job.
You know?
Orale.
Taste this, this is really good.
These are chinchalones.
S. Uh-huh. S.
Gracias.
Give me one of those,
one of those with the green chiles.
Watch, this is really good.
Why don't you taste this?
It's not too hot, is it?
Huh?
- Get me some water!
- Por favor.
Un agua, por favor.
When I got off at Folsom first time,
I took a look around,
smiled and said,
"I finally made it to the big time. "
Mmm, how did you survive there?
Got the clica going.
Had anything I wanted.
Mmm.
Before, you know, before if somebody
wanted something from you like, uh,
cigarettes or your manhood
and they were stronger than you,
they just took it.
We changed all that.
We made it better for
our people in the joint.
But you never finished school.
But I fed myself.
History, politics, biography.
Anything I could get a hold of.
To help me forget about myself,
think about something else.
Our people, the revolution,
the movement...
I loved it in there.
Had whatever I wanted.
Yeah? How about walking outside...
or going out with a girl?
Hmm?
I didn't know about that.
Didn't care about it either.
Salud.
- Friends!
- Friends, yeah!
Forever, eh?
Oh, man.
Hijo, hijo.
- Te aventaste, Puppet man.
- Chingao.
Good, man. It's good shit.
Okay, now, just let...
Ease the clutch out and push on the gas.
Okay, good, are you sure
you've never driven before?
Good.
- Why does it do that?
- You got to let the clutch out...
and push the gas in
at the same time.
'Cause... watch.
Okay, step on the brake...
You did real good.
To the greatest fighter
pound for pound,
vato, see, without a doubt,
con los left jab, los hooks,
los uppercuts,
hands down, Mando Ramos.
- Mando Ramos.
- Simn.
Vete, hombre.
Mando Ramos.
Who the hell
is Mando Ramos?
All right, a toast
to Mando Ramos.
Do you like what you do?
It's nothing special.
What do you wanna do?
I don't know.
I used to want to go
to school, you know?
Really learn something.
Why don't you do it?
Oh, man, wouldn't
be that easy now.
I got a kid. I got to work.
I'd be older
than everybody else.
Read. Go to school
once a week.
Educate your mind.
It'll be good
for you and Mico.
Or is it, uh,
that all you want is
for things to be easy?
I don't know.
You wanna
know something?
What?
I never been
at the beach before.
For reals?
Yeah, for real.
You like it?
Yeah.
I like it.
Oh, man, I'm gettin' dizzy.
This pruno goes right to your head.
Hey, man, come on, drink up.
It's good for you.
Great party, man.
This is a great party.
Hey, wait 'til
the broad gets here.
Oh, yeah, who's the broad?
You are, baby.
Don't even think about it.
Your father didn't think
much of our business offer,
or you.
Relax, you might enjoy it.
You've never been
with a woman before.
I told you you'd like it, huh?
It's okay. It's o...
Wait. No.
Wait. Wait!
No. No! Stop it!
No! Stop it!
No!
- We always have beans every single night!
- No, we don't.
- We're gonna put some salsa in it so it'll taste better.
- Okay, grandma.
Why does he listen to you?
He never listens to me.
Neto! Neto, come and eat, please.
Neto, come and eat.
The food's getting cold, hurry.
- What are you doing?
- I'm making a burrito.
Come on, Neto.
Look at the mess!
That's why you're here,
to clean it up.
Neto?
You're dropping it all
in the plate.
I'll scoop it back up.
Neto.
Neto? Mama!
Mama! Mama!
Mama! Mama!
Call an ambulance!
Get Mico outta here!
Come on, Neto, wake up!
Neto!
Damn you! What did you do,
you stupid shit!
- Wake up!
- Neto!
You better wake up,
goddam you!
Wake up! Wake up!
Wake up!
Damn you! Wake up!
- Let me see!
- No, Mico, no!
Let me just see. He's my uncle.
No!
It started happenin' around 7.00 tonight
as soon as the new stuff hit town.
How many O.D. S?
30, 40, maybe more.
That's just the first ones
we know about.
It's all over town, ese.
Scagnelli let the shit
run through uncut.
100 percent pure.
Every tecato's dream come true.
- Don't make no sense, carnal.
- It makes a lot of sense.
He must have known
what would happen.
He's killing off
his own customers.
How many Italians O.D. 'd?
Italians? There ain't
no fuckin'Italians in East L.A.
What are you doing?
Those are Paulito's things.
- Where is he?
- I don't know.
- What kind of shit is he on?
- I don't know.
Where is he?
He don't listen to me,
just like you.
- Where is he?
- Get your hands off me.
- Listen to me, where is he?
- Don't touch me.
- I said, where is he?
- Let me go!
Where is he?
Where is he?
Talk to me, where is he?
What are you guys doing?
Let go!
What kind of shit are you on?
What you talkin' about?
I'm clean, man.
Paulito told me you've
been coming here everyday.
About the other night, I, uh...
Forget it.
Whatever I did to you
or to mama...
to make you hate me,
I'm sorry.
Your mother...
was a beautiful woman.
She made me feel proud.
She was 19 years old.
Raped...
by sailors.
After it happened...
we never talked about it.
Then we got married...
and we tried to forget.
When you were born...
I tried to love you.
But every time
I looked at you...
I wondered who
your real father was.
I wondered which sailor's
blood you carried inside you.
Stop.
Hey, what're they,
football uniforms?
Certainly not, they're space suits.
Hey, Les, don't I look like
a piece of bubble-gum?
Step on it again, homes.
J.D. Wants a good count.
It's gotta be right.
Our names goin' out behind this.
Makes me nervous
lookin' at all this shit...
and not bein' able to chip
a little taste, brother.
Business, Tin Man, then we'll think
about takin' a little off the top.
Now we're talkin', brother.
Watch out, homes.
Look, watch this.
Orale, homes!
- Relax, homes.
- He's gonna get fired.
I'm just watchin' the tube.
What happened to
Abbott and Costello?
- They're on their way to Mars.
- They ain't the only ones.
Drop the gun! Now!
Back up against the wall!
Who the fuck are you?
Down on your knees,
put your hands behind your back.
Now!
Bow your heads! Do it!
You know who we are!
- You know who we are?
- Yeah, I know who you are.
Now breathe! Deep!
Breathe!
Breathe... real deep.
The word is, it was
the Black Guerrilla Family.
Scagnelli had his people check
out how things work in here.
Farmed it out to the B.G.F.
What the hell are the mayates
doing with the Italians?
Scagnelli hooked up with
the Compton dope exchange.
B.G.F. Runs muscle for Compton.
I hear our lawyers are getting
some of our people dates, huh?
Yeah, Puppet and Little Puppet
gonna see daylight real soon.
Little Puppet in about 3 weeks,
Puppet in about 7.
Little Puppet wants to get married
on the day he gets out, eh?
He wants me to be best man.
Qu vato.
Santana, watch your back.
If we show weakness now, homes,
everybody's gonna see it.
Not just the mayates and wops,
but the Nuestra Familia as well.
They're just waiting
to make their fucking move.
There's a way
we can do it clean.
Do what Scagnelli did.
Farm the shit out.
To who?
Aryan Brotherhood.
They hate the mayates.
Mayates hate them.
Ain't no big fuckin' thing.
Let the A.B. Give
the blacks the message.
That way we don't
have to risk anything.
We're spending all of our time
dealing with the Italians...
and now with the Black
Guerrilla Family, ese,
instead of getting our people
out and keeping them out.
You know what?
If we don't fight
for this shit now,
we're gonna lose
it all now, homes.
I also want to take a minute to thank
the owner of the club, Maynard.
Let's have a good time. Let's party!
- Get down!
- Back, motherfucker.
We don't need no trouble.
Just take the money...
Everybody, shut up! Get down!
- What is your name?
- Arthur J.
Uh-huh.
Now it's Mrs J.
For weeks I wanted
to tell you how I felt.
But when I was finally with you,
I couldn't find the courage.
This is how
I always imagined it.
The only thing,
I wish my brother was here.
When he comes out,
let's have a party for him.
I want to have a party, a big party.
Orale.
Lourdes, this dude
and my brother, man,
are the only reasons I made it.
You know, without them...
I can't believe
we're out here, ese.
We made it, qu, no?
Yeah, we made it.
Let's get a drink, qu, no?
Yeah.
Day in, day out.
Same fucking thing.
You know what it was
in there, homes?
Dead time,
wasting my fucking life away, ese.
And for what? So I could
look in the fucking mirror...
and say, "You're bad, ese.
You're bad. "
Shit, homes,
the best tattoos in East L.A.
Now I can't draw shit, ese.
Fuck it, homes.
It's okay. I'm lucky, huh?
- I can still do somethin'.
- Go sit him down.
Hey, you know, I'm here, ese.
Orale.
You know what? I don't need to be bad any more.
What you laughing at, punk?
Wipe that fucking smile
off your face, asshole.
Hey, carnal.
Wedding present, man.
Chale, ese. Be cool, man.
Be cool? Orale,
I don't need to be cool.
Sabes qu?
I'm married now.
Orale. You're cool.
You're so cool...
I'm gonna call you asshole.
What went down in
Compton was wrong, ese.
It was supposed to be business.
It came out racial.
We wanted to send a message to the B.G.F.
About stayin' away from our business.
And we send a bunch
of fucking cowboys...
into other people's home turf,
talking trash
and shooting some guy in the dick.
I don't know
what's wrong with you?
I don't know
if it's that woman or what.
But you're starting
to show weakness.
And we both know
that you can't do that.
Give me one honey, a kiss,
c'mon, give me one!
Get away, damn it, your
breath smells like goat shit.
Oh, shit, come on, Little Puppet.
- Come on, primo, get up.
- You all right?
Come on, guy.
Time for you to take a walk.
Come on.
Excuse me.
You okay?
My cousin, man,
she a fox or what?
Hey, Santana, I don't want to
be in the La Eme any more, ese.
I wanna be a John Doe,
t sabes, you know?
Sears and Roebuck
all the way, homes.
Work for a living.
Move to Bakersfield.
Have some fucking kids, ese.
Give him to me.
Excuse me.
Oh, man,
oh, I feel better now,
except I'm fucking hot.
Take it easy, nobody wants to see
you naked, all right?
Okay, homes.
I'm gonna go wash up
a little, all right?
- Wait up, I'll go with you.
- Oh, no, that's okay.
Julie, I'm sorry, huh?
It's okay.
You're my cousin, remember?
Fox is my cousin, qu, no ese?
I'm sorry to hear about Neto.
I don't know what to say to you.
Whatever, you know.
You're like two people.
One is like a kid...
who doesn't know
how to dance,
who doesn't know
how to make love.
That's the one
I cared about.
But the other one,
the other one I hate.
The one who knows,
who has his rap down,
who knows how to run drugs,
who kills people.
I don't have to listen to this shit,
all right? If you were a man, I'd...
You'd kill me.
Oh no.
No, you'd fuck me in the ass, right?
Right?
I guess we got nothing
to say to each other.
You know, when I met you,
I was impressed.
Yeah, you talked about
La Raza and education...
and the revolution,
but you know what, man?
You really don't care about
any revolution, do you?
You're nothing but
a fucking dope dealer.
- Just a road to where we're going, esa.
- Bullshit!
Sabes qu?
I don't do drugs.
I don't even like them,
but they're there.
It's a reality.
If I don't take care of that business,
somebody else will.
Yeah? Well, your business
kills kids, man.
It kills kids!
Like Neto and Paulito...
and Mico, my son,
who look up to you.
They idolize the ground
you walk on.
What the fuck
do you want from me?
Do you want me to start over?
Get a job?
How about become a citizen?
There's no fucking hope...
for our kids...
for our barrios...
with people
like you around.
Good evening, buses stopped running
at midnight. Is everything okay?
Yeah, what's the problem?
You ever been in the joint?
- Yeah.
- What about you, miss?
No. We weren't
doing anything wrong.
Can I see some I. D?
This yourjacket?
Any weapons?
Okay, step to the car.
Put your hands on the hood.
Now!
- He wasn't doing any...
- Stay out of this, ma'am.
She's just a chick
I picked up at a party.
- Come on, he wasn't do...
- Stay back!
Step away from the car
and put your hands on top of your head.
Hands out in front.
Over. Wiggle the fingers.
Reach down and lift up
your nut sack.
- Can I talk to you a minute?
- Simn, ese.
I heard about what happened.
I'm sorry, Santana.
Mi carnalito, he messed up.
It wasn't his fault, ese.
It was an All-American beef.
When they wanna pop you,
they're gonna pop you.
Want some grilled cheese, ese?
- No, thanks.
- You sure, ese?
It's good.
People are saying
it's Little Puppet's fault.
- It wasn't his fault, ese.
- You know me, carnal.
I'll do anything for La Eme, anything!
But I'm asking you, please,
take my brother's name off.
Your brother's name's
on a piece of paper, ese.
They want me to kill him.
It's a mistake, ese.
Don't worry about it.
I'll take care of it.
Nothing's gonna happen
to your brother.
That's good to hear, ese.
That's good to hear.
I hear Little Puppet's name's
on a piece of paper, ese.
I want you to co-sign it.
- I'm taking it off, ese.
- That punk got you kicked back in the hole.
Set us all back.
Now he's runnin' around talkin'
about how he wants out of La Eme.
His number's up, homes.
I said I'm taking it off, ese.
What's gonna happen...
is gonna happen.
Don't try to stop it.
You understand me?
I'm asking you, carnal.
Is that where it's gotten to, ese?
The brothers
are talking about you.
What are they saying, ese?
They're saying that you're
not showing them anything.
You know, a long time ago,
two best homeboys,
two kids were thrown into juvie.
They were scared, and they thought they
had to do something to prove themselves.
And they did what
they had to do.
They thought they were doing it
to gain respect for their people,
to show the world that no one
could take their class from them.
No one had to take it
from us, ese.
Whatever we had,
we gave it away.
Take care of yourself, carnal.
But it's looking good
as far as the appeal is concerned.
I'd say maybe
in the next six months,
but it's gonna be tough.
- Puppet.
- Orale, Mundo.
What's the word, mockingbird?
Gonna fly the coop on us?
Simn.
You gonna take care of that
business for us, right?
You brought your brother in.
You gotta take him out.
- Santana was gonna talk to J.D.
- Come on,
don't punk out on us, ese.
If you can't take
care of it, we will.
Anybody that happens to be with him
gets to go along for the ride.
One-two-three, five!
One-two-three, six!
One-two-three, seven!
Dear Julie...
maybe the reason I learned
how to read and write...
was so that I could
write you this letter.
Here in this cage,
behind these bars,
I can read, I can learn.
I can even make love,
but it's distorted.
I thought that what
I had learned on the inside...
was everything
I needed to know...
even on the outside.
Like they say,
things don't always turn out
the way one feels they should.
'Til now,
all the books I've ever read...
have been to try to get power.
Let's see.
- Mico, help me find my shoe.
- Yeah?
You'd lose your head
if it wasn't fastened on.
You were the door to another life,
where my seed
might have been affirmed.
Ta-da! I found your shoe!
I've brought back to this home...
a breath of life,
which I am trying to use.
We make it, carnal.
We don't fake you,
wejust take you.
'Cause La Primera's ese.
Always has been, always will be.
- Orale.
- Orale.
Welcome to the clica, carnal.
Por vida, ese. Por vida.
- Are you coming out, ese?
- Stayin' in.
Are you sure you know
what you're doing, ese?
Simn.
You scared me by showing me...
a glimpse of what my life
might have been.
That's Lourdes.
She looked hot that day.
- Orale.
- Hey, be careful!
Don't worry, homes,
I ain't gonna crash.
Check that one out.
See all the people?
They were throwing
rice and shit.
Look at mama.
Pull over up here.
I gotta take a leak.
This medal I send to you as a gift...
for helping me find my voice,
a key to my soul which I will use.
St Dismas is the patron saint
of all those in prison.
He has protected me.
May he do the same for you.
Have hope. You deserve it.
La Primera lives, ese.
It lives through us.
It gives to us. It is us.
Simn, ese, it's all we got.
It's all we've ever had.
Carnal, remember that time
we went down to the L.A. River?
We drank that funky,
funky wine, ese.
Man, I was sick for a week.
You wanna know
what Lourdes asked me?
I'm telling you this
'cause you're my carnal.
She wanted to know if the reason
why they call me "Little Puppet" was...
You know.
Made me real angry.
I think she's pregnant now.
I guess I showed her, huh?
Don't look at me!
Don't look at me.
Don't fight. Please, don't fight!
Just die!
Just die.
Mi carnalito.
Goddam me.
Goddam me.
Comin' out?
Paulito.
Can I talk to you for a minute?
Your brother sent this for you.
He wants you to have it.
- You know what it is, right?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I went with my mom
to give it to him,
years ago.
Thanks.
Orale.
Hey, check it out!
Look at what my carnal sent me.
Mommy, where're you going?
- To school, Mico.
- To school?
Give me a kiss.
Mmm, I love you.
- Is it okay if I go with the guys?
- No, it's not okay.
- Why not?
- Because I said so.
- Please?
- No, you can't.
Looks good, don't it?
You're a man now, ese.
- Let's go cruise the boulevard.
- Paulito.
- Be right back!
- Paulito!
- Paulito!
- Papa, I'll be right back.
You coming out, ese?
Yeah.
You got a lot of heart, carnal.
Maybe too much.
You've always gotta give it
your best shot, you know?
Which one, ese?
Don't matter.
Fuck it, homes.
La Primera lives!
What is time?
Time is when a man is tryin'
to make time with your woman,
but you doin'time behind bars
and your time is standin'still.
Yo, Frost, kick it to
these people for real.
- Likejust last night
- What happened, man?
Yo.
- But no, you didn't think
- Sucker.
True.
Yo, kick it.
Just for you in '92.
You know what I'm sayin'?
So if you don't want
to do no time,
you better take time
and try to draw the line.
Or you're gonna be the next
fool in line doin'time.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Like my man said.
Ain't no sunshine, fool.
Ain't nothin'happenin'up there.
You know what I'm sayin'?
Yo, me and Frost
is outta here.