‘Atlanta’ Recap: Paper Boi’s Goes Through It for a Haircut

Paper Boi’s quest for a haircut gets off to a rocky start.

The episode opens up with Paper Boi waiting on his barber Bibby at the barber shop. Eventually, the barber walks in talking on his phone via an ear piece.

Paper Boi things he’s talking to him, but he’s talking to his caller.

Eventually, Bibby gets Paper Boi’s attention, and begins to give him “the usual” haircut. During the beginning of the cut, Bibby asks him if he knew about the robbery of the T-Mobile store around the way.

Paper Boi tells Bibby he didn’t know about that, and Bibby tells him he has the hookup on T-Mobile phones.

Paper Boi tells Bibby he needs the haircut for a magazine photo shoot. Bibby congratulates Paper Boi and tells him the time when he went to the movies, and didn’t see a movie poster featuring a black person.

Paper Boi manages to get him on track, and Bibby begins to cut his hair. He takes the clippers to one side of his head and cuts a large chunk from his head.

Bibby’s girlfriend calls, starting the antics.

After this, Bibby, who appears to be scatter-brained, asked if he saw the video featuring basketball player Marcus Miles hitting people in the parking lot with his invisible car.

Paper Boi tries to brush this off, but Bibby insists he see the video and hands him his phone. Bibby then heads off to the bathroom.

Suddenly, Bibby’s girlfriend calls, and Bibby begins to panic when he picks up the phone. Bibby tells her he is on I-85 and will “be home soon.”

When he hangs up, Bibby packs up his clippers. Paper Boi asks where he’s going.

“Home.” – Bibby

“No you’re not.” – Paper Boi

He manages to calm Paper Boi down.

“It’s alright. You’re coming with me.” – Bibby

Paper Boi gets angry and tells him he isn’t going. However, Bibby knows Paper Boi’s addicted to his skills with the clippers.

“I know you don’t want anyone else in here to cut your hair for your photo shoot.” -Bibby

Paper Boi goes along, but Bibby tells him to head out the back door.

While in the car, Bibby asks Paper Boi about his cable situation. He then pitches his cable company’s card Klear Kable. Paper Boi says he’s fine and Bibby gives him a stack of business cards to pass out at his shows.

Bibby delays Paper Boi’s haircut, again.

They pull up to Bibby’s house, eventually. When they go in, they run into Bibby’s girlfriend, who’s mad he is an hour late.

Bibby blames Paper Boi for being late, and Bibby makes up a story about Paper Boi’s car breaking down.

She asks Bibby why he’s wearing a barber cape.

“He’s magician. I don’t know.” – Bobby

Eventually, the girlfriend caves in and stays. Bibby sets himself up to cut hair, but he cuts his girlfriend’s son’s hair first. Paper Boi gets angry because he had an appointment.

“Technically, he had an appointment too.” – Bibby

When Bibby finishes the boy’s haircut, the girlfriend yells out because the water is cut off. Then the power cuts off.

Bibby packs up and tries to runs out of the house. His girlfriend catches him and tells him she knows he didn’t pay the power bill too.

However he and Paper Boi run out.

Bibby takes Paper Boi to get “Zaxby’s” and steal lumber.

Back in the car, Paper Boi demands to be taken back to the shop. Bibby agrees, and then asks if he likes Zaxby’s.

“N****, don’t play with me. Of course I love Zaxby’s.” – Paper Boi

So Bibby takes him to get “Zaxby’s.” However they end up in a subdivision under construction. They go inside a home under construction., and Bibby hands him a Zaxby’s container that’s only has a half-eaten piece of toast and chicken tenders.

“Keep playing with me and Ima f*** you up!” – Bibby

Paper Boi is angry again and demands to be taken back to the shop. But before they leave, Bibby convinces Paper Boi to help him carry lumber.

When they finish loading the lumber, they are confronted by a woman who owns the home under construction. She threatens to call the cops but Bibby says the contractor he works for hasn’t been paid, so he’s tasked with taking the lumber back.

They drive off with the woman on the phone angry.

Bibby chases down his son who is skipping school.

While in the truck, Bibby sees three kids hanging out in front of a store. Bibby gives Paper Boi a look and they hook a swift U-Turn, running down the kids who are now sprinting. Paper Boi isn’t wearing his seat belt so the chase throws him around the front seat.

It tuns out one of the boys is Bibby’s son. They catch the kids in a nearby alley. Bibby confronts his son for skipping school. He then asks if they put up the street team posters and discovers they didn’t

“Man, we’re never gonna get that $35 now.” – Bibby

He then tells his son that Paper Boi is in the car. The son notices him and notices his jacked up hair. He makes a joke about it, which angers Paper Boi even more. He gets out of the car and confronts Bibby’s son.

“You know why it’s f****d up? ‘Cause your crazy a** daddy was supposed to cut my d*** hair, alright!” – Paper Boi

He then tells him he’s a regular person and eats, sleeps and “s***s” like anyone else.

“I’m regular bruh, aright.” – Paper Boi

The son seems to ignore this and asks if Paper Boi can put him on.

“I have a fire mixtape. I’m like Lonzo Ball.” – Bibby’s son

Paper Boi ignores this and Bibby follows. Bibby brings his son Lamar along back to the shop.

Bibby commits a hit-and-run.

While they’re driving, Lamar apologizes to Bibby, and Bibby says he’s calling Lamar’s mom.

During this conversation, Bibby ignores the road in front of him, adding on to Paper Boi’s anger.

“If you kill me, I swear Ima f*** you up.” – Paper Boi

However, Bibby continues his reckless driving, and rear-ends a smaller Honda car. A Asian woman gets out of the car crying, holding her back.

Bibby has warrants, and asks Paper Boi to get in the driver’s seat. Then he asks Lamar to hop in, but he doesn’t have a license.

Bibby gets scared and drives off, pissing off Paper Boi more. Paper Boi is still on probation and can’t get into any trouble.

Paper Boi finally gets his haircut.

Eventually, they all get to the shop and Bibby smacks Lamar upside his head, and tells him he “didn’t want him.” While walking into the shop, Bibby gets a call from someone asking for another “favor.” Bibby tells Paper Boi that “he left something in his truck.”

Paper Boi grabs him by his sweater collar, picks him up and demands he cuts his hair.

“Lets get you that haircut.” – Bibby

Once Bibby cuts Paper Boi’s hair, he gets up and walks out. Bibby says, “You forgot to pay me.”

Paper Boi snaps.

“You know you dragged me out of here. Ruined my whole G**D*** day. You almost got me in trouble with the f*****g cops, and you almost killed me with your G**D*** driving, man!” – Paper Boi

“Ruined? You had a good day today.” – Bibby

Paper Boi drops the money on the floor and walks out. Bibby yells out, “What? No tip,” as Paper Boi walks out the door.

For the next haircut, Paper Boi uses another barber, and possibly regrets the decision.

Next time, Paper Boi walks into the shop and Bibby tries to dap him up. However, Paper Boi walks into another barber’s chair, dissing Bibby.

Now this barber isn’t as erratic as Bibby but, he doesn’t know how to cut Paper Boi’s hair. When he tells the barber he wants a taper fade, the barber responds, “Is that a two or a three?”

The episode ends with Paper Boi sadly looking on as Bibby works his “magic” on another client’s hair.

What are your thoughts on the episode?