Raq updates Marvin about Kanan.
Lou Lou is a drunken and distraught mess after killing Scrappy’s mother. He goes to Raq’s place and yells outside her door that he is her professional killer. And the neighborhood needs to know Raq is a killer as well. She rushes outside to drag him inside. When Marvin makes it there, Lou is knocked out on one of Raq’s beds. Although he believes Lou can get himself back on track, Raq isn’t so sure. And she believes Lou is going to get them all caught up.
Iesha and Jukebox continue to bond as Iesha struggles to learn the group’s dance moves. When Iesha spots photos of Juke and Nicole in her bedroom, she questions what led to their breakup. Jukebox tells Iesha that Nicole died. And Nicole offers her condolences and thanks Juke for being so open with her.
Marvin once again tries to tell Raq that Lou needs help for his alcoholism. However, she thinks the issue is Lou doesn’t like the reflection staring back at him when he looks in the mirror. And that is not on her. They switch topics. Raq confirms Kanan has linked up with Ronnie and he’s selling hardcore drugs. And she also heard he’s in the mix with Snaps and Pop now. So Marvin needs to handle it.
Meanwhile, Kanan is talking with Snaps about their growing business. Snaps tells him Raq is back in the game with a new connect so that means she is Kanan’s competition. And she’s very good at moving product. This doesn’t move Kanan and he tells Snaps that he is good at it as well. Snaps smiles.
Kanan and Raq are officially competitors.
Raq calls over their mother to watch Lou so she can step out. She has to hand over some cash before her mother agrees to do the task.
Raq meets with brothers Terry and David to see if she can load her drugs on their trucks. They run a restaurant equipment business. So they deliver supplies to Chinese restaurants. While David is on board, Terry says he won’t agree to anything but the same deal Hong has with Raq. Raq tells Terry she made her offer and she’s not changing it. Terry feels the same so the meeting concludes with no deal.
The next Butta rehearsal goes well for the group and Juke. She finds out she has officially been made the lead but she can lose it if she doesn’t continue to do a good job. Krystal storms off without saying anything. When Iesha and Juke leave the rehearsal building, they see Krystal and Kanan kissing. Although Juke wants to punch Kanan in the face, Iesha tells her there’s no need to be angry because she has Juke. And that matters much more.
Marvin locates one of Kanan’s runners to see he’s been moving heroin.
Lou awakens to his mother handing him a plate of breakfast which includes burnt toast. She tells him Raq said he can’t leave but he leaves the house anyway.
When Raq meets with Quan, he hands her over one of Kanan’s packages and tells her she has competition that is selling heroin via couriers. So he needs her to take out her competitor.
Kanan is given an ultimatum.
Captain Burke talks to Nicole’s dad to figure out what really happened to their deceased daughters. Nicole’s father says he didn’t ever think Burke gave drugs to Nicole. However, a cop told him that Burke was complicit. Although Nicole’s father says he was told not to say who said this, Captain Burke concludes it was Howard.
Lou is still struggling. While at Cafe Vous, he hands Shirley a copy of Famous’ new song so she can give it to him. When she tells him that there’s no need since Lou can do this himself, Lou says he has to go. Shirley tells him nothing in life is that bad and he says sometimes “it’s worse.”
Marvin lets Raq know that her competitor is Kanan. She’s frustrated that her son is muddling business for her and Quan. Although Marvin feels like helping Lou should be the priority, Raq thinks fixing the business is more important.
Howard finds out the feds are wanting to make a move on Marvin. So this is the first task he needs to focus on when he officially begins his new role.
Famous heads to Cafe Vous to see Lou and Shirley hands over the tape he left for Famous. Shirley tells him she heard his song and it’s amazing. He thanks her and asks if he can use Lou’s studio while he’s away. Shirley tells him he can as long as he helps her around the cafe. He agrees.
Kanan receives a visit from his social worker while Krystal is at his place. He’s told Raq said he hasn’t been staying at home. So Kanan has 24 hours to go home or he will be arrested.
Raq makes enemies out of Snaps and Pop.
Raq confronts Snaps and Pop at a restaurant. She tells them Kanan isn’t what they think he is and they need to leave him alone. The couple remains unfazed. They tell her they were the first to make moves in the drug game so they are her ancestors. So she is not in their lane. And they can get Stefano to dump Raq if they choose to. Pop had him wrapped around her finger while Raq was still a child because he and other Italians love Black women. Pop was the first Black woman he slept with. None of this matters to Raq. She says it’s not about who was first but who was last because they cut the lights off. So they need to leave Kanan alone.
After Raq leaves, Pop questions if Ronnie is worth this kind of trouble. Snaps tells Pop it isn’t about Ronnie anymore. Now it’s about them and Raq was out of line.
Kanan has Ronnie deal with the social worker so he doesn’t have to go back home. Ronnie steps out of the car and speaks to the woman while Kanan watches from the car. Whatever he says terrifies her so badly that she runs to her car. When Ronnie makes it back to Kanan, he confirms the social worker won’t bother Kanan ever again.
Krystal sets up Jukebox.
Jukebox is at the train station to make it to rehearsal. A couple of girls jump her and tell her she won’t make it there. They struggle to beat up Jukebox. When she gets the upper hand, they pull a knife out on her.
Raq goes to Pernessa’s place to find out who is supplying drugs to Ronnie. Pernessa is worried about her and her son’s safety so she doesn’t want to say much. But Raq’s mind starts working when Pernessa confirms Juliana and Ronnie have been messing around.
Jukebox finally makes it to rehearsal. Before they start, she tells Krystal her friends left the train station with lumps.
Raq sics Marvin on Terry. He hires an escort and takes photos of Terry having an affair. Marvin tells Terry the photos will never make it to his wife if he agrees to work with him and Raq.
Joaquin and Raq meet to discuss Juliana. Although Raq is certain Juliana cut a deal with Ronnie behind her cousin’s back, he still needs to make sure this is the case. And if it all checks out, he will give Raq permission to take out Juliana.
Gerald shows his hand.
Marvin and Gerald go out for a bite to eat. Gerald makes it seem like he’s asking questions to do a write-up on Jukebox, but Marvin isn’t feeling it when he asks if Marvin knew Bulletproof Records was connected to the mafia. And someone at the NYPD told him Marvin’s family had a large stake in that label. And Juke recorded her first song there.
At this point, a frustrated Marvin tells Gerald he’s not talking about Bulletproof Records with him and it has nothing to do with Jukebox’s story.
As for Jukebox, she goes to Sergeant Healey to ask if it’s too late for her to back out of joining the Army now that she’s signed the contract. He tells her that she made a commitment and it won’t be easy to get out of it.
The feds pull up in Gerald’s driveway. He pauses a game of Candy Land with his daughters to sit in the car. They want information on Marvin. And prison is in his future if he doesn’t talk.
Juliana meets her demise.
Raq gets the okay from Joaquin to take care of Juliana. So she pulls up to Juliana’s house. When Juliana offers to give Raq money, Raq shoots her in the knee and tells her it’s not about money. She is there to correct a mistake which was letting Juliana live. She realizes Juliana is still the weak and scary woman who needed Raq to take out her abusive husband. And all Juliana has done since is turn on her and Joaquin.
Although Juliana begs for her life, Raq shoots her three more times. The final shot in the head.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
