Ronnie and Kanan’s business suffers a major blow.
Lou Lou is drunk but still manages to drive himself to a liquor store anyway. He ends up not paying, so the man at the register shoots at him. Lou is able to get away unharmed.
Ronnie and his associates are waiting for Juliana’s people to drop off the heroin. However, Quan and his people show up instead. Quan confirms Juliana is dead. So her business relationship with Ronnie is over. And he has agreed to not supply anyone heroin in South Jamaica Queens. Before leaving, Ronnie asks Quan if his actions are because of Raq. He says he’s handling business the way he sees fit. Ronnie is still breathing because Quan promised his investors to keep him alive.
Jukebox and Raq catch up over a bite to eat. Raq hands over a letter the army sent Juke. She questions if joining the army is what Juke really wants to do. Juke isn’t sure what future she should go for. So Raq tells her to do whatever it is that gives her joy. And she apologizes for mainly using her time with Juke to talk about Kanan. Now Raq just wants to give Juke her undivided attention. Juke appreciates this.
Burke’s father continues to put the pieces together.
Back at Cafe Vous, Shirley introduces Famous to her friend Lowell. He’s rich and owns multiple independent labels. He really likes Famous’ new track. So he wants to work with him and Lou. Famous is down but knows he will need to talk to Lou soon.
Marvin has the superintendent of Lou Lou’s apartment building open up the door since he can’t locate Lou. The place is a pigsty and Lou is not there. It looks like he hasn’t been living there in a while.
Burke’s father speaks to the captain about her case. It’s been closed since the investigation found no wrongdoing. He wants it to remain open because he thinks Howard is linked to his daughter’s death. He also says Howard went to Nicole’s father to tell him to file the complaint against Burke. The captain feels like Juke needs to be located since she flat-out said Burke did not supply drugs to Nicole.
Ronnie’s meeting with Pop and Snaps is brief. They explain he made the wrong move hooking up with Juliana behind Quan’s back. So he should be thankful they asked Quan not to kill Ronnie. While Raq may have killed the business, it’s Ronnie’s burden to make sure Pop and Snaps don’t lose the money they invested.
Juke scores a major win.
The Captain tells the feds that Juke is Marvin’s daughter. So that likely means there’s a connection between Burke, Howard, and Marvin. And his shooting was likely mob related which is why Burke wanted to investigate.
While this is going on, Raq asks Howard to help her locate Lou because it’s bad for all of them if he gets in some serious trouble.
Gerald meets up with Marvin at the park. He tries to end the friendship and recognizes he’s been a burden. But Marvin tells him that real friends are supposed to be there during the hard times.
Famous goes to see Kanan to find out Lou Lou’s whereabouts. Ronnie wastes no time pulling him up by his collar before Kanan tells him to chill out. Kanan confirms the family will be at Juke’s show later that night. So Famous should see Lou there. When Famous leaves, Ronnie questions why Kanan is going out when their business is dead. An annoyed Kanan tells Ronnie he doesn’t have to check in with him about anything.
Lou doesn’t make it to the show. But the performance goes well for Butta and they receive a standing ovation.
Howard locates Lou Lou.
After the show, Marvin has a brief chat with Kanan about Juke’s performance before Raq joins. She tells him he needs to come home before her next call puts him in juvie. Threatening the social worker can’t be effective long-term. Kanan says he can make phone calls too and he has a lot of stories to tell. Marvin tells Kanan he isn’t too old for him to take off his belt.
Raq says Kanan needs to accept his business with Ronnie is dead. In response, Kanan tells her she no longer has that power over him.
Juke is backstage with her group when the feds come to tell her they need to talk to her about her family’s connection to organized crime.
A couple of cops find Lou Lou at a bar passed out drunk. They hand him over to Howard for questioning since Lou admitted to robbing a liquor store hours ago. Lou tells Howard he had to be the one who told Raq that Scrappy was a snitch because Raq said she had someone on the inside. So Scrap’s death is on Howard. Howard pulls his gun out and points it at Lou. Lou tells Howard it doesn’t matter because he’s already dead.
Gerald meets his demise.
Marvin meets Gerald in the hospital. One of Gerald’s daughters drowned in the bathtub while he was trying to get high. He breaks down in tears and blames himself. His actions mean his other daughter will be taken away. Gerald also admits he’s been talking to the feds. They were going to put him in prison for heroin possession until he agreed to get information on Marvin. But he didn’t get anything, so Marvin is safe. Marvin is shocked by the revelation. While enraged, he tells Gerald it’s his fault his daughter died and he’s a horrible father. And he’s a bad friend as well because he may cause Marvin problems.
Gerald sobs as he watches Marvin exit the hospital.
When the feds question Juke, they tell her they already know Marvin gave Nicole the drugs that killed her. And he has connections to organized crime. Juke says they don’t know anything or have anything because none of that is true. And if they had evidence, they wouldn’t be talking to her at all. She confirms they have ruined her life (she likely lost her spot in Butta). But she is allowed to leave when the conversation goes nowhere.
Raq makes it to the spot where Howard is holding Lou Lou. She calls him out for not telling her the feds were looking into Marvin. Howard says he didn’t reveal this because he wants Marvin to take the fall for everyone. Raq refuses to throw her big brother under the bus for anyone. So Howard storms off.
The feds arrive at Gerald’s home to take him in. When Gerald doesn’t answer, they break the door down. And they find him dead with a needle stuck in his arm.
It isn’t looking good for Lou Lou.
The captain questions Howard about telling Nicole’s father to file a report against Burke. He confirms he did this but only because the captain told him to cover up Burke’s dirt. But he has no relationship with Marvin. And he’s offended that people are trying to say he has a relationship with a drug dealer.
Ronnie, Pop, and Snaps tell Kanan he has to handle Raq because she’s screwed up the business.
Raq and Marvin take Lou Lou for a terrifying drive. He’s in handcuffs and sitting in the backseat with Marvin. Lou begs for his life and asks how they can do this if they love him. Marvin tells Lou they love him. Raq says Lou was hard-headed and given chances. Realizing that begging for his life won’t work, Marvin gives Lou the bottle to take one last sip.
Lou’s last request is to not be left alone out in the open.
The episode ends with Adult Kanan narrating. He says people are brave until death is looking them straight in the eyes. But when it’s time to go, there are no negotiations to be had.
What are your thoughts on the episode?
