The Dominion (5)
CUT-IN of CANO CREW - Night LADY EL Nah, too much right now, gonna do it at Boog's spot. He got all the equipment, not the best quality but it's free. CUT-TO of RAMIRA at the Dominion. RAMIRA walks up to the mic. She's nervous. Palms sweaty, blood on her sweater. CLOSE ON her lips. CLOSE ON FREESTYLE 1. Poverty 2. Struggles 3. Lyrical content EXTREME CLOSE UP of her lips. She's cut off by someone and hears something. She stops abruptly and looks around. She's pretending she's battling. Background music cuts off. JANITOR is an old crusty black guy. janitor Ayo, what're you doin' here? RAMIRA Huh, who said that? janitor You ain't 'sposed to be here, place is closed right now, for cleaning. RAMIRA Oh my bad. She grabs her stuff and walks out fast. Cut-to: EXT. SUBWAY STATION - NIGHT A guy and a girl are caught kissing and making out. Someone is tagging. She sees a shadowy figure moving. Eerie music being played into background. RAMIRA walking through the subway tunnel, ghetto, run down, bright lights ahead. Shot of rats crawling. RAMIRA is blinded by the train lights and the shadowy figure disappears. She exits the tunnel and ends up on the street. It's pitch black. Shots of drug dealers and prostitutes walking. She hears loud music from a car. They hit a puddle and water splashes her. RAMIRA AHH! Damn it! The people in the car are laughing. RAMIRA Damn it! RAMIRA is drenched, cold and upset. She walks through the neighborhood. fade to: INT. ramira's apartment building - evening RAMIRA is walking through the apartment hallway. Junkie's in the hallway, man standing outside his door. INT. RAMIRA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT She goes in her place and flops on her bed, face down. She looks toward her clock and it reads 12:35am. She gets up slowly and goes to the kitchen. CLOSE ON the note on fridge. It reads 'Ramira, I'm out tonight. Food is on the stove, Mom.' RAMIRA walks over and lifts the lid up on the pot of cold tortallini. She grabs a bowl and fixes herself some with nothing to drink. She goes to her room and sits on her bed. POV of RAMIRA hand touching the button on her answering machine. One of the messages says: SHARICE (on machine) Hey girl, just checkin' to see how your hand is. Hit me back. (beep) voice message Next - message - at 10:35pm. ANGELO (clears throat)(on machine) Hey Ramira, it's Ang. Wanted to see how you were doin', just checkin' up on ya - CUT OFF. The answering machine cuts off by a knock on the door. RAMIRA looking around worried. She continues eating. Another knock on the door. She looks around again. Her room is messy, table light on giving off dim look. RAMIRA gets up and goes to the front door. She looks through the peek hole. No one there. She walks away, hearing another knock on the door. RAMIRA sighs and is agitated. RAMIRA looks through the peekhole and sees ANGELO making a weird face. RAMIRA (sighs) Damn Angelo. She unlocks the door, and opens it. ANGELO (laughing) Did I scare you? She gives ANGELO a stern look. ANGELO What? RAMIRA (sigh) Nothin...just a long day. ANGELO closes the door and locks it. ANGELO How's your hand? Your clothes are damp. RAMIRA It's okay, yea, a car ran through a puddle and splashed me when I snuck into the Dominion on my way home. She shows him the cut. ANGELO Ouch. You was in the Boogie Down? RAMIRA Sorry 'bout your bandana, it's all bloody. RAMIRA looks at ANGELO while taking her hoodie off. ANGELO It's cool. RAMIRA Yep. Just to practice and then a janitor came in and said I need to leave. (beat) ANGELO (looks at Ramira intensely) Sorry to hear that, Ram. ANGELO gets up and hugs RAMIRA firmly. They laugh and giggle. ANGELO Aye, you get my message? RAMIRA Yea. ANGELO You wanna come with me to this lil party? RAMIRA Mm, I dunno, I don't have an extra sweater to take-- ANGELO Hear, take my jacket, it'll be fun. Gooney and Sharice gon' be there and some of my crew. Just to kick it, get ya mind off things. (beat) RAMIRA Yea, I suppose. ANGELO opens the door for RAMIRA. ANGELO Ladies first. RAMIRA (giggles) Thanks Romeo. cut to: ext. basement party - night RAMIRA and ANGELO are walking to the door, they're giggling and stumbling down the sidewalk like they're drunk. Camera pans sign, 'ROSCOE'S EATERY'. RAMIRA Roscoe's Eatery? It's here? ANGELO Nah, it's round back. Come on. (beat) RAMIRA chases ANGELO around the side alley. ANGELO opens the door for both of them. They enter. The scene is a haze, lights flickering. Sounds of loud music playing, unable to make out what it is. Graffiti scrawls, water dripping from pipes. ANGELO bangs on door. ANGELO (bangs) Aye! cut to: int. Basement party - night Dirty couches, loud music, in KID's living room. KID is GOONEY's older brother, they look similar, 20s, gold bottom teeth, black hoodie. kid(o.s.) I'm comin'. ANGELO (bangs on door) Aye, Kid! KID (opens door) Aye, sup bruh. KID looks at RAMIRA. RAMIRA I'm Ramira. ANGELO What cha'll doin'? KID Coolin' right now bruh. Shy look on RAMIRA's face. SHARICE Aye, what's good ya'll? SHARICE walks over and hugs RAMIRA. SHARICE Aye didn't know you'd be here. Did you get my message? RAMIRA Yea, yea, I got it. SHARICE Really? How's ya hand? All of them are sitting down and relaxing. Time passes. ANGELO goes and talks to his friends while SHARICE and RAMIRA sit and chill. SHARICE So how's you and ya boy? RAMIRA My boy? SHARICE Yea, ya boy Skee. SHARICE Ya'll gon' hook up right? RAMIRA laughs. Covers face in embarrassment. RAMIRA (laughs) Reesekins, he is not my boy okay! SHARICE smiles at RAMIRA. SHARICE Mmm Hmm...right, right. Just messin' witchu. RAMIRA (pushes Sharice playfully) Oh man, them teeth and those glasses. Damn. She imitates SKEE, talking through her nasal. SHARICE (imitating Skee) H-hi Ramira, h-hears your pencil, y-you dropped it. RAMIRA (laughing along with Sharice) Oh my God! SHARICE Why you got on Angelo's jacket? RAMIRA Car splashed water on me, on my way home, sounded like the Cano Crew from a distance. SHARICE They some dumb bitches I swear. GOONEY is seen talking to some girl. RAMIRA and SHARICE over hear. girl #2 Oh you mean Tamara Jenkins? She be puttin' on such a front, I swear, lives with both parents, father's a pastor. RAMIRA looks at SHARICE in such a shocking way, but try to be nonchalant about it. GOONEY That's crazy. GIRL #2 Yea, she moved hear from Vermont, she just a wannabe. Walkin' round like she big and bad. She ain't shit but a ho and trick. She really 19 but failed her junior year. RAMIRA watches ANGELO on his turntables, other people are dancing. cut to: EXT. ramira's job - evening RAMIRA walks to work whistling. She's walking towards us. RAMIRA Hey Q, you seen Jimmy? Q Yea, he's around back. RAMIRA Thanks. RAMIRA walks back to the bosses office. INT. jimmy's office - cont. RAMIRA knocks on the door and the boss is sitting. RAMIRA Hey, Jimmy came here to pick up-- JIMMY Yea, uh, wanted to talk to you about something. RAMIRA (hesitant) Yea. jimmy Have a seat. RAMIRA sits down. Very stiff and nervous. JIMMY Over the past few weeks been noticing that you've been late and not puttin' in any effort, been gettin' complaints and-- RAMIRA But my-- JIMMY Doesn't matter Miss Menendez, I can't have my workers late. You need to be on time everyday as scheduled! (beat) JIMMY Sorry, but I'ma have to let you go. RAMIRA (shakes head) Ok. RAMIRA walks out of the office. EXT. harlem park - next day RAMIRA sits there lonely on a park bench, it's gloomy and brisk outside. ANGELO is seen walking with his dad talking and spots RAMIRA in the park alone. ANGELO Hey dad, I'ma go on over to here. He runs over. WIDE SHOT of him running. He sits next to her. ANGELO (out of breath) Hey, what's up? RAMIRA shrugs her shoulders. ANGELO What's? (shrugs shoulders) RAMIRA I got fired from my job, yesterday. ANGELO What? RAMIRA (sad) Yea, from bein' late and not showin' up. Boss said there's been complaints from customers. ANGELO It'll be okay. ANGELO hugs her. RAMIRA Now I ain't got the money to pay for part of the rent. Can't blame anyone but myself. (beat) ANGELO consoles RAMIRA. ANGELO It'll be fine. Look at me. He grabs her chin and looks into RAMIRA's eyes. ANGELO It'll be fine, just hang in there. fade to: INT. angelo's bedroom - evening ANGELO and RAMIRA walk in his room and sit down, on his bed. (Background love music playing softly and it's A Tribe Called Quest - bonita applebum. RAMIRA (sighs) So tired of everything. Just with my mom and her new boyfriend and the job. ANGELO gets up and takes his jacket off. RAMIRA takes her ponytail out and her hair is down. ANGELO sits next to her. They sit and talk. (long beat) ANGELO consoles her and they happen to look up at each other slowly, eyes staring into each others. Passionately. Music still playing. He grabs her chin and kisses her lips slowly and passionately. ANGELO grabs her waist and RAMIRA grabs his face. They both get into it and RAMIRA puts her hands around him and french kissing deeply. Both eyes closed. RAMIRA pulls away slowly. They have their heads down being shy, not believing what just happened. (long beat) RAMIRA (nervous) Uh, I think I should go. ANGELO (clears throat) Ok, um, I'll walk you to the door. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT They both get up and he walks her to the front door. They both hug very awkwardly. RAMIRA puts her hair back in a ponytail. RAMIRA is walking down the hallway. CUT TO: ANGELO closes his door and he's standing there, with his head against the door. CUT BACK TO: ANGELO's APARTMENT BUILDING RAMIRA walking downstairs and into the streets, slowly, looking back up at his window. CUT BACK TO: ANGELO walks to his bedroom and looks out the window. ANGELO stares blankly at RAMIRA with her back turned walking. ANGELO closes his window. CUT BACK TO: SIDEWALK RAMIRA turns around and watches him as he turns his light off. She stands there looking as if she wants to run back in there. CUT BACK TO: ANGELO's BEDROOM ANGELO lays in his bed staring at the ceiling, moon lighting up his room. Main music fades out. Next scene features flashback of ANGELO and RAMIRA when they were little. They are both 6 and 7 years old. FLASHBACK: Little ramira Ow! Some kids are pushing LITTLE RAMIRA down. LITTLE ANGELO pushes them. Little Angelo Hey! Quit messin' with her! LITTLE ANGELO runs over and pushes the kids and they start fighting. He helps her up and brushes the dirt off. LITTLE ANGELO You okay? LITTLE RAMIRA Yea, I'm okay. Thanks for helping me. LITTLE ANGELO No problem, what's ya name? LITTLE RAMIRA (shy) Ramira. You? LITTLE ANGELO Angelo. You from here? LITTLE RAMIRA Yea, down the street. LITTLE ANGELO Yea, me too. In this buil- LITTLE ANGELO's mom CARA opens the door. cara Angelo, time to come in. LITTLE ANGELO Aight, hey nice talkin to ya Ramira. LITTLE RAMIRA Uh, yea, you too. Seeya. Flashback ends. ANGELO's eyes are watery. RAMIRA is going home on the subway real quiet out. She's sitting there staring out the window. Next scene: Flashback of LITTLE RAMIRA and LITTLE ANGELO again. LITTLE RAMIRA Hey, show me that one spin move you did. LITTLE ANGELO spins and his feet breaking his mom's lamp when flipping in the air. Sounds of crashing and breaking. (beat) cara (o.s.) What's goin' on in here? What're you doin'? (beat) LITTLE ANGELO and LITTLE RAMIRA are looking at each other in shock. Little RAMIRA (whisper) Oh no, we're doomed! Little ANGELO (whisper) We're doomed? I'm the one that's doomed! CARA comes in and starts yelling in Italian. LITTLE RAMIRA starts giggling. Flashback ends RAMIRA sitting on the subway staring out the window and her eyes are watery. Some guy stares at RAMIRA as she's wiping tears. His eyebrows raise up. She snaps out of it and realizes the guy is staring. RAMIRA gets off the subway. cut to: int. RAMIRA'S APARTMENT BUILDING - Night She's walking in the hallway. She walks in her room and lays on her bed. She slowly looks at ANGELO and her as little kids picture on the nighstand. She smiles and then turns over and turns off the light. cut to: INT. big kane's basement - NIGHT RAMIRA, ANGELO, SHARICE, GOONEY and others kids are in the basement, playing dice and chilling. Background music bumping. CANO CREW walking down the stares. No sight of JAZZY O or SHEISTY. CHANELLE FOXX Yo, it looks like a broke down version of Yo! MTV Raps in here. CANO CREW laughs. SHARICE And ya'll look like a bootleg version a Salt n Pepa without the money or fame! ANGELO, RAMIRA and GOONEY all laugh loud. ANGELO is sitting on the couch. Got his legs on the table. LADY EL Got this immigrant sittin' here like he own this shit. (beat) LADY EL What! Can't speak bitch? Talk! (beat) ace Man, forget these niggas. LADY EL and her crew go back upstairs and are talking amongst themselves. RAMIRA is rapping to SHARICE and being goofy. RAMIRA does a funny freestyle towards the CANO CREW. Everyone laughs. cut to: EXT. empty basketball court - night A basketball court that's now abandoned, old cars and benches broken down. The court is across from an abandoned building. Small crowd in the court forms a cipher. Everybody is chanting. Street lights are on, barely giving off enough life. RAMIRA and SHARICE are just walking and look around, dazed. Local emcees show what they have. SKREECH, a local emcee, does a freestyle, following his hand gestures. When he's done, the crowd goes crazy. Up next is a local female emcee named ANGELINA aka ANGEL DUST. She spits a 16 bar freestyle, the crowd goes crazy and her metaphors are insane. RAMIRA's face is shocked and amazed. SHARICE pushes RAMIRA into the cypher and she looks back. As RAMIRA does her freestyle, the crowd goes crazy and impressed by her skills. She's approached by RAMONE JONES, SPANISH, a young guy who offers her free studio time, and owns his own recording studio. (beat) ramone Sick freestyle! RAMIRA Uh, thanks. RAMONE I'm Ramone, and I have my own recording studio not to far from here-- RAMONE hands RAMIRA a business card. RAMONE If you don't mind, you can come by the studio, if you want, free studio time. All the info is on that card. RAMIRA Aight, thanks. RAMONE leaves and SHARICE runs up and attacks RAMIRA in a playful manner. SHARICE Aye, that was dope. Who was that guy? RAMIRA Uh, some guy named Ramone, says he owns his own studio and says I can have free studio time, gave me this card. SHARICE That's what's up. A broke down car comes rolling up in the court real slow. Everything is silenced down. The music is coming from the car, gets louder as they get closer. Everyone turns around. (beat) ANGELINA (quietly) The fuck? CANO CREW hops out the car and starts taunting everybody, standing on the park bench and starts rapping. LADY EL Cano Crew up in this bitch, ya'll niggas in the front ain't shit-- RAMIRA and SHARICE look at each other. The crowd ooh's. LADY EL (cont) All ya'll get smacked around like pinball, Cano Crew came to bust open devourin' ya'll raw. SHARICE Man fuck these bitches! (beat) LADY EL What? LADY EL jumps off the park bench into SHARICE and RAMIRA's face. SHARICE You heard us bitches, fuck you. All of you! LADY EL raises her wrist up and RAMIRA takes a metal pipe and blasts her in the ear. Crowd goes crazy and runs around exiting the park. LADY EL bleeds from the left ear, RAMIRA and SHARICE exit, quietly while everyone is running around. EXT. SIDEWALK - NIGHT It's damp, cold and sprinkling. RAMIRA Shit! We gotta get outta here quick! (beat) SHARICE What the hell were you thinkin' to blast her in the ear like that? SHARICE and RAMIRA walk fast, looking around. RAMIRA I dunno right now Reese! And what were you thinkin', "Fuck the Cano Crew"? If you woulda kept ya mouth shut-- SHARICE stops walking. SHARICE You bein' for real right now? RAMIRA Yes! I am. (beat) SHARICE Fuck it then! SHARICE shakes her head and walks in the opposite direction. RAMIRA walks through the hood, over looking her shoulder. INT. RAMIRA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT All the lights are out. You can hear sounds of sex, moans and groans. Bed shaking. CARMEN Oh, shit, who is that? RAMIRA It's me mom. Sorry. Not looking. RAMIRA covers her eyes looking for the light switch. CARMEN and CARLOS scurry and put on clothes to cover them up. CUT TO: INT. RAMIRA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT CARMEN comes in and sits on her bed next to RAMIRA. CARMEN You okay babe? RAMIRA puts her head on CARMEN's shoulder, tears fall down her face. RAMIRA I'm okay mom, just, I'm fine. Nothin' major. CARMEN Look at me baby. CARMEN You're my daughter. I know when somethin's wrong. RAMIRA Mm, nothin', just wanna go to bed. CARMEN (passionately) Ok. CARMEN hugs RAMIRA and leaves the room and closes the door. RAMIRA gets up and takes weed out of her drawer. Takes papers out and rolls a joint and smokes it. fade to: int. studio - day RAMIRA takes the card out. Studio building seems rather furnished. She walks up to the secretary. RAMIRA Excuse me, is there a Ramone Jones here? SECRETARY Yes, down the hall, take the elevator to the 2nd floor and you should see it. RAMIRA 'kay, thanks. INT. ramone's STUDIO - DAY Studio is well furnished. Something RAMIRA is not used to seeing. Leather seats, music builds intensity. RAMIRA knocks outside the door. RAMONE (o.s.) Come in. RAMIRA Uh, Ramone? RAMIRA opens the door. RAMONE Oh, hey, what's up? Ramira right? RAMIRA Not too much. Just came by to see the studio. RAMONE Yea, yea, come in. Just sittin' here makin' a raw beat. Could use a sick emcee to spit over it. Studio about the size of RAMIRA's living room. Booth, mic stand and control board real professional. RAMIRA keeps staring at the mic booth. RAMONE So what's up, tell me about yourself, how long you been rappin'? RAMIRA Since the beginning, back when I was 9, influenced by the greats and-- RAMONE I think you got a lot of potential, like just hearin' that freestyle in the park-- RAMIRA Yea. RAMONE Killed it. She gets in the booth, puts headphones on. She's nervous, sweaty, shaking. RAMONE plays his beat, she pulls out her notebook and raps. 1. Raps about her life. 2. Mom. 3. Struggles. 4. Bullies. RAMONE stops the beat. (beat) RAMIRA Was I okay? RAMONE shakes his head. RAMONE Were you okay? You have a lotta talent, it's a wonder why I never heard you before? RAMIRA (shy) Thanks. I just do it for fun, not really tryna be famous. RAMIRA does two more tracks, very lyrical and has metaphors. Time passes. RAMONE gives RAMIRA the tape and takes her bag. RAMONE Yea, you can come back whenever. They give each other dap. RAMIRA Thanks. EXT. apartment building - night RAMIRA walks the poor streets of Harlem, crossing a busy intersection. Car almost hits her. Honks horn, yells profanity. It starts to rain. RAMIRA puts her hood up. She drops her cassette tape in a puddle accidentally, then picks it up. Shaking the water off. CUT TO: INT. gooney's basement - night RAMIRA busts through the door. Soak and wet. Drenched and scaring everyone. Cat screeches and runs. Everyone looks around and perks up. GOONEY What the--? RAMIRA's out of breath. RAMIRA Aye, look what I got. GOONEY What? What's that? RAMIRA
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