Downloaded from YTS.BZ
♪ Atlanta nights where the dreams come alive ♪
♪ We hustle hard
♪ Now we ain't just survive, we thrive ♪
Official YIFY movies site: YTS.BZ
♪ In the dirty South where the money stacks high ♪
[siren wailing]
♪ Welcome to the city We go hard, we go hard... ♪
[tires screeching]
♪ Welcome to the city We go hard, we go hard... ♪
- [siren wailing] - [motor revving]
♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪
♪ Big in the A, A, A...
[loud crash]
- [muffled bass thumping] - [raining]
[Charlie] Oh, damn. Oh...
[Male Officer] Out of the vehicle. Now!
[Charlie groans]
Exit the car!
We got a 70-27 here.
♪ Big in the A, A, A...
[Officer] Stand by for backup.
[Officer] Ma'am, have you been drinking?
- Whoa, whoa, whoa... - Get off of me!
[Officer 2] We've got an arrest for assault of an officer.
- Off of me! - You're under arrest.
- Do you know who I am? - Don't care.
Add resisting arrest and assaulting an officer
to the charge.
[chuckles] I'll be out tomorrow anyway.
With your record, you ain't walking this time.
Charlie Mega.
[Roland Martin] Yesterday, superstar rapper Charlie Mega,
real name Charlisa Jones,
was sentenced to one year in state prison
after being convicted for driving under the influence
and crashing her luxury SUV,
as well as resisting arrest.
Known as hip-hop's self-proclaimed gangsta bitch,
Charlie Mega's career has been celebrated and criticized
for its unapologetic embrace of street life.
A source close to Mega,
who had two previous DUIs, says the crash followed a night
of club hopping and heavy drinking with her...
Yo, who the hell you think you are?
- Think you're special? - I don't want no trouble.
I just wanna do my time and go home.
[unsettling music]
Did you put this on my bed?
Well.
When you have nothing left, it's worth a shot.
I haven't opened one of these since my grandma passed.
I don't even know where to start.
Honey. Hey.
You need to find something to fill the time.
If you want the help,
there's a preacher that comes here every month.
Teaches a Bible study class.
It's not fancy, but it's real.
- What church? - Peachtree City of Faith.
"Let go, let God" sounds real good on a t-shirt,
but it takes another kind of faith to really let go.
- [coughing] - Henrietta, you all right?
Hey, I got you, I got you, I got you, I got you.
[coughing]
There you go.
[gentle music]
Bless you.
We bless you in the name of Jesus.
[unsettling music]
[door slams]
[traffic]
[birds chirping]
[heavy bass thumping]
[Dean] Oh!
♪ Tall, small, we love 'em all
Oh, Charlie Mega, the star.
- Hello, Dean. - Oh, four months in jail
has put your album way behind schedule.
I'ma get it done, Dean.
Oh, no, no, no, ma'am.
You listen to me, Little Miss Taco.
I know how you are when you get in that studio
light speed, ain't you?
Plus, you've got community service to do as a part
of your probation, which will cut into your recording time.
I just...
I don't need this pressure right now.
Well, you got it,
whether you want it or not, Charlie.
Girl. I know you glad to be home.
Mm, it's a shame all this space
went unlived in for the last four months.
Listen up, Little Miss Taco.
And I say this with all the love in mi corazon.
But if this next album flops, Evacade is done with you.
And given your erratic behavior over the past couple of months,
no label is gonna pick you up
unless you get a grip on this temper and this drink.
What you talkin' about? Erratic behavior?
I've been in jail the past four months.
And why you keep calling me Little Miss Taco?
[Dean chuckles]
Raggedy big back. I ain't your meal ticket,
- your meal deal or your taco. - [ding].
Mess with Charlie Mega again and see what happens.
♪ Taco, taco, taco, taco, taco, taco, taco ♪
♪ Ta-ta-ta-ta-taco, taco, taco, taco... ♪
♪ Why did you do that? Why did you do that? ♪
- Okay, okay. - [laughs]
It went viral.
I mean, I personally like the big back line, you know?
It's a little disrespectful, but it's kind of clever.
- I'm just saying. - Why
when a male rapper does time, his sales go platinum,
but when a female does it,
she's damaged goods personally and professionally?
Honey, this game ain't ever been fair.
Did I tell you about that time
I had to go to Turkey three times
just to get my hair transplants right?
And then when I got there, they wanted to talk about some.
"Oh, you can't..."
[clears throat] Right.
[chuckles nervously] Um, I'm gonna go.
But, uh, listen, you've got the day off tomorrow, okay?
So go to the spa, perhaps,
go to church, get saved, whatever.
Sleep in. Who knows?
But on Monday, you've got community service.
Do not be late.
[gentle music]
[ripping]
[gentle music]
[whispering] Peachtree City of Faith...
Okay.
[sighs]
[screams]
God, help me.
[traffic]
♪ Jesus... [Well]
♪ Take me to the higher ground
♪ Just show me the way [Just show me the way] ♪
♪ I'm gonna be heaven bound
[PK] Praise the Lord.
And good morning, Peachtree City of Faith.
Oh, now that was good enough for me.
But I said praise the Lord this morning, City!
Come on. Hallelujah! Amen. Amen.
Now, this morning I'm gonna do something a little different.
I'm gonna switch it up.
I want you to close your eyes. Everybody in the room.
Close your eyes. Keep 'em closed, now.
No cheating.
I just want everybody to feel what it's like
living in darkness.
Keep 'em closed.
It's not too comfortable, is it, huh?
Go ahead. Open 'em up.
See? Cause the truth is, that's the way
most of y'all been living.
Like you out here doing life on your own.
Like, like you're in control. Consider that for a moment.
Because sometimes we seem to forget
that God is in control.
Now, listen.
I can do my best up here in the pulpit
on Sunday mornings.
But on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
and Saturday, you got to remind yourself,
especially when His presence doesn't feel near.
I'm reminded in the Word of God,
in the book of Psalm, chapter 32, verse eight,
it says, "I will guide you along the best pathway of your life."
Touch your neighbor and say, that's a promise.
Oh, that neighbor ain't talking to you good.
Touch your other neighbor and say that's a promise.
Oh, Jesus. See, God,
he is a promise keeper. And He's a miracle worker.
And He wants to be your compass.
Does anybody want Him to be your compass this morning?
Give God some praise in here.
[applause]
He wants to be your compass.
But in order for God to be your compass,
you have to remember to keep your eyes on Him.
Amen.
[applause]
I heard Pastor McCabe was coming for you again.
Let me guess.
He's still harping on the fact that I'm a single man.
As if that's some sort of cardinal sin.
Timothy 3:2 does say
a church leader should be a husband of a wife.
Hey, she does have a point.
You know, folks do want a pastor that is married.
Come on, come on. We know what this is about.
McCabe is still upset that
I left Gospel Spirit to start my own church
and half his congregation followed,
and they're not going back.
And, Suzanne.
Respectfully, the scripture you quoted
does not mean a pastor must have a wife.
It means he must not have multiple wives.
[Kevin] Can we talk about the building fund for a moment?
[PK] I got a feeling we're going
to talk about that whether I want to or not.
We're barely meeting our fundraiser target.
One slip in the weekly donations,
and we're not gonna be able to close on this arena.
What if we just ask our current landlord for more time?
No, we cannot ask the current landlord for more time.
He's already got another tenant in here.
Listen, we need to close on this arena.
I'm sorry, bro.
Gentlemen... Pastor... please excuse me.
I need to pick up my nephew from youth group.
So this church is unavailable.
And unless I keep doing three services every Sunday
and find a God-fearing wife, we all out on the street.
True.
Listen,
we close on this arena,
you have to do one service for the entire congregation.
Maybe we grew Peachtree City of Faith too fast.
It's just all this talk about me being single,
and it's like, who would I date anyway?
I mean,
it's not like I could just put myself on the apps, you know?
Like you.
What am I gonna say? "Hot pastor looking for love"?
PK...
have you ever just, during one of your sermons,
just looked out there and seen all of those beautiful women
that are sitting out there in the front row,
just waiting to become first lady?
Including Suzanne.
Hey think about it. She's beautiful.
She's intelligent. She's patient. Hm?
She could cook better than you.
Kevin, can you just... Can you just...
No. No, no. I got you.
Leave you alone.
Rest up, man.
[birds chirping]
Show up late again and I'll report it
to your probation officer.
Is that clear, superstar?
It was only four minutes. What's the big deal?
The deal is I got a whole bunch of people to feed within less
than an hour, and they don't need to be waiting on you
because you got better things to do.
Won't happen again. I promise.
You follow me.
We need more carrots and onions for the soup. Got it?
Now go get it.
[sighs]
[banging]
[PK] Be there in a minute!
[frustrated sigh]
[gentle music]
Coming!
Hey there. You lost?
Yeah, that's a loaded question.
You don't want to know the real answer to that.
I don't think we've met. I'm...
Pastor Kyrus. This is your church, right?
And let me guess. You're the Charlie Mega.
Yep. Guilty as charged.
Looks like community service
is something we both have in common.
Yeah, except I'm sure yours isn't mandatory.
You don't have to report to Dorris the time cop.
Come on, it's not that bad.
You ain't the one wearin' the hair net.
Hold on.
Ta da!
[laughs]
It actually doesn't look that bad on you.
I heard you say some things at Fulton
that stuck with me.
I haven't been able to shake it.
Guess I'm trying to decide if that's a good thing.
The wound is where the light enters.
- Do you always talk like that? - It's an occupational hazard.
How about
everything that tries to break me makes me stronger?
Rumi would have loved that.
Rumi?
13th century poet, a mystic.
He believed that the heart is the way to God.
Hmm.
And before you start judging me, yes,
sometimes I like to talk like that.
Do the ladies like it?
Didn't I see you at church yesterday?
Maybe. All right, well,
I'm gonna head out before Dorris starts sweating me, so...
Think we can meet up for a coffee?
Me? Are you sure about that?
You know I'm a rapper, right? That just got out of jail.
I got two DUIs.
- I'm here on probation. - Look. It's just coffee.
[Dorris] Where's Little Miss Taco?!
[sighs]
[mouth words]
[melodic piano intro]
♪ I believe love is a substance ♪
♪ And me and you are both vessels ♪
♪ Somewhere life hit us and we both got cracked ♪
♪ And love started leaking 'til it reached ground level ♪
♪ Tell me how you fix the hole in your soul ♪
♪ Maybe grab a liquor bottle, try to patch it all up ♪
Do the girls like when you talk like that?
I guess I do.
♪ ...'Cause I only spit fire 'cause I'm back outside ♪
♪ I'm back outside
♪ Big Mega, I'm back outside
♪ Poppin' my itch 'cause I'm back outside ♪
[sighs]
[Money] Yo. What's wrong? That was perfect.
I'm just not feeling it.
And who invited Nicki and Trina?
[Money] Dean? I don't know.
I thought you liked having your friends around.
Charlie, if you don't feel comfortable with this,
I'm more than happy to keep looking for
the right beats for you. I see you, and I got you.
No matter what.
All right? Bring it in. Pshew. Bam!
Now, uh... [clicks tongue]
[Nicki] It just smell like...
[sighs]
- [Money] Be nice. - Okay!
They missed you. Hold on. Hey...
Hey, girl. Oh!
- We missed you so much. - Welcome home, girl.
[Dean] Mm. Look at that.
Ladies, this is a two-minute break.
- Okay? - Okay.
- Extra. - Look.
Y'all know how important y'all are to me.
And it would have been nice
if y'all came to visit me while I was locked up.
[Nicki & Trina] You're right.
[hip-hop beats]
Girl, I thought you might need it.
- Don't tell me what I need. - Oh.
- OK. I was just trying to help. - Never known you not to smoke.
Okay, ladies, can we please get back to work?
Maybe we need to scrap the song.
- What? - Oh. Excuse me. What? Scrap?
No, we're not scrapping anything.
If you don't like any of those verses,
you can just rewrite them. Okay?
I was up all night rewriting them.
Little Miss Taco, if you don't get your...
Just finish it.
- Come on. - Come on.
[traffic]
[PK] I love this place.
My best friend Kevin and I,
we used to come here when we were teenagers.
We thought hanging out at a cafe made us look more grown.
We'd be sipping coffee like it was alcohol.
Wow.
Okay, well, we would just go to the corner store
and ask one of the creepy dads to get us vodka.
And how old were you?
I think a... teenager.
Um, no, we were like 14.
Look, I'm not from the other side of the tracks,
but let's just say we didn't
hang out at coffee shops where they had drinks
named "Light Skin Keisha" and "Killer Tom."
Hey, I like Light Skin Keisha.
Oh. All right. Serious question.
What made you decide to become a pastor?
Well, I used to work at a big architectural firm in Midtown
before I accepted the call to ministry.
I guess you could say I help build souls now...
Mm. Mm-hmm.
That church you came to, that's just a stepping stone.
Our new space,
it had me from the moment I saw it.
It was like it was ready to hold something or someone special.
Which brings me back to you.
- What are you building, Charlie? - Hmm.
I don't know.
I'm not sure if I should be tearing things down instead.
Sometimes you gotta get back down to the studs, huh?
Yeah.
I don't know if my career is slipping
away from me or if I'm slipping away from it.
You are stronger than you think, Charlisa Jones.
Ha! I knew it. You've been on the internet.
I'm serious.
See, when you bring God into the cipher,
you don't gotta battle alone.
And I know you know something about battling.
I don't have it together as much as you think.
Truth is...
I got people pulling me from every direction, you know?
I got a pastor trying to take shots at me every Sunday,
and I don't have a personal life at all. I just...
You didn't need to hear all of that.
- I'm sorry. - No, no, no, maybe I do.
You spend so much of your time pouring into other people,
but who's pouring into you?
At the risk of being inappropriate,
I would love to spend more time with you.
- To discuss the Bible? - Charlie.
Just talking with you makes me feel...
Better?
PK...
Talking with you makes me feel better, too.
All right, so maybe I will talk to you again.
- I hope so. - Thank you for the coffee.
No problem.
For the Light Skin Keisha. [Laughs]
Hi!
- Can I have your autograph? - Okay. Can you hold this for me?
[sunny, laidback music]
Hi! You want a photo? Okay. Let's do a selfie.
[chuckles]
Mr. Calhoun, when are we gonna get this screen together?
Yes, sir.
- Pastor McCabe. - Uh-huh?
You should take a look at this.
[Pastor McCabe] Oh, my.
[chuckles]
Reach out to Kyrus's flock.
Help them question his methods, his character.
They will come back to me.
- Yes, sir. - [chuckles]
That's the wrong slide.
This should be from Exodus,
where it says God will not leave the guilty unpunished.
Amen.
[smooth hip-hop music]
Hold up, hold up, hold up. Hold up, hold up, hold up.
Cheers! Y'all babysitting? Come on!
Exactly.
Take the whole thing.
All right. Cheers.
[Charlie] Um, excuse me? Uh uh!
Party's over.
Y'all three? Out of my pool house.
Now!
- Wait. No. - Hold on, hold on...
Y'all ain't gotta go. Relax.
Why're you stressin'?
Yeah, girl. We saved the hood chocolate one
for you, okay?
I don't care, I don't want this at my house anymore.
You don't want what?
The liquor, the weed, random dudes.
- Girl, what's up with you? - Nothing. Okay?
I don't want nothing going on at my house
my house... unless I want it going on.
You know you're tripping, right?
Mind you, we've been here for you way before
- there was a Charlie Mega. - The beginning.
- Okay? - Before it all.
But I think I know what this is about.
I saw your Bible, girl.
So now all of a sudden, you found God or something?
Maybe He found me.
Y'all need to go! All y'all out my house.
- Just go. - [Charlie] Thank you.
- I guess... - We gotta go, too?
- [Charlie] Yes. - Yeah, she putting her...
[Charlie] Get your things and go.
Oh, my gosh.
But it's raining.
- I don't care. Out. - Come on.
You changed...
Reading Bibles and not being a good person...
- [Charlie] Okay... - Kicking us out of her house.
Just trying to have a good time.
Dang. I just got my hair done.
See, when you get famous, you change.
Girl.
Shut your door!
- [rain falling] - [tense music]
[indistinct chatter]
♪ I'm falling! Catch me, Jesus
♪ Catch me
♪ Catch me, Jesus
♪ Catch me, Jesus! [Ooh...]
♪ Catch me, Jesus
Praise the Lord for that anointed music ministry.
Amen. Well.
Peachtree City of Faith Ministries, listen to me.
I was talking to someone the other day,
and I asked her a question.
What she was building in her life.
And you know what she told me?
She told me she wasn't ready to build anything
until she tore some things down...
[Congregation] Yes!
And see, and see, that got me to thinking.
It took me to the book of Matthew.
You know the parable where Jesus talks about the builders?
- One built his house on sand. - [Congregation] Yeah.
And the other built his house on rock.
[Congregation] That's right.
Which one do you think withstood the storm?
- [Congregation] Rock! - [PK] Come on, come on.
Which one do you think withstood the storm?
- [Congregation] Rock! - [PK] Listen to me.
We can't build a thing until we investigate our weaknesses,
our inconsistency and our faults.
That's the sand.
My God, you've got to build your hope on things eternal.
We have got to build our lives on Jesus. And your house?
Ooh!
Your house will stand up against anything. Amen?
[chorus of Amens]
Amen.
I believe there's someone in the house that's ready
to stand on Christ, the solid rock.
Is there anybody who came to church
this morning and they said, I'm ready to make that decision?
I'm ready to live for Jesus.
I'm ready to build my house on Christ.
My God, we've got one.
[applause]
Yes, Lord. Heaven is rejoicing.
Heaven is rejoicing right now.
Brother, Heaven is rejoicing. Jesus loves you, brother.
[Man] Amen.
[PK] Hallelujah! Thank you Lord.
Oh God.
Jesus loves you, brother. Jesus loves you.
Heaven is rejoicing.
I believe there's someone else in the building who's tired
of living their life on sinking sand.
[Man] Yeah!
[PK] And they're ready to build their hope on Jesus.
Oh, we bless Your name, God.
♪ Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus
Thank the Lord. Hallelujah.
[gentle music]
Hallelujah!
Oh, we bless your name, God.
[sniffles]
What was that all about?
Charlie Mega?
Oh, you two think that was real out there?
- Those tears were. - She's a performer.
Woman needs to repair her image.
She's still on probation, for God's sake.
That's not for you to judge, Suzanne.
I'm not the only one judging.
You should have heard some of the comments
in Fellowship Hall.
How can anyone who glorifies drugs and violence
stand before us pretending to seek forgiveness?
Or, I brought my child here to learn about faith,
not idolize a lifestyle I'll try to protect them from.
Everyone is deserving of redemption,
not just those who sit up front.
This plays into everything.
McCabe's already been saying about this church.
[knocking on door]
Can I talk to you for a minute?
Sure. Uh, come on in.
Right. Suzanne?
Hey, Charlie.
Uh, no. It's okay.
I know you got to prepare for your next service.
What's on your mind, Charlisa?
Hearing you say my name like that sounds so formal.
Well, I am a pastor.
Keep reminding myself of that.
Um, anyway, I just...
- I just wanted to apologize. - For what?
Look, I know how it is when I show up at a place.
And sometimes that place,
it ain't the same anymore.
This place needs to stay the way it is.
I guess what I'm trying to say is I...
I'm sorry for causing a scene out there.
You didn't.
Yeah, I don't know about that.
I heard some of the things folks were saying about me out there.
Last thing I want to be is a distraction.
I don't care what they say.
[mellow music]
All right, well, I
guess I should get going.
[mellow music]
[Charlie stammering]
I'm sorry.
[birds chirping]
[PK vocalizing]
[doorbell rings]
Suzanne.
- And did you get my texts? - Yeah.
I figured you still hadn't eaten yet.
And I also wanted to apologize
about the way I reacted to Charlie.
I was just being protective.
It's all right. I appreciate that.
- Let me grab a couple of forks. - It's your favorite.
- [laughs] - Good Lord.
Kevin was right. You are a better cook than me.
[laughter]
Um, I know you worry about appearances
dating someone within your own congregation.
But I'm not just anybody.
I'm someone who's already stood beside you.
I believed in you when you were.
Pastor McCabe's assistant pastor,
and I believe in you now.
You're right.
You are everything a man could ever hope for.
Except I'm just not there, Suzanne.
And believe me, I wish that I was.
Because you are an amazing person. You really are.
I'll tell you what.
Why don't we table
this conversation until we move into...
Except...
I don't know if I'll ever get there, Suzanne.
I've been thinking about it for a while now, you know,
I've been hoping that I would think
differently as time went on,
but... I just haven't.
Let me grab these plates.
[sinister music]
[phone buzzing]
I hope you're not letting that new shiny object
take you down the wrong path.
Suzanne, listen.
Suzanne. Suzanne.
Where are we?
You'll see. Come on.
[Charlie] Where are we?
We are alone together.
Okay, look. Not like that.
Not like two teenagers about to
dry hump each other 'cause their parents aren't home.
- Wow. - Yeah. Ha ha!
This was my first concert ever.
Over here, they built these,
like, faux walls that looked like the projects.
I busted out of one of the fake doors, and I roared like a lion.
And then I started spitting bars like my life depended on it.
I was so young... and so angry.
But the crowd, they went nuts.
[crowd cheering and clapping]
♪ You like talking slick? Don't lie ♪
♪ I'll make you go sit down
♪ If I pull up with my gang, I'll make my foes get down ♪
♪ You ain't really have emotion Tell 'em, go sit down ♪
♪ Go sit down Go sit down
♪ You can't come 'round where I'm from ♪
♪ I'll make 'em go sit
♪ And where I'm from, we shoot that one ♪
♪ I make 'em go sit
♪ Hey, tell that trick we really 'bout it ♪
♪ Make 'em go sit down
I wish I could express myself like you.
- It's a gift and a curse. - How so?
Anger has always defined me.
It is exhausting.
It keeps me from really seeing people.
What do you mean?
When we were together the other day, you said you feel better.
I want to apologize for that. I should not have...
No, no. You don't need to apologize.
I'm
enjoying getting to know you.
Stop being afraid of raw emotion.
My grandma used to always say,
"An emotion denied is an emotion that will fester in your heart."
Then she would say,
"That's why so many Black men have heart attacks."
- [laughs] - Ain't lyin'.
My point is that at the coffee shop,
you shared your emotions with me,
and it was beautiful.
I saw you because I was
in the right place to receive you.
You, Kyrus.
Not PK or Pastor.
The man.
Well, the man is struggling right now.
Listen. Welcome to the club.
- Club Struggle. Me and you. - Yeah.
I don't like this club.
This concert was the last time I felt real balance in my life.
As angry as I was,
I had my grandma and I had my music.
She believed in her Bible, and I believed in her love.
She died
the day after that concert.
And all that was left in my heart was anger.
PK, my truth... is that...
I don't read the Bible because
it reminds me of her.
But when I saw the way
you looked after Miss Henrietta at the jail
it really unlocked something inside of me.
I saw you taking care of a woman
- that reminded me of my... - Your grandmother.
Yeah.
[sighs]
Then you shared yourself with me at the coffee shop,
and I felt you.
I felt...
- You felt better. - Yeah.
Ugh. So... I thought
maybe if we came here together
that we could find our balance again.
Maybe you could help me write some faith-based lyrics and...
I can...
I can keep you from quoting old people in your sermons.
Wow. She's still got jokes. Okay.
Just us and...
God.
Yeah. Us and God.
All right. Now. This is mine.
This is my book. And...
I brought...
Yes, sir.
All right.
I gotta get comfortable when I write.
- So... - Please.
[Charlie] This is what...
I've been working on.
[PK] Let me see what you got.
[ethereal music]
I like that.
♪ If he ain't got a bag, then I can't back it up ♪
♪ Run it up, run it up, run it up ♪
♪ Shooters on payroll, ready to go to war ♪
♪ Run it up, shut it up, put it up ♪
♪ Take it to the streets We can put it on the floor ♪
It's a hit. Congratulations.
I'm not gonna release it.
Charlie, what are you talking about?
It's a great track.
I want to go in a different direction.
Money, can I have the room, please?
What kind of direction?
I want to write about other things.
Other struggles.
I'm tired of this gangsta vibe.
Charlie, you came from the damn streets.
I don't care where I came from.
That's not who I want to be anymore.
Charlie Mega's a gangsta bitch.
And there's no escaping that.
And your fans buy your records because they want bold,
unapologetic, hard-hitting rhymes.
Not some saved version of you, Charlie.
You talking like it's your career.
It's mine, Vince.
And I don't need some A&R dude who I made
telling me what I need to do.
[unsettling music]
Wow, Charlie.
Was that really necessary?
I mean, man's been with you since jump.
Like...
What's happening with you?
[birds chirping]
Assuming everything stays on schedule,
you still need 1.2 million to close.
Oh, we understand.
You also need to understand there's a backup offer.
- Who is it? - I'm not at liberty to say.
It's McCabe, isn't it?
I just represent the interests of the bank.
Please have faith
- that our congregation... - I understand faith, Kyrus...
Pastor Kyrus.
But in my experience,
faith can't measure debt-to-income ratio.
Nice to meet you.
[melancholy music]
Wanna fill me in
what's going on with you and Suzanne?
It's nothing.
It's about Charlie?
I gotta make a effort to not think about her.
Like, I gotta make a choice to not call her about,
like, stupid stuff. Real stuff. I mean...
Bro, I just want to talk to her.
Are you hearing yourself right now?
Have you ever thought about what might happen
if you start dating a gangster rapper?
Kevin. We make each other better.
Like, when our lips almost touched
it was fire.
"When our lips almost touched, it was fire"?
This is Charlie Mega. You hear me? Charlie Mega!
Man, she spits out men who are more
famous and wealthier than she is.
What you think she's going to do with a pastor
with a little bit of swag, huh?
Listen, man, this ain't the type of woman
you bring home to grandma.
You been reading that stuff on the internet.
Charlie is not who you think she is, Kev. She's different.
I can... I can let my guard down with her.
She listens to me, and she processes things, and it just...
She make me want to talk more.
Yeah.
I don't even know what to say right now.
The two of you are from different worlds.
They don't even meet in the middle.
Like...
You got to be careful about what you're doing, PK.
Look, just keep your distance from her
until we close on this deal.
I'll think about it.
Hey, you.
- I wasn't sure who else to call. - What's wrong?
Normally my raps just flow, but nothing's coming.
I've been going for, like, three hours.
I just feel so out of my comfort zone.
It's like I never rapped before. [Chuckles]
I don't know what to do.
I don't think you need to do anything.
You say nothing's coming,
but the rhymes are in you, Charlisa.
So maybe you need to get out the way.
How'd they come in the past?
I mean, honestly, I would just
smoke a blunt. And
once I felt it and got in the zone,
I just let anger take over.
I didn't really have to do much. It just, you know, flowed.
Except now, you know, I'm not really
feeling that energy, so.
- So what are you feeling? - [Charlie] Oh.
I don't know. I mean...
Scared, anxious.
Wondering if this...
God thing's messing up my creative process.
Charlisa, no one's comfortable when they start something new.
You think I was comfortable when I first started writing sermons?
- Trust me, I was petrified. - Yeah, that's hard to believe.
[PK] Well, it's the truth. Pastors don't lie.
At least not the good ones.
[insects chirping]
You there?
Yeah. I'm here.
I, um... was wondering if you wanted to
get something to eat.
PK, the truth is...
I just want to be somewhere with you.
Anywhere with you.
PK?
[Charlie] Can I ask you something?
[PK] Of course.
Okay. What do you think
folks struggling to pay their rent see
when they look at you?
You said my emotional expression inspired you.
So show more emotion. Dress how you feel.
Lean into it.
It's hard to reach people when you're wearing a mask that says,
I got it all together.
You know, you're up there
in that suit looking all polished and perfect.
What do suits have to do with emotions?
To a lot of people, suits represent a wall.
If I can tell you the truth, I never even liked suits.
Only wear them because
that's what I saw coming up under McCabe.
He used to always say,
"If you dress like a man of God, people will treat you like one."
And so I did.
- It never really felt like me. - So what does feel like you?
Jeans. Hoodie.
Fresh pair of kicks.
I mean, I'm not a sneaker head, but let's just say I got a lot
of pairs, and none of them have ever seen a pulpit.
Well, now, maybe it's the time.
You think I should walk up in the church,
get in the pulpit with a hoodie and some J's on?
[woman whispering] Is that her? Is that Charlie Mega?
I think
you should walk up in church looking like you.
Do you. Be you.
In my opinion,
that version is what somebody's looking for out there.
If this is all true, why do you think so many people
trusted me and left McCabe's church to follow me?
Well, they went with what could be and left what was.
Now, if you want to hold on to those that came with you
and bring in new members,
you got to live up to that potential.
You got to share more of yourself.
Are you always this direct?
- Only with people I... - Like.
[smooth music]
I was gonna say trust, but yes. That too.
Thank you, Charlisa.
You got plans Sunday night? Every first Sunday,
family and friends come over. Grandma's gonna be there.
I'm cooking.
I can cook your favorite dish.
Wait till you have my mac and cheese.
How do you know that's my favorite?
A little birdie told me.
[laughter]
[insects chirping]
[hip-hop beats]
[tense music]
[mellow guitar music]
[Charlie] Stupid...
[mellow guitar music]
You promised me you was gonna...
Hey, sister.
You was gonna stay away from Charlie.
And the board is not happy about this.
Especially with the media coverage that you're getting.
She found salvation at our church,
and I never promised that I would stay away from Charlie.
What if this is an act, huh?
Some giant publicity stunt set up to bring you down.
Everyone deserves a chance at God's message, Kevin.
Everyone.
What's with the outfit? No tie?
I just, you know, felt like me today.
PK, listen to me. Listen.
Everybody wants to see you in a healthy relationship.
Saved or not, they just do not see it with her.
And they're not changing their minds.
She could come in here
with angel wings and she'll still be a problem.
It's old fashioned, but it is what it is.
I don't care what they think.
Well, you need to, because Pastor Maurice
just pulled his donation this morning,
and there's rumors of the other donors doing the same.
[PK] Can't find it.
"PK, hope they fit."
Bro. Bro, these are the '85 J's.
[sighs] Charlisa.
Okay. I might as well tell you now.
I invited Charlisa to dinner Sunday.
What if the board comes for you?
Man, let them come! Let them come.
- I'm walking with Jesus. - Wow.
When did you start talking like this?
- Like what? - "Let them come. Let them come.
I'm walking with Jesus."
You sound like Maximus from the Gladiator.
Pretty sure that's not Gladiator.
Hey.
The point is,
you're standing up to the board.
Kyrus is coming into his own.
You coming to Sunday dinner, right?
And to be clear...
Charlie will be there, right?
[mellow music]
I see you, I see you.
Go do some work.
Let them come! Let them come!
All right.
PK's famous mac and cheese.
A little more time.
Okay, look, uh, Kayla,
I need you to set a timer for one minute.
The mac and cheese just needs one minute.
Don't mess this up for me, Big Cuz.
Yeah, I got you.
All right, Cousin Josh,
please keep a eye on Grandma tonight, okay?
Just. Okay. Yeah.
Boy.
- Thank you for coming tonight. - Absolutely.
- Yes, sir. - [doorbell rings]
All right, everybody, listen up.
Look, I need everybody to act
like y'all got some sense tonight, okay?
Look, so that means no photos, no autographs,
no social media, no nothing. Okay?
Okay.
[easygoing music]
Hey.
Oh, my God.
You look amazing.
You gonna let me in before God strikes me down?
Yeah. Please.
I wasn't sure what you like,
so I heard this is the best red velvet cake in the city.
As long as it's cake, I'm eating it.
[Charlie laughs]
Everybody, this is Charlisa.
Hi!
- You want to take a photo? - Yes, please.
Nobody heard my speech.
Let's just take one big group picture
so we can get this out the way.
[Group] Charlie!
- And don't say it again. - Yeah.
- Come on. - Charlisa,
this is my grandmother.
Hi. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Good to meet you, too.
Now you're gonna sit next to me. All right.
- Come on. - Okay...
- [Grandma] Mm. - [Charlie] That looks delicious.
Your grandma is an amazing woman.
I knew you two were close even before I met her.
Yeah. Sheesh.
Storm wasn't supposed to roll in until morning.
[Charlie] Mm.
[rain pouring]
You have a beautiful family.
And I think they felt the same way
- about you. - [laughs]
All right, well, I should get going.
It's...
It's coming down in sheets out there.
I mean, the roads are probably flooded.
- It's bad. - My car can handle it.
How about you stay the night just to be safe?
I don't know if that's a good look for you right now.
Pastor. [Laughs]
Then it's settled.
The guest room's already set up.
- Okay. - It's right there.
[rain pouring]
♪ I've been overthinking
♪ Yeah, I know I've been drinking, but ♪
♪ My mind always ends up here
♪ You've been thinking too
♪ I see you're making moves
♪ Yeah, I do, mm...
♪ But I'm still confused
♪ Baby, I had no doubt when we first started out ♪
♪ But lately I've... been wondering ♪
♪ Maybe we should sit down ♪
♪ And figure this out
♪ But lately I've been wondering... ♪
- Second slice tonight, huh? - [Charlie laughs]
Don't tell my trainer. Man hates sugar.
Not gonna lie, I had about two slices earlier.
- It was good. - Was... uh uh uh uh uh uh.
- Get your own plate. - You bought it for me!
- No, I don't share. - Shit. Wow.
Look. Looks like the rain stopped.
Yeah. I see you couldn't sleep either.
You know, it's... not that often.
I have a beautiful woman
sleeping in the room next door to me.
Are you flirting with me, Pastor?
Yeah.
I am.
[heartfelt music]
I want to show you something.
Not like that. Just... come with me.
Okay.
[insects chirping]
[car doors shut]
Welcome to the future home of Peachtree City
- of Faith Ministries. - Wow.
This place used to be an old paper mill.
Doesn't look like much now,
but just close your eyes and imagine.
- Oh, not this again. - Come on, seriously.
Seriously. Just close your eyes.
- Okay. - Okay. Imagine it.
A huge LED screen from one side of the stage to the other.
Okay.
State of the art sound system. Lights everywhere.
Preaching ain't that much different from the industry.
My label's always pushing me to grow my audience.
All they want is bigger.
Never stops.
No matter how big you get.
Funny thing is, this whole
mega church thing
that was all the board.
I wasn't too sure,
but it was something about seeing
you on stage the other day.
You inspired me.
I can do this... just in my own way.
- Oh, someone like me. - Yeah.
You know, maybe you could even perform here one day.
Maybe we could even do something together.
Ooh!
Why did you split from McCabe and start all this?
Babe...
- I'm sorry. Charlisa. - [laughs]
I don't want to talk about that tonight.
Fine.
[insects chirping]
What's wrong? You all right?
- I think I'ma head out. - You sure?
Yeah.
I know I said I'd stay, but that was earlier.
Tonight was beautiful.
Was that too much?
No, I'm just gonna go.
I'll walk you out.
[gentle music]
[phone buzzing]
[chuckles]
I know. I don't...
I don't know if it's me. I...
It's who you're about to become.
These aren't rhymes. This is poetry.
And the line about the wound is where the light enters.
Oh, fire!
- That's Rumi. - I know.
You ready?
- Yeah. - You got this.
Pshew!
Here you go. Knock it out.
♪ Lord, tell me do you love me. Or do you love me not ♪
♪ 'Cuz when I'm at my lowest you're the only thing I got ♪
♪ And help me to be better so... ♪
Charlie. [Chuckles]
Wake up, sleepy head.
What you doin' here, Dean?
Ah! Your manager can't just stop in
and check on his favorite client?
No, my manager never just stops in to check on his client.
Oh, that's not fair.
Though I do think we need to address
the elephant in the room.
The label's digital strategist
is reporting some strong fan backlash about you
and your relationship with the pastor.
We are not in a relationship.
He's just a friend. That's all that he is.
Good. So that means you'll be
able to keep your distance then, right, hot pants?
- And why would I do that? - Oh, girl.
Come on. You know why. Fans can be a fickle bunch.
Once you lose them, they hardly ever come back.
I mean, think of Lil Nas X. Remember when he did J. Christ?
The fans were not having that. So you think on that.
Oh, and, uh, the label is summoning us on Tuesday,
so clear your schedule. Okay?
See you, Money.
What if this album fails, Money?
What if no one wants to hear the new version of me?
I already lost, like, 2 million followers.
It's better than losing yourself.
Yeah.
"Charlie Mega spotted in holy entanglement."
Is that even a sentence?
You should see some of the memes Kev has been sending me.
One of them had us photoshopped into the Last Supper.
[laughs]
Listen, I know this can be a lot for someone who's not...
Charlisa? Come on. Storms do not scare me.
Are you sure?
No.
I'm not sure.
Honestly, the only thing I'm sure about at this point
in my life is you.
[gentle, heartfelt music]
[phone buzzing]
Yeah, Kev, what's up?
[Kevin] The board wants to sit down tomorrow morning.
Uh, I'm supposed to be at the shelter in the morning.
[Kevin] This is important.
Hold on one second.
Is there something I need to know?
[Kevin] Just what I've been telling you.
Now they're gonna tell you themselves.
[sighs]
[sighs] Oh, God.
Everything okay?
No.
I got something I gotta handle. Look, Charlisa, I need...
I have to leave. Hear this.
Hear this in your heart.
I'm leaving because I gotta walk into a meeting tomorrow knowing
that I've considered everything and everyone's needs.
And I can't do that
sitting by the fire with you tonight.
But very soon we will,
I promise.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
[romantic music]
Like it or not, Pastor, the photo between you two
are forcing people to jump to conclusions.
And what conclusions are those, Reggie?
Oh, come on, do you really need us to spell it out for you?
- Please. - [Reggie] Listen.
We preach wait before marriage, we preach commitment.
You preach accountability.
But look at you, caught in a moment that says...
Otherwise.
- It says otherwise. - It was a kiss. That's all.
A kiss on our new sanctuary grounds that a majority
of the congregation has not seen yet, which also happens
to be the most sacred space that we've been entrusted with.
Okay, listen, we might not be able to control
your personal life, but no one in this room
is gonna let this relationship
or whatever it is with Charlie Mega
destroy Peachtree City of Faith Ministries
and the vision you had for it.
Quite frankly, a vision
we're all wondering if you still have.
I know things look dark right now.
They looked dark
the day that I left Gospel Spirit,
that we left Gospel Spirit.
The only thing we had at that time was faith.
Faith that God would work things out.
Now, I know He's going to do it again.
Only I'm not seeing much faith from any of you.
We are done here.
[traffic]
We just need a little more time.
I understand, I really do. I'm a churchgoing woman myself.
But even if I wanted to give you an extension,
we couldn't get it past management.
Well, maybe I could talk to your boss personally.
[Roberta] Truth be told, he's an atheist.
The only thing he believes in are timelines.
And we have a backup offer.
If funds aren't secured by your original closing date,
I'm afraid you'll lose your deposit
and the bank will have to move on.
I'm sorry, gentlemen.
[tense music]
Thank you for your time.
[PK] I knew it.
Pastor Kyrus. I trust all is well with you.
Pastor McCabe.
- You know that's not true. - Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
We don't want to keep Miss Roberta waiting.
- Why are you doing this? - Doing what?
You know I never meant you any harm.
Oh, but you did harm me, Kyrus.
I trained you, treated you like a son.
And what did you do? Took what wasn't yours.
Dividing the congregation I had spent years building.
What did you expect me to do, Pastor? Just sit back?
I reached out.
You shut me down.
See, you were too concerned
with me staying in my place behind you.
Mhm.
And that gave you cause to start your own church
without my blessing.
If I would have asked, would you have given it to me?
Let's go, Kevin.
[unsettling music]
[McCabe] Miss Roberta.
[PK] Praise the Lord.
And good morning, Peachtree City of Faith.
[Congregation] Good morning.
[PK] You know what?
I'm coming down here with y'all today.
I'm gonna do a little something different.
And before we dive in, I know many of you are looking at me
like, ooh, did Pastor forget he had Sunday service?
No.
I'm still your pastor.
Still standing on the word of God.
Just...
I got tired of dressing for the role.
And I'm ready to dress
to be the man that God called me to be.
I can't preach authenticity in a mask.
Now, if this makes you uncomfortable
then good.
It's real easy to have faith
when everything is going your way.
But when it's not, that's another story.
We gonna have faith, Peachtree City of Faith. Amen.
- [Congregation] Amen. - [PK] Amen.
[knocking on door]
So, uh, how much did we collect?
Trust me, you don't want to know.
Got scars in my spirit.
But they don't show in... Got scars in my spirit,
but they don't show in the mirror.
Is that too soft?
What are you writing?
Well, you know, just working on Sunday's sermon.
[laughs]
So... about yesterday's sermon.
Can we just focus on this moment?
Okay. Okay.
But let me just say this. Everything and nothing.
Is that something your grandmother used to say?
[laughs]
Let me explain.
I don't know what's going on with your church,
and you seem to want to keep
that to yourself, and that's okay.
But everything and nothing means even if you lose your way
or lose the church, as long as you have God in your heart,
then you lose nothing.
[heartfelt music]
So.
What is this? What are we?
Is this exclusive?
I'm yours.
[heartfelt music]
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh... ♪
[hip-hop beats]
Hey, um, did something happen?
- Is PK okay? - PK doesn't know I'm here.
Do you think we could just have a moment to talk for a second?
Hey, Money. Nice to meet you.
- Kevin. - Hi.
What's going on?
Did you not see all the empty pews in the sanctuary?
Look, you know PK is not gonna tell you this.
We can't close on the arena.
The board members are thinking about rolling him out as pastor.
Okay.
Then let me help. I'll pay for what's missing.
Whatever it takes. Just let me help.
It's too late for that, Charlie.
And this isn't about money anymore.
Listen, if you care for him the way I think you do, just,
just let him go.
[somber music]
Is it true?
Be honest with me.
- I deserve that from you. - Is what true?
The arena. Peachtree City of Faith
not being able to close?
What else are you hiding, PK?
You said I'm yours.
Charlisa, this don't have nothing to do with...
Me?
Of course it does.
It always has to do with me, whether we like it or not.
That's just how it is in Charlie Mega's world.
So let's hear it.
[PK] I might lose my church.
[somber music]
This is all my fault.
This has nothing to do with you.
Look, I made my decision, and they made theirs.
That's not true.
If I weren't in your life, none of this would be happening.
Your dreams for your church, your career.
- It doesn't have to be this way. - Maybe this is the way.
Look, maybe this is God's way.
I have feelings for you.
The deepest I have ever felt for anyone.
I will not be the reason you lose everything.
We're done.
Please just go back and get your church.
I can't.
Babe, I believe you can do anything.
Just go back and get your church.
[tense music]
[cries softly]
Hey, you want to come to my office?
Uh, no. We can talk here.
Okay.
Look, Charlie,
we've been together for a long time,
and I've always supported your creative vision, but, um,
this new material isn't working.
Okay, I respect that.
But, you know, maybe we should ask Vince to weigh in on this.
He already has.
The label's dropping you.
But the good news is, they hated the new direction so much
that they said you can have the new tracks.
So if you think about it, it's kind of better this way.
- You know, you're not... - Just stop.
[Dean] And, um...
I think it's best that we part ways.
I'm sorry, Charlie.
It's been a really good ride, but... it's over.
[melancholy music]
[Charlie] Come at Charlie Mega again... and see what happens.
[PK] See, when you bring God into the cipher,
you don't gotta battle alone.
You are stronger than you think, Charlisa Jones.
[Charlie] Everything that tries to break me makes me stronger.
[ethereal, atmospheric music]
[PK sighs]
[melancholy music]
[Nicki] We weren't even sure if you wanted us to come.
- You want some tea? - [Both] Sure.
And we are abstaining from alcohol
- in honor of Best Friends Month. - Yes.
So this is perfect.
- It looks good on you. - Thank you.
You...
And I appreciate the gesture.
And we went to the church you go to last Sunday.
We figured if the Peachtree City of Faith can change your life,
probably can change ours, too.
[hip-hop beats]
[Money] Maybe those new tracks we did
might be able to help everybody.
- You think so? - Yes.
There is an audience out there for what we did.
[Charlie] Everything that tries to break me makes me stronger.
Everything that tries to break me makes me stronger.
[Charlie] You know what? Maybe Vince and Dean were right.
Maybe Charlie Mega is done.
Maybe who they need is Charlisa.
Okay.
Yeah.
- Okay. Run it back. - Let's go.
Follow my lead. I have an idea.
[smooth, ethereal intro]
Okay.
Before I share this song with y'all,
I have to be honest.
My label didn't like the song.
In fact, they disliked the song so much that
they dropped me. But
the thing is, I like it.
God likes it.
And I don't care if it's uncool to say that.
This song is called Alter Ego.
And... if you feel lost and
you're searching for something real, let me know.
'Cause I know a place where y'all can find it.
[hip-hop beats]
♪ I'm a sanctified savage That's my alter ego ♪
♪ Old me used to be reckless, livin' on antihero ♪
♪ I'm a sanctified savage That's my alter ego ♪
♪ Old me used to be reckless, livin' on antihero ♪
♪ We gotta die every day We gotta try every day ♪
♪ 'Cause what God wants and what the flesh wants ♪
♪ That's two different things
♪ Get on your knees and just pray ♪
♪ The devil tried to get me...
I really wish things could have been different.
But hey, listen. Don't worry.
You're gonna find a new church home.
That's the least of my worries.
I'll get over losing my church.
But Charlisa...
I've never felt anything like this before, bro.
You know, I went to
the recording studio the other night.
Yeah, I talked to Charlie,
and I told her to give you a break, man.
It wasn't my place, and I'm sorry.
Tell you the truth,
I really don't think it would have made a difference, man.
- You know? - Wait, bro.
You did what?
- Pastor! - You all right?
Yes. I found him. I'm bringing him out.
You might have to do a second service.
Second service?
Barely any people at the last one.
See for yourself.
[heartfelt music]
We're on our way.
They're headed down south entrance.
Okay, he's in position.
[Charlie] PK, you are the love of my life.
This is for you.
This is for us.
I'm yours.
I think this is that moment
when you say, let them come.
[PK chuckles]
Suzanne.
I thought you weren't okay with...
Charlie? No,
the truth is, my nephew is completely in love with her.
And so are you.
And God helped me make peace with it all.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
What did you do?
I posted a song on live and told people
if they were looking for something real,
to meet me at Peachtree City of Faith.
To quote your boy Rumi,
"Clarity doesn't come before action.
It comes from action."
- I love you, Charlisa. - [Charlisa laughs]
Promise me you'll always talk like that.
- I will. - [laughs]
[cheers and applause]
[heartfelt music]
[Money] Okay, I'm lookin' at camera one.
Is PK set?
[applause]
Praise the Lord.
And good morning, Greater Peachtree City of Faith.
Hallelujah. Amen.
You know, I still have to pinch myself sometimes,
because I just can't believe that we're all here together.
- Yeah. - Glory!
I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let me introduce you to the first lady
of Greater Peachtree City of Faith Ministries.
My wife, Mrs. Charlisa Owens.
- [applause] - Hello. Hello.
- Good morning. - [Congregation] Good morning.
How are you guys feeling?
[Congregation shouts "Good" and "Yeah"]
I've been working on a song with my best friend,
- and my husband. - And we feel so much better.
[Money] All right, here we go.
[upbeat, sunny intro]
♪ Don't worry 'bout it Leave it alone ♪
♪ Things will get... better, better ♪
♪ Hope you believe that by the end of the song ♪
♪ Things will get... better, better ♪
♪ You've been fighting for way too long ♪
♪ Things will get... better, better ♪
♪ Oh, you gotta keep goin', keep goin' on ♪
♪ Better, better [Yeah, yeah]
♪ Lookin' for love 'cause I ain't think ♪
♪ Love was lookin' for me
♪ But it got... better, better
♪ Had everything, but without God, I ain't have a thing ♪
♪ I needed... better, better
♪ I had a hole in my heart, so I didn't think it could get... ♪
♪ Better, better
♪ The wounds where the light entered ♪
♪ So your love healed me, and it got... ♪
♪ Better, better
♪ Don't worry 'bout it, leave it alone ♪
♪ Things will get... better, better ♪
♪ Me, you, plus God, for better or worse ♪
♪ Better, better
♪ Things will get... Yes, they will ♪
♪ You make my life, I'll make your life... ♪
♪ Better, better
♪ God...
♪ God makes it... God makes it better ♪
- [upbeat interlude] - [cheers and applause]
♪ Better, better
[upbeat interlude] - [cheers and applause]
♪ Better, better
[upbeat outro] - [cheers and applause]
[ Things Will Get Better instrumental plays]