What's up, Damson, Franklin?
What's up, Doug?
I'm proud of you, man.
You've been killing it in the show.
Oscar-bound!
You're money.
[HIP HOP MUSIC]
We're here in South Central.
The man himself, John Singleton.
Where did you grow up, John?
JOHN SINGLETON: My father lived on Vermont and 101st,
and my mother lived on a street called Lawrence in Inglewood.
A lot of stuff that we're doing in the show
is from my experiences over at my father's house.
DAMSON IDRIS: South Central, huh?
WILLIAM CALHOUN: Yeah.
That's where we are.
But I've got you with me, so we're safe, you know?
DAMSON IDRIS: What did you love most about your neighborhood?
A lot of talent came out of my neighborhood.
Me, Ice Cube.
We learned how to appreciate the good times from the hard times,
and it's very unpredictable.
You know, don't let the sunshine fool you.
Yeah.
It get dark on you real quick.
Fool hit the corner, it'll be on a crack [INAUDIBLE]..
How was your community before crack came?
JOHN SINGLETON: Before crack, it wasn't heaven.
But crack changed everything.
I mean, before crack, kids played in the streets.
And then people started making money off of drugs,
so they started fighting.
You know what I mean?
It was like, you could sit on your porch and you'd watch it.
It's like watching a movie.
WILLIAM CALHOUN: One thing I got a chance to really see
at a young age was how the power of money
can really change an individual.
Yeah.
And that's why a lot of cats picked up that sack.
Similar to you in the show.
Mhm.
JOHN SINGLETON: Crack was really big.
The gangs ruled everything.
The LAPD was wild.
Hm.
JOHN SINGLETON: But hey, it was fun.
You know, we just sometimes never left our block.
It was like, if somebody wanted to get on our block,
they'd have trouble.
If they was from somewhere else, that was a problem.
Man, I spent the whole of yesterday running around Encino
with 42 Gs in a duffel bag trying to find a cab or a bus
before the cops found me.
So yeah, maybe I'm a little on edge.
[HIP HOP MUSIC]
GIRL: Snowfall! - Look at that!
Look at that love!
See?
(IMITATING GIRL) Snowfall!
Snowfall!
Hey, Franklin!
DAMSON IDRIS: Has there ever been
a moment where you're like, wow, this--
this hits home like crazy.
Well, there's a scene in there where, you know,
one of your partners tried to get his peoples off of dope.
I've seen that before, and I'd have been
around it where it's real hard.
You know, you go to crazy extents.
You try to do your own detox.
Yeah.
And formed your own rehab, man.
Yeah.
It's vicious.
I [INAUDIBLE] seen dope fiends get beat viciously.
Viciously over the crack.
You know, people think because he's smoking and stuff like
that, you lose all your teeth.
And a lot of that shit was getting knocked out.
Would you say times have changed drastically?
JOHN SINGLETON: When I was growing up,
we knew we [INAUDIBLE] come over here.
You know.
DAMSON IDRIS: You're thinking, how could crime happen here?
JOHN SINGLETON: Crime could happen anywhere.
[HIP HOP MUSIC]
DAMSON IDRIS: So what are you most excited to share
with the audience?
JOHN SINGLETON: Franklin comes into his home, you know.
Like, he learns the game and he's
ready to really take over now.
You know, [INAUDIBLE]. DAMSON IDRIS: Yeah.
JOHN SINGLETON: And when people see
that and that whole journey, they're gonna be like--
(IMITATING FANS) My favorite show!
(IMITATING FANS) It's my favorite show.
[JAZZ MUSIC]
We should go buy some ice cream.
JOHN SINGLETON: Buy some. Why not?
You got-- you got-- you got money?
DAMSON IDRIS: What's up, man? MAN: What's happening, man?
DAMSON IDRIS: How are you doing, bro?
Good. Trying to hang in there, man.
[ICE CREAM TRUCK MUSIC]
So in "Snowfall," this is what I use to sell my crack,
an ice cream truck.
Because it can't be detected, so it's really funny that we're
walking and we see one.
Hopefully this guy isn't selling any crack, though.
WILLIAM CALHOUN: Let me get a red and a purple.
[INAUDIBLE] lick.
[LAUGHS]
It's all love.
Another day in Cali-fool-ya, sunny South Central.
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]