On the Come Up

Trey chaperones Bri to the Ring on Thursday, per Mom's request. He blasts Bri's song and does a poor job of singing along, which makes Sonny and Malik snicker. Embarrassed, Bri thinks that Aunt Pooh would try to hype her up the same way. It's still weird that Pooh is gone, but Bri is trying to do what Pooh would've wanted her to do. They pull into the parking lot and whoop when they see Bri's name in lights. Bri feels like she's a part of Garden Heights.

Jojo skids to a stop in front of Bri and excitedly announces that he's here to see Bri perform. He insists he's not by himself—he's with Bri and her friends. Bri agrees to let Jojo come with them, and Trey asks for his mom's number. Jojo says that he's almost grown up, which makes Bri and Trey laugh. Bri gets a text from Curtis wishing her luck. Bri's group skips the line as usual, but Bri's heart stops when she sees Crowns staring at her. Frank and Reggie greet Bri and ask if she's "carrying the torch" for Lawless, but agree when Bri says she's carrying her own torch.

As Bri turns to head inside, one of the Crowns shouts about Bri getting to skip the line. Jojo steps forward and defends Bri, which makes her feel sick. Malik drags Jojo inside and Trey walks Bri in. Bri is nervous, but says she has to perform—the Crowns stopped Lawless, and she won't let them stop her. She flags down Supreme. Sonny narrows his eyes at Supreme as they head to a greenroom. Trey stays out front with Jojo. Bri tells Supreme that she's ready to get her contract, but she's not sure. Supreme leaves and joins James. Bri, Malik, and Sonny discuss the Crowns and their own “gangster” phases, but Bri thinks that Jojo is taking it to another level.

Scrap knocks on the door and gives Bri his phone. Pooh is on the line. Pooh gives Bri a pep talk and says that she might get out on the minimum sentence. When Supreme returns to tell Bri it's time, Bri hangs up and follows him out. Supreme whispers to Bri and asks if she's acting "authentic" by hanging out with Garden Disciples like Scrap, but Bri says she doesn't do that. Bri climbs into the ring when DJ Hype announces her. She realizes how corny he is as she looks out and sees her friends and family in the crowd. Behind them, she sees a bunch of Crowns holding the chain aloft. Scrap notices and gives Bri a look that asks if he should deal with them. Bri freezes.

DJ Hype calls Bri's attention and then starts the beat for her new song. She looks at Supreme and James and thinks that people treat her like Lawless's clone. She formulates some rhymes in her head and asks Hype to stop the music. She announces that she's going to freestyle and raps that that she refuses to play along and be a sellout. She raps about how people blame hip-hop for violence and includes a note to the Crowns, saying that they're making things worse in Garden Heights and they can't stop her from rapping. People cheer and chant Bri's name. James leaves and Supreme follows. Bri knows she's done with them, and thinks that she's where she's supposed to be.