The Ten Life Lessons of Big Matt Silver - part 3
The final section of this work in progress hip hop fiction.
“Steal the Kids and the Parents Will Follow”
INT. WEST VILLAGE RESTAURANT - NIGHT
The launch of Deuce’s LP goes well, selling multi-platinum numbers. But as Matt analyzes the numbers he sees sales are down 30% to 50% in markets where hip hop LPs to do well. He has lunch with Blue Streak, who does a radio mix show in Hot 97, who tells him he’s starting to download his mix tapes instead of selling them on the street.
INT. MATT’S CONDO - NIGHT
Matt has dinner at his condo with Ruby and his mother who isn’t keen on his new girlfriend, feeling she’s shallow. After his mother leaves Ruby and Matt argue over when they can take a vacation. While they talk Matt notices that Ruby has the Home Shopping Network on. He sees a soap opera actress on TV selling jewelry and making cash.
INT. ADVERTISING AGENCY, NYC - DAY
Matt meets with an ad agency about developing more mainstream endorsement deals for his clients.
Matt: There’s got to be bigger deals out there than for sneakers and malt liquor.
Jeff, the add executive, is sympathetic but skeptical.
INT. OHIO FACTORY - DAY
Big Matt walks through the rural Ohio factory of HONEST JOE’S, a leading clothing retailer where watches, designer jeans and jackets are manufactured. It is heartland U.S.A. Matt, Niecy and Jeff meet with the CEO MICHAEL DAVIDSON, out of courtesy call -- he’s not convince that rappers, no matter how many records they sell, can impact his consumers. He offers Matt an “ethnic” market deal but Matt isn’t satisfied. Jeff argues with a bunch of marketing and research papers. Matt takes a different tack.
Matt: You have a son in college right? Can you call him on speaker phone for me?
Davidson wonders where this stunt is going, but Davidson agrees. His son, Joseph, is attending Columbia. When asked what music he listens to Joseph mentions a few safe white pop/rock acts. But when Matt presses him and mentions acts on his label, Joseph gets enthused and endorses CTC and Deuce. Joseph even offers his rap name – Joey D, something his Dad knew nothing about. Matt offers Joey a summer internship and a still skeptical Davidson is impressed.
CTC is featured in a TV spot rhyming about the wonders of Honest Joe’s retail outlets. The ad plays in a hospital room where Ruby has given birth to Trey Silver. Matt is in heaven, handing out cigars to all is old friends and family. He’s a got a new business model and a son. He’s on top of the world.
Big Matt and Ruby become one of New York’s “It” couples, attending fashion shows, basketball games and charity balls. All the while spending money like water. Matt, encouraged by Ruby, purchases his and her Maybach’s. He its over the top but can’t help it.
INT. SOHO GALLERY - NIGHT
At a Soho art show a fashion designer accuses Ruby of not returning clothes from her last video shoot. Matt intervenes and pulls the designer aside and squashes the beef. In the car home Matt asks if what the designer said was true. Ruby doesn’t deny it. Matt is confused since she has money.
Ruby: But it’s your money. I took care of myself before I met you and I could do it again. Don’t feel like you need to babysit me – I can handle my business.
INT. REHEARSAL SPACE - AFTERNOON
The Truth is out of the street, but the street isn’t out of Truth. Matt goes to see a run through of his show before the young MC is about to head out on a national tour. Matt notices some of the Truth’s block boys are acting as body guards/roadies. Matt decides to take a look at the tour bus – something about Truth’s posse bothers him. He looks inside baggage compartment under the bus and, inside, Matt finds a couple of big bags of marijuana. When he sits down with the Truth it turns out the MC knew that his posse was gonna deal while on the road. That way he doesn’t have to pay them as much. Matt gets angry with the Truth for endangering himself. But Truth won’t stop it.
Truth: Niggas need to eat. You livin’ well. You should just respect the game.
Truth implies that Matt is now too removed from the street to understand, which irritates him.
Part 5
“It Doesn’t Matter What’s in the Bottle. A Salesman Sells.”
INT. DIDDY’S WHITE PARTY - EVENING
Big Matt and Ruby hang at Diddy’s white party in the Hamptons, looking like the rap royalty that they are. He and Dougie see each other and embrace. Dougie expresses his pride in how Big Matt has developed Powerhouse. They talk warily about the internet and how it’s changing the game.
Dougie: Would you come back and run Dark Nite? Its still the best brand in the game.
Matt: So, I could fire Gary Tee? I’d just do it for one day so I could let that fool go. But otherwise it has no appeal to me. I’m building my own family. You see how much Niecy has developed. She’s my partner now.
A concerned Niecy walks over and tells Matt he needs to come see about his woman. Matt walks over to his worst nightmare – his baby’s mother and Gary Tee are looking a little too cozy sitting in a backroom with champagne and cocaine. Gary Tee knows he’s irritating Matt and milks it, goading Big Tee while high. Ruby resists being calmed down.
Ruby: You don’t own me.
Matt almost hits her but is held back by Niecy. Ruby drives off in her Maybach with Gary Tee. Matt is humiliated. He attempts to find his car and, when the valets are slow, Matt socks one in the jaw.
EXT. EAST HAMPTON JAIL - DAY
Next day Matt is bailed out of jail by Deuce who finds the whole situation amusing.
Deuce: Ain’t this some shit. The artist bailing out his manager.
INT. MATT’S CONDO - AFTERNOON
Back at his Manhattan condo Matt finds Ruby and his son both gone.
Matt spirals into a depression, feeling he overreacted and alienated the people he loves. He plays video games. He smokes chronic. He won’t answer the phone. Days later Niecy let’s herself in. Niecy doesn’t like Ruby but knows Matt is no angel either.
Niecy: If it’s gonna work you’ll need to give her and your son more. You are always giving artists good advice. Now you need to take some of it yourself. You always say don’t put yourself above the game. Now don’t put yourself above your family.
Big Matt meets Ruby at her girlfriend’s apartment. He and his son immediately fall into each other’s arms. Then Matt and Ruby walk through Central Park, each promising to be better partners. The next day they get married at City Hall.
INT. CANCUN RESORT, MEXICO - DAY
The family goes on a honeymoon in Mexico. Big Matt is happy, but still distracted and checking his Blackberry whenever possible. Too many clients. Too much money to make. One night Ruby and Matt are about to make love when Deuce calls. Matt takes the call. Deuce plays him his new banger over the phone. On a balcony overlooking the ocean Matt listens to his new jam and is sure it’s a massive hit.
At the end of the record Deuce lays down a demand:
Deuce: I’m ready to endorse a product. I want to endorse something healthy like cranberry juice. Shit keeps your dick working good.
Big Matt hangs up, happy about the track and confused by the endorsement request. When he goes back into the bedroom he finds Ruby asleep. Instead of waking her Big Matt turns on his computer and begins researching cranberry juice companies. Ruby, who was not asleep, watches resentfully.
EXT. CRANBERRY FARM - DAY
Big Matt and Deuce walk through a field of cranberries with a white man named CARLSON, owner of Cranberry Beverages. Carlson gives them the lore of cranberry care and they check the crop like farmers. Carlson knows the deals that Matt’s clients have gotten from other brands and he can’t afford it.
CARLSON: We hope to be purchased by a bigger concern one day, but that won’t be tomorrow.
MATT: You give us equity in exchange for Deuce’s endorsement and we’ll make you a multi-millionaire. First what do you know about bubble gum?
When the first billboards appear around the country people think the Deuce/cranberry juice hook up is crazy, but people are buzzing about it. Deuce promotes a bubble gum flavored cranberry juice that people are loving and mixing with their gin and vodka.
INT. POWERHOUSE OFFICES - DAY
An FBI agent comes to visit Matt and asserts that Truth is under investigation for interstate drug trafficking and that Matt is implicated as well. Matt is contemptuous. When the agent leaves Matt and Niecy discuss the fact that any indictment could torpedo his deals with mainstream brands.
As Matt masterminds the cranberry campaign and worries about the FBI investigation, his relationship with Ruby deteriorates. He starts sleeping with a young advertising executive, Sara, and is sloppy about it.
He takes his young son to a store to buy some clothes and gets served with divorce papers.
“Your Words Can’t Hide Your Heart”
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
At the custody hearing all Big Matt’s faults are documented by Ruby’s attorney – his women, his travel, his arrests. Matt has made money but is he really a good man? Is he any better man than his father?
Outside the custody hearing Matt receives a call from, Niecy. A huge food company is buying the cranberry juice company. Between Deuce’s share and Powerhouse’s fee the amount for them could top $100 million. Matt goes back in the room and reluctantly agrees to Ruby’s terms, knowing that he’s now agreeing to a lesser # than he can now afford.
INT. RECORDING STUDIO - NIGHT
Big Matt visits the Truth in the studio and the meeting is edgy. Jealous of the deals that CTC and Deuce have the Truth says he’s been speaking to the FBI and suggests he’ll implicate Matt in his drug deals if he isn’t rewarded with a huge endorsement deal. It’s a petty, dangerously childish argument. It makes Big Matt wonder what he’s doing with his life.
INT. RUBY’S NEW JERSEY HOME - MORNING
Big Matt goes to see his son, but when he arrives his son isn’t there. Even worse he learns that Gary Tee and Ruby are about to leave for a vacation in St. Barth’s with Dougie.
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Matt visits his father’s grave site contemplating his past and his future.
EXT. SAG HARBOR, LONG ISLAND - MORNING
Matt sits in his backyard. He pushes “send” on his smart phone. He’s sending his ten lessons to Niecy, his last will and testament.
He pulls out the gun and pulls the trigger.
THE END