Plot Synopsis

Inspired by the book by journalist Dan Charnas entitled "The Big Payback," a narrative history of the hip-hop business. In 1990 New York, Nikki Jones is a brilliant recent grad who has abandoned a scholarship to law school to pursue her dream of becoming a record exec. Her boyfriend, David Aaron, is the scrappy son of a legendary music producer who is unwilling to rest on his father's laurels and notorious reputation. DeeVee is an aspiring producer on the hunt to find the next big rapper on the come-up. Nikki fast talks her way into an internship at the premier hip-hop company, Fouray Entertainment, and catches the eye of the label's infamous founder, Barry Fouray, while David struggles at the city's top R&B radio station whose celebrity DJ refuses to program real hip-hop. Meanwhile, DeeVee returns to his roots in the Fort Greene projects to scout for talent, and runs into Ahm, a drug dealer with a lyrical gift whose talent could bring them all to the next level. But they will soon discover lives can be broken as fast as legends can be born.