Level Up is the sixth episode of the first season of the Starz original crime drama Power Book III: Raising Kanan.[1]
Synopsis[]
Lou’s new artist showcase becomes the nexus of the rivalry between Raq and Unique. At the same time, Kanan cooks up a drug-selling scheme with Marvin.
Plot[]
The episode opens up with Raq heading to her recently acquired project apartments to see how the unlicensed work to convert them into a two-level trap house situation is coming along. When she gets to the apartment, she is greeted by the nervous-ass landlord, who warned her that there would be some issues with this move.
When Raq steps inside the apartment, she is greeted by a hard-nosed inspector who tells her none of the moves she is doing are approved by NYCHA, being that she does not own the apartments, the city does. At that moment, Raq decides to use the one powerful tool she has an advantage, her sex appeal, to woo the BIG MAD inspector into meeting with her privately later, a meeting he will come to regret later, but for now. Still, at least the problem was seemingly solved by Raq.
Detective Howard is running out of time and has become desperate after his doctor told him the cousins he reached out to were not a match for the bone marrow transport he desperately needs. He decides to spring up on the doctor and ask hypothetically, what if he had a son who could help him out?
The doctor says while it won’t be a home run, it will help him in the long run and points out the donors usually should be around the age of 18. Kanan is only 15. Howard knows he will need to get Raq’s permission, and that is going to be a task in itself because Raq already told him to stay away from Kanan. But, since he is dying, he has no choice, so he will have to figure something out…quickly.
Howard, who hasn’t called out in 25 years, is out, understandably. This gives his “partner” Burke some time to be a real detective on her own. After speaking with her chief, he allows her to go out on her own and get her gumshoe on. She hits the ground running, even having a conversation with Jukebox, trying to get some information from her after seeing her with Nicole, but Jukebox doesn’t bite.
In episode four, Lou-Lou told his niece that he didn’t like owing favors to people. Well, he is immediately going back on that word. Raq’s baby brother is dead serious about this music showcase he is footing the bill for. Raq, on the other hand, sees it as a waste of his or, as she put it, her money.
Lou-Lou only got in on the showcase in the first place so Jukebox could get on the stage, but now he is all in and is paying for everything that Camacho’s drug-abusing self can’t afford. During his conversation with Raq, he stressed to her he wanted the night to be drug-free, and Raq does not like the idea that because she feels Unique will be in there pushing product, Lou-Lou reassures her that will not be the case.
With that said, Lou-Lou wastes no time and pays Unique an unexpected visit to break his golden rule to ask the competition not to come to the showcase starting trouble or selling drugs. After a small conversation, Unique agrees, and Lou-Lou leaves believing he’s got Unique’s word. BUT, we all know that Unique isn’t a man of his word, especially regarding Raq and her crew.
Once Lou-Lou is out of the picture, Unique instructs one of his goons and his newest recruit, Scrappy, to cause some trouble at the showcase. This is more of a test to see how loyal Scrappy truly is.
Raq, on the other hand, is trying to secure more products from the connect but fails miserably. Apparently, her move to recruit the connect’s right-hand man didn’t sit well with her supplier, plus Unique offered double the money for both his and her shipment.
Raq is definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place because, according to Uncle Marvin, their supply is dangerously low, and they can’t stretch what they have left any further. But that could all change. Kanan decides to use the lesson he got from Symphony about the Van Wyck Expressway to pitch the idea of using a new corner to sell crack to white people at high prices. Uncle Marvin is intrigued, but at the same time, he is well aware that his sister told him to stay away from Kanan.
Raq isn’t going to let that stop her from making moves still. She eventually links back up with the horny inspector. He thought Raq was going to sleep with him. Instead, she offers him some money. Not satisfied, he reveals that he heard rumors of her being a gangster and gets violent with her, with the two getting into a scuffle as he attempts to rape her. Raq finds a hammer on the floor and delivers the knockout blow to the inspector.
Marvin eventually shows up, and Raq orders him to dispose of the bound inspector’s body, telling him to make sure he feels it on the way down. Marvin obliges and puts the inspector in the apartment’s wall while venting about his current frustrations with Raq and how he is being treated. He then puts two nails in his head for good measure, killing the inspector before sealing up the hole.
It’s time for the big show, and after all of the begging Jukebox did and being jealous of Famous for getting the opportunity over her, Jukebox has the jitters. Even with her boo and Famous encouraging her, Jukebox locks herself in the bathroom and pukes like Bunny Rabbit in 8 Mile, no clue if it was Marvin’s spaghetti she throwing up.
Eventually, they convince Kanan to talk her down. After the conversation, Jukebox is ready to hit the stage to show the world what she and her friends already knew. She’s got talent.
While this is going on, Raq and Symphony have a discussion, and she is not happy. Earlier in the episode, she learned that her young boo thang scooped Kanan from jail behind her back, a big no, no, and she already warned Symphony when it comes to matters about her son to stay out of it.
Despite Kanan insisting it was his idea and Symphony making the case, he only did it because Kanan asked him Raq isn’t trying to hear it and basically tells him he can kick rocks, and Symphony obliges. Following the argument, Raq notices the scuffle in front of the venue involving Lou-Lou and some dudes from Brooklyn trying to get inside strapped.
After things calm down, she tells Lou-Lou how proud she is of him before warning him that they will be back to hitting the streets hard the next morning. As she walks away, she bumps into Detective Burke and warns her to relay a message to her partner, instructing him to stay away from Kanan.
Back inside, the show kicks off, Famous and Jukebox handle business on stage, and the crowd loves the song. While this is going on, Scrappy and Unique’s goon finally find a way inside while avoiding security. They walk around the venue, looking for a way to start some trouble. Before things get out of hand, Lou-Lou notices Scrappy and decides to start a mini-brawl preventing Scrappy and Unique’s boy from busting any shots.
That whole moment would prove to be dire for Scrappy because Unique’s boy thinks he was in on the situation and was acting as a spy for Raq. Everyone else scatters in the mayhem, Kanan runs to Davina’s house, and they have sex for the first time, Famous is getting some action in the bathroom at the venue, Jukebox and a very high Nicole hop on the bus, and Lou-Lou and Famous’ sister bump uglies in the back of the limo.
Meanwhile, poor Raq is home lonely after kicking Symphony to the curb. When Kanan arrives home, he sneaks past his sleeping mother’s bedroom. The peace is disturbed when a car drives by. Raq grabs her gun and runs outside only to discover a half-naked and beaten Scrappy lying unconscious in front of her house, and the episode ends.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Mekai Curtis as Kanan Stark
- Omar Epps as Detective Malcolm Howard
- Patina Miller as Raquel "Raq" Thomas
- Hailey Kilgore as LaVerne "Jukebox" Ganner
- Lovie Simone as Davina Harrison
- London Brown as Marvin Thomas
- Malcolm Mays as Lou-Lou Thomas
- Shanley Caswell as Detective Shannon Burke
- Toby Sandeman as Symphony Bosket
- Joey Bada$$ as Unique
Guest Starring[]
- Quincy Brown as Crown Camacho
- Natalee Linez as Jessica Figueroa
- Antonio Ortiz as Shawn "Famous" Figueroa
- Rosal Colon as Juliana Ayala
- Annabelle Zasowski as Nicole Bingham
- Ade Chike Torbert as Scrappy
- Tina Benko as Dr. Ramona Nichols
- Lawrence Gilliard Jr. as Azumadeen "Deen" Tippett
- John Clay III as Worrell
- David J. Cork as Richie Soundz
- Joel de la Fuente as Captain Crisanto Peralta
- Jose Guns Alves as Jeronimo Gullien
- Ray Cordova as MC Showcase
- Vince Edgehill as Ricardo
- Jaylan Evans as Javon
- Dorothi Fox as Deen's grandma
- Hassan Gilmer as Duke
- Verna Hobson as Elderly Woman
- Stefan Holbrook as Lil' Rob
- Sharief Johnson as Damon
- Ezra Knight as Frank The Inspector
- Aida Leventaki as Fan
- Walter T. Mudu as Darius
- Ozzie Stewart as Bingo Announcer
- Shyaporn Theerakulstit as Dale the Light Guy
- Anthony E. Williams as Bob the Sound Guy
Soundtrack[]
| Song | Performer | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "Heat City" | "Phunklogistic" | Lou-Lou asks Raq to not sell during the showcase. |
| "Lakin Shabazz" | "Hands of Fate" | Lou-Lou bargains with Unique. |
| "Uptown Anthem" | "Naughty By Nature" | The beginning of the showcase. |
| "The Chubbster" | "Chubb Rock" | Jessica meets Nicole. |
| "...And Justice For All" | "Just-Ice" | Lou-Lou refuses Brooklyn boys to enter in the showcase. |
| "Ooh La La La" | "Teena Marie" | ? |
| "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" | "PM Dawn" | Famous gets head in the bathrooms / Davina and Kanan kiss / Lou-Lou and Jessica have sex. |
Trivia[]
- This episode scored 0.342 million viewers.
Gallery[]
Promotional Images[]
Videos[]
Episode guide[]
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| Season 2 |
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"The More Things Change" • "Mind Your Business"" • "Sleeping Dogs" • "Pay the Toll" • "What Happens in the Catskills" |