Lena Waithe wakes up in the morning, smokes a blunt, and then writes.
Weed and the proper growth of the plant have been a part of The Chi narrative for several seasons now, and once in a season, 4/20 rolls up, and the characters make a proper event of the day.
Everything from the unfair incarceration of people because of weed or the effects poorly grown weed can have on the population has been explored, and Tiff’s ambitions of growing her plant were explored earlier.
We will discuss everything that went down on The Chi Season 6 Episode 4, so if you’re yet to get caught up, beware of spoilers. Otherwise, let’s get to it.
It was weed day (or 4/20), and everyone took the time to smoke and enjoy their favorite weed strain without worrying that some gluttonous cop would bust in and arrest them.
Weed can be a great stress reliever, but like any other drug, when the effects wear out, the cause of the stress is always there.
A gathering to smoke weed saw Victor discover something missing in the community for a long time.
Women have had to learn that everyone needs someone to talk to, which was why Jaida, Tracy, Dre, and Nina met once in a while to unburden about life’s problems.
But men have been socialized to believe that speaking about one’s feelings and emotions is weak when, in reality, it is the strongest thing someone can do.
So, Victor decided to start his meet-up with the men of The Chi, and hearing them open up to each other like that was just beautiful.
I was skeptical that they might want to open up to each other like that, but sometimes, when you fill to the brim, stuff can’t help but spill out.
Victor opened up about the troubles associated with the job, which was a valid feeling and concern. Most people in positions of power get so caught up in the helping part that they sacrifice themselves. It can be an exhausting cycle of giving while you’re receiving nothing.
Shaad, whose story is always heartbreaking, expressed feeling emasculated because he relied on his girlfriend for many things.
One shouldn’t compare problems between people because everything everyone deals with is unique to them; the stress it gives is no less than that of the other person.
Emmett opened up about lacking a father to look up to, and while his feelings were valid, it felt like he clutched on that too hard. Sure, Darnell was wrong in abandoning his family, but it reaches a certain stage where someone had to take responsibility for their actions.
Emmett was at that stage.
Darnell delivered his signature wisdom-infused lines about masculinity; no one could have said it better.
See, that’s what society keeps telling us that we have to be. I mean, it’s no wonder y’all trying to be everything for everybody. You think that’s the only way to be a man.
Darnell
A light started to show at the end of the tunnel when Roselyn returned to Chicago bearing news. Before Douda killed him, Q was working for the FBI.
While killing Q might have fixed the problem temporarily, it opened him up to more problems because if he thought he was the FBI’s target before, now they had reason to hunt him down. He had killed an informant.
On the other hand, Q’s sister was also working to deliver justice to her brother’s killer, and Rob was not joking around while hunting for information.
In my The Chi Season 6 Episode 2 review, I mentioned that something peculiar happened with the new guy in Douda’s crew, and he will never beat the allegations.
He was just too obedient. Even guys like Bakari, who were about that life, were not enthusiastic to be involved in every aspect of Douda’s empire.
The picture finally became clear about what Douda wanted with everyone he tried to have under his heel, and unfortunately, it wasn’t something we didn’t know.
Most of Douda’s money is blood money. He does everything illegal and immoral, which gives him too much money, and too much of anything is trouble.
The thing about the devil is that he will always come to collect, and he came for Emmett.
The restaurant, clothes, car, and house came with strings attached, and those strings were that he would have to work for Douda.
Emmett’s other option is to say no and risk a bullet to the end on the extreme end, and in the best-case scenario, he will lose everything he currently has.
In his kindness, Douda might let him keep the clothes and shoes, but the restaurant, the house, and cars, Douda bankrolled with illegal money.
Douda had Emmett where he wanted him, and he knew it. Giving him that gun was a test that Emmett failed miserably. He became comfortable with the gun.
Next, the bag of money came, and he couldn’t argue. Who was willing to bet that the next thing would be a truckload of guns parked upfront?
By then, he’ll have committed too many crimes that Douda will blackmail him easily. Bleak times are ahead for our boy Emmett.
Many characters stood up to be counted when the moment called for it, which was glorious.
Shaad tried to make some money and contacted Bakari for a job. He came face to face with jail gates when Douda gave him guns to hold on to. No one ever wants that kind of heat on them. With how much illegal stuff Douda is involved in, the gun charges would be a federal issue.
Seeing him take a stand at that moment, especially after his struggles in The Chi Season 6 and throughout this episode, was a pride-filled moment.
Imma stay out of trouble. Y’all have a good evening.
Shaad
Did you clock the new guy’s enthusiasm in that scene?
Pastor Jackson also stood up. He literally stood on the dais, and in a parable, he warned the congregation about the lion coming after their children.
1st Peter asks us to look into our hearts and find courage. What do you do when a lion prowls your village looking to eat your young? Do you feed them from your table? No. What do you do when a lion prowls your village, dripping with the blood of your neighbors? Do you let him sleep in your bed? Do you follow him blindly? Do you long to be like him, hoping that one day you two can be the king of your own jungle? If we are not vigilant, that lion will destroy everything we love. If we are not upright shepherds of our flock, that beast will not stop until all of our young are ripped out. If we don’t cast that devil out of our city, he will devour us all. And I just pray that he doesn’t come for your house next.
Pastor Jackson
I’m not an expert on good sermons, but that was great.
Most of the congregants might not have gotten the message. Douda did, and he wasn’t happy.
Will they kill Pastor Jackson because he refused to preach their gospel? That’s bound to get the community furious.
Elsewhere, Fatima’s girlfriends made her confront the reality of her life. It was surreal.
She was living the fantasy many transgender women want and might never get.
She had a man who loved her out in the open (shout out to Jake for ending the transphobe) and was unafraid of anything.
Guy: This went from a trap house to a tranny house.
Fatima’s friend: Bitch you wanna get slapped?
Jake: What’s going on here?
Fatima: One of your little friends is being disrespectful.
Jake: This is not my friend. It’s a customer. And if you can’t respect my house with people in it, you can get the fuck out. Anyone else wanna talk? Cause y’all can leave too, don’t come in here with that bullshit.
Yet it all felt like it could go away in a moment, and the girls were not calming her fears well.
What was she thinking?
Papa and Kenya went official in real life, and Papa introduced Kenya to his friend group, but it didn’t go smoothly.
That friend group is unique and has strong personalities, so Kenya might not make it. Adding that she’s a pastor’s kid to the mix doesn’t help her case because of the secularity that dominates the group.
Tiff and Rob toured a proper growing facility and were amazed by what the guy showed them. Who knew weed needed that much attention? Wouldn’t it be nice to plant it in the middle of the forest like in the old days and let nature do its work?
Also, Maisha’s ambitions became complicated when the lines stopped coming. Was she a one-hit wonder, or does she have more to say?
She has more to say if she stops trying too much to look cool by rapping about superficial stuff like designer articles.
She has a short leash in a male-dominated industry where fans elevate mediocre men who write misogynistic songs and flex their wealth.
She has none of those privileges.
“ReUp” tackled a lot but took significant steps in progressing the storyline.
What did you think? Let us know in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.