Where someone grows up dramatically influences the kind of person they will turn out to be as an adult.
There’s something to be said about the culture, opportunities, language, traditions, and a plethora of other factors that influence a person.
You can easily tell where someone grew up by paying attention to their speech, mannerisms, accent, and thought process for a few minutes.
We will discuss everything that went down on The Chi Season 6 Episode 8, so if you’re not caught up, beware of spoilers.
The hour tried to tackle every storyline that has been in progress throughout the season, but most of them didn’t get resolutions, and we’ll talk about why that was later.
Kevin was really leaving y’all.
It feels like yesterday when we first met three preteen childhood friends, and in the blink of an eye, they were in relationships, running businesses, and becoming independent.
Emotions ran high during the hour because the episode was gunning for that, taking care to give Kevin all the attention. After all, we might not be seeing him as regularly, if ever.
The short cold-open saw Kevin on the train, taking in the beauty of the city he’d called home his entire life.
While there was excitement about what the future held for him, it was also rational that he would feel a sense of loss because he was losing something. He was losing his home, family, and friends.
They made a point of flashing back to when the boys were just little boys.
The footage from the early seasons of The Chi was a welcome addition to the narrative because it made us understand the weight of what Kevin was leaving behind. He was leaving his life as he knew it.
But that’s just life. Some people are lucky to live their lives as one cohesive story, but for many, they start over multiple times, and it can feel like they’d never known stability.
It is commonly said the only constant thing is change, and truer words have never been spoken.
Kevin packed his stuff, smoked a blunt with his best friends, who were brothers in a certain sense, and they talked about the future.
Many people grow up and outgrow their childhood friends, and while that may never be avoided, it is sad. I hope these boys never lose touch.
Papa considered attending the seminary to follow in his father’s footsteps, but that felt odd.
Papa: My dad always wanted me to follow him into the pulpit. I guess me giving his eulogy was the last nudge.
Jake: Just because he dead doesn’t mean you gotta live the rest of your life for him.
Jake was spot on in telling him not to live his life for his dead father. He could have said it more sensitively, but that’s the thing about Jake: he’s honest to a fault.
Papa was trying to appease his father’s ghost, which would keep him stagnant forever. He ended something good he had going on with Kenya because his dad had disapproved even without meeting Kenya a single time.
If anything, I expected Papa to move away from religion into formal leadership. Not everyone’s journey is a straight line, and if he decides to change paths later, so be it. If not, that’s all right, too.
Jake was growing his brand and seeking independence. That saw him take over Kevin’s lease, and that’s when his blunt honesty struck again.
Jake: I’m taking over Kevin’s lease.
Jemma: Congratulations, baby. This is amazing. I cannot believe that you got us our own spot. I mean, the timing couldn’t be more perfect because I am so ready to get out of my dad’s house. I mean, if I have to hear, my dad fucking Tierra one more time. I’m gonna scream.
But this time, he approached it better than most times, and his reasons for not wanting to live with Jemma were sound.
They had just graduated high school and had a lot to live. Getting tied down that young is dangerous for young relationships.
Jake: This isn’t a place for us. This is a place for me.
Jemma: What?
Jake: Yeah, I’ve been saving up and I want to get a bachelor pad.
Jemma: But you’re not a bachelor.
Jake: But I’m also not married.
Jemma: How does it look for me to be living with my dad and my man has his own place?
Jake: We way too young to be living together.
They needed time apart to explore who they were without each other. Living together that young would have robbed them of individual agency.
Finally, Jake’s blunt honesty hit a third time when Britney came up.
I don’t know if I’m biased, but I’m digging everything about Britney. She is talented as hell. Not only can she rap, but she is also a great singer.
Britney: I’m just trying to understand why you sacrificing so much for him, but he’s not doing the same.
Jemma: What am I sacrificing? The freedom to explore connections with other people.
Like Jake, she was frank. Either that, or she was an excellent player because everything she said to Jemma hit home.
I would like to believe she was honest, but someone her age who can Venmo ten grand to some girl she just met is a red flag. If everyone was concerned about where Jemma got the money, I ask: where did Britney get the money?
When one person wins, we all win in some way. Nothing is motivating like seeing a man with nothing pull themselves up by their bootstraps and make something better for themselves.
Shaad was on that journey, but the rain started beating him.
It began with the decision to hold Douda’s guns and the constant ogling at Tierra. Some people never know when they have a good thing going, and no amount of moral support anyone can offer them is enough.
Sometimes, it is good to let life do its thing and teach a guy a lesson. Shaad needed a lesson.
Deja had given him so much grace even when her family was against them being together, only for her to be left with egg on her face. Will she ever live down the dressing down she will receive from her bougie parents?
The hour didn’t pass without some Douda shenanigans as Rob and Emmett took it upon themselves to do what everyone was afraid of doing.
However, you had to laugh. Victor’s assessment was correct. These guys had zero gangster in them. They were in a bind and did what Emmett does best. He acts and thinks later.
Victor: Both y’all crazy as hell, bro. Y’all can’t kill Douda.
Emmett: That’s why we’re here.
Rob: Look, I don’t need your help.
Victor: Nigga, just because you tall doesn’t mean you a gangster. Bro, y’all not about this life. Rob, I know you grew up in some big ass house with your mommy and daddy and Emmett, your Mama made sure you ain’t want for nothing. Y’all not street niggas so stop acting like it.
When you take a shot at someone like Douda, you better not miss. And miss they did.
The ordeal saw Tiff and Alicia meet eye to eye on Rob’s bed, and they played the blame game. If we were to be honest, the blame lay on many people, and both of them had a part to play in Rob’s misfortune.
Intrusive Thoughts
- I finally learned the new guy in Douda’s crew’s name. He’s Zay, and he’s no FBI agent. He’s a trigger-happy idiot with no loyalty to boot.
- After that explosive therapy session on The Chi Season 6 Episode 7, Keisha began to look at Nina in a new light. Why was she trying to ice Nina out of her and Kevin’s life? She will never replace Kevins’s mother.
- There was much of the past in this episode as Bakari dreamt about Coogie, whom we hadn’t seen in a long time.
Most of the storylines were unresolved because the show was going on a break.
If you didn’t know already, The Chi Season 6 was expanded to sixteen episodes, and we’re already halfway there.
They left us with much to think about as we waited for the second half.
Now would be the time for you to chime in.
Do you think Kevin and Maisha will be able to do long distance? Maisha might blow up while Kevin becomes filthy rich and drifts apart.
Were you in Deja’s shoes, what would you have done?
Was she right in kicking Shaad out?
Should Victor have let everything alone and concentrated on his life?
Chime in 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.