When the kids ask some tough questions in the midst of a highly publicized court case involving alleged police brutality and an African-American teenager, Dre and Bow are conflicted on how best to field them. Dre, along with Pops and Ruby, feel the kids need to know what kind of world they’re living in, while Bow would like to give them a more hopeful view about life. When the verdict is announced, the family handles the news in different ways while watching the community react.
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) — Marvin Gaye
Opening monologue and montage; (Flashback) Dre watches the news coverage of the 1980 Miami race riots; (Present) The Johnson's watch the riots on news.
Tonight, I Celebrate My Love — Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson
(Flashback) Dre asks Mamas who Peabo Bryson is; she heads him a cassette player playing Peabo Bryson.
If You're Out There — John Legend
The Johnson's decide to head down the protest and join; End monologue and montage.
Redemption Song — Bob Marley
Dre's voiceover, black and white newspaper headlines, and the Kennedys at JFK's funeral.