"Streetieness"
Shaq is Willamel, a soul-singing trubador whose street-smarts and back-sass always get him into trouble and keep him from landing that Big Deal that will propel him to the top.
But when A&R rep Eliza, played by Mary Lynn Raj, is so moved by his heartfelt singing that she is brought to tears (driven home by a five minute split shot of tears running down her face while Shaq sings in the background, with NO cutting away), she decides she must polish this diamond in the rough. Can she keep him grounded enough to make his way in the cutthroat music industry, while holding onto the "Streetieness" that makes him genuine?
And how will she deal with a shadowy character from Willamel's past... Clendle, the NyQuil-addled street-tough, played with intensity by Christian Bale.
