Based on the true story of Ruben Santiago Jr. and his relationship with his guardian Rachel Crosby, set in 1950's and 1960's Lackawanna, New York. After the separation of his parents, young Ruben "Junior" Santiago, a part-black, part-Hispanic child, is sent to live in a small-scale boarding house run by the kind-hearted Rachel "Nanny" Crosby and her younger husband Bill. Ruben then grows up witnessing the world of soul and blues music and grows to know the various characters that Nanny takes into her household to help out, from disturbed Ol'lem Taylor; one-armed handyman Mr. Lucious; hairdresser Bertha; war veteran Lonnie; ex-convict Mr. Paul; butch cleaner Ricky and many others.

Based on the autobiographical one-man show by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

Bertha:
Did you see all those negroes shouting "black power, black power"? Hair as nappy as can be!


Rachel "Nanny" Crosby:
The black panthers?


Bertha:
Yeah. I have all the "black power" they need right in my hot comb.

Anachronisms: During the club scenes during the 1950s, there are a number of 45 rpm singles hanging on the walls. One is a Columbia Records single with the 1970s design and logo.

Composed by Fleecie Moore
Performed by Mos Def
Produced by Bruce Robb & Evyen Klean
Recorded, Arranged, Engineered & Mixed by Bruce Robb at Cherokee Studios