“I spent as much time as I could in South Central,” he continued. “I know these kinds of neighborhoods as we do have them at home, so for me it's never scary. I only saw the beauty in it, really. I understand those neighborhoods have issues, which are part of a bigger question. But it’s a beautiful place and there is a real sense of community there, which I love, with such a unique vibe. It’s not enough to just get the accent; you have to be able to joke, laugh and understand the slang and language, along with the energy there. Luckily, 90% of the hair and makeup team are from South Central, so that helps.”
Also helpful with informing the character was spending time with the real life Paysinger. “I really wanted to understand the relationship with his mother and little brother as that's a big part of the show,” Ezra explained. “I wanted to know what family life was genuinely like, and the ins and outs of navigating Crenshaw and South Central Los Angeles during that time -- also how close he came to the darker elements of that world and how he maneuvered it.”