Though DJay (Terrence Howard) has always had a way with words, that gift has long been misused; this philosopher-hustler lives a dead-end life at the fringes of society.

Anything more feels out of reach. Still, DJay wonders what happened to all the big dreams he had for his life.

A chance encounter with an old friend, Key (Anthony Anderson), a sound engineer who has always wanted to make it in the music business, spurs DJay: if he's ever going to make his mark, it has to happen now.

He begins to write down his freestyle raps – his flow – and the two team up with Shelby (D.J. Qualls), a church musician with a beat machine, to lay down bass-thumping crunk tracks.

DJay's metamorphosis affects his entire house, as the women in his life – Shug (Taraji P. Henson) and Nola (Taryn Manning) – find ways to contribute to the creative process.

With the impending visit to Memphis of hometown platinum-selling rapper Skinny Black (Ludacris), DJay has to make one last hustle if he's ever going to flow...