Sal is a young Latino rapper. He raps - when he's allowed - at school and he raps in clubs downtown. But he's not the only rapper at his school. His African-American rival is Alonzo: Shelly's strong, aggressive, and jealous boyfriend. The problems really get started when Shelly shows interest in Sal's rapping talent. We see how Sal and Alonzo fight it out in "rap battles". As they play with  words and rap about the issues they are facing, Sal and Alonzo are not just fighting for their musical reputations - but for Shelly's attention.