Speaker Boy is the introspective story of Jamal, an 11-year old boy who lives in South Los Angeles. His father, a gambling addict prone to violence, has mounting debts with a local gang. While Jamal only wants to have a normal childhood - playing video games and skateboarding with his friends - his father has other plans for him. He routinely takes Jamal to various tourists posts around the city and forces him to sing and perform - collecting tips from tourists to pay off his own debts. With a strong desire to escape this lifestyle and to live a normal childhood, Jamal decides to grow up and take control of his own life.