"A Hit Is a Hit" is the 10th episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. Written by Joe Bosso and Frank Renzulli, and directed by Matthew Penn, it originally aired on March 14, 1999.

Starring

• = credit only

Guest starring

Also guest starring

• Oksana Lada as Irina Peltsin • Bryan Hicks as Orange J • Nick Fowler as Richie Santini • Gregg Wattenberg as Vito • Chris Gibson as Bass Player • Ned Stroh as Drummer • Bray Poor as Squid • Robert LuPone as Dr. Bruce Cusamano • Jim Demarse as Jack Krim • James Weston as Randy Wagner • Phil Coccioletti as Eric • Terumi Matthews as Rita • Dan Morse as Mullethead • Alexandra Neil as Wendy Krim • Ken Prymus as Manager • Saundra Santiago as Jean Cusamano • Jessy Terrero as Gallegos • Elizabeth Ann Townsend as Barb Wagner • Cedric Turner as Police Officer

Synopsis

Paulie, Christopher and Pussy rob and kill a Colombian drug dealer. They gain a huge amount of cash; as Tony says, a once-in-a-lifetime score. Christopher and Adriana meet Massive Genius, a wealthy gangster rapper, and Christopher arranges a sit-down for him with Hesh Rabkin. Massive says he is acting on behalf of the mother of a deceased black singer whose royalties Hesh stole, and now claims $400,000. Hesh refuses, and threatens a counterclaim: there is an unauthorized sampling by Massive's record label of a song, the copyright of which is owned by Hesh's label. Massive says he will see Hesh in court. When the conversation is over, Tony and his crew jeer at a self-proclaimed gangster who works within the legal system. Adriana proposes that she should pursue a career as a music producer and that Massive can help. Christopher, flush with money, agrees to finance a demo for the band Visiting Day, whose singer, Richie Santini, is Adriana's ex-boyfriend. The demo recording progresses slowly and Christopher smashes Richie's guitar over his back in frustration. Christopher is told by Hesh that the band is not good and realizes that Massive is helping them only because of his sexual interest in Adriana. When he tells her this, Adriana accuses him of trying to hold her back and storms out. Carmela wonders whether she and her children will be alright if anything happens to Tony, but he reassures her. A friend introduces her to the stock market and gives her a tip; she buys and profits. Tony, keen to mix with meddigans (white Americans not of Italian descent or Italian-Americans that don't act "Italian") accepts an invitation from his neighbor and family physician, Dr. Bruce Cusamano, to play a round of golf at a country club along with his friends. They pester Tony with questions about organized crime. As he later tells Dr. Melfi, he feels he is being "used for somebody else's amusement, like a dancing bear." In revenge, Tony persuades Dr. Cusamano to keep a package (of sand) safely for him, pretending it contains something sinister.

First appearances

Deceased

Title reference

Other cultural references

Music

Filming locations

Listed in order of first appearance: