Patricia Dombrowski, aka "Killa P" and "Patti Cake$", dreams of escaping dirty New Jersey on the coattails of her rhymes. Stuck working at a hole-in-the-wall bar, trapped under the weight of her beloved grandmother's medical bills and her alcoholic mother's struggles, Patti finds solace and purpose in her music. Unable to find a typical producer, Patti and her best friend join forces with a goth-metal musician in the hopes of achieving hip-hop stardom.