Gangsta Gangsta
Right now, my favorite show on TV is American Gangster; BET's docu-series chronicalling notorious Black crime legends.
Or as BET puts it: "While exploring the lives of drug dealers, murderers and thieves, each "AMERICAN GANGSTER" episode will have a strong moral dimension. The Black victims of these criminals will be heard. Judgment will be passed, and amoral behavior censured."
The first episode featured Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
The highlight of this episode was the detailed history of the founding of the Crips.
The second episode was about "Freeway" Ricky Ross.
I was super hyped for this episode and it did not disappoint.
Ricky Ross IS crack cocaine! His entire empire was based on the CIA & Reagan's covert plan to move narcotics into the US to fund right-wing armies in Nicaragua.
I was super sad to find out that Gary Webb, the journalist who broke the story, got so much shit and couldn't get work that he killed himself.
The third and most recent episode's topic was Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols.
I didn't know much about this King of Queens NY before the program.
The most fascinating aspect of Nichols and associates' rise to power was how it ran parrallel to hip hop.
We got to see them partying with Melle Mel and Busy B. They rocked massive diamond bracelets and tossed money into crowds a full decade before hip hop stars did the same.
(I was juiced to finally learn about and see Pappy Mason- made famous to me for getting name dropped in "The World Is Yours" by Nas.)
Now within hip hop, you have a major beef centered around Nichols' associate, Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.
As ruthless as these 3 featured men were (/are), the pseudo-Robin Hood aspect they all seemed to possess is intriguing.
It is proof that often-times those who come from the same background as these men understand the complexities of their livlihoods as well as not necessarily embrace the laws dictated from outside of their communities.
_______________________________
I recently discovered a new blog that is extremely interesting.
Gorilla Convict Blog
Gorilla Convict is all about convicts, street legends, prison gangs, the mafia, life in the belly of the beast, and the drug game.
You can read a lot of interesting articles and interviews about
The Supreme Team/50Cent/Murder Inc beef
MS-13
Green Dragons
______________________________
Something a lot less gangster and probably a lot more important:
Check out Davy D's discussion with a barber in Lebanon about Black Americans.
Or as BET puts it: "While exploring the lives of drug dealers, murderers and thieves, each "AMERICAN GANGSTER" episode will have a strong moral dimension. The Black victims of these criminals will be heard. Judgment will be passed, and amoral behavior censured."
The first episode featured Stanley "Tookie" Williams.
The highlight of this episode was the detailed history of the founding of the Crips.
The second episode was about "Freeway" Ricky Ross.
I was super hyped for this episode and it did not disappoint.
Ricky Ross IS crack cocaine! His entire empire was based on the CIA & Reagan's covert plan to move narcotics into the US to fund right-wing armies in Nicaragua.
I was super sad to find out that Gary Webb, the journalist who broke the story, got so much shit and couldn't get work that he killed himself.
The third and most recent episode's topic was Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols.
I didn't know much about this King of Queens NY before the program.
The most fascinating aspect of Nichols and associates' rise to power was how it ran parrallel to hip hop.
We got to see them partying with Melle Mel and Busy B. They rocked massive diamond bracelets and tossed money into crowds a full decade before hip hop stars did the same.
(I was juiced to finally learn about and see Pappy Mason- made famous to me for getting name dropped in "The World Is Yours" by Nas.)
Now within hip hop, you have a major beef centered around Nichols' associate, Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff.
As ruthless as these 3 featured men were (/are), the pseudo-Robin Hood aspect they all seemed to possess is intriguing.
It is proof that often-times those who come from the same background as these men understand the complexities of their livlihoods as well as not necessarily embrace the laws dictated from outside of their communities.
_______________________________
I recently discovered a new blog that is extremely interesting.
Gorilla Convict Blog
Gorilla Convict is all about convicts, street legends, prison gangs, the mafia, life in the belly of the beast, and the drug game.
You can read a lot of interesting articles and interviews about
The Supreme Team/50Cent/Murder Inc beef
MS-13
Green Dragons
______________________________
Something a lot less gangster and probably a lot more important:
Check out Davy D's discussion with a barber in Lebanon about Black Americans.
posted by shane at 6:37 PM
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