Drug Mythos - Kingpin figures of yesterday

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

Bumpy Johnson comes to mind. 'Godfather of Harlem' is worth watching of course Hoodlum -- Famous black gangster who controlled Harlem -- went to war with and defeated dutch Shultz. Was in with Luciano.

So the common mythos (and perhaps true I don't live in Harlem) is that Frank Lucas was his Successor but I recently heard it was more a fellow named **Frank Matthews**


who made many of millions and than vanished (Into the sunset or grave). Btw this is so long ago guy is dead by now even if he lived through that ---

So what is the question --- someone who knows more should add some context. Also feel free to mention a kingpin of mythos status and leave a story. (Obviously noone still active or nothing anyone hasn't been charged for already)

Just think it would be an interesting thread if ppl get into it -- if not.... well whatever not the first time

 

[tryptakid]

Little Melvin was a Baltimore drug dealer and kingpin who ran Heroin and Cocaine in the 60s but was sentenced to prison in 1985. He later became a community activist working against the drug trade and appears in 'The Wire' as The Deacon, helping a recently released gangster build a youth outreach program and boxing gym to keep kids off of the street. Really cool story:

Melvin Douglas "Little Melvin" Williams (December 14, 1941 – December 3, 2015) was an African-American actor, author, entrepreneur, public speaker, educator, community activist, gambler and reformed drug trafficker. Considered a drug kingpin in the 1960s, Williams was known for trafficking heroin in Baltimore before he was sentenced to prison in 1985. After his release he began working as a community activist to help reform the lives of underprivileged minorities and youth. He later appeared as “The Deacon” in the HBO series The Wire and served as an inspiration for the show.

There are a few characters in The Wire whose bona fidas from the street are part of why they were cast in the show. Snoop is another actor who plays a character that unfortunately wasn't too far from her true self, and was later arrested and went to prison for street activities in the years since the show ended: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felicia_Pearson

There were also some interesting characters in the Detroit drug game that I've read about but would need to go digging around to share anything interesting regarding.

Cool idea for a thread @notsmokeymcpot42088

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

Awesome! That gives me some reading and probably a documentary or two to watch. (Not familiar with him yet)

Thank you -- I thought it would be interesting to take a look at these folk as personally I find gangsters infinitely fascinating and there are so many regional mythos figures we probably all know of some different oldsshool kingpins and even ppl like Escobar we could sort through some myths and truth. Hopefully it takes off -- Thank you for the contribution that will give me a couple of hours at least.

From what I saw on the documentary this Alan Walker fellow put out Alot more dope than Frank Lucas or Nicky Barnes -- but They caught frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes and flipped both of em so it makes for a better 'the good guy always wins' movie.

I also just learned that Diddy's father was an affiliate of Frank Lucas and honest my first thought was "That is how Carlitos way 2 happened" lol --- "Carlito's Way" the original... That is a horror movie watch it again when your paranoid!

**edit why does BL capitalize Alot and they automatically, ope didn't do they this time**

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

Pretty Boy Floyd -- Perhaps my personal favorite criminal legend

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

I got one I bet I have read as much as anybody on --- THOUGHTS ON JAMES WHITEY BULGER? Questions that fall into something that has been recorded? Myths to bust here both positive and negative. I could link a documentary but I have seen all of them from all of the points of view (Unless you think you got one I haven't seen that isn't made of the same exact clips and info-- love to learn more)

Three cornerstones before committing your first crime; "The Prince" Machiavelli, "The Art of War" Tsun Szu (sp lol) , and Chess

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

Dudes who inspired "new jack city" mainly the Chambers brothers

 

[rentedbythehour]

Since you mentioned The Wire (one of my all time favorite shows) it made me think about the other side of the law and how corrupt they can be. I'm talking about the Gun Trace Task Force out of Baltimore. I believe the same people who did the wire made another show for HBO about it. It's called 'we own this city'. It's based on factual events. These guys were kingpins with badges. It's an interesting story. There's also a non-fiction book with the same name.

Books - Random House Books

www.randomhousebooks.com

 

[rentedbythehour]

There were also some interesting characters in the Detroit drug game that I've read about

Would this happen to be BMF (Black Mafia Family)?

 

[jasperkent]

Not wanting to be left out, we had (probably still have) our own semi-organized crime syndicates down here in my neck of the woods....

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

Would this happen to be BMF (Black Mafia Family)?

Good show and absolutely happened. I left them out as it is still fairly recent and I would hate to present any 'extra' information. (not that I PERSONALLY have any) They wouldn't deal with whiteboys and I was not that important at all -- can almost promise never crossed paths cuz the folk I were with came back with crappy coke EVERY DAMN TIME. ld

Also the New Jack city characters based on the Chambers brothers n company.

If memory serves the character study for the co2 killer in "No Country for Old Men" was a Detroit dude (not exactly the same)

we could run it back to the purple gang. Fuck last time I had Detroit interaction (Non drug related believe me or don't) I was with a couple, the dude belonging to some blood set (fuck if I'm asking lol) but neither of them even had heard of the purple gang kinda freaked both me and my mother out (see not drug related). lol

Not a drug guy but Pretty Boy Floyd is my pick of the litter. Meyer Lanski IF AND ONLY IF he was not involved in Bugsy's murder. (and I don't think that was mob I think it was a marine that didn't like a mobster beating on his sister).

***Postscript**** Bluelight you guys have the worst autocorrect; perhaps given the amount of slang used in 'this world'/context w/e that no autocorrect would be better?
Than again I'm of the opinion that if it is on the internet as long as I can understand what you mean or think you can understand what I mean I'm shooting it out uncorrected

 

[tryptakid]

Would this happen to be BMF (Black Mafia Family)?

So I've spent time reading from the wikipedia articles and some secondary resources from there about:

Young Boys Inc., Pony Down, Best Friends, Black Mafia Family and the Chambers Brothers.

I got interested for a couple of reasons - I've spent more time in Detroit than in any other US city (aside from Boston where I'm from) and have spent a bit learning about its history, architecture, and culture - especially music culture as it's where techno comes from and has played a big part in American house music as well. I also enjoy learning about the history of the drug trade as well in Detroit as well as throughout the US.

 

[notsmokeymcpot42088]

^Boston -- damn as an Irish American without money that's about as close as I'm getting to Ireland. Little jealous to be honest! (I can't afford Boston either who am I playing with) a visit I could swing though!

Detroit - formerly "the Paris of North America" -- Yea the architecture - the history and culture..... It is the closest city I will rep. I had an off switch on this half of MI, well you wouldn't want me to have that...

 

[rentedbythehour]

This one is a little off topic. Just adding to a few things you guys have said. I live in NH about an hour north of Boston, which is why I suggested Vermont or Maine for relocation. I love New England and those two states are a bit more affordable.

When I think Detroit, techno is the last type of music I think of. I think Motown. The classics. I was originally born and raised in FL, near Tampa. The techno music that came from that area was influenced heavily by Miami bass and freestyle. I wonder if you living there is why you got interested in a particular style of music. I'm sure California/New York have a different history of techno as well.

I'm gonna go with a female gangster that I'm just learning about, so forgive anything I get wrong. Stephanie St. Clair, aka Queenie. She moved to Harlem in the early 1900s. this part doesn't line up for me but it says she's became a leader of the 40 Thieves (thought that was an older gang) She started and ran a policy bank in Harlem. Eventually Dutch Schultz wanted to get in on the action and she refused. Bumpy Johnson was her lieutenant and enforcer. They went to war with Dutch, taking over his businesses. They were sold to Lucky. She eventually turned her business over to Lucky. Interestingly, I read something that the two of them Stephanie and Bumpy actually lived together in the 60s when they both passed. She is said to remain, to this day the only black woman to run an organization of that size.

Stephanie St. Clair - The Mob Museum

View information on Stephanie St. Clair, one of the prominent figures featured in exhibits at the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement.

themobmuseum.org

 

[rentedbythehour]

Not wanting to be left out, we had (probably still have) our own semi-organized crime syndicates down here in my neck of the woods....

Watch the first 2 minutes or so....

Top 10 Mafias That Are Still Active | Videos on WatchMojo.com

These criminal groups may have diminished in power, but they refuse to go away. For this list, we'll be looking at the most powerful mafias and mafia-type organizations that are still operative today.

www.watchmojo.com

 

[rentedbythehour]

I got one I bet I have read as much as anybody on --- THOUGHTS ON JAMES WHITEY BULGER? Questions that fall into something that has been recorded? Myths to bust here both positive and negative. I could link a documentary but I have seen all of them from all of the points of view (Unless you think you got one I haven't seen that isn't made of the same exact clips and info-- love to learn more)

Three cornerstones before committing your first crime; "The Prince" Machiavelli, "The Art of War" Tsun Szu (sp lol) , and Chess

I moved to New England in 99, before he went on the run. I had never heard of him before. I only know what was on the news. Several years later, when I started working in healthcare, I had this one little old lady who would come in and talk about whitey. She was a spitfire. She would tell these stories and when she would mention him she would whisper his name. She was a little demented so who knows if the stories were true or not. She was definitely one of the most memorable people I came across back then.

 

[rentedbythehour]

Here's one I never heard of before. I was born and raised on the west coast of Florida. I thought I'd so a little research and see who the big gangsters were from that area. I came up with this. The Cracker Mob

THE CRACKER MOB IN FLORIDA

For over 40 years, even when he was in prison, Blackburn was the boss of a loosely knit crew of gamblers, moonshiners, drug dealers, and thieves called the cracker mob. They operated across Central Florida from Polk County across to Volusia, from Okeechob

www.cigarcitymagazine.com