My Global Hustle » Archive » American Gangster

American Gangster

I just finished watching the film & it was pretty good… I was actually surprised 2 see a couple of scenes were filmed on my block (176th street). Denzel & Russell were great as usual! I love 2 see Denzel play the bad guy. I was actually surprised with Rza’s performance… not a big role, but it caught my attention (rapper turn actor). Ruby Dee did a great job as Mama Lucas.. I loved how she smacked the taste outta Frank’s mouth. Cuba wasn’t that great as Nicky Barnes 🙁 They should have got Puff he was entertaining in Carlito’s Way…lol.. Clifford Harris did a decent job.. 🙁 I hope he really doesn’t wanna be like Uncle Frank.

Bumpy Johnson is a man that everyone should do a google on. A lot of the Harlem OG’s shower this cat with praise & he was the precursor 2 Frank Lucas & Nicky Barnes. Bumpy has a couple poems that were published during the Harlem Renaissance. Clarence Williams III plays him in the film (he needs 2 stop being type casted).

This movie explores a lot of issues that are still prevalent 2 day in the black community & America as a whole (drugs, racism, poverty..)… One fact that U should be aware of is that 92% of heroin & opium still comes from Asia (Afghanistan, Laos, etc). So when u hear that the government is sending over billions of dollars over 2 Afghanistan/Iraq and the money disappears (12-13 billion 2 be exact).… just think about those military cargo planes. 🙂

Either way I’ll have 2 watch the film again, but its worth checking out. There are a lot of great quotable lines… “I’m a Renaissance Man“…lol! “Where’s the pride in ownership? Where’s the personal service?” U gotta watch the last few scenes real close… some gems were dropped.

A friend asked me if Frank was the victim or hero… My answer was he was neither, Frank Lucas just played his role in a continual cycle of greed, ambition, and desire for the “American Dream”! Oh another tidbit, Frank’s penthouse is the penthouse @ the NY Hilton Hotel on 54th Street… 😉 My Man! -!YG