Frank Lucas,Snitch or Martyr?

[Phyllis Hyman Cherry]

Aiight so i finally saw American Gangster,the movie.Its was aiight i wouldnt say it was great.Honestly i enjoyed the story of alpo and them that killa Cam was in.Its seems as though Frank Lucas is being pushed to be some time of martyr when dudes are still calling him a snitch.I was in the hood the other day up on 145 and edgecombe by my people's crib and a heated discussion ensued about Lucas being a snitch dudes are pretty much saying he's a snitch bitch.I argued that the police tried to take everything away from him and fucked with his home so he got the ultimate revenge.The response was he still is a snitch.

I went on to ask if someone killed your mother and you knew who it was would you tell?The response was no.i would kill the person myself and serve the time he was supposed to get.I cant have respect for frank lucas he violated a rule that has been known to the streets since the beginning of the drug game in harlem.Also this man devestated lives,and i believe had an indirect part in alot of Aids deaths in ny by what he started.What he had a hand in we are still suffering the effects of to this day.

Why tell his story?Why celebrate what he did?A hero aint nothing but a sandwich!

[Fletch]

Is it true that one of the reasons a lot of folks snitch is that they get double-crossed by their boys, so they rat on them (see Sammy the Bull and John Gotti). I know I'm off topic, but....

[Terry James]

Drug dealer, murderer and snitch, nothing more.

[Kristel 75]

I agree Phyllis. With all that he's done, why hold him up as some kind of hero? It just rubs me the wrong way. Also, I hear the movie is, of course, filled with inaccuracies.

[Phyllis Hyman Cherry]

Yeah kristel i heard it was also,of course it was told only from Franks perspective and Richie robers perspective.I heard that the murderer he was,is greatly understated.Also it basically painted Nicky Barnes as a punk,many are saying that interaction they had in the club scene never happened.

[Jay Rags]

He is Al Copone, John Gotti, "Tony Montana" and nothing more. Oh, and a Black man.

[Mike Barnes]

Frank Lucas is most definitely no Martyr(WORD/LOL), Phyllis I would like to know, What rules of the streets were created, That stated a cat was weak,wet sex/Snitch(Whatever you want to call a cat who screams on another/LOL), Because, too me, The Definition of the rules of the streets is to survive(Legally of Illegally/LOL), Phyllis, Ask those same cats from uptown

(If you run into them/LOL), To honestly build with you, In regards to having a life without the possibility of parole push upnorth, Staring a cat/cats in their fronts(No matter who you scream on/LOL), Or the opportunity to come home(Alot of cats, Who pop that nonsense about snitching, Never been upnorth before/WORD/LOL), If a cat's been upnorth,

Attica,Greenhaven,Sing,Sing,Atlanta Federal Prision,Federal Penetentary in Marion Indiana,LewisBurg Federal Penetentary,Pelican Bay in California,San Quentin,Raway State Prision,Etc), If a cat/cats been upnorth before, Cats will most definitely know that screaming on cats is the thing that gets a cat

To come home before a cats to old to enjoy the rest of his life(WORD/LOL), Phyllis, The mafia was built with that, Thou shall not scream on another(This thing of ours/LOL), Nonsense, Back in the 1920's, But, A cat staring a life push without the possiblity of parole, Will pull a cats skirt up mad hard in regards to screaming on cats(WORD/LOL), Shit, Cats come hard at Joe

Valachi for screaming on cats(Mostly Vito Genovese/LOL), But, If cats were getting life sentences in the 1920's/1930's, Mad outfit cats(Mafia cats), Would have been screaming like the supremes on cats to the ninth power/LOL, Mafia Cats facing mad time upnorth(Were getting deported to Italy), Because, The laws were not sophisticated enough to establish sending a cat upnorth For life, Without the possibility of parole in the 1920's/30's

(Instead, The G sent a mafia cat to Italy for the rest of his life Like The G did to Lucky Luciano in the early 1940's), Phyllis, I'm not souping up Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Alpo,Fatcat,Joe Valachi,Sammy Gravano,Etc, But, I do know the difference between, Being loyal and frontin, Like being loyal(Like alot of cats today do in regards to that stop snitching nonsense, And, From what i've seen in my XXXX years, Going back to the early 1960's in New York, Being Loyal, Was never apart of the streets(WORD/LOL).
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Mike Barnes]

Frank Lucas is most definitely no Martyr(WORD/LOL), Phyllis I would like to know, What rules of the streets were created, That stated a cat was weak,wet sex/Snitch(Whatever you want to call a cat who screams on another/LOL), Because, too me, The Definition of the rules of the streets is to survive(Legally of Illegally/LOL), Phyllis, Ask those same cats from uptown

(If you run into them/LOL), To honestly build with you, In regards to having a life without the possibility of parole push upnorth, Staring a cat/cats in their fronts(No matter who you scream on/LOL), Or the opportunity to come home(Alot of cats, Who pop that nonsense about snitching, Never been upnorth before/WORD/LOL), If a cat's been upnorth,

Attica,Greenhaven,Sing,Sing,Atlanta Federal Prision,Federal Penetentary in Marion Indiana,LewisBurg Federal Penetentary,Pelican Bay in California,San Quentin,Raway State Prision,Etc), If a cat/cats been upnorth before, Cats will most definitely know that screaming on cats is the thing that gets a cat

To come home before a cats to old to enjoy the rest of his life(WORD/LOL), Phyllis, The mafia was built with that, Thou shall not scream on another(This thing of ours/LOL), Nonsense, Back in the 1920's, But, A cat staring a life push without the possiblity of parole, Will pull a cats skirt up mad hard in regards to screaming on cats(WORD/LOL), Shit, Cats come hard at Joe

Valachi for screaming on cats(Mostly Vito Genovese/LOL), But, If cats were getting life sentences in the 1920's/1930's, Mad outfit cats(Mafia cats), Would have been screaming like the supremes on cats to the ninth power/LOL, Mafia Cats facing mad time upnorth(Were getting deported to Italy), Because, The laws were not sophisticated enough to establish sending a cat upnorth For life, Without the possibility of parole in the 1920's/30's

(Instead, The G sent a mafia cat to Italy for the rest of his life Like The G did to Lucky Luciano in the early 1940's), Phyllis, I'm not souping up Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Alpo,Fatcat,Joe Valachi,Sammy Gravano,Etc, But, I do know the difference between, Being loyal and frontin, Like being loyal(Like alot of cats today do in regards to that stop snitching nonsense, And, From what i've seen in my XXXX years, Going back to the early 1960's in New York, Being Loyal, Was never the difinition of streets(WORD/LOL).
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[robdoe]

The real question is do we still hold him up on a pedalstoll(sp?) for the noise he made on the streets and all the money he made over the years regardless of the fact that he eventually cooperating with the law? Me, personally I can respect how thorough he was in running his empire. That takes heart, discipline and incredible street smarts that an average dude lacks in order to carry out such a task. And that's the main thing that the masses focus on. But at the end of the day I can't respect the fact that what he did had a catistrophic effect in the black community that's evident to this day. And to add insult to injury after all the deaths and broken homes that guys like Frank Lucas caused they turn Govt witness which completely contradicts everything they represented in order to prevent spending the rest of their natural lives in prison. In other words he made his bed, but then he couldn't lye in it. So he definately shouldn't be look at as a Martyr. Don't get me wrong. He did do 40 years plus 6 more in the 80's and that $h!t ain't easy. But the point is he talked in order to receive a reduced sentence which was always considered a no no in the streets. The way I see it, that was the life he chose and he wasn't willing to face the consequences without bringing others down with him. And these days that's what the underworld has come to. From Cosa Nostra to the urban drug kingpin, most(if not all) these guys eventually cooperates with the law... I think it's a combination of stiffer penalties(mainly Rockafeller drug laws) along with the fact that dudes nowadays just aren't built like the so-called old Gs where they lack the dicscipline that the older generation possessed. It's gotten to the point where the whole standard of being that so-called "stand up guy" has dropped significantly... That's why I wish dudes would stop frontn with this "Stop Snitching" promo, rockn the tees and all. That's some young nigga $h!t and it's terribly misguided. Alot of these young cats really don't know what that really means in terms of when it's right or wrong to talk. I feel based on the nature of the crime(in terms of how grimmy and hideous the deed is) sometimes justice has to be served no matter what. For instance, do yall feel Busta Rhymes did the right thing by not cooperating with po po when his bodyguard and personal friend was shot and killed on his video shoot? That's somthing to think about.

And what's really crazy is it's these same dudes that claim they "super thug" and want to be all on that high street standard $h!t, pushing that "Stop Snitching " campaign that'll sing like R. Kelly in order to prevent doing 6 months in Rikers let alone facing madd joints in the pen. That's where the streets are hypocritical and overrated in my opinion. I like watching movies and documentaries like American Gangster along with Cosa Nostra flix cause a side of me has always been fascinated in the illustration of the underworld. I'll admit that... But at the end of the day, when you look beyond the fame and riches, these dudes are nothing more than Killers, thiefs, and drug dealers and I would'nt want to be in their shoes when they meet their maker....

Peace!!!

[Phyllis Hyman Cherry]

Well there is a stigma attached to snitching so no i don't blame Busta Rhymes.Snitching=rap career suicide.I wouldn't snitch but i would go out of my way to get even.If he knows who is responsible then business should be handled!

[Viva Freddy Fender]

Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes sure have been getting a lot of media coverage lately.

I just saw the documentary MR. UNTOUCHABLE which was actually pretty decent. Nicky Barnes, in the witness protection program, is really more of a rat, snitch than Frank Lucas.

When Barnes was asked about Lucas, he dissed his ass; making fun of the way he spoke, etc.

[P-Flipp]

I think the decrying of snitching is so full of shit!It's all just bravado and it's usually by those who are not really ohnest with themselves.Of course anyone not in jail can chastise "snitch bitches" from the comfort of their living room or bar stool but in the end when all is said and done and everybody has abandoned you,I think a whole lot of Mofo would R Kelly (As RobDoe puts it) their way out of being a prison yard fuck puppet .Lucas ain't a snitch he is just a smart man who knew when to cash in his chips.Let the flaming begin!

[Mike Barnes]

RobDoe, I feel Frank Lucas should not be looked upon as being held up on a pedestal my man, But, I do respect Frank Lucas in regards to Frank Lucas putting that head to bed though(WORD/LOL), RobDoe, Alot of cats pop that about Frank Lucas, Who were too young(Or not born at all/LOL), Too know What type of cat that Frank Lucas was my man(WORD/LOL), Robdoe, When i hear cats build about Frank Lucas not being as buckwild in regards to putting that head to bed, Then, I most definitely know that cats are too young(Or not born at all/LOL), To truely know, The kind of cat that Frank Lucas was my man

(WORD/LOL), Robdoe, Cats today live off of rumors mad hard, But, I can most definitely build about Frank Lucas being one of the most violent Cats in New York during the 60's/70's, Mad hard(Word/LOL), RobDoe, Nobody in New York(Or anywhere else/LOL), Brought it,Tried it, OR, Wanted to PAP,PAP,PAP, It, With, Frank Lucas in the 70's my man(WORD/LOL), Cats who were truely livin the life and running the streets in the 70's in New York, Know that Nicky Barnes was the Flamboyant,Notable, Cat, While Frank Lucas was the mad on the low,But, Buckwild/Put that head to Bed if tested type cat, While, PeeWee Kirkland was mad

Flamboyant,Creative,Superstar of the streets type cat, Who Loved mad attention(Like Nicky Barnes and Frank Matthews and Rufus(Brooklyn Heavy)Board, From Brooklyn, During the late 60's to mid 70's, Robdoe, For all of those cats that call cats Snitchs,Rats,Etc, How many cats would be down with doing a push upnorth with a life sentence staring you in your fronts, Without the possibility of parole(Yeah, I wonder how many cats will respond to that shit/LOL), Phyllis, I'm very sure Nicky Barnes and Frank Lucas(Who Nicky Barnes used to get weight from, Whenever Nicky Barnes was short with weight/LOL), Both interacted on more than a few occssions uptown/Harlem during the early/mid 70's(WORD), Phyllis, The spot

Uptown during the early to mid 70's, Was Smalls Paradise(Which was located on 135th and 7thave), Dj Hollywood used to rock Throwdowns at Smalls Paradise during early/mid 70's mad hard(Wilt Chamberlain used to own Smalls Paradise in the early 70's), Smalls Paradise was combination of The Paradise Garage,The Hotel Diplomat,Bentley's, All rolled into one/LOL, Smalls Paradise is the spot were the superstar cats rested, Like Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Blackie(Who was down with Nicky Barnes), Walt Frazier,Willis Reed,Dick Barnett,Sidney Poitier,Gordon Parks/Rip,Ossie Davis/Rip,Miles Davis/Rip,Fred Williamson,Ron

O'Neal/Rip,Eartha Kitt,Beverly Johnson,James Brown,Spencer Haywood,Etc, Along with the superstar Drug Kingpins like Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Pee Wee Kirkland,Rufus(Brooklyn Heavy)Board,Frank Matthews,Etc, And, Stickup kids too/LOL, Phyllis, If a cat was large in New York(Be it Legal or illegal/LOL), Cats were hanging at Smalls Paradise mad hard during the mid 60's to mid 70's, Phyllis, The main DT who was running the NYPD task force in the early 70's to early 80's, Was a cat by the name of Bob Leuci(Who was one of the

Most illegal cats that was ever down with NYPD), Richie Roberts was one of the cat down with the unit(But, Not the main cat though), Bob Leuci was the main cat who was down with Frank Lucas,Frank Matthews,Rufus(Brooklyn Heavy)Board,Etc, In regards to movin weight for all of those cats, And, Supplying protection too during the 70's, Phyllis, The mad corruption that NYPD was down with going back to the early 40's, Will always be missing from anything that is portrayed in a movie or books/LOL, But, For those who was on the streets of New York during the 70's, In regards to knowing what was truely happening, and, Who was making it happen, Well, Cats over 47 years of age most definitely know the time/LOL.
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[jcapeverde]

Another thing in regards to snitching. Such a big stink was made over Joe Valachi's testimony, was because the old time gangsters would take care of a low level hoods family while they were incarcerated. It was a way to move up the ranks. Do a job for a big shot, keep quiet, do your bid & you'd move up. A classic case was the recently deceased Vincent "The Chin" Gigante. He was one of the guns in the famous Albert Anastasia hit. He eventually rose to head of the family. One of the reasons John Gotti wiped out Castelleno, was because he rose only because of his family blood ties to Carlo Gambino. Gotti went to reform school, jail & prison. Going back even further to the 50's, the raid at the Apalachin, NY sitdown between the 5 families was when law enforcements eyes were opened to the cooperation between the families. They didn't really know, because no one snitched! Joe Valachi opened a whole can of worms and made it easier for others to follow his footsteps. Now in regards to 116th St. and the way things operated, I can personally attest to that. When we made runs there, the cops looked on and watched in full view, as anywhere from a dozen or more people waited to cop. They just wouldn't let you stay in one spot. You had to "keep it movin'" as they told us. If you didn't know any better, you'd think a parade was about to come down the block, there'd be so many out sometimes. In those days you'd get $50 "quarters" or a "rip down" where they'd split it for you. We would cop brands such as "Light N Lively", "Lights Out", "Yellow Tape" or "Red Tape". Nicky Barnes "Raid" was very popular & mofos would be runnin all over trying to find it. You'd see license plates from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and even New Hampshire parked around the area. Runners would make a killing buying for White folks from out of state, who were easy marks for stickups. A White guy I went to high school with got killed uptown while copping. A lot of misery was the price paid for Heroin use. I lost almost all my boys directly from it by overdose or AIDS. I lost 3 cousins who OD'd and died too. The overwhelming majority of funerals I've attended the last 20 or so years were for people who died before their time. I never went to an old folks funeral where the casket was closed. Have any of you? :jpshakehead:

[Hk]

....havent seen the movie and wouldnt dare spend a burr on it....

Why do many go to hollywood seeking something extraordinary....(off post sure...but ahhh). Here's a movie about a Gangsta, something most boys claim, being held up as a must see......When last I checked we had enough of black on black crime...and this might add fuel to the already exisisting powdered-keg.

We're sick as a people.

[Phyllis Hyman Cherry]

And the story has been told 3 million times already from New Jack city to paid in full etc.Some retarded correspondent from Access Hollywood said the film "inspired him".If that's the case we need more hero's cause the film made me depressed.Pursuit of happyness now that was inspirational.

[jcapeverde]

Here's an article lending truth to Frank Lucas claims about police corruption regarding heroin arrests at that time.

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/YO8sR1nWLL17lzX1IQhiFjsmpVQzs17tozpRQxgbzeVfUHlLA1 s9RBfwLJlyv_f4ovGD99icsbAFoG0FkMgTCVExegzgU97mIpY/hreoinsentencingdisparitiesnyt71.pdf (http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/YO8sR1nWLL17lzX1IQhiFjsmpVQzs17tozpRQxgbzeVfUHlLA1 s9RBfwLJlyv_f4ovGD99icsbAFoG0FkMgTCVExegzgU97mIpY/hreoinsentencingdisparitiesnyt71.pdf)

[Milo]

He was a smart man but a piece of shit at the same time just like all of history's gangsters. Watch the History channel "American Gangster" if you get a chance :thumbsup:

[Fletch]

Frank Lucas is certainly no martyr. A martyr is someone who dies for a cause and and who's death ignites a movement or revolution. Frank Lucas is far from that category.

Now, a snitch is someone who cooperates with law enforcement in the prosecution and conviction of others. In other words, he rats people out! Based on that, Lucas is a snitch. I'm not commenting whether that's good or bad. However, I will say this.....there are situations (and plenty!) where the kingpin would be the first to talk, and rat his whole organization out! And the kingpin would get the reduced sentence, while the lowest level cat would take his chances, go to trial, get convicted and spend a longer sentence than the kingpin.

But the movie made it look like Lucas only ratted out dirty cops. It made no referrence as to whether he ratted out his organization or other hustlers. That was an interesting thing I got out of watching it.

Some other things I got outta this movie.....
1) Folk forget how social broke down Harlem was because of all this stuff going on, and how far Harlem has come!
2) Family in your business will F up your business!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3) NYPD, as well as everything else in New York, was something else!!!!!!!!

[Viva Freddy Fender]

Frank Lucas also likes to stress that he never actually testified against anyone either. His mere cooperation led to many guilty pleas.

[donna edwards]

Interview with Frank Lucas in New York Magazine..


http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=836400829

[Mike Barnes]

Jcapeverde, Good lookin with the information my man(We both ran in the very same places uptown/Harlem back in the 70's to truely know the time my man/LOL), Phyllis, In the 70's, Cats like Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Pee Wee Kirkland, Were considered hero's to alot of cats running like that, And, Livin the life like that(The same with Alpo,Supreme,Fatcat,Corly,Tommy

Mickens,Rich Porter,Fritz from Uptown/Harlem,AZ,Kevin Chiles from Uptown/Harlem,The Feratudo Brothers(Lance and Tony)From The Southside/Queens,Reggie Fullien fromthe Bronx,Etc, In the 80's/LOL, Phyllis,

For a cat with no direction in regards to discipline, Who ever's getting the most attention(Whether it's Legal or illegal), Is considered a hero to many on the streets, Shit, I idolized Walt Frazier growing up in the late 60's to early 70's, But, I did not want to be like Walt Frazier though/LOL, Though, Cats like Frank Lucas,Nicky Barnes,Pee Wee Kirkland,Etc, played a major part in detroying the community mad hard in New York, During the late 60's to late 70's, There was no one in the community popping shit to them(Frank

Lucas,Nicky Barnes,PeeWee Kirkland), About the destruction that they were causing in the community except the Panthers(If i can ever get Druba-Bin-Wahad, Ex Black Panther, From the late 60's, From Uptown/Harlem, To come build with us on the board, Alot of information can be passed around on who was doing what, And, Who was making it happen in New York, During the late 60's/70's), Phyllis, Cats pop that destroying the community talk now, But,

Who do you know, That would have stepped to Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes in regards to destroying the community movin weight(Phyllis, I'm not coming at you, I'm just building and passing information), Fletch, Phyllis, One thing that i do find amazing is, Cats who pop that Frank Lucas and Nicky Barnes is a snitch nonsense(Which it really is/LOL), Answer this for me: Frank Lucas screamed on The Mafia(And, Those cats don't forget/LOL),FBI,NYPD,DEA, The French Cats who were down with the French Connection Drug case in 1961 in New York,Etc, In 1975/76, Originally, Frank Lucas was supposed to do a 30 plus year push upnorth for Drug Trafficking,Tax

Evasion,Murder,Larceny,Extortion,Running a Criminal Enterprise,Conspiracy,Etc, But, Through screaming on Cats, Frank Lucas only did a 15 year push upnorth on all of those charges, Frank Lucas came home in 1991, For the last 16 years(Since 1991), I have not heard one incident, In regards to someone stepping to Frank Lucas for screaming on Mafia)And, those cats don't forgot/LOL),FBI,NYPD,DEA,Etc, Maybe, Someone from the board has heard about someone stepping to Frank Lucas, If so, then Let's build/LOL, But, to those cats who feel Frank Lucas is a snitch, Build with me

As to why, No one has stepped to Frank Lucas for screaming on cats since 1991(Money has been on the streets a very long time to be a snitch don't you think/LOL), While, Nicky Barnes has screamed on the same amount of cats(The Mafia,FBI,His own crew,DEA,Etc, And, Nicky Barnes has been in witness protection since 1999/2000(Nicky Barnes can't come back

Uptown/harlem, But Frank Lucas can/LOL), On the low, Frank Lucas still has mad juice on the streets in regards to putting that head to bed(Even at 78
years of age in a wheelchair too/LOL), That's why Frank Lucas can walk the streets uptown/Harlem giving newspaper cats interviews in regards to the life that he(Frank Lucas), Used to live, Going back to 1946, When Bumpy Johnson put Frank Lucas down with his crew(Which consisted of Bumpy Johnson,Wiz from Uptown,Pop Freeman/Rip,Frank Lucas,Etc), When a cat has mad juice

On the streets, You can come back home, If you still have mad juice on the streets(Though some cats don't believe it though/LOL), Frank Lucas was in his early 60's, When he came home from upnorth, If Frank Lucas was such a snitch(As lot of cats make him out to be), Why didn't a cat/cats step to him in regards to putting that head to bed(Becasue, Frank Lucas would have most definitely put a cats head to bed for screaming on him/LOL).
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[Bill Blake]

Just about everybody and anybody will 'snitch'.

They got this thing called:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner's_dilemma

Cops have been using it for years. It works.

Ya'll are stupid.

[Armento]

Prisoner's dilemma illustrated by a game.

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/playground/pd.html

[Fletch]

to those cats who feel Frank Lucas is a snitch, Build with me

As to why, No one has stepped to Frank Lucas for screaming on cats since 1991(Money has been on the streets a very long time to be a snitch don't you think/LOL), Much Respect
Mike BarnesMike,

My theory is that it's the same reason no one stepped to Henry Hill.......they were all dead!

[fred da warrior]

A crooked cat ratted on some equally crooked cops to get his sentenced reduced by 60 some years.....and what is exactly the problem?

[Bill Blake]

A crooked cat ratted on some equally crooked cops to get his sentenced reduced by 60 some years.....and what is exactly the problem?

Yea, like so when is a ‘journalist’ going to ask Nicky Barnes if he ever slept with a married woman or someone else’s girlfriend?

Anyways, are there any movies about teachers, or political activists, or labor union advocates, or people who have pushed the sciences further, or helped to curve off political oppression, poverty, disease, corporate control of most of the wealth, or anything like that to get excited about seeing?

[Mike Barnes]

Fletch, Henry Hill was being interviewed on a documenatary about The 5 Mafia Families in New York, During the 1960's(On the A&E Network), Henry Hill was being interviewed, As he was walking around his old way in Brooklyn, Henry Hill Mentioned that there could be cats still out to put his head to bed In regards to Henry Hill screaming on cats like Jimmy,'The

Gent'Burke, Who was the Catalyst in regards to the Luftunza robbery at Kennedy Airport in 1978(Cats got away with 5Million), Also, Jimmy Burke was one of the wildest cats in New York back in the 60's70's, In regards to putting that head to bed my man, Fletch, When a cat who screamed on cats gets out, A cats crew/relatives,Etc, Picks up the tab, In regards to putting that head to bed(The cat who screamed on their man), Jamie, A movie to get excited about is,'The Great Debaters', Starring Denzel Washington,Forest Whitaker,Kimberly Elise, 'The Great Debaters', Is about the first all-Black Debate team in East Texas in 1930,

The All-Black Debate Team challenged the Harvard Debate team in 1930, Denzel Washington also directed,'The Great debaters', Which is coming out in 2008, Jaime, I feel The movie,'Akeela The Bee', Is a movie that cats/young ladies, Should have been excited about my man, 'Akeela The Bee', Is about a young lady(12 year old young lady that is/LOL), Who is very talented and cerebral when it comes to spelling, And, The young ladies teacher, Wants her to compete in the National Spelling Bee contest, Larry Fishburne and Angela Bassett, Stars in,'Akeela The Bee',.
Much Respect
Mike Barnes

[jcapeverde]

One thing puzzled me in the movie. Was Joe Morton's (Brother From Another Planet) character supposed to be Gordon Parks? That's who he was made up to look like. :conf06:

[jcapeverde]

Yea, like so when is a ‘journalist’ going to ask Nicky Barnes if he ever slept with a married woman or someone else’s girlfriend?

Anyways, are there any movies about teachers, or political activists, or labor union advocates, or people who have pushed the sciences further, or helped to curve off political oppression, poverty, disease, corporate control of most of the wealth, or anything like that to get excited about seeing?

There are many biographies that could be made of Harlem legends from the first half of the 20th century. How many young people today have heard of Father Divine, Prophet Jones or Sweet Daddy Grace? Sweet Daddy Grace by the way, was of Cape Verdean ancestry. A movie based on Marcus Garvey's life would be phenomenal if done right! From the pomp and circumstance of UNIA parades, startup of the Black Star line, to his eventual deportation, would be more than entertainment. It could be a catalyst for young people to take pride in their heritage, and aspire to be more than another Frank lucas or Nicky Barnes. We see the result of this misguided admiration every day. Oprah could portray Fannie Lou Hamer believably in my opinion. Stories like these need to be told, so the world can see other aspects of the Black experience in America.

[kev foushee]

i meet frank lucas about 2 years ago at my old job. everyone was like thats frank lucas everyone but one guy. i was like who the hell is frank lucas? my co-worker that was like fuck him took me to the side and told me about himand the country boys but also told me that he was a rat. so knowing me i was like yeah right how the hell do you know all about this shit you talking about and what came out his mouth next messed me up . he told me that he was locked up with him in the feds in va . right then and there and even to today i was like damn you make all that money put all that fear into peeps and you get your ass behind bars and you bitch up like that man i see why cats fell the way they do about snitches and rats. oh and ps he ( frank lucas) was walking at the time i meet him. and not in a wheel chair.