Starting out as a successful gambler, Arnold Rothstein earned the nickname The Brain for his keen organizational skills, criminal versatility, and clever leadership. His was also called Moneybags for his loan sharking activity and willingness to bankroll other mobster’s schemes (Pietrusza, 2003). Unlike most members of organized crime, Rothstein was an equal opportunity gangster and recruited based on talent instead of along strictly ethnic or religious lines. He has been called the founder of the Jewish Mafia; however, many Italian-American mobsters got their start under him. K. By 1914, Rothstein had become one of the kings of gambling in New York.
Much of Frank Lucas’s childhood life explains his motivation for living a life of crime. When he was 12 years old he witnessed the death of his cousin by the KKK for looking at a Caucasian woman in Greensboro, North Carolina (American Gangster True Story). Being young he was committing petty crimes until he engaged in a fight with his employer. He fled to New York where he drifted through petty crimes and pool hustling until gangster Bumpy Johnson took him under his wing. After Johnson’s death, Lucas broke the monopoly that the Italian mafia held in New York.
Paid in Full is about a young man who rises to the top of the cocaine industry in Harlem; which is common for most African Americans to do for those who grew up without father figures. At the beginning of the movie, Ace is stuck in a dead end job working in a dry cleaner's shop. His sister's boyfriend, Calvin, is a big time drug dealer who often tries to lure Ace into becoming a part of the drug trade with promises of fast money and glamour. Ace resists these temptations, warning constantly that Calvin's flashy style and audacious method of dealing will get him arrested. When Calvin does get locked up, Ace ends up taking his position on the streets after a chance encounter with Lulu, a Dominican drug dealer.
Jacob Watkins Professor Massenburg Critical Writing Seminar: Concepts in Popular Culture May 11, 2015 American Gangsters Equals America Cops The movie American Gangster addresses the corrupt system of the early 70’s and the consequences of abuse power when being an American gangster was more honorable than being an American cop. This movie was produced by Ridley Scott and was brought to theatres November 2, 2007. The main character in this movie is a man named Frank Lucas, played by the great Denzel Washington. Frank Lucas was a limo driver-turned-right hand man for a man by the name of Bumpy Johnson, an American mob boss in Harlem, New York. One day while in a store, Bumpy Johnson died of a heart attack.
The characters include an African-American detective who is alienated by his mother, and has a gang related brother; a Caucasian District Attorney who has a spoiled wife; a racist police officer with an idealist partner; an African American Hollywood director; a Persian store owner; and a Hispanic locksmith. Crash has an All Star cast which includes Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Ryan Phillipe, Terrence Howard, and Thandie Newton. This film portrays racism, but not in the same way as other films about racism. In this film, the victims of racism are also the offenders as different situations and contexts are depicted. Comments about racism are not meant to be cruel; actions and comments made about race come from misconceptions and ignorance about other races.
The drinks weren’t cheap because they had to be transported illegally. While having their drink Rick tells her that he is a gangster and knows Alcapone. She is intrigued and asks what he does. He explains that he is a bootlegger and transports illegal alcohol. He explains how it's a very risky job and was very competitive with other gang leaders.
They had been involved in numerous illegal activities such as illegal drug dealing, prostitution, gambling, loan sharking as well as murder. They were feared and very powerful men at the time which almost allowed them to get away with anything. Growing up in neighborhoods like the Lower East Side, Brownsville, and Brooklyn meant they were prone to harsh environments which eventually lead to themselves being criminals. It is in these places where Jewish gangsterism was found. In a time where Jews had considered themselves blocked from certain professions, they had to find an alternative to make money.
Drug trafficking, heroin in particular, was the choice drug of law enforcement, people and gangsters alike. Heroin trafficking in the 1960s and 70s had great effects on pop culture, American culture and gang culture. Many things in pop culture have their roots in this time period. Most people, when listening to music, rap music especially, hear words and phrases that they do not understand. These words and phrases were commonly used during the 60s and 70s to describe certain aspects of the heroin trade.
Another effect of prohibition was a great surge in Gangsters, who uses the illegality of alcohol to their advantage by selling massive amounts of it. One of the most famous gangsters of the time was Al Capone, who was involved in organised crime, selling alcohol illegally, and became a celebrity. He even had a private army of 1,000 men who used sub-machine guns and sawn-off shotguns. There were around 200,000 speakeasies in the USA and 30,000 in New York City alone, and the majority of people knew of their whereabouts, but police and judges were bribed into ignoring the illegal drinking and were known as being on the take. 10% of these were sacked for taking bribe.
Once again, Lawrence and Smith play hotshot, wisecracking Miami narcotics officers Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowery. This time around, Burnett and Lowery the two Miami PD cops, have been assigned to head up a task force to investigate the illegal trafficking of ecstasy into the city. They discover that an underground gang war has been instigated by drug kingpin Johnny Tapia (Jordi Molla). In order to cut off the flow of the designer drug, they have to take down Tapia. Unfortunately, there's a wrench thrown into the gears in the form of Burnett's sister Sid, whom Lowery takes a liking to and begins a relationship with.