I've recently watched the episode of "American Gangster" and realized that a lot was being said by people who knew Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff personally, Cops who were gloating at his demise, and by people who knew him after he was already a street legend. I thought that I would like to give my two cents as a kid who spent summers in Queens with relatives who knew all of the top Hustlers of the dead famous and not so famous.
I would spend time at either my Uncle Perry Burns's home on Keyesville avene in Saint Albans (Across the street from Ronals "Ronnie Bumps" Bassetts home, or in Rochdale village in circle three building 11 (same as Himey), or attending parties on Colfax street at my cousins Mark and Tweet Edwards home Where (Cornbread and Cool Aid) were regulars. I was even inside of the infamous "Corley" apartment in the 40 projects with my cousin Derek Vaugns and his close friend Chico, not Darkskinned Chico, but lightskinned Chico. My cousin Even worked at the Jamaica Roller rink where I met and was introduced to all the top Hustlers from "Prince" to Poor Freddie all at the age of twelve. Poor freddy had very good cook outs on the South side where he had three backyards connected to one. Yes it was a glorious time where I would come each and every summer and see people like "LL COOL J" up close and attend "S.N.I.F.F." tournaments and watch the likes of "Mark Jackson" play.
The first time I saw KENNETH "SUPREME" McGRIFF I really didn't see him. I saw a Van that said "World's Famous" on the side. Everyone in Rochdale pointed as it went from circle to circle and filled me in on the new "Lord" of the neighborhood. I was told at the age of thirteen in 1983 that "Supreme" had once worked for another Drug Lord now he had been given his own "Turf" which included, Baisley park, Springfield Gardens, Hollis, Cambria Heights, and Part of South Jamaica.
Knowing Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff was in charge of the neighborhood made us all feel in a way "Safe" there was order and Benevolence. People would go to him for help with their rent or for money to bail relatives out of prison and so forth. You knew that there was someone you could go to for justice because the Police sure weren't worth a damn.
By 1984 Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff and the "Supreme team" would motorcade through each neighborhood in White Cadilacs,and then graduated to White Mercedes Benz's until war came to South Eastern Queens. I do miss those days and I miss the presence of REAL MEN in the neighborhood. Legends who could be spoken to and asked for mercy, instead now we have "Rappers" who see people as their "Subjects" of their kingdom who they abuse and shit on. Whose money is taken and nothing given in return.
Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff is needed back home. His people and Queens on a whole misses order, and protection. The Man who schooled him and was his original employer did a fine job indeed. With the two of them gone the ship of Black people in South Eastern Queens has officially ......"Sunk".
Kenneth "Supreme McGriff second from right in between Howard "Pappy Mason, and James Wall
Corley. "Jug Head" (I never knew his real name) is on the far left, based on my childhood memory "Jug Head" represented "FAT CAT" in the picture. These were the most powerful Men on Earth as far as I knew. They lived by a "Code", The Code Of Manhood that no longer exists
I would spend time at either my Uncle Perry Burns's home on Keyesville avene in Saint Albans (Across the street from Ronals "Ronnie Bumps" Bassetts home, or in Rochdale village in circle three building 11 (same as Himey), or attending parties on Colfax street at my cousins Mark and Tweet Edwards home Where (Cornbread and Cool Aid) were regulars. I was even inside of the infamous "Corley" apartment in the 40 projects with my cousin Derek Vaugns and his close friend Chico, not Darkskinned Chico, but lightskinned Chico. My cousin Even worked at the Jamaica Roller rink where I met and was introduced to all the top Hustlers from "Prince" to Poor Freddie all at the age of twelve. Poor freddy had very good cook outs on the South side where he had three backyards connected to one. Yes it was a glorious time where I would come each and every summer and see people like "LL COOL J" up close and attend "S.N.I.F.F." tournaments and watch the likes of "Mark Jackson" play.
The first time I saw KENNETH "SUPREME" McGRIFF I really didn't see him. I saw a Van that said "World's Famous" on the side. Everyone in Rochdale pointed as it went from circle to circle and filled me in on the new "Lord" of the neighborhood. I was told at the age of thirteen in 1983 that "Supreme" had once worked for another Drug Lord now he had been given his own "Turf" which included, Baisley park, Springfield Gardens, Hollis, Cambria Heights, and Part of South Jamaica.
Knowing Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff was in charge of the neighborhood made us all feel in a way "Safe" there was order and Benevolence. People would go to him for help with their rent or for money to bail relatives out of prison and so forth. You knew that there was someone you could go to for justice because the Police sure weren't worth a damn.
By 1984 Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff and the "Supreme team" would motorcade through each neighborhood in White Cadilacs,and then graduated to White Mercedes Benz's until war came to South Eastern Queens. I do miss those days and I miss the presence of REAL MEN in the neighborhood. Legends who could be spoken to and asked for mercy, instead now we have "Rappers" who see people as their "Subjects" of their kingdom who they abuse and shit on. Whose money is taken and nothing given in return.
Kenneth "SUPREME" McGriff is needed back home. His people and Queens on a whole misses order, and protection. The Man who schooled him and was his original employer did a fine job indeed. With the two of them gone the ship of Black people in South Eastern Queens has officially ......"Sunk".
Kenneth "Supreme McGriff second from right in between Howard "Pappy Mason, and James Wall
Corley. "Jug Head" (I never knew his real name) is on the far left, based on my childhood memory "Jug Head" represented "FAT CAT" in the picture. These were the most powerful Men on Earth as far as I knew. They lived by a "Code", The Code Of Manhood that no longer exists
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