American Gangster

Explore Tookie Williams' involvement in the Crips, their continuous battles with rival gang the Bloods, and the history of gangs in L.A. from WWII to the present.

Illiterate, but an athlete, "Freeway" Ricky Ross went from being a sports king to the crack king in the 70s and 80s when drugs were turning L.A. into the 'Hood' from hell.

From notorious driver and muscle man to Harlem's most powerful gangster, Frank Lucas ran the powder game with ruthless determination.

Nicky Barnes became such a powerful heroin dealer in Harlem that he was untouchable by local authorities. That made him a highly lucrative target for federal authorities.

The smith brothers marshaled their ambition into a highly successful robbery business at a young age. They managed to to go straight for a time after serving prison time when turned in by an accomplice. But misfortune interrupted their legitimate careers returning them to their lives in crime.

Some may refer to Billy Joe, Willie, Larry and Otis Chambers as the First Family of Crime. These four brothers who hailed from Arkansas grew up to be some of the most notorious drug lords in America, with profits that exceeded $