Television Godfather of Harlem

[kouroux]

Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series, (a prequel to 2007's American Gangster (film)) which premiered on September 29, 2019 on Epix. The series was written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker also executive produces alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith; Bongiovi acts as showrunner.

Anyone else has been watching this ? As usual Forrest is brilliant in it, there are 5 episodes out so far and honestly I think it's very very good. The music is well worth listening to.
Here is the cast:

• Paul Sorvino as Frank Costello
• Chazz Palminteri as Joe Bonanno
• Kathrine Narducci as Olympia Gigante
• Erik LaRay Harvey as Del Chance
• Elvis Nolasco as Nat Pettigrew
• Demi Singleton as Margaret Johnson, Elise's daughter.
• Steve Vinovich as Senator John McClellan
• Tramell Tilman as Bobby Robinson
• Roslyn Ruff as Delia Greene
• Gregory Cioffi as Fat Ricky
• Eric West as Richie
• Markuann Smith as Junie Byrd
• Deric Augustine as Muhammad Ali
• Clifton Davis as Elijah Muhammad
• Luis Guzman as El Guapo Villanueva

Special mention to Gincarlo Esposito (Gus in Breaking Bad) who plays Reverend Clayton Powell and Nigel Thatch as Malcolm X

 

[VorZakone]

I like stuff about organized crime. What kind of network is Epix though? Never heard of it.

 

[sammsky1]

Just downloaded the first 5 episodes. What platform is this on?

First episode was fantastic. fascinating context, some great character development and some very realistic violence. Some xxx too

Forest Whitaker is boss

 

[lsd]

I wouldn't call it a prequel as such to American Gangster as its more true than the film . In reality Bumpy never liked or trusted Frank Lucas to be anything more than his driver for the last couple of years of his life


Will Smith is playing Nicky Barnes the 70s Harlem Godfather in a new Netflix film. His story is an interesting one hopefully Smith will do it justice .

 

[kouroux]

Just downloaded the first 5 episodes. What platform is this on?

First episode was fantastic. fascinating context, some great character development and some very realistic violence. Some xxx too

Forest Whitaker is boss

I know you're referring to

I wouldn't call it a prequel as such to American Gangster as its more true than the film . In reality Bumpy never liked or trusted Frank Lucas to be anything more than his driver for the last couple of years of his life


Will Smith is playing Nicky Barnes the 70s Harlem Godfather in a new Netflix film. His story is an interesting one hopefully Smith will do it justice .

I just copied/pasted the wiki explanation tbh. I know it's a very good show, well worth the watch.

 

[Sky1981]

I wouldn't call it a prequel as such to American Gangster as its more true than the film . In reality Bumpy never liked or trusted Frank Lucas to be anything more than his driver for the last couple of years of his life


Will Smith is playing Nicky Barnes the 70s Harlem Godfather in a new Netflix film. His story is an interesting one hopefully Smith will do it justice .

If you can be a don's driver for a few years, odds are you're pretty trusted

 

[JoaquinJoaquin]

Got this on my watch list. Heard good reviews so far.

 

[kouroux]

If you can be a don's driver for a few years, odds are you're pretty trusted

In the show, Bumpy is at feud with Chin Gigante, they made sure of repeating several times throughout the 5 episodes that he used to be the driver of his boss who was arrested.
Never underestimate drivers

 

[SirAF]

Oooh, this might be right up my ally I loved American Gangster.

 

[VorZakone]

Man, Harlem was rough, wasn't it? Not sure how it's now, but all I know of Harlem is Bumpy Johnson, Nicky Barnes, Frank Lucas, the Alpo Martinez crew, Big L being killed there and general drug crime stuff.

 

[kouroux]

Man, Harlem was rough, wasn't it? Not sure how it's now, but all I know of Harlem is Bumpy Johnson, Nicky Barnes, Frank Lucas, the Alpo Martinez crew, Big L being killed there and general drug crime stuff.

I watch the Wu Tang series and I thought Staten Island was rough but Harlem seemed worse.

Oooh, this might be right up my ally I loved American Gangster.

You won't regret it. So far, so good.

 

[sammsky1]

Man, Harlem was rough, wasn't it? Not sure how it's now, but all I know of Harlem is Bumpy Johnson, Nicky Barnes, Frank Lucas, the Alpo Martinez crew, Big L being killed there and general drug crime stuff.

Yeah, back in the day, anything beyond 125th St was a no go zone for people not from that area. I was taken there by a local in 1998, It was almost 100% black African American, and definitely had its own gangster culture code, way of walking, dressing etc. It was a very uncomfortable 30 minutes for me as I was literally shitting myself.

But I went again in 2017, and its totally changed. Demographic make up has totally changed and now full of poorer hipsters, vegan restaurants and the odd high priced soul food joint. But then you'll walk two blocks, and you enter one of the old 'projects' and mood suddenly changes as you see zombified addicts wondering around pushing shopping trolleys. But I wasn't scared like I was 20 year ago.

Maybe some resident New Yorkers can better explain?

 

[kouroux]

Yeah, back in the day, anything beyond 125th St was a no go zone for people not from that area. I was taken there by a local in 1998, It was almost 100% black African American, and definitely had its own gangster culture code, way of walking, dressing etc. It was a very uncomfortable 30 minutes for me as I was literally shitting myself.

But I went again in 2017, and its totally changed. Demographic make up has totally changed and now full of poorer hipsters, vegan restaurants and the odd high priced soul food joint. But then you'll walk two blocks, and you enter one of the old 'projects' and mood suddenly changes as you seem zombified addicts wondering around pushing shopping trolleys. But I wasn't scared like I was 20 year ago.

Maybe some resident New Yorkers can better explain?

So the show did a good job recreating the atmosphere ?

 

[The Cat]

Thanks for this. Been looking for a new series to watch.

 

[sammsky1]

So the show did a good job recreating the atmosphere ?

Well I first went mid 1990s. And that scared me.

Show is from 1960s/70s and that would have been even more brutal in that area in terms of primitive lawlessness, deprivation and crime. I’d guess it’s very accurate.

 

[CLK_FPC]

BD Buster

 

[arnie_ni]

Where can this he watched in the uk?

 

[kouroux]

BD Buster