The Detroit Kingpins Story
The city of Detroit is the true definition of the quote “If you can make it here, then you can make it anywhere.” The streets that produced numerous Detroit kingpins have created and produced a number of entrepreneurs, businessmen, and hustlers, and not just the stereotypes of Detroit gangs members and drug dealers.
The city of Detroit is divided between the East Side and West Side. While there are other sections, like the Southwest, Highland Park, and the North End, the East Side and West Side hold the majority of the population, which means the two sides hold the majority of the streets.
Before the 1970s, the Italian Mob, also known as the Detroit Partnership, had the most control in the streets of Detroit, from the beginning of Prohibition to the height of the heroin trade. Between the 1970s and the 2000s, a new era of Detroit came into effect, in which the streets of the Detroit ghetto created a number of hustlers in the form of Young Boys Incorporate, Black Mafia Family, Pony Down, Cash Flow Posse, Dog Pound, and many more.
Top Detroit Kingpins
Blaze Marzette
In the gritty streets of Detroit during the 1960s, Blaze Marzette emerged as a top guy in the underworld, establishing widespread drug, gambling, and extortion operations. Known for his fiery influence and his reign, Marzette’s enterprise allegedly left a trail of over 150 murders.
Marzette, who passed away at 45 in 1972, was a high school football player, a Korean War veteran, and a Detroit narcotics officer. However, by the late 1950s, he found himself on the opposite side of law, convicted of corruption for extorting drug dealers. Defying the Italian mob to dominate the heroin trade, Marzette’s transition from officer to drug lord made him one of the very first Detroit kingpins.
Murder Row
Murder Row emerged in 1974 as a faction within the Italian Mafia in Detroit, building its reputation through a network of drug trafficking, gambling, prostitution, and extortion. Founded by Frank Nitti, Murder Row was closely allied with Tony Giacalone, the head of the Detroit Mafia. The gang quickly rose, largely due to its operations in heroin. This positioned Murder Row as a force within the criminal underworld for a brief period.
Chester Campbell, who served as the group’s principal enforcer, played an integral role in maintaining its stronghold. However, the arrest of Chester Campbell in 1975 marked the turning point for Murder Row. With Campbell’s arrest, Murder Row struggled to maintain its dominance and swiftly diminished in influence.
Young Boys Incorporated
Young Boys Incorporated (Y.B.I.) was a dominant force in Detroit’s drug trade from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. Founded by Wonderful Wayne, Butch Jones, Baby Ray, and Block Marshall, the organization would come to the top. Butch Jones became the main leader of the group as it sourced its heroin supply from the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asian. With a grip on the majority of heroin trafficking in Detroit, the group established its stronghold around the Dexter/Linwood area.
Seal Murray solidified his status as the leading supplier in the Detroit area by the early 1980s. His business skills allowed him to cater to notorious entities like Y.B.I., but also others. However, Y.B.I’s dominance faced setbacks with key figures, including Murray, encountering legal troubles and eventually contributed to the gradual decline of Y.B.I.’s once-unquestionable control over Detroit’s heroin market.
Pony Down
Pony Down was established in the early 1980s by the Buttrom brothers, drawing inspiration from the Detroit kingpins and drug lords of the Young Boys Inc. (Y.B.I.). With their base situated near West Seven Mile in Detroit, Pony Down swiftly capitalized on the vacuum left by the convictions of Y.B.I. leaders. The gang quickly built a drug empire, with estimations they generated millions annually at their peak. To maintain and expand their operations, Pony Down commanded a network of hundreds of soldiers, workers, and associates.
Throughout the 1980s, Pony Down experienced significant growth and dominance, leveraging both the strategic and operational gaps left by rival groups. However, like many other high-profile drug organizations of the time, their success did not last long. By the late 1980s, Pony Down’s reign over the streets of Detroit was over.
Demetrius Holloway
Demetrius Holloway, known for his influential role in Detroit’s drug trade, emerged from the Brewster-Douglass Projects. Before achieving notoriety as one of the top Detroit kingpins in the 1980s, Holloway had a stint in prison, from which he relaunched himself into the criminal underworld. Known for his business and street smarts, he separated himself with his ability to maneuver both the streets and legitimate businesses.
During his rise, Holloway briefly collaborated with notorious groups like Murder Row and notable figures such as Maserati Rick. He also had associations with the Best Friends gang until conflicts arose, leading to tensions. Holloway’s idolize not only for his business strategies but also for the connections he cultivated. Unfortunately, his life came to a violent end when he was killed in 1990.
Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers, a large family that was infamously nicknamed the Cash Money Brothers, hailed from Marianna, a rural town in Arkansas. Initially engaged in petty crimes, their operations expanded significantly following their move to Detroit in the mid-1970s. Starting on the city’s East Side, the brothers transitioned from selling marijuana to dealing in crack cocaine, which led to an exponential increase in their profits. With much of their organization consisting of individuals from their hometown, the Chambers Brothers began generating hundreds of thousands of dollars weekly, and at times even daily.
During the 1980s, the Chambers Brothers profoundly impacted the streets of Detroit, capitalizing on the crack epidemic to build their empire. However, this dominance would eventually draw attention from law enforcement. Their time came to an end in the late 1980s when they were indicted.
Maserati Rick
Maserati Rick, known for his flashy lifestyle, rose to prominence within Detroit’s drug trade in the 1980s. Before delving into the world of narcotics, he engaged in car theft during the 1970s, which laid the groundwork for his later endeavors as a drug lord. He was also known for his association with famed boxer Tommy Hearns, adding to his notoriety and influence.
Operating primarily on Detroit’s West Side, Maserati Rick’s reign lasted from the early 1980s until 1988. Despite his connections and influence, he found himself in beefs with dangerous rivalries, such as the Best Friends gang and Big Ed. These conflicts ultimately played a role in his downfall. In the late 1980s, during a period of tension and violence, Maserati Rick was tragically killed inside a hospital.
Big Ed Hanserd
Big Ed was a prominent figure in Detroit’s underworld during the 1980s, known for his involvement in a violent feud with Demetrius Holloway, the Best Friends, and Maserati Rick. Prior to this conflict, Holloway and Maserati Rick had connections to Big Ed as both associates and clients, purchasing supplies from him before his operations expanded significantly.
His influence grew, earning him recognition as one of the top hustlers in the city during his prime. His base of operations was located on the East Side, specifically around 7 Mile and also Jefferson Avenue. However, his reign came to a halt in 1991 when he was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Eddie Jackson
Eddie Jackson, famously known as “Fat Man,” was a significant figure in Detroit’s heroin trade during the 1970s. Alleged to have connections with the infamous Gambino crime family, Jackson played a pivotal role in the city’s narcotics scene. Known for living a luxurious lifestyle, he mingled with celebrities, showcasing his wealth. Jackson, alongside Courtney Brown, emerged as one of the first major individual pushers to rise from Detroit, shaping the city’s criminal landscape during this era.
Jackson’s success, however, eventually caught up with him. As law enforcement intensified its focus on dismantling drug operations, Jackson became a prime target. In the late 1970s, he was indicted and subsequently sentenced, marking the end of his reign over Detroit’s underworld.
T-Stuckney
T-Stuckney, a Detroit-based hip-hop executive, gained local fame as a member of the Puritan Avenue Boys (PA Boys) during the 1990s and 2000s. Apart from his contributions to the rap scene, Stuckney’s life was marked by a series of significant legal battles. At the young age of 19, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 60 years in prison. Following his win on an appeal and his release, Stuckney pursued his passion for music, striving to establish a foothold in the industry.
However, Stuckney’s legal challenges persisted. He was later sentenced to life in prison on federal drug charges, which overshadowed his aspirations in the music scene. In addition, he received a 20-year sentence for money laundering, alongside an additional 10 years each for charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and witness tampering. Throughout these times, Stuckney has consistently proclaimed his innocence.
Curry Brothers
The Curry Brothers, twin siblings from Detroit’s East Side, carved a piece of the city’s drug trade starting in the late 1970s. Initially, they began their careers by selling marijuana, but as the drug market evolved, they shifted their focus to the more lucrative crack cocaine during the 1980s. This transition proved to be incredibly profitable, as the crack epidemic swept across the nation and the brothers gained millions of dollars.
However, their success was cut short towards the end of the decade. As law enforcement intensified efforts to combat the drug crisis, the Curry Brothers were eventually apprehended and sentenced to 20 years in prison in the late 1980s.
Best Friends
The Best Friends gang, initially known as the Wrecking Crew, established itself in Detroit’s underworld. Comprised of the Brown brothers, Rockin’ Reg, Wizard, Ghost, and Boogaloo, they initially started out as small-time hustling. However, they soon expanded their operations and emerged as a notorious within the city’s drug trade. Linking with prominent drug lords and kingpins, the Best Friends create a niche for themselves by specializing in contract hits for influential drug dealers.
By the mid-1980s, the Best Friends had reached the top, evolving into a much larger and more feared organization. Based around the East Side of Detroit, supposedly the Van Dyke area, they were implicated in numerous activities that impacted Detroit streets. The gang’s ruthless reputation was cemented by their involvement in what some say is around 80 murders.
430 Crew
The 430 Crew emerged as a significant force in Detroit’s drug scene, spearheaded by cousins Rob Boyd and Darryl. Founded in 1979, the crew based their operations in the Parkside Projects on the East Side of Detroit. They quickly established control over the heroin and cocaine trade in the area, particularly dominating the Conner and Warren section.
Throughout the 1980s, the 430 Crew’s influence grew considerably as they made millions from their illicit activities. Known for their strategic operations and ability to maintain control over key territories, they became a dominant presence in Detroit’s underworld during this era.
BMF
The Flenory brothers, known as Big Meech and Southwest T, hailed from Southwest Detroit and emerged from the shadows of the city’s 1980s drug scene. Initially having ties with the Puritan Avenue Boys, their criminal enterprise would evolve into the notorious Black Mafia Family (BMF). As the 1990s and early 2000s unfolded, they expanded their operations beyond Detroit, establishing a vast network across various major cities, including Atlanta — where they would eventually base their operations — as well as Michigan, St. Louis, and California.
The BMF’s operations were notably sophisticated, with strong ties to the Mexican cartel. This extensive network, comprising dozens of associates, allowed them to wield considerable influence within both street and hip-hop culture. Their lifestyle and entry into the music industry left a mark on urban culture. However, by the mid-2000s, law enforcement closed in on BMF, leading to the arrest and indictment of many members, which effectively dismantled their empire.
Detroit Kingpins Related Topics:
1 Top Detroit Rappers
2 Top 7 St Louis Kingpins
3 Top Baltimore Kingpins (The Real “The Wire”)
4 Map of Detroit Gangs
*Note: All information is provided through people of the community, outside sources, and research. Some information might not be current and/or 100% accurate.