THE CHARISMA OF CRACK COCAINE: THE IMPACT OF CRACK …

1 THE CHARISMA OF CRACK COCAINE: THE IMPACT OF CRACK ON BLACK AMERICA, 1984-2010 BY DANIEL RYAN DAVIS A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in Partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY African American and African Studies 2012 ABSTRACT THE CHARISMA OF CRACK COCAINE: THE IMPACT OF CRACK ON BLACK AMERICA, 1984-2010 BY DANIEL RYAN DAVIS CRACK cocaine has negatively impacted the African American community in a multitude of ways. African Americans, particularly in the inner cities of the United States, have experienced alarmingly high rates of imprisonment, violence, child neglect, and HIV/AIDS transmission due to their involvement with CRACK cocaine. Scholars have scarcely isolated individual issues related to African Americans and CRACK for analysis, and these minimal examinations have not captured the full scope of this problem. Due to the interconnectedness of many factors regarding this epidemic, an all-encompassing multifaceted examination is required to properly identify the severity of African American s involvement with CRACK cocaine.

2 This dissertation serves as the first scholarly endeavor to synthesize a wide range of issues regarding this matter, while contextualizing this reality within the scope of African Americans over century long relationship with cocaine. The utilization of this approach effectively places the CRACK epidemic within the contexts of history and larger society. This method allows a focused examination of the CRACK epidemic within the scope of interconnected variables including: family, foreign relations, the global economy, deindustrialization, poverty, racism, law, unemployment, politics, film, psychology, music and hip hop culture. This dissertation highlights the long ignored intersections of these variables which combined to create the devastating CRACK epidemic within inner city Black America. As a result of this broad discussion, scholars and activists are equipped with the information necessary to take educated, efficient, and solution based action.

3 Copyright by DANIEL RYAN DAVIS 2012 v To Willard Ave. viACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I must thank God for blessing me with the opportunity, ability, and support system to complete this project. I must thank my beautiful mother Sheree and father Danny, for their guidance, sacrifices, love and support. I could not have asked for better parents. Shout out to my big brother Randy for keeping me sane, grounded, and regular. You were always there to talk (and CRACK me up) whenever I needed to get away from this work and was stressed out which helped more than you know (then again you probably do). To my beautiful wife Ashley, without you I wouldn t have got through this--period. Your love, patience, sacrifice, encouragement, and support in every way imaginable allowed me to overcome the tough times, focus, and enjoy this journey. This is OUR dissertation and PhD. WE did it!

4 Large out to Azul the Melodic Chill! I must also thank my professors in the African American Studies department at Western Illinois University, specifically Dr. Jacqueline McLeod. If it were not for you, I would not be here. To my graduate committee, thank you for your commitment and support. I must thank Dr. Gloria Smith and Dr. Yvonne Smith, and my MSU professors. In particular, I must thank my graduate advisor, mentor, and friend Dr. Pero Dagbovie. I always find it difficult to express the magnitude of my appreciation for your advice, support, and mentorship. I honestly cannot fathom how I would have completed this journey without you and I am eternally grateful. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS THEORETICAL PURPOSE OF QUESTIONS GUIDING MY CHAPTER CHAPTER ONE THE PRELUDE TO CALAMITY: AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CRACK COCAINE BEFORE THE CRACK EARLY COCAINE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND COCAINE: THE PROGRESSIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND COCAINE USE: THE PROGRESSIVE AFRICAN AMERICANS AND COCAINE: THE MID-20TH CHAPTER TWO THE BIRTH OF AN EPIDEMIC: RONALD REAGAN, FREEWAY RICKY ROSS, AND THE THE SETTING: THE 1970S AND THE ARRIVAL OF REAGAN, THE NICARAGUAN CONTRAS AND FREEWAY RICKY CHAPTER THREE THE BLACK FAMILY S INSIDIOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH CRACK COCAINE, FATHERS, SONS, AND THE LEGAL AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, CRACK , AND CRACK ADDICTIION AND SONS, DAUGHTERS, AND GANG viiiCHAPTER FOUR FROM DOPE MC TO DOPEMAN MC: THE GENESIS OF HIP HOP AND THE FUSION OF CRACK AND WHAT IS HIP HOP?

5 121 THE MC (EMCEE): BEFORE INTRODUCING CRACK RAP: THE MID-LATE THE 1990S DOPEMAN CHAPTER FIVE THE HONORABLE NINO BROWN: PROBLEMATIZING THE LEGACY OF NEW JACK CITY AND THE RISE OF THE DOPE THE INFLUENCE OF TELEVISION AND HISTORICAL NATURALIZATION, JUSTIFICATION, AND NINO BROWN AND THE BIRTH OF THE NEW JACK ..166 MARIO VAN PEEBLES AND FILM NEW JACK AFTER NEW JACK THE NEW NEW JACK : THE DOPE APPENDIX APPENDIX 1 INTRODUCTION I would say that in the last 25 years of every invention or innovation that s occurred in this country the biggest one in terms of IMPACT on the well-being of people who live in the inner city was CRACK cocaine, for the worst. 1- Steven Levitt Although African Americans have been connected to cocaine in different manners and capacities since the turn of the twentieth century, African Americans relationship with cocaine, in the form of CRACK , has severely harmed the Black community since the mid-1980s.

6 This relationship has accounted for a disturbing number of deaths, arrests, and broken families due to incarceration. For example, in 1995, 88 percent of individuals sentenced for dealing CRACK -cocaine were African American! 2 Further, cocaine abuse has even reached African American celebrities, causing many serious problems. Athletes such as Lawrence Taylor, who was caught buying CRACK in 1994 and 1998, and Len Bias, who died from complications related to using cocaine in 1986, are two very popular cases of cocaine bringing destruction and even death to young athletes in the primes of their Additionally, professional baseball players Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry witnessed their careers plagued by CRACK and cocaine use during the late 1980s and Marion Barry, the former mayor of Washington , had his CRACK cocaine use exposed in 1990, which did not reflect well on him or Black politicians. Singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown witnessed their careers greatly impacted and reputations virtually ruined by consistent rumors of cocaine use during the late 1990s and Despite the fact that CRACK cocaine represents a major problem in the Black community, there is surprisingly a relative lack of published scholarship on this pressing topic.

7 The purpose of my dissertation is to critically examine various dimensions of the CRACK cocaine epidemic within the 2 Black community. This research project is an example of what I believe Black Studies entails; researching and disseminating information with the purpose of contributing to the progress of the Black community. This dissertation focuses on African Americans involvement with CRACK cocaine from 1984 until 2010. I begin my study in 1984 because it is the starting point for CRACK cocaine s presence in the United States. My research lasts until 2010 because information such as that from hip hop artists up until that year is relevant to this dissertation, and this year witnessed the repeal of the controversial Anti-Drug Enforcement Act of 1986. During this period, CRACK cocaine exploded onto the American drug scene and overwhelmed the Black community in particular. At the same time, I also explore the relationship between African Americans and cocaine from the turn of the twentieth century through the 1970s in order to establish the historical context for the main focus of my research.

8 The chapters of this dissertation cover several important areas concerning African Americans and cocaine, including CRACK cocaine s IMPACT on Black women, the Black family, incarceration rates, violence, HIV/AIDS, hip hop culture, children, film, and the overall health and status of the Black community. The problem of CRACK cocaine in the Black community is among the most pressing challenges and obstacles hindering the progress of African American people. However, it is worthy of note that CRACK cocaine, while devastating and incredibly harmful in many ways, is part of a continuum of Black problems. This history of misery has witnessed slavery, Jim Crow segregation and discrimination, and rampant heroin use, among other detriments, as predecessors to the CRACK era. 3 Methodology To effectively conduct this research study, I closely examined the important and relevant scholarship on African Americans and CRACK cocaine. I also examined statistical information related to African Americans and CRACK cocaine including incarceration rates, HIV/AIDS rates, and other relevant issues.

9 I consulted historical scholarship, scholarly journal articles, newspaper and magazine articles, government and legal documents, and analyzed several interviews with CRACK addicts and those directly involved with the drug--specifically, Freeway Ricky Ross who is largely responsible for the spread of CRACK in the Black community. This research also required the examination of drug treatment literature, treatment facilities policies, and the strategies of community activists doing work in this area. While contemplating the CRACK cocaine problem in the Black community, I was constantly looking for or attempting to discover the most significant avenues this drug impacts African American life. In addition to the aforementioned topics of examination , I decided that depictions of CRACK and people involved with CRACK in film was also relevant and significant to this research. Film whether on the big screen or movies made specifically for DVD release is digested by the masses of African Americans.

10 As I argue, CRACK cocaine s presence in the Black community has been overwhelming since it made its arrival. This devastating presence in Black life has created what I call a culture of CRACK which is very current in much of Black culture and youth culture specifically. In this dissertation, I offer my analysis of various popular urban films such as: Paid in Full (2002), State Property (2002), and Clockers (2004) among others. Particular attention is paid to the depiction of now iconic fictional character Nino Brown, a CRACK kingpin, in the film New Jack City (1991). 4 Another method of research I employ is song and lyric analysis. This research required an examination of hip hop music rap- and culture. A major motivation for this research project is the consistent references to CRACK cocaine found in various sections of hip hop culture. Specifically, many rap artists and groups, such as NWA, Notorious BIG, Tupac Shakur, Master P, , 50 Cent, Pusha T, Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, , Gucci Mane and Rick Ross, among a multitude of others, refer to CRACK cocaine in their lyrics.