THE REAL AMERICAN GANGSTER: LARRY DAVIS

Written by Rahiem Shabazz
Reprinted from The Hip Hop CoSign (http://thehiphopcosign.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/the-real-american-gangster-larry-davis/)

Monday, 25 February 2008


A day before the 42nd anniversary of Malcolm X’s assassination, I found myself mourning the death of my brother Shams’ best friend and nephew’s godfather, Larry Davis aka Adam Abdul-Hakeem. My brother and Larry had big dreams of becoming musical icons in the early 80’s. But, that dreamed was deferred, when 30 NYC police officers came to assassinate him for reneging on a drug deal. Heavily armed police raided his sister Gina’s apartment capo style, with guns blazing. In an effort to defend him and family he fired at the police, wounding six police officers. At the age of 19, he took the NYPD on one of the biggest manhunt in the history of the state. After 17-days, he surrendered to authorities, fought the capital attempted murder charges against the police and was acquitted. However, he was convicted of weapon possession and sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison.

When Larry opened fire on the murderous cops on that cold and chilly day back in November of 1986, he was exercising the principals of the Black Panther Party and their advocacy for the use of force against the state. This is same state that imprisoned political prisoner Mumia Abdul and Geronimo Pratt for 27 years before he was free.

I remember walking to the courthouse on 161st and Grand Concourse to support the family during of his earlier court proceedings and on the sidewall of the court were the words, “Death to Regan, Botha, Thatcher” and “Free Nelson Mandela & Larry Davis”.

The Black race apologist and front man for the police force are quick to delve into his teenage years to justify the police actions on the night of November 16, 1986. Many people are unaware of Larry’s history before his arrest. Larry and Shams started a record company to maintain as much control and ownership of their music. The two managed to release several records that sold considerably well in the New York City area. Larry and Sham literally sold records out the trunk of Larry’s car. They also traveled to different places to do shows and sold records at those shows. Sham used his connection to 98.7 KISS FM’s Kool DJ Red Alert to get airplay for their music. Eventually, their talents caught the attention of an artist manager named Bill Underwood who, at the time, was one of the few black men that held an executive position at a major record company. The company he worked for was Columbia Records.

Bill was so impressed with Larry and Sham’s skills that he offered the duo an exclusive production and recording contract with his label, Mozelle Records. He also paid for the two teenagers to go into a professional recording studio so they could develop songs for several other recording artists, including the popular R&B singer Johnny Gill, who was signed to Bill’s management company.

“When all that shit jumped off, the press said everything they could that was negative. They said he was a hit man. They said he was a vigilante. They called him the “crack city terminator”… “When was on the run, they already creatin’ a climate that would justify them just goin’ and straight killin’ him. I know him. This is a man that took me off the streets when I was homeless. He had tears in his eyes and did everything he could to help my situation”, states Shams.

I remember a conversation my brother and myself had a few years ago, I asked him, “If the November 16, 1986 event didn’t happen, where would he and Larry be in terms of the music industry today?” He candidly replied, “Larry would be Suge Knight and he would be Russell Simmons.”

Plans were and still are underway for several business ventures i.e. books, movies and merchandising of t-shirts, hoodies and the now famous Larry Davis bomber, with all proceeds to benefit The Free Larry Davis Fund and his family. While the media remained clueless with little to none reports coming out, I wondered why? My brother quickly informed me that “he never heard of a skillful general who intends to surprise a citadel announcing his plans to this enemy.”

Many people claiming to know Larry never even met the man and speak from inconsequential hearsay. The interest in his life has been fitful and will increase more due to his passing. Only those who walked or inhibit the grim streets of the South Bronx know the reality of dirty policeman that deal drugs, murder citizens and extort drug dealers. In the last few days I witness the media betrayed this man as a monster who murder people in cold blood. The only thing Larry was guilty of is refusing to be a victim of police brutality like Abner Louima or murdered like Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell.

The celebrated case made national history and showed the lawlessness of the police. With the help of famed Attorney William Kunstler (Angela Davis, Assata Shakur, Martin Luther King) and Lynne Stewart and others, Larry was able to beat the quadruple homicide charges, plus the attempted murder of the nine police officers. But, they convicted him on a murder he did not do and charged him with possession of an illegal firearm.

We do know the name of the alleged assailant is Luis Rosado, a fellow Latin King serving 25 years to life for murder, assault and other crimes. What we do not know is if he was killed over ephemeral beef of ambiguous origins? The truth must be told. But, until then my brother lost a comrade and best friend and my nephew a godfather. Instead of mourning and sitting in grief over the lost, I decided to let life’s primal energies surge out through my pen and educate some folks on the true American Gangster, R.I.P. Larry Davis.

*** For more information of Larry Davis view the award winning documentary “Routine Typical Hit”.