Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from either of two naturally occurring opiates—codeine and thebaine. It is an orally active narcotic analgesic (pain reliever) and antitussive (cough suppressant). It is commonly available in tablet, capsule, and syrup form, and is often compounded with other, generally less effective non-opioid compounds such as paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) or ibuprofen, often added both to discourage recreational use (as paracetamol can cause potentially fatal liver toxicity at high doses), and to provide a possible synergy of analgesic effects between hydrocodone and the non-opioid compounds present. The particular niche in which hydrocodone is most commonly used is as an intermediate centrally acting analgesic.

History

Hydrocodone was first synthesized in Germany in 1920 by Carl Mannich and Helene Löwenheim and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on 23 March 1943 for sale in the United States and approved by Health Canada for sale in Canada under the brand name Hycodan.

Hydrocodone and compounds containing it are marketed, in varying forms, under a number of trademarks, including Vicodin, Hydrococet, Symtan, Anexsia, Biocodone, Damason-P, Dicodid, Hycodan (or generically Hydromet), Hycomine, Hycet, Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Novahistex, Hydrovo, Duodin, Kolikodol, Orthoxycol, Panacet, Zydone, Mercodinone, Synkonin, Norgan, Xodol and Hydrokon. Hycodan was the original trade name. The trade name Dicodid was chosen because hydrocodone is the codeine analogue of hydromorphone (Dilaudid and the naming scheme extended to related drugs like Dihydrin (dihydrocodeine) and Dinarkon (oxycodone). The trade name Vicodin refers to hydrocodone being six times stronger than codeine by mouth, as in the Roman numeral VI.

Medical uses

Hydrocodone is used to treat moderate to severe pain and as an antitussive to treat cough.

Pharmacology

As a narcotic, hydrocodone relieves pain by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. It can be taken with or without food as desired. When taken with alcohol, it can intensify drowsiness. It may interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors, as well as other drugs that cause drowsiness. It is in FDA pregnancy category C. Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus, and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women despite potential risks. In addition, a newborn of a mother taking the medication may exhibit breathing problems or withdrawal symptoms.

Studies have shown hydrocodone is stronger than codeine but only one-tenth as potent as morphine at binding to receptors and reported to be only 59% as potent as morphine in analgesic properties. However, in tests conducted on rhesus monkeys, the analgesic potency of hydrocodone was actually found to be higher than that of morphine. Per os hydrocodone has a MEDD factor of .4, meaning that 1 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to .4 mg of intravenous morphine. However, because of morphine's low oral bioavailability, there is a 1:1 correspondence between orally administered morphine and orally administered hydrocodone.

Hydrocodone can be habit-forming, which leads to physical and psychological dependence, but the potential for addiction varies from individual to individual depending on unique biological differences. Sales and production of this drug have increased significantly in recent years, as have diversion and illicit use. In the U.S., formulations containing more than 15 mg per dosage unit are considered Schedule II drugs, as would any formulation consisting of just hydrocodone alone (however the latter do not exist in the U.S.-- see comment below). Those containing less than or equal to 15 mg per dosage unit in combination with paracetamol or another non-controlled drug are called hydrocodone compounds and are considered Schedule III drugs. Hydrocodone is typically found in combination with other drugs such as paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen and homatropine methylbromide. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold: 1) To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy. 2) To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses (See Below). In the UK, it is listed as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Hydrocodone is not available in pure form in the United States due to a separate regulation, and is always sold with an NSAID, paracetamol, antihistamine, expectorant, or homatropine. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients. In Germany and elsewhere, hydrocodone is available as single-active-ingredient tablets as Dicodid (by analogy to the original manufacturer's other products Dilaudid and Dinarkon and others) available in 5- and 10-mg strengths.

As with many other opioids, it is quite possible to reduce the amount of hydrocodone needed to stop a certain level of pain by having the patient take the hydrocodone along with one of the medications with analgesic-sparing properties, also known as potentiators. The most common, one of the most effective with hydrocodone, and safest is hydroxyzine (often marketed under the brand name Vistaril). Orphenadrine, nefopam, carisoprodol, and antihistamines also potentiate most opioids. Especially in the case of carisoprodol, it is imperative that the titration and addition of the potentiator be done under strict supervision of a physician.

Hydrocodone also interacts relatively well with most adjuvant and atypical analgesics used for severe and neuropathic pain such as first-generation anti-depressants, anticholinergics, anticonvulsants, centrally acting stimulants, NMDA antagonists, etc. Hydrocodone can usually be successfully used with duloxetine (Cymbalta) for neuropathic pain, especially that from diabetic neuropathy, provided that the patient has normal relative and absolute levels of Cytochrome P450-related liver enzymes.

Compounds

thumb|Hydrocodone and paracetamol (acetaminophen) 5-500 tablets (Mallinckrodt).When sold commercially in the United States, hydrocodone is always combined with another medication. Those combined with paracetamol (acetaminophen) are known by various trademark names, such as Vicodin and Lortab. Hydrocodone also can be combined with aspirin (e.g., Lortab ASA) and ibuprofen (e.g., Vicoprofen).

Combining an opioid such as hydrocodone with another analgesic can increase the effectiveness of the drug without increasing opioid-related side effects (e.g., nausea, constipation, sedation). Another argument for combining hydrocodone with paracetemol (acetaminophen) is that it limits the potential for misuse. As with other opioid analgesics, with a few exceptions, there is no ceiling dose for hydrocodone in users tolerant to its effects; however the hepatotoxicity of the paracetamol it is often combined with begins to manifest itself with doses of around 4,000 mg/day.

Pharmacokinetics

Hydrocodone is biotransformed by the liver into several metabolites, and has a serum half-life that averages 3.8 hours. In the population, there are a group of patients that are less responsive to hydrocodone opioid (~10% of the Caucasian population). Genotyping this group showed that they have inherited polymorphisms in their CYP2D6 allele. These patients are regarded to be poor or intermediate metabolizers of opioid medications and would need higher concentrations of opioids to experience the same therapeutic benefits as a person without the polymorphism. Therefore, these patients are more likely to encounter adverse drug reactions. On the other hand, ultra-rapid metabolizers (up to 7% of Caucasians and up to 30% of Asian and African populations) may have increased toxicity due to rapid conversion.

Contraindications and interactions

Mixing hydrocodone with alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, benzodiazapines, barbiturates, and a number of other medications can have severe adverse reactions including but not limited to heart failure, heart attack, respiratory distress, pulmonary failure, liver or kidney failure, jaundice, amnesia, seizures, blackouts, and coma. Also, hydrocodone can cause false indications on blood and urinalysis testing for morphine, codeine, hydromorphone and cocaine depending on usage and dosing. Generally this effect is only present when doses are taken for long periods of time, and the effect ceases after cessation of use. It isn't a false positive if the test is designed to detect opiates.

;Alcohol There are serious health risks posed by concurrently consuming alcohol with hydrocodone compounds.

The most common medication compounded with hydrocodone is paracetamol (acetaminophen), which is metabolized solely by the liver. Therefore the risk of fatal overdose due to hepatotoxicity can occur with significantly lower levels of paracetamol when mixed with ethanol. Also the mixture can potentially cause serious damage to the liver, kidneys, and stomach wall. Paracetamol may increase the potential for coma, respiratory problems, and can damage the CNS.

Adverse effects

Common side effects include dizziness, itching, lightheadedness, nausea, sweating, drowsiness, constipation, vomiting, and euphoria. Vomiting in some patients is so severe that hospitalization is required, although this can be due to alcohol consumption before taking the medication. Some less common side effects are allergic reaction, blood disorders, changes in mood, racing heartbeat, mental fogginess, anxiety, lethargy, difficulty urinating, spasm of the ureter, irregular or depressed respiration, and rash.

Hydrocodone in particular, and the -codone family of opioids in general, have been shown to have a liability to cause long term hearing loss over periods of use, though these actual findings are quite rare.

Symptoms of hydrocodone overdose include respiratory depression; extreme somnolence; blue, clammy, or cold skin; narrowed or widened pupils; bradycardia; coma; seizures; cardiac arrest; and death. Some specially compounded products are routinely given to chronic pain patients in doses of up to 180 mg of hydrocodone per day.

Some of the effects of hydrocodone come from the fact that a fraction of it is changed to hydromorphone in the liver, as is the case with all codeine-based analgesics (codeine into morphine, dihydrocodeine into dihydromorphine, nicocodeine into nicomorphine etc.). The percentage can vary based on both other medications taken and inherited metabolic quirks involving the Cytochrome P450 metabolic pathways — some cannot process it at all, whereas a smaller percentage can get even more strength from it than usual. These factors can also cause hydrocodone and related drugs to have a threshold effect, cause significant lengthening or shortening of the duration of effects in the absence of tolerance, and increase or decrease the de facto conversion ratio between hydrocodone and other drugs like morphine, hydromorphone, and synthetics like levorphanol and methadone.

Testosterone

Hydrocodone, along with most other opioids, may also severely decrease testosterone levels in men and may cause menstrual irregularities in women. Short-term use of opioids will usually result in a decrease in testosterone with a subsequent rebound post-cessation. However, chronic use is much more dangerous. In a study on cancer survivors using opioids for chronic pain relief, 90% of the subjects had hypogonadal levels of testosterone. This may occur due to both a negative feedback at both the hypothalamus-pituitary and at the gonadal (testicular) level. This is known as "central hypogonadism". Patients using opioid therapy should be screened for such endocrinological problems periodically through blood tests and inquiry of symptoms, which include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, anxiety, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and infertility. Treatment should first consist of opioid rotation. If that does not work, then testosterone replacement should commence.

Recreational use

Hydrocodone presents much of the same side-effects as other opioids including euphoria, sedation and somnolence. Hydrocodone is one of the most common recreational prescription drugs in America, along with oxycodone. Recreational hydrocodone use is particularly prevalent among teenagers and young adults because of the drug's widespread availability.

Many users of hydrocodone report a sense of satisfaction, especially at higher doses. A number of users also report a warm or pleasant numbing sensation throughout the body, one of the most well known effects of narcotics. Withdrawal effects may include, but are not limited to; severe pain, pins and needles sensation throughout body, sweating, extreme anxiety and restlessness, sneezing, watery eyes, fever, depression, and extreme drug cravings, among others. The presence of paracetamol in hydrocodone-containing products allegedly deters many users, at least in theory, from taking excessive amounts. However, some users will bypass this danger by using cold water extraction to extract and dispose of a portion of the paracetamol, taking advantage of the water-soluble element of the drug. It is not uncommon for users to have liver problems from consuming excessive amounts of paracetamol over a long period of time; taking 10,000 to 15,000 milligrams (10 to 15 grams) of paracetamol in a period of 24 hours typically results in paracetamol overdose and severe hepatotoxicity; doses in the range of 15,000–20,000 milligrams a day have been reported as fatal. It is this factor that leads many recreational users to use only single-entity opioids such as oxycodone. One of the major problems today with the illicit use of hydrocodone, especially in younger populations, is that users may not be aware that hydrocodone pills contain paracetamol.

Detection in body fluids

Hydrocodone may be quantitated in blood, plasma or urine to monitor for abuse, confirm a diagnosis of poisoning or assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Many commercial opiate screening tests cross-react appreciably with hydrocodone and its metabolites, but chromatographic techniques can easily distinguish hydrocodone from other opiates. Blood or plasma hydrocodone concentrations are typically in the 5-30 µg/L range in persons taking the drug therapeutically, 100-200 µg/L in abusers and 0.1-2.0 mg/L in cases of acute fatal overdosage.

Regulation

;Belgium In Belgium, hydrocodone is no longer available for medical use.

;Luxembourg In Luxembourg, hydrocodone is available by prescription under name Biocodone. Prescriptions are more commonly given for use as an cough suppressant (antitussive) rather than for pain relief (analgesic).

;Germany In Germany, hydrocodone is available as single-active-ingredient tablets as Dicodid (by analogy to the original manufacturer's other products Dilaudid and Dinarkon and others) available in 5- and 10-mg strengths. Hydrocodone is listed under the Betäubungsmittelgesetz as a ''Suchtgift'' in the same category as morphine.

;Austria Hydrocodone is regulated in the same fashion as in Germany under the Austrian Suchtmittelgesetz; since 2002 it has been available in the form of German products and those produced elsewhere in the European Union under Article 76 of the Schengen Treaty—prior to this, no Austrian companies produced hydrocodone products, with dihydrocodeine and nicomorphine being more commonly used for the same levels of pain and the former for coughing.

;The Netherlands In the Netherlands, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is classified as a List 1 drug under the Opium Law.

;United Kingdom In the UK, hydrocodone is not available for medical use and is listed as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Various formulations of dihydrocodeine, a weaker opioid, are frequently used as an alternative for the aforementioned indications of hydrocodone use.

;United States Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) hydrocodone is listed as both a Schedule II and Schedule III substance depending on the formulation.

Schedule II lists hydrocodone in pure form and any formulations of combination products containing more than 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.

Schedule III lists hydrocodone in formulations of combination products containing up to 15 mg hydrocodone per dosage unit.

Hydrocodone was until recently the active antitussive in more than 200 formulations of cough syrups and tablets sold in the United States. In late 2006, the FDA began forcing the recall of many of these formulations due to reports of deaths in infants and children under the age of six. The legal status of drug formulations originally sold between 1938 and 1962 — before FDA approval was required — was ambiguous. As a result of FDA enforcement action, 88% of the hydrocodone-containing medications have been removed from the market.

At the present time, doctors, pharmacists, and codeine-sensitive or allergic patients or sensitive to the amounts of histamine released by its metabolites must choose among rapidly dwindling supplies of the Hycodan-Codiclear-Hydromet type syrups, Tussionex — an extended-release suspension similar to the European products Codipertussin (codeine hydrochloride), Paracodin suspension (dihydrocodeine hydroiodide), Tusscodin (nicocodeine hydrochloride) and others — and a handful of weak dihydrocodeine syrups. The low sales volume and Schedule II status of Dilaudid cough syrup predictably leads to under-utilisation of the drug. There are several conflicting views concerning the US availability of cough preparations containing ethylmorphine (also called dionine or codethyline) — Feco Syrup and its equivalents were first marketed circa 1895 and still in common use in the 1940s and 1950s, and the main ingredient is treated like codeine under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

C-III and higher prescriptions are generally valid for 6 months (including any refills). In the U.S., hydrocodone is always found in combination with other drugs such as paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen and homatropine methylbromide due to compounding regulations. These combinations are considered C-III substances. The purpose of the non-controlled drugs in combination is often twofold: 1) To provide increased analgesia via drug synergy. 2) To limit the intake of hydrocodone by causing unpleasant and often unsafe side effects at higher-than-prescribed doses (See Below). As stated above, hydrocodone is not available in pure form in the United States due to a separate regulation, and is always sold with an NSAID, paracetamol, antihistamine, expectorant, or homatropine. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.

As of July 2010, the FDA is considering banning some hydrocodone and oxycodone fixed-combination proprietary prescription drugs—based on the paracetamol content and the widespread occurrence of liver problems. FDA action on this suggestion would ostensibly also affect codeine, dihydrocodeine, and propoxyphene products such as the Tylenol With Codeine and Panlor series of drugs and Darvocet. An extended-release hydrocodone-only product is apparently close to final approval for marketing in the United States, and single-ingredient tablets of oxycodone and codeine are currently marketed. Mixtures of these drugs with other drugs such as Vicoprofen (hydrocodone & ibuprofen), Combunox (ibuprofen and oxycodone), Synalgos DC (aspirin and dihydrocodeine), and the Empirin With Codeine series are also currently available. Presently It is the most prescribed drug in the USA. In 2010 131.2 million prescriptions of Hydrocodone (combined with acetaminophen) were made.

See also

Opiate comparison

References

External links

DEA Scheduling Information

Erowid Hydrocodone (Vicodin) Vault

U.S. National Library of Medicine: Drug Information Portal - Hydrocodone

Category:German inventions Category:Ketones Category:Morphinans Category:Phenol ethers Category:Semisynthetic opioids Category:Mu-opioid agonists

cs:Hydrokodon de:Hydrocodon es:Hidrocodona fr:Hydrocodone ko:하이드로콘 it:Idrocodone hu:Hidrokodon nl:Hydrocodon pl:Hydrokodon pt:Di-hidrocodeína ru:Гидрокодон fi:Hydrokodoni sv:Hydrokodon th:ไฮโดรโคโดน

Name	Young Jeezy
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Jay Wayne Jenkins
Alias	Lil J
Born	October 12, 1977 Columbia, South Carolina
Death date	|origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, songwriter
Years active	2001–present
Label	Corporate Thugz/Def Jam, Def Jam South
Associated acts	USDA, Freddie Gibbs, Drake, T.I., Kanye West, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Bun B, Usher
Website	www.islanddefjam.com/artist/home.aspx?artistID7320

Jay Wayne Jenkins (born October 12, 1977), better known by his stage name Young Jeezy, is an American rapper and member of the hip hop group United Streets Dopeboyz of America (USDA) and a former member of BMF (Black Mafia Family). He began his career in 2001 under an independent label and joined Boyz 'N Da Hood in 2005, the same year his solo major label debut ''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' was released. Its single "Soul Survivor", which featured Akon, became a top-ten hit in the US.

''The Inspiration'' followed in 2006, and ''The Recession'' followed in 2008; both albums yielded chart-topping singles. Jeezy has also appeared on numerous other rap and R&B; singles such as "Say I" by Christina Millian, "I'm So Paid" by Akon, "Hard" by Rihanna, and "Love In This Club" by Usher, the latter being a number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 2008.

Early life

Jay Wayne Jenkins was born in Columbia, South Carolina and relocated to Atlanta, Georgia when he was a toddler. Because his parents were separated, custody of him transferred between family members frequently. At one point, he lived with his grandmother in Hawkinsville, Georgia. In an interview with ''XXL'' magazine, he described his childhood as "empty". In 1994, he spent nine months in YCA (Youth Challenge Academy), a boot camp in Fort Stewart, Georgia, for narcotics possession.

Music career

Independent debut

Jeezy released his first independent album, ''Thuggin' Under the Influence'' (''T.U.I.''), in 2001 under the name Lil J. It featured artists such as Freddy J.,Kinky B, Fidank, and Lil Jon, who also produced some of the tracks. In 2003, Jeezy released (also independently) ''Come Shop wit Me'', a two CD set featuring completely new tracks with some songs from ''T.U.I.'' Jeezy signed with Bad Boy Records in 2004 and joined the group Boyz n da Hood, whose self-titled album was released in June 2005 and peaked at #5 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums charts.

''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'' (2005)

In May 2004, Jazze Pha's manager Henry 'Noonie' Lee showed Young Jeezy's demo to his friend Shakir Stewart, Vice President Artist and Repertoire (VP A&R;) at Def Jam. Stewart "fell in love with it [the demo] the first time [he] heard it" and took it to L.A. Reid. Reid recognised the talent and gave Stewart the green light to sign him. As the "hottest thing on the street" at the time, various labels - including Warner and Interscope – were after his signature. However, Jeezy decided he wanted to be in business with Stewart and Reid. As a result, signed with Def Jam Records.

Jeezy's major label debut, ''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released on July 26, 2005. He debuted at #2, selling 172,000 copies in its first week. It spawned several hit singles such as "Soul Survivor" featuring Akon. It reached #4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #1 on the Hot Rap Tracks charts. "And Then What" featuring Mannie Fresh, which reached #67 on the Hot 100 and #13 on the Hot Rap Tracks. "My Hood", #19 on the Rap chart. In an interview with HitQuarters, A&R; Shakir Stewart said that Jeezy had recorded over 60 songs for the album.

Jeezy partially wrote and performed on Gucci Mane's song, "Icy". Supposedly, Jeezy was never paid properly for his services. Those in Gucci Mane's camp have suggested that gang members from the Mechanicsville area attacked Gucci Mane to defend Jeezy's honor. Jeezy put out a track called "Stay Strapped" dissing Gucci Mane to the beat of "T.I.'s" song "A.S.A.P." Jeezy responded to Gucci Mane's, while rapping "even his own momma know, Radric Davis a bitch". In a recent Cutmaster C mixtape, ''The Hood News Page 3: Jay-Z Boycotts Cristal'', Gucci disses Jeezy along with Jay Z in his track, "745". Jeezy addresses Gucci back on the same mixtape. While on the track "Break It Down", featuring Cmillz. On "Streets On Lock", from The Inspiration, Jeezy addressed Gucci Mane again, saying "What type of real nigga name himself after a bag?/Nigga you's a hoe, a Louis Vuitton fag". Towards the end of 2009, DJ Drama brought Young Jeezy to the radio station and called Gucci Mane to settle the beef once and for all. The two stopped feuding but throughout early 2010, the crews of Jeezy & Gucci (CTE & Brick Squad) have been in and out altercations with each other despite the fact Jeezy & Gucci have nothing to do with that. In 2011, Jeezy plans to release a new single featuring DJ Spluge and the rest of the Gangster Brigade.

In interviews and on several records, Jeezy has affirmed his resistance to commercialism in his music. Maintaining his street credibility, according to Jeezy, is of the utmost concern to him as an artist. In 2005, Jeezy was featured in several popular hip hop songs including Gucci Mane's "Icy" and Boyz n da Hood's "Dem Boyz". Due to having a successful solo career, he left the group. From time to time he still keeps in contact with a few of the members, but in early 2010 Jeezy & Jody Breeze (who is still a member of Boyz N Da Hood) began to diss each other which started a new beef between the two.

''The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102'', U.S.D.A. (2006–2007)

In 2006, he was featured in Christina Milian's single "Say I". Jeezy's second major label album was ''The Inspiration'', released in 2006. The album's first single "I Luv It" peaked at #14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Bury Me A G" and "Go Getta" featuring R. Kelly, and "Dreamin’" featuring Keyshia Cole followed.

He also portrayed himself in the hip-hop fighting themed game ''Def Jam: Icon''. In 2007, Jeezy released ''Cold Summer'', an album by rap group USDA which consists of Jeezy, Blood Raw, Slick Pulla, 2Eleven and Boo Rossini.

Jeezy presented a week-long toy drive and charity event series with his CTE family with the first annual Toyz n da Hood toy drive. The series presented 1,000 toys for 1,000 kids at various locations in Macon and Atlanta, which began on December 17, 2007, with the CTE Christmas Kickoff from 10 pm to 5 am at Club Miami. The toy giveaway took place in the Unionville neighborhood of Macon and at the Old Fourth Ward Community in Atlanta.

''The Recession'' (2008)

His third album, ''The Recession'', was released in 2008. "Put On" featuring Kanye West was the lead single, which also led to a Grammy Nomination for Best Rap performance by a duo, but it came short. Put On was followed by "Vacation", "Crazy World", "My President" with Nas, and "Who Dat" to complete the Recession's singles. Jeezy appeared on the R&B; singles "Love in this Club" by Usher and "I'm So Paid" by Akon (also with Lil Wayne). "Love in this Club" peaked at #1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Later, he performed on Ciara's single "Never Ever", from her album ''Fantasy Ride''.

In the summer of 2008, Jeezy was at the center of a controversy over his choice for president. While he had previously endorsed Barack Obama, he spoke about meeting and supporting John McCain during an interview with ''Vibe'' magazine. The statement caused a stir, and Jeezy quickly clarified his choice, via a viral video. In the four-minute explanation, Jeezy made it clear, Obama was his main choice. "I represent the Democratic party. ... I've never been nor do I ever plan to be a John McCain supporter", the rapper said. "I support Barack Obama." Jeezy and Jay-Z performed in a concert to celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama on January 18, 2009. On ''The O'Reilly Factor'', commentator Bill O'Reilly criticized their performance as a "rant that offended people", but Jeezy responded: "I got white friends. It's nothing like that. I'm a taxpayer, I got a right to voice my opinion at any point in time. I don't think he really understands my struggle."

''TM103'' (2011-present)

Jeezy is working on ''Thug Motivation 103'', his latest LP, as of November 2009. In March 2010, it was reported that Young Jeezy dropped "Young" from his stage name. Later, Young Jeezy denied the name change and claimed it was just a rumor: however, on the cover for his single "Lose My Mind", his name is printed as "Jeezy". On May 17, 2011, Jeezy released the first single for ''Thug Motivation 103'', "Ballin", which features Lil Wayne.

On March 4, 2010 Jeezy released the track "Illin", featuring the group Clipse; specifically Pusha T. On the track Pusha T raps, "No amount of record sales could derail this ...Stuffing dead prezzies in the wall like that Yale bitch..." The line was controversial and many felt the line was in bad taste and demeaned Yale student Annie Le, who was murdered in 2009, by making light of a crime that had grabbed a lot of media attention due to its extremely upsetting and tragic nature. On July 26, 2011, Young Jeezy announced a September 20, 2011 release date for TM103.

Personal life

He is a personal friend of fellow Atlanta rapper Yung Joc. After Hurricane Katrina, Jeezy opened his house to the victims in an effort to help them have a place to stay. In October 2005, the mother of his 9 year old son used this as the basis to petition for child support. Early in the year, she had claimed that she had little income, no assets and did not even have a house.

On March 11, 2005, Jeezy was arrested after an alleged shooting involving some of his friends in Miami Beach, Florida. He was charged with two counts of carrying a concealed firearm without a permit; however, prosecutors dropped his charges two months later over lack of evidence. In the early hours of September 29, 2007, Jeezy totaled his Lamborghini when it was hit by a taxi crossing Peachtree Street, outside of Justin's, Sean Combs’ restaurant in Atlanta. The ''Atlanta Journal Constitution'' reported his claim that this gave him "a new appreciation for life". In Atlanta on June 18, 2008, police arrested him for DUI.

Discography

;Studio albums

2005: ''Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101''

2006: ''The Inspiration: Thug Motivation 102''

2008: ''The Recession''

2011: ''Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition''

Independent albums

2001: ''Thuggin' Under the Influence (T.U.I.)''

2003: ''Come Shop wit Me''

;Collaboration albums

2005: ''Boyz n da Hood'' (with Boyz n da Hood)

2007: ''Cold Summer'' (with U.S.D.A)

2011: ''The Afterparty'' (with U.S.D.A)

Filmography

2009: ''Janky Promoters''

Awards

BET Awards

*2010, Viewer's Choice Award ("Hard") with Rihanna [Won]

*2009, Best Male Hip-Hop Artist [Nominated]

2008, Best Collaboration ("I'm So Hood [Remix]") with DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Rick Ross [Nominated]

BET Hip-Hop Awards

2008, Best Hip-Hop Video ("I'm So Hood [Remix]") with DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Rick Ross [Nominated]

2008, Best Hip-Hop Collabo ("I'm So Hood [Remix]") with DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, & Rick Ross [Won]

2008, People's Champ Award ("Put On") with Kanye West [Nominated]

2006, Hip-Hop CD of the Year ("Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101") [Nominated]

2006, Hip-Hop MVP of the Year [Nominated]

Grammy Awards

2009, Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group ("Put On") with Kanye West [Nominated]

*2010, Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group ("Amazing") with Kanye West (Nominated)

*2011, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group ("Lose My Mind") with Plies (Nominated)

Ozone Awards

*2008, Best Rap Artist [Nominated]

*2008, Best Rap/R&B; Collaboration ("Love in this Club") with Usher (Won)

*2007, Best Rap Album ''The Inspiration'' (Won)

*2007, Best Rap/R&B; Collaboration ("Go Getta") with R. Kelly [Nominated]

*2007, Best Video ("Grew Up a Screw Up") with Ludacris [Nominated]

*2007, Best Group with Slick Pulla & Blood Raw as USDA [Nominated]

References

External links

Official website

Young Jeezy Interview at prefixmag

Young Jeezy Circulate Music Video

Young Jeezy Talks About Nas

Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:African American rappers Category:Musicians from South Carolina Category:People convicted of drug offenses Category:People from Columbia, South Carolina Category:Rappers from Atlanta, Georgia Category:Southern hip hop musicians Category:Pseudonymous rappers

cs:Young Jeezy de:Jeezy es:Young Jeezy fr:Young Jeezy ko:영 지지 it:Young Jeezy nl:Young Jeezy ja:ヤング・ジージー no:Young Jeezy pl:Young Jeezy pt:Young Jeezy ru:Young Jeezy simple:Young Jeezy fi:Young Jeezy sv:Jeezy tr:Young Jeezy zh:杰伊·詹金斯

Name	Charles Luciano
Birth date	November 24, 1897
Birth place	Lercara Friddi, Sicily, Italy
Death date	January 26, 1962
Death place	Naples, Italy
Charge	Heading prostitution racket
Penalty	79-50 years
Occupation	Allegedly had control over the drug trafficking supplying heroin from the rest of the world (Europe, Africa, Orient) to USA, Businessman, First boss of the Luciano Family which later became the Genovese crime family. Founder and Chairman of the Commission with Meyer Lansky, Hitman, Gambler, and Bootlegger. }}

Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (born Salvatore Lucania; November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission. He was the first official boss of the modern Genovese crime family. He was, along with his associate Meyer Lansky, instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States.

Early life

Salvatore Lucania was born on November 24, 1897 in Lercara Friddi, Sicily. His parents, Antonio and Rosalia Lucania, had four other children: Bartolomeo (born 1890), Giuseppe (born 1898), Filippia (born 1901), and Concetta (born 1903). When Charlie was 10 years old (1907), the family migrated to the United States. They settled in New York City, on the Lower East Side at 265 East 10th Street. The neighborhood was a popular desitanation for Italian immigrants at the time.

While a teenager, he started his own gang. Unlike the other street gangs whose business was to pickpocket, mug, and steal, Lucania decided to offer protection to the Jewish youngsters who were picked on by their Italian and Irish counterparts. He would charge each one ten cents per week.

By the age of 20, he was well integrated into the crime scene in the Lower East Side, being involved in theft, extortion, and drug trafficking (for which he served a six-month prison term in 1916). He also became life-long friends with Jewish gangster Meyer Lansky.

Prohibition

On January 17, 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified and prohibition lasted until the amendment was repealed in 1933. The Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcoholic beverages. As there was still a substantial demand for alcohol, this provided criminals with an added source of income. Around this time, Luciano worked for Arnold Rothstein.

Luciano had plans to expand both his territory and profits by collaborating with other gangsters to cut down the cost of political protection and reduce the likelihood of hijacked shipments. However, Joe "The Boss" Masseria prevented Luciano from taking this path.

By 1921, Luciano had met many Mafia leaders, including Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, his longtime friend, business partner, and eventually Sottocapo through his involvement in the Five Points Gang. Together they began a bootlegging operation.

By 1925, Luciano was grossing over $12 million a year; however, he was netting much less each year due to the high costs of bribing politicians and police. Luciano and his partners ran the largest bootlegging operation in New York, one that also extended into Philadelphia. He imported scotch whisky directly from Scotland, rum from the Caribbean, and whisky from Canada. He was also involved in gambling.

Rise to power

At an early age Luciano had established himself as a creative criminal on the Lower East Side and eventually became a top aide to crime boss Joe Masseria who was involved in a prolonged turf war with rival crime boss Salvatore Maranzano during the 1920s.

Masseria was a Mustache Pete, an old-school mafioso who wanted to preserve the old Mafia ideals of honour, tradition, respect and dignity. Luciano and his contemporaries who had started their criminal careers in the United States were known as the Young Turks. Like the original Young Turks of the Ottoman Empire, they formed a young and ambitious group which challenged the established order. The Mustache Petes would not work with anyone who was not Italian or Italian American, and were even skeptical of working with anyone who was not Sicilian or Sicilian-American. Luciano believed that as long as money was being made, the family should deal with anyone. He was therefore shocked to hear old mafiosi lecturing him about his dealings with Costello, whom they called "the dirty Calabrian."

What became known as the Castellammarese War raged from 1928 to 1931, resulting in the death of as many as 60 mobsters. The war was nominally between Maranzano and Masseria. In truth, however, there was a third, secret faction, made up of Luciano and several other Young Turks from both the Masseria and Maranzano factions. In addition to Luciano, this group included Frank Costello, Vito Genovese, Albert Anastasia, Joe Adonis, Joe Bonanno, Carlo Gambino, Joe Profaci, Tommy Gagliano and Tommy Lucchese. They believed the Mustache Petes' greed was pushing them to the fringe while the Irish and Jewish gangs got rich. Luciano was already making plans to get rid of the Mustache Petes and form a national crime syndicate in which the Italian, Jewish and Irish gangs could pool their resources and turn organized crime into a lucrative business for all.

In 1929, Luciano was forced into a limousine at gun point by three men, beaten and stabbed, and dumped on a beach on New York Bay. He somehow survived the ordeal but was forever marked with a scar and droopy eye. His survival earned him the name Lucky although he may already have earned this nickname in his younger days because of his luck at avoiding police. After his abduction Luciano found out through Meyer Lansky that the attack had been ordered by Masseria's enemy, Salvatore Maranzano. In an ironic twist Luciano later cut a secret deal with Maranzano in which he agreed to engineer Masseria's death in return for being made Maranzano's second-in-command. This deal would end the famous Castellammarese War.

Luciano kept up his end of the bargain when he invited Masseria and two other associates to have lunch in a Coney Island restaurant. When they finished their lunch, they decided to play a game of cards. At that point Luciano stepped into the men's washroom. While Luciano was in the washroom, four gunmen--Bugsy Siegel, Vito Genovese, Albert Anastasia and Joe Adonis—walked into the restaurant and shot and killed Masseria and the other two associates. Luciano then took over Masseria's crime family.

Maranzano then made Luciano his number two, and set up the Five Families of New York. The newly formed families were headed by Maranzano, Luciano, Profaci, Gagliano and Vincent Mangano. Maranzano promised that they would all be equal and all be free to make money. However, while Maranzano was slightly more forward-thinking than Masseria, at heart he was still a Mustache Pete. He showed this at a later meeting of the crime bosses in Upstate New York, when he declared himself capo di tutti capi (Boss of all Bosses). He also whittled down the rackets of the rival families in order to strengthen his own family. Luciano appeared to accept this, though in reality he was merely biding his time before getting rid of Maranzano as well--as he'd planned all along.

Maranzano soon realized that Luciano was a threat, and hired Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll, a notoriously violent Irish gangster, to kill him. However, Lucchese alerted Luciano that he was marked for death. When Maranzano ordered Luciano and Genovese to come to his office at 230 Park Avenue in New York City on September 10, Luciano suspected they wouldn't come out alive. He had four Jewish gangsters pose as government agents and show up at Maranzano's office. While two of the "agents" disarmed Maranzano's bodyguards, the other two stabbed Maranzano multiple times before shooting him.

Reorganizing Cosa Nostra

Luciano now had businesses throughout the country. His longtime friend Meyer Lansky served as his right-hand man and adviser. When Dutch Schultz decided he was going to kill Manhattan District Attorney Thomas Dewey, in direct violation of Luciano's orders, Schultz was executed instead.

Luciano had reached the pinnacle of America's underworld, directing criminal rules, policies and activities along with the other family bosses. He ran a powerful crime family which now bore his name, and he controlled lucrative criminal rackets such as gambling, bookmaking, loan-sharking, drug trafficking and extortion. Luciano was very influential in labor and union activities and controlled the Manhattan Waterfront, garbage hauling, construction, Garment Center businesses and trucking.

Luciano abolished the title of ''Capo Di Tutti i Capi'', insisting that the position created tension and trouble between the families. He felt that the ceremony of being 'made a soldier' in a family should be done away with. Meyer Lansky however, urged him against it, arguing that young people needed rituals to cling to. Luciano also stressed the importance of the omertà, the oath of silence, and kept the organizational structure that Maranzano had instituted.

The Commission

Luciano, under the urging of Johnny Torrio, set up the Mafia's governing body, organizing the Commission with the Mafia family bosses. The Commission settled all disputes between families and has been called Luciano's most important innovation. The Commission decided which families controlled which territories. If an individual was to be a "made man", his boss had to first go before the Commission and receive their approval.

The Commission was originally composed of representatives of the Five Families of New York City, the Philadelphia crime family, the Buffalo crime family, Los Angeles crime family and the Chicago Outfit of Al Capone; later, the Detroit crime family, Kansas City crime family were added. All Commission members were supposed to retain the same power and had one vote, but in reality some families and bosses were more powerful than others.

The original Luciano family

Luciano elevated his most trusted and loyal family members to high-level positions in the Luciano crime family. The feared Vito Genovese became his Underboss, while Frank Costello was his consigliere. Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola, Anthony Strollo, Joe Adonis, and Anthony Carfano all served as caporegimes. Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel were both unofficial advisors to the Luciano family.

Prosecutions and prison

Luciano's reign was relatively short-lived. Special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, a future Republican presidential candidate (later Luciano himself affirmed that the Commission had done everything they could in order for Dewey to become President in exchange for Luciano's return to the US), singled out Luciano as an organized crime ringleader and targeted him, along with others. Luciano had previously voted against Dutch Schultz's proposal to assassinate Dewey after Schultz became the repeated target of Dewey's investigations.

In a raid by Dewey of 80 New York City brothels, hundreds of arrested prostitutes agreed to turn state's evidence in exchange for not receiving prison time. Three of them implicated Luciano as the ringleader, who made collections, although David "Little Davey" Betillo was in charge of the prostitution ring in New York, and any money that Luciano received was from Betillo. But Dewey had also managed to persuade the staff at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel to lie and say that Luciano's gangster friends had often come to his room.

It is believed by almost all mob experts that Dewey framed Luciano, since Mafia did not bother with prostitution, and also Luciano meeting with hookers to collect money seemed absurd, considering his position as boss. Before he could get Luciano into court for trial, Luciano escaped to Hot Springs, Arkansas, the renowned gangster haven established by famous gangster Owney Madden. An Arkansas judge remanded Luciano to a state prison for extradition, but a local paid-off police detective bailed Luciano out of jail after only four hours. Dewey then sent detectives to Arkansas to spirit Luciano back for trial.

Dewey's efforts succeeded in Luciano being convicted on charges as leader of one of the largest prostitution rings in American history in 1936 and sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison, along with Dave Betillo and others. Dewey exposed Luciano for lying on the witness stand, through direct quizzing and records of telephone calls; Luciano also had no explanation for why his federal income tax records claimed he made only $22,000 a year, while it was obvious to onlookers that he was a wealthy man.

Luciano continued to run the Luciano crime family from prison and his prison cell, relaying his orders through his first acting boss, Vito Genovese. Genovese had quickly lived up to his feared reputation for violence, and soon fled to Naples, Italy, in 1937 to avoid a murder indictment. The Family's third most powerful member, Consigliere Frank Costello became the new Sottocapo and overseer of Luciano's interests. It is a mystery to most organized crime historians just who it was that had replaced Costello as the family consigliere. The only hint to the Costello successor came from Joe Valachi. Valachi was a former soldier in the Genovese Family and the first major Mafia informer in the United States. Valachi mentions, in the book ''The Valachi Papers'', written by Peter Maas, a certain "Sandino," as the Family counselor. The mysterious "Sandino" was whispered about at a meeting Valachi attended with his Capo, Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo.

Luciano was imprisoned in Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, where co-defendant Dave Betillo prepared special dishes for Luciano in a special kitchen set aside by authorities. He would use his influence to help get the materials to build a church at the prison, which became famous for being one of the only freestanding churches in the New York State correctional system and also for the fact that on the church's altar are two of the original doors from the ''Victoria'', the ship of Ferdinand Magellan.

World War II, freedom and deportation

During World War II, the U.S. government reportedly struck a secret deal with the imprisoned Luciano. United States Army Military Intelligence knew that Luciano maintained good connections in the Sicilian and Italian Mafia, which had been severely persecuted by Benito Mussolini. Luciano considered himself to be a loyal American who was devoted to Sicily, the Mafia, and the United States alike. His help was sought in providing Mafia assistance to counter possible Axis infiltration on U.S. waterfronts, during Operation Avalanche, and his connections in Italy and Sicily were tapped to furnish intelligence and ensure an easy passage for U.S. forces involved in the Italian Campaign. Albert Anastasia, who controlled the docks, promised that no dockworker strikes would arise. Both during and after the war, the U.S. military and intelligence agencies reputedly also used Luciano's Mafia connections to root out communist influence in labor groups and local governments. In return for his cooperation, Luciano was permitted to run his crime empire unhindered from his jail cell.

Luciano would later say that his contribution to the war effort had been a sham, designed purely to obtain his release from prison. The enemy threat to the docks, he said, had been manufactured by the sinking of the SS ''Normandie'' directed by Anastasia's brother, Anthony Anastasio. The ''Normandie'', a French passenger vessel, which had been seized by the U.S. under the right of angary, was being refitted as a troop ship in New York harbor. Furthermore, said Luciano, he did next to nothing to help the war effort in Italy.

In 1946, as a reward for his presumed wartime cooperation, Luciano was paroled on the condition that he depart the United States and return to Sicily. He accepted the deal, although he had maintained during his trial that he was a native of New York City and was therefore not subject to deportation. He was deeply hurt about having to leave the United States, a country he had considered his own ever since his arrival at age ten. During his exile, Luciano used to meet US military men during train trips throughout Italy, and he enjoyed being recognized by his countrymen and tourists, taking photos and even signing autographs for them.

The Havana Conference

Although Luciano was paroled from prison on the condition that he permanently return to Sicily, he secretly moved to Cuba, where he worked to resume control over American Mafia operations. Meyer Lansky started investing heavily in a Cuban hotel project.

In 1946, Lansky called together the heads of all the major Families, claiming that they were going to see Frank Sinatra perform. Luciano had three topics to discuss: the heroin trade, Cuban gambling, and what was to be done about Bugsy Siegel. The Conference took place at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba and lasted a little more than a week.

One of the main topics for discussion at the Havana Conference was ordering a hit on Siegel, who was unaware of this meeting. Meyer Lansky, who several times owed his life to Siegel when they were young, took a stand against the hit. He begged the attendees to give Siegel a chance by waiting until after the casino opening. Luciano, who believed Siegel could still turn a profit in Las Vegas, Nevada, and pay back what he owed the Mafia investors, agreed to postpone the hit.

To placate his investors, Siegel opened Flamingo Las Vegas, his still-unfinished casino, on the star-studded night of December 26, 1946, although he did not have as many Hollywood celebrities with him as he had hoped. Soon the Flamingo ran dry of entertainers and customers; it closed after only two weeks in order to resume construction. The fully operational Flamingo re-opened in March 1947. Still dissatisfied, the casino's gangster investors once again met in Havana in the spring of 1947 to decide whether to murder Siegel. Luckily for Siegel, the Flamingo had just turned a profit that month. Lansky again spoke up in support of his old friend and convinced Luciano to give Siegel one last chance. However, when the Flamingo still failed to turn a profit, Siegel's fate was sealed; he was killed by four shots fired through a window at his girlfriend's California home in June 1947.

The deposed Luciano asked that he be declared Capo Di Tutti i Capi. His old friends and business associates agreed that he deserved the title; all except Vito Genovese, who wanted the title for himself and is rumored to have leaked Luciano's whereabouts to the government. Luciano reportedly took him into a room and beat him severely for his betrayal.

When the US government learned of Luciano's presence in the Caribbean, he was forced to fly back to Italy. The US government threatened to stop all shipments of medical drugs to Cuba unless Luciano left.

Operating in Italy

While exiled in Italy Luciano left his stamp on American organized crime and the larger society for decades to come by making narcotics trafficking one of Cosa Nostra's biggest money making ventures. Between October 10 and October 14, 1957 Luciano oversaw a parley of more than thirty Sicilian and American Mafia leaders to draw up plans for the smuggling and distribution of heroin into the United States. According to Selwyn Raab, an investigative reporter for The New York Times who covered organized crime and criminal justice matters for twenty-five years, it was at the Luciano meeting, held in the Grand Hotel et des Palmes in Palermo, Sicily, that a plan was put into place through which Sicilians were responsible for distributing heroin in the U.S., while the American mobsters collected a share of the income as "franchise fees." Luciano's plan included a scheme to expand the then tiny heroin and cocaine market in the U.S. by reducing the price and focusing on working class black and white urban neighborhoods. In the late 1950s an estimated 50,000 Americans were addicted to heroin, yet just two decades later that number ballooned ten times. Contrary to the myth perpetrated by Hollywood gangster films such as The Godfather, the Mafia was directly responsible for the rampant drug trade in the U.S., and the subsequent social problems that resulted.

Personal life

After being deported to Italy, Luciano fell in love with Igea Lissoni, an Italian dancer 20 years his junior. They lived together peacefully until they learned that there was a hit contract on Luciano, and the two went into hiding. They changed apartments many times throughout the months and moved from hotel to hotel before the hit was called off.

Barred from Rome after the hit was called off, the two lived together in Luciano's 60-room house on Via Tasso in Naples. Igea was reportedly the center of Luciano's life, so when she died of breast cancer, he began to fall apart, as did his control of the American syndicate and his own projects based out of Italy. After living together for 11 years, there was never any confirmation that the two ever married. If they had, it would have been illegal, since Luciano's deportation barred him from marriage.

American power struggle

During his exile, Luciano missed a major power shift in America. Vito Genovese, who was at one time Luciano's Underboss, had decided that he wanted to take over the Luciano Family. After a botched 1957 assassination attempt on Costello by Vinnie "The Chin" Gigante, Costello stepped down as Don and let Genovese take over. But Genovese wanted to take out his competition.

It was at the famous Apalachin Meeting, later in 1957, that Genovese planned to propose to The Commission that Luciano be stripped of his title as ''Capo Di Tutti i Capi,'' and that he be crowned Boss of all Bosses. But he did not count on Carlo Gambino, one of Luciano's protégés, to hold loyalty to his old Boss.

Costello, Luciano, and Gambino met in a hotel in Palermo, Sicily, to discuss their plan of action.

Death and legacy

Luciano was reportedly told not to promote or participate in films about his life, as it would have attracted unnecessary attention to the mob. He relented after Igea Lissoni died of breast cancer and was scheduled to meet with a movie producer arriving by plane at the Naples Airport. On January 26, 1962, Luciano died of a heart attack at Naples International Airport. Back in 1946 after serving his prison sentence, Luciano had been deported and thus denied entry into the United States, but in death his desire was granted. He was buried in St. John's Cemetery in Queens. More than 2,000 mourners attended his funeral. His longtime friend, Carlo Gambino, spoke at the funeral.

Carlo Gambino was the only other boss besides Luciano to have complete control of the Commission and virtually every Mafia family in the United States. Luciano, unlike many Italian gangsters in the days of his rise to the top, was prepared to do dealings with non-Italians mainly of Jewish descent. As much as it was resented by his fellow Italians, it paid dividends. With the help of his Jewish associates he reinvented the mob into the most powerful crime syndicate the United States has ever witnessed and, in the process, oversaw the golden era of the Italian-American Mafia. Lucky Luciano made what was then an unprecedented Mafia coup, facilitating the murders of two of the most feared bosses Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano. At the peak of his criminal career Lucky Luciano's influence was far reaching to the extent that the United States government through the FBI approached him for help in protecting the Navy fleet in New York and with the invasion of Italy to defeat Mussolini in World War 2. Luciano's contribution led to his release from prison in February 1946. In popular culture proponents of the Mafia and its history often debate as to who was the greater between Luciano and his contemporary Al Capone. The much publicized exploits of Al Capone with the Chicago Outfit made him the most famous mobster in American history, however Capone did not command influence over other Mafia families; something Luciano did in creating and running The Commission. For being the Mafia hegemon in the era of landmark mobsters like Albert Anastasia, Frank Costello, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese all of whom he led, Charles Lucky Luciano is thus considered by many as the most powerful Mafia boss of all time.

''TIME'' magazine deplored Luciano as the "criminal mastermind" among the top 20 most influential builders and titans of the 20th century.

Media portrayals

Films The Valachi Papers (1972) – Luciano was portrayed by Angelo Infanti ''Lucky Luciano'' (1973) – Luciano was portrayed by Gian Maria Volonté The Cotton Club (1984) – Luciano was portrayed by Joe Dallesandro Mobsters (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Christian Slater Bugsy (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Bill Graham Billy Bathgate (film) (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Stanley Tucci ''White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd'' (TV 1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Robert Davi Hoodlum (1997) – Luciano was portrayed by Andy García ''Bonanno: A Godfather's Story'' (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by Vince Corazza ''Lansky'' (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia ''The Real Untouchables'' (TV 2001) – Luciano was portrayed by David Viggiano ''The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano'' (2011) – based on the book, "The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano" by Martin Gosch and Richard Hammer is currently in the works.

T.V. series The Witness (TV series) (1960–1961) – Luciano was portrayed by Telly Savalas The Gangster Chronicles (1981) – Luciano was portrayed by Michael Nouri Boardwalk Empire (2010–present) – Luciano is portrayed by Vincent Piazza

Books

''Luciano's Luck'', Jack Higgins (1981). Fictional based on the Luciano's WWII supposed war efforts.

See also

Mafia

Black Hand (extortion)

Cesare Mori

References

Notes

External links

'Havana' Revisited: An American Gangster in Cuba ''NPR'', June 5, 2009

Bibliography

Johnson, Richard. ''H'Wood Eyes Luciano Tale,'' Publisher: New York Post 2007

Gosch, Martin A. and Hammer, Richard. ''The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano,'' Boston: Little Brown and Company, 1974. ISBN 0-316-32140-0

Raab, Selwyn. ''Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires'' Publisher: St. Martin's Press 2006 ISBN 0-312-36181-5

Klerks, Cat. ''Lucky Luciano: The Father of Organized Crime'' (True American Amazing Stories Series) Publisher: Altitude Publishing, Ltd. 2005 ISBN 1-55265-102-9

Powell, Hickman. ''Lucky Luciano, his amazing trial and wild witnesses''. Publisher: Barricade Books, Incorporated 2000 ISBN 0-8065-0493-5

Feder, Sid and Joesten, Joachim. ''Luciano Story''. Publisher: Da Capo Press 1994 ISBN 0-306-80592-8

Category:1897 births Category:1962 deaths Category:Bosses of the Genovese crime family Category:Capi di tutti capi Category:Burials at St. John's Cemetery (Queens) Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Five Points Gang Category:Genovese crime family Category:American mob bosses Category:People deported from the United States Category:People from the Province of Palermo Category:Prohibition-era gangsters Category:American mobsters of Sicilian descent Category:Sing Sing prison Category:Smallpox survivors

bg:Лъки Лучано ca:Lucky Luciano cs:Lucky Luciano de:Lucky Luciano es:Lucky Luciano eu:Lucky Luciano fa:لوچیانوی خوش‌شانس fr:Lucky Luciano ga:Lucky Luciano it:Lucky Luciano he:לאקי לוצ'יאנו ka:ლაკი ლუჩიანო lt:Laimingasis Lučianas hu:Lucky Luciano nl:Lucky Luciano ja:ラッキー・ルチアーノ no:Charles Luciano pl:Lucky Luciano pt:Lucky Luciano ro:Lucky Luciano ru:Лаки Лучиано simple:Lucky Luciano fi:Lucky Luciano sv:Lucky Luciano tr:Lucky Luciano vec:Lucky Luciano vi:Lucky Luciano war:Lucky Luciano zh:查理·盧西安諾