Wesley Eric Weston, Jr.^[1][2] (born March 3, 1981),^[1] better known by his stage name Lil' Flip, is an American multi-platinum hiphop artist best known for his singles Sunshine, "Game Over", "The Way We Ball", "I Can Do Dat" and Rollin on 20's from the 2 Fast 2 Furious Soundtrack.

Early life[link]

Weston began rhyming at a very young age. After receiving an "A" on a 6th grade English oral exam, Weston chuckled, stating "After that I was hooked". Lil' Flip chose this pseudonym because of his ability to use one's words against them, known in the hip-hop and rap culture as "flipping the script".

Music career[link]

[edit] 1999–2000: The Leprechaun

Lil' Flip, amid the growing underground rap scene in Houston, Texas, quickly rose to fame after independently releasing the 2000 album titled, The Leprechaun, which broke through to a national audience. Flip, as a teenager won the attention of the highly respected DJ Screw, who added the rapper into his loose-knit rap group called the Screwed Up Click, an affiliation that brought instant respect for Flip throughout Texas as well as the greater South. Later on before his untimely death, DJ Screw pronounced Lil Flip, "The Freestyle King."^[3]

[edit] 2001–02: Undaground Legend

In 2002 Columbia Records offered Flip a contract and Suckafree a distribution deal. Flip stated "We felt that they not only respected what we'd already accomplished on our own, but they also saw the big picture of what me as an artist, and Hump and I as Suckafree's CEOs were all about." Lil Flip released his debut studio album Undaground Legend on August 27, 2002. The album was certified Platinum in December 2002. It contained his hit single "The Way We Ball". In 2003 Lil' Flip was also featured in David Banner single "Like A Pimp". Then he also made featured appearance on Yung Wun's charting single "Tear It Up". He also made another appearance on Three 6 Mafia single "Ridin' Spinners" that made the charts. In 2003, he also did a track with Ludacris called "Screwed Up".^[3]

[edit] 2003–04: U Gotta Feel Me

In 2004 Flip released his second album U Gotta Feel Me it was his most successful album to date. Lil' Flip's label Columbia restructured Flip ended up at Sony Urban Music which could promote his work better. The first single from the album was "Game Over (Flip)". After that he quickly released his second single, "Sunshine" featuring Lea. This album sold 198,000 domestic copies in its first week and was certified double Platinum by August, 2004. Lil' Flip also made an appearance on the "Naughty Girl (Remix)" with Beyoncé in 2004. He was also featured on Chingy's Powerballin' on the remix of Chingy's successful hit single "Balla Baby". In 2004 he also made a remix to his hit single "Game Over (Flip)" which featured Young Buck and Bun B. He also made a guest appearance on Nelly's successful 2004 album "Sweat". He also collaborated with Jim Jones and The Game on the "Certified Gangstas (Remix)" in 2004. In 2005 Lil' Flip & Z-Ro made a collaboration album entitled Kings of the South. Also in 2005 Lil' Flip was featured in Chamillionaire's first single "Turn It Up". He was also featured in the remix of Bun B's single "Draped Up".^[3]

[edit] 2005–07: I Need Mine

On March 27 Lil' Flip released his third studio album I Need Mine. It consist of 2 discs containg 37 songs. The album also debuted at #15 on the Billboard 200 with 43,400 copies sold in the first week released. and has since sold 120,000 copies. In 2006 Lil' Flip collaborated with Mr. Capone-E and made an album entitled Connected. Also In 2007 Lil' Flip collaborated with Mr. Capone-E again on their sequel album, Still Connected it peaked at #68 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. Then in 2008 Lil' Flip made another collaboration album with Young Noble entitled All Eyez on Us.^[3] Lil Flip recorded a tribute song for the victims of the Virginia Tech Massacre shortly after it occurred.

[edit] 2008–present: Ahead of My Time 1.5

Ahead of My Time was originally set to be released as early as 2007, but was pushed back many times and was finally released on July 6, 2010. Lil' Flip released two "album-before-the-album's" in 2009 to help promote the release of Ahead of My Time. The two albums were: Respect Me^[4] and Underground Legend 2.^[5] Despite the album's promotion, the album only sold 205 copies when it was released. ^[6] Sources States Lil Flip Has Partnered With EMI Distributed Label: Twenty Two Recordings An Arkansas Label Ran By Arthur AJ Burton III, & James Giddeon Jr Which Currently Operates Under Capitol Music Group To Release His New Album "Ahead Of My Time 1.5" Which Is Due Out Spring 2012 Along With His New Book, A New Movie, & New Line Of Alcohol.^[7]

Discography[link]

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Charles Luciano
1936 New York Police Department mugshot of Lucky Luciano
Born	Salvatore' Lucania (1897-11-24)November 24, 1897 Lercara Friddi, Sicily, Italy
Died	January 26, 1962(1962-01-26) (aged 64) Naples, Italy
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, Bootlegger, and also worked with Al Capone.

Salvatore Lucania, better known as Charles "Lucky" Luciano (pronounced /luË?tÊ?iË?É‘Ë?noÊŠ/^[1])November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962), was an Italian-born, naturalized American 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[link]

Salvatore Lucania was born on November 24, 1897 in Lercara Friddi, Sicily.^[2] His parents, Antonio and Rosalia Lucania, had four other children: Bartolomeo (born 1890), Giuseppe (born 1898), Filippia (born 1901), and Concetta. When Charlie was 10 years old (1907), the family migrated to the United States.^[3][4] They settled in New York City, on the Lower East Side at 265 East 10th Street. The neighborhood was a popular destination for Italian immigrants at the time.^[5]

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.

Prohibition[link]

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 "the Brain" 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, Giuseppe "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 only about $4 million each year due to the 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 whiskey from Canada. He was also involved in gambling.

Rise to power[link]

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 Giuseppe 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 honor, 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 close friend Frank Costello whom they called "the dirty Calabrian."^[6]

What became known as the Castellammarese War raged from 1928 to 1931, resulting in the death of as many as 60 mobsters.^[7] 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.^[8]

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"^[4], although he may already have earned this nickname in his younger days because of his luck at avoiding police.^[3] In his early criminal career, Luciano was only arrested once for possession of heroin and sentenced to a year in jail. It is also possible that the name "Lucky" caught on due to American mispronunciations of Luciano's last name. After his abduction Luciano found out through Meyer Lansky that the attack had been ordered by Masseria's enemy, Salvatore Maranzano.^[9] 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.^[10] This deal would end the famous Castellammarese War.

Luciano kept up his end of the bargain on April 15, 1931, 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 - Benjamin "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.^[10]

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 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.^[6]

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 five 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.^[8]

Reorganizing Cosa Nostra[link]

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 the Commission'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 Capi, insisting that the position created tension and trouble between the families. He felt that the ceremony of becoming a "made-man," or an amico nostro, 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 omertà, the oath of silence, and kept the organizational structure that Maranzano had instituted.^[10]

The Commission[link]

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.^[10] The Commission decided which families controlled which territories.

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 and 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[link]

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[link]

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. 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.^[11] 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.^[10]

Evidence has surfaced that strongly suggests Dewey framed Luciano. Although he almost certainly profited from prostitution and several members of his family regularly shook down madams and brothel keepers, it seems very unlikely that he was the ringleader of a prostitution ring. Like most bosses, Luciano put up layers of insulation between himself and operational acts, and it would have been significantly out of character for him to take the colossal risk by being directly involved in prostitution. In her memoirs, well-known New York society madam Polly Adler scoffed at the idea of Luciano being part of an extensive prostitution ring, saying that if he had been in any way involved she certainly would have known about it.^[10]

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.^[12]

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.^[10] 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[link]

During World War II, the U.S. government reportedly struck a secret deal with the imprisoned Luciano. The Office of Naval Intelligence knew that Luciano maintained good connections in the Sicilian and Italian Mafia, which the fascist regime had tried to eradicate. 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.^[13] 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.^[14]

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[link]

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.

Lucky Luciano in 1948

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.^[7]

Operating in Italy[link]

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.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[link]

After being deported to Italy, Luciano fell in love with Igea Lissoni, an Italian dancer 20 years his junior.^[15] 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 house on Via Tasso in Naples [2]. Igea was reportedly the center of Luciano's life, so when she died of breast cancer in 1958, 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.^{[citation needed]}

American power struggle[link]

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. Genovese believed he was the rightful heir to Luciano's throne, but the position was given to Frank Costello. After a botched 1957 assassination attempt on Costello by Vincent 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[link]

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 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 II. 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 considered by many to have been 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.^[12]

Media portrayals[link]

Films

• The Valachi Papers (1972) – Luciano was portrayed by Angelo Infanti^[16]
• Lucky Luciano (1973) – Luciano was portrayed by Gian Maria Volonté^[17]
• The Cotton Club (1984) – Luciano was portrayed by Joe Dallesandro^[18]
• Mobsters (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Christian Slater^[19]
• Bugsy (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Bill Graham^[20]
• Billy Bathgate (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Stanley Tucci^[21]
• White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (TV 1991) – Luciano was portrayed by Robert Davi^[22]
• The Outfit (1993) - Luciano was portrayed by Billy Drago^[23]
• Hoodlum (1997) – Luciano was portrayed by Andy García^[24]
• Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by Vince Corazza^[25]
• Lansky (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by Anthony LaPaglia^[26]
• The Real Untouchables (TV 2001) – Luciano was portrayed by David Viggiano^[27]
• 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.^[28]

T.V. series

• The Witness (1960–1961) – Luciano was portrayed by Telly Savalas^[29]
• The Gangster Chronicles (1981) – Luciano was portrayed by Michael Nouri^[30]
• Boardwalk Empire (2010–present) – Luciano is portrayed by Vincent Piazza^[31]

Books

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

See also[link]

• Mafia
• Black Hand (extortion)
• Cesare Mori

References[link]

Notes

External links

• Lucky Luciano at Find a Grave
• 'Havana' Revisited: An American Gangster in Cuba NPR, June 5, 2009

Bibliography[link]

• 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

Keri Hilson
Keri Hilson performing at Supafest in Australia, April 2011
Background information
Birth name	Keri Lynn Hilson
Born	(1982-12-05) December 5, 1982 (age 29) Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B, pop
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Zone 4, Mosley Music, Interscope
Associated acts	The Clutch, Polow da Don, Timbaland, Chris Brown, Akon, Kanye West
Website	kerihilson.com

Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent, as a songwriter and background vocalist for several R&B and hip hop artists. By the age of 14, Hilson had secured a record deal with the girl group D'Signe, who later disbanded. She attended Emory University in Atlanta, while she continued writing songs for artists, including Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige, with the production and songwriting team, The Clutch. In 2006, Hilson signed with American rapper and producer Timbaland's record label, Mosley Music. Her breakthrough came the following year after appearing on Timbaland's single, "The Way I Are", which topped charts around the world.

Hilson's debut studio album, In a Perfect World..., was released in 2009, and debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart, eventually being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album spawned the hit singles, "Knock You Down", "Turnin Me On" and "I Like". It also earned Hilson two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down". Her second studio album, No Boys Allowed, was released in 2010 and was considerably less successful than its predecessor; however, it included the hit single, "Pretty Girl Rock". Hilson's achievements include a BET Award, MOBO Award, NAACP Image Award and two Soul Train Music Awards. Apart from her work in music, she has pursued a career in acting. Hilson made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film, Think Like a Man, in 2012.

Biography[link]

1982–2007: Early life and career beginnings[link]

Keri Lynn Hilson was born on December 5, 1982 in Decatur, Georgia.^[1][2] She was raised in an African-American neighborhood and came from a middle class family.^[3] Hilson and her siblings did not attend a school within the neighborhood because her parents cared a lot for their education, stating that "they shipped us off for an hour to get to school every day. It was just that important for us to maintain the life that they had created".^[3] From the age of 12, Hilson wanted to pursue a musical career, after watching television talent shows, Star Search and Showtime at the Apollo.^[1] Her mother then hired a piano teacher to give her piano lessons; however, Hilson wanted to become a singer and therefore "converted those sessions into vocal lessons, accompanying the teacher on piano".^[1] By the age of 14, Hilson had secured a record deal with the girl group D'Signe, who later disbanded.^[4][1]

Hilson spent most of her teenage years working with producer Anthony Dent, as a songwriter and background vocalist for the likes of Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Ciara and Polow da Don.^[1] After graduating from high school, Hilson attended Emory University in Atlanta for three years and studied a course in theater.^[3] She continued working as a songwriter and background vocalist during her schooling years.^[1] Hilson eventually stopped working with Dent, and began working more with Polow da Don.^[1] She also became a member of the songwriting and production team, The Clutch.^[1] Together, they wrote Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am" (2006), Omarion's "Ice Box" (2006), Ciara's "Like a Boy" (2006), The Pussycat Dolls' "Wait a Minute" (2007) and Britney Spears' "Gimme More" (2007).^[1][4] In 2006, Polow introduced Hilson to American rapper and producer Timbaland, who then signed her to his record label, Mosley Music Group.^[1] In November 2006, Hilson was featured on American rapper Lloyd Banks' single, "Help", for his album Rotten Apple (2006).^[5]

The following year, Hilson was featured on three singles; in June, on Timbaland's song "The Way I Are", the second single from his album Shock Value (2007); on Rich Boy's "Good Things" with Polow da Don; and thereafter, in December, on Timbaland's song "Scream" with Nicole Scherzinger, the fifth single from Shock Value.^[6] Out of the three singles, "The Way I Are" achieved the most success, topping nine charts around the world.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

[edit] 2008–09: In a Perfect World...

Hilson in April 2009

In 2008, Hilson appeared in the music videos for Usher's single, "Love in This Club", and Ne-Yo's single, "Miss Independent".^[12][13] Her debut studio album, In a Perfect World..., was released on March 24, 2009.^[14] The album contained pop-oriented R&B songs.^[15] It was initially planned to be released the previous year; however, the album was delayed several times because Hilson wanted to make sure it came out to her liking, stating "I'm just a perfectionist. I have had many [release dates], but it's all for a good cause. The label wants to make sure the album has its proper release, and I'm thankful for that. Very grateful, even though fans look at it like it's a bad thing."^[16] In the US, In a Perfect World... debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 94,000 copies.^[17][18] By October 2009, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[19] Its first single, "Energy", released in May 2008, peaked within the top eighty on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[20] It reached the top fifty in the United Kingdom, and peaked the highest in New Zealand at number seven, and was certified gold in the country.^[10][21][22] Hilson also featured on three singles in 2008; in June, on rapper Nas' song "Hero"; in September, on Kardinal Offishall's "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)"; and thereafter, in October, on Chris Brown's song "Superhuman".^[23][6][24]

"Return the Favor", featuring Timbaland, served as the second international single from Hilson's In a Perfect World... album, while "Turnin Me On" featuring Lil Wayne, was released as the second US single. The latter achieved commercial success, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, eventually being certified platinum in the US.^[20][19] The next single, "Knock You Down" featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo, achieved more success, reaching number three on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, eventually being certified two times platinum.^[20][19] The song also reached the top ten in Canada, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.^{[20][25][21][10]} "Make Love", "Slow Dance", and "Change Me" featuring Akon, were released as the album's fourth, fifth and sixth US singles, respectively.

Hilson, along with Gym Class Heroes, Gorilla Zoe and T-Pain, were supporting acts on Lil Wayne's I Am Music Tour in North America.^[26] At the 2009 BET Awards, she was nominated in four categories, including Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Artist, as well as Viewer's Choice and Best Collaboration for "Turnin Me On" with Lil Wayne.^[27] She eventually won the Best New Artist category.^[28] In 2009, Hilson was featured on five singles; "Number One" with R. Kelly, "She Don't Wanna" with Asher Roth, "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere" with Fabolous, "Medicine" with Plies, and on the remix of Sean Paul's song, "Hold My Hand".^[29][6] Hilson was nominated for Breakthrough Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the 2009 American Music Awards, but lost to Beyoncé Knowles.^[30] The re-released edition of In a Perfect World..., in January 2010, included the single "I Like", which reached number one in Germany, Poland and Slovakia, and peaked within the top ten in Austria, Norway and Switzerland.^{[31][32][33][34]} At the 52nd Grammy Awards, Hilson was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down" with Kanye West and Ne-Yo.^[35]

[edit] 2010–present: No Boys Allowed

Hilson performing at the 2010 VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert

During the first half of 2010, Hilson guest featured on rapper Trina's single, "Million Dollar Girl", and on T.I.'s single, "Got Your Back".^[6] In April 2010, it was made known that she had replaced Jennifer Hudson as the new face of the cosmetics and personal care products company, Avon.^[36] "Breaking Point" was released as the first single from Hilson's second studio album, No Boys Allowed, in September 2010; it only appeared on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart at number 44.^[20] On December 2, 2010, Hilson was among one of the many female artists who performed at the VH1 Divas Salute the Troops concert, where she sang "Turnin Me On", "Knock You Down", "Pretty Girl Rock", and a duet with American country music duo, Sugarland, on the Aretha Franklin song, "Think".^[37] No Boys Allowed was released on December 21, 2010.^[38] Described as a "girl power album", No Boys Allowed was primarily of the R&B and pop genres.^[39][40] Despite the album's title, Hilson stated "it's not about excluding men. It's more about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when you want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that's not a bad thing."^[41] Speaking of the songs on the album, she explained "I write from a female perspective, but I'm also telling men what women are really thinking and feeling about them".^[41] In the US, No Boys Allowed debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200, and number seven on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with first-week sales of 102,000 copies.^[42][43] Although it sold 8,000 copies more than her debut album, In a Perfect World..., it failed to match that album's debut chart position of number four.^[42] As of February 2011, No Boys Allowed has sold 205,500 copies in the United States.^[44]

Hilson achieved success with the album's second single, "Pretty Girl Rock", which reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart, eventually being certified platinum.^[20][19] The single reached the top twenty in Germany and New Zealand, and top thirty in Austria and Slovakia.^{[45][21][46][47]} "One Night Stand" featuring Chris Brown, and "Lose Control (Let Me Down)" featuring Nelly, were released as the album's third and fourth singles, respectively. In 2011, she was featured on British rapper Chipmunk's single "In the Air", for his album Transition (2011).^[48] In April 2011, Hilson, along with many other R&B and hip hop acts, traveled to Australia to be part of its biggest urban music festival, Supafest.^[49] At the 2011 BET Awards, Hilson was nominated for Best Female R&B Artist and Video of the Year for "Pretty Girl Rock".^[50] In July 2011, she was a supporting act on the second leg of Lil Wayne's I Am Still Music Tour in North America, before embarking on her first headlining European tour in October.^[51][52]

2012–present: Acting debut and third studio album[link]

During an interview with 106 & Park on October 25, 2011, Hilson revealed that she has already begun recording her third studio album.^[53] She explained, "There's some people in the world that aren't gon' like this album coming from me. As I was experiencing the world, there were things that I was also experiencing on a personal front, and in my music it's coming out. There's a specific few people who ain't gon' like to listen to this album. Very emotional, I'll say that."^[53] She further explained in an interview with The Boombox that she's working on a new sound for the album, and described it as a mixture of her first two albums with some surprising elements thrown in.^[54] Hilson also said a release date has not been confirmed yet, saying "I just write about my experiences and keep the release dates far, far from me. When I feel that I have [good material] is when I will give it to the label. But I'm not quite there yet. I'm still working."^[54] Hilson made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film, Think Like a Man, released on April 20, 2012.^[55][56] She will also star alongside Vin Diesel in the sci-fi action film, Riddick (2013), but it is unknown what role Hilson will play.^[57]

Artistry[link]

Musical style and influences[link]

Hilson's music is generally R&B and pop. Her debut album, In a Perfect World..., consists of a pop/R&B style, with elements of electro music.^[15][58] Many of the album's themes deal with relationships, physical attraction and lovemaking.^[59] Hilson said, "lyrically it's a very vulnerable album. You know, I definitely didn't want to paint myself as perfect on this project. Instead, I wanted it to be something that was very relatable, especially to women".^[60] Her second album, No Boys Allowed, displays a wide variety of styles, including pop, R&B, hip hop, soul, acoustic, electronic and reggae.^{[40][61][62][63]} Hilson describes the album as "more self assured. It's a lot more aggressive".^[64] Kristin Macfarlane of The Daily Post noted that the album is "pure girl power and about being sexually confident, and confident as a woman; not putting up with crap relationships and getting your way".^[65] Hilson sings with "smooth vocals".^[66] Following the release of her debut album, Sophie Bruce of BBC Music expressed that, "there's no denying Hilson has a great voice, but it lacks the feisty edge of [Nicole] Scherzinger, [Mary J.] Blige or [Beyoncé] Knowles".^[67] Mark Nero of About.com commented, "Keri's voice, while strong, isn't particularly distinctive or memorable".^[68] Hilson has stated that her musical influences come from her father's side of the family.^[60] In addition, she cites Michael Jackson and Lauryn Hill as inspirations.^[69][70]

Philanthropy[link]

Besides her career in music, Hilson has also been involved with several charities. In January 2010, she teamed up with Akon on the charity single, "Oh Africa".^[71] All proceeds of the single benefited underprivileged African youth.^[71] The following month, Hilson joined the extended list of artists during the recording session of the single, "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", to benefit victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.^[72] On May 25, 2010, she performed at the Virginia Stand Up! A Call to Action benefit concert, organized by Chris Brown to help with continued relief efforts in Haiti.^[73] On October 21, 2010, Hilson attended Collins Academy High School in Chicago as part of the Get Schooled National Challenge and Tour, a "program aimed at increasing high school and college graduation rates and promoting the importance of education".^[74][75] A year later, she received a Get Schooled Award for her involvement with the program.^[76] In 2011, Hilson contributed in the fight against AIDS, by posing in retail-clothing company H&M's celebrity-driven collection for Fashion Against AIDS.^[77] 25% of all sales from the collection were donated to the Designers Against Aids charity.^[77] Hilson contributed to the It Gets Better Project, a project which aims to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.^[78][79]

In June 2011, Hilson became an ambassador for MTV Staying Alive, a foundation which raises awareness and prevention of HIV and AIDS.^[80] In September 2011, she lent her support to US First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign, which aims to combat childhood obesity.^[81] She made t-shirts for the campaign that read "Pretty Girls Sweat", and exercised with the young women at The Educational Alliance's Sirovich Senior Center in New York on September 24.^[81] During Hilson's visit in Africa in November 2011, she stopped by an orphanage to visit her young fans who had lost their families during the 2010–2011 Ivorian crisis.^[82] She gave each orphan a "care" package, which consisted of bookbags, t-shirts, sunglasses, notebooks and an electric keyboard.^[82] In April 2012, Hilson teamed up with DoSomething.org to encourage young people to join in the nationwide Epic Book Drive by bringing books to local people in need.^[83] In a press release, she stated: "Joining DoSomething.org's newest effort to provide for people in need with Epic Book Drive was the easiest decision ever!. I truly believe providing access to those who want to learn is the key to bettering lives around the country. And helping kids find healthy outlets, such as books, has always been a passion of mine. So my involvement here is a natural fit."^[83]

Discography[link]

• In a Perfect World... (2009)
• No Boys Allowed (2010)

Filmography[link]

Tours[link]

Headlining

• European Tour (2011)

Supporting

• I Am Music Tour (2009) (with Lil Wayne)
• I Am Still Music Tour (2011) (with Lil Wayne)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]