Frank Lucas PULLED THE TRIGGER at Point Blank Range — This Sound Changed Everything | Bumpy Johnson’ 

1/16 Street Harlem high noon 300 people on the sidewalk Frank Lucas walks up to a 270 pound gangster named Tango he pulls out a 45 levels it right between Tango’s eyes and before the big man can finish his sentence Frank ends the argument permanently four shots ring out Bam Bam Bam Bam in broad daylight the crowd went silent Tango’s body hit the pavement Frank Lucas calmly reached down took 20 grand from Tango’s pocket and walked back across the street to finish lunch with his brothers that moment September 1968

changed everything in Harlem because what nobody tells you about that shooting is why Frank did it what Tango said that sealed his fate and how that single act turned Frank Lucas from Bumpy Johnson’s driver into the most feared drug lord in New York City stay till the end because the real story is darker than you think Tango wasn’t just some Hustler 6 foot 4 270 pounds of muscle and attitude a bald head that caught the sun like a warning people crossed the street when Tango walked by he’d been moving weight in Harlem since the early 60s

had Italian connections and genuinely believed he was untouchable at Bumpy Johnson’s funeral in July 1968 Tango made his first mistake Frank was there paying respects Tango set his drink on the piano without a coaster Frank wiped it down as Frank turned away Tango called out yo Frank while you’re at it, get me a light too bumpy was barely in the ground and Tango was testing Frank checking if he’d step into Bumpy’s shoes or stay the driver the errand boy Frank didn’t say a word just looked at Tango for three seconds

then walked away but everyone knew something was coming three weeks later Frank returned from Thailand with Blue Magic the purest product New York had ever seen 98% pure Frank’s brand was making him rich and he needed distributors Frank gave Tango territory the deal was simple sell Blue Magic Frank gets 20% not a partnership this was how it would work but Tango had other ideas he still thought he was the man when Frank’s collectors came for that 20% Tango laughed tell that driver boy if he wants his money he can come get it himself

Frank wasn’t like the flashy gangsters he moved silent every morning Frank sat in his Lincoln parked across from Tango’s spot on 100 and 16th Street watching he wore disguises janitor uniform mailman outfit sometimes just a bum Frank called that car Nellie Bell and from inside he Learned everything Tango came to 100th and 16th Street every day at noon same time same route same Bodega for a coke and ham sandwich predictable and predictable men don’t last long in this business September 12th, 1968 Thursday hot one of those late summer Harlem days

where heat sits on you like a wet blanket Frank’s brothers had just arrived from North Carolina Richie Huey Turner all sitting at Sylvia’s Cafe on 100 and 16th Street celebrating Blue Magic was printing money fifty grand a week then a hundred then more but there was a problem across the street Frank was eating fried chicken when he saw Tango walking down a hundred and 16th that familiar swagger three guys with him Frank put down his chicken wiped his hands his brother Huey noticed Frank where are you going Frank didn’t answer he stood up

adjusted his jacket and walked out Frank crossed the street Tango saw him coming and that big smile spread across his face the smile of a man who thinks he’s in control Tango’s crew stopped walking they formed a loose semicircle casual but ready about 40 people were on that sidewalk old ladies with shopping bags kids playing stickball in the street a mailman a street vendor selling incense and bootleg cassettes normal Thursday afternoon in Harlem well well well tango said loud enough for everyone to hear if it ain’t Bumpy’s little driver

boy what you want Frank you here to shine my shoes Tango’s crew laughed that rehearsed laugh the kind of laugh that says we’re backing our man no matter what Frank stopped about six feet from Tango his voice was quiet calm almost friendly you owe me money Tango 20% of everything you moved this month that comes to about 18 grand tango smile got wider 18 grand man I don’t owe you shit you ain’t bumpy you ain’t nobody you just the help and the help don’t get a percentage people on the street stopped moving they could feel it

that electricity in the air before lightning strikes Frank didn’t blink I’m gonna give you one chance to reach into that jacket and pull out my money Tango looked at his crew they were all smiling now this was entertainment or what Frank what you gonna do Tango spread his arms wide we in broad daylight baby 300 people watching cops probably rolling by any minute so what you gonna do that’s when Frank reached into his waistband and pulled out the 45 the chrome caught the sunlight a woman gasped the kids stopped playing

the street vendor dropped his cassettes Frank raised that gun and leveled it directly at Tango dead center the smile finally left Tango’s face his crew reached for their weaponsbut Frank’s voice stopped them cold any of you move Tango dies first then you make a choice Tango tried to play it off tried to get that smile back man you ain’t gonna do nothing you ain’t crazy you shoot me here you go to prison for life every cop in Harlem gonna be looking for you you ain’t that stupid Frank Frank’s finger moved to the trigger

you know what bumpy taught me tango he taught me that respect ain’t about being liked it’s about being understood you need to understand something right now understand what tango asked his voice was shaking now just a little but enough that I’m not Bumpy’s driver anymore I’m the king and kings don’t negotiate wait Frank hold on Frank pulled the trigger the first shot cracked the air like a whip then thunder followed Tango’s head snapped back but Frank didn’t stop Bam Bam Bam four shots total each one deliberate

each one sending a message tango’s  body all 270 pounds of it crumpled to the sidewalk blood pooled on the concrete mixing with the grime and the heat and the broken dreams of a man who thought he was untouchable the street went absolutely silent not one person moved not one person screamed they just stood there frozen watching Frank Lucas standing over Tango’s gun Frank bent down calm as can be he reached into Tango’s jacket and pulled out a thick roll of cash $23,000 Frank counted it right there standing over the body while 300 people watched

he took 20,000 folded it and put it in his pocket then he took three grand and let the bills flutter down onto Tango’s bloodstained shirt that’s for your funeral Frank said to no one in particular then Frank Lucas turned around and walked back across the street to Sylvia’s Cafe he sat back down at his table picked up his fried chicken took a bite his brothers were staring at him like they just seen a ghost the cafe owner a woman named Miss Dorothy was standing by the kitchen door with her hand over her mouth everything’s fine Miss Dorothy

Frank said quietly everything’s just fine About 90 seconds later sirens wailed but when cops arrived nobody saw nothing not the old ladies not the kids not the mailman not the vendor 300 witnesses not a single description that’s how Harlem worked the story spread through New York’s underworld like wildfire by morning every dealer from the Bronx to Brooklyn knew Frank Lucas shot Tango in broad daylight didn’t run didn’t hide took his money and finished his lunch the Italian families called a meeting Carlo Gambino said

a man who kills in front of 300 people isn’t afraid of anything we don’t do business with crazy we do business with professionals that man is both that moment changed everything it wasn’t just about tango it was about every dealer every cop every politician understanding who Frank Lucas was he wasn’t Bumpy’s shadow he was the storm Frank’s Blue Magic operation exploded dealers who’d been hesitant suddenly wanted in his brothers ran territories across Harlem the Bronx Brooklyn within six months Frank Lucas was pulling in $1 million a day

years later after Frank got arrested did his time an interviewer asked Frank when you shot Tango were you scared Frank smiled that cold smile and said scared of what? tango was already dead the moment he disrespected me at Bumpy’s funeral it just took him a few weeks to realize it that’s the difference gangsters react legends calculate Frank had been calculating Tango’s death for three weeks while Tango thought he was winning look the streets of Harlem in 1968 were brutal Italian mobsters trying to take over

corrupt cops selling dope poverty so deep people would do anything for a way out into that chaos stepped Frank Lucas who understood one truth power isn’t given it’s taken and once you take it you defend it by any means necessary Frank built an empire that lasted seven years from 1968 to 1975 he smuggled product from Vietnam and made over $400 million but none of that would have been possible without September 12th, 1968 without four shots in broad daylight without sending a message so clear that even the mob heard it

Harlem belongs to Frank Lucas now if this story got you hooked hit that subscribe button we’re diving into stories Hollywood gets wrong stories nobody talks about next week how Frank smuggled millions inside dead soldiers coffins during Vietnam drop a comment was Frank justified turn on notifications in Harlem respect was everything and Frank Lucas made damn sure everyone Learned that lesson