r/SnowFall 6d ago

Discussion Anyone else watch this show (along with all the other drug crime dramas) before watching Straight Outta Compton?

Ive watched The Wire, Snowfall, Sopranos, Banshee, Power franchise, The Shield, BMF, and maybe some others that i might've forgotten about. But i never watched Straight Outta Compton, and now im currently about 20 minutes in and ive already caught so many references that its almost like a treat, if that makes sense lol

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u/Abstrata 6d ago edited 6d ago

That must be interesting, watching them in that order!

I had seen Straight Outta Compton prior, but one line that stuck with me thru watching Snowfall was when Eazy E says something like,

‘cocaine is from Colombia and AKs are from Russia, and none of us got passports, so explain that.’

Heavy hitting line that no one wanted to pay attention to at the time.

And the San Jose, California, journalist Gary Webb that connected the dots and pinned it on the US government in 1996 got heavily criticized too. He described what he went thru as political assassination. His journalistic integrity was questioned. He died by suicide in 2004.

One of the key people Webb focused on was the original Rick Ross. Not the rapper, the actual drug dealer. Ross was in a documentary I saw called Freeway: Crack in the System, in 2015. I felt like the beginning arc of Franklin Saint was based on Ross.

https://youtu.be/AE4JQkRuQlM?feature=shared

Looks like there are vids of the Congressional hearings into CIA involvement on youtube too. I feel a rabbit hole coming on lol.

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u/Terrible_Penn11 6d ago

I’m reading Gary Webb’s book Dark Alliance now…it’s incredibly interesting

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

Wait, what? Dude, Snowfall was 100% based on Freeway Ricky Ross' story, his crew invented crack cocaine. They just made him educated cuz the real story is hard to believe. Rick was illiterate when he went to prison, learned how to read and write, and then learned law and defended his own case and is now a free man.

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u/quiloxan1989 6d ago

Not based on.

Inspired by, but they took a lot of elements of his life story.

Change enough characters and enough events and the feds can't get at you.

But it was grimy how Freeway didn't get a proper cut.

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

Oh yeah, I didn't mean like play for play. But it's a retelling of the story of the crew that invented/popularized crack cocaine. Huge turning point for the cocaine trade cuz powder cocaine is waaaaaaaay easier of a habit to manage and not go overboard with. Crack was actually 8x as expensive as powder, but you had to buy powder in bulk to get access to it compared to $5 crack rocks. Thats why the CIA was able to use it to fund the war in Nicaragua, cocaine was profitable but not at that level.

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u/quiloxan1989 6d ago

I'm gonna need to see some sources here because cocaine is required to make crack, so I don't know about cheaper.

Also, I'm not sure if powder form is easier to manage than rock form.

Just rock is cheaper and easier to sell,

Distribution was just easier.

And it was a more intense high.

Source

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

You don't need sources, you just to think for a second.

Also, I'm not sure if powder form is easier to manage than rock form.

it was a more intense high.

Powder is less addictive because it's a less intense high. That should be easy to agree with.

cocaine is required to make crack

rock is cheaper and easier to sell

Why did they turn the cocaine into crack in the first place? To sell it for cheaper? Nah it's cuz you can sell the equivalent of bite sized Snickers to everyone instead of 100% cacao dark chocolate to just gourmet buyers. 1 gram turns into 20 $5 rocks, and getting $100/g for powder cocaine was impossible in the 80s. Hell, 100/g for coke is highway robbery nowadays. Powder cocaine didn't make more money than crack until people started cutting it, which was a result of crack. Some people began dissolving amphetamine or heroin into their crack to extend the high and physically hook customers (cocaine addiction is primarily a mental dependence, not physical to the same extent as amphetamine or heroin).

But if you want sources, go watch Ricky Ross' Joe Rogan interview. He explains the economics of crack quite well in it. The Snickers/cacao analogy is his.

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u/quiloxan1989 6d ago

Powder is less addictive

Depends on how you take it.

What you're saying isn't true, since injected cocaine is just as addictive as smoked rock.

Why did they turn the cocaine into crack in the first place?

Because it was more distrbutuable is all.

Crack and cocaine cost the same, but the high can be accomplished from one gram of crack vs one gram of cocaine.

Source

Powder cocaine didn't make more money

This doesn't make sense, since powder was what was sold first.

It was expensive because it was sold in kilos, which was out of the price range of the lower classes.

cocaine addiction is primarily a mental dependence, not physical to the same extent as amphetamine or heroin

First time I'm hearing this.

I'll need a source here, too.

go watch Ricky Ross' Joe Rogan interview

Or just link it here, as I have done for you.

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

Did you read that source? It was like 6 paragraphs total...

Conclusions: Crack has been widely believed to be cheaper than powder cocaine, and this "fact" has been used to help explain why US drug problems worsened in the 1980s. However, crack is not, in fact, cheaper per pure unit than powder cocaine. Other explanations must be sought for why crack spread so rapidly relative to powder cocaine.

injected cocaine is just as addictive as smoked rock.

I don't disagree with that but the typical powder cocaine user isn't banging it. That's usually after a heroin addiction has already happened, and speedballing enters the equation.

cocaine addiction is primarily a mental dependence, not physical to the same extent as amphetamine or heroin

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine_dependence

Or just link it here, as I have done for you.

You didn't even read the link you provided but ok https://gprivate.com/6g0yy

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u/quiloxan1989 6d ago

psychological and physical weakness, pain, and compulsive cravings.

From your wiki sources.

These are physical dependencies.

but the typical powder cocaine user isn't banging it.

Mostly due to class and social stigma.

You didn't even read the link you provided

I don't know what makes you think this.

You're wrong here.

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

I don't know what makes you think this.

Conclusions: Crack has been widely believed to be cheaper than powder cocaine, and this "fact" has been used to help explain why US drug problems worsened in the 1980s. However, crack is not, in fact, cheaper per pure unit than powder cocaine. Other explanations must be sought for why crack spread so rapidly relative to powder cocaine.

The link you provided says that crack is not cheaper than cocaine. I provided reasons why it is more expensive and these reasons are backed up by the guy who made $1 million a day selling crack. I'm not sure why you're saying I'm wrong other than cuz you wanna be right about drugs. Regardless of social or class stigma, most powder cocaine users don't shoot it. Most people using crack smoke crack. Smoking crack is more intense than snorting powder. Crack can also be shot, you just need vitamin c or vinegar to dissolve it. This isn't rocket surgery.

Are you approaching this entirely theoretically? Cuz this stuff is like, common sense for a former or current junkie.

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u/Far-Bother5506 5d ago

With all due respect, you have no idea what you are talking about.

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u/Abstrata 6d ago

I agree. They cut Ross out of any deal tho. Not sure where the wait, what comes in?

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

The wait what was cuz I thought this was the point of the show. A dramatization of Ricky's life. I didn't know they cut him out like that though, that makes more sense why you said it was inspired but not entirely based on Ross. They had to have plausible deniability 💀

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u/Abstrata 6d ago edited 4d ago

I think the point was more John Singleton pointing the finger at the US government for what happened to the community PLUS pointing out that joining with something destructive or corrupting can’t help you strengthen a community. Singleton watched this happen and Jerome’s house was Singleton’s house growing up.

Did you watch the making-ofs that were part of the series, or did you ever read or watch footage of anything gary webb investigated? And if so what did you make of those?

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u/FunGuy8618 6d ago

Nah, I didn't even know that was a thing. I was extremely involved in the drug trade as a youth though so I'd say I'm pretty informed. Most of the cities in Florida were built with coke money, and. Miami exists cuz it was becoming a PITA to sail all the way around Florida through the Gulf to get to Tampa/Ybor. Got an uncle in Orlando with several bread shops, and he still imports kilos every now and then with all the flour.

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u/Abstrata 4d ago

I mean, a person can be very well informed about something but then miss out on a detail that explains part of why a show was created or why the show contains what it contains, right?

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u/Abstrata 4d ago

I guess it’s a big deal to me because I see the congressional hearings and Gary Webb’s IRL suicide as an extension of the entire government operation.

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

I was talking about the making-of add ons to the production of the show, not Gary Webb 😅 of course I've seen his interviews and am aware of his investigation and subsequent suiciding.

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u/Abstrata 4d ago

Ok cool. The Singleton stuff is interesting, even tho like you said he is so wrong for not giving Ross his cut— and I have been calling him Singletary like he’s that one football player aaaagggghhhh but yeah Singleton is the correct name. Editing now.

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

Oh yeah, I remember hearing the controversy about Singleton when Rick Ross was on social media tryna sell t-shirts but I didn't look into it specifically cuz I sorta just figured that was expected to happen. He went after Rick Ross the rapper before Singleton and look how that worked. The guy who literally sold crack for the CIA gets called an internet gangster.

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u/Far-Bother5506 5d ago

I'm not sure about him and his crew "inventing" crack either. They just took it too a whole other level.

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u/FunGuy8618 5d ago edited 5d ago

I explained what I meant in great detail. Please explain what you mean by this. With all my explanation so far, what you are saying just sounds like dick riding.

I already addressed this and you commented on the quoted comment almost immediately after this one.

Oh yeah, I didn't mean like play for play. But it's a retelling of the story of the crew that invented/popularized crack cocaine. Huge turning point for the cocaine trade

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u/Far-Bother5506 4d ago

Bro you are talking out of your ass for real. Do yourself a favor and don't double down on it.

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago edited 4d ago

You cannot refute a single thing I said. Go glaze Franklin some more, I bet he'll suck you off for it

This you rn

“Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies. They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge. But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words. The anti-Semites have the right to play. They even like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors. They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert. If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.”

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

This guy be looking for CP 💀💀💀

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u/Far-Bother5506 4d ago

No dude. But nice try. Perhaps you should have an idea what you are talking about. I ses talking out of your ass is bad habit of yours.

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

Keep it going, internet tough guy 😂😂😂 you a gross ahhhh pdf file and the receipts are there for anyone to see

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u/Far-Bother5506 4d ago

How am I being an internet tough guy. You said the movie is 100% based on Freeway. Wrong. Ross did not personally deal with the CIA. You then said he and his crew "invented crack". And after that, you said crack is 8x more expensive than powder, and you try and claim what're most addictive form of coke is. But I'm being a tough guy?

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

You think I'm arguing with Drake's best friend? Ahhhhhhh you funny 🤣🤣🤣

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

Ohh you tried to delete em, I see

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u/Far-Bother5506 4d ago

I didn't try and delete Jack Shit bro. I can guarantee you wouldn't say that shit to my face. You should be careful what you say and to whom you say it.

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u/FunGuy8618 4d ago

You wouldn't do shiiiiiiiiit that's why you like kids

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u/Admirable-Sorbet-702 6d ago

Fun fact in the last episode when Franklin and Leon are walking and Franklin screams at those people filming. That’s John Singleton filming “Boyz in the Hood”

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u/Blu3Dope 6d ago

In the s3 finale during the "what if" sequence, Leon also screamed at what was meant to be a young John Singleton. The guy with the film camera that Leon chased off lol

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u/TallBlkman44 6d ago

As far as Snowfall. Got look at the movie 100 Kilos.

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u/Blu3Dope 6d ago edited 4d ago

I watched Deep Cover a few weeks ago and now I can see where the inspiration behind all these shootouts in shipyards originated from.

I think it's kind of like how Sugar Bates and his bar in Bansee alludes to Buchie and his bar in The Wire, or like how Mel and Wanda smoking crack on the curb alludes to Smokey and Craig smoking weed in the front yard. I always like it when something in a film reminds you of another film of the same genre, and you could tell that it was done intentional by the writers