I'm not from NY but I did wonder how where there so many guys like Jay z and Diddy who had millions never extorted by the mafia I keep hearing about how the mafia controlled everything in NY but see stories about guys like Hatian jack and other blacks like Nicky Barnes alpo rich etc these shows make blacks look like they were being bully ed by Italian mafia is that true NY brehs
Mostly because they never hung out with Mafia types. Also during their come up, Gotti had very little power left. You really have to be in their line of sight to be extorted by them. Like Sinatra, dude hung out with em, so of course he was gonna owe them money or favors. Also once said rappers got rich, they moved the fukk out of the ghetto, they aren't running in crime infested areas trying to hang out with known gang members. The mafia controls very little of NY now and back then nothing much to brag about.
The rule of Omerta is out, and everyone flips like a pancake these days, so not many want to join, or the assimilated Italians prefer to live a less crime laden lifestyle, instead prefer, gym, clothes, and pretending they have connection. Anytime some goombah tries to open his mouth about being "connected" I always laugh him off. Me and the Stoozy boys do more damage these days.