This is one of the few times the movie is actually better than the story it's based on. Clive Barker, the guy that wrote "Hellraiser", also wrote this. The original story is called "The Forbidden", but in the short-story Candyman is just a weird creature that lives off rumors of violence and death in urban areas. He basically hides in urban legends, and offers people immortality via death....because if you are killed by him, it'll add to his legend and myth. So people will always talk about you.
Which is dope but I thought the slave/honey/bees stuff was more interesting. Made the character more human.
Fred.