I just started this show and I can't help but feel like the drug dealers act too polished- like they came from the set of Fresh Prince or something. How accurate are their personas, slang, etc. to typical dealers on the street?
shareVery accurate... I can't say I agree with your observation but if you continue to watch you'll start to notice alot of different type of gangsters and or drug dealers. I don't know what your expecting but comparing it to Fresh Prince is hopefully some comedic exaggeration, because that exactly what that show is. I remember when they got stuck in Compton and ran into Debo who has always been a terrifying gangster type.
Anyways the realism is there. The creators of this show are a crime journalist and a former homicide detective who have weaved old stories of their careers into a cohesive narrative. Most of the characters are composites of real Baltimore criminals figures. The biggest heroin dealer in Maryland plays a character on the show and the Barksdale organization is modeled after his real life criminal empire.
This is the most accurate portrayal of dealer characters you will see on television.
Thank you. Your reply was fantastic- and yes it was an exaggeration. I'm only a few episodes in, so I have a lot to see yet!
I've only watched the first 2 episodes, and I'm from the south, not NY, but they don't strike me as "real n's". I've known a lot of thugs, spent time in hoods and projects... they speak differently, carry themselves differently, and have different facial expressions. The most authentic one is the main character we're following... D'Angelo. I could see him really being in a crew, but he's not as mean as I would expect either. The rest are just not in the life, never have been, and it's all too obvious. They should have gotten real gang members to play them, I think. The projects themselves are also not realistic. The extras look as polished as the main actors, and there aren't nearly enough of them crowding the areas. The actual sets are realistic though, and the scenarios I guess.
sharehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqPX2NbJRvc
^^explicit language warning. My city, and keep in mind those aren't even high rises.
lol, the one you pick as being the most authentic is D'angelo? Maybe its cause he actually was a Baltimore resident but you haven't watched enough to make that claim yet trust me. Keep in mind that this pit crew are young kids and they're not the best hustlers in the gang. So if they don't strike you as being real nigqa (whatever that means) its probably for a reason. Just keep watching because you will see the authenticity of other characters you would expect from the life soon enough. And they do use real gang members in this show, as well as real people from the hoods of Baltimore. You will not find a more accurate portrayal of street life on TV.
shareFor some reason I thought this was New York City... and you're right, a lot of these guys grew into their roles. At first I thought Avon wasn't a believable kingpin, but by episode 7 I changed my mind. The low level pit dealers still aren't believable to me, but I can live with it.
shareThe low level pit dealers still aren't believable to me, but I can live with it.
D'Angelo. I could see him really being in a crew, but he's not as mean as I would expect either.
They should have gotten real gang members to play them, I think.