The South Jamaica section of Queens, New York was where Kenneth McGriff was born and raised. The McGriffs lived right across the street from the Baisley Projects. It was a working class neighborhood. Both his parents worked for the Transit Authority on New York’s subway system. They wanted their son to go to college and get a good job. That was the future they dreamed about and worked for.
Some dreams come true. Others don’t.
When he was 10 years old, Kenneth got religion. He came under the influence of a quasi-religion known as The Five Percent Nation, which was also known as The Nation of Gods and Earths. For lack of a better term, it was a cult.
The Five Percent Nation came from the peculiar imagination of Clarence 13X, who – once upon a time – had been part of the Nation of Islam. Before he converted, 13X’s name used to be Clarence Edward Smith. Later, Clarence 13X decided he could no longer accept the idea that Wallace Fard – who was the founder of the Nation of Islam – was god. So Clarence 13X left and started his own religion. His new religion taught that God was the Blackman and the woman was his Earth. In other words, the Blackman was the highest power or Supreme Being of the Universe.
The Five Percent Nation took their name from the fact that they believed they were the chosen five percent of humanity. The other 95% of humanity was made up of two divergent groups. Those who lacked knowledge accounted for 85%. And those who were devils made up the remaining 10%.
The devils were people who knew the truth but deliberately taught lies for the purpose of personal gain.
Members of the Five Percenters took or received new names, which were based on their personal characteristics. After he converted to the Five Percent Nation, Kenneth McGriff’s new name was "Supreme."
Since many of the Five Percenters were recruited out of prison, hustling went hand-in-hand with the religion. Hustling referred to any type of criminal activity that made money for the hustler. Con games, extortion, murder, drug trafficking, money laundering, gambling, money counterfeiting and robbery were some of the popular hustles.
Supreme fell into hustling early on. He mentored under some of the best hustlers around. He guarded stash houses for Ronnie "Bumps"Bassett and hung out with Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols. Both men were ghetto drug kingpins who moved a lot of cocaine and heroin. By 1980, Supreme had his own crew, all of whom were Five Percenters. They called themselves the Supreme Team and got their supply of coke and heroin from Fat Cat Nichols.
Article comments
1 - Jermaine Drewlry
good read here. i always like to read articles on supreme and the team. im from s.jamaica queens so i remember all of this. im 35, but i have siblings in their late 40's early 50's. many of my family members were in this drug games so im well aware of this. i lived on 120th ave, guy r brewer blvd. it was known as new york blvd then. about a 5 min walk from baisley proj. my dad actually worked w supremes dad for over 20 yrs w the nyta. they both drove trains. my cousin was also james corley's right hand man. those were some days. i remember the supreme superett very well. if my memory is correct, preme used to own a cab company. my older brother and sis used them bc they drove olds '98s lol. i think if anyone could get ronnie bumps to do in interview or story, that would be great. he still sitting on mills from way back! i used to be friends w his daughter.
2 - Israel "Pito"
Article is fairly accurate with the exception of some minor details...Fat Pete was known as Big Pete and remembered when he died. Nevertheless its been over two decades. Certainly took me back. I had one of those supreme team jackets and one day my sister borrowed to go to the store and she came back screaming at me. She was oblivious to what it signified. The next day a member by the name of Iron Horse (deceased) enlightened me the danger of wearing that jacket. I was 16 and lived in building 2. 163-11 Foch Blvd. Ernesto Pinella aka Puertorican Righteous was a menace and Prince was a good person to me. Gave me strong advice when I messed up 3000 dollars that I remember to this day. They did have a fondness for latins...Prince once commented how brave/bold they can be. The decisions I've made those days...lets just say I wish I can do things diffently.