BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — When Ridley Scott’s American Gangster hit theaters, it captured a pivotal era of New York history, bringing the larger-than-life story of Frank Lucas to the big screen. For Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA, who played Detective Moses Jones, the experience was a true homecoming—bringing together hip-hop culture, Hollywood royalty, and authentic New York grit.
Catching up on the red carpet for #WORDSWITHSCOOP, RZA broke down what made the movie set so special, the lessons learned about Frank Lucas, and how Jay-Z’s iconic concept album fit into the overall picture.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: What was it like being on the set of American Gangster?
RZA: Man, that was a magical set. You’re talking about some of the greatest actors in the world. New York City, summertime. A lot of my homies had jobs! [laughs] You know, they had to hire everybody. Lunch at Sylvia’s every day, right? Great producers—Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Spike Lee visiting the set. I mean, it was an amazing set.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Being from New York, what is something that you learned about Frank Lucas in that time and that era having been in that movie that you didn’t know?
RZA: I mean, most importantly, he was an entrepreneur at the end of the day, regardless of the product. Secondly, you know what I mean, he had a poise about him. Right? And I didn’t know that he had that poise. The movie helped understand that. Some people do work and keep their fingernails dirty; some people got their fingernails clean.
Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson: Jay-Z came out with American Gangster, the album, and it was inspired by the movie. Did you ever listen to that album and wish that any of those tracks were on the soundtrack for the American Gangster movie?
RZA: I mean, in a way, for me, they play together. So they kind of made… it made sense regardless. Otherwise, it wasn’t a part of the film itself, but it was in the same era. And you’d have to have that in your car, watch the movie on your DVD. To me, it was a great complement to each other.
The Takeaway
Nearly two decades after its release, American Gangster remains a towering moment where hip-hop royalty and Hollywood cinema seamlessly collided. As RZA highlighted, whether through the lens of Ridley Scott’s camera or the production of Jay-Z’s studio album, the era’s grit, poise, and entrepreneurial drive continue to resonate across culture today.
Catch the full video conversation with RZA on #WORDSWITHSCOOP right here!
