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The Crack Era: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Kevin Chiles
The Crack The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Kevin Chile s chronicles one of the most treacherous periods in New York City’s history. As told by a man The New York Times once described as, “The biggest drug lord in Harlem since Nicky Barnes,” Chiles lays bare the harrowing exploits of the narcotics trade Uptown during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s — a world where the lust for freebase cocaine set off a veritable gold rush that turned ghetto boys into young millionaires almost overnight. “Baseheads” wreaked havoc on the black community. What’s worse, upper Manhattan became the epicenter of murder and mayhem as drug-related killings pushed the city’s annual death toll well into the thousands. A teenager at the time, Kevin earned a rep’ as a boss among bosses and, along with a handful of hustlers from his ‘hood, he would directly influence the very music and fashion that ushered in the golden age of hip hop. The crack epidemic parlayed money, power, and respect for Kev but it also took his freedom as well as the lives of close friends and family. Now, this candid memoir exposes liars, dispels urban myths, and sheds light on an otherwise dark epoch that has bittersweet implications for many today. Having seen and survived it all, one of America’s most iconic street figures recounts a bygone era of fast cash and high stakes hustling in Harlem.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2019
6 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Chiles
3 books11 followersFormer 80's drug kingpin and Don Diva publisher Kevin Chiles pens a book of vivid reenactments of his life as a up and coming Bronx street hustler to the millennial visionary he is today.
From his days as a humble basketball playing hustler at Bronx Community College where he began to formulate his illegal business, Chiles' story always refers back to his allure to Harlem street life. The Crack Era, which many from that time period says began in 1984, offered a seemingly beneficial opportunity to escape the pitfalls of unemployment, miseducation and poverty. Chiles provides a front line commentary of the people, places, and things that served as the main ingredients of "The Life."
The founder and CEO of street publication Don Diva Magazine gives a vivid description of the mentality that led teenagers, such as those above down an inevitable road of death and incarceration.
From court cases to robberies by former friends to father/son fistfights, The Crack Era offers an unprecedented peek into the carnage of a drug war on American soil and the results of the aftershocks that many of the war's vets still carry to this day.
From his days as a humble basketball playing hustler at Bronx Community College where he began to formulate his illegal business, Chiles' story always refers back to his allure to Harlem street life. The Crack Era, which many from that time period says began in 1984, offered a seemingly beneficial opportunity to escape the pitfalls of unemployment, miseducation and poverty. Chiles provides a front line commentary of the people, places, and things that served as the main ingredients of "The Life."
The founder and CEO of street publication Don Diva Magazine gives a vivid description of the mentality that led teenagers, such as those above down an inevitable road of death and incarceration.
From court cases to robberies by former friends to father/son fistfights, The Crack Era offers an unprecedented peek into the carnage of a drug war on American soil and the results of the aftershocks that many of the war's vets still carry to this day.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 17, 2019
This is an incredible book that documents the 80s - 90s crack era in Harlem. It is told from the perspective of Kevin Chiles, the co-owner of Don Diva Magazine.
In the book Kevin tells his life experiences and how he came to be involved in the drug game. The book makes it clear that back then, drugs like cocaine were social drugs and were so commonplace that many didn’t deem them as harmful to society. This made it easy for youngsters like Kevin to want to make money by selling the drugs. Eventually, crack became the go-to drug of choice and that’s when everything started to change.
Those who are familiar with other Harlem drug kingpins will recognise many names in this book as Kevin crossed paths with some of the most notorious and noteworthy figures of that time.
When you consider some of the underhanded things that figures like Alpo did, Kevin comes across as one of the most classy drug dealers of the time. He looked after his people and never sold anyone out, even after his number was called and the feds had him arrested.
What’s great about this book is that Kevin never glorifies his past life choices. He simply highlights what happened in a honest manner, and makes clear that he made mistakes and that this is the wrong path for young people to follow. Back then, young minorities weren’t afforded the opportunities that are out there today. And that’s why it’s important that people like Kevin are able to give their account of how far society has come so that the younger generation can appreciate what our elders went through.
If true crime is your genre of choice then this is a must-read.
In the book Kevin tells his life experiences and how he came to be involved in the drug game. The book makes it clear that back then, drugs like cocaine were social drugs and were so commonplace that many didn’t deem them as harmful to society. This made it easy for youngsters like Kevin to want to make money by selling the drugs. Eventually, crack became the go-to drug of choice and that’s when everything started to change.
Those who are familiar with other Harlem drug kingpins will recognise many names in this book as Kevin crossed paths with some of the most notorious and noteworthy figures of that time.
When you consider some of the underhanded things that figures like Alpo did, Kevin comes across as one of the most classy drug dealers of the time. He looked after his people and never sold anyone out, even after his number was called and the feds had him arrested.
What’s great about this book is that Kevin never glorifies his past life choices. He simply highlights what happened in a honest manner, and makes clear that he made mistakes and that this is the wrong path for young people to follow. Back then, young minorities weren’t afforded the opportunities that are out there today. And that’s why it’s important that people like Kevin are able to give their account of how far society has come so that the younger generation can appreciate what our elders went through.
If true crime is your genre of choice then this is a must-read.
September 17, 2025
Kevin Chiles lived the fast-paced life that ultimately led him to prison. Ultimately, he used these lessons to overcome and attempt to help others.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews