Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, born on September 19, 1960, is a name that resonates in the streets of New York City, particularly in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens. Once a notorious drug lord, McGriff's rise to power in the 1980s and his eventual downfall encapsulate the turbulent world of organized crime.
McGriff's criminal empire began in early 1981 when he formed The Supreme Team, a crack cocaine distribution and manufacturing organization based in the Baisley Park Houses, where he grew up. Under his leadership, the gang's influence spread rapidly, with its numbers swelling into the hundreds. By the mid-1980s, The Supreme Team controlled much of the crack cocaine trade in South Jamaica, making McGriff a formidable figure in the drug underworld.
However, McGriff's reign was not to last. In 1987, following a joint state and federal investigation, McGriff was arrested and, two years later, pleaded guilty to engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but after serving approximately five years, he was released on parole in early 1994. His freedom was short-lived, as he was sent back to prison later that year for parole violations, ultimately serving another two and a half years before his release in 1997.
Upon his second release, McGriff sought to distance himself from his criminal past by venturing into the world of cinematography. He partnered with Irv Gotti to produce a film based on the Kenyatta series' novel Crime Partners. However, McGriff's infamous reputation attracted the attention of the FBI, leading to increased scrutiny of his association with Murder Inc. Records. This culminated in a 2003 raid on the label's offices, with McGriff facing accusations of drug trafficking and ties to money laundering activities connected to the label.
McGriff's criminal activities extended beyond drug trafficking. He was implicated in several high-profile murders, including the 2001 death of rapper Eric "E-Moneybags" Smith, allegedly ordered in retaliation for the murder of McGriff's close associate, Colbert "Black Just" Johnson. McGriff was also suspected of involvement in the 2002 murder of Run-DMC member Jam Master Jay and the attempted murder of rapper 50 Cent.
The law finally caught up with McGriff in 2007. On February 1, he was convicted of murder-for-hire by a federal court in the Eastern District of New York. The charges centered on McGriff's role in orchestrating the killings of rivals Eric "E-Moneybags" Smith and Troy "Big Nose" Singleton in 2001. After five days of jury deliberation, McGriff was found guilty of murder conspiracy and drug trafficking. On February 9, 2007, he was sentenced to life in prison, with nearly all his assets seized, leaving him to be defended by a court-appointed attorney.
McGriff began serving his life sentence at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison in Colorado, known for housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States. In 2011, he was transferred to the United States Penitentiary, Lee, a high-security federal prison in Pennington Gap, Virginia. As of 2021, McGriff remains incarcerated at USP McCreary in Pine Knot, Kentucky, where he is serving out his life sentence.
Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff's life story is a cautionary tale of how power and influence in the criminal world can lead to a swift and severe downfall. From his days as the leader of The Supreme Team to his current life behind bars, McGriff's legacy is a stark reminder of the consequences of a life of crime.
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