The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

Johnny interviews Hector Bravo, a former California prison guard. He describes life working on a level 4 prison yard in one of the most dangerous and corrupt prison systems in the country. He talks about witnessing stabbings, riots, and administrative cover-ups, and reveals the reason that he had to walk away and speak out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny visits the Haitian communities of Overtown and Allapattah, interviewing local rappers and documenting the history of the Zo Pound and their influence on the Miami Drug Trade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny interviews Apache, a Cuban-American who moved tons of kilos for the Colombians from the late 80's to the mid-90's. He talks about going from small-time dealer to major middleman, and working with Raul Castro and the Cuban government to help him smuggle his cocaine loads to Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Montenez talks about what it was like growing up as narco royalty in Miami, getting into the game himself and then going to prison, and finally-- becoming the first legitimate millionaire in his family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny interviews Alex Montenez, the nephew of Rafa Salazr, the top general for the Medellin Cartel in Miami in the 1970's and 80's. He talks about what it was like to grow up in cocaine royalty, and tells the true story of being an insider during Miami's coke boom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny visits the Polo Grounds, east Harlem's most notorious housing projects, and gives a history of the violence of the crack era along with Unique Mecca, the former drug kingpin who was responsible for much of that violence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny describes what it's actually like being released from prison, the difficulties of navigating in the free world, and how he moved to Los Angeles after he was released to pursue his dream of being a stand-up comedian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny returns to the Dominican neighborhood of Washington Heights, New York City- to explore the culture of drug trafficking and to pay homage to the place that made him rich. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Harlem kingpin Unique Mecca takes Johnny through Harlem and Washington Heights, and explains how he was able to take $100 he had left to his name  and turn it into a crack empire worth $50 million a year.  He was then sentenced to Life in prison under the CCE kingpin act, but was released in 2020 under the new "compassionate release" rules for federal inmates.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Johnny meets up with an OG Harlem crack Kingpin  @uniquemeccaaudionyc  to discuss the history of hustling in New York City, as well as Unique's rise from Jamaican immigrant to street hustler in Brooklyn and the South Bronx, where he worked a trap house that made millions of dollars a year when he was still a teenager. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices