‘American Gangster’, which is narrated by actor Ving Rhames,
peers into the lives of some of Black America’s most notorious figures and their
impact on society and their communities. Its first episode profiled L.A.’s infamous
Crips gang co-founder Stanley "Tookie" Williams and
earned a 1.6 rating (1.3 million households and 1.6 million total viewers), according
to Nielsen Media Research.

The aforementioned numbers also made "American Gangster" the No.
1 4th Quarter series premiere in BET history and the No. 2 series debut overall,
behind "Lil Kim: Countdown To Lockdown," which garnered a 1.7 rating.

The second episode of "American Gangster," which airs tomorrow (December
5) at 10 pm, will profile "Freeway" Ricky Ross, the
first crack king of Los Angeles whose dealings not only impacted the local community
but the international drug trade as well. Other notable figures who will be
profiled in the six part series include Lorenzo "Fat Cat"
Nichols, The Smith Brothers and Leroy "Nicky" Barnes, among
others.