In the violent history of Harlem’s drug trade, there is one distinction that separates Azie Faison from his legendary partners. While the tragic murder of Rich Porter shocked the streets and Alpo Martinez’s legacy as a government informant became the most hated snitch in history, Azie Faison did the impossible: he survived.
Known on the streets as “AZ” and portrayed as “Ace” in the cult classic movie Paid in Full, Faison’s story is not just about the rise; it is about the brutal fall and the redemption. Specifically, he is the man who took nine bullets in a botched robbery and lived to tell the tale.
Today, searches for Azie Faison’s net worth and his current whereabouts prove that the fascination with the “Harlem Trio” is still alive. However, the real story involves betrayal by family members, a $100,000-a-week empire, and a karmic connection to the death of Alpo Martinez. Here is the uncut truth about the last man standing.
Initially, Azie Faison was a high school dropout working a humble job at a local dry cleaners in Harlem to support his family. However, his destiny changed due to a remarkable act of honesty. A Dominican customer named Lulu brought in a pair of pants for cleaning, unaware that he had left a significant amount of cocaine stash inside the pockets.
Instead of stealing the product or reporting it, Azie returned it to the customer untouched. Impressed by the young man’s integrity in a neighborhood defined by greed, Lulu decided to reward him. He gave Azie his first consignment of cocaine to sell, effectively handing him the keys to the kingdom.
Consequently, Faison built an empire based on efficiency rather than violence. At the peak of his career, reports suggest that Azie and his partners, Rich Porter and Alpo Martinez, were generating upwards of $100,000 a week.
Furthermore, to manage this influx of cash, Faison expanded into legitimate businesses. Specifically, he opened a video game arcade called “The Jukebox,” which served as a perfect front for the operation. While Rich Porter brought the flash and Alpo brought the muscle, Azie was the brain behind the distribution.
Despite his low-key demeanor, the violence of the trade eventually came knocking. Crucially, one of the most searched questions is “who shot Azie Faison?”. Contrary to some rumors involving rival kingpins, the betrayal came from within his inner circle.
Specifically, on a fateful night in August 1987, Azie was lured to an apartment in the Bronx. Upon arrival, he was ambushed by a crew led by Kevin Clark, who was, shockingly, the boyfriend of Azie’s own sister. Clark felt slighted over a previous drug dispute and decided to rob the operation.
During the botched robbery, the assailants opened fire. Miraculously, Azie Faison was shot nine times, with bullets striking his head, neck, and chest. Tragically, three other people in the house were killed, but Azie survived. Ultimately, this near-death experience was the turning point that convinced him to leave the drug game forever.
Undoubtedly, the 2002 movie Paid in Full immortalized Azie’s story, with actor Wood Harris playing the character “Ace”. While the film captures the emotional arc, there are key differences.
The Character: The movie portrays Ace as very reluctant. In reality, Azie was a sharp businessman who actively seized the opportunity with Lulu.
The Shooting: The movie depicts the shooting dramatically, but the reality of Kevin Clark (a family connection) makes the betrayal far more personal than the film suggests.
The Exit: The movie ends with Ace leaving town. In fact, Azie stayed to form a rap group and try to steer the youth away from the path he had taken.
Following his recovery, Azie Faison dedicated his life to sharing his cautionary tale. Therefore, he formed the hip-hop group MobStyle in the 90s, using music to narrate the grim reality of the streets.
Moreover, he authored the book Game Over: The Rise and Transformation of a Harlem Hustler. Through this work, he solidified his status not just as a former kingpin, but as a survivor with a message. Currently, his net worth comes from his intellectual property, documentaries, and speaking engagements rather than illicit activities.
Finally, the saga of the Harlem trio came to a definitive close on Halloween 2021, when Alpo Martinez was shot and killed in Harlem. Interestingly, Azie Faison revealed a chilling detail about that day in a recent interview.
Reportedly, Azie and Alpo were in negotiations to sign a deal for a new documentary project together. Coincidentally, the contract signing was scheduled for that very Halloween. According to Faison, he viewed Alpo’s death on that specific day not as a tragedy, but as inevitable karma for the lives Alpo had taken, including their best friend Rich Porter and the many victims of Alpo’s D.C. enforcer, Wayne Perry.
In conclusion, Azie Faison stands as the only one who made it out. While Alpo died by the gun and Rich died by betrayal, Azie survived the nine shots to tell the story. Ultimately, his life serves as living proof that the only way to win the game is to leave it.