Claude Massop

Early life

(Born 1949 - Died February 4, 1979) Famed gang leader and strongman of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) political faction belonging to Tivoli Gardens, Wellington Street, Rema and surrounding areas of West Kingston, Jamaica. Massop was the leader or head of a group of which would later be known as the infamous Shower Posse. He began life as a petty street hustler, getting involved with low level narcotics distribution (marijuana) and pimping, then he moved into building contractor work (as the chief contractor). Massop ruled these areas with an iron fist and will and was the acknowledged leader there for over 10 years until his death. Along with William 'Burrey Boy' Blake, Rock Eye, Aston 'Bucky' Marshall, Dennis 'Copper' Barth, Carl Bya Mitchell, Brown Man aka Mr. B, Waxy, Jimmy Sport, Fitzy, Dinal 'Rock', Tantuddy, Sexy Paul, Juicy Badness, Donovan Jones, George 'Badwud' Tonya, Teddy Paul, Lester Lloyd (Ba-Bye) Jim Brown Coke, Baskin, Devon Star, Top Cat, Run Joe, Curly Locks, George Phang, Anthony (Tony) Welch, the Phipps brothers, Glenford (Early Bird) Phipps (died, JULY 15TH, 1990) (sole survivor brother Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps^[1]) produced what is now known as Garrison politics in Jamaica (poignantly portrayed in the film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff).

Biography

Massop was born in 1949^[2] in West Kingston in Denham Town he spent his early life in petty criminal activity more as a street hustler and pimp. But by the time he was 18 (1967) he was already the acknowledge leader of what would later become known as the infamous Shower Posse (once headed by the notorious Lester Lloyd Coke^[3] ('Jim Brown')). It was this 'political' activity which brought Edward Seaga and Michael Manley into political power, both employing their own henchmen and a vicious power struggle which would ensue for the next 4 decades, prevalent right throughout the 1970s and 1980s, which spawned a brutal vicious, violent gang struggle primarily fought between mainly two factions; mostly fuelled by the United States, Europe, (consumers) and South America,(producers) includes:Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Asia (which encompasses China, the so called 'golden triangle' Burma, Thailand, Laos) need for the expanding boom in the Narcotics trade (Cocaine, Crack Cocaine, Marijuana) throughout the 1980s which still persist today (the other faction would later become known as the Spangler posse formerly led by Donald 'Zeeks' Phipps^[4] until his imprisonment in 2006). While Jamaican involvement in the drug trade is rather minimal or small in comparison to other countries(Italy seizure of cocaine for the first 6 months of 2009 was 2,473 Kilograms compared to Jamaica of 222 kg for the whole of 2009^[5]), it is the government's perceived inability, from other governments, particularly the United States to deal with persistent drug crime and the so called 'Don's' problem has plagued the country for the past four decades. This has led to persistent criticism of the governments policy towards this issue and its links with a well known criminal 'Don' from Tivoli gardens has only exasperated the problem.^[6][7]

Gangleader and Gangland Don

By 1967 Massop was a big influence in what would later become Tivoli Gardens which was by this time nothing more than emerging housing projects for the urban poor. By 1972 George Phang and Anthony (Tony) Welch was the 2 main Spanglers Top Rankin men in an areas now known as Arnett Gardens ('Jungle'). In Tivoli Gardens, Rema and surrounding areas, Massop had a string of arrests, includes several charges of murder and armed robbery(the firearm recovered from the scene of the shooting of Massop was involved in a recent robbery a month before), perjury and shooting with intent but no charges could produce any convictions.^[8] in January 1978 His chief claim to fame was the so called 'political truce' (Peace Treaty) between him, Bya Mitchell (JLP) and (PNP) Aston 'Buckie Marshall' Thomson , up until then a brutal bloody battle ensued between the two political factions, famously producing more than 800 deaths in the 1980 general elections between the two political parties (PNP and JLP). Massop met his death on 4 February 1979 by being shot dead by police(at least 40 times according to newspaper reports^[9]) along with two other men named Lloyd Frazer and Alphonso Trevor Tinson following a police car chase after leaving a football match in Spanish Town involving Tivoli Gardens.

References

1. ^ Jamaica Gleaner 'Zeeks' charged with murder Tuesday | May 31, 2005 http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20050531/lead/lead2.html
2. ^ Demeaned But Empowered:The Social Power Of The Urban Poor (2004) Obika Gray
3. ^ The Yardies:BBC news documentary covering the Shower Posse and Lester Lloyd Coke (Jim Brown) and Tivoli Gardens Jamaica in the 1980s includes footage interview with 'Chubby Dread' 1994 http://www.viddler.com/explore/solomonic/videos/2/
4. ^ Zeeks found guilty April 2006 http://www.go-jamaica.com/news/breaking/read_article.php?id=20
5. ^ International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume I: Drug and Chemical Control (2010) pp.370-379
6. ^ International Narcotics Control Strategy Report Volume I: Drug and Chemical Control (2010) http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/138548.pdf
7. ^ Jamaica Gleaner:Court documents explain Matalon, Simpson Miller, 'Dudus' issue April 22nd (2010) http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100422/lead/lead5.html
8. ^ The Daily Gleaner February 6th 1979
9. ^ The Daily Gleaner February 6th 1979

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Name	Massop, Claude
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Date of death	1979
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