The Violent Past of Brian “Glaze” Gibbs and The Incident that Made Him Change His Life!

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs was one of the most feared men walking the streets of New York in the ‘80’s. The former top goon talks about a life of crime, his book, “Beyond Lucky” and much more.

During the 1980’s, New York had no shortage of gangsta’s. Names like, Lorenzo “Fat Cat” Nichols, Howard “Pappy” Mason, The Supreme Team and others dominated the streets. Brian “Glaze” Gibbs joined forces with Mason and “Fat Cat” at one point and became one of the most feared men on the streets during that time. A drug kingpin, goon and hitman, “Glaze” had no shortage of run-ins with the law. In and out of jail since the age of 13, his reputation and behavior once got him kicked out of, Riker’s Island. After several incarcerations, Gibbs was on the run and was finally caught and charged with a murder that would send him away for life. He decided to go against the grain (violate street code) and copped a plea deal where he confessed to 5-murders and 2-attempted murders. After serving his sentence, he was released from prison where he still remains a free man. Being heavily embedded in the streets during New York’s most violent times, “Glaze” has seen it all.

I caught up with the man known as, “Glaze” to discuss, Haitian Jack, The Original 50 Cent, the event that made him change his life, his book, “Beyond Lucky. The Brian “Glaze” Gibbs Story” as well as his fears while on the streets.

Hype Magazine: You wrote a book titled, “Beyond Lucky.” Could you explain why, Brian “Glaze” Gibbs is beyond lucky?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You know what, even as you have time to reflect back on life, even the title of my book, “Beyond Lucky…” I feel that that is an inappropriate title. I’m not beyond luck I’m beyond blessed because I escaped that lifestyle, I escaped with my life and I escaped with my freedom. So, beyond lucky, I think that’s an understatement. I am beyond blessed. I am double blessed.

Hype Magazine: When you were sitting down with the author of your book and you were relaying stories to them about your past, did reliving some of those stories even take you back a little and make you realize that you weren’t such a good person back then?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You know what, I was not a good person based on the things that I was doing. But the difference is, I knew right from wrong. I was born into Christianity. I was baptized. I used to be on a choir and usher board, but yet and still I became that lost sheep on the street.

Hype Magazine: You committed your first robbery when you were 13-years old. For most, becoming a teenager is somewhat of a transitional period and a scary period because your kind of learning who you are while still possessing innocence. Obviously, that phase escaped you. What was it like being in the streets and getting into things like robberies at such a young age?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: What was it like? You wanted to be down. You wanted to be cool. It wasn’t like anything it was just part of your day to day actions; monkey see monkey do. You want to be down, you want to be cool, you want to be it. So, the only thing you’re doing is following the leader. It was nothing extraordinary about that. You just want to be down and to prove yourself you do anything that you have to do to be down.

Hype Magazine: You were one of the most feared men on the streets during that period that being said was there anyone that you feared at that time?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You know what, all of that is like hype. All that is… it’s like living in lala land. Everybody fears somebody. I don’t care what anybody says, if anybody ever tells you they weren’t afraid of anybody they are lying. In our lifetime guess what, as a kid, adolescent, young adult to an adult it’s always somebody there that guess what, you’re going to fear. To me, it didn’t really make a difference about fear, I think everything has to stem from respect more than fear. It’s like me, I can be afraid of you, but guess what, if you disrespect me… all that fear is gone. If you cross that line one time too many it doesn’t matter who are what you are and I could be scared to death of you, I’m coming at you at all cost.

Hype Magazine: On one of the videos from “Info Minds,” you tell a story about, Haitian Jack. In short, you were on the run; some guys wanted you to kill, Haitian Jack and you run into an old buddy. As you’re telling him that people wanted you to kill, Jack and letting him know you had no reason to, Haitian Jack rolls down the back window smiling. If you had said the wrong thing do you think he would have taken your life because you didn’t know he was in the car?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You know, let’s get back to the, Haitian Jack situation or whatever. At that particular time… Haitian Jack to me, you know you give him his props because he’s been around. But you know, I’m listening to that killer shit. Haitian Jack was never known to be a killer. He was probably known to be a killer or tough guy to those cats that didn’t have no balls out there. These cats that wanted me to get him, not because they were afraid of him, but they were jealous of him. They all was once down together and then he started making more money than them. The guy who I was speaking with that day when I saw them down in, Virginia Beach… Derrick Smith was a dangerous individual. Haitian Jack was smart because he knows how to keep dangerous killers with him, but Haitian Jack as far as I’m concerned and as far as coming up and growing up in the street and everything that I heard about him, he was no killer. He says a story about him going to Albee Square Mall and how these guys from Fort Greene used to ask him for permission… like for instance, if guys came through and they had jewelry on, “Yo Jack, is this guy with you?” That’s bullshit. Albee Square Mall… everybody, if you are around at the wrong time, you will get had. He didn’t have it like that. So, to me I’m listening to all the stories that he’s telling now, and I don’t know where the hell he gets that from. Haitian Jack was never a tough guy and guess what, if he ever did something to me or somebody I liked or whatever, he wasn’t on it like that. People need to do their research and ask him about, “Prince” that used to be down with, “Pappy” [Mason]. Ask him how him and “Scooter” became best friends. How him and “Scooter” became good friends is because “Scooter” used to beg “Prince not to extort his ass up in, Elmira [Correctional Facility] back in the days. Everyone wants to talk about it, we all got skeletons in our closet. People can say what they want to say, even now, I talk about the time where I got beat up and robbed on, Rikers Island. Nobody went through the New York State system or the city system or the street and they didn’t take a loss. So, anybody that comes along, and they try to put up that certain image that they didn’t take a loss when they were coming up, they full of shit.

Hype Magazine: What made committing murders come so easy to you?

Brain “Glaze” Gibbs: You know what, it wasn’t really a point of killing being easy, killing wasn’t easy. To me, we were playing “Grand Theft Auto Live” with our life back then. The only thing different is, we were playing it live. We didn’t have a reset button. So, it’s like when you’re out there doing things, you’re acting more off of emotion opposed to intelligence. So, it wasn’t a point about you killing just to be killing, killing was just a part of that environment back then. Not saying it was right and not saying it was wrong, but to me, it was totally wrong because who am I to say who lives or who dies. I’m not God.

Hype Magazine: Would you say you had a temper problem; it was money driven, territorial or a combination of it all?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: It’s a combination of everything. It’s a combination of who you become during that point and time. Everybody wanted to be respected. If somebody crossed that line, you gotta be able to ask yourself is it worth it. Me, at that present time… I got in a situation where I as manipulated into killing somebody. To me, when I thought about it and I found out about it, I felt so bad, literally. It took the death of my mom’s to make me realize what I put the victims and their families through. That type of emotion and that type of pain, you don’t want to wish on your worse enemy. But when you’re out there and you’re moving at one million miles per hour, you’re not thinking you’re reacting. So as soon as somebody get you upset or as soon as somebody do something stupid, rob your spot or do something to somebody you love and care about, you’re not thinking. You’re allowing your emotion to supersede your intellect. When you get mad and you pick up a gun and you squeeze that trigger, it’s over.

Hype Magazine: How were you manipulated to murder someone?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: Because the only thing you have to do is say key words. The only thing you have to do… one thing about, New York or anywhere is security. One thing about out there, when people know how to push certain buttons that’s going to cause you to see red, that’s what you’re going to do.

Hype Magazine: What made that homicide stick out to you and feel bad because that was only one of many? Why did you feel bad about that one?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: That one stuck out more so than anything because it was a friend. It was a person that you love, and they love you. But at that moment you feel somebody gave up information that’s going to cause you your life and the people up under you their life, then you have to make a call. It’s either them or you. And the sad part about it is, once you realize that you were manipulated, the moves already made.

Hype Magazine: When you’re in that life and in that world, can you really consider anyone a friend?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You know what, look what you’re saying. Even right now, what is a friend? I like to say at one point and time, yeah, growing up you had a bunch of close friends. But then again when you sit back and you start analyzing everything as a whole, most of the people that were once your friend, what happens, they become your enemy for so many different reasons. It can be over a beef, over you making more money than them or a girl. It can be over so many different things. It can be over an act of betrayal. So, you are right, you can start off as friends with somebody, but then again how do you maintain that relationship if you don’t respect one another or you don’t encourage on another or you don’t empower one another, guess what happens, that’s when that wickedness, that’s when that devious starts to come in and then you’re no longer friends.

Hype Magazine: Were you ever deceived by someone and it hurt you because you really thought it was someone who had your best interest?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: I can go back to “The Original 50 Cent,” Kelvin Martin. I was fighting a murder charge. I’m incarcerated. No bail no anything. I didn’t have nothing to lose and he set up a move for me. He set up the move. It was his idea. He set it up, we were going to put it in place, and he wound up flipping out and went back to the individual that he was setting up and let them know that I was coming after him. And that’s what cost him his life.

Hype Magazine: When you were on the run, you considered having plastic surgery to change facial features, actively seeking to have plastic surgery. Was it that serious to remain a free man?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: If you are willing to pay somebody to change your look to keep you out of doing 30, 40-years or a life sentence, it was worth it. It wasn’t that far off because if I’m not mistaken, I think, El Chapo did it. He got plastic surgery, but it doesn’t matter because once again, you can get all of the plastic surgery in the world, you can’t change those fingerprints and you can’t change your vocals.

Hype Magazine: When the FEDS were really on your track, what was the most difficult part about being on the run?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: The difficult part is you know you’re going to get caught. To me, if I would have kept low profile then I would have had nothing to worry about. But I was all around. I think the most difficult part back then was there was this show called, “American’s Most Wanted.” It used to come on every Sunday. They would put all of the criminals on there who they were hunting down… and I’m talking the F.B.I, U.S. Marshall’s and all of their top guys who they were looking for. When I got arrested that’s what they said they were going to do, put me on, “America’s Most Wanted.” Normally once you get on that show, it’s only a matter of time.

Hype Magazine: Who would you say you had the biggest issue with during your time in the streets?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: I don’t know. That’s a tough question, man because once again, you going to have problems in and out. It wasn’t about somebody being a pain in the ass that had to be removed. Most of the individuals that really know you, they knew you, so they knew the do’s and don’ts. They knew the price they would have to pay. That right there… I can’t even think of anyone off hand. Don’t get me wrong, you had a lot of dangerous individuals out there. To me, why am I going to go against them if I don’t have to go against them? I’m talking about the, “Baby Sam” [Samuel Edmonson] and nem. “Baby Sam” was a helluva individual. Would I want any problems with him? Not if I can help it. If I gotta deal with it, then you deal with it. Then they had this guy, “Uzi” Edwards, Delroy “Uzi” Edwards was a dangerous Jamaican. What people didn’t understand about, Delroy… Delroy was like a few years older than me. Him and “Baby Sam” got into a big altercation. They went at it. You got some bodies on both sides. But what people didn’t understand, Delroy came from Jamaica and before he got to, America on a Visa pass, he was down with this Jamaican party back there and these guys were trained in Guerilla Warfare by the CIA. He was already a natural born killer. When you get into wars or you go into combat with guys like that, in all honesty, we really didn’t have a chance in hell. This motherfucker was already like a professional trained killer. A lot of people didn’t know that. You didn’t have, Google, you didn’t have smart phones, you couldn’t look up information on individuals because if you could, you would know who the hell to mess with and who not to mess with. You would know who the hell to stay away from.

Hype Magazine: You were a real serious guy out there, but listening to you talk, it sounds like you understood warfare and in warfare, egos don’t have a place. Would you agree with that or am I totally off base?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: You’re definitely off base. Me and my brother was talking not too long ago, and the key is, I underestimated a lot of people. I did a lot of stupid shit. I committed crimes. I sold drugs, I killed people; things that I am embarrassed about. Things that it took my mother’s death to make me realize the pain and suffering that I put the victims and their families through. Sometimes what you fail to realize is, you’re walking around with a death wish and you don’t even know it yet. You are dead man walking. So, to me, some of the things I was doing and the way I was acting, I was acting like I was invincible. The key is… I remember a couple of guys who we were once close with and we got into a misunderstanding and probably a few months later they came around and they said, “You know what, man, when you came home and you got acquitted for that murder, you were acting crazy and we were going to kill you.” They told me that they were going to kill me. And my response was, I wasn’t upset or mad, what I did was I laughed in their face. I laughed in their face like, “To me, ya’ll motherfuckers not even on my level. How in the hell are you going to conspire to kill me?” So, to me I laughed at them because I was belittling them saying they were punks. Similar to what, Haitian Jack was talking about, but the difference is, I knew who I was at the time. But that was my weakness. That was my mistake. Why? Because you never underestimate, anybody. I have said this before and I’ll say it again, sometimes your death certificate is signed, and you don’t even know it. We are here and everything we do in life is temporary. A lot of times you’re out there doing things and you can do things at the wrong time not knowing what that other individual is going through. You’re putting yourself out there, so your death certificate is signed the day that you’re born, but we just don’t know when.

Hype Magazine: Is it somewhat comical to see some of these hip-hop artists glorifying a life that you actually lived, and you know they have not lived it?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: If you sit back and think about it, all of that shit now comes from social media and the rap videos. Back then we didn’t have all of that. I remember when Yo MTV Raps first came out. When you watching these characters and what they are illustrating, they showing you a 3 to 5-minute video of how they making all of this money, how they got the big house, all the jewelry and all the girls. Guess what, you setting the wrong example. You have all of these guys out there betraying the wrong lifestyle, when you got the guys that are out there hustling… we want to be legit (laughing). You got legit guys like rappers and ball players crave that when they got a legit hustle. We wanted to be like that. Why in the hell would you want to act like a damn bad boy? You’re not acting like a bad boy, you’re acting like a damn fool because you don’t have to be out there in the streets because you’re already legit. Most of these guys aren’t built like that and honestly most of us wasn’t built like that. We allow ourselves to become that way. We allow ourselves to become heartless. But that’s not reality. Regardless of what anyone thinks, when you peel all of that material and exterior off of us, we are all human beings. We have to go back to our original teachings and upbringing and realize that crime doesn’t pay. I don’t care, there are no short cuts. Do it right the first time. I spent damn near 20-years in jail. Imagine me doing that as a corrections officer. I could be retired with a pension. But no, I wanted to be down, I wanted to be cool. At the end of the day when you sit back and think about it, where did it get you?

Hype Magazine: What is your biggest regret?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: My biggest regret is getting caught up in that street life in the first place. That’s my biggest regret. When you know better… and a lot of people think most criminals can’t read or write, most criminals can read and write, but everybody wants the easy way out.

Hype Magazine: Was it difficult for you to come out of prison and be a normal person and co-exist with civilians?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: Honestly speaking, it wasn’t hard. What happened was, during a period of time when I was incarcerated and I go back to the point when my mother died, you have to know when to quit and change it around. Change comes from within. How I knew that I had genuinely changed, the closer it came to me being released, the thought came there, “What if you have a problem with somebody? What if someone does something to you or your family member? What if somebody broke into your house?” My mindset before was, “I can handle anything that comes my way.” If someone to violate in any type of form or fashion, I would grab my gun, put my bullet proof vest on and go after them and take care of the problem. Now, when I pose that question to myself, it’s like, “Whoa!” It’s scary. That’s the first time I have been scared in my life because the fact is now, if I have that problem and somebody violates me or my family, I gotta be like every other law-abiding citizen by picking up the phone and calling law enforcement. That’s what’s scary and that’s when I knew I had changed.

Hype Magazine: They were about to give you a life sentence and you decided to make a plea deal where you plead guilty to 5-murders and 2-attempted murders. Obviously, that’s not the popular move in the hood, but you did it and served your time and became a free man. What has it been like for you since the plea deal?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: I went against the grain. I can’t sit here and bullshit anybody. I, Brian “Glaze” Gibbs went against the grain. But I never testified. Nobody is ever going to come along and say, “Glaze,” put me in jail. “Glaze,” got me indicted,” or, “Glaze,” testified against me.” Most of the guys that were down with me are either dead or nothing never happened to them. Automatically people are going to say I copped out, but I don’t care. You ain’t never going to hear someone say, “Glaze,” sold me out,” because it never happened.

Hype Magazine: At one point you were rolling hard with, “Pappy” Mason and “Fat Cat.” At any point did you want to walk away from that life or were you too deep in?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: After that hit that I said I was manipulated into doing, I wanted to quit then. I went to visit, “Cat,” and I cried. I asked that question, “Who am I to say who lives and who dies, I’m not, God. I don’t want to do this anymore.” It’s easier said than done because once you are in it it’s like you said, it’s very hard to step away. I could have but I didn’t because I was in too deep. Anything that used to happen back then I used to get accused for; even with the Edward Byrne murder. The rookie police officer. I was their #1 suspect. At one point in time they said I averaged one murder per week for a year and a half. But, when everything was said and done, what I pled guilty to, that was it. They kept trying to come at me, but it wasn’t there. They couldn’t prove it. They were just throwing shit out there. I had done my dirt, but I hadn’t done the dirt that people wanted to put out there. If anything went wrong or if there were any unsolved cases, they wanted to give it to me. Whatever I did I pled guilty to. Otherwise, guess what, there is no statue of limitation on murder, they can come at you at any given time.

Hype Magazine: Where are you at in life right now? Are you happy with where you are today?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: I’m at peace. What I’m doing right now is, I’m mainstream. I’m using my story to minister the youth. How do I get them to understand that crime doesn’t pay? How do I get them to listen to my story and use it as the blueprint because it is the blueprint to stop them from making that multi-billion-dollar prison system from being their permanent address? I look at my life now, I used to be the problem. Now I’m seeking to be part of the solution by stopping that crime epidemic.

Hype Magazine: It was a pleasure speaking with you. Thanks for taking the time out to share your story. Is there anything else you wanted to say before I let you go?

Brian “Glaze” Gibbs: If anybody reading this wants a signed copy of “Beyond Lucky” The Brian “Glaze” Gibbs Story, email me at [email protected]. You can order a signed copy and pay through PayPal. You also have the “Straight from the Street Volume I.” It’s a helluva book. I got over 200- reviews and most of them are 5-star. If they want that, they just gotta go to the link provided https://www.audible.com/pd/Straight-from-the-Street-Audiobook/B07FWD3GL6 and Volume II is also available now at https://www.audible.com/pd/Straight-from-the-Street-Volume-Two-Audiobook/B07QLB6J5B. I got a lot of different things that we’re working on. What we’re trying to do is open up the line and do a Q&A. Me and you can probably do it eventually. I want to go around and do a lot of speaking engagements and face to face interaction. Since I started everything on YouTube, I got people reaching out to me telling me how my story has changed their life and how they like listening. If I can change anybody can change. I really believe that. The only thing you have to do is give people hope and point people in the right direction. What you are doing out there when you’re trying to make a fast buck is like picking up a brick and throwing it at the prison wall for absolutely nothing. Don’t grow up too fast, take your time and enjoy that 4-letter word we call, life. Follow me @brianglazegibbs on Instagram Brian “Glaze” Gibbs on Facebook and DM me. What I do at this present time is I listen. I’m about to come up with a new YouTube channel because it’s all about listening to ya’ll guys because ya’ll are the future. How can we help one another? How can I spread the word about my lifestyle? Use it as a tool of what not to do with your life. That’s what it’s all about. Help me to help you. It’s not about me no more. I have lived my life. I’m at peace at this present time. What I’m doing now is using my story to minister to anybody that’s out there that’s at risk who I can help… I’m here.

By Percy Crawford

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