The Philly King Kong, AR-AB Gets 45 Years Sentence: Respected, Feared, Betrayed
What up gang. Back with the real you know what’s the deal. Today man, we’re taking it down to North Philly where one of the biggest savages to ever grace the rap game is from. The King Kong of the streets. The man that struck fear in his opps and organized killers from every end of the hood. The hood legend, AR-AB.
His rise was a story that had hip hop hanging by every gangster tale he told and lived. Drugs. Guns. Money. Bodies. AR-AB was the real deal. But that cost him everything when the feds put him behind a cell for 45 years. How did it get to that? What got him loved, hated, shot, and locked up? We’re going to chop it up and break it down. This gna be the realest video yet.
Abdul West aka AR-AB is from one of the most dangerous parts of Philadelphia, North Philly https://youtu.be/O_MDrNWPHG4 (0:00-0:06) https://youtu.be/O_MDrNWPHG4 (0:38-0:45) His story is so deep that it would take hours to break it all down so I’d be focusing on main parts of his life and the indictment that got him locked. If you’d like me to focus on a specific part of his life let me know in the comments and I’ve got you.
Ok so even though he became a bully in the streets, his upbringing was a pretty good one based on his description. AB stated that he grew up with both parents, religious, with rules, curfew, discipline the whole nine https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (8:53-9:05)
But the life of the streets was conflicting with what was taught inside their home. https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (9:04-9:22) Around the age of 16 when he got his diploma and became a licensed plumber https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (2:54-3:19), AB was growing tired of the law under his parents and wanted to be free to do whatever like his friends outside, and left home https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (9:24-9:45)
That was the turning point in his life that brought his notoriety and money but also dangerous problems. His brother, Lik Moss would join his decision and both dived head first into the street life.
Just still teenagers, they would be in and out the system for criminal activities, but they soon escalated to gunplay and bloodshed https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (9:46-10:02) Their names were hot on the block and constantly in the papers with his brother placed on the city’s most wanted list https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (9:50-10:12)
AB had his crew, and his brother had his, taking over their own ends of Philly. AB wasn’t any joke in the streets. Before even stepping into rapping, he was making bank in the drug game after being put on by his 13-year-old lil cousin https://youtu.be/SQCOmzb_HE4 (2:25-2:45) https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (4:11-5:22) He had the connections through family ties and his code of ethics and savage mentality was natural born talents of a leader for hood dudes. This saw the rise of his movement, locking blocks and expanding his territory becoming the King in the streets https://youtu.be/SQCOmzb_HE4 (0:00-0:55) Establishing his movement OBH which held the meanings Original Brotherhood and Original Block Hustlaz, AB started dabbling in the music while heavily in the trap, but his street ties was sinking him deeper and deeper in the violence and temptations. He would fully inherit the block and become the main man in charge, supplying the product and organizing foot soldiers when the plug lost his father and brother to the streets and was ready to retire. With AB being the middle man and respected OG, the business was placed in his hands and he ran it all the way up https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (8:01-8:13) At the age of 18 while his pops was locked away in prison, AR-AB was already paying his moms bills, got his own two bedroom house, and multiple whips living the nice life https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (10:18-10:33) But that hood fame was corrupted by his savage mentality. AB was robbing, stealing, killing, kidnapping, extorting, you name it, AB was the guy doing it and orchestrating it all https://youtu.be/MsEcu98JedU (10:57-11:16) https://youtu.be/F_4yOdsabzY (6:04-6:23) https://youtu.be/F_4yOdsabzY (10:28-10:45) Around him was all killers and was ready to go and murk your entire family by the drop of his word https://youtu.be/MsEcu98JedU (12:56-13:14) He was that big a deal in the streets.
At the time, Cassidy was the buzzing star out of Philly and recognized his talent on the mic and respected how he moved in the streets. AB would begin to think bigger, wanting to get out the trap game for the rap game when Cass sold him dreams of making it big in the industry https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (10:44-11:20) He believed in Cas, but was terribly misguided https://youtu.be/KN4vyL-ViVU (11:30-11:54) Cas would later deny those huge promises https://youtu.be/YLf37SYVoFc (1:251:44)
In 2005 after Cas checked out AB and wanted to bring him to his Larsiny Family imprint
Things went left between an associate of Cas and AB’s homie. Cas said he tried to defuse the situation by handing out guns so everyone felt safe, idk why he would think that, but that’s what he did and it obviously backfired and turned into a shootout where 1 person, Desmond Hawkins lost his life https://youtu.be/YLf37SYVoFc (3:00-4:10)
Both would be locked but Cassidy was released on probation after serving 11 and a half to 23 months for involuntary manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault and possession of an instrument of crime for instigating the scene further https://youtu.be/qBqKIyq8jCc (3:45-4:12) AB unfortunately caught the murder charge https://youtu.be/qBqKIyq8jCc (4:15-4:20) https://youtu.be/h-VHRCaK7GY (14:01-14:29) after someone from his team snitched on him and Cassidy https://youtu.be/YLf37SYVoFc (4:11-5:05) These were from members of the original OBH https://youtu.be/qBqKIyq8jCc (2:51-3:42) AB would fight the case for 2-3 years and beat it after the guys withdrew their testimony in what the hood calls an abortion https://youtu.be/qBqKIyq8jCc (8:45-9:10) AB spared their lives from being taken by other OBH members https://youtu.be/qBqKIyq8jCc (6:37-7:13)
AB would come back home trying to pick up the pieces after losing everything, from money to his loved ones https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (8:00-8:11) He had to swallow his pride and stay at Cassidy’s crib while rebuilding https://youtu.be/JuWyAH1cn2o (0:59-1:35) https://youtu.be/4CRTIScpP-s The situation would eventually turn into a beef with AB exposing Cassidy as fake. Stating he began rocking with Cas because Cas was being extorted and needed protection from him. AB told the alleged truth of how Cas dropped the ball with the murder that happened earlier https://youtu.be/FaqaixqsWbQ (0:42-1:05) https://youtu.be/FaqaixqsWbQ (1:09-1:46) https://youtu.be/FaqaixqsWbQ (4:40-6:00)
He would learn the trade of the business from being around Cassidy and the industry https://youtu.be/MeMotv1NUU4 (1:24-2:11) and rebuild his label and movement OBH. The movement became unstoppable when combined with his brother’s squad once they stopped shooting at each other to take over together https://youtu.be/gcyRR9RyBAg (10:21-10:46) https://youtu.be/F_4yOdsabzY (8:31-9:10) But even with his status and cred back and better than ever, his reckless actions came full circle. AB would first be shot three times in his legs https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (5:26-5:33) then 5 months later opps would double back and catch him lacking. He would be hit 10 more times in the butt, hands, legs, and stomach leaving him with huge scars https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (5:54-6:22)
AB faced the consequences of his lifestyle https://youtu.be/Uv8gWOHeza0 (0:41-0:50) In a later interview his casually spoke on the situation like it was an everyday occurrence stating he had a bag on his head and could be from shooting up dudes or from the bricks he robbed off someone recently https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (1:44-1:54) https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (2:07-2:24) AB recalled the entire situation, saying he was high off percs, syrup, and alcohol all at the same time driving from selling some crack, when a car pulled up and emptied the clip. AB was so high that while being hit up he thought it was his homies in the backseat, only realizing the opps were squeezing the trigger when his homie dipped from the car https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (3:27-4:34) https://youtu.be/h-VHRCaK7GY (18:43-19:04) AB not only ate all the shots but drove himself to the hospital, had his cousin that was in the front seat ditch the whip and hide his phone from his girl https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (4:36-5:18) The dude was built different.
Who would have thought that attempt on his life would change his life, for the worse and the better. While on a hospital bed, Swizz Beatz hit his line to do a song when he got home and they followed through on working together https://youtu.be/SjxrnrmRj8Y (0:18-1:22)
That opened up bigger avenues, getting a call from Birdman to be signed to cash money https://youtu.be/h-VHRCaK7GY (1:32-1:57) AB was doing the negotiations to sign https://youtu.be/h-VHRCaK7GY (2:31-2:35) but at the same time other dudes getting contracts as well started talking about how trash the contract was. AB and OBH wasn’t feeling the energy and remained independent https://youtu.be/Yl92iWOHVew (2:15-2:50) https://youtu.be/Yl92iWOHVew (3:10-4:15)
AB would get locked after turning himself in for a drug trafficking charge involving crack cocaine in 2013
He would be granted parole in November 2014 after serving 18 months and enrolling in a bootcamp program.
AB turned his focus fully into music and OBH, signing 4 new savages as the new brand and movement. His right-hand man Dark Lo https://youtu.be/MeMotv1NUU4 (3:05-3:34)
His homie from since elementary, NoBrakes Bras https://youtu.be/MeMotv1NUU4 (3:32-4:01)
His street brother, Skinny Me who AB met through Skinny’s brother, Beyah in prison https://youtu.be/J5_ONBeBTrY (3:20-3:30) https://youtu.be/MeMotv1NUU4 (4:03-4:25)
And the newest signee from Ohio, Lil Johnnie who AB says has the deadly combination of toating the Mac-11 and worshiping the devil https://youtu.be/MeMotv1NUU4 (5:22-6:17)
AB and OBH was on the rise and stacking piles of cash https://youtu.be/TFXIdgBIHW0 He would soon get into it further with Cassidy https://youtu.be/FaqaixqsWbQ (3:48-3:55) https://youtu.be/43BFUqrFTBo and now Meek Mill https://youtu.be/KkhvI6S5gB8 (7:05-7:55) https://youtu.be/KkhvI6S5gB8 (11:18-11:40) https://youtu.be/XbKr3CWPUA8 (0:00-0:10) https://youtu.be/a1SCqfi6fc0 (0:47-1:34) Which turned bloody with lives lost in the streets before AB and Meek got on a call and squashed it https://youtu.be/JuWyAH1cn2o (6:49-7:09) https://youtu.be/JuWyAH1cn2o (8:14-8:48)
Little did AB know the feds were watching his every move, every interview talking on his organization and crimes waiting to send him away https://youtu.be/Uv8gWOHeza0 In October 2018 they made their move, snatching up AB and 8 affiliates of OBH.
AB was indicted on federal drug charges, accused of heading a drug-distribution ring with bases of operation in Philadelphia and supplies coming from Los Angeles. Authorities had piles of alleged evidence that AB was the leader of the operation from drug busts that seized paraphernalia and cash from his alleged bases of operation.
In 2019 he would be convicted on counts including conspiracy and distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine as the alleged drug king pin of OBH. OBH was also credited with two killings based on their investigation, but they caught a lucky break not being prosecuted due to reasons unknown. AB was facing mandatory minimum 15 years behind bars.
Things were going from bad to worst. In December 2020 AB’s brother Lik Moss did an interview stating a mentally ill inmate cut AB on his head when on the phone and his wound was infected leaving his body swollen, black, unable to move and deteriorating without any medical treatment https://youtu.be/hpFPj1SRLpw (2:53-4:45) https://youtu.be/hpFPj1SRLpw (12:30-13:00)
As if that wasn’t enough on his plate, on April 15th 2021, A federal judge sentenced AR-AB to 45 years in prison for the 2019 conviction of turning the record label he founded, Original Block Hustlaz (OBH), into a large-scale North Philadelphia drug-trafficking organization which was implicated in at least one murder.
The case was extensive including videos and lyrics that incriminated the rapper. Just let me know if you’d like a separate video going through it in detail.
We were witnessing the downfall of OBH. AB was gone. Dark Lo was facing 9 years for informant intimidation linked to AB’s arrest https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.61371/title.philly-rapper-dark-lo-reportedly-facing-9-year-sentence-for-informant-intimidation-linked-to-ar-abs-arrest
Skinny Me was facing time for drug paraphernalia https://youtu.be/k2eAjWlzTdg
It all fell apart.
Hopefully AB gets the help he needs behind bars and his God gives him strength to hang on and change his life around while appealing his sentence. You can reach out or assist through his address posted on his IG https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnmgrll-1s/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Catch you in the next one. Peace up and peace out. https://youtu.be/MsEcu98JedU (2:01-2:45)
Chad is a professional journalist specializing in Hip-Hop culture and writing music reviews.
