Top Boy
Top Boy
This four-part Channel 4 drama was first broadcast in Britain on four consecutive nights from October 31 to November3, 2011.
The setting is the fictional Summerhouse housing estate in Hackney, North London. The series features the activities of young criminals involvement in the drug culture of the housing estate.
The first series was an honest composition of inner-city drug and gang culture, receiving both acclaim and controversy. Channel 4 has commissioned a second season of the gritty drama.
Main Characters
Introducing the main characters of the dramatic series.
- Dushane
Ashley Walters portrays the up-and-coming gangster. Dushane grew up on the estate he has plans of becoming "Top Boy". Together with best friend Sully, they run a local gang. Sully hopes to become wealthy enough to leave the estate and find a new lif - Sully
Sully, played by Kane 'Kano' Robinson is Dushane's best friend. Once schoolboys, now they are partners in crime. With his impulsive mood swings will sully be an asset or a hindrance to Dushanes climb to the top? - Kamale
Tayo Jarrett - 'Scorcher' plays Kamale, the rival of another gang, the London Fields Mandem. Kamale is a violent contender for Top Boy of Summerhouse Estate. - Ra'Nell
Malcolm Kamulete portrays young Ra'Nell who is left on his own when mothjer, Lisa, is committed to a hospital following an emotional breakdown. Despite the gangster environment, Ra\Nell is a bright and brave young man who is forced to grow up. Will - Dris and Tareek
The duo of Dris and Tareek are portrayed by Shone Romulus and Sean Sagar. Dushane and Sully's right hand man, Dris is loyal to whomever can do the most for him. - Gem
Giacomo Mancini plays Gem, close friend of Ra"Nell who is eager to join the gangster lifestyle. Mistaken identity that Gem is a "snake" results in the loss of what he loves the most, his best friend.. - Heather
Kierston Wareing plays the neighbor pregnant woman. After a near miscarriage Heather is advised to take it easy so she employs Ra'Nell to help her with the marijuana farm. - Chantelle
Letitia Wright is Chantelle, the only female in Dushane and Sully's gang. She enjoys making money and teaches Gem the basics of dealing drugs on the estate.
Top Boy Interview - Part One
Top Boy Interview - Part Two
Season 1 - Episode 1
The series begins on the fictional Summerhouse Estate in the borough of Hackney, North London. With the intention of becoming "top boy" in the underground drug market, we meet Dushane. With his best friend Sully, the pair become involved with the "top don" Bobby Raikes, who supplied the drugs for Dushane and Sully's drug enterprise.
Gazing down upon the courtyard from his estate flat is thirteen-year-old Ra'Nel. His motherr Lisa is unwell, following a mental breakdown she is hospitalised. Rather than Ra'Nel taken into care, Lisa claims she is childless, her son, she believes, is a good boy able to care for himself.
In the meantime there has been a nasty turn of events when a rival gangster Kamale, steals the drugs that Dushane has "on loan" from Bobby Raikes. Young Ra"Nel finds himself caring for a marijuana "farm" which a neighbor Heather is grooming to raise enough money to move away from the estate to provide her unborn baby a better chance at life. After a near-miscarriage she is advised to rest. Ra'Nel steps up to the task. Elsewhere on the estate, Kamale discovers Dushane's hidden cache and steals the drugs and money again. Raikes is quite displeased and gives Dushane and Sully two weeks to recover the stolen goods.
Season 1 - Episode 2
The clock is ticking with Dushane and Sully desperate to retrieve the stolen drugs in order to pay Raikes the money they owe. They devise a plan to kidnap a family member of Kamale in order to gain control of the drugs, but the plan goes horribly wrong.
Lisa is improving in hospital and allowed a day out. She shops and plans a meal with her son Ra"Nell. He is busy working on a "secret mission" with Lisa's mate Heather and misses the reunion and dinner.
Series 1 - Episode 3
Paranoid that there is a grass within the ranks of the gang Sully enlists fellow gang member Dris to keep an eye on the suspect, and Ra'Nell's best friend Gem. Ra'Nell asks for help for Gen from Leon which creates tension between Leon and Sully.
Heather brings Ra'Nell to the flat she intends to buy with the profits from the "farm", a safe place to raiser her child. Meanwhile, Lisa is home from hospital and has no idea of the criminal connection between her son and best friend.
Series 1 - Episode 4
Dushane discovers that Sully is carrying a gun and seriously reconsiders having his best mate as his partner in crime. With the police closing in on the Estate things become so tense that Raikes offers Dushane a way out of his difficulties - at a great cost.
Ra'Nell finds himself on his own after Heather goes into labour and is admitted to hospital. He decides to negotiate a price directly with Dushane for the crop and finds himself in the middle of one terrible event after another.
At the hospital, at Heather's bedside she confesses to Lisa about her involvement with Ra'Nell. Lisa, upset and desperate calls upon Leon to help Ra'Nell with the drug involvement. And again, it all goes terribly wrong on London's Summerhouse Estate.
Top Bot Playlist - Hosted by 1Xtra DJ Charlie Sloth.
Tracklist
G Frsh feat. Tania & Bluey Robinson - Do It
Pepstar - Out the Dark
Mic Righteous - Breverin
Squeeks feat. Benny Banks & Hipman Junky - I'll Be the Man
Cerose - Ready Anytime
Blade Brown feat. Taymah - Fed Up
Young Mad B feat. Squeeks, Joe Black, Benny Banks & Don Strapzy - Watchin' Me
Lioness feat. J Warner - Make It Through
Z Dot feat.eat. Scrufizzer, RIO, Warlock & Shifty - Gangster
Ghetts - Artillery
MIC Righteous - Don't Leave Me
Russo feat. Dot Rotten - Bad Tonight
Samson, Strapzy, Ghetts, English Frank, DVS - The Handsome Hustler
Benny Banks - Don't Bank On It
Giggs feat. Kano (prod by FARHOT for KabulFire) - Dem Man
Dru Blue - Get Up
Squeeks feat. Chany - How We Do
Calibar - Calibunga
Bartoven - Above the Law
Oh My! Vs OGZ - Run This Town (Dream Remix)
Please note: Strong language and violent themes mean this mixtape is suitable for 18+ only
- Free Playlist Download at Soundcloud
Season One Playlist features some of the UK's leading underground artists.
Resources
Resources and images courtesy of Channel 4 and 4OD.
