Supreme Allah
Encyclopedia
Supreme Allah is a fictional character of the HBO drama Oz
. He is portrayed by Lord Jamar
of hip hop
group Brand Nubian.
A Five Percenter
, he is serving time for murdering Gray Daniels, a man who laughed at him during a dice game. He often preaches Five Percenter philosophy while simultaneously dealing drugs. It is revealed that Supreme is responsible for the incarceration of Augustus Hill
, having revealed Hill's location to the police after they picked him up on an old arrest warrant. As a result, Burr Redding
, Hill's adopted stepfather, hates Allah. Despite his numerous enemies, lack of real allies, and his controversial and occasionally contradictory beliefs, Supreme survives numerous murder attempts, though he is killed eventually. It is possible that Ketchum's character and religion are a reference to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a Five Percenter who ran the New York City based Supreme Team drug organization. (Lord Jamar, who portrays the character, is himself a Five Percenter.)
. He is viewed as a threat by the Muslims since he preaches things that are as corrupting as they are enhancing. Rooming with Poet, he finds himself an ally to Simon Adebisi
and the Homeboys. Since the Muslims are being led by Zahir Arif
, Supreme claims Arif is nothing more than a "Kareem Saïd wannabe" he attempts to convert a few members such as Nacim Bismilla
. When Arif asks Adebisi to kill Supreme, Supreme and the other Homeboys tell Arif to watch where he walks. Being on Adebisi's good side while Oz is under the management of Martin Querns
, Supreme is having a good time in Em City, not worrying about anything for the most part. Querns even names him and Poet trustees when the Italian and Latino inmates are transferred out of Em City. Supreme informs the black inmates (mainly Leroy Tidd
and Mondo Browne
) that they are being outsold in drugs by Jamaican inmate Desmond Mobay whom he and Adebisi don't fully trust. This situation builds into tension between Supreme and Browne. Adebisi steps in to stop them from fighting. With only a few white inmates left in Em City, Ryan O'Reily
and Christopher Keller (both white) conspire to disrupt Querns' system. They first murder Nate Shemin and then Mondo Browne
. They successfully frame Supreme for the murders by planting Supreme's necklace at the scene and the murder weapon in Supreme's pod. The evidence is enough for Querns, who allows Supreme to be beaten by Adebisi and the all black correctional officers for ending Quern's streak of no violence. Supreme is sent to isolation and will stand trial for two counts of murder.
. Daniels' older brother was murdered by Supreme and Redding will give him a spot in the gang if he murders him. In the visiting room, Supreme is talking to his girlfriend explaining how he was unjustly sent to isolation when Tug Daniels approaches with a shank supplied by Poet and stabs him. Supreme goes to the hospital and Daniels is charged with attempted murder. In the hospital Supreme is attacked by inmate Omar White
who is stopped by the S.O.R.T. team. Earlier when he was initially dismissed by Redding, Chucky Pancamo
, leader of the Italians, and Enrique Morales
, leader of the Latinos, approach Supreme. Looking for a way to kill Redding, they offer him a third in the drug trade if he kills Burr Redding. Supreme agrees after he gets support from other black inmates. When released from the hospital, he formulates a plan to eliminate Redding using Augustus Hill. Hill has been ostracized by Burr for alerting the S.O.R.T. team about White's plan to kill Supreme. He befriends Hill, telling him that he is sorry for snitching on him and that he is the best ally to have now that he has survived two murder attempts. Augustus does not fully trust Supreme though and does not initially go along with him. Supreme is also plotting with Tug Daniels, who has decided Supreme is a worthy ally after surviving the stabbing. In this plan, Supreme will pretend to work with Pancamo and Morales while Tug will pretend to work with Redding. A spy of Redding's, marine colonel Edward Galston in Oz, informs Burr of the plot, so Burr has Poet rent the gym from the COs to kill Tug Daniels. After this happens, Pancamo and Morales tell Supreme to hurry up and kill Redding. Growing frustrated, Supreme takes a shank and attempts to stab Redding in the cafeteria but is stopped by Augustus. Augustus, desperate to save Burr, pays Christian inmate Harden to steal Supreme's medical records. He finds out Supreme is fatally allergic to eggs and tells Poet. The Homeboys and O'Reily fill his food with eggs and Supreme Allah dies from Anaphylaxis
at the lunch table next to Augustus. Burr then forgives Hill and allows him to be an ally of the Homeboys again.
Oz (TV series)
Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...
. He is portrayed by Lord Jamar
Lord Jamar
Lord Jamar is an American emcee and actor. He is a member of the hip-hop group Brand Nubian, which formed in 1989. As an actor, he is best known for his role of Supreme Allah on the TV series Oz. He has appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Third Watch, and The Sopranos...
of hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group Brand Nubian.
Character overview
Prisoner #00K251. Convicted March 22, 2000 - Second degree murder. Sentence: 25 years, eligible for parole in 10.A Five Percenter
The Nation of Gods and Earths
The Nation of Gods and Earths, sometimes referred to as NGE or NOGE, the Five-Percent Nation, or the Five Percenters is an American organization founded in 1964 in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan, New York City, by Clarence 13X, a former student of Malcolm X, who left his mosque...
, he is serving time for murdering Gray Daniels, a man who laughed at him during a dice game. He often preaches Five Percenter philosophy while simultaneously dealing drugs. It is revealed that Supreme is responsible for the incarceration of Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill
Augustus Hill is a fictional character, played by Harold Perrineau on the American television show Oz, serving as the show's narrator.-Character overview:...
, having revealed Hill's location to the police after they picked him up on an old arrest warrant. As a result, Burr Redding
Burr Redding
Burr Redding is one of Oz's oldest inmates.-Character overview:Prisoner #01R289. Convicted January 11, 2001 - Murder in the first degree, seven counts of attempted murder...
, Hill's adopted stepfather, hates Allah. Despite his numerous enemies, lack of real allies, and his controversial and occasionally contradictory beliefs, Supreme survives numerous murder attempts, though he is killed eventually. It is possible that Ketchum's character and religion are a reference to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, a Five Percenter who ran the New York City based Supreme Team drug organization. (Lord Jamar, who portrays the character, is himself a Five Percenter.)
Season 4 Part I
Supreme arrives in prison sponsored by Kareem SaïdKareem Said
Kareem Saïd is a character played by British actor Eamonn Walker on the American television show Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97S444. Convicted June 6, 1997 - Arson in the second degree. Sentence: 18 years, eligible for parole in five...
. He is viewed as a threat by the Muslims since he preaches things that are as corrupting as they are enhancing. Rooming with Poet, he finds himself an ally to Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi
Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...
and the Homeboys. Since the Muslims are being led by Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif
Zahir Arif aka Jerome Van Dyke is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, played by Granville Adams.-Character overview:Arif is a former drug addict in prison apparently for possession of stolen goods. In prison, he undergoes a spiritual transformation into one of the most well-behaved and...
, Supreme claims Arif is nothing more than a "Kareem Saïd wannabe" he attempts to convert a few members such as Nacim Bismilla
Nacim Bismilla
Nacim Bismilla is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Ra Hanna.-Character overview:Bismilla is a prominent member of the titular prison's Muslim gang. He is one of the more muscular and imposing members of the group, and throughout the series he often appears with Sanjay Afsana...
. When Arif asks Adebisi to kill Supreme, Supreme and the other Homeboys tell Arif to watch where he walks. Being on Adebisi's good side while Oz is under the management of Martin Querns
Martin Querns
Warden Martin Querns is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz, played by Reg E. Cathey.-Character overview:He is an African American prison unit manager who has a vast experience of handling various prison units. He is hired by Warden Leo Glynn after he is asked to find a competent black unit...
, Supreme is having a good time in Em City, not worrying about anything for the most part. Querns even names him and Poet trustees when the Italian and Latino inmates are transferred out of Em City. Supreme informs the black inmates (mainly Leroy Tidd
Leroy Tidd
Leroy Tidd is a fictional character on the series Oz, an African American inmate played by Jacques Smith.-Character overview:Prisoner #00T255. Convicted May 10, 2000 - Armed robbery, reckless endangerment. Sentence: 20 years, eligible for parole in 12.Imprisoned for armed robbery and running over a...
and Mondo Browne
Mondo Browne
Raymond "Mondo" Browne, played by Gano Grills, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #00B563. Convicted April 10, 2000 - First degree murder...
) that they are being outsold in drugs by Jamaican inmate Desmond Mobay whom he and Adebisi don't fully trust. This situation builds into tension between Supreme and Browne. Adebisi steps in to stop them from fighting. With only a few white inmates left in Em City, Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily
Ryan O'Reily is a main character in the television series Oz. He was portrayed by Dean Winters from 1997 to 2003.-Character overview:Prisoner #97P904. Convicted July 12, 1997 - Two counts of vehicular manslaughter, five counts of reckless endangerment, possession of a controlled substance,...
and Christopher Keller (both white) conspire to disrupt Querns' system. They first murder Nate Shemin and then Mondo Browne
Mondo Browne
Raymond "Mondo" Browne, played by Gano Grills, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #00B563. Convicted April 10, 2000 - First degree murder...
. They successfully frame Supreme for the murders by planting Supreme's necklace at the scene and the murder weapon in Supreme's pod. The evidence is enough for Querns, who allows Supreme to be beaten by Adebisi and the all black correctional officers for ending Quern's streak of no violence. Supreme is sent to isolation and will stand trial for two counts of murder.
Season 4 Part II
Supreme Allah is released from isolation after it is determined there is not enough evidence to convict him of murder. While in the hole, he figures out that Keller and O'Reily set him up and he warns the two of them that they will pay for framing him. Meanwhile Burr Redding tells Augustus Hill that Supreme told the cops where he was the night he got arrested to avoid going to jail himself. Furious, Hill attacks Supreme Allah in the shower and is thrown out of his wheelchair and beaten by Supreme instead. Furious that Supreme assaulted Augustus, Burr Redding calls in Tug DanielsTug Daniels
Carlton "Tug" Daniels, played by Method Man of the Wu-Tang Clan, is a character in the HBO prison drama Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #01D251. Convicted February 20, 2001 - Attempted first degree murder. Sentence: 28 years, eligible for parole in 14....
. Daniels' older brother was murdered by Supreme and Redding will give him a spot in the gang if he murders him. In the visiting room, Supreme is talking to his girlfriend explaining how he was unjustly sent to isolation when Tug Daniels approaches with a shank supplied by Poet and stabs him. Supreme goes to the hospital and Daniels is charged with attempted murder. In the hospital Supreme is attacked by inmate Omar White
Omar White
Omar White is a fictional character on the HBO drama Oz played by Michael Wright.-Character overview:Prisoner 01W711. Convicted January 4, 2001 - Murder in the first degree...
who is stopped by the S.O.R.T. team. Earlier when he was initially dismissed by Redding, Chucky Pancamo
Chucky Pancamo
Charles "Chucky The Enforcer" Pancamo is a fictional character, played by Chuck Zito, on the HBO series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #97P468. Convicted June 4, 1997 - Second degree murder. Sentence: 35 years, eligible for parole in 15....
, leader of the Italians, and Enrique Morales
Enrique Morales
Enrique Morales is a fictional character played by NYPD officer turned actor David Zayas on the HBO drama Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #00M871. Convicted April 6, 2000 - Murder in the second degree. Sentence: 25 years, up for parole in 15....
, leader of the Latinos, approach Supreme. Looking for a way to kill Redding, they offer him a third in the drug trade if he kills Burr Redding. Supreme agrees after he gets support from other black inmates. When released from the hospital, he formulates a plan to eliminate Redding using Augustus Hill. Hill has been ostracized by Burr for alerting the S.O.R.T. team about White's plan to kill Supreme. He befriends Hill, telling him that he is sorry for snitching on him and that he is the best ally to have now that he has survived two murder attempts. Augustus does not fully trust Supreme though and does not initially go along with him. Supreme is also plotting with Tug Daniels, who has decided Supreme is a worthy ally after surviving the stabbing. In this plan, Supreme will pretend to work with Pancamo and Morales while Tug will pretend to work with Redding. A spy of Redding's, marine colonel Edward Galston in Oz, informs Burr of the plot, so Burr has Poet rent the gym from the COs to kill Tug Daniels. After this happens, Pancamo and Morales tell Supreme to hurry up and kill Redding. Growing frustrated, Supreme takes a shank and attempts to stab Redding in the cafeteria but is stopped by Augustus. Augustus, desperate to save Burr, pays Christian inmate Harden to steal Supreme's medical records. He finds out Supreme is fatally allergic to eggs and tells Poet. The Homeboys and O'Reily fill his food with eggs and Supreme Allah dies from Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is defined as "a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death". It typically results in a number of symptoms including throat swelling, an itchy rash, and low blood pressure...
at the lunch table next to Augustus. Burr then forgives Hill and allows him to be an ally of the Homeboys again.