Ted Lucas & Convertible Burt Discuss Origins Of The Real 'Miami Kingpins'

When Rick Ross made his solo debut with "Hustlin'" in 2006, he closed out his third verse by paying tribute to one of Miami's most notable hustlers, Convertible Burt. "I touch work, like I'm Convertible Burt/I got distribution, so I'm convertin' the work."

Rozay's dedication to Burt wasn't just a one-off lyric. The seasoned rapper has saluted other legendary kingpins with songs like "Bo Diddley's Theme" and "Turnpike Ike" from Port of Miami 2. Ross' bars were inspired by Miami's most notorious tycoons who revolutionized the drug trade in Dade County in the 1980s. Now, over three decades later, the chronicles of Convertible Burt, Turnpike Ike, and Bo Diddley will be revealed in the upcoming docuseries Miami Kingpins.

"People can expect inspiration and encouragement and all kinds of things because we touching on different types of issues with this documentary here," Convertible Burt tells iHeartRadio. "You gotta understand. This is a part of history for real. This is the first time anyone is making a three-part series like this. We're making history and you're going to be able to learn about a lot of founders in Miami."

Miami Kingpins tells the true story of how Richard "Convertible Burt" Simmons, Nathaniel "Bo Diddley" James, and the late Isaac “Big Ike” Hicks, a.k.a. "Turnpike Ike" influenced the drug game and Southern hip-hop with their risky street tactics and unique style. Slip N Slide Films' three-part docuseries, narrated by journalist Peter Bailey, focuses on Convertible Burt and the other heavyweight honchos during the height of the Miami Boys' reign in the 1980s and early 1990s. The definitive docuseries about all three former drug lords not only describes the highs and lows of their journey, but it also sheds light on their lives before they got into their dangerous lifestyles.

"This documentary is going to give Miami a point of view that people might've heard on records," says executive producer & founder of Slip N Slide Media, Ted Lucas. "You're going to get the real-life story of Burt growing up, how it happened, and how this whole thing went down."

Miami Kingpins is the first program to launch under Slip N Slide Films. It's executive produced by Rick Ross, Slip N Slide's Ted Lucas, and Josh “Redd” Burke. The docuseries features first-hand commentary from Rozay along with Trick Daddy, Trina, Mike Tyson, Big Block of Block Entertainment, and Griselda Blanco's son, Michael Corleone. Lucas and Burt say they aim to tell these stories to teach people about the risks involved with their unlawful hustles. They also want to lay the groundwork for an upcoming TV series about their lives.

"This story is so unique, you know what I'm saying?" Burt adds. "You got to put it on TV. It's a very unique story."

iHeartRadio spoke with Convertible Burt and Ted Lucas before the docuseries makes its official debut next month. They touch on the origin of the series, what to expect from its special guests, and their plans for an upcoming TV series. Catch the world premiere of Miami Kingpins on July 4 via streaming platforms like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and more. Scroll below for the entire conversation.

iHR: Ted, how do you feel about going from music executive of an iconic label to prominent filmmaker?

TL: This is well overdue man. For me, I'm always doing what's in the best interest of South Florida, man. People know that I'm going to stand on this man. I tell everybody I bleed orange and green, I don't bleed red. My blood's just a little different. So anything that got to do with Miami that's going to make a difference or make an impact on our community, make people understand what the culture is all about like how did this whole thing get started? I just think this was well overdue and it was very necessary that this story is told the right way. When I do something, I do something that I believe in, I stand behind. So this is something I truly believe in. It made a big impact in my life and many more people that came up around my time. I just think the story needed to be told. So I couldn't think of a better way to start this whole Slip N Slide media department off than doing it with this documentary.

That's dope. Honestly, to see the way you have flourished over the past 30 years from cranking out hits and developing artists to now getting into filmmaking is amazing, man. Where did the idea for Miami Kingpins come from?

TL: When Convertible Burt came home, [and this is probably the first time he going to hear this], but he had such a big impact on my life from a distance. I was a kid just seeing him. He had this burgundy Mercedes, this thing was bigger than my mama house, coming down the street and just looking at this guy with this big burgundy Mercedes with curtains. And then I come outside 103rd Street flea market and see the Benz outside. That made so much of an impact on my life that I didn't have to speak to him, but his road that he took and what he was able to do, it made me want to be an entrepreneur. It made me want to be a businessman because when I seen him, I seen an entrepreneur, I seen a businessman. You think about over the last 30 years we've been able to let artists express they self in music. Now we are letting artists stress themselves in doing TV and film and this is only the beginning. We just getting started, man. This is just the beginning to many more opportunities. I'm at a point in my life where I think people need to see Miami in a whole different light.

What can fans expect to see from this docuseries? Based on what I've read and what I've seen in the trailer, it looks like they're going to get a full backstory on some of these legends.

TL: You're going to get a chance to know what the history of Miami was really about and how some of these buildings and these things came about. People don't understand real estate development was done in the eighties of Miami. Some of the people that put the work in and did the things they had to do to do it. We ain't here to glorify drug dealing. We had to glorify business entrepreneur men that was able to do things and show us how to run a business. It wasn't easy to be able to do what they was able to do and what they was able to accomplish. It allowed me to think, made people like E Class able to think, made people like Rick Ross able to think, all of 'em, get on this phone and tell you the same thing. These are the people that allowed us to be entrepreneurs and businessmen to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish. We was able to see it from a distance, but we was able to apply it and go out and now start record companies. It wasn't a record company before these gentlemen started. These are the people who laid the foundation to be able to let us know we can start a record company, and we can be entrepreneurs and businessmen. These people allow that entrepreneurial spirit to crank up business. So you're going to see how that whole thing got started

Burt, I want to ask you the same question man. What can people expect from the docuseries?

CB: Yeah, well they can expect inspiration and encouragement and all kinds of things because we touching on different types of issues with this documentary here. You gotta understand. This a part of history for real. This is the first time anyone is making a three-part series like this. We making history and you're going be able to learn about a lot of founders in Miami as far as the first guys that started stuff like going on the road and stuff like that. A lot of these young guys who are record executives and movie producers now, they was inspired from that.

TL: Just piggyback on that. I told him we became entrepreneurs because gentlemen like yourself who was able to lay the foundation for us, to let us know that we can do it, and that's just the truth. That's real.

CB: And that's what we captured Ted. We captured some real scenery that's never been caught. It's real. And then we working next on all the businesses to get this TV series going. Me and Ted and the crew, we going to kick the doors in. And we going to start this TV series down here. People need to see that side of Miami that they ain't got a chance to see on TV. So it's coming.

Each episode is going to be focused on one particular legend, like Convertible Burt got his own episode. Big Ike got his own episode. So why do you guys feel that now is the time to tell these origin stories?

TL: I feel when Burke came home and, with such an impact he had on people's lives, I think it was important to allow him to tell his story and capitalize on it because a lot of music executives and a lot of gentlemen that came on, we came off the back of him laying the foundation. So I felt like Bert, if you don't get a chance to tell your story, we heard so much about you. You went away, you did your time, you ain't telling nobody, you did what you had to do. It's important that he get a chance to tell his story and the impact he made in Miami, but not only in Miami. You're going to hear the impact Convertible Burt made in Atlanta, Georgia. On the documentary, we got a gentleman said when Burt came to Atlanta he told them the style. The man ain't just put in work in the streets, but he had a style about himself that nobody else had. You would see Convertible Burt and you seen star power when he walked in the room. He had that star power back in the eighties when he made a difference. This kind of star power that he had that made Mike Tyson want to be around him and be affiliated with him. How are you going to do that without saying something? He can walk in the room, Mike Tyson say, 'Who is that guy right there? I want to meet him.' That's kind of impact Convertible Burt had on people. And It's important that we get the story out

CB: And that's the kind of impact we want to have on them moving forward, you know what I'm saying? Because we are not coming from a negative perspective. We're coming from a positive perspective, and you're able to learn and then you don't have to go through the things that I went through. You could look at this documentary man and be inspired, you know what I'm saying? To do great things and to do it the right way.

That's what's up man. So how easy was it to convince Trick Daddy, Trina and Rick Ross to be a part of this project?

TL: When I made that phone call to all of them, they knew what impact Burt, Bo and Bossman had on their life. So it was not hard at all because Trina was on 15th Avenue when Burt drove on 15th Avenue. She remembers seeing this. Trick know the impact he had in our community, man, and I ain't just saying this man, but when Burt came around, it was like that was our movie star. That was our superstar that came in and we got to get this word out and make sure that it ain't just stop right here. I really want people to see this in the TV series form so that they can understand the impact. This is just a little bit of piece of it, but once we put this thing in the TV series, we going to take you on the road that you would never even imagined. People are going to be like, 'Wow, now I understand Miami and the culture of Miami and what it's all about and the kind of impact that these gentlemen being able to make on more people like myself in our life over time.' So that was too easy.

Burt, we've heard your name, we've heard Big Ike, we've heard all these guys in numerous rap records over the years. Why do you feel like you've become such a memorable part of the culture? Why do you feel like your name continues to ring in the ears of so many rappers and artists?

CB: Because I was a trendsetter. I always been a trendsetter and I always dressed to the nines and stuff like that. So a lot of stuff came from being a trendsetter and I made a big contribution to the rap community because back in them days when a lot of rappers was coming out, they wanted to be like drug dealers. We had all the gold chain and stuff like that before they really started making a lot of money in the art. The drug dealers the ones that had the gold, the jewelry, the cars and stuff like that. So out of the many other kind of hustlers that came out of the street on a level that I came on, I was able to have an impact on hip hop culture. So that's what made me a lot different from a whole lot of guys: my style and my grace.

The first time I heard your name on wax was Rick Ross' 'Hustlin'." How did it feel to hear your name in a major record like that?

CB: In actuality, I was really incarcerated when he came out with that. I was incarcerated but it made me feel real good because —— shout out to Ross and I salute Ross because when I was down, he kept me alive. You heard me? And he got "MMG The World Is Ours." He got a few songs talking about me. So man, I salute Ross.

That's why it makes sense for him to be involved with the docuseries. You also got Mike Tyson in the project as well. Talk about his contributions and what he brought to the table.

CB: Well Mike brought the realness to the table. When me and Mike was hanging out, it was for real back you know them days back then. Time done changed so tremendously, you'll never get them days. But there was the days where things were really happening and it was a different world then. Mike played a big role in that, you know what I'm saying? But Mike brought the real because he's going to tell the real, know what I'm saying? When you see the documentary, you're going to see Mike talking about me and he going to give you the real. One thing Mike is going to do is keep it real.

TL: I was young.. Strawberry's, I ain't supposed to be able to get in the club at this time. I'm not going to lie. I was very young. And to see Burt come through with Mike was like, 'Oh, I told you this man a superstar. He could bring the world champion to our hood, to one of our clubs. Trina talk about she look at him bringing Mike Tyson on 15th Avenue —— in the heart of Liberty City ——You bringing Mike Tyson, anybody couldn't do that. This is the heavyweight champion of the world. Everybody want his time, but he chilling with Burt and I got footage of Burt going around the world with Mike Tyson. The other parts of the country. This ain't just a Miami thing. He come to Miami, he got Burt. So that was big to me, man. That was a big impact just to see what Burt was able to do. To have the world champion Mike Tyson to make sure they associating they ride together like that, that was big. And we made that phone call. Tyson said, no problem, I'm in. Let's do it.

If you got support like that, there's no way y'all can fail. You also got Michael Corleone in the series, Grisela Blanco's son. What kind of perspective does he provide for this documentary?

He's speaking on what he saw coming up and what he heard coming up. He'll never forget it because the difference between me and a whole lot of guys is it was a whole era in Miami where if you want to talk about the world famous Convertible Burt, you wasn't saying nothing. So he heard about them days. He remember he was a kid. And he was actually inspired from seeing what I was able to do. Once we get this TV series and movie thing rolling, we going to collaborate.

That'll be dope. Is there anything else about the documentary that you want to let us know about?

TL: That's right. It's just going to give Miami a point of view that people might've heard on records, but to actually hear the story and understand that Burt had a chance to go to college to be a college athlete as a wrestler. People don't know that story. So you going to get the chance to see Burt real life and how things transpired and went the way it did and how it happened. When you got the high school wrestling coach on camera talking about how Burt was just dominating in the wrestling and had a chance to go to college, but he decided to take another route. You ain't just getting just the street stories. You're going to get the real life of Burt growing up and how it happened and what happened to get here and how did this whole thing go down. Burt said on camera, man that he wasn't prepared to go to prison. That's one thing that he could tell you. When he said that right there, he letting the young people know think about what you're doing before you commit these crimes. He did everything in life, but he wasn't prepared for that. Burt, talk about that part a little bit.

CB: Yeah, it's going to be very educational and people going be able to draw some positive notes from this, some life-changing notes. We talking about doing what's right and not wrong. You heard me? One thing I learned when I did that long stretch in prison, federal prison, that you could get further in life by doing right than wrong. So you really want to let the kids know they got a chance like any other guy they look at on the streets that they're inspired by that might be doing wrong. I'm telling them now with modern day technology, you could do it the right way and get just as much and be just as much successful. When we put out something, you want to be able to draw from it. I think the kids are going to be able to draw something from it and the adults are going to be able to really draw a lot from this here. Because we giving in to 'em raw... the truth.