Notorious - Interview with Benny
///We managed to track down Benny, one of District 47’s most infamous brokers. Benny’s been in the gem trade for years, and his connections run deep. We sat down in a smoke-filled dive bar just off 47th Street to get his unfiltered take on the business, the f**ing chaos, and what it takes to survive.*
/// Interviewer: Benny, you’ve been in this game a long time. What’s the first thing anyone getting into District 47 needs to know?
Benny: First thing? Don’t trust no one. That’s rule number f***ing one. These guys out here will shake your hand with one, stab you in the back with the other. Everyone's out to make a quick buck, and loyalty? That’s a myth. You think you got a partner? Nah, you got competition.
Interviewer: Is that how it’s always been? Cutthroat?
Benny: Always. Ain’t no one making it big here by playing nice. Look, I came up hustling on 47th Street, selling tiny-ass gems nobody cared about. Now? I’m moving diamonds bigger than your fing fist. But I didn’t get here by kissing a. You gotta take what’s yours. And sometimes, that means getting your hands dirty. F**, I still remember my first big score. Guy didn’t see it coming, and neither did I. But I walked out of there with enough cash to set me up for years. No one's giving you sh** here. You gotta f***ing take it.
Interviewer: Sounds brutal. What's your take on the gem trade right now? Are the markets shifting?
Benny: It’s a fing rollercoaster, man. One day, everyone’s losing their sh over emeralds, and the next, they’re tossing them like garbage. The market’s more unstable than my fing ex-wife. But if you know what you’re doing—if you got eyes on the right players, the right moments—you can make a fing killing. You gotta be fast, you gotta be smart, and most importantly, you gotta be willing to walk away from a deal if it smells funny. Too many aholes get greedy, thinking they’re untouchable, and bam—they're out. Out of cash, out of gems, out of the fing game.
Interviewer: You’ve got quite the rep, Benny. Some say you’re untouchable. What’s the secret?
Benny: [Laughs] Untouchable, huh? Look, there ain’t no such thing. Not here. Not in D47. You keep your head down when you need to, make the right fing friends, and never—never—show your full hand. People think I’ve got it all figured out, but truth is, I’m just faster than most of these dumb fs. And I don’t get sentimental about deals. You walk into a negotiation, you’re thinking about feeding your kids or buying a house? You’re already fing dead. It’s about survival. Every fing time. Cold, calculated survival.
Interviewer: Speaking of deals, what’s the most f***ed-up thing you’ve ever seen go down?
Benny: [Pauses] Ah man, there’s been a lot. But the one that sticks with me? Had this deal lined up, flawless diamonds, right? Guy I’m working with shows up, but he’s acting fing shady from the jump. I should’ve walked, but I didn’t. Midway through, some goon rolls up, puts a fing gun to my guy’s head, and bam—just blows his brains out, right in the middle of the fing exchange. Blood everywhere, diamonds scattered on the pavement. I grabbed what I could and ran. Didn't look back. That sh wakes me up at night, man. This business ain’t glamorous. It’s survival. Every f**ing day.
Interviewer: And you’re still here. Still running the game.
Benny: Damn right I am. But let me tell you, it don’t get easier. The more you make, the more you got to lose. Everyone’s got a fing target on their back. You think these diamonds are gonna protect you? Nah, they’re just a shiny fing bullseye. But here’s the thing—I'm too deep in now. Ain’t no walking away. I’ll die with diamonds in my pockets or in a f***ing gutter, and either way, I’ll go down swinging.
Interviewer: Any advice for the rookies trying to make it in District 47?
Benny: Yeah. Don’t fing try. You either do or you don’t. You come into this thinking it’s some fun little game, you’re gonna get fing eaten alive. The district ain’t kind to amateurs. Know your sh**. Know who to talk to, and more importantly, who to avoid. And for f***’s sake, don’t come to me unless you’re ready to f***ing hustle.
Interviewer: Last question—what’s next for you, Benny?
Benny: What's next? I keep fing doing what I do best. Surviving, making deals, and staying one step ahead of every greedy fer in this district. And if anyone thinks they’re gonna take me down, they better be ready to burn this whole f***ing street down with me.
Interviewer: Thanks for your time, Benny. Stay safe out there.
Benny: F*** safe. I’ll stay dangerous.
