The Infamous 3:Politics, Cocaine, and a Crown of Thorns

MIAMI, FL — In the heart of Miami’s Black community during the 1980s, three names echoed louder than any siren, sermon, or city hall meeting: Robert Hall, Isaac “Big Ike” Hicks., and Hulon Mitchell, better known as Yahweh ben Yahweh.

In barbershops and beauty salons, through landline phonee and house speakers, these men dominated conversations and commanded attention. Whether on the airwaves, in the streets, or from the pulpit, they each represented a piece of Black Miami's history — voices of power during a decade marked by racial tension, crack-era economics, and community awakening.

Robert Hall: The People’s Mouth piece

Robert Hall wasn’t just on the radio — he was the radio. As the host of The Robert Hall Report on WMBM 1490 AM, he delivered hard truths and community clarity. His voice, direct and unshaken, pierced through racial politics and institutional neglect.

During the 1980 Liberty City riots, Hall played a key role on the air, urging calm while calling out systemic injustice. “We’re turning into the kind of city we don’t want to be,” he warned — a message that resonated far beyond the airwaves.

A mentor to rising Black broadcasters and a lightning rod for accountability, Hall’s influence stretched into politics, media, and neighborhood advocacy. Though his time on-air ended in the mid-‘80s, his legacy still runs through the DNA of Black South Florida media.

Big Ike: From the Streets to the Skyline

If you knew Liberty City in the ‘80s, you knew the name Big Ike. Born in Georgia and raised on struggle, Isaac Hicks  blended the hustle of the streets with the vision of a mogul. Known for construction and cocaine — sometimes both at once — Big Ike wasn’t just in the game; he was rewriting the rules.

He turned drug profits into property and created jobs in neighborhoods the city overlooked. His construction crews built homes while the feds built cases. To many, he was a paradox: a figure walking the line between gangster and community savior.

Big Ike gave back, even if it came from the underground. And in doing so, he earned both fear and respect — an empire-builder whose reach rivaled city government.

Yahweh ben Yahweh: Prophet or Predator?

No figure stirred more controversy than Yahweh ben Yahweh. Leading the Nation of Yahweh, he declared himself a divine figure and called for Black self-sufficiency. His followers, clad in white, bought property, cleaned streets, and created businesses in struggling neighborhoods.

To the outside world, it looked like a spiritual revolution. But behind the faith, dark whispers grew louder — allegations of violence, coercion, even murder. Federal charges would later shadow his movement, splitting public opinion to this day.

To some, he was a visionary who restored dignity. To others, a cult leader masked in righteousness. Either way, his impact on Black Miami’s psyche is undeniable.

More Than Men — They Were Movements

Robert Hall. Big Ike. Yahweh ben Yahweh. These weren’t just names; they were institutions in their own right — shaping how Black Miami saw itself, resisted oppression, and fought for a better future.

One led with the mic, one with the money, one with the message. Together, they reflected an era where survival meant creativity, resistance, and, sometimes, contradiction.

Decades later, their legacies still live on:

Robert Hall’s radio broadcasts are archived on platforms like Spreaker.

Big Ike’s life is explored in documentaries and a Prime Video docuseries.

Yahweh ben Yahweh’s movement remains a subject of debate in multiple YouTube retrospectives.


Ask any longtime Miamian, and they’ll say it loud:
“If you ain’t hear about Robert Hall, Big Ike, or Yahweh ben Yahweh in the ‘80s — you ain’t really from the Crib.”