Bodie Broadus

Grew Up… with his grandmother, who took him in after his mother succumbed to drug addiction. “He was only four, but even then, I knew he was angry,” his grandmother said of the young Bodie. His older brother James was a successful dealer before he was killed.

Living… in West Baltimore. Bodie had never left the Baltimore city limits until he was briefly sent to juvenile hall for punching a cop. Later, on a trip to Philadelphia, he was surprised to learn that the radio stations change as you move from city to city.

Profession… street dealer. When we meet Bodie, he is 16, having already worked for the Barksdale organization for three years. With a savvy intellect and warrior mentality, Bodie moves up the ranks quickly. He refuses to be a pawn in the game.

Interests… his criminal career. Bodie, a workaholic, is out the corner every morning, afternoon, and night. He has to stay vigilant, and doesn’t have time to pursue interests – except experimenting with new doo-rag styles. Bodie is simply on the cutting edge of doo-rag fashion; he is living proof that the doo-rag is the Swiss army knife of headwear.

Challenge… staying on top of the territorial advances of Marlo Stanfield. When the Barksdale organization is weakened, Bodie sets up his own independent business, selling high-quality product on a profitable corner. Marlo informs Bodie that if he doesn’t start selling his weaker product, he will take Bodie’s corner by force. The odds are stacked against Bodie, but he is tenacious as they come and refuses to back down. He ultimately concludes: “This game is rigged.”

Personality… intelligent, determined and hot-headed. When Stringer Bell asks Bodie if he’s ready to be a soldier, Bodie doesn’t even have to think before responding: “Hell yeah.” Bodie repeatedly impresses Stringer with his intensity, leadership, and fearlessness. Though prone to violent outbursts, Bodie often acts according to his moral sense, and believes the game should be played by the rules. More than anything else, he is violent because he is a product of his environment.