ley ), ▁his ▁first ▁experience ▁with ▁writing ▁music ▁for ▁film . ▁A ▁sequ el ▁titled ▁Hell ▁Up ▁in ▁Har lem ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁Plot ▁Tommy ▁Gib bs ▁( F red ▁William son ) ▁is ▁an ▁African - American ▁who ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Har lem , ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁As ▁a ▁kid , ▁he ▁was ▁brut ally ▁assault ed ▁by ▁a ▁cop ▁named ▁McK in ney . ▁The ▁incident ▁led ▁him ▁to ▁a ▁life ▁of ▁crime . ▁As ▁an ▁adult , ▁he ▁joins ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁ma f ia ▁and ▁becomes ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁black ▁crime ▁synd icate ▁in ▁Har lem . ▁He ▁w ages ▁a ▁gang ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁Italian ▁mob sters ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁and ▁begins ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁criminal ▁emp ire , ▁keeping ▁a ▁led ger ▁book ▁of ▁all ▁his ▁deal ings ▁as ▁le verage ▁over ▁his ▁business ▁associ ates , ▁including ▁McK in ney . ▁ ▁He ▁meets ▁and ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁a ▁singer ▁named ▁Helen ▁( G l oria ▁Hend ry ) ▁and ▁mar ries ▁her . ▁She ▁is ▁unh appy ▁as ▁he ▁is ▁violent ▁and ▁ra pes ▁her . ▁Event ually ▁his ▁enemies ▁consp ire ▁with ▁her , ▁leading ▁to ▁an ▁attempt ▁on ▁his ▁life ▁that ▁leaves ▁him ▁shot ▁and ▁wounded . ▁K illing ▁his ▁would - be ▁assass ins , ▁he ▁returns ▁to ▁his ▁office ▁to ▁retrieve ▁the ▁led ger ▁book . ▁McK in ney ▁meets ▁him ▁there , ▁and ▁attempts ▁to ▁hum ili ate