12/28/2023
D-Mob
Real power comes from respect: that's what our code is all about.
—D-Mob in Def Jam FIGHT For NY
D-Mob started out as Darrell Lewis, and grew up in Baltimore. While still in his teens, he turned a neighborhood corner into a network of hustlers who worked for him. By the time he came to New York, he was a bonafide crime lord. In his bid to control the city's underworld, he began buying up clubs all over town, running illegal fights and gambling operations out of them. Over time, D-Mob grew a large and loyal crew of followers, held together by mutual respect and a code of street ethics.
In the events of Def Jam Fight for NY. D-Mob is arrested by the cops and is driven to the police station as the police close down the tournament. During the drive to prison, the squad car is hit by Hero and sent into a roll. With the detectives barely conscious, the player assists D-Mob in escaping and returning to a safe house where the two meet Blaze and Sticky. D-Mob and Blaze begin planning their recovery after the recent events, intending on putting their remaining crew on the streets to work. Sticky questions the player's trustworthiness when D-Mob intends to recruit him. D-Mob tests the player's fighting skills against House. The player defeats House and D-Mob helps set the player up with his own flat and some starter money to "look the part." With the player's initial success and promise, D-Mob arranges featured fights between the player and "O.E." a.k.a. "Omar Epps" and "Iceberg" a.k.a. "Ice-T." The player's repeated victories help D-Mob's crew begin recovery.
Crow, a rival boss visits the crew at Club 357 showing intent to take it from D-Mob, leading D-Mob and his crew to become defensive and threaten Crow. Crow makes a public announcement to recruit fighters for "some real money." It's revealed that D-Mob kicked Snowman out of the crew for being "too soft." This would explain why Snowman owned an apparel store. Meanwhile, due to Crow's announcement, WC, one of D-Mob's best fighters, defected to Crow, leaving D-Mob in a vulnerable position. In an emergency meeting D-Mob intends to make some power plays on Crow. He preaches to his crew how Crow believes fear is power, but rather that real power comes from respect, as per their street code. D-Mob arranges for Blaze to fight Crack, a match that Blaze loses. Meanwhile, D-Mob arranged a Red Room fight against WC for the player, where the player is victorious. The player continues to win matches and clubs, backing Crow into a corner.
Crow approaches D-Mob about a business proposition and states how there's not enough place for both to rule. He challenges D-Mob to a winner-take-all stake; winner gets all the clubs, loser "goes to Jersey." Crack versus D-Mob's best man. At Sticky's encouragement, D-Mob accepts and selects the player as his best fighter, enraging Sticky. Sticky leaves in anger, but D-Mob tells the player to concentrate on the upcoming fight. The big fight is hosted at Crow's Club Murder. The player emerges victorious against Crack, and D-Mob, Blaze, and the player leave in D-Mob's limo to celebrate. D-Mob awards the player with a "Vendetta" chain stating that the player is now "family." Magic, Sticky, and Trejo pull up to the limo and initiate a drive by that ends in a large accident near the 125th Street Station. D-Mob is severly injured and trapped within the Limo, with no time to escape, while blaze attempts to assist. Meanwhile the player pursues Magic, Sticky, and Trejo into the subway station where Magic and Sticky escape. Trejo stays behind to attempt to kill the player, but the player manages to throw him in the path of an oncoming train, killing him. D-Mob insists that Blaze and the player escape the scene with the police fast approaching, despite the player's refusal to do so. Eventually the other two leave as D-Mob is arrested and treated. During his incarceration, he contacts his crew to encourage them to continue with the plan and continue to take clubs.
Eventually, the player unwillingly betrays D-Mob's crew, after their girlfriend is kidnapped by Crow, and is forced to retake all of the clubs that they earned for D-Mob's side back to Crow's side. D-Mob messages Hero in condemnation, angered and in disbelief in his treatment of the player and the player's unexpected defection. Later on, after Crow's death by the hands of the player, D-Mob contacts the player once again to make amends, having a full understanding of the player's situation and the circumstances that led to his betrayal. D-Mob is allocated some time outside of prison for the purpose of a friendly fight against the player, one which the player wins.
D-Mob's personality is noted as very contrary to his personality in Vendetta. It could be suggested that D-Mob learned a valuable lesson from Manny's Friend, and became more level headed. Regarding his relationship with him, Manny had since been out of any fighting circuits, and manages a tattoo shop in the game. There is no interaction between D-Mob and Manny, but there is also no implication of any animosity between the two.
In this prequel, D-Mob once again plays as the main antagonist alongside Crow. At this time, he was the owner of Dragon House. The protagonist first meets him after winning the Dragon House tournament and gives him advice on the future. Throughout the rest of the game, he has secret meetings with Officer Starks discussing what to do with the protagonist. After Crow murders O.G., the protagonist vents his anger to D-Mob, who tell him to wait before taking on Crow. He then offers to become his partner and helps the protagonist takeover areas around New York, building up his crew. Eventually, his treachery comes to light after the protagonist's crew were celebrating their takeover of New York City at The Babylon. Turns out that the mob boss was profiting off the fights the protagonist had, used Angel to distract the protagonist from his intentions, told Crow to kill O.G. and helped the cops raid The Babylon. He is finally confronted at the 125 Street Station, where he was defeated. The player has the option to throw D-Mob into the oncoming subway train, but canon wise, he survives and builds his empire leading up to the events of Def Jam Vendetta.
