Wee-Bey Brice
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| Roland Brice | |
|---|---|
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| First appearance | The Target (episode 1.01) |
| Information | |
| Aliases | Wee-Bey |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | 30s |
| Occupation | Prisoner(Former Gang enforcer) |
| Relationships | De'Londa Brice |
| Children | Namond Brice |
| Portrayed by | Hassan Johnson |
| Created by | David Simon |
Roland "Wee-Bey" Brice is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire played by actor Hassan Johnson. Wee-Bey was the Barksdale organization's most trusted soldier before being sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicides.
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[edit] Biography
Wee-Bey dropped out of school in sixth grade and started dealing drugs on a corner with Avon Barksdale and Stringer Bell (both slightly older than him), eventually becoming the primary soldier in their criminal organization. Wee-Bey was also responsible for more mundane activities including driving and picking up money. In contrast to his long list of crimes, Wee-Bey is good-natured towards his friends, and has a passion for keeping pet fish. He has a son, Namond, by a woman named De'Londa, though he had no hesitation about sleeping with other women and maintains a separate residence.
[edit] Season one
One of Barksdale's main soldiers, Wee-Bey naturally comes in conflict with the police. For instance, he is pulled over by Detectives Hauk and Carver, who seize 20,000 dollars of Barksdale's money from the car. Later, when Avon is eliminating various outstanding evidence of wrongdoing, Wee-Bey kills a witness they had bought off. Wee-Bey gets involved in two different gun fights with legendary stick-up man Omar Little, after torturing and killing Omar's partner in crime (and love) Brandon. Their first encounter ends with Wee-Bey shot in the leg, but he later defends Avon against Omar, shooting him in the arm and forcing his retreat. Wee-Bey holds the distinction of being the only character on the show to ever get the best of Omar in a gunfight.
Wee-Bey was also linked to the body of a dancer from Orlando's strip club, the Barksdales' legitimate business front. He did not kill her, but, after she slept with him at a party, he did nothing to help her as she was dying from a drug overdose. His callous disposal of her body sways another stripper to give information to the police, beginning the collapse of the Barksdale criminal empire.
Wee-Bey's eventual downfall comes when he and Little Man kill Orlando for becoming a police informant. During the incident, Little Man shoots Detective Greggs, who was undercover. Stringer orders Wee-Bey to kill Little Man and flee town; D'Angelo Barksdale is responsible for driving Wee-Bey to Philadelphia (and taking care of his fish). When D'Angelo is arrested soon after, he gives the police Wee-Beys location and information concerning Wee-Bey's murder of Dierdre Kresson, a former girlfriend of Avon's. Once in custody, guaranteed a life sentence no matter what for his involvement in the shooting of a police officer, Wee-Bey confesses to countless murders, including several he did not commit (such as William Gant, which "Bird" Hilton was arrested for), to protect other people in the Barksdale Organization. For this action, Wee-Bey obtains a high reputation and respect level in the streets of Baltimore and the Barksdale Organization.
[edit] Season two
Wee-Bey is imprisoned with Avon, serving life without parole. He continues to keep fish and enjoys an easy life due to Barksdale's protection. A guard named Dwight Tilghman harrasses him because he confessed to murdering a relative of Tilghman's. Wee-Bey complains to Avon, and the problem was swiftly dealt with. Later down the line, after D'Angelo's alleged suicide, (his death was really a setup by Stringer Bell, who felt D'Angelo was out of pocket and getting ready to snitch on the entire Barksdale Organization) Wee-Bey was there to reassure Avon that D'Angelo's death was not his fault.
[edit] Season three
Wee-Bey appears only briefly, to help Avon approach legendary prisoner Dennis "Cutty" Wise to offer him a position within their organization. Both Wise and Avon are paroled, leaving Wee-Bey to serve his time without them.
[edit] Season four
Wee-Bey's teenaged son becomes involved with the drug trade, getting a job with his old colleague Bodie Broadus. Namond is also responsible for his fish. Ultimately, he is confronted by the fact that Namond is incapable of participating in the drug world, and allows his son to move in with Howard Colvin, on the hope that he can live a good life that Wee-Bey never had the chance to.
