Luke Cage Season 2: 32 Easter Eggs & References Explained
26. Hell Up In Harlem
Episode two begins with Luke scoring some easy PR points by showing off his strength at the Harlem Jets' training ground, and of course, D.W. is on hand to capture the event for posterity (along with other members of the press).
Keen-eyed viewers might notice that he's wearing a shirt bearing the slogan, "Hell Up in Harlem", with the sub-title "The Battle for Lenox Avenue" and images of both Luke and last season's villain, Diamondback (Erik LaRay Harvey).
What you might not know, however, is that Hell Up in Harlem is also the title of a classic 1973 blaxploitation movie starring the legendary Fred Williamson.
The movie even has a lot of similar themes and plot points to this season of Luke Cage - corrupt politicians, gangs slinging drugs and a Harlem turf war - so they clearly didn't just pluck it out of nowhere.
25. Michael Jordan
When Misty Knight (Simone Missick) has an unfortunate run-in with her former foe and current colleague Nandi Tyler (Antonique Smith), Nandi cruelly comments that without two pairs of arms, Misty is "Jordan playing for the Wizards", to which Misty replies, "But he's still Jordan."
This is a reference to the fact that, after his second NBA retirement, basketball legend Michael Jordan returned to the court a third time to play for the Washington Wizards from 2001 to 2003.
It was a well-meaning but unremarkable victory lap for the star, which saw him suffer through nagging injuries and a poor relationship with his teammates.
Quite the apt comparison, then.