The characters Ace (Wood Harris), Mitch (Mekhi Phifer), and Rico (Cam'ron), are fictionally based on the 1980s Harlem drug dealers Azie "AZ" Faison, Rich Porter, and Alpo Martinez.

Ace is a young man living with his mom and sister in Harlem working a dead-end job at a dry cleaning shop.

Lulu has a top-quality supply of cocaine which Ace sells on the street at a cheap price, quickly luring away customers from other drug dealers.

Rico tries to assuage Ace's concerns by revealing that he killed Calvin to show potential enemies that the organization is strong.

Mitch decides to stay in the drug game because he loves the hustle, comparing himself to professional basketball players that continue to chase glory despite having enough money to retire.

Ace knows he's lying and settles the issue by giving him the contact to a pair of undercover FBI agents he had spoken to and avoided previously.

Rico is arrested and is last seen in custody giving up information on his drug connections in Washington D.C. in order to avoid a 25-to-life sentence.

Sonny's kidnapping and subsequent murder were orchestrated by his own uncle who resented Mitch for not providing him with money and for kicking him out of his family's apartment.

[5] The website’s critics consensus reads, "Though well-acted and non-exploitative, Paid in Full treads a very well-worn story.