Reminiscing about gangs
Comments
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qtrain wrote: "The arrival of the Bloods and the Crips in New York City is overplayed the same way the Decepticons were overplayed, the same way the danger of comic books was overplayed and the same way that the threat of gangster rap was overplayed." - Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, Columbia University professor of African-American studies and the author of "Race Rules" (Addison-Wesley, 1996)
Err, comic books? They were thought of as dangerous as gangs and rap? Parents really don't understand!
I'd heard of gangs growing up: Bloods, Latin Kings, someone else I'm forgetting, but besides the "you shouldn't wear X color because I heard that my friend's cousin's sister's niece got sliced for it," I never heard of anything happening besides what ended up in the paper/news. At my high school, the kids were such little wimpy nerds that they had more to fear from groups of younger kids bearing oranges (I'm unfortunately not joking) than gang warfare on the 6 train. -
nybt wrote: Isn't it entirely possible, with a gang as prolific as the Deceps evidently were, that some carried, some didn't?
Exactly what I was saying, but the Ozone Park guy is desperate to establish his street cred. -
Candicissima wrote: Err, comic books? They were thought of as dangerous as gangs and rap? Parents really don't understand!
I think Dyson is talking about what parents thought of comic books in the 50s -- like the current congressional hand-wringing over kids playing Grand Theft Auto.
I saw a sign in Mott Haven that said "No colors. No beads" Are beads a gang identifier now? Should I be trying extra hard not to step on the shoes of that Mardi Gras looking guy on the train? -
ive seen some crip/blood action around, but thats about it. nothing serious besides the cliched smoked out teenage thugs, et al.
we definitely have it better in our hood, as far as gangs go, than some parts of metro nyc, thats for sure. -
rhodamine wrote: ive seen some crip/blood action around, but thats about it. nothing serious besides the cliched smoked out teenage thugs, et al.
All I know about NYC gangs comes from episodes of Law & Order.
we definitely have it better in our hood, as far as gangs go, than some parts of metro nyc, thats for sure.
But (somewhat) seriously, what clothing accessories are they sporting these days? -
HFS. I found a list of gang bead colors. It reads like a joke, but I recognize a lot of the names.
Watch out for turquoise with light purple -- that's Foon-Foon. -
Captain M wrote: Anyone see that HBO special on the latin kings and how badass they are now?
No ... but I did go to a rally like 10 years ago in Philly where the Almighty Latin Kings and Queens organization participated. their speaker (because this was one of those rallys that had no issue -- it was "free mumia!" and "transgender rights!" and "pro-choice!" etc) stood up and said, and this is pretty accurate because I thought it was hilarious, "we are not a gang. people keep saying we are. we're not. we are a youth group!" all of my friends from college that I was with (not me, nope) were really psyched because all of the Latin Kings and Queens were carrying copious amounts of the best drugs on the east coast and exchanging them for monetary donations to the 'youth group'. I picked up one of their signs and had it on my dorm door the rest of the year: "fuck racist pig cops!" -
mc wrote: But (somewhat) seriously, what clothing accessories are they sporting these days?
i think that assuming gang affiliations/activity can be boiled down to color, clothes or accessories is tremendously naive. -
I went in to work a little late the other week and overheard (couldn't avoid overhearing- loud bastards!) three teens waxing poetic on their respective gangs and disparaging others. Some of the memorable snippets-
'I BET you I come to school rockin' a reg flag, ain't none of them Crip niggas sayin' SHIT!'
'You dummies, son! They called a meeting, they was DEEP! Like two full subway cars deep! You don't wanna fuck with them, son..." (I think this was in reference to Crips)
'Those Vanderbilt niggas ain't shit!'
'Those A Train niggas ain't shit!'
Who knew that both Vanderbilt and the A Train had their own gangs?! :?
Oh, for reference, this was on the Franklin/Prospect Park shuttle. -
nybt wrote: 'Those Vanderbilt niggas ain't shit!'
They might have literally meant those who live on Vanderbilt or take the A Train you know. Kids are really territorial....
'Those A Train niggas ain't shit!'
Who knew that both Vanderbilt and the A Train had their own gangs?! :?
Oh, for reference, this was on the Franklin/Prospect Park shuttle. -
nybt wrote: I went in to work a little late the other week and overheard (couldn't avoid overhearing- loud bastards!) three teens waxing poetic on their respective gangs and disparaging others. Some of the memorable snippets-
yeah the crips apparently run alot of v-bilt and i do see alot of blue on the a-train alot (late at night). once, we saw a gui in a full blue suit, gloves, hat, bandito-style bandanna around his face, etc, walking car to car on teh a-train at like 3am, and meeting up with some other similarly dressed folks. we were like "crips much?!" lol.
'I BET you I come to school rockin' a reg flag, ain't none of them Crip niggas sayin' SHIT!'
'You dummies, son! They called a meeting, they was DEEP! Like two full subway cars deep! You don't wanna fuck with them, son..." (I think this was in reference to Crips)
'Those Vanderbilt niggas ain't shit!'
'Those A Train niggas ain't shit!'
Who knew that both Vanderbilt and the A Train had their own gangs?! :?
Oh, for reference, this was on the Franklin/Prospect Park shuttle.
once, the crips and bloods took over my blog:
http://www.citynoise.org/article/699 -
Candicissima wrote: [quote=nybt]'Those Vanderbilt niggas ain't shit!'
They might have literally meant those who live on Vanderbilt or take the A Train you know. Kids are really territorial....
'Those A Train niggas ain't shit!'
Who knew that both Vanderbilt and the A Train had their own gangs?! :?
Oh, for reference, this was on the Franklin/Prospect Park shuttle.
the party store posse is pretty tough, guys. daveb and I control our little corner of the world by marauding and mugging hapless folk stumbling out of ripple at 3:30 a.m. at least twice a week. in fact, I took last week's earnings and bought some jimmy choos!
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alafairnadia wrote: the party store posse is pretty tough, guys.
ashley must run a tough shop. i tried to snag some candy from her giant-pot-o-candy-sitting-out-front-of-her-party-store on halloween and got a verbal hand-slap.
next year, shes getting a trick :idea: :idea: :idea: -
Candicissima wrote:
It seemed to me that these were proper nouns, but you have a point that hadn't crossed my mind... in any event, they were some very silly, very sad kids that stuck me as dangerous none the less, at least en mass...
They might have literally meant those who live on Vanderbilt or take the A Train you know. Kids are really territorial.... -
NYBT of course it's more than likely that some carried guns and some didn't. However, Carnivore was arguing that they didn't carry guns. He even quoted a former member who said they didn't carry guns. And by the way Carn, prove to me that you were saying "exactly" what NYBT said because I can't find it. :-) All I was saying was I knew of members who carried guns. I was really looking for stories from people who got chased, beaten up, or some other story about them to compare notes. However, someone whose name I won't mention (MEATEATER!) had to jump in and argue one stupid point, which was wrong. And then, refuses to shut his/her sock because he/she wants to get the last word in each time.
alafairnadia - Glad you capitalized "almighty latin kings". You oughtta look into some of the things some of their members are responsible for in Sunset Park, Brooklyn over the years - especially 10 years ago when you attended the rally. After you do, you might feel a little safer walking in front of cops as opposed to the almighty kings. My point in starting this conversation was not to glorify gangs and bash the police. As a drug counselor, I work very closely with the police many times each week and I am tired of people bashing them and then not hesitating to call 911 the minute something "scares" them so that the COPS can put their lives on the line and not them themselves. Just stop it already people and look around you if you wanna see what's destroying our quality of life. It's not the police - okay?
As for the the reverend's remarks comparing gangs to comic books, I never got chased through Kings Plaza by 75 comic books - one of whom yelled, "Let's GET the WHITE booooooooooy!!!!" ;-) -
rhodamine wrote: yeah the crips apparently run alot of v-bilt and i do see alot of blue on the a-train alot (late at night). once, we saw a gui in a full blue suit, gloves, hat, bandito-style bandanna around his face, etc, walking car to car on teh a-train at like 3am, and meeting up with some other similarly dressed folks. we were like "crips much?!" lol.
Does anyone else find it funny that the crips, who you know, wear blue, supposedly have the A train, you know, the blue line on lock? So would it follow that the crips, who wear red, are running the 2/3?
once, the crips and bloods took over my blog:
http://www.citynoise.org/article/699
And I was sitting at home the day of the anti-gang rally wondering why I thought I heard a parade going past my house and then went outside with my granny cart of laundry to see the rally a few doors down. I thought it was pretty good that they were being so proactive about it. It's better to send the message that you're not going to let the community get steamrolled. -
Candicissima wrote: So would it follow that the crips, who wear red, are running the 2/3?
i belive its the bloods who wear red -
rhodamine wrote: [quote=Candicissima]So would it follow that the crips, who wear red, are running the 2/3?
i belive its the bloods who wear red only when exposed to oxygen... otherwise it's blueish purple... -
rhodamine wrote: [quote=Candicissima]So would it follow that the crips, who wear red, are running the 2/3?
i belive its the bloods who wear red
Yes...that's totally what I meant. crips = blue, bloods = red. I blame your post. :oops: :P -
Candicissima wrote: Yes...that's totally what I meant. crips = blue, bloods = red. I blame your post. :oops: :P
heh.
speaking of gangs on the 2/3... http://www.citynoise.org/article/1017 -
Candicissima wrote: Err, comic books? They were thought of as dangerous as gangs and rap? Parents really don't understand!
I remember one year my mom took me school shopping
It was me, my brother, my mom, oh, my pop,
And my little sister all hopped in the car... -
I think if the crips have the A train on lock, it's because it goes through some creepy, I mean crippy neighborhoods. Has anyone been to Far Rockaway lately?? I worked there in the early 90's and I remember people who looked like they were from another planet would come out from under the boardwalk and out of alleys to steal anything they could from you. One time, I was in a convenience store there, I took off my gloves to pay for something through the bulletproof glass, and a middle-aged lady grabbed my gloves and ran as if she had pulled off the crime of the century!! I just raised my eyebrows and shook my head but she kept running. I haven't been there in a few years. I'm wondering if there are hipsters wearing "Atari" shirts there now.
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rhodamine wrote: [quote=mc]But (somewhat) seriously, what clothing accessories are they sporting these days?
i think that assuming gang affiliations/activity can be boiled down to color, clothes or accessories is tremendously naive.
Like I said, the little I know about gangs is from Law and Order.
I was actually wondering if any gang members might be sporting a red bandana around their heads (bloods?). Reason being that I was sitting on a jury a year ago and a witness called to the stand walked into the courtroom with a red bandana on his head, which the bailiff had him remove. I imagine you're not allowed to wear hats in the courtroom, but this young black male from East New York admitted to robbing and beating up people in his past. He said he'd gone straight now. I've always wondered if the bandana *could* have been a gang symbol (not that it would have affected my decision). -
mc wrote: I've always wondered if the bandana *could* have been a gang symbol (not that it would have affected my decision).
sure it could have... or, it could have just been a bandana. perhaps it was more that he was, as you say, a "young black man from east new york" that prompted the assumption that he was in a gang?
*shrugs* maybe he was. or wasnt. i used to wear a red-wings hat alot. i never felt like it made me look like a blood. -
alafairnadia - I apologize for my earlier comments to you. Upon reading your post again, I see my response was hasty. Sorry about that....
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Does anyone know what color the mafia wears???
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Gang Trivia wrote: Does anyone know what color the mafia wears???
"gang trivia", why dont you register an account and do this kosher? alot of people have a hard time taking posts from guest accounts seriously. -
I saw a ton of Crip graffiti on Park Place, at the shuttle stop, the school, etc. a couple of months ago. Then it was painted over and never returned.
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mc wrote: I was actually wondering if any gang members might be sporting a red bandana around their heads (bloods?). Reason being that I was sitting on a jury a year ago and a witness called to the stand walked into the courtroom with a red bandana on his head, which the bailiff had him remove. I imagine you're not allowed to wear hats in the courtroom, but this young black male from East New York admitted to robbing and beating up people in his past. He said he'd gone straight now. I've always wondered if the bandana *could* have been a gang symbol (not that it would have affected my decision).
You're not allowed to wear hats or anything that might be construed as gang paraphenelia in a courtroom. He could've been just wearing it for kicks or not, doesn't matter. It's still in the rules that it has to go.Gang Trivia wrote: Does anyone know what color the mafia wears???
The mafia? Is that the new crew on Bergen? I heard they don't really exist though. -
rhodamine wrote: speaking of gangs on the 2/3... http://www.citynoise.org/article/1017.
I saw similar crip grafitti earlier this year in the GAP station. It was gone in hours. Either they wrote with dry erase, or the MTA has some serious cleaning solutions and anti-mark tiles.
Last I checked the doorway of Hood Hing still says "crip up".
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