“What's crackin,” a young voice hollered. A gunshot sounded and the young man took off. What was crackin was a mans skull hitting the floor, because of a stupid gang initiation that left someone dead, others grieving and a stain on the young man's hands for life. Gang activities hurt and sometimes kill people leaving sorrow, anger, violence and revenge in the air. One popular gang around my neighborhood is the Crip's, which I am a member of, and by the end of this paper you will know how they think, operate and what their roots are.
The Crip's started in 1969 by a man named Raymond Washington. The gang's original purpose was to shelter kids in the dangerous streets of California with a family and a chance to fit into society. Journalists believe that the gang original purpose was to emulate the older gangs, which is partially true. While the early Crip's did try to offer young kids a chance to fit in, and a family, they did it in a thug like way emulating older gangs. After several months, the Crip's began to grow and become very popular, but for the wrong reasons. As the Crip's began rising in popularity they began engaging in thug like activities where someone often ended up hurt or dead as a means to keep their hood credits(respect in the ghetto). The greed for this hood credit had a huge impact on the Crip's and it took a turn for the worse.
Although Crip is the common name used today to identify the Crip members, it was not always the name the Crip's were identified by. The Crip's were also known as the Baby Avenues Gang, Cribs and the crips.(Wikipedia) The rapid growth of the Crip's gave each stage a name changing them from the Baby Avenues Gang to Cribs and then finally the Crip's, which is short for crippler.
What was a clear outreach for help became the enemy of the state with everyone chanting, “Put the no goods away!” Rising in hood credit came at a very steep price as they gained life long enemies, such as the infamous Bloods. The rivalry between gangs like the Bloods and Crip's became a fire sparking, intense rivalry that still exists today.
Cops have tried to burn the bridge between the Crip's and Bloods but all attempts have failed. The most recent attempt was the “Tookie Protocol For Peace.” When will the violence end? God alone knows.
As a member of the crips gang, I speak from experience when I say, “power is a car that gets you to your destination, but if you don't have the right judgment or know when to stop, turn, or ask for directions it could have devastating outcomes.”
I remember one time; one of my Loc's said, “You want to go ride on some slob ass niggas Cuz.”
I replied, “What happened homey.”
He began, “I was walking down some block and some slob niggas said, “What's popping.” You know how I do; I said what's crackin slobs. Then they came up to me and started jumping me.”
I said, “word, what you want to do about it Cuz?”
He replied, “I'm about to go pop one of them pussy ass slobs.”(Dialogue with Crip member)
Life is rough growing up in the ghetto and sometimes souls need a little guidance in the right direction. Every person who is in a gang is not just some troublesome soul, but instead a young mind mentally captivated by negative influences. I was one victim. Some people do not necessarily choose a fate but fall into it. It is however up to us to get out of these unfortunate circumstances. I never chose to become a Crip they chose me. They came to me one day when I was about thirteen and the encounter went like this. They said, “Do you want to be loc son?”
I replied, “What the hell is a Loc?”
They said, “You know, Crip.”
I then said, “I don't need a gang; I am a gang by myself.”
They then said, “You have no choice tomorrow you are getting squared in.”
I replied, "whatever."
The following day they squared me in and now I am a Crip.
Through my experiences as a Crip, I can strongly say that Crip's were not originally just about violence. As aforementioned, they were a family. Modern day Crip's are destroying the original purpose of the gang, and through man itself in the ghetto it was doomed for failure.
The Crip's were a society condemned to the jails of America, and preyed upon by other gangs. As a result, the Crip's adopted their own language known as codes. Here are the Crip alphabets as well as arch nemesis the bloods:
Crips
Bloods
Universally, Crip's everywhere converse using this language; marking territorial grounds. In Crip populated areas you see markings like BK (blood killer), and in blood populated places you see markings saying ck (Crip killer). These territorial markings do not stand-alone. There are usually other symbols like set numbers and signs, that help identify what particular Crip set or blood set lays in that area.
In the 1980's the Crip's moved into the sale of crack. The crips made enormous profits and began to further themselves in the illicit markets. Through the sale of crack, the Crip's gathered intricate networks and respected reputations with other gangs. Although the Crip's sold crack at that time the rapidly changing, time would soon call for different habits.
There are many entertainers we may know who are affiliated with gangs. Snoop Dogg is one of the most popular Crip's and there are a few others like Daz Dillinger, Easy-E, Tone Loc and Spider loc. There is virtually no limit to the reach of gangs especially the Crip's.
Gangs are not necessary but we should not judge anyone for being in a gang because people are in gangs for a variety of reasons. We must also question and search for answer on a gang's initial purpose to understand what a gang's purpose was initially. Just remember when doing so, life throws unexpected curve balls at you and you have to bat them the best you can and hope for a homerun.
Note: Credit to Gangs Or Us
for Crips and Bloods alphabet.
