A Supreme Leader Gang Member came in to speak to us today..

[QuietTruth]

..and what a fucking amazing presentation he came wit.

Talked about everythang, everythang that would leave a long lasting impression.

This nigga was locked up since the early '80's. He did federal time and now he is serving the state. He from Sanford, CT and was a supreme leader in NJ and Charlotte, North Carolina. He served time in jail in New Jersey, Texas and here. He got shot up and everythang.

This cat was wearing the tan suit and course the white sneakers. Sitting in a chair while other classes came in and he was wit 2 cops. A Male and a Female. The inmate, the male officer and the female officer all black speaking and preaching to each student like family. This cat made you feel comfortable. No matter what you was. Like you've known him forever. A real nice nigga locked in a joint. When a young lady, as he would say, answered the question 'Why are we in school for?',  she said 'To learn and further our education so we can be successful', the inmate goes 'I love you for that and you are right. Thank you, sweetheart'...to make sure he's gonna get respect from the ladies as well.

We watched a video and saw the pictures. Saw the beaten niggas, little babies throwin' up the Latin King sign. Saw Ice Cube. Saw Tupac. Saw Biggie. Saw Tookie. Hearing about a 14 year old gettin' sexed in by 6 to 7 gang members and she wanted out by than but for runnin' to the police she was shot to death. Saw L.A.. Saw the murder scenes. Saw the Crips. The Bloods. Heard all the braggin'.

I'm going to ask the same question he asked and got no answer to. What do you get out of it?

I don't get it. I don't get how the West Coast side of Hip Hop loves that. Loves all the murder. Loves all the gang bangin'. Don't call me a hater. I am a fan of Ice T for fuckin' sake. Xzibit. And I'm not sayin' this to be a jackass or an ass hole or to bash it but I just don't get it? What's so fuckin' cool about braggin' about gangs? Rapein' girls? Sorry. This ain't Hip Hop. This ain't no culture.

All I want to do is understand.

Have you ever seen 100,000 Rip riders from the side
Blue Chuck's, blue rags, grey clouds, blue skies
On the move, can't lose, Hill Street blues
Niggaz gotta pay they dues on the crews or with the uzi spray
these suckas then I cruise, my granny saw it on the news
She shook up, look up and then she put me on the move
I tried to get away, but I couldn't get far
Cause the homies had the loop-loop that night at King Park
And I got into a squab, got caught and went to jail
Straight to the County with no mutherfuckin' bail
4800 with this Crippin', oh well

Betta watch your back
This is Piru 187
Put a Slob on his back with the Mac-11
A Kelly with a gun will run and hide
It's a nigga Crip Inch and comin' from the East Side
Watch these Slobs just run and duck
Cause I ain't givin' up nuthin' but bad luck
Gotta kill at will
So I pack my steel
Put a Slob on the ground and Cuz that's real

Another Kelly at the scene of a crime spree
I get paid I don't murder muthafuckas for free
It's like you gotta see dead to play your card
Smoke any young Snoop and National Guard
They got M-16's no A.K.'s
With 47 ways I can stand up and get for days
Grab the strap, grab the beanie
Worm through dark so the Slobs don't see me
We callin' a truce but if the Snoops wanna trip
I break up the meeting and tell 'em: nigga this still Crip!

At first, I know gangs weren't mean't for what they've become. I know at first the rap wasn't intended to brag about the lifestyle. But how can you listen to this, buy it, even if it's 'just' music. 'It's just a song'. It's not just a song. Even if you 'aren't' like a member of the gang, which is what I want to know, what makes you get off on it? Coolness? Acceptance?

I know nothin' about this history of the west side.

Educate me.

[Nutty]

Gang life is a part of WC culture, it's only natural for WC artists to rap about it