Cali Heads: Whats the deal with the gang bangin out in LA nowadays?

[King Tech Quadafi]

Major update? Shit coolin down? Sets dying out? Curious to know

[ZILLA THA GOODFELLA]

Shit, it's the same the way I see it out in LA. If ure looking at Crime/Murder rate, it's even worse. It's more ruthless now because you can't trust nobody. Well that's the vibe that I got rolling wit my cuzzins over there in Santa Ana.

In the bay, it's the same as L.A, worse than ever actually. When outsiders hear about "gang bangin", they are quic to think Blood & Crip. But it goes so much deeper, U got Northsiders, Southsiders, Tongan Crips, Samoan Bloods, Filipino Bloods n Crips, Black Bloods n Crips, Vietnamese, Russians, Asian Mafias, Middle Eastern, not to mention all the turf hogs, every damm street has it's own gang, the color blind gangs, all kinds, the ol skool street codes that were in place are now gettin shitted on by new generations. Most gangs are banging juss to bang to come out on top, in alot of the new sets there is no higher guidance, and in many of em, there is no money route. Muthafucaz are bangin just for the sake of it. You go to your average high school, you will see that over 75% of cats are reppin some kinda set. That's where the game destructs, when you rebel without a cause, you're lame. Go get pussy.

[R-Tistic]

Well, it is a lot different from how it used to be back in the early 90s. Overall, I think it's better, but since I am 20 now, it's a whole lot of things I am seein now that I didn't know anything about or worry about when I was younger and it was worst.

I definitely don't think it's as unsafe as it used to be, but it all depends how u carry yourself. I've been in most major hoods, and most of them aren't really threatenin because I don't bang, and you never see 25 dudes standin outside everywhere you go like you used to. Just like usual, most of the OGs are cool overall and don't really trip on anybody, but it's the young dudes who are always out tryin to prove theirselves. Now I don't know how it was back in the 90s, but as far as 18+ clubs go, I never thought it would be a grip of gangbangers there startin shit, especially at Hollywood and Downtown clubs. I thought they stuck with house parties, but nah, they go to clubs and some actually dress up enough to get in, but they still start shit. One dude got killed at a Downtown party about two weeks ago, and people usually never get killed outside of black 18+ clubs.

I think LA is still overhyped as far as dangerous cities go. Most people in LA, especially rappers and dudes who want to tell you how gangsta they are or whatever, will pretty much make it seem like LA is just the worst place in the country and if you mention any other city they will be like "yeah but, LA is worst because...." and I'm definitely not one of those dudes. Gangs are still very alive, and they still do a lot of bad shit, but I don't think it's as bad for people who don't bang as they might think. I think the thing that makes LA a lot different from Chicago and some other cities is the density of the neighborhoods that are considered bad. In Chi, you might have a set of projects that are just shitty and horrible, dangerous as hell, and anybody who they don't know will get jumped for walkin in without somebody they know, and it's just hella drug dealin and all else goin on. But when you leave that neighborhood, you're cool, and don't have to worry about much. Most people in Chicago suburbs don't really know much about the internal structure of the gangs there. LA is somewhat opposite. Other than a few spots like the Jungles and the Nickersons, it's not many neighborhoods that you just DON'T ever ever ever go into, because most hoods are real spread out and you usually won't be in a horrible part unless you have to go on the wrong street or whatever. But you deal with gangs everywhere, not just the bad hoods, but even when you go to nicer parts, or parts that look a whole lot nicer, like Carson and even some parts of LA city. I remember when a grip of us went to Magic Mountain and some Raymond crips banged on all of us, mainly because one of our dudes had on a phillies jersey and P hat, but none of us were bangin at all. I don't think shit like that happens at theme parks in other cities.

Also, many things don't really seem bad to me because I'm used to it, but when I tell other people some things, they are like "what?? hell nah!" and they are in shock. Dress code is still a bitch, and a lotta people will mess wit u for lil shit you have on that you might not even think is bad.

[Suga Foot]

people used to try and get at me for colors I was wearing when I was younger, I'd just tell em to shut the fuck up cuz we don't have street gangs in Vancouver.  It rains too much.

[The Watcher]

its funny when you live outside of the USA and people try and rep a gang or whatever.. it seems like its become so popular lately that even people outside of the US are doin it. walkin aroud with their doorags and wearin colours etc.. then tryin to get at you cause you wear a colour of a gang that they are apparently beefin with.. etc.

[Juronimo]

I'm 29 now and I'm not really up on everything happening anymore, and I live in Orange County, but there seems to be a lot less tension now then there was around 91-94 or so. I remember when I was 18, going to soutch coast plaza, the richest mall in the united states and getting banged on by a bunch of f troop eses from santa ana. I remember going to a house party and a bunch of filipino bloods started flippin out because one of my boys had a lot of blue on. I remember another incident in Venice with a gang of crips from venice, I don't remember the name of their hood. Plus there was always that miscelllaneous getting hit up, mostly by eses. Now I don't really see too much of that anymore but I'm older now so it's different.

I can't really speak on LA too much but in Orange County, things have calmed down considerably since I was in high school. It's mostly eses down here with some asian gangs sprinkled in here and there. LA is probably still pretty hectic but I wouldn't know.

[M Dogg™]

I'm from the IE, and the funny thing is now the IE is seen as what it once was. People like Sly Boogie is reppin' us now, so it makes us a creditable area, but in reality back in the days we was a whole lot worst. Maybe it was because I hung out with my moms back then, and she was a drug addict, and we were in some of the worst areas you can be in, and they still are really bad now, but it seemed worst in the late 80's early 90's. According to crime rates it was worst. Now that I'm older, it doesn't seem as bad, I'm 24 now and I guess I'm not as scared of a shooting than when I was 8-12. I walk down some pretty tough streets in San Bernardino now, and we are considered more dangerous than Compton, but I honestly don't feel threaten. People just look at me, or give me the head nod and I'm straight. Now once in a while, since I'm an Angel fan, I wear my red Angel hat, and I always catch hell for that unless I walk around where I live in the northend of San Bernardino, which is mainly redneck white people anyway. Basically as long as I stay in dress code, no one fucks with me anywhere in the IE. Coming back from college in Minnesota, I forgot this, and I wore my red in Rialto, where I grew up my most my life. And I was threaten by some crip in front of Wal Mart, I was trying so hard not to laugh. He was a young buck, and back in the day in Rialto I had a rep of taking out people like him. So in my own hometown, some little BG was trying to step up to me... I just let it slide 'cause I've learned it's not worth it, especially after my friend got killed for being in stupit beef that's not worth it. I do think since the late 90's it's gotten worst, it feels like it. In the late 90's it seemed like the dress codes were more relaxed, that unless you really looked flamed up, you wouldn't catch heat. But now the dress codes are getting tighter, and it seems like to walk certain streets, you got to get a pass first, where in the late 90's the streets seemed more open, though it seemed people are always suspect to new people in the neighborhood walking around, now it's worst. But compared to the early 90's, maybe 'cause I was in worst areas, but it doesn't seem as bad.

[michael jackson]

OG TECCNIEC IT DEPENDS WHAT AREA U TALKING ABOUT HOMIE AND TO RODBITCH THE BAY OR ANYWHERE ELSE CANT FUCC WITH LA AND THATS THE TRUTH

BTW R TISTICC THE 102'S AND THE PASADENA RAYMONDS PUT IT MAJOR WORC HOMIE

[::Mr. Hahn::]

Man shit in the states seem hectic.

In Hong Kong and Australia u wear watever you want...

No crips or bloods...

Just...like...in the City CBD late at night you might get robbed by a seedy wog or some asian gangsta...but besides that...in the suburbs and stuff...its fine...

There are gangs of korean's etc...but....not in nicer area's...only late at night in CBD and the bad area's...still if u wore red or blue...it wouldnt be a problem. My fav colour is blue...dammit.

[Doggystylin]

I live in beverly hills so i dont see much of that shit but i have been down to compton south central and shit and its not like you step in their hood and you get blasted, people exagerate.

[Noname]

OG TECCNIEC IT DEPENDS WHAT AREA U TALKING ABOUT HOMIE AND TO RODBITCH THE BAY OR ANYWHERE ELSE CANT FUCC WITH LA AND THATS THE TRUTH

BTW R TISTICC THE 102'S AND THE PASADENA RAYMONDS PUT IT MAJOR WORC HOMIE

How the Fucc Would you know... You Live in the UK...?! 

[michael jackson]

NO CUZZ IM FROM HARLEM 30 CRIPP CUZZ OHC FOR LIFE COME C ME

[SGV]

There's always gonna be gangs, but it's calming down. The F.B.I. is on these gangs nowadays. And, the Latino gangs keep gettin' deported. That's why Central America, namely Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, are so grimey. All the knuckleheaded 18St or Mara Salvatrucha dudes from here are being sent right back there, to terrorize the country.

L.A. will always be a Gang hot spot, but it's not as serious as it was back in the day, and it'll never be.

[ZILLA THA GOODFELLA]

Here's the thing that annoys me about cats speaking on where they DROVE through. This country isn't Afghanastan, Honduras, El Salvador or non of that type. We are in a Civilized country that's still believe it or not, ran by the police. They're still the biggest gang. Now just because your ass drove through a neighbourhood and didn't get caught up in the crossfire, does that mean the hood you visited is soft now? A neighbourhood is just that, a neighbourhood. Millions of cars pass through, what do you expect muthafucaz to do about it? Now if you drove through the projects or a certain bloc and tried to go out and chill without gettin greeted, then that's different.

Cats wanna say the bay is worse than L.A or vice versa, but how do you figure? Both regions are in the same boat, Just as many gangs & hoods in both. I chec crime stats regulary, The Bay still has the highest gang-related murders over all, but it does go bac n forth depending on the year.

Unless you done dwelled in the underground of a neighbourhood, then you can't come here and say it's nothing. Driving through to get some gas doesn't make you no street scholar. You're just another civilian.

[black nutt]