I just watched the HBO documentary on the Latin Kings a few nights ago, which I thought was pretty interesting. I noticed the Latin Kings had some issues that they were trying to resolve with some Bloods during the program...but what I wanted to ask about now was the existence of Blood and Crip sets in N.Y. How is it that they got there and got established?

I have been to Los Angeles, and spent time in Watts, South Central, Compton, Long Beach. etc. When I was in San Diego I saw brothers who were into the whole "gangbanging culture". I've travelled throughout the U.S. and seen brothers who were caught up in the whole Blood/Crip, red/blue, set claiming, sign flashing mentality. I've seen it in Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas(remember "Banging in Little Rock"?), Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, Minnesota, etc. One place I didn't really see a presence of Bloods and Crips was in Chicago. I am not saying that they are not there, I just didnt see them. I did see a lot of gang activity, but they were Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, War Lords; gangs that, for lack of a better term, are "indigenous" to Chicago, and have been for "established" decades now. When I asked my partner who was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago how come so-called Crip/Blood factions weren't having that much success in Chi-town, his answer made alot of sense to me. He said "Man, the gangs in Chicago have been around for 30-35 years, niggas claiming to be from L.A. ain't just coming and uprooting all of that..." That sounded logical to me. With that being said, again I ask, how is this happening in New York? Besides the Latin Kings documentary, I have seen programs on television and read articles in various newspapers and magazines that talked about how L.A. "based" gangs are growing in N.Y. I have friends from all over New York: South Bronx, Queens, Harlem, Bed-Stuy, Roosevelt out on Long Island, and Staten Island. 10-12 years ago, all of my N.Y. partners would laugh at "left coast gangsters", and would say that if they ever came to "The Apple", they would either be "ignored, laughed off the block, run out of town, or wind up dead". Looks like they were WRONG.

I know that cats can be weak-minded, and fall for anything. Here in Dallas when the movie "Colors" came out, within a week you couldn't go to the mall, movies or to the park without seeing niggas in blue or red plaid flannel shirts, heads wrapped up Aunt Jemima style with red or blue bandanas, baggy Dickies work pants or khakis, and red or blue Chuck Taylors. I know niggas right now in Dallas WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN OUT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, and are claiming "Rolling 60's Crips", "Eight-Tray Gangster Crips", "Compton Piru Bloods", or "Inglewood Family Bloods". I'm always like, "NIGGA! You ain't never been outta Texas!! How are you claiming a street in L.A. that 1. you don't own, and 2. you've never even seen!" I'm not saying that cats from New York can't fall into this same weak-mindedness. Neither am I saying that the New York "thug nigga" is a better alternative than the Los Angeles "gangbanger". What I am wanting to know is why does it seem like Chicago niggas can hold their neighborhoods down, and New York niggas are joining the Bloods and Crips? It doesn't make sense to me. Somebody let me know.

PEACE