Bloods

For the Native American nation, please see Kainai.

The Bloods is a national street Gang originating from Los Angeles, California. They have an intense rivalry with the Crips. Group members are identified by the red attire such as red bandanas. The body is largely composed of African Americans however gangs in cities outside of Los Angeles can be Multiracial. Various cliques known as "sets" or "trays" form the organization, which is sometimes internally split by enmity and difference.

History

The Bloods were formed when several members of the Pirus gang were being killed by the Crips. The Pirus then called on a meeting with other smaller gangs in Los Angeles, whose members were also being killed by the Crips, to form an alliance called the Bloods. Knowing that the Crips has used the color Blue to identify each other, the Bloods decided to use an opposing color to identify each other, red.

The Bloods rose to notoriety during the 1980s', due to their involvement in the crack-cocaine epidemic and numerous violent feuds with the Crips, as well as with law enforcement. In 1988, Kirkton Moore, a member of the Harvard Park Brims, killed LAPD officer Daniel Pratt in a drive-by shooting. Pratt was shot several times with an AR-15 assault rifle by Moore after responding to a Robbery call.

Following several months of gang violence that killed 40 people, the Tookie Protocol For Peace was negotiated between the Bloods and the Crips in May of 2004. Former Crips member and founder Stanley 'Tookie' Williams helped negotiate the "perpetual Peace treaty".

During the 1990's, there has been many alleged Bloods gang members in New York City. It has been said that they were formed on Rikers Island; New York City's largest jail facility. While in New York, they've been infamous for various slashings

Bloods and hip-hop

A number of popular West Coast rappers are affiliated with Bloods gangs. Compton rapper/producer DJ Quik is a known member of the Tree Top Piru Bloods. Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight is from the Mob Piru Bloods in Lynwood. Black Wall Street artist and former G-Unit member The Game, also a Compton native, is a member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods. The Boo-Yaa TRIBE are members of a Samoan Bloods gang in Carson City , and Westside Connection rapper Mack 10 is from the Queen Street Bloods in Inglewood. In 1995, Los Angeles producer Ron 'Ronnie Ron' Phillips produced the self-titled debut album of the Damu Ridaz, a rap group consisting of gang members from the Denver Lane Bloods.

It is important to keep in mind that there are many rappers who claim to be Bloods because they hope to establish street credibility, yet they are unable to prove any ties to Blood gangs. The members of Cam'ron's Harlem group The Diplomats (or Dipset) have often claimed to be Bloods, yet they are often ridiculed by actual Los Angeles Bloods for being fake. Cash Money Records rapper Lil Wayne often dresses as a Blood, carrying a red bandana in his right pocket, yet has been unable to prove his affiliation. There is also a common misconception that Tupac Shakur, like Suge Knight, was a member of the Mob Piru Bloods because he often wore a red bandana while he was signed to Death Row Records. Although Tupac may have hired Bloods for security, there is no evidence to suggest he ever became an active member of this gang.

Rappers with Blood affiliations

See also

Crips   Index

This page is based on the Wikipedia article ''Bloods''. It is licensed under the GNU free documentation license.

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