Bloods

For the Native American nation, please see Kainai. The Bloods are 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 gang is largely composed of African Americans, but is multiracial in other cities where there is a Bloods gang, such as New York City. Various cliques known as "sets" form the organization, which is sometimes internally split by enmity and difference. Contents 1 History 2 Bloods and hip-hop 3 Trivia 4 Entertainers with Blood affiliations 5 References 6 See also 7 External links History The Bloods were formed in 1973 when several members of the Pirus gang were being killed by the Crips. And, when a member from the Chicago area Black P Stones arrived in Los Angeles. The Pirus then called 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 used the color blue to identify each other, the Bloods decided to use an opposing color to identify each other, red. During the 1990s, there have 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 have become infamous for various slashings [1] 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". [2] Bloods and hip-hop A number of popular West Coast rappers are affiliated with Bloods gangs. Former G-Unit rapper The Game is a member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods in Compton, and rapper/producer DJ Quik, also a Compton native, is a known member of the Tree Top Piru Bloods. Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight is from the Mob Piru Bloods in Compton, and also has a close affiliation with the Bounty Hunter Bloods in South Los Angeles. The Boo-Yaa TRIBE are members of a Samoan Bloods gang in Carson City [3], 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; they are actual bloods, for they are "The Dipset Bloods" with their leader Jim Jones who is "capo Status" meaning a general in blood slang language. Cash Money Records rapper Lil Wayne often dresses as a Blood, carrying a red bandana in his right pocket, yet he has no proven Blood 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. Trivia According to a Los Angeles Weekly profile, the Bloods generally refuse to use the letter C in names, especially when names start with a C, replacing it with the letter K. Entertainers with Blood affiliations Boo-Yaa TRIBE - Westside Piru/Carson Samoan Warrior Bloods (Carson) B-Real (of Cypress Hill) - 89th Street Family Swan Bloods (Los Angeles) Damu Ridaz - Denver Lane Bloods (Los Angeles) DJ Quik - Tree Top Piru Bloods (Compton) The Game - Cedar Block Piru Bloods (Compton) Mack 10 - Queen Street Bloods (Inglewood) Suge Knight - Mob Piru Bloods (Compton) References Yusuf Jah, Sister Shah'keyah, Ice-T, UPRISING : Crips and Bloods Tell the Story of America's Youth In The Crossfire, ISBN 0684804603 Stanley Tookie Williams See also List of Los Angeles street gangs Banging on Wax (CD) Gang Signals External links Gang nationsfr:Bloods Search Term: "Bloods" Categories: Modern street gangs | Los Angeles history | Gangs

Prosecutor says man accused of shooting is Bloods gang member BY LINDA STEIN