How is Compton these days? (Los Angeles: homes, high school, college)

[Motion]

I have a question about gangs.

In most areas that are gang turfs are the majority of teenage males and 20-somethings in gangs? Or are gang members actually in the minority even on their own turfs? If you go to projects like Nickerson Gardens,Jordan Downs and Imperial Courts are most of the guys there gang members? If you're a guy in your 20's and live in Nickerson Gardens is it cool for you not to be a blood while living there? If a family moves into Jordan Downs and has teen boys will those boys be pressured into becoming crips or will the gang members leave them alone and let them join when they feel like it?

I remember hearing John Singleton talk about the area where he grew up saying that you either got down with the gangs or stayed in the house.

[Shinhiryuu]

Originally Posted by Motion

I have a question about gangs.

In most areas that are gang turfs are the majority of teenage males and 20-somethings in gangs? Or are gang members actually in the minority even on their own turfs? If you go to projects like Nickerson Gardens,Jordan Downs and Imperial Courts are most of the guys there gang members? If you're a guy in your 20's and live in Nickerson Gardens is it cool for you not to be a blood while living there? If a family moves into Jordan Downs and has teen boys will those boys be pressured into becoming crips or will the gang members leave them alone and let them join when they feel like it?

I remember hearing John Singleton talk about the area where he grew up saying that you either got down with the gangs or stayed in the house.

In their 20s? I mean, maybe, most retards I know in a gang are in their teens. from 11-17, thinking its cool, if your in a gang and your over 18 means one of two things,
1: Your a stright triple O.G. meaing, you did 20 years in San Q, and are from the original barrio that defended from the whites in the Zoot Suit Riots, these were the people you looked up to
or which is more likely nowadays
2: you dont got a job... Too much time on your hands to be tagging, people with jobs dont bang, plain and simple
Also it was bad back in the 90s and 80s, you HAD to be from somewhere, I remember walking home in elementry, and gangs hitting me up asking where I'm from... IM IN 3RD GOD DAMN GRADE!!!
Now its whatever, by the time graudated highschool, a lot of "cholos" died out, they had their little kick back here and there and skaters where everywhere. I went to Locke and Thomas Jefferson in South Central, if you want my "creds"
The hood is chill now, and gangstas arent as "cool" as they used to be. People dont see them as the defenders of the white man anymore, their mostly trouble makers now.

[Harrier]

mt971x:

U've never stepped a day in these guys shoes, or to call people losers and lazy, who are you to judge the life they have lived? You have no idea what you are talking about, you think every rapper is an act?

Umm...have YOU stepped a day in these guys shoes? You have done nothing to establish your "street cred" to the level you require of redturtle - as you also said...

mt971x:

if you never lived it , you can't talk about it

Show us you meet your own standards.

mt971x:

Maybe you have lived a simple life your whole life, and maybe you have had everything handed to you, and had the easy way out, but just because you lived it one way, who are u to say these rappers are an act?

If redturtle had everyhing handed to him do you think he would be talking about willingness to learn, work hard, and ambition? People who have things handed to them don't talk about those things. Like red said you are very presumptious - what do you know about him?

Work on your critical thinking skills and until they improve do as a favor and keep your drivel off the forum.

[Motion]

Originally Posted by Shinhiryuu

2: you dont got a job... Too much time on your hands to be tagging, people with jobs dont bang, plain and simple

That got me thinking of some research that I once read from sociologist William Julius Wilson.

I see a very strong association between some of these problems like gang behavior and violent crime and joblessness. For example, if you look at a recent longitudinal study conducted by my colleague at the University of Colorado -- we are doing a book together -- Delbert Elliot. He found, for example, that by the time white males and black males reached the late 20s, the violent crime ratio is 4 to 1 -- 4 black to 1 white. Much higher violent crime rate among black males. However, when he controlled for employment, there was no significant difference in the violent crime rate between white males and black males. No significant difference.

frontline: the two nations of black america: interview with william julius wilson

I think employment has the effect of reducing the amount of time that young people spend hanging in the streets while providing legal money and some job skills. Instead of spending 8hrs in the streets it would be better to spend those 8hrs or 12hrs at a job. Jobs can be looked at as a way to reduce gang activity.

[mt971x]

Originally Posted by redturtle

How do you know if I am not black?

Being black has nothing to do with anything.

[Harrier]

LOL mt971x - if you think you answered the question or successfully defended yourself - that is just pathetic. We have challenged you to actually think about what you are posting. You were criticising turtle for his comments on Gangster Rap artists. Are not many of these artists black? And do they not write and perform music about black gangsters? Try again - perhaps there is hope for you yet - but you need to prove yourself.

[Tyvan27]

So Compton seems to be a city that is shedding its image of gangs and drugs, but it is still there to a large degree. I have been before and was not anything like it was portrayed in the 80's and 90's.

What percentage of white people now live in the city in your estimation?

[Harrier]

According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram - the current percentage of Caucasians living in Compton is approximately 12% - I read the print version of the paper - will add the link when I find it.

[moufassito]

Ice cube grew up in inglewood and his parents were/are professors..

[Time and Space]

This was a very interesting thread...

I love hearing from people who actually live there...

But one question I have...why the Hispanic on black hostilities?

Or let me word it differently...are the Hispanics there hostile to blacks?

And have the majority of Hispanics adopted a type of 'Skin-head' mentality?
Or at least the younger ones, and if so where does this 'resentment come from?

I was there a few months ago...maybe 3 months ago, but on the interstates mainly...drove right under that 'Crenshaw' exit sign...of course I thought of Dre's 'Nothing but a G thing' video...

I don't claim to be no expert on any of this...but find the dynamics fascinating...

I heard for the most part many blacks were making an exodus from LA, California in general...

When I drove around the interstates I never saw blacks, never saw whites, only Hispanics...

Do people still roll like this out there anymore?


Dr Dre feat. Snoop Dogg - Nuthin' but a G thang - YouTube