Description

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From the authors of Nation Conscious Rap comes a powerfully raw, intimate history of gang life in South Central L.A. In detailed interviews, gang members of the Crips and Bloods open up on a wide range of issues, including the bonds of the gang brotherhood, the significance of gansta rap, the despair of welfare, and the scourge of drugs.

A powerful and shockingly candid account of South Central Los Angeles's notorious street gangs, as seen through the eyes of men who escaped their grip and are now working for peace and unity in the Black community.

This explosive book brings to life the brutalizing and exhilarating experience of gang life through the voices of the gang members themselves. Thirteen former Bloods and Crips talk about the solutions to the culture of killings and drive-by shootings, the scourge of drugs in their communities, and the often justifiable distrust of the police. Their words will compel everyone to acknowledge the urgent need to put an end to the blatant racism and violence in our society.

About the Author

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Yusuf Jah is the coauthor of several books including Fight the Power: Rap, Race and Reality and Uprising: Crips and Bloods Tell the Story of America’s Youth in the Crossfire. 

Ice-T is an award-winning rapper, actor, songwriter and producer. He released a string of groundbreaking rap albums in the 1980s and then formed the Grammy Award–winning metal band Body Count with high school friend and guitarist Ernie C. He has appeared in numerous films, including New Jack City, Ricochet, and Trespass. In his role as Detective Tutuola on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ice holds the distinction of being the longest running male actor on any primetime drama in history. Through his music and lecture tours, Ice-T has become an influential spokesman for America’s youth. Follow him on Twitter @FinalLevel.