Los Angeles Hoods
History of Top 25 Los Angeles Gangs & Sets
While some South Los Angeles gangs date back to the 1950s and 1960s, with some even as early as 1920s, there is a long history of a culture that has expanded across the nation. Today, there are numerous Los Angeles hoods that have aligned themselves with the Bloods and Crips, with many being located in South Los Angeles, also known as South Central.
Top 25 South Los Angeles Hoods
Rollin’ 60s
Located in the Hyde Park and Crenshaw District of South Central (South Los Angeles), around Slauson and Crenshaw, is the home of the Rollin 60s. With much of the neighborhood beginning its construction during the early 1900s, black families first began to move into the area during the 1950s and 1960s. Eventually, the Rollin 60s formed during the early 1970s, expanding from Overhills (between La Brea and Crenshaw) to the Avenues (between Crenshaw and Van Ness) to the Front Hood (right off Western Ave.), with streets like 10th Ave. and Brynhurst.
Currently, the Rollin 60s neighborhood is one of last Los Angeles hoods that are predominantly black, as the Mexican and Hispanic population in the city has been growing and expanding into numerous former predominantly black communities. Despite being the most reputable of Los Angeles gangs, sections of the Rollin 60s, especially around the Overhills section, can be viewed as middle class communities, while the most known sections of Dorset Village, 10th Ave., and Brynhurst are mostly low-income apartment buildings.
Bounty Hunters
Possibly the largest Blood gang in Los Angeles, the Bounty Hunters are located in the Nickerson Gardens housing project. Originally beginning as the Green Jackets, the Bounty Hunters are considered as one of the oldest black Los Angeles gangs, dating back to the 1960s.
The Nickerson Gardens was built during the 1950s, located in the community of Watts. Watts is a historical black area in Los Angeles that was once of the city’s first black communities, becoming predominantly black by the 1940s following the “Great Migration” of thousands of southern African Americans relocating into Los Angeles for a start at a better life. Nickerson Gardens was also at the center of the 1992 Rodney King Riots and the historic peace treaty and gang truce of all black Los Angeles gangs in 1992.
East Coast Crips
From 1st Street, the former Aliso Village, to 190 in the city of Carson, the East Coast Crips, who mostly align themselves with Neighborhood Crips, account for a large amount of territory on the East Side of South Los Angeles. Originating from the East Side Crips, by the late 1970s the East Coast Crips formed through an alliance of separate hoods on the East Side, many being already well established and some older and larger than others. In all, the East Coast Crips are represented by 59, 6 Pacc (62, 66, 68, 69), 76, 89, 97, 102, 118, and 190.
The East Side of South Central is different than the West Side as the East Side is older, with Western Avenue being the once racial dividing line. Historically, the East Side neighborhoods have been more of a working class community compared to the counterparts of the West Side, which have always been viewed as wealthier, or more of a middle class community with a few exceptions.
While the original black community was on the East Side along Central Avenue in the Bottoms, the once predominantly black neighborhoods are now mostly Hispanic. The changing demographics have often been affecting the presence of black gangs in certain Los Angeles hoods.
Hoovers
Once known as the Hoover Crips until rivalries with numerous Crip sets led to the adoption of Hoover Criminals during the mid-1990s. There is a total of 8 Hoover sets in Los Angeles, which includes 52, 59, 74, 83, 92, 94, 107, and 112.
Based off the notorious Figueroa Street, the Hoovers began during the 1960s as the Hoover Groovers on the West Side of South Los Angeles. The reputation of the Hoovers has led to an expansion across the country, from places in Texas, Oklahoma, St. Louis, and even as far as North Jersey and New York City.
Brims
An alliance of Fruit Town, Harvard Park, and Van Ness Gangster Brims, located on the West Side of South Los Angeles are three reputable Los Angeles gangs that have become known for their rivals with neighboring Crip gangs and the Hoovers.
The Brims date back to the 1960s, with the Harvard Park Brims being among the first of the three. As the Crips were forming and gaining territory throughout South Los Angeles, the Brims were simultaneously holding their own. Eventually, the Brims would become one of the first gangs to link and form the Bloods to combat the growth of the Crips.
Grape Street Crips
With having a large presence across the country, from Memphis and St. Louis to Newark, NJ and New York City, the Grape Street Crips of the Jordan Downs housing project are among the most notorious of all South Los Angeles gangs. Originally known as the Jordan Downs Crips, Grape Street, along with a few other gangs, have been the heart of the Los Angeles hoods within the city, or community, of Watts.
Located in Watts and built during the 1940s, originally for wartime workers, Jordans Downs would be open to the community by the 1950s. The city of Watts is among Los Angeles’ most iconic black communities, becoming predominantly black by the 1940s. Today, the community of Watts’ original black population has decreased as the community’s Hispanic population has widely grown. As far as Grape Street, the original Jordan Downs housing project is currently being rebuilt.
Eight Tray Gangsters
The original area of the former West Side Crips, 83 Gangster Crips have become one of the largest Los Angeles gangs in the county, large enough set to create multiple sets, which includes the Northside, Southside, Original West, Bacc West and Far West. Overall, their territory expands from the original beginning of 83rd Street, to Gage Ave. on the north and Century Blvd. on the south.
While originally beefing with the likes of the IFGB, starting in 1979 their conflict with the Rollin 60s eventually separated the Crips, splintering the Crips in the city by helping to start the Gangster Crip faction, or car, that became against the Rollin 60s and their allies of the Neighborhood Crips.
Florencia 13
One of California’s most known Mexican and Hispanic gangs, F13 origins come from the Florence Firestone neighborhood. One of the most hated Los Angeles gangs, rivaling with multiple black and Hispanic gangs, Florencia 13 have truly grown since their beginning during the 1950s. With over 30 cliques. like the Jokers, Lokos, Midnite Street, Malditos, Holmes Street, Assassinos, Dukes, and expanding from 51st Street to 90th Street, should only give insight on how large and dominant Florencia 13 has become.
The area of the East Side that Florencia 13 mostly claims in territory, around Watts and Florence-Firestone, has one of the city’s oldest Hispanic populations, dating back to the 1930s. Today, the growth of the regions Hispanic population has led Florencia 13 to overpopulate communities that were formerly known to house a large presence of black gangs.
Rollin 40s
Divided into multiple sections of the Avenues, DarcSide, ParcSide, and Western, the Rollin 40s, located on the West Side of Los Angeles’ South Central, started during the 1970s. Known for sporting Florida Marlins and old school Milwaukee Brewers hats, the Rollin 40s have become a large gang that stretches from Martin Luther King to 48th Street.
Located in one of the last remaining all-black strongholds of Los Angeles County, Leimert Park has been historically known for its black culture and for celebrating black arts. Like many communities, Leimert Park was constructed during the 1920s and 1930s as a place strictly for white families. Not until the 1950s did the area begin to become home to African Americans, during a time when the black population of Los Angeles was growing, along with courts lifting racial laws preventing blacks from entering certain areas.
Black P. Stones
Famously known for having one of the two BPS sets being the location for the movie “Training Day,” the Black P. Stones have a unique history. While every gang in Los Angeles originated in the city, the Black P. Stones were an extension of Chicago’s Almighty Black P Stone Nation, brought to the city by T. Rodgers. BPS first arrived in the area known as “The City,” a Los Angeles hoods located in the West Adams district but would later expand into the infamous Jungles by the 1970s.
The Jungles, officially known as Baldwin Village, is a large area of apartment buildings that were built during the 1940s and 1950s as a location for younger families during that time. After years of being privately owned, and just recently sold to another private investor, gentrification may be expanding into the area.
Rollin 20s
Located in one of the oldest Los Angeles hoods, West Adams was once the city’s wealthiest area. A former wealthy community for white families before many began leaving for Beverly Hills, during the 1950s West Adams became predominantly black, home to the city’s top elite and most successful African Americans.
The area would change by the 1970s as many of the community’s affluent black families moved to areas like Baldwin Hills. The descendants of old school gangs like Blood Alley and Hoover Park Family, the Rollin 20s emerged during 1970s, first with sets like 25th and 27th, and eventually followed by others. Some might be confused with the terms Rollin’ and Neighborhood, but these terms predate the Bloods.
Rollin 30s
Expanding from Jefferson to Martin Luther King, the Rollin 30s, also known as Dirt Gang, began during the 1960s as the Harlem Godfathers before becoming Rollin 30s Harlem Crips. Broken down into sets like 39th, Avenues, and Denker Park, among others, Rollin 30s have become one of the largest Los Angeles gangs. While being the only member of the Owe car to not claim “Neighborhood Crip,” the Rollin 30s are surrounded by rival Los Angeles hoods, like the Jungles of the Black P. Stones, Rollin 20s, and Fruit Town Brims.
Varrio 38th
One of the oldest gangs in the city, going back to the days of the Zoot suits, Varrio 38th began during the 1920s and 1930s, while having a long history among the culture of Los Angeles gangs.
Possibly becoming one of the first Hispanic gangs to gain notoriety in mainstream media with the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial of the 1940s, Varrio 38th impact on the city’s gang culture cannot be overlook. With years of growth, there are multiple cliques of 38th Street, while also having numerous rivals on the East Side of South Los Angeles, in a section known as the Low Bottoms.
PJ Watts Crips
Known for being one of the largest gangs in Watts, PJ Watts Crips are located in the neighborhood’s Imperial Courts housing project. While smaller and lesser known of the three housing projects in Watts, the Nickerson Gardens (Bounty Hunters) and the Jordan Downs (Grape Street), Imperial Courts is still among the most reputable.
Rollin 100s
The Rollin 100s is the home of Neighborhood and Blocc Crips, possibly the first sets to claim both Neighborhood Crips and Blocc Crips, dating back to the 1970s. With territory expanding between Van Ness and Normandie, the Rollin 100s is not one gang, like the Rollin 30s, Rollin 40s, and Rollin 60s, but there are a handful of separate gangs, like 111 and 115 Neighborhood Crips, 104 Hustler Crips, and the 107, 113, and Underground Blocc Crips.
Mad Family Swans
One of the most notorious Blood gangs in all of California, the Mad Family Swans built a fierce reputation on the East Side throughout the years, with some members being once considered as devil worshipers back in the day. Starting during the 1970s, the Mad Family Swans are known for the sets of 77, 79, 80, 84, 89, and 92, while historically known for its beef and war with East Coast Crips, Main Streets, and surrounding Gangster Crips like 73 and 88.
Denver Lane
Centered around Denver Avenue, from 105th to 120th and between Western and I-110 along Figueroa, is the home of the Denver Lane Gangster Bloods. Beginning during the 1970s, the Denver Lanes were one of the first gangs to align themselves with the Bloods. Known for the beefs and rivals with the Hoovers and for being allied with Bloods like Crenshaw Mafia and Athens Park.
Athens Park
A long history and a reputation dating back to the 1970s, Athens Park was one of the first hoods to come within the Bloods alliance, during a time to combat the rise of the Crips. Beginning as the Athens Park Boys, APB would become well known to rivals and build alliances with neighboring Blood hoods, like Denver Lanes, Miller Gangsters (AMG), and even in Compton with Campanella and Westside Piru (NWA), some being around since the 1980s and some of the newer generation.
Blood Stone Villains
Located on the East Side, the BloodStone Villains, centered around 52nd and 56th streets, are among the most reputable gangs of the Low Bottoms. The Low Bottoms is a community that is one of the oldest sections of the city, and one of the first black communities of Los Angeles as Central Avenue was once the heart of Los Angeles’ black culture.
Avalon Gangster Crips
These three sets, the 40s Avalons, the 53 Avalons, and the 88 Avalons, account for the Avalon Gangster Crips centered around Avalon Boulevard on the East Side of South Los Angeles. While Gangster Crips, Avalons are still have their own identity, with many of their most heated rivalries being other Gangster Crips.
The largest of the three is the 53 Avalons, located in the South Park neighborhood, from Vernon to Slauson, in the area of the old Businessmen. The oldest is the 88 Avalons, located in the Avalon Gardens housing project, as one of the very first Crip sets in the city.
Main Street
The most known of the Mafia Crips, a faction of the Crips that are much smaller than the Neighborhoods and the Gangsters with sets like Fudge Town, 99, Beach Town, and Long Beach’s Mac Mafia and Boulevard Mafia Crips.
Despite being a small faction, for years the Main Street Mafia Crips of 84th and 98th streets have become one of the most notorious Los Angeles gangs on the East Side. As they started during the 1970s, Main Street built quite a reputation for being known as hustlers and for holding their own against some of the biggest Los Angeles hoods and gangs, like the Mad Swans and the Hoovers.
Playboys 13
Also known as Rabbit Gang, the Playboys 13 are one of the most reputable Hispanic gangs in South Los Angeles. Beginning as far back as the 1950s in the Pico Union neighborhood, they would eventually make their way into the South Park neighborhood during the mid-1970s. Located on the East Side, their reputation has left them with many rivals and enemies, primarily most Hispanic South Los Angeles gangs.
Broadway Gangster Crips
Starting during the 1970s as the Broadway Boys before becoming Broadway Gangster Crips, the BGC expands from the 50s to the 100s, or more specifically the 52 Broadway and 112 Broadway Gangster Crips. While located on the East Side, their geographic layout resides west of Main Street, leaving them to claim West Side, or West Town.
Pueblo Bishop Bloods
Located in the Pueblo Del Rio housing complex, the 52 Pueblo Bishops are among the most reputable of the Los Angeles hoods in the Low Bottoms. Built during the 1940s, historically known as an all-black community, but the Pueblo Del Rio housing complex has also had its share of Asians and Hispanics. While the Bishops were started on 92nd Street in Watts during the early 1970s, the Pueblo Del Rio housing complex was active before becoming aligned with the Bishop Bloods.
Raymond Avenue Crips
Part of the Owe car (120s) and the Neighborhood car, the Raymond Avenue Crips were one of the very first Los Angeles gangs to establish sets outside of their hood, one in Inglewood and the other in Pasadena. While possibly having a fiercer reputation back in the day, 120 Raymond Avenue Crips are among the most notorious gangs of South Central’s West Athens area.