Gangs use graffiti as their “newspaper” or “bulletin board.” It marks their territory or turf and also sends clear messages to rival gang members. By being able to read gang graffiti, a person should always know what is going down in a particular neighborhood.

It is important to understand that not all graffiti is gang graffiti! Tags or throw-ups are used by taggers and tag krews to gain notoriety and express their identity in what they consider to be a creative manner. Gang graffiti is filled with clear messages to identify the gangs’ purpose, next “plan of attack” and rival gang. A roll call–a list of members in the gang or set–will inform you of who belongs to that particular gang.

When you take time to analyze its messages, you learn that this graffiti is not just “writing on the wall”–it carries a clear message, sometimes of murder, of sadness and of unity.

Crips

Crip gang graffiti is often written in the gang’s color: blue. However, in cities where spray paint cans are under lock and key, you may see this graffiti in any color writers can get a hold of. Gang members
use their moniker or street name in their writing. You will not see James written in the graffiti; instead you will see a name like Sneaky. Crips usually cross-out or put an x through letters B and P as a sign of disrespect toward the Blood and Piru sets. You will often be able to identify Crip graffiti by reading B/K or BK–which stands for Blood Killer.

Here are examples of gang graffiti written by a current Crip gang member. The first set of mind maps, or graffiti, shows affiliation with the Crip gang. The second set shows disrespect toward the Blood and Piru sets.

Click on either picture for a larger image.

Bloods

Blood gang graffiti is often written in the gang’s color: red. You will also see it written in black paint. If the gang lives in a city where spray paint is under lock and key, writers use whatever color they can get their hands on. Bloods and Piru gang bangers also use their moniker, or street name, in their writing.

Bloods and Pirus cross-out, or put an x through the letter C to show disrespect toward the Crip gang. Often, Bloods will replace the C in a word with the letter B. For example, the city of Compton would be spelled Bompton. This demonstrates the Bloods disdain for the Crips and to show that Bloods are more important and rule.

Here are photographs of Blood graffiti on a wall in Los Angeles.

Click on either picture for a larger image.

Blood hand sign - Bridgeport, CT

Photos taken by Lisa Taylor-Austin