Thug Life Army

The recent awareness to the struggle of the godmother of late hip-hop rap icon Tupac Shakur, Assata Shakur, has brought to light the struggle that many connected to the hip-hop nation face everyday.

Several rap and hip-hop artist are in ‘lock down’ and there are some facing lock down.

One person who is in ‘lock down’, who should be well known to the hip-hop culture is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. His memoir, ‘Blue Rage, Black Redemption’ is a great informative read. The DVD ‘Redemption’ staring Jamie Foxx, Lynn Whitfield has earned worldwide critical acclaim.

Stan ‘Tookie’ Williams is also in struggle and his words and insight should be looked into by everyone; especially those in the hip-hop community who are aware of the ‘Red and Blue’ influences in the culture.

Many hip-hop and rap artists are members or are affiliated with different gangs and this is no secret, as many sport sect tattoos or talk freely about their affiliations with different groups.

The Bloods and The Crips have been around for a long time and appear to not be going anywhere.

Some notable rap artists and others in hip-hop have ties to these groups, so it is important to read what Tookie Williams has to say; since he was one of the founders of the Crips. In the beginning Tookie Williams and Raymond Lee Washington organized the Crips to protect the community.

The web site of Stan ‘Tookie’ Williams is a very interesting place to visit. The information and insight will provide some great awareness on what is going on with Stan Williams.

"Tookie's Corner" is an Internet education program and is part of the Institute's Youth Legacy Project (YLP). The YLP is composed of several programs designed to uplift the self-esteem of youth and to educate parents: The Community Church Program, the School Assemblies Program and "Tookie's Corner."

The Beginning

In the spring of 1971, when Tookie was 17, he was in a very different situation. He was a high school student from South Central Los Angeles. He had a fearsome reputation as a fighter and as a "general" of South Central's west side. And, around that time, Tookie, along with Raymond Lee Washington, created what would one day be a super-gang, the Crips.

Back in the day when Tookie and Raymond founded the Crips, many of the young people of South Central Los Angeles were involved with small gangs. Those gang members roamed South Central taking property from anyone who feared them, including women and children. To protect the community, Tookie and Raymond organized the Crips.

Growth

By 1979, the Crips had grown from a small Los Angeles gang to an organization with membership spread across the State of California. By this time, Crips had also become just like the gang members they had once sought to protect themselves from -- Crips had become gangbangers who terrorized their own neighborhoods.

Soon the Crips lost both their leaders: in 1979, Raymond was murdered by a rival gang member, and, that same year, Tookie was arrested. He was charged with murdering four people. In 1981, Tookie was convicted of those crimes and placed on death row.

Life in Prison

In 1987, Tookie began what became a 6 1/2-year stay in solitary confinement. After two years there, Tookie began to look at himself. He focused on the choices he had made in his life and then committed himself to make a drastic change. The long, difficult process he undertook to rebuild his character put him in touch with his true spirit, his own humanity. Only then could Tookie finally begin to care about the many children, mothers, fathers and other family members of this country hurt by the Crips legacy and by its explosive growth. The gang is now in 42 states and on at least one other continent: South Africa. Youngsters in Soweto and other South African cities have formed the Crips copycat gangs

Tookie Today

Tookie greatly regrets the violent history of the Crips -- particularly how so many young black men have hurt each other -- and he wants to do what he can to stop it. The Tookie Speaks Out Against Gang Violence book series for elementary-school-age children is the first fruit of his longing to prevent young people of every color from becoming gangbangers, from ending up in prison, crippled by bullets, or killed.

Tookie is determined to make amends for having been a co-founder of the Crips. He intends to try in every way he can to guide those youngsters who have imitated him away from the road that led him to death row where he faces State execution. "Don''t join a gang," he tells children in his books, writing from his San Quentin cell. "You won''t find what you''re looking for. All you will find is trouble, pain and sadness. I know. I did."

*A part of this post came from Tookies Corner

PLEASE visit Tookies Corner HERE

In the weeks to come we will make you aware of others in struggle and some insight to their story.