Watts is a historic neighborhood in South Los Angeles, California. It has some deep history and a lot of different gangs. Among these gangs includes the infamous Grape Street Crips. The GSC trace their roots all the way back to the 1950s before crips and bloods existed, lets take a look at the History of this notorious LA street gang.
History
Grape Street gang was created in the Jordan Downs Projects in the 1950s. In the 1950s gangs like the Bloods and Crips were not around yet. Grape Street originated was first formed as a mexican street gang.
Starting in “La Colonia” Watts and named after one of the streets in the neighborhood. Grape Street was first known as the “watts Varrio Grape Street”. This gang would have its first days as a “Chicano” gang, then slowly turn into a “Hybrid Gang” and later shift into what we know as the Grape Street Watts Crips, which have spread across the country.
The split between the Latino(Southside Watts Grape) and Black Grape Street members happened due to the Latinos pledging allegiance to the Mexican Mafia, this crew would become a Sureno clique.
The Black members would change their name to the Eastside Grape Street Watts Crips and join the ever growing Crip nation. Although joing the Crips, the Grapes would choose purple as their color.
Now as a Crip set, the Grapes would end up beefing with the Blood set down the street, the ruthless Bounty Hunter Bloods.
This would spark the alliance with the infamous and as ruthless and dangerous, Eight Tray Gangster Crips, and other neighboring Compton Crip sets.
In the late 70s Wayne “Honcho” Day began to rise to the top of the Grape Streets Crips. It was under his watch that the Grapes would become a big player in the crack and PCP drug trade.
Since then the Grape Street Watts Crips have continued to rule the Jordan Downs Projects along side other gangs in the area.
Turf
Being from Watts, there are a bunch of active gangs in the area, Grape Street needs to stay active to continue to hold their hood. They claim grape street to 97th street, between Alameda Street and 103rd street.
The other gangs in their surrounding area includes:
- Bishop Bloods
- Ivy Street Watts 13
- Elm Street Watts 13
- East Coast Neighborhood Crips
- Compton Avenue Watts Crips
- Beach Town Mafia Crips
- Watts Franklin Square Crips
- Hacienda Village Watts Bloods
- Bad Ass Gangster Crips
- Fudge Town Mafia Crips
- Kansas Street 13
- Willow Street 13
- Weigand Colonia Watts 13
Watts Sets
Like most Crip sets in LA, the Grape Street Crips are made up of a bunch of sub sets.
- Anzac Grape Street Watts Crips (different from the ones in Compton)
- 95th Grape Street Watts Crips (one way streets)
- 97th Grape Street Watts Crips-Bandera Blocc (one-way streets)
- 103rd Grape Street Watts Baby Loc Crips (in the Jordan Downs Housing Projects)
- 105th Grape Street Watts Baby Locs (New Homes, Blue Gate Baby Locs)
- 107th Grape Street Watts Baby Locs Crip (off of Santana-the original street)
- 112th Grape Street Watts Crip (near Willowbrook St. near the train tracks)
- Dustown Hawgs
- Real Bo$$ Playaz
- East Side Kids
- Ten-Tray Ballaz (they live in the Blu-Gates)
- Parolees
- Playville
- Tip-Top
Allies
- South Side Watts Varrio Grape
- Grape Street Crips New Jersey
- Eight Tray Gangster Crips
- Rollin 30s Harlem Crips
- Compton Crips
Rivals
- Bounty Hunter Bloods
- PJ Watts Crips
- Hacienda Village Bloods
- Circle City Piru
- Ten Line Gangster Crips
- East Coast Crips
- Fudge Town Mafia Crips
- 99 Watts Mafia Crips
- Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips
- Florencia 13
Leader
When the Watts Grape Street Crips started getting more organized in the 1970s, Wayne “Honcho” Day was the man that stepped up to lead them.
He was known on the streets and around Watts as “Honcho”. Honcho would lead the Grapes in a national crime ring that would distribute cocain and crack from Mexico to cities in the midwest and the South. He made millions doing this, which made him a target to law enforcement.
In 1997, Honcho was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Wayne Alfred Day, age 40 was arrested at a motel on the Las Vegas Strip. He was taken down as the he was one of the original (OG) leaders of the Grape Street Crips.
Along with Honchoss arrest, 48 members of his gang and other affiliates were indicted. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Honchos arrest on charges and conspiracy to distributing cocaine.
Honcho was a real OG and put in a lot of work.
In 2007 Honcho was released from prison and went on to live a cleaner life style.
New Jersey Grape Street Crips
The Watts Eastside Grape Street Crips aren’t the only crew that has been putting in work. The New Jersey Grape Street Crips have been putting in work and are a big time drug distributer on the east coast.
In October of 2015, 14 gang members of the New Jersey Grapes were indicted on racketeering, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, drug trafficking, firearms offenses and other related crimes.
In a a long running investigation, law enforcement and FBI were able to arrest 71 members of this drug ring on federal and state charges.
They claimed the New Jersey Grape Street Crips controlled the drug trafficking and other criminal activities in multiple areas around Newark, which included the projects at Pennington Court, Oscar Miles, the Millard Terrell Homes, along with other projects.
Member Bids
| Count | Offense | Defendant(s) | Max Penalties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Racketeering Conspiracy | Kwasi Mack, a/k/a “Welchs,” “The Prince,” “Mini Me,” 26, BellevilleCorey Batts, a/k/a “C-Murder,” “Cee,” 30, NewarkHakeem Vanderhall, a/k/a “Keem,” “Sugar Bear,” 31, East OrangeEric Concepcion, a/k/a “Eddie Arroyo,” “E-Wax,” “Wax,” 28, CliftonJustin Carnegie, a/k/a “Dew Hi,” “Dew,” “D,” 28, East OrangeAhmed Singleton, a/k/a “Gangsta-Moo,” “Gangsta,” “Mooshie,” 26, NewarkJamar Hamilton, a/k/a “Gunner,” 26, TottowaTyquan Clark, a/k/a “Tah,” 28, NewarkRashan Washington, a/k/a “Shoota,” 25, NewarkHanee Cureton, a/k/a “City” 30, SpringfieldKhalil Stafford, a/k/a “Stod,” “Homicide,” 31, NewarkJames S. Gutierrez, a/k/a “Bad News,” 24, Newark | Life imprisonment;$250,000 fine |
| 2 | Conspiracy to Commit Murder in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 3 | Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 4 | Attempted Murder in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 5 | Conspiracy to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 3 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 6 | Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 20 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 7 | Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 20 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 8 | Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | Life imprisonment; 10-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine |
| 9 | Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence | Kwasi MackCorey Batts | 20 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 10 | Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi Mack | 20 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 11 | Conspiracy to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering | Kwasi MackJustin CarnegieRashan WashingtonAaron Terrell, a/k/a “Push” 24, Newark | 3 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 12 | Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence | Kwasi MackJustin CarnegieRashan WashingtonAaron Terrell | 20 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 13 | Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence | Kwasi Mack | Life in prison; 25-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine |
| 14 | Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin | Kwasi Mack | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| Corey Batts | Life in prison; 20-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine | ||
| 15 | Distribution, and Possession with Intent to Distribute, Heroin | Corey Batts | 30 years in prison; $2,000,000 fine |
| 16 | 30 years in prison; $2,000,000 fine | ||
| 17 | 30 years in prison; $2,000,000 fine | ||
| 18 | Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime | Kwasi Mack | Life in prison; 25-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine |
| 19 | Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug-Trafficking Crime | Corey Batts | Life in prison; 25-year mandatory minimum; $250,000 fine |
| 20 | Conspiracy to Distribute Crack-Cocaine | Hakeem VanderhallEric ConcepcionJamar HamiltonTyquan ClarkRashan WashingtonJames S. Gutierrez | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| 21 | Continuing Criminal Enterprise | Hakeem VanderhallEric ConcepcionJamar HamiltonTyquan ClarkRashan Washington | Life in prison; 20-year mandatory minimum |
| 22 | Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin | Justin CarnegieAhmed Singleton | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| 23 | Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin | Hanee CuretonKhalil StaffordLateef Grimsley, a/k/a “Bird,” 26, Newark | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| 24 | Distribution of Heroin | Khalil Stafford | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| 25 | Distribution of Heroin | Hanee Cureton | Life in prison;10-year mandatory minimum; $10,000,000 fine |
| 26 | Felon-in-Possession of a Firearm | Kwasi Mack | 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
| 27 | Felon-in-Possession of a Firearm | Corey Batts | 10 years in prison; $250,000 fine |
Tagged CripsGrape Street CripsWattsWatts gangs
