Red, white and blue are the beloved colors of the American flag. But for some, red and blue do not reflect patriotism, but another sort of allegiance. In a special episode of The Grey Area, Slink Johnson and Soren Baker welcome G Perico as they seek to “Make America Crip Again.”
Playing off President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, the hosts turn the show blue and discuss why Crips aren’t bad people as gang members are so often portrayed by the media.
“Crips are great people,” Slink Johnson shares. “You go beyond the stigma of Crips and Bloods and inner city violence and you look at the people, you see how many great people in your life is Crips like your doctor, your mailman, your favorite rapper.”
G Perico affirms what Black Jesus suggests.
“Real shit, my mailman is a Crip and my doctor is a Crip,” he says.
The two agree that those who are affiliated with the Crips who aren’t violent criminals should speak up more to help break the stereotype.
“Crips gotta come out of the shadows and the stigmas of society and show they true greatness,” Slink says.
He goes on to use the example of Snoop Dogg, who has become a worldwide icon for his feel good music, positive attitude and charitable efforts. The “Make America Crip Again” title comes from Snoop’s album of the same name. Johnson jokes that he gives the Doggfather the GCICC award, Global Commission on InterContinental Crippin, which “ain’t about how many enemies you killed or how many years you been in jail, it’s about how well you represent going full circle in life.”
G Perico and Baker co-sign the presentation.
“That’s the biggest Crip in the world, Snoop Dogg,” G declares. “And that is the prime example of why Crips is not that bad. They try to make us seem like we’re evil, horrible people, but look at Snoop Dogg.”
But not every Crip needs to have a big platform like Snoop Dogg to make a difference in their community. The 2 Tha Left rapper says that each Crip plays a role in making society run.
“You know what people fail to understand? That the whole shit is about the community,” he says. “It’s not just about the nigga that shoot everybody or beat everybody up. It’s a full circle.”
Slink agrees and says that the violence and crime is a reaction to a bigger problem. According to the comedian, the gang’s history was not violent.
“Cripping started about the community,” he says. “It was about the community and the betterment of the community. But thanks to the white man’s crack and his apartheid, it threw a motherfuckin’ monkey wrench in our movement.”
Johnson then applauds G Perico for being one of those breaking the stereotypes of a gangsta and making himself a successful businessman and musician.
“My story’s not really too much different from anybody in the inner city,” G responds, “except I just kept it going and ain’t complain about it. We just look for the light at the end of every dark tunnel. We play to win around here.”
Slink explains that he appreciates G because he pays respect to the foundation of Crip culture while bringing a new energy to the community. G Perico sports a jheri curl and wears lots of grey and blue t-shirts instead of flashy fashion pieces.
“His Crippin aesthetic is from the old days,” Slink says. “This guy right here, he represents a shining example of Crippin in its old ways and its old traditions, yet he’s a young man.”
G says that there has been some sort of shift in the community’s way of thinking and he is happy to represent the positivity of the culture.
“Everything’s coming full circle,” he says. “Everybody’s not ashamed of their Crippin. I feel like niggas was ashamed of their Crippin a few years back.”
Slink says that the rise of the internet has helped create a different environment for better or for worse.
“I think that’s a different time. I think that just comes with the social media age because there still was a certain anonymity you had back in the days,” he says. “Nowadays, with social media, man, everybody, these little niggas, they telling on themselves.”
G says he’s never admitted to being a gang member. He claims the number one rule when being confronted by the police is to deny everything. He has his own qualms with social media and says that he’s had plenty of encounters with wannabe gangstas.
“Social media just made motherfuckers idiots and it just made the police job easier, especially if you’re promoting some shit you could go to jail for,” he says. “Like some nigga, I’m on [Instagram] Live yesterday, and some motherfucker, I don’t know where the nigga was from, some bullshit somewhere, the nigga get on my DM talking about he gonna —and I usually block niggas — but I just felt like entertaining myself ’cause it was funny. The nigga tell me what he gonna do to me and shit. I’m like, ‘Alright, well, you got anything else to say?’ Cause we laughing at these videos. Nigga got the strap all at the camera, screaming and shit. I’m like damn, bruh, I’ll see you somewhere I’m pretty sure. I’ll be outside. You ain’t gotta do it all on the internet and shit. Then the nigga started quoting my lyrics in the last video, so I told him to pre-order 2 Tha Left December 8. Just catch me when you see me. I’ll be there.”
Slink says that the internet is not the place to prove yourself. Going back to the community aspect, he says that the real way to prove your manhood is to make a difference.
“You young guys, relax, man. You ain’t earning no stripes like that, bruh,” he says. “You wanna earn some real stripes? Help your little brother with his homework, man. Teach that nigga something good. Be a real big homie.”