The Grape Street Watts Crips (GSWC) stand as a prominent and সক্রিয় African-American street gang, deeply rooted in the Jordan Downs Housing Projects of Watts, South Los Angeles, California. Their territory firmly lies on the East Side within Watts, specifically within the Jordan Downs complex, stretching from Grape Street and encompassing areas up to 97th Street, nestled between Alameda Street and 103rd Street.
Identified by their signature color purple, symbolizing their Grape Street affiliation, the Grape Street Crips are organized into various subgroups, known as cliques. These include Baby Locs, 103rd Street, Dust Town, and Bandera Blocc 97, among others, reflecting the widespread nature of the gang’s influence. Within Watts, they are recognized as the second largest gang, following the Bounty Hunter Bloods, who are based in the Nickerson Gardens Housing Projects, and preceding the PJ Watts Crips, located in the Imperial Courts housing projects.
Historically, the Grape Street Crips trace their origins back to the Watts Varrio Grape (WVG), a Hispanic gang that initially included both Mexican and Black members. However, the landscape shifted in the 1970s when Latino members aligned with the Mexican Mafia, adopting the name South Side Varrio Grape 13. This evolution led the Black members of Watts Varrio Grape to form their own entity, establishing the Watts Baby Loc/Grape Street Crips. They claimed the Jordan Downs Housing Projects as their central base of operations. Despite this separation, a familial bond has persisted between the Grape Street Crips and South Side Varrio Grape 13 across generations. While operating independently, these gangs maintain close ties and share common adversaries, notably the East Coast Crips and the Florencia 13 gang.
The Grape Street Crips are considered the largest Crip gang in Watts, boasting a membership exceeding 2,000 active individuals. Their primary and most intense rivalry is with the Bounty Hunter Bloods, a conflict marked as one of the bloodiest in Watts. Interestingly, both the Grape Street Crips, the Bounty Hunter Bloods, and the PJ Watts Crips were participants in the 1992 Watts Truce, a significant, albeit temporary, attempt to quell gang violence.
The Grape Street Crips’ presence and activities have been documented in several media productions. They are featured in documentaries like Crips and Bloods: Made in America, Dead Homies, and Gangland on the History Channel. Furthermore, their conflict with the East Coast Crips was examined in National Geographic specials focusing on Los Angeles gang wars. The Jordan Downs Housing Projects, their stronghold, served as a filming location for Spider Loc’s music video “Blutiful World” and also appeared in parts of the acclaimed film Menace II Society.
In the complex web of gang alliances and rivalries, the Grape Street Crips are positioned against most Bloods and Crips gangs within Watts. However, they maintain alliances with groups such as the South Side Watts Varrio Grape, Grape Street Crips (in New Jersey), Eight Tray Gangster Crips, Rollin 30’s Harlem Crips, and various Compton Crips sets known as CC Riders. Their rivals include the 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, and Florencia 13, illustrating the extensive and multifaceted nature of their gang affiliations and conflicts.
