Bloods & Crips
| Company type | Music collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles County , United States |
| Products | Gangsta rap music, albums |
Bloods & Crips was a gangsta rap collective originating from Los Angeles County, primarily recognized for their popular track "Piru Love".
History
In response to the success of N.W.A., which many within gang circles viewed as exploiting gang life, rappers O.Y.G Redrum 781 and Tweedy Bird Loc launched the Bloods & Crips initiative. Authentic members from the Crips (representing Compton, Watts, Long Beach) and Bloods (from Inglewood, Los Angeles) participated in auditions, with the most skilled individuals chosen to contribute to the albums. Their inaugural album, Bangin' on Wax, was released in 1993 through Warlock Records, followed by a sequel, Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues in 1994. Subsequently, the ensemble divided into two separate groups: the Damu Ridas (Bloods) and Nationwide Rip Ridaz (Crips).
First album
Released in 1993 via Dangerous Records, Bangin' on Wax climbed to No. 86 on the Billboard 200. It achieved sales exceeding 500,000 copies and was awarded Gold status. The album featured four singles—"Bangin' on Wax", "Piru Love", "Crip, Crip, Crip", and "Steady Dippin'"—all accompanied by official music videos that enhanced the group's prominence.
The track "Piru Love" includes a chorus performed by Fo' Clips Eclipse, a member of the Crips.
"Steady Dippin'" showcased performances by Crip affiliates Do Or Die (A-Love), Miss C-Note (Dannygirl), Sin Loc, and Blue Ragg (The General), collectively known as the Underworld Connection. This group had been largely inactive due to commitments such as Tweedy Bird Loc's "187 Ride By" and Bangin' On Wax. DJ Battlecat appeared as the DJ in the "Steady Dippin'" video and co-produced the song alongside QLuso and Ronnie Ron.
Second album
The follow-up album, Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues, marked Bloods & Crips’ final joint release in 1994 under Dangerous Records. Music videos for singles like "G's & Locs" and "Wish You Were Here" garnered favorable attention. The album reached No. 139 on the Billboard 200 chart and secured the #20 spot on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ranking.
Third album
Bangin’ on Wax Part 3: No Passes, recorded in 2004 but not issued until 2014 via Dangerous Records with Tweedy Bird Loc’s participation, featured only a limited number of original contributors. This release came after producer Ronnie M. Phillips passed away in 2003.
Aftermath
Following the conclusion of the Bloods & Crips collaboration, both factions pursued individual paths: the Crips under the name Nationwide Rip Ridaz and the Bloods as Damu Ridas.
Nationwide Rip Ridaz
Nationwide Rip Ridaz produced two albums: their self-titled debut in 1995 and Betrayed (Can't Trust Nobody) released in 1999. Among their members, Donald “AWOL” Stallworth was fatally shot by police in 1997.
Damu Ridas
Primarily consisting of members from the L.A. Denver Lane Bloods and Crenshaw Mafia Bloods—two groups with a longstanding alliance—Damu Ridas released their debut album, self-titled Damu Ridas, in 1995, followed by How Deep Is Your Hood in 1999. Out of the original nine core members, seven have been confirmed deceased, including B-Brazy (who died in 2003), Peanut II (fatally shot by Crips in 1995), and Lil' Laniak II (killed around 1995). Numerous other members have either been victims of violent deaths or have faced imprisonment, reflecting the group's troubled and violent past.
Members
- 8 Ball
- Ahmed Younes a.k.a. Lefty
- 031AK Juice
- AWOL (Donald Stallworth)
- Baby Hawk
- Baby Maniak
- Baby Stretch
- BabyMak
- Blaze
- B-Brazy
- B.G. Scarface
- Big Freeze
- Big FM
- Big Hawk
- Biggy Mad-Eyez
- Big Stretch
- Big Wy (Red Rag)
- Bloody Mary
- Blue Ragg
- Breo
- Broncoe
- Boot
- Cixx Pac
- DeathRow
- Domino
- Findas
- Fo' Clips
- FroLo
- Gangsta Red
- Gangsta Yank
- G-Len
- Green AK
- Green Eyez
- G-Spyder
- June Dawg
- Knots
- Koolay
- Lady S
- Lil’ 8
- Lil' CK Stretch
- Lil' Leak (CK)
- Lil' Hawk (Bobby Williams)
- Lil' Ms. Chyna
- Miss C-Note
- Moe-B
- Ms. Bonnie
- O.Y.G Redrum 781
- Peanut I
- Peanut II
- Popa Smurf
- Pops
- Quiet Storm
- Robert W. Lewis III (Producer)
- Saif Salama a.k.a. Big S
- Samari Doby (Lil' Stretch)
- Sin Loc
- Lil’ SlepRock
- $car
- Scratch
- Smile
- $pazzG
- $qeakz4k0
- Storm
- Tip-Toe
- Toto
- Tweedy Bird Loc
- Twin Loc (O.G. Cell-E-Cel)
- Vixen
- Witeout
Bloods & Crips
- Bangin' on Wax (1993)
- Bangin' on Wax 2... The Saga Continues (1994)
- Bangin’ on Wax Part 3: No Passes (2014)
Damu Ridas
- Damu Ridas (1995)
- Bang'n on Wax: The Best of the Damu's, Compilation (1997)
- How Deep Is Your Hood (1998)
Nationwide Rip Ridaz
- Nationwide Rip Ridaz (1995)
- Betrayed (Can't Trust Nobody) (1999)
See also
External links
- Warlock Records & Dangerous Records official site
- Bloods & Crips at Billboard
- [Bloods & Crips on iTunes]
- [Bloods & Crips on Discogs]