Treetop Piru Gang - Compton - Community Snapshot
The City of Compton is a small City, merely a 10 square mile area just south, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Incorporated in 1888, the city has a population of just under 94,000. But even with it's small size, Compton is home to nearly 60 violent Gangs. The City of Compton has an unusually high crime rate, and most of the crimes committed are violent ones.
The City of Compton once had it's own Police Department, but it was replaced by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department due to budgetary concerns. Former Compton Police Officers that we spoke with stated that the Sheriff's Department was ill equipped to handle the shear level of violence encountered on a daily basis in Compton. Part of their concern stemmed from their belief that the new Deputies simply did not have the experience required to deal with the Gang problem at it's then current level. Shortly after the Sheriff's Department took over policing operations, the City saw a major spike in Violent Crime and Homicides.
In 1988, the Notorious Rap group NWA turned Compton into a household name with their hit "Straight Outta Compton" thus the beginning of the reputation of being a gang City. Compton was immediately transformed into the Glamorized Gang Capital of the world. To be from Compton meant immediate respect and adoration in the gang community. Shortly after the release of NWA's album came another Rapper from Compton - DJ Quik. Prior to releasing his debut album, however, DJ Quik was already a well known rapper in the neighborhood, putting out underground tapes and selling what he could at the local swapmeets.
Not everyone that knew of DJ Quik knew he was a gangster from Tree Top Piru
But, now they do.
Tree Top Piru - from silent beginning to Notorious Street Gang
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