GTA Gangs: Things you don’t know about the gangs.
If you have played the GTA series games, you’ve almost certainly encountered GTA gangs at some point in your gameplay. Today we will learn about five GTA gangs in Grand Theft Auto.
Firstly, a bit of an introduction. GTA is a name responsible for most of Rockstar’s fame. With the most recent release, “GTA V” they proved that they can make really good games with awesome details. This article will cover just a few of those awesome details about the gangs of the GTA series. Without any further ado, let’s dive in.
About the GTA Gangs
1) Grove street families
(Credit: Rockstar)
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Real-life details:
Grove street families are based on real-life African- American gang, Crips. They are based in the coastal region of southern California. Founded in 1969 in Los Angeles, California, they are the largest and most violent street gang. Traditionally, its members wear blue color clothing. With an estimated 30,000 to 35,000 members in 2008, they have been involved in murders, robberies, and drug dealing, among other crimes.
In game details:
(Credit: Rockstar games)
Main location: Ganton
Leaders: Sean “Sweet” Johnson, Carl Johnson, The Boss (Unseen, GTA V)
Color: Green
The Grove Street Family is seen in GTA V as “The Family“.
2) Ballas
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Real-life details:
Ballas is based on the real-life African- American gang, Bloods. The gang was founded in Los Angeles, California. They are identified by red color clothing worn by their gang members and by particular gang symbols and hand symbols.
Bloods was formed initially to compete against the influence of Crips. The rivalry was originated in the 1960s when Raymond Washington and other crips members attacked Sylvester Scott and Benson Owens. As a result, Scott formed “Piru street gang” and Owens formed “West Piru Gang”. The gang formed by Scott was the first Bloods gang. On June 5, 1972, three months after Ballou’s murder, Fredrick “Lil Country” Garret was murdered by a Westside Crip.
This marked the first Crips murder against another gang member and motivated non-Crip gangs to align with each other. The Brims struck back on August 4, 1972, by murdering Thomas Ellis, an original Westside Crip. By late 1972, the Pirus held a meeting in their neighborhood to discuss growing Crip pressure and intimidation.
Several gangs that felt victimized by the Crips joined the Pirus to create a new federation of non-Crips neighborhoods. This alliance became the Bloods. The Pirus are therefore considered the founders of the Bloods.
In-game details:
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Locations: Glen Park (GTA SA), Idlewood (GTA SA), Davis (GTA V), Chamberlain Hills (GTA V).
Leaders: Kane (GTA SA), Unknown (GTA V).
Color: Purple.
3) Vagos
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Real-life details:
Vagos is based on the real-life Mexican gang, Sureños. Sureños are groups of loosely affiliated gangs that pay tribute to the Mexican Mafia while in U.S. state and federal correctional facilities. Many Sureño gangs have rivalries with one another, and the only time this rivalry is set aside is when they enter the prison system.
The stronghold of Sureño is Southern California. They have a heavy presence in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico Utah, and even in the far east, New York. They can also be found in Mexico. They maintain ties with many drug trafficking cartels in Mexico and are also involved in many other crimes.
The term Sureño means “Southerner” in Spanish. Even though Sureños were established in 1968, the term was not used until the 1970s as a result of the continued conflict between the Mexican Mafia and Nuestra Familia in California’s prison system. As a result of these prison wars, all Hispanic California street gangs align themselves with the Sureño or Norteño movements—with very few exceptions, such as the Fresno Bulldogs and the Maravilla gangs of East Los Angeles, California.
In-game details:
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Locations: East Beach (GTA SA), Los Flores (GTA SA), Las Colinas (GTA SA), Cypress Flats (GTA V), Rancho (GTA V)
Leaders: Big Poppa (GTA SA), Edgar Carlos (GTA V)
Color: Yellow
4) Aztecas
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Real-life details:
Aztecas is based on the real-life Central American gang, 18th street gang. It is a multi-ethnic gang that started as a street gang in Los Angeles. It is one of the largest Los Angeles gangs with members with 30,000 to 50,000 members between the United States, Central America, Mexico, and also allied with Mexican Mafia. They consider MS-13 as their rival.
18th Street gang started near 18th Street and Union Avenue in the Rampart District of Los Angeles. There is conflicting information as to the exact area, but this is a generally accepted area by most academic sources. They were originally part of Clanton 14 but wanted to make a separate “clique” called Clanton 18th Street and allow immigrants the opportunity to join. This proposal was rejected by the Clanton 14, which led to the formation of the 18th Street gang. The two gangs have been bitter rivals ever since.
In-game details:
(Credit: Rockstar Games)
Locations: Northern Rancho (GTA V), Blain County (GTA V), El Corona (GTA SA), Little Mexico (GTA SA), Unity Station (GTA SA).
Leader: Ortega (GTA V), Cesar Vialpando (GTA SA).
Color: Turquoise, Orange (Tag color in GTA SA)
Fact: They are known in the 3D universe (GTA SA) as Varrio Los Aztecas
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5) Marabunta Grande
(Credits: Rockstar Games)
Real life details:
Marabunta Grande is based on the real-life international criminal gang, Mara Salvatrucha (Also known as, MS-13). Originally, the gang was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area. Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization. MS-13 is defined by its cruelty and its rivalry with the 18th Street gang.
Many MS-13 members were deported to El Salvador after the close of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992, or upon being arrested, facilitating the spread of the gang to Central America. The gang is currently active in many parts of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Most members are Central American, Salvadorans in particular.
In-game details:
Location: El Burro Heights, Vespucci Beach (Only at night), East Vinewood drain canal (Only at night)
Leader: The Boss (Doesn’t appear on the screen.)
Color: Blue and White.
Facts:
I) This gang doesn’t appear in GTA SA.
II) In the game too, this gang (MS-13) is portrayed as a Salvadorian gang, but as a street gang instead of an international gang.
III) Unlike all other gangs, since they don’t appear in GTA SA, they don’t have any gang tags.
That’s everything you need to know about the GTA Gangs
Woah, that’s a lot of new info. Or was it? For many of you out there, this might not be new. For these people, I thank them for noticing such small details of the game.
Honestly, while I was writing this, I also came to know about many details of these GTA gangs and the game itself. And for those who didn’t know those, well now you know. You came to know about the gangs, the people who you were fighting in your game. Don’t you feel a bit happy or connected?
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