SOUTH CENTRAL L.A. CRIPS is the story of why nearly 10,000 people were
destined to get killed during the 1970's, 80's and 90's in a social explosion
that began in L.A. then spread across this nation and, indeed, the world.
This is the story of O.G. Jimmie Black (aka O.G. Bobby Johnson in the movie),
who evolves during those explosive years in South Central L.A. from the
Watts Rebellion (1965) to just prior to the days that sparked the L.A. Uprising
(1992). It is the story of a father and son's triumph in the midst of America's
most deadly gang war.
"Bakeer's story moves swiftly, and his writing is deft", Gayle Anthony, LA.
Sentinel.
"I loved the book and the movie." Tupac Shakur.
"The novel CRIPS by Don Bakeer corrects your assumptions about the
gangs." LA Weekly.
Many of the characters personify the collective spirit of the Original Crips/
O.G.'s and specifically that of Raymond Washington, the founder. But, even
more than that, the characters represent the rebellious spirits of Bunchy
Carter, Stanley (Tookie) Williams, Ice T, Ice Cube, Tupac, Nipsey Hussle,
and Sanyinka Shakur (aka Monster Cody), etc.
Bakeer collaborated with Oliver Stone, Steve Anderson,
and Warner Bros. to develop the classic fi lm, SOUTH
CENTRAL (1992) from this book, yet, the movie only
tells a small portion of the true story.
Hajji* Donald Bakeer, 77 and father to 9, has been a poet
in Los Angeles for over 50 years and taught secondary
school English in South Central L.A. for 30 years.
He is, now, retired from teaching and lives in Inglewood,
CA. He made the pilgrimage to Mecca in 1997.
His books: South Central L.A. CRIPS - The Story of the L.A. Street Gang
($8.99);
PTSD! Who, Me? ($7.99), and his songs are available at
donaldbakeerbooks.com