Interview Narrative
Reggie is an active gang member from Newark, New Jersey. Reggie and his brother has always been very close which lead to the start of a strong brotherly bond. They stuck together no matter the circumstances which earned them respect in their community. However, after learning about his Haitian heritage and the Haitian gangs in the area, he saw an opportunity to gain power to make a change in his community while joining a brotherhood with people similar to him. Today, Reggie is a rapper with the name "YB" which stands for "Why Be?" which is an existential question. If you are not doing anything to make life better for others, why be in existence?
Interview Summary
The interview from Reggie reveals the true nature of his character and embraces the polarity of his character in reflection to how the media portrays gang membership. Reggie’s first response addresses the commonality of gang culture in his society. In his area gang culture is very common and can be categorized as street gangs. He then responds to the question of obligation to join a gang based on the nature of commonality. Reggie is very individualistic; he joined at age 16/17. He states that his reason for joining was more so ”a haitian thing and like I wasn’t really doing it off of some blood shit. It was definitely more so of a self awareness I want to prove something to myself type thing, see what I am really capable of and all of that you know what I am saying. I am big on leadership, I wanted to take on some leadership role in the community” This shows that his involvement was his decision, he really felt no outside pressure from society. He really did feel pressure coming from his culture: Haitian. He wanted a community where he could embrace his leadership and possibly even organize his life a little better. When asked of the pressures of the media, Reggie advocates that it did not contribute to his involvement, Reggie had a tough home life, just him and his brother. It can be assumed that his individualistic, hard working nature stems from having to grow up quickly in his childhood. With the last question of the advice for your past self in joining a gang, Reggie really displays his hard working nature and true empathetic personality. He first addresses that other people are going to have different interests. He says that he feels selfish for not being open to other’s passions in the past. He goes on to say, ”it’s like more so being aware of.. that you know who's watching and how people feel, not to say that I should feel, I should be influenced, on how should I say it?... Not to say that I should let people influence how I feel about it, but more so understand how other people maybe more passionate about it than you”. From his words it can be gathered that Reggie is a very caring person in regards to the passions of other people. Even though Reggie happened to graduate high school, is pursuing a college degree, has a job, and his goal is to make it out of the hood, that doesn't dismiss what anyone else is doing. This idea that Reggie is very open to other pursuits, is extremely hard working and takes the empathetic approach to leadership combats the media's animalistic, territorial, and violent depiction of gang membership on a variety of levels.
Sense of Security
The reoccurring theme in Reggie's interview was the concept of security and the ways in which joining a gang provides an all-encompassing sense of reliability. There is a sense of consistency when referencing those who join gangs as having unsecure home life, and in Reggie's case he vulnerably shared that there was a time that it was just him and his brother against everyone and everything. The prevalence of this is further supported by the source "Youth and Gang Life" which shares the personal stories of gang members and time and time again it is seen that which is further supported by the source "Youth and Gang Life" which depicts the true sense or lack there of of a secure home life and or proper role models. In knowing this it becomes clear that with an unsteady home environment the world is easier to navigate when you know that you will have people to stick by you through and though.
Full Content of Interview
Jordan: How common is gang culture in your community or region?
Reggie: Gang culture is extremely common it's just really a perspective thing in my opinion, because I could look at my congregation of friends, I think because somebody walk close to me and try to fight me I doubt my friends are going to tolerate that so because we all take initiative on the situation its deemed gang activity or whatever. When really its just a group of people who are a very close group of friends wanting to respect each other. And it's just misconstrued and it's just like gang culture is everywhere. Whether its a fraternity or whatever it may be there some type of quote on quote gang culture
Jordan: Right
Reggie: But in my community it's pretty common, you know what i am saying it's pretty generic like everybody wants to be a part of something
Jordan: When you first joined the gang did you feel obligated to join and if so did the media play a part in it?
Reggie: It was more so of a self awareness thing, like I definitely wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing this for nobody else and I also wanted to know why I was doing this. And more so it was a haitan thing and like I wasn’t really doing it off of some blood shit. It was definitely more so of a self awareness I want to prove something to myself type thing, see what I am really capable of and all of that you know what I am saying. I am big on leadership, I wanted to take on some leadership role in the community
Jordan: What age were you when you joined?
Reggie: Seventeen, Sixteen? It was after I graduated, I went to college in august and it was the summer of 2017 that's when I graduated from high school
Jordan: Alright bet, next question, did seeing the depiction of gangs in the media impact your overall self image and the way you saw yourself?
Reggie: Definitely not, only because I already had problems. Like growing up me and my brother wasn’t always banging, like it was just me and my brother, and there was a time when it was us against everybody.
Jordan: Yeah
Reggie: Like it didn't matter who you thought you were, you thought you knew anything of that nature we didn't give a fuck. It got to the point where it was on some shit like people fucked with the fact that I am ten toes you know what I am saying and on top of the fact that I fuck with them and what they stand for, now I always already going through the discovery season of those that were gang banging and I wasn’t leaning towards that at all. But at the time I was becoming more culturally aware of the Asian culture and a former staff member from my high school was actually affiliated and he was Haitian, and he was like how come you Haitian and like you feel me, i didn't even really know
Jordan: Right
Reggie: I was like give me a reason of why you didn't know and I realize that I wasn't shameful but I wasn’t taking pride you know what I am saying. When he came to that realization he started putting me on everything you understand we are the first nation to even establish any kind of revolution, mind you the whole time you in school learning about the American revolution all of this stuff and the close of your own is what really paved the way for that. So that’s who I am, that's why I ain't got no choice first of all because I am going to be Haitian till the day I die. I might as well embrace that shit and learn about it you know what I am saying. Look at how the Haitian culture is perceived now, everybody want to know a Haitian. So once you realize where you really from them nobody fuck with you
Jordan: Exactly
Reggie: So I am like yeah I fuck with this shit, you feel me so nothing else played a role into it besides me you feel me
Jordan: right
Reggie: So at the end of the day you know making a decision like that really life or death and jeopardizes your freedom. If social media or anything else besides yourself is playing a role in it, you gotta want to want that shit for yourself
Jordan: right.
Reggie: you feel me you know come burning fire or what not, they're gonna ask you want to do it in the first place, weren’t not here to protect nobody. We’re a congregation that is trying to better the community and unfortunately over time people on the outside lost that picture you feel me
Jordan: yeah, yeah, yeah
Reggie: Anything that the black panther stood for that's what our initial- and it's still our motive right now but people got their own agendas that they want to prioritize, you feel me
Jordan: right, right
Reggie: That's why you may see a certain negative connotation about gangs, but all of it was built off of comradery, like you scratch my back I scratch your back. Now you have people getting in positions of power, who also have their own hidden agendas. Of course you're gonna see mother fuckers killing each other because that person wants that person's position of power
Jordan: right
Reggie: Like okay once you know why you’re doing something, then nobody can influence how you feel about yourself or anything as a whole
Jordan: right, yeah
Reggie: Cause while people will tell you I am a bum, the first thing you're gonna know is that I make music, you’re not gonna know that I am gang banging why because I know why I wanted to do that shit, for me not for nobody else. So why am i gonna walk around putting that on a pedestal
Jordan: Exactly, I got you
Reggie: That's what I call unnecessary attention, like why argue with an officer if you know he's in an assertive position of power, your freedom is in his hands at his fingertips don't argue with these “n words”, like if you know for a fact that it wasn’t a justified action towards you then alright you feel me but even then I don't mean you go all out disrespecting people
Jordan: right
Reggie: like bruh when you read the book the art of war, even in war there's rules, people be like oh there's no rules in fighting, but there's even rules in war. Don't tell me your brining people to trial after war, when me and you just killed the same amount of people.
Jordan: Yeah I feel you
Reggie: You know all this shit that you see is very small compared to the mass US army and on top of that our military, aka our militia, they're both the same thing. Don’t tell me your looking at us like a gang, when you got different branches of the military
Jordan: Exactly
Reggie: Y'all quick to point fingers at us when y’all got a whole infantry. We don't got infantry we just got “n words” putting into the type of work they believe in.
Jordan: Right
Reggie: “n words” got to be earning a wage in order for it to not be deemed a gang, but like bet being money oriented is a whole other thing. Why is it so money oriented when we fight for a cause, it's a whole snowball effect that people don't understand but are so quick to be judgmental and prejudice
Jordan: That was a good ass answer, With that shit it answered some of my other answers, So we just got one more and then we cool.
Reggie: Period.
Jordan: So the Last one is, Is there any advice you would give your past self in regards to gangs or joining one?
Reggie: mmm… gimme one second...
Jordan: You're good take your time.
Reggie: I mean… advice pertaining to what tho like… just generally speaking? Or like...you know like, somebody that works with like joining a gang or something like that?
Jordan: Yeah, the question is, “ Is there any advice you would give yourself or your past self in regards to gangs or joining one.
Reggie: Uhhhh
Jordan: Or like, there’s like somethin you know now that you wish you woulda told yourself, your past self, or something like that…. I mean if not then, that's the answer, there's none, but if you have something like that then like what would you let yourself know from the past u know what I mean
Reggie: Uhhhh I mean.. Dey like U always learning
Jordan: Exactly.
Reggie: I believe like everything has a pro and con to it, so with like again, it all goes back to perspective, I would say like yo like you for me, when ni---- telling you exactly who they lives, they weren't go again, like there's certain things that I knew about already, but I just ya know, not necessarily took it for bluff, but I really… It was lowkey selfish cause you know I like was like “ I'm not gonna be in that situation so you know like ya know like whatever the case is. Compared to, I am out here to be inspired ,to be a part of that, it's like the propagation. Now YOU may not feel that way, but because I’m not feeling that way, ya know I'm being negligent toward the fact that somebody else could get in that predicament.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Ya know what I'm saying..
Jordan: Yea
Reggie: So it’s like more so being aware of.. that you know who's watching and how people feel, not to say that I should feel, I should be influenced, on how should I say it? Not to say that I should let people influence how I feel about it, but moreso understand how other people may be more passionate about it than you, the mother fucker actually putting themselves in the crossfire type shit, they don't give a fuck like, they passionate about it. They saw your passion and they amplified it times 2, you feel me?
Jordan: Yea, mhm
Reggie: You gotta understand like certain people have a different drive than you, so you may be passive aggressive, somebody else may be straight aggressive, “Man.. you know what I beat the drrrratataat fuck them ni----, WHY? Because of how passionate they was. They don't see though, that, you were able to cold switch, you were were always, ya know, on ur hood shit, and where you go
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: You know what I'm saying..
Jordan: Yea
Reggie: Man I got a Job, you feel me,
Jordan: Uh huh.
Reggie: that trap bitch shit is...Push comes to shove, like last resort, like I've been down doin that, you feel me.
Jordan : Yea.
Reggie: SO why take the easy way out? An unguaranteed and when it's not guaranteed. Money that's not guaranteed, when I could just do something that actually solidify, and then bust some bells on the side.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Now I got multiple source of income type thing, ya feel me?
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: I'm never gonna take the easy way out cause now… you not even training yourself to like.. Ya know to get it. You want the short cut you want the easy way… In life there's just no shortcuts, You don't know, how you're supposed to do it all right, how ya gonna know? You can't expect the shortcut ya know to last… you feel me ?
Jordan: Right, I feel you.
Reggie: So it's more so being aware of like others around you and how you influence others. Dere ya go its really understand how I influence others. There was a time I didn't realize that people looked up to me. Me, I'm the type, I hate people, not that I hate people, it's more so like I don't have the patience for the ignorance and bullshit that people come with.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Especially if your not respectful. If you respectful wit it, dan like, Ill be more than helpful to help you, just so, you respect me and respecting my time and what not, I fuck with, you feel me, but not a lot of people come like that you feel me. People impatient and I'm a patient person don't get me wrong but my faith is out the window when I see that I tryin to invest in, I will not invest my time if you're not willing to invest in yourself, that it
Jordan: Right, I feel you.
Reggie: And, a lot of times people don't understand that, so it's like me, I came into this hood shit already knowing what I wanted to do with myself like, boom. Ima do this, mid you, I just graduated high school, so Ima bum home, Ima go to college and do what I gotta do in college, the same reason why I bum home school, what made me comfortable doin that shit was my OG, it was like he never had me on no gang (x5) side when I had that conversation with him it was like, the goals to make it out of the hood. You feel me?
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: So why would I ever put anybody in a predicament that they are not built for.
Jordan: Exactly.
Reggie: Bro when I heard that bro, I was like I'm not a bum (indistinguishable) fuck all that like… NOW I could be a part of something without having to worry about beating a serve a certain facade, I could be me some bullshit like that. Now because of that I don't have to be gang banging ass ni--- to whoop somebody's ass, But now because of that it instills something in me, where I may not be a fighter, but if your overstep or step on some ni---- toes, Ima whoop ur ass.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: For a cause! Cause ya know I'm not no fighter. It’s for a cause! You know what I'm saying. So again, It's really understanding the influences you have on other people around you, it's not…. Who cares what other people think, but you best be knowing like yo, If i do this, my baby brother is gonna do the exact same thing times 3, I gotta be careful what phrase I use you feel me. Not to say you give a fuck about what other people think, but man you want your baby sister knowing about the sesh cause you sitting there talkin about it all the time, like HELL NO.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Like others, that don't understand that, they don't give a fuck like dadada okay like If you got a girl comin over to our house to ya know like talkin about somethin in front of our little sister, like no you don't want that what you doin, that's my lil sister right here, SAME THING.
Reggie: Gang culture is extremely common it's just really a perspective thing in my opinion, because I could look at my congregation of friends, I think because somebody walk close to me and try to fight me I doubt my friends are going to tolerate that so because we all take initiative on the situation its deemed gang activity or whatever. When really its just a group of people who are a very close group of friends wanting to respect each other. And it's just misconstrued and it's just like gang culture is everywhere. Whether its a fraternity or whatever it may be there some type of quote on quote gang culture
Jordan: Right
Reggie: But in my community it's pretty common, you know what i am saying it's pretty generic like everybody wants to be a part of something
Jordan: When you first joined the gang did you feel obligated to join and if so did the media play a part in it?
Reggie: It was more so of a self awareness thing, like I definitely wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing this for nobody else and I also wanted to know why I was doing this. And more so it was a haitan thing and like I wasn’t really doing it off of some blood shit. It was definitely more so of a self awareness I want to prove something to myself type thing, see what I am really capable of and all of that you know what I am saying. I am big on leadership, I wanted to take on some leadership role in the community
Jordan: What age were you when you joined?
Reggie: Seventeen, Sixteen? It was after I graduated, I went to college in august and it was the summer of 2017 that's when I graduated from high school
Jordan: Alright bet, next question, did seeing the depiction of gangs in the media impact your overall self image and the way you saw yourself?
Reggie: Definitely not, only because I already had problems. Like growing up me and my brother wasn’t always banging, like it was just me and my brother, and there was a time when it was us against everybody.
Jordan: Yeah
Reggie: Like it didn't matter who you thought you were, you thought you knew anything of that nature we didn't give a fuck. It got to the point where it was on some shit like people fucked with the fact that I am ten toes you know what I am saying and on top of the fact that I fuck with them and what they stand for, now I always already going through the discovery season of those that were gang banging and I wasn’t leaning towards that at all. But at the time I was becoming more culturally aware of the Asian culture and a former staff member from my high school was actually affiliated and he was Haitian, and he was like how come you Haitian and like you feel me, i didn't even really know
Jordan: Right
Reggie: I was like give me a reason of why you didn't know and I realize that I wasn't shameful but I wasn’t taking pride you know what I am saying. When he came to that realization he started putting me on everything you understand we are the first nation to even establish any kind of revolution, mind you the whole time you in school learning about the American revolution all of this stuff and the close of your own is what really paved the way for that. So that’s who I am, that's why I ain't got no choice first of all because I am going to be Haitian till the day I die. I might as well embrace that shit and learn about it you know what I am saying. Look at how the Haitian culture is perceived now, everybody want to know a Haitian. So once you realize where you really from them nobody fuck with you
Jordan: Exactly
Reggie: So I am like yeah I fuck with this shit, you feel me so nothing else played a role into it besides me you feel me
Jordan: right
Reggie: So at the end of the day you know making a decision like that really life or death and jeopardizes your freedom. If social media or anything else besides yourself is playing a role in it, you gotta want to want that shit for yourself
Jordan: right.
Reggie: you feel me you know come burning fire or what not, they're gonna ask you want to do it in the first place, weren’t not here to protect nobody. We’re a congregation that is trying to better the community and unfortunately over time people on the outside lost that picture you feel me
Jordan: yeah, yeah, yeah
Reggie: Anything that the black panther stood for that's what our initial- and it's still our motive right now but people got their own agendas that they want to prioritize, you feel me
Jordan: right, right
Reggie: That's why you may see a certain negative connotation about gangs, but all of it was built off of comradery, like you scratch my back I scratch your back. Now you have people getting in positions of power, who also have their own hidden agendas. Of course you're gonna see mother fuckers killing each other because that person wants that person's position of power
Jordan: right
Reggie: Like okay once you know why you’re doing something, then nobody can influence how you feel about yourself or anything as a whole
Jordan: right, yeah
Reggie: Cause while people will tell you I am a bum, the first thing you're gonna know is that I make music, you’re not gonna know that I am gang banging why because I know why I wanted to do that shit, for me not for nobody else. So why am i gonna walk around putting that on a pedestal
Jordan: Exactly, I got you
Reggie: That's what I call unnecessary attention, like why argue with an officer if you know he's in an assertive position of power, your freedom is in his hands at his fingertips don't argue with these “n words”, like if you know for a fact that it wasn’t a justified action towards you then alright you feel me but even then I don't mean you go all out disrespecting people
Jordan: right
Reggie: like bruh when you read the book the art of war, even in war there's rules, people be like oh there's no rules in fighting, but there's even rules in war. Don't tell me your brining people to trial after war, when me and you just killed the same amount of people.
Jordan: Yeah I feel you
Reggie: You know all this shit that you see is very small compared to the mass US army and on top of that our military, aka our militia, they're both the same thing. Don’t tell me your looking at us like a gang, when you got different branches of the military
Jordan: Exactly
Reggie: Y'all quick to point fingers at us when y’all got a whole infantry. We don't got infantry we just got “n words” putting into the type of work they believe in.
Jordan: Right
Reggie: “n words” got to be earning a wage in order for it to not be deemed a gang, but like bet being money oriented is a whole other thing. Why is it so money oriented when we fight for a cause, it's a whole snowball effect that people don't understand but are so quick to be judgmental and prejudice
Jordan: That was a good ass answer, With that shit it answered some of my other answers, So we just got one more and then we cool.
Reggie: Period.
Jordan: So the Last one is, Is there any advice you would give your past self in regards to gangs or joining one?
Reggie: mmm… gimme one second...
Jordan: You're good take your time.
Reggie: I mean… advice pertaining to what tho like… just generally speaking? Or like...you know like, somebody that works with like joining a gang or something like that?
Jordan: Yeah, the question is, “ Is there any advice you would give yourself or your past self in regards to gangs or joining one.
Reggie: Uhhhh
Jordan: Or like, there’s like somethin you know now that you wish you woulda told yourself, your past self, or something like that…. I mean if not then, that's the answer, there's none, but if you have something like that then like what would you let yourself know from the past u know what I mean
Reggie: Uhhhh I mean.. Dey like U always learning
Jordan: Exactly.
Reggie: I believe like everything has a pro and con to it, so with like again, it all goes back to perspective, I would say like yo like you for me, when ni---- telling you exactly who they lives, they weren't go again, like there's certain things that I knew about already, but I just ya know, not necessarily took it for bluff, but I really… It was lowkey selfish cause you know I like was like “ I'm not gonna be in that situation so you know like ya know like whatever the case is. Compared to, I am out here to be inspired ,to be a part of that, it's like the propagation. Now YOU may not feel that way, but because I’m not feeling that way, ya know I'm being negligent toward the fact that somebody else could get in that predicament.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Ya know what I'm saying..
Jordan: Yea
Reggie: So it’s like more so being aware of.. that you know who's watching and how people feel, not to say that I should feel, I should be influenced, on how should I say it? Not to say that I should let people influence how I feel about it, but moreso understand how other people may be more passionate about it than you, the mother fucker actually putting themselves in the crossfire type shit, they don't give a fuck like, they passionate about it. They saw your passion and they amplified it times 2, you feel me?
Jordan: Yea, mhm
Reggie: You gotta understand like certain people have a different drive than you, so you may be passive aggressive, somebody else may be straight aggressive, “Man.. you know what I beat the drrrratataat fuck them ni----, WHY? Because of how passionate they was. They don't see though, that, you were able to cold switch, you were were always, ya know, on ur hood shit, and where you go
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: You know what I'm saying..
Jordan: Yea
Reggie: Man I got a Job, you feel me,
Jordan: Uh huh.
Reggie: that trap bitch shit is...Push comes to shove, like last resort, like I've been down doin that, you feel me.
Jordan : Yea.
Reggie: SO why take the easy way out? An unguaranteed and when it's not guaranteed. Money that's not guaranteed, when I could just do something that actually solidify, and then bust some bells on the side.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Now I got multiple source of income type thing, ya feel me?
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: I'm never gonna take the easy way out cause now… you not even training yourself to like.. Ya know to get it. You want the short cut you want the easy way… In life there's just no shortcuts, You don't know, how you're supposed to do it all right, how ya gonna know? You can't expect the shortcut ya know to last… you feel me ?
Jordan: Right, I feel you.
Reggie: So it's more so being aware of like others around you and how you influence others. Dere ya go its really understand how I influence others. There was a time I didn't realize that people looked up to me. Me, I'm the type, I hate people, not that I hate people, it's more so like I don't have the patience for the ignorance and bullshit that people come with.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Especially if your not respectful. If you respectful wit it, dan like, Ill be more than helpful to help you, just so, you respect me and respecting my time and what not, I fuck with, you feel me, but not a lot of people come like that you feel me. People impatient and I'm a patient person don't get me wrong but my faith is out the window when I see that I tryin to invest in, I will not invest my time if you're not willing to invest in yourself, that it
Jordan: Right, I feel you.
Reggie: And, a lot of times people don't understand that, so it's like me, I came into this hood shit already knowing what I wanted to do with myself like, boom. Ima do this, mid you, I just graduated high school, so Ima bum home, Ima go to college and do what I gotta do in college, the same reason why I bum home school, what made me comfortable doin that shit was my OG, it was like he never had me on no gang (x5) side when I had that conversation with him it was like, the goals to make it out of the hood. You feel me?
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: So why would I ever put anybody in a predicament that they are not built for.
Jordan: Exactly.
Reggie: Bro when I heard that bro, I was like I'm not a bum (indistinguishable) fuck all that like… NOW I could be a part of something without having to worry about beating a serve a certain facade, I could be me some bullshit like that. Now because of that I don't have to be gang banging ass ni--- to whoop somebody's ass, But now because of that it instills something in me, where I may not be a fighter, but if your overstep or step on some ni---- toes, Ima whoop ur ass.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: For a cause! Cause ya know I'm not no fighter. It’s for a cause! You know what I'm saying. So again, It's really understanding the influences you have on other people around you, it's not…. Who cares what other people think, but you best be knowing like yo, If i do this, my baby brother is gonna do the exact same thing times 3, I gotta be careful what phrase I use you feel me. Not to say you give a fuck about what other people think, but man you want your baby sister knowing about the sesh cause you sitting there talkin about it all the time, like HELL NO.
Jordan: Right.
Reggie: Like others, that don't understand that, they don't give a fuck like dadada okay like If you got a girl comin over to our house to ya know like talkin about somethin in front of our little sister, like no you don't want that what you doin, that's my lil sister right here, SAME THING.