Taking a Look at the Juggalo Subculture

First: they were the first gang in Chicago (Quite possibly the whole USA too) to ever using gang signs. The sign was the formation of 2 hands in the shape of a Cobras head.

The Subculture of N.A is a life outside of any expectations formed by the main Cultural Influence. It is a very private organization that I belong to which became a way of life for me. It has values, traditions, beliefs, sanctions and roles. This is the only outside influence in my life that made me develop meaning to my life again. I was a complete and total crack addict who finally hit the bottom of the barrel and started looking for a way to climb out of the grave I dug myself into.

The word Juggalo was a designation the Insane Clown Posse gave themselves but expanded the expression to include their followers. When the song "What is a Juggalo" was released it was an instant success. The track really defines this subculture by devaluing social norms throughout the lyrics. When Vinnie Monaster who writes for a column called Ask a Juggalo was asked, “How does one officially become a Juggalo?” He responded by saying “It's not a trophy.

They were influence by rock and roll music similar as Punk. They were seen wearing leather jackets, motorcycle boots, white or black t-shirts, black leather gloves, chain wallets and with a pair of black and blue jeans. The leather jackets had been an icon of the greaser youth culture and also were known as “motorcycle gang

The skinhead style was not only influenced by music but also obtain extremely strong messages or values and was often related to crime and

Since the early ninety’s, a controversial Detroit rap group known as Insane Clown Posse have boasted about torturous murder methods and brutal killings within their music. Within hours of the release of their debut album The great malinko the Southern Baptist Convention criticized Disney for signing the group after proclaiming ICP was the devil’s music. Disney instantly dropped ICP from the label and removed their album from stores. Soon after, homicide reports started to spread with perpetrators proclaiming themselves as Juggalos (Insane Clown Posse fans). The FBI listed ICP as a dangerous gang, and, in many states, the group’s live shows were cancelled. Despite their music being banned in several countries and media outlets, this group continues to release music. Once a year the group and its fans come together for what’s known as The Gathering of the Juggalos in Thornville, Ohio. I thought to infiltrate the gathering to gain insight on this homicidal culture and hopefully develop a better understanding of how this all came to be.

Surenos are another popular gang in Fresno, most surenos are Mexican, Hispanic, or Latino. Their color to wear or represent is blue, therefore they will carry a blue rag with them most of the time. Tatoos they usually have are “south side”, the number 13, three dots (each dot stand for one word in “mi vida loca”), and when they have killed someone they will have a tear drop tattooed on the side of their eye. They will also use a rosary around there neck to show respect for god, but it is also something that represents the sureno gang in general.

Above an image of a group of punks with customised clothing including rips, studs, chains, safety pins, leather and denim. In addition to this body modifications such as multiple piercings and tattoos were increasingly popular for

A trademark of the MS-13, they have “established a reputation for extreme violence and for killing with machetes” (BBC). The MS-13 boast their tattoos and do not hide who their criminal activities, evident of the slaughtering of four young-males in New York last week. Although there is little overall leadership in the MS-13, the cliques formed are ripened with familial structure. The members will kill, rape, and die for each other at the expense of everyone else. Since they have inferior structure, the MS-13 employ a street type of gang activity. he MS-13 are easy to spot in a crowd because their tattoos are apparent and extravagant. Common tattoos include “MS-13, “MS”, “Salvatrucha”, the “Devil Horns”, and the name of their clique. However, similar to other gangs, they have “been moving away from the tattoos in an effort to commit crimes without being noticed and get away with them” (weebly). MS-13 typically wear blue and white, the colors of the El Salvadoran flag, bandanas, and sports jerseys with the numbers 13, 23, or 3. Although the MS-13 include various ages, they are strict when it comes to ethnicity in their membership. The majority of members are Hispanic and, specifically, are from Central American countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. The MS-13 are regularly the lone wolf in the gang world, but are starting to form more concrete relationships with Mexican cartels (i.e. the Zetas) to heighten their drug trafficking

These are countercultures which are smaller groups within a certain culture group that are in opposition to all the behaviors and norms of the larger group. (Newman, 124) These countercultures contribute to the violation of norms and values of the dominate group.

Valdez states, “African-American street gangs adopted membership indicia commonly used by Latino Gangs” A common form for all gangs are to use graffiti, which is a way of marking their territory and or a way to show rival gang members that they have been into their neighborhoods and have disrespected their enemies. Clothing plays a critical part in the way all gags represent their

Many of these girls, as Abner tells, come from homes where they parents were original gangsters (founding members), or O.G.?s. They grow up with a ?strong gang presence?, and that gang turns into their own family (Eghigian). Usually, the gang presence is found within the relationships between their parents, friends, and boyfriends. These gangs make the girls feel at home because of the ties the membership comes with. Once a member, they will most likely always be a member because of ties ?that supersede blood ties? (Abner).

Their subculture has a number of beliefs that differ from mainstream society as well. One belief is that marijuana use is increasing rapidly globally and The War on Drugs is a failure. This is one of their strongest beliefs. They are very correct about both points. The unsuccessful War on Drugs is very costly, and

There is something about the ideology of a subculture that sparks an interest in me. Maybe it is intriguing due to its members’ originality, courage to stand up for beliefs, or freely expressing their own self- identity. A subculture forms by individuals taking a risk, separating themselves from the mainstream, and forming their own distinctive norms, not caring what the “normal” members of the mainstream society think of them. Or do they care? Maybe that is the exact statement a subculture is making. Maybe these individuals are forming these groups so that people will care. Maybe their rebellious attitude is a final, somewhat desperate approach to getting that response. The images being portrayed in most subcultures are

The term “subculture” refers to a group of people who have similarities between them, and these similarities distinguish them significantly from other social groups. The similarities do not mean religious or political affiliation. These groups have different beliefs than the main culture and are youth oriented. These subcultures have their own styles of music, ideology,