Gangster Disciples–Black Disciples conflict
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| Gangster Disciples–Black Disciples conflict | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | 1974–present | ||
| Location | |||
| Caused by | Split of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation after David Barksdale's death, drug trade disputes, territorial rivalries | ||
| Status | Ongoing | ||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| |||
| Casualty estimates based on law enforcement and media reports. | |||
The Gangster Disciples–Black Disciples conflict is a brutal, ongoing feud between two of Chicago's most notorious African-American street gangs, the Gangster Disciples (GD) and the Black Disciples (BD). Ignited in 1974 by the split of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation (BGDN) after the death of BD co-founder David "King David" Barksdale, the rivalry has raged over drug territories and personal grudges, primarily in Chicago's South Side neighborhoods like Englewood and Roseland. Hundreds have died, including drill rappers FBG Duck and King Von, whose murders underscore the feud's ferocity. The 2010s rise of drill music, with its raw lyrics and social media taunts, has amplified the conflict, turning gang disputes into public spectacles. Despite federal RICO crackdowns, the feud persists as of 2025, a grim symbol of Chicago's struggle with violence, poverty, and segregation.
Background
[edit]Rise of the Black Gangster Disciple Nation
[edit]In the early 1960s, David Barksdale formed the Devil's Disciples on Chicago's South Side, a gang that became the Black Disciples by 1966, battling rivals like the Black P. Stones.[4] In 1969, Barksdale joined forces with Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters, to create the BGDN under the Folk Nation alliance. The BGDN ruled Chicago's drug trade, leveraging its size and discipline.[5]
1974 Split and Seeds of Conflict
[edit]On September 2, 1974, Barksdale died of kidney failure, a consequence of a 1968 assassination attempt, fracturing the BGDN.[4] Hoover, imprisoned since 1973 for a murder conviction, led the Gangster Disciples, building a corporate-like hierarchy.[5] Loyalists to Barksdale formed the Black Disciples, adopting a decentralized structure with “ministers” and revering Barksdale as a martyr.[1] By 1989, competition over Englewood's drug markets sparked open warfare, with the BD chafing under GD dominance.[6]
Early conflict (1974–2000)
[edit]Crack Cocaine Fuels Violence (1974–1989)
[edit]Early skirmishes focused on drug turf, with the 1980s crack cocaine boom escalating bloodshed. The GD's tight organization clashed with the BD's loose “dynasties.” A 1978 truce, led by BD's Michael "Mickey Bull" Johnson, briefly calmed tensions, but his 1986 imprisonment shattered the peace.[7]
Pivotal incidents (1990s)
[edit]Murder of Mickey Bull (1991)
[edit]On August 6, 1991, BD leader Michael Johnson was gunned down in Englewood, allegedly by GD members. The next day, BD members killed three GD affiliates, fueling a deadly cycle.[6] From 1991 to 1995, Chicago saw over 200 gang-related murders.[1]
Killing of Robert "Yummy" Sandifer (1994)
[edit]On September 1, 1994, 11-year-old BD member Robert Sandifer shot 14-year-old Shavon Dean in Roseland during a drive-by aimed at GD rivals. Fearing he'd snitch, BD leaders ordered his death. On September 6, teens Derrick (14) and Cragg Hardaway (16) executed Sandifer under a viaduct, shocking the nation.[8]
Drill music (2010–present)
[edit]Birth of drill music
[edit]In the early 2010s, drill music emerged on Chicago's South Side, a raw hip-hop style with grim beats and violent lyrics, pioneered by Chief Keef (BD-affiliated) and producer Young Chop.[9] Social media turned local beefs into global spectacles, with GD rappers like FBG Duck (Tookaville) and BD artists like Lil Durk and King Von (O-Block) trading insults in tracks like FBG Duck's "Dead Bitches," which mocked dead O-Block members.[10][11]
2016: Chicago’s deadliest year
[edit]In 2016, Chicago logged 739 murders, its bloodiest year since 1997, with 90% of gun violence tied to gangs, including GD and BD sets.[12][13] On September 19, 2016, GD and BD members nearly brawled at New Food Inc. in Englewood after a BD called a GD a “rat” for allegedly snitching. The standoff, just 90 days after a failed June 2016 truce meeting, showed how petty slights sparked shootings. A BD member, “Kaos” (Ron), said, “If we’re sitting here bored, getting high and we got guns around, it ain’t nothing else to do.” That week, a drive-by wounded two GD members and a BD mother caught in the crossfire.[12]
Major killings
[edit]Death of Gakirah Barnes (2014)
[edit]In 2014, 17-year-old GD member Gakirah "KI" Barnes, a feared assassin linked to multiple murders, was shot dead in Woodlawn, allegedly by King Von, stoking the feud.[14]
Murder of FBG Duck (2020)
[edit]On August 4, 2020, Carlton "FBG Duck" Weekly was ambushed and killed in Chicago's Gold Coast by O-Block BD members, tied to his diss track "Dead Bitches." Six O-Block members—Charles Liggins, Kenneth Roberson, Christopher Thomas, Marcus Smart, Tacarlos Offerd, and Ralph Turpin—were convicted in January 2024 for murder in aid of racketeering.[15] FBG Duck's mother, LaSheena Weekly, sued Lil Durk, King Von's estate, and OTF in 2024, claiming they fueled violence for profit.[10]
Killing of King Von (2020)
[edit]On November 6, 2020, BD rapper Dayvon "King Von" Bennett died in an Atlanta shootout with GD affiliates. An O-Block leader, Von allegedly placed a $100,000 bounty on FBG Duck, per FBI files.[16]
Law enforcement crackdowns
[edit]RICO indictments
[edit]Federal RICO statutes have hit both gangs hard: - **2016 GD Sweep**: 32 GD members, including Frank Smith and Warren Griffin, were charged with 10 murders and drug trafficking, with life sentences in 2023.[2] - **2020 BD Bust**: 23 BD members, including leader Darnell "Murder" McMiller, faced drug and gun charges.[3] - **2024 O-Block Convictions**: Six BD members jailed for FBG Duck's murder.[15] - **2025 Spanish GD Case**: Three GD members indicted for 2020 murders and arsons.[17]
Police strategies
[edit]In 2016, Chicago police arrested 140 gang members, including GD and BD affiliates, using a “Strategic Subject List” to predict violence, seizing 23 guns and $45,000 in drugs.[18] Yet, critics say policing doesn't address root causes like poverty and segregation.[19]
Cultural legacy
[edit]The feud has left a deep mark on Chicago through drill music, with artists like Chief Keef, FBG Duck, and King Von becoming global icons. Forrest Stuart's *Ballad of the Bullet* (2020) calls drill a survival tactic in broken communities, though it fans violence.[20] From 2018 to 2020, 63% of Chicago's homicides hit 15 African-American and Latinx neighborhoods, highlighting a “safety gap” tied to disinvestment.[19] Annual BD events on May 24, Barksdale's birthday, and GD's loyalty to Hoover keep the feud's flame alive.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Knox, George W. (2004). Gang Threat Analysis: The Black Disciples. National Gang Crime Research Center. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b U.S. Department of Justice (2023-04-12). "Gang Leaders Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Murder". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b U.S. Department of Justice (2020-09-16). "Alleged Chicago Gang Leader Among 23 Defendants Charged". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Drousie, Émile (2018-04-01). "David Barksdale (1947-1974)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Key, Novelle (2018-07-15). "Larry Hoover (1950-)". BlackPast.org. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b "Black Disciples". Chicago Gang History. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Morgan, Amber (2023-08-22). "The Life And Death Of David Barksdale". AllThatsInteresting.com. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Patel, Kumar (1994-09-02). "Life of Violence Catches Up to Suspected Murderer, 11". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Fisher, Laurence (2023-03-22). "Are Drill Musicians Chronicling Violence or Exploiting It?". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Smith, Mitch (2024-10-09). "Rapper FBG Duck's Mom Sues Lil Durk, King Von's Estate". WBEZ Chicago. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Charles, Sam (2023-11-20). "Chicago Gangs: A Deadly Game Fueled by Drill Rap". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b Smith, Mitch (2016-12-22). "Bored, Broke and Armed: Clues to Chicago's Gang Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Schwarze, David (2016-12-22). "Why 2016 Has Been Chicago's Bloodiest Year in Almost Two Decades". Newsweek. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Johnson, Mike (2024-02-15). "FBG Duck Murder Tied to King Von's Death". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b U.S. Department of Justice (2024-01-22). "Six Members or Associates of Violent Street Gang Convicted". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Lee, Jonathan (2020-11-07). "King Von Shot and Killed in Atlanta". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ U.S. Department of Justice (2025-05-15). "Federal Indictment Charges Three Alleged Members of Chicago Street Gang". Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Davey, Monica (2016-05-20). "140 Are Arrested in Gang Raids in Chicago". The New York Times. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ a b "Mayor's Office Violence Reduction Dashboard". City of Chicago. 2025-06-06. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
- ^ Stuart, Forrest (2020). Ballad of the Bullet: Gangs, Drill Music, and the Power of Online Infamy. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691194431. Retrieved 2025-06-08.