Tupac, the Thug Code and the white american invention of black american criminality

The Invention of Black Criminality

If you think that prisons are places to punish criminals, think again. The primary purpose of prisons in the US is to lock of black revolutionary potential. If you doubt it, do your own homework. You might start with Douglas Blackmon's Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II. Among other things, Blackmon documents how thousands of African American men were picked up on a vague law called "vagrancy" and illegally detained. Basically, if you could not prove to the satisfaction of a police officer that you were gainfully employed you could be locked up indefinitely. Once you were locked up, your labor could be sold to the highest bidder--slavery by another name.

Bottom line: so-called black criminality is an invention of white supremacy. That is not to say there are no organic criminals in black America, but rather that the racist warehousing of black men and the stereotypes of black people as inherently criminal is a product of white pathology...


Below is Amy Goodman's interview of Blackmon. The interview starts at the 50:00 mark.Read the transcript here. 

The Thug Code

I was in the Orange County Courthouse to witness the release of Geronimo Pratt, Minister of Defense in the Black Panther Party, who was set up by "our" government and imprisoned for 27 years on trumped up murder charges. Imagine if that brother and others like him had been on the street working toward black liberation! 


I, like countless of other black male youth, were forced to figure out masculinity for ourselves. Fatherless homes are not primarily about irresponsible black men. It is the planned outcome of America's ongoing war on its black citizens. It goes by different names.

War on drugs.

War on crime.

War on welfare queens.
Educational tracking.

But the aim is clear--to decimate black resistance and black families. In the video below Mutulu Shakur talks about his collaboration with Tupac Shakur. According to Mutulu the Feds trumped up rape charges on Tupac. There was a plan in the works called the "The Code" that was designed to "deal with the outlaw aggression in the streets." Mutulu reveals that Pac was arrested one day after attending a "conference of people from the streets" organized "to see if they could agree on this Thug Code."

CODE OF THUG LIFE

In 1992 at the ‘Truce Picnic’ in Cali, Tupac was instrumental in getting rival members of the Crips and Bloods to sign the Code Of THUG LIFE.

He and Mutulu Shakur had helped write up the ‘code’ , with help from other ‘og’s’.

The Code of THUG LIFE is listed here.It details do's and don'ts for being a righteous thug and banger.

Code OF THUG LIFE:

1. All new Jacks to the game must know: a) He’s going to get rich. b) He’s going to jail. c) He’s going to die.

2. Crew Leaders: You are responsible for legal/financial payment commitments to crew members; your word must be your bond.

3. One crew’s rat is every crew’s rat. Rats are now like a disease; sooner or later we all get it; and they should too.

4. Crew leader and posse should select a diplomat, and should work ways to settle disputes. In unity, there is strength!

5. Car jacking in our Hood is against the Code.

6. Slinging to children is against the Code.

7. Having children slinging is against the Code.

8. No slinging in schools.

9. Since the rat Nicky Barnes opened his mouth; ratting has become accepted by some. We’re not having it.

10. Snitches is outta here.

11. The Boys in Blue don’t run nothing; we do. Control the Hood, and make it safe for squares.

12. No slinging to pregnant Sisters. That’s baby killing; that’s genocide!

13. Know your target, who’s the real enemy.

14. Civilians are not a target and should be spared.

15. Harm to children will not be forgiven.

16. Attacking someone’s home where their family is known to reside, must be altered or checked.

17. Senseless brutality and rape must stop.

18. Our old folks must not be abused.

19. Respect our Sisters. Respect our Brothers.

20. Sisters in the Life must be respected if they respect themselves.

21. Military disputes concerning business areas within the community must be handled professionally and not on the block.

22. No shooting at parties.

23. Concerts and parties are neutral territories; no shooting!

24. Know the Code; it’s for everyone.

25. Be a real ruff neck. Be down with the code of the Thug Life.

26. Protect yourself at all times.