Jim Jones compares gangs to fraternities and sororities: ‘It’s all the same thing’ 

If there’s one thing Jim Jones is good for, it’s a solid soundbyte or two—love him or hate him, he can be a great interview. Such was the case recently when the (current? former?) DipSet capo stopped by “The Breakfast Club” and had an often entertaining and informative conversation about Harlem, his former homie with The Diplomats, Cam’ron, their Verzuz performance, Kanye, and a litany of other things. Jones stopped by the popular interview platform to promote his latest album, “At the Church Steps,” out now. 

While discussing Jones’ tendency to keep his street and rap lives separate, Charlamagne asked why Jones included court recordings from a court case tied to Mel Murda on the new album. Jones pointed out that he was showing what it can be like for Black men out here in the world and what people are really going through. He segued right into how people can often get caught by conversations they have on the phone and how he should sometimes take his own advice, a reference to phone recordings of Jim Jones used in court about harm that should come to rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine for his disloyalty to their shared set—Nine Trey Gangster Bloods, an East coast subset of the larger Blood gang. 

Charlamagne then asked why Jones never shied away from his gang affiliations—highlighted on the recordings—even though people are often getting legally jammed up for those affiliations nowadays. Jones had an interesting response. 

“It’s not a crime to be a Blood. It’s not a crime to be a banger. It’s not a crime to be a fraternity member. It’s not a crime to be a sorority member. It’s all the same thing. It’s a crime if you do crime while being that and that turns into other things. If it’s more than one of y’all doing crime while being Blood, that turns into a RICO and things like that. I do business. I’m a businessman, you heard? Always music, baby!” 

DJ Envy asked Jim if he regrets popularizing being a Blood in New York City, to which Jim responded:

“Yeah, I made it cool, but I also commercialized it. I made millions of dollars off the gang culture. Same thing with Snoop has done and the West Coast.” Snoop Dogg has made millions of dollars as a personality and entertainer and is notably tied to the Rollin’ 20s Crip set in Long Beach, California.

Of course, the conversation found its way onto various platforms, like the “The Joe Budden Podcast” and to social media, where the community voiced their opinions. 

One user said that neither side really has any claim to be better than the other:  “How are you monetizing off of a group that promotes violence and killing off your own people, then say oh I’m not a part of that part. Just saw a kid die from being hazed for a fraternity but as long as they do fundraisers in the communities don’t worry about the college kids who died trying to take part. You can’t have water with poison in it and only drink the purified part. Throw the whole glass away period.”

The kid in reference is Caleb Wilson, 20, who recently died while pledging an Omega Psi Phi chapter at Southern University. 

Another user shared a perspective that placed them both in the same boat, in response to a comment made by Melyssa Ford in reference to Jones’ comments. Mel said that gangs tend to be criminal enterprises, and fraternities et al tend to be about legacy, and rite of passage, and lifelong connection. “Crazy thing is, all the qualities Mel mentioned about frats, also are qualities with gangs. Yes, they also often have criminal enterprises as a means for members to survive, but that’s not their sole purpose,” said the commenter.  

“Fraternities do not glorify or encourage criminal activity for their financial well-being. That’s the difference. Educate yourselves people!” said one user who probably framed how most people view the difference between gangs and fraternities, sororities, and other secret societies. 

Whether or not gangs and fraternities/sororities/secret societies share similarities can and will be debated, though arguably, most gangs are viewed as criminal enterprises, as a rule, while fraternities and sororities may have members who have committed crimes, though that is typically considered the exception and not the rule.

However, as the young people say, points were made. It isn’t a crime to be a member of any gang; several prominent artists, actors, and personalities are members of or affiliated with prominent street gangs in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, etc. 

Whatever side you land on, Jim Jones definitely knows how to keep people talking.