Who are the Bloods and Crips and what do they stand for?

THE ruthless Bloods and Crips street gangs have been operating in the United States since the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Since their formation, the rivals have reportedly amassed a totall of more than 50,000 associated gang members, including well known rappers.

The Bloods gang is associated with the color redCredit: Rex Features

Who are the Crips?

The Crips were formed in the streets of Los Angeles in 1969 by founders Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams.

In 1979, Washington was killed in a drive-by shooting in South Central LA.

That same year, Williams was convicted of four murders and was sentenced to death.

Members of the Crips gang throw up signs from a car windowCredit: Alamy

Crip members throwing up gang signs, and one man wears a bandanna to show his affiliationCredit: Corbis Historical - Getty

In 2005, Williams was executed by lethal injection at the age of 51.

Since 1969, the gang has become one of the largest in the world with about 30,000 to 55,000 members.

The Crips are often associated with the color blue and have what are called "sets", which include more than 13,000 groups operating in Los Angeles alone.

The gang has been involved in murders, robberies and drug dealing, among other crimes.

The Crips and Bloods rivalry dates back to the early 70s.

Who are the Bloods?

The Bloods were founded in 1972, and were mainly formed to provide protection against the Crips.

The formation of the Bloods came shortly after a concert in March 1971, when 20 Crip members attacked and killed Robert Ballou Jr, who was beaten to death for refusing to give up his leather jacket.

Since their creation, the Bloods have branched out to other areas of the United States, including parts of Canada.

A reported 25,000 people affiliate themselves with the Bloods, also making them one of the largest gangs in the world.

The Bloods gang formed in 1972 in Los AngelesCredit: Getty - Contributor

The Bloods gang have over 25,000 members in the US and CanadaCredit: Getty - Contributor

The Bloods are identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs.

What do they stand for?

Blood stands for Brotherly Love Overcomes Overrides and Destruction.

Over the years the Crips meaning has taken many forms, some claim Washington was inspired by the Black Panther movement in the mid-60s.

Crips is an acronym that allegedly stands for Community Revolution in Progress.

The Crips gang originated in Los Angeles in 1969 and stemmed from the Black Panther organizationCredit: Corbis Historical - Getty

Rapper Cardi B has been linked to the Bloods gangCredit: Getty Images

However, another theory is that the gang was initially called Cribs, a possible reference to how young its members were.

It could also be based on the slang word crib, which means "home."

Others suggest it's a combination of Cribs and RIP (rest in peace), which symbolizes gang members’ ties from birth to death.

Another explanation is that Crips is short for cripple, a reference to the fact that some of the early members used canes or that they crippled their enemies.

What rappers are Bloods?

Over the years, big name rappers such as Birdman, Lil Wayne, The Game, Cardi B, Jim Jones and Suge Knight among others are associated or members of the Bloods gang.