Compton rapper YG facilitated a peace agreement between the Treetop Pirus and the Fruit Town Pirus, two rival gangs, on August 18, 2024. The two feared gangs had been in rivalry for decades, troubling the community with hundreds of acts of violence and instability. However, this initiative by YG was different; it saw hundreds of gang members and residents, together with children, walking in solidarity.
The peace walk, led by YG out of Gonzales Park, took to the streets of Compton. It was electrifying, full of hope; there was a renewing feeling in the air, with a great turnout—but not only from gang members and residents from that area; kids walked together, too, showcasing their unity and signifying Compton heading on to a different page. That’s why it showed how much the community wanted peace and oneness.
YG led a truce and peace walk in Compton yesterday, ending a ten-year rivalry between the Treetop Pirus and Fruit Town Pirus gangs pic.twitter.com/W4My7A2wP5
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) August 19, 2024
YG made sure to document everything on social media, and one can tell how symbolic and poignant those moments were with participants, even former rivals, flashing the same gang signs; this time around, however, those gestures represented peace and a shared commitment to moving forward together. That could have been such a powerful shot—a stout picture of how deeply etched symbols of division could be flipped into symbols of unity.
The peace walk ended at the iconic Tam’s Burgers, a local favorite that has seen its share of the city’s history. Participants shared a meal with YG to truly drive home the message of community and reconciliation that was held within the day. Breaking bread together was an easy reminder of common humanity which binds all people together, regardless of past conflicts.
This day occurred symbolically to the timing of the release of YG’s newest project, Just Re’d Up 3. Of course, it was not an accident, as the peace walk was done to amplify a greater message brought across by YG with his music and community activism: unity and positive change.
This is part of a broader agenda for peace and the reconstitution of trust in communities that have been torn apart by violence for way too long, according to YG. Here, his leadership in organizing the truce and the peaceful walk acts as a shining example of what leading figures can do.
