I like the fact that the OG respects Kev's get down, and if you're invested (and I don't necessarily mean money) like we Maniacs are, that feels good cause its like he respects "our" get down. I still remember the OG from Venice telling Kev that towards the end, i.e., I like what y'all are doing. To me, that's Kev Mac Video's most valuable capital. That's how he got Jesse James. And to me, this really about black history. I've learned as much about our people's history as much as I've learned about gangs.
Well stated! The other platforms feel exploitive and lack genuineness. Kev has lived it along side of those he interviews. He’s also respectful of politics and past trauma of those who were on the frontline. I have learned so much history. Example being the segment with the Venice Sholine Crips. Redlining, unfair mandatory sentencing, 3 strike law, etc…
I like to know months and why would you slept Raymond Washington and he was a miner do you have any disregard for that dude made it seem like that you was a bully amongst teenagers if Raymond was about 16 or 17 how old you was at the time do you feel that you've had a disadvantage do you feel that you're getting some kind of clock for slapping a teenager and you was a grown man
This Monson interview filled in many missing pieces for me alluded to in Bastards of the Party. I have a better understanding on the Panther influence on the Avenues; and the Avenue / Baby Avenue influence on Raymond Washington / Crips. This Monson interview also gives me more context to the murder of Bunchy Carter & John Huggins on Friday, January 17, 1969 at UCLA, Campbell Hall. Good work.
I can sit all day and listen to Mr. Monson talk about his life and historical moments in time....... Great interview Kev....... Much Respect to you!!! 🙏👍💪💯
I had to duck and dodge cause all those bullshit rumors just went flying out the window. Thanks kev to you and your staff for the dedication and effort to bring out the truth and the real history.
This series of interviews with Monson is some of the best work you guys have done Kev and Baby S.... I just ordered Big Craigs book can't wait to read it !
You asked the RIGHT questions for THIS interview. You kept it flowing... One day the media is going to recognize ya skill set and offer you that life changing deal. This interview was about HISTORY... Not just gang history. Respectful enough to ASK first "do you want to be on camera"... And not take it for granted. Respect deserved!!!✊🏽
I've seen Mr. Craig Monson in many interviews over the years, a true lover of bodybuilding and body sculpting. Here's someone who done it for the passion and not for fame or money!!! A true Gentleman of the Sport of Bodybuilding
Such a great video for your amazing catalog. There are a ton of Jewels Craig Munson drops on us and helps fill in the blanks when it comes to this Crip History. Just an awesome series and much thanks Mr. Craig Munson, Baby Smac and our Host Big Kev Mac!! Peace!! #Salute!!
I realized I was slacking on actually hitting the like button. I rarely do it on RU-vid in general but this is one of them ones that made me think to do it
You know Mr. Monson was a beast when his brother looked like that and they called him the Runt of the litter 🤣😂… it’s a blessing to get this kind of history directly from the source…. He is such a humble person.
I’ve completed in weightlifting competitions since the late 90’s, played D1 football you name it. Benched 405 coming out of high school and through all my years in the gym til this day I’ve never seen anyone go pass 225 on skull crushers and that includes guys benching 685. Had he maxed out he could have done 700 easily for a one rep max. They went out of their way to keep this man from being the star should have been.
That's the definition of what being Blæc is about. To excel in spite of Oppression. He showed the world he was the best, and all those who witnessed him do so.
No one went out of there way to hold him back. He was in prison when he should have been on stage. A lot of other black bodybuilders have made it to the Olympia and won.
@@jorndoff2002 So you didn't hear his story?? He competed and was the best, and Logic say the Better Competitor should win. The winner should get first place.
@red diamond71 especially when it came to strength they didn't want a black man winning. I'm not black and I can understand that logic. This guy is 100% a part of black history as are the bloods and crips of that time.
Idk how you get that from anything Craig said.I mean he said that Arnold(a white guy) showed him how to better his hand position on the bar so he could handle more weight,which increased his bench press abilities by almost 200 pounds.And then craig knew he could jump up to at least 600 pounds,but he didn't feel like it.So how is that the white man keeping him down?
It's crazy how not being from LA and becoming a Maniac how legends and truth gets verified through these interviews. I love history. I especially love black history. I appreciate what your doing Kev Mac and S Mac. Man I love hearing Big Craig talk. OOOG don seen a thing or two.
Dont disrespect this man because he’s not telling the gang stories you want to hear or his memory ain’t the best , be proud of him because of all the damn accomplishments he pulled up and EARNED In this cold world that hates blacks and us ESES he smashes on the fucking terminator 🤣💯. I’m proud of him and like I said I’m an ESE , he tells a damn good story and I’m tuned in , I never had much communication with my grandparents but I’d love to have this gentleman passing down knowledge to me as a grandfather would 💯 bring Mr. Monson back with some of his Avenue homeboys that would make for a damn good round table discussion , with much love and respect from Lil Saint from Compton varrio 3res 👌🏽
He's telling the real gang stories, the important ones!! This channel has single handedly documented the story and history of a massive lifestyle that is nationwide. Everybody from the streets should be watching this shit. I used to talk history with my older brother all the time but if we had this back then it would've been gold. Gotta know where you came from to really know what you're about if you're flying flags.
Wow this was an outstanding interview by Big Monson...This dude is a great storyteller. Excellent interview Kev. I have never been a gangster ever, but my Grandmother lived on 59th & Slauson I used to visit her when I was a teenager in the mid 1980's. I learned a lot from this video. Great Job 👍🏾
@@slagwill5599 Right I can't remember the name of that side street that ran off of 59th...I do know her house was like the four house from the corner of that side street. What I do remember is Slauson was one street over...maybe you can tell me what that street was...I'll try to look it up
@@justsaved3876 - going south it’s Gage, then Slauson, then up to Florence. - 59th is south of Gage and moving down towards Vernon. I grew up on 46th and Harvard.
@@slagwill5599 Hey Brother, I got it now...LOL 😊. I was only 17 yrs old back in 1986, I would visit from Ohio during Christmas breaks. But yea she lived at 3835 W. 59th St. between Keniston Ave. & S. Rimpau Blvd. & the park where I would play some pick up games of basketball was called Ladera Park, it was a nice looking park back then, I met some cool brothers in that park playing ball , yea I used to have a real good time in L.A. back then...Of course I wasn't a banger, but I suspect there were some in the park, at least it looked that way to me, I didn't inquire of them if they were, but they did ask me where I was from, they could tell I wasn't from there, I said Ohio visiting family...they was cool, real cool they said from Cleveland or Cincinnati, I laughed said naw from a small city Springfield.....LOL 😊. But it was cool
I love all these Kev Mac videos. I’m pretty sure I have watched almost every single one. But these Craig Monson vids might be the best yet. Keep em coming Kev!
You know I had to get a front roll seat. Shout out Kev Mac. Out of all the researchers and bloggers who document the culture, OG Kev Mac by far is the truest and provides content that is the accurate and informative.
Thanks, Brotha Kev, S. Mac and OG Craig. I really dug this bit of history. This channel never disappoints me. Kev need his own Netflix series. Omm!!!! #Salute
Larry Elder was 5'9" and weighed only 180lbs at age 22,he lifted 500lbs as a 10th grader at locke high on outdoor stage in front of entire student body in 1975,biggest chest around around and sixpack abs
I love my people! You heard where he said he didn't get all into the science of building muscle. These Bruthas just dominated! If we don't allow ourselves to be distracted by BS We could do anything and be the very best at it ! C'mon y'all👊🏾💯
Yep! A lot of times we just jump in sumthin, make do with what we got connect the dots. Tweak it, freak it put that flavor and style on it with sum 4real focus, and we are and always have been a force 2 be reckoned wit!👊🏾
Good interview. Interesting to see Him talk about Mouse. After meeting Mouse back in the day. " He was a Cool Dude ". Not really Hung up on a lot of Nonsense and Dumbshit. Just, Enjoying life . Always a Cool Dude to be around. Really hurt to find out about him passing..... KP
This is why people like Craig Monson are valuable sources of information! Writers that were not there often get the information wrong. Monson is filling in a LOT of blanks and correcting a lot of information. Nothing beats people with first-hand accounts.
So Monson knew how to box too? Damn! He must have been a devastating street fighter. With that large frame, plus muscles and strength, plus athleticism (football etc) , plus mental toughness and street smarts, plus legit boxing skills ..He is probably up there with ray boyce and the bully etc., easy
I love that Mr Monson talks about Cutes since Cutes OG brought him up in his original series when talking about Jimel. "How can you say you taught Took how to Buff when Monson had us working out? All this Sampson system. I don't even know where he gets that from. He name was Jimel. And that's what his name was." lol
@@therunyamouthpodcast2355 im not making fun of Raymond. I'm just saying Craig smacked two infamous street legends before the age of 21, and started some serious shit both times from it.
Craig Monson was bigger than Incredible Hulk, nobody was going to fight him & win. Of course he was smacking fools around, he was literally bigger than every single human he ever encountered in the 70's.
@@wolf7el356 That's not how fighting works in the Street's... Being bigger never meant you could automatically win a fight 😉 Craig admitted his homeboy Wolf man got the best of him... In L.A,we got all kinda street legend's that don't want their story told on camera
SALUTE 2 You Mr Craig Munson, I'm Keith Peddler I'm 60yrs of Age and I Enjoy Hearing you tell Your History an You give good cultural stories an Insights of a 1960z Los Angeles California.
This series is one for the ages. For a long time now, I've only heard tales of Mr. Munson. I didn't know a thing about him competing in building build competitions. Hearing him talk in the flesh was the shit. Nothing liking hearing a story from the "Horses mouth" #OneLove K & S Mac
This Man.....Legend......the backyard boogie'n dat pigg iron.....or at Venice Beach or any other park horse weighlifting area.....dude's part of history....LA history.....Blackness....Black History in the streets of Califas....str8....and have been asscociated with Da Governator and El Machete!!
I heard about Mr. Monson watching CT Fletcher videos when I started working out at the gym. Its amazing how much history he has. Great information and only speaks about what he know. Much respect!!!
Munson is a good interview. Bring him back for a part II. Even if it's a short one. He can be a recurring interview. Bird too, now that we have context on his history. I think the first Bird interview was too soon for the masses.
I have heard so much about this man throughout the years due to his early affiliations and later his body building journey. I don't know how he was back in the day but you can tell he is a very likeable guy with much knowledge and much respect, blessings to you Beloved, keep sharing that knowledge out here, many of us can use it, peace to you
@@increasepeace4996 True, but I was commented on something that started in LA. Moreover, I generally dismissed the other copycat gangs in various cities, particularly NY
Imma say this once........and then Imma say it again. Alprentice "Bunchy" Carter......."Da Mayor of Los Angeles". Kev, we gotta do that Bunchy Carter documentary. All roads are leading back to "Da Mayor", plus it's a helluva story to tell.
Crenshaw was active way bac then biggest interview kev /s Mac Craig slapped leader of the U.S organization so it was issues between panthers and US organization so that UCLA story makes more sense now yall putting together a L.A word puzzle on history deep rooted in our community 💯💯💪🏿💪🏿
This young man right here let me tell you something he had a heart I am big bunc h y little sister I'm 67 years old last day my brother would have been 68 and let me tell you something this young man right here went to school with me all through school from elementary junior high and high school and he was so quiet all he ever did was smile his little brother another young man I remember his name was Raymond Potts you say I was always surrounded by my brother's friends and they watch my back I never knew that these young men knew my brother but I'm going to tell you something I would love to tell you something everybody who has a brother that's affiliated with a gang of hearts and broken every day because we miss our brothers and we miss him so dearly when we grow up with them we didn't realize that we would have a short time with them it's not too many of us in the world today without the black Brothers in the world we have nothing we have nothing at all I'm 67 years old and I don't see that one young man that I went to school with alive today I want to see more black men in the world taking care and nurture and their babies is too many single mothers raising kids by their self we need help we need help from the black men I hope one day when when I wake up I'll see that somebody hear what I'm saying and understand where I'm coming from without you I say again we have nothing and again my brother's story was an untold story they called him b u n c h y and I could tell you a story about how he got his name my sister took him to a black panther meeting and it was a black panther their name b u n c h y his brother's name is John Morris they were black panthers and my brother admired him so much he called himself big b u n c h y lifting weights and I mean he was lifting weights he got so big my mama had to have his clothes TaylorMade trust and believe me he could eat he could eat before he even start letting those weights cuz let me tell you I'm 67 he would have been 68 just sit and watch my brother eat at a table and clean out a whole meal it made me smile I talked about him I think about him everyday like he's here so everybody enjoy your brothers and your sister while you have them with you cuz I never thought I would be 67 and my brother wouldn't be here with me today God bless everybody and stay safe 🕯️👀🌈🫶🏿🙏🏿✌🏿🤲🏿
I just love listening to the old stories. Man....can't get enough of that. Sad when all these people are no longer around. A generation that will never be repeated. God Bless.
Kev Mac there is an elderly gentleman I know that grew up on the Eastside. He tells me he is an original Businessman. I’m not sure I can get him to talk to you. He is over 80 years old and mind is sharp as a tack. Next time I see him I’ll see if I can get him to speak on it.
Yea if he's over 80, he's definitely would be an original. He would have been there with Raymond "Suge" Wright, who was also an original. You can see him in the documentary "Bastards of the Party". He is the brother who said "We shut them down" referring to the Spook Hunters.
Louisiana hot water corn bread my grandparents would make that with greens and we would mash it together on a plate and eat it with are fingers... Louisiana style.
I know he's getting irritated with the Raymond questions but he has to understand that in our eyes he is in a round about way responsible for the creation of the Crips with that slap. They will forever be linked.
Ron Karenga was keynote speaker a few weeks ago at training I attended for my job. Although, I know people change and grow. I couldn’t help but side eye his whole presentation.
I’m an LA west sider. Back in the day Watts was the hardest heart of the east side. The Avenues come from that part. These boys were deep in the hood. And I mean DEEP - way past blue. In fact to this day the Crip Set - W.V.G street colors are still purple. Most people don’t know that “east side” was anything east of Main Street in LA - all the addresses say East - like E. 49th street, etc. All game, gangsterism, and hustle in LA originated on the east side. OG’s tell the true story - if it ain’t coming from a three striper like Munson, then it’s questionable. Good job Kev.
I used to work out at the gym on Olympic near Staples Center it's not there now in the 80s eyewitness those workouts and I also went to Morningside High with Mike Christian he was in my graduating class of 72 he was a doughboy back then in high school but he also was a good brother
Let's talk about how he said he gave his lik brother a "baby rattler" and then clarified that meant "the smallest dumbbell" lol That's real bodybuilder shit
Mike Christian aka Iron Warrior won the 1984 Nationals (NPC amateur) bodybuilding championship. The victory earned Christian his pro bodybuilding card. Also, Mike Christian was in Diana Ross’s video🎵Muscle🎵(1982). The song (Muscle) was written by Michael Jackson. His younger brother is Wayne Christian. The Christian brothers ran a bodybuilding clothing line back in the 1990s early 2000s.
I definitely appreciate the interview but at times I felt the interviewer was pushing the OG on certain subjects that made him uncomfortable, brother lights up when you ask him about the bodybuilding that's his calling and that's what made him a legend I can tell he wanted to drop some real jewels💪💪
L.A has got to be the most gangsta city of all time !!! So many Street Legends and gang history before the Crips & Blood's even got started. Shout out to Oakland, New Orleans and Chicago. They put it down with street history as well & can't forget big bad Detroit👍 Great series and classic dialogue" Nobody alive can top this interview.
@@footz718 Yes New York City as well but I left it out because the gangs of Los Angeles and Chicago took over New York streets in the 90's and that pretty much left a black eye on the street culture of NYC... Now New York from the 1930's - 1995 is Legendary in terms of Original street style.
My brother Larry Elder who graduated from Locke High 1977 peaked at bench pressing 680lbs, only L.A. dude to out bench him out of Compton also was named Larry Allen and he played for Dallas Cowboys and benched 700lbs, Larry Elder only weighed 180lbs.
@@josephjames335 Larry Elder out lifted fat Wes Crockett at Rogers Park,Wes got mad and stole on him in the mouth, Wes crockett out lifted craig monson, Larry Elder bench 500lbs as a 10 th grader at locke high in front of entire student body wearing his levy jacket beating all senior students.
Monson is the missing puzzle piece 🧩 to how the Black Panther Party influenced so many of the Avenues and Raymond Washington and L.A. gangs in general. I never knew that Tookie challenged Monson and also how Monson became a Black Panther through Bunchy Carter himself. That’s an incredible life!
I was thinking the same thing. We all know people like that. In another interview, Munson said the doctor wanted to work with him only cuz of his genetics. Munson's friend took him to meet that doctor, and when the doctor chose to focus on Munson, and disregard the friend, the friend asked, "why", and the doctor said because of his natural genetics.
@@coreyeatmon5101 - Definitely. I hope in the next episode Monson discusses specifically which compounds he took. I know Dianabol was very popular in the 70s/early 80s. He was probably taking that along with Test and a cutting agent.
@@coreyeatmon5101 yep. That doctor gave him steroids and a concoction of other drugs, but he still chose to work with Munson over the other guys because of his genetics.
Raymond still had too be a HELLUVA INDIVIDUAL...in order for them people to be pointing out the fact that"That's Raymond Washington's, brother" while the fight between Raymond's brother and Danny Boy was happening.... great interview...but in my opinion...and please know RU-vidR COMMENT SECTION POLICE... people can have a freaking opinion without having two explain there reason and or there gang affiliation and or street cred....Kev Mac isn't promoting violence of any sort or glorifying negativity...he is a remarkable visual journalist...so with that being said we as the people can give an honest opinion and in some way critique these wonderful interviews he posts. Now back to my original post...with all do respect I feel Mr.Monson knew a bit more about Raymond then he is leading on or remembers....
There’s a few more things he could have added for clarity but Raymond was younger so Craig didn’t have many dealings with the younger guys. Also, Moon said in his interview that Raymond didn’t come around until his teenage years so there wasn’t a lot of time between then and Monson going to Prison in 1970.
Buzzard had a lot of heart but you can tell he wasn't that smart. How do you take a L every week from the same person? 🤣🤣 He should've known Craig like the back of his hand and figured out how to beat him.
love from Portland Oregon. Phenomenal content, I’m glued to all of these historians you present us with thank you my friend! They at war here in Portland, any thoughts on some of the LA gang influences and heavy gang activity that has escalated over the past 35 plus years? Currently Hoover gang is at war with everyone
I'm loving this, for my interest, all the information presented by Kev Mac Videos haslead to here, and its even better than expected, this whole experience has been a journey, not just a destination, I can't wait to see where I'm taken next 😎
