Party People
Party People

Party People

Founded Founded in 1980 by Michael in or near Pilsen (Lower West Side)
Founding story

Formed in the Pilsen section of the Lower West Side neighborhood near 17th and Carpenter.

Affiliations Folk Nation — c. 1980 – 2000 or later;
Colors Black and White
Primary ethnicities Latino (Mexican)
Symbols Playboy Bunny and Inverted Cross
Symbol usage

Inverted cross with three slashes on top and dot on the bottom

Status Active

The Party People are a newer organization in the Pilsen area compared to other older gangs that date back to the 1950s; nevertheless, the Party People have outlived most of the gangs that formed in the 1970s and prior and fought ferocious battles with several rivals.

The story starts in the year 1980 in the Pilsen neighborhood at the intersection of 17th and Carpenter when some guys and girls got together that loved to party hard and some were excellent graffiti artists.  18th Street had become a war zone with Latin Counts, Ambrose, Morgan Deuces, Satan Disciples, Bishops, Racine Boys and Laflin Lovers all fighting for control of this street and the drama spilled onto nearby 19th and 17th Streets.

This group at 17th and Carpenter had an idea to create a club that was centered around partying and hanging out.  They banded together in a large group to discourage gangs from attacking them, and at the same time, they were cool with all the gangs as long as the other gangs did not mess with them.  This group became known as the “Party People” which gave the image that they were a peaceful group of people that like to party.  Party People were in love with the sweaters, parties and the crowds that gangs drew, and they wanted to be a club that drew in those same perks but without getting involved in the gangbanging drama.  When they first formed, they found another newer group that had the same ideals, this group was known as “La Raza” and this is when La Raza and Party People became good friends.  “Michael” was the founder of the Party People in 1980.  Before either group formed they were two groups that were friends in the late 1970s that mainly consisted of freshly arrived Mexican youths that were often bullied by long time Pilsen resident gang members.  In 1980 each group formed their own group but remained close allies which was the beginning of both La Raza and Party People.  Both groups had rivalries with the two biggest gangs in Pilsen Ambrose and Latin Counts.

I was told before Party People allies La Raza drama got into it with other gangs that caused Michael to get killed about a year after Party People were founded but the story is very flawed and now I don’t have the details, but it is true that by 1981 drama did pop off and the Party People could no longer function as just a party crew and were forced to gangbang against the Latin Counts and Ambrose who gave them problems.  Michael, the founder, was stabbed to death by Ambrose which is the story of how Ambrose and Party People became such bitter enemies. The Party People also got mixed with the Latin Counts which are the two gangs that drove the Party People to convert to a gang.  “Pops” took over as the new leader of the Party People in 1981 and became the long time leader of the whole organization until 1999.  Pops was also directly supervising 17th and May.

Party People then joined the Folk alliance under Two Six from Little Village and this is how Party People developed the moniker “Gangster.”  When Party People joined Folk they now allied with Ambrose and the war was squashed as now Party People, La Raza and Ambrose were now on good terms. Party People and La Raza also got along with he Satan Disciples as well who were Folks too.

Now that the Party People were Folks they expanded their operations in Pilsen to 17th and Racine then onto 18th Street at 18th and May and 19th and May.  Party People began working with fellow Folks the Racine Boys of 18th and Racine and opened a sizable turf from 16th Street down to Cullerton and Allport Street to Miller Street.  On the west side of this territory were the Allport Lovers of 18th and Allport who were Folks and on the east side were the Morgan Boys of 18th and Morgan (started in 1985) who were also Folks, so there were Folks all around the Party People which helped them ease down conflicts in Pilsen.

In 1986 war erupted between Ambrose and Two Six and often allies got swept into the conflict, I think this is when Party People ended up truly at war with Ambrose but I am not sure but I am sure they were at war with Ambrose by this time period.

Ambrose was very well-known for their PCP distribution operations that went on for decades.  Right after the war started with Ambrose two brothers flipped from being members of Ambrose to becoming Party People in the midst of a war between Ambrose and Party People.  One of the brothers was nicknamed “Stoney” and the other was “Lil A-K.”  A-K stands for “Ambrose Killer.”  He became Lil A-K after he flipped to a PP.   Both brothers were branched out of the 17th and May chapter which is where the leader Pops was living at the time.  Several other Ambrose flipped Party People in the mid-80s as well, many of which were PCP users including Lil A-K.  Lil A-K still wanted to continue using PCP after he flipped so he often went to buy PCP in various disguises, and he had family members or friends buy it for him from Ambrose and this went on a few years.

One day in 1988 when Lil A-K went on an undercover buy with his sister who was a female member of the Party People, Ambrose members recognized Lil A-K and beat him up then slashed his throat multiple times.  After Ambrose left him bleeding to death on the sidewalk his sister performed CPR and got him medical attention which saved his life, but he was left as a vegetable after the attack.  By 1989 the family of Lil A-K wanted to escape the gang violence of Pilsen after this attack, and they moved to 56th and Maplewood in the Gage Park neighborhood.

The family had just moved to 56th and Maplewood.  Other gangs in the neighborhood at the time were Ambrose, La Raza, Latin Kings and Insane Guess Boys.  When Ambrose from 18th Street found out the family moved to 56th and Maplewood they ordered the 63rd and Francisco Ambrose to finish off Lil A-K and kill his brother Stoney.  Soon after Stoney was ducking and dodging bullets as Ambrose made attempts to kill him in his new surroundings.  Stoney then asked 17th Street Party People from Pilsen if he could put together a Party People crew at 56th and Maplewood to protect the family.  The crew would have no leadership and no official territory there but would just have a right to exist basically.  This is how Party People were established in 1989 in Gage Park.

The original crew of Party People consisted of Stoney, Guero, a tough Irishman that lived on 55th and Maplewood; Midget; Maniac; Rascal, Ape; Ape’s brother Trouble; Tim Dogg; and a few others.  These Party People were in prime territory as they were just one block from Gage Park High School which is at 56th and Rockwell.  The Latin Kings were not happy with Party People having territory just one block from them and the school so Latin Kings began giving the Party People a hard time.

In the year 1990, Lil A-K experienced a miracle as he woke from his vegetative state after lots of therapy.  Lil A-K was so much back to normal he was appointed Regional Chief of this new chapter and his new nickname was “Sir Lil.”  The blessing was handed down from the 17th and May Party People and a council was set up that included Stoney and their cousin Slim, now 56th and Maplewood was official.

In the year 1991 some black migration came to Gage Park which brought more Gangster Disciples and Englewood “Moe Town” based Black P Stones to the neighborhood.  The Black P Stones began invading Insane Guess Boy territory which landed them at 56th and Campbell.  Although the Party People were on Maplewood and 56th and Campbell was not official territory Party People still heavily cherished this corner and resented the Stone’s arrival causing war to erupt.

By the year 1993, the Party People of Gage Park continued to grow causing a new group of Satan Disciples forming at 59th and Spaulding and the Insane Guess Boys to become jealous.  This started a war with the Guess Boys that became bloody real fast.  A Guess Boy shot a Party People member in the head then the Party People hit the Guess Boys by ramming a member of their gang into a brick wall with a car on 59th Street between Campbell and Artesian which took his life.  The Party People also got a Guess Boy at 56th and Western and stabbed him.

The new recruits of 1993 turned out to be very valuable members of the Party People.  These members included Tank,  Malo, Kaos, two former ULO members, Big Papa, Menace, Casper another former ULO, Smurf, Mad who was a former Mexican Gangster Disciples, Lil Man, Ghost, Shadow (a black member) and some others.

By the end of the year 1993 territories began to shift as Gangster Disciples and Party People negotiated dividing more territory.  Now Party People laid claim from 55th to 58th and from Tallman to Campbell, it was a business arrangement between Party People and the GDs.  It was also at this time that Casper was nominated the 58th and Campbell Set Chief.  Casper didn’t last long because he gangbanged too actively and this landed him in and out of incarceration; therefore, the title was moved to Chango.

In the year 1994, an eternal war would begin between all La Razas and Party People citywide and everywhere else that would never resolve up to present.  It all started when members of the 61st and Fairfield La Raza Sinister, Burrito and Burrito’s cousin Flaco flipped from La Raza to Party People.  La Raza of 61st was enraged and felt they needed to avenge this by harming or killing these three former Razas that were now Party People’s newest members.  Sir Lil protected his newest members by having the Party People hit back when La Raza came around looking for these three.  The Chief of the 61st and Fairfield La Raza was upset that Party People were defending these three, so he visited La Raza at the 18th Street Pilsen chapter seeking assistance in hitting the Party People.  One of the 18th street leaders was pissed off when he heard the story and went in aggressively to the 18th Street Party People chapter and complained about the issue in a disrespecting manner.  The Party People of 18th Street had zero tolerance for the disrespect and they responded to this by pulling out a shotgun and shooting the La Raza leader dead on the spot killing him immediately.  This started the war.  As a result of this war Pops gave permission to the Gage Park Party People to go about a bloody conquest of La Raza territory in Marquette Park.

The war on the Gage Park/Marquette Park border between La Raza and Party People was a longer war and full of violence.  The La Razas finally caught up to one of the three former members that flipped to Party People.  During a 1995 gang fight between the gangs La Raza beat Flaco to death in front of his cousin Burrito on 59th and Talman.  These type of violent incidences would continue until 1995 when La Raza moved off 61st and Party People took 57th to 62nd and Fairfield which put the Party People in the Marquette Park neighborhood for the first time.  Menace became the leader of 61st and Fairfield at that point.  At this section Party People recruited Puerto Rican members like Happy, his cousin P.R., Rico, Crazy and Crazy’s brother Spade.

In 1995, the Maniac Latin Disciples came to Gage Park to settle the area and in the process Crazy and some other Party People flipped to MLDs.  The founder of this new MLD group was Gus.  For quite some time MLDs and Party People became close allies.  A section of Two Six also arrived in the same year which happened to be the Party People’s closest allies; therefore, Party People assisted getting Two Six settled.  A short time later MLDs and Two Six went to war and Two Six left the area.

In the year 1995 the Party People would experience more war erupting with fellow Folk gangs.  The Latin Souls began to establish a relationship with Ambrose, a long-time arch enemy of the Party People.  The relationship started over the use and sale of PCP between the two gangs.  A deal was struck to allow the Latin Souls to have territory at 62nd and Sacramento in exchange for Latin Souls flipping to Ambrose while imprisoned.  This allowed Latin Souls to take 62nd and Sacramento.  Not only did the Souls come to Party People area they also treated the Party People with disrespect because of Ambrose.  The Party People of 18th Street became infuriated over this and assassinated the 47th and Marshfield Latin Soul leader, he was killed behind Richie’s bar at 59th and Washtenaw in Gage Park.  The Latin Souls then hit back which caused the Party People of 18th Street and G-Town Party People to hit again as they went back to Richie’s Bar alongside a member of the Gangster Disciples.  Party People then stabbed multiple members of the Latin Souls while the Gangster Disciples shot members of the Souls.  It was at this point that the Gangster Party People were labeled as “the true Folk Killers” even though they are Folks.  Many wars with other Folks got them this reputation.

More actions happened in 1995 that were of significance revolving around aggressive recruitment.  The 61st and Fairfield chapter recruited Little Trouble, Silent and Spider.  58th and Campbell recruited Chango and Loco.  56th and Maplewood recruited Payaso and Bam-Bam.  This recruitment especially angered the Crown Town Latin Kings who then shot Mad in the back, Ghost was also murdered by these Latin Kings too at the same time in the park.  Ghost was shot with a rifle.  Mad survived the incident but was angered at Malo for freezing up while holding a pistol and not firing it.

In the year 1996, the Party People nearly pulled off a major heist.  As an auto auction was occurring the Party People managed to steal a bunch of cars right off the lot.  The Party People involved were to follow a process afterward to switch over the vin numbers on the vehicles, the majority did not follow this process and the police later caught up with those members causing major incarcerations.  One of those arrested was Mad who was given prison time for stealing a Ford Explorer.

In 1996, a member of the Latin Counts who just so happened to also be a Cook County Sheriff was living in the Gage Park area.  Happy of the Party People at 61st and Fairfield decided to shoot this cop in the neck, he was caught for the shooting and sentenced to 10 years in prison.  This just showed how the Party People were not going to accept a rival in their turf even with a badge, no one was untouchable to the Party People when it came to guarding their turf.  More misfortune came to the Party People in 1996 as Lucio from 61st and Fairfield was shot to death in a car Burrito was driving, Burrito was also shot in the hand during this incident crippling and deforming his hand, Menace’s Latin Soul brother was the shooter. Tank of 56th and Maplewood accidentally shot fellow Party People member Pepe in the head during a gun misfire, he was sentenced to prison for the incident with an involuntary manslaughter charge.  Casper of 58th and Campbell went to prison for robbing a pager from a woman as Chango took over leadership of 58th and Campbell.  Sir Lil and Maniac were arrested and charged with the murder of a 63rd Street Ambrose.  The police also wanted Stoney and beat him violently at the 8th District Police station until he would confess even though Stoney realistically had nothing to do with it or knowledge.  In order to spare Stoney anymore anguish from the CPD Sir Lil and Maniac admitted to the crime; however, when it went to court the charges didn’t stick and the two men walked after a trial that didn’t end until the next year.  This caused Sir Lil to only communicate with Chiefs about nation business as he separated from the younger and lower ranked populace of the Party People to stay low key.

1997 brought more warfare for the Party People as Conservative Vice Lords moved into Gage Park encroaching on Black P Stone turf.  The Vice Lords were successful in their conquests against the Black P Stones making themselves part of Gage Park.  The CVLs then began disrespecting the Party People as they infringed on the borders of G-Town Party People turf, this caused a violent gang war to erupt.  The CVLs perhaps thought they could just push out the Party People as they did to the Stones, but they soon found out the Party People fought for turf with much more fury.  This led the CVLs to call several truces through the years as the war would get too intense and in the way of their profits from drug sales.

In the same year of 1997 Latin Soul gang members approached Spade and flashed the Satan Disciple’s gang sign which was an allied gang.  When Spade responded positively the Latin Souls then revealed who they were really representing after they shook his hand.  The Latin Souls grabbed him by his arms and pulled him out of his car they then smashed his body with another car killing him.  All these violent gang wars and police pressure because of all the violence caused the Party People to ride out the rest of 1997 low profile.

In the year 1998, the Party People of the Gage Park area began to surface again as the violence and police pressure scaled back.  The Party People then went about recruitment as they added Lil-G and Rico who were two Puerto Rican brothers, two white members named Villain and Lazy, a Philippino named Chino along with Dice, Cash, Wacko, Spooky and Magic.  Chango and Menace guided these new members to protect 56th and Maplewood, 58th and Campbell and 61st and Fairfield closely.  It was at this point that Chango and Menace became the main faces of leadership as Sir Lil and his main council indulged in PCP and cocaine.  Because of their withdraw from normal gang activities the murder of Chaos and two other Party People at 56th and Western ended up happening.  The Party People blamed the Crown Town Latin Kings for the murders especially because the Latin Kings took credit.  Even after the murders Sir Lil and his council still did not take proper action and the rest of the Party People took it upon themselves by shooting King Wicked in the face at 51st and Homan.  Later on, it was discovered years later that the Party Players of 48th and Wolcott did the murders.

In 1999, Tank returned from Texas after spending about a year in Texas to be with family right after he was let out of prison in 1998.  Tank now had a good Marijuana connection to Texas and as he returned, he found out that Sir Lil was stealing from the nation. This was also the same time that Pops stepped down from leadership and into retirement leaving Pelon to run the entire nation.  During a meeting held at 55th and Maplewood on park bleachers it was decided new regional leadership was also needed for Gage Park.  Sir Lil and his council were voted out and into semi-retirement but would still receive protection from the nation.  Tank was now awarded the region.  Tank made Malo his top advisor and got Menace to no longer be shunned and gave him the Treasurer position.  Big Papa became the Chief of Security.

In 1999, the Guess Boys began to gather once again at 59th and Talman trying to put their group back together.  Plumber and Alfie were the leaders of this new wave of Guess Boys and old school members.  Plumber was a large body builder that always wore sunglasses.  The Guess Boys would often start some trouble with the Party People to lure them into a war, but Party People were careful not to fall into the trap because they were focusing on making money with their new Marijuana connection. The peace did not last long enough as a girl affiliated with the Guess Boys was causing problems with Rico causing him to threaten her at 60th and Talman.  The Guess Boys then retaliated by jumping Rico and Magic at 57th and Talman.  Tank responded to this by gathering the young members of the Party People to attack the Guess Boys right at 59th and Talman as they beat the Guess Boys up badly.  Tank, who was a very overweight guy started the attack by beating up Plumber and breaking his sunglasses.  Big Papa received a beating from his own after the fight as punishment for attempting to break up this fight because him and Plumber were good friends.  The same day Big Papa was given violations an Arab member of the Gangster Disciples came to talk peace between Guess Boys and Party People, but the next day the Guess Boys had another agenda and tried to assassinate Tank.  The Party People then hit back by Tank and the young members heading back over to 59th and Talman and shooting up the Guess Boys.  The Guess Boys then had enough, and many flipped to Maniac Latin Disciples of Gage Park bringing back Gus’ region of MLDs.  The Gangster Disciples were enraged over this because GDs and Guess Boys dealt in guns because the Guess Boys had a connection.  Because of Chango’s relationship with Al Capone and the 59th and Rockwell GDs there was no war at this time but bitterness would set in over time.

In the year 1999, the relationship between MLDs and Party People soured when an incident at a party brought conflict.  At this party a MLD was making disrespectful jokes about the Party People being a smaller group.  A fight soon broke out between the MLD making the jokes and a Party People, the MLD pulled out a gun and shot the Party People in the head killing him.  The Party People would then get revenge later by beating an MLD to death.  This was not the end of it as Party People gunned down and killed 5 more members of the MLDs causing this MLD section to close.

In the year 2000, the war with Latin Kings intensified as Tank was taking the lead on several attacks on the Latin Kings.  A Latin King was shot all over one side of his body but survived.  On another night Latin Kings pulled up on a Party People car and the Party People shot the Latin King in the head at 54th and Rockwell.  On another occasion Tank and a few other members were in a park when Chicago Police pulled up and made the men get on their knees and put their hands behind their heads then the police simply got in their cars and left without saying anything then within seconds Latin Kings came from three directions and began shooting striking Tank in the leg.  This should have been an obvious bust for the police but they never showed up because the police and Latin Kings worked together to set up the Party People.  On a later occasion men came to 56th and Maplewood claiming to be Satan Disciples so they could get close to Tank, once they got close, they shot Tank in the back but Tank survived again.

In 2001 into 2002 the Party People began recruiting more and making more money but just as that was happening a 2002 war with the 57th and Artesian Conservative Vice Lords disrupted the harmony.  A 18th Street Party People came to help by arriving with a green Ford Explorer and shot a Vice Lord in the head.  The Vice Lords told police Menace did the shooting as he also owned a green Ford Explorer, because of this coincidence Menace was convicted then deported.

Just like Sir Lil Tank would fall into a similar fate as he became addicted to cocaine.  Just like Sir Lil he began stealing dues money and guns to support his habit which led to him stealing a pound of marijuana from Loco’s car the same day Loco was shot and in the hospital.  Tank then moved to Texas where he ended up in prison for killing a high-ranking member of the Barrio Aztecas.

In the year 2005 Party People and Gangster Disciples went to war that was only a fist fighting war as no gun play occurred.

In 2007 Party People of 18th street went to war with Satan Disciples after an attempted killing of Latin Counts went wrong and Party People accidentally gunned down a child.  The Satan Disciples accused the Party People of doing this deliberately.

Party People also made their way into the suburbs landing in Berwyn and Evergreen Park.  Party People also set up in the gang infested suburb of Cicero but still managed to battle all those gangs.

The Party People grew significantly in the 1990s swelling into the hundreds in membership.  The organization has had many good graffiti artists over the years and members that joined in the 1980s and 1990s were more ferocious and have fought hard against rivals.  The Party People have also not really lost any territory over the years and still have 17th and Carpenter. 56th and Maplewood remains a strong section of territory for the Party People and from the story told above you can see why.  The Party People have fought very hard and ferociously for their existence despite unfair odds and being heavily outnumbered.  The Party People began bonding through partying that would later evolve into bonding through war and protecting each other.

 


Please send in old school pics.

Known Sections of the Party People past and present

Gage Park neighborhood Established 1989

Sections of Gage Park

55th to 59th, Talman to Campbell (G-Town)

Fairfield from 57th to 59th Established 1995

Marquette Park neighborhood Established 1995-present years

Sections of Marquette Park

65th to 67th, Homan to Kedzie

Fairfield from 59th to 62nd Established 1995

Pilsen neighborhood Established 1980-present years

Sections of Pilsen

16th to Cullerton, Allport to Miller (Murder Town, War Zone, G-Side) Established 1980-present years

 

Suburbs

Berwyn

Cicero

Evergreen Park 95th & Troy (Renegades