For JT, a young man wanting to make his way into the Silent Murder Crips, joining the gang is about family: getting close to a group of men that care about him, and are willing to back him up if he ever finds himself in trouble. But getting initiated isn't easy. We follow JT through the process of joining the crips, what drew him to the gang, and hear why he's willing to be "squared in"—suffering a brutal beating at the hands of those he calls brothers.

Motivations for joining the gang are varied, but commonly fall within one of the following: Fellowship and Survival - the gang functions as a community and may provide support and protection lacking in the environment. Shot in Brooklyn, New York in 2017 this piece looks and the mentalities and environment that produces gang culture and violence.