What Are the Gangster Disciples 16 Laws?
The 16 Laws of the Gangster Disciples are the rules and principles that were handed down by the organization’s founder Larry Hoover through memoranda while he was imprisoned. They are intended to guide the behavior and beliefs of the Gangster Disciples, who were also known as the Black Gangster Disciples and the Black Gangster Disciple Nation.
GD founder Larry Hoover was born Nov. 30, 1950 in a small town in Mississippi. He moved with his family to Chicago in the late 1950s. Throughout his youth, Hoover was involved with various gangs, including the Devil’s Disciples and the Black Disciples. Hoover formed the Gangster Disciples in 1974 while in the early years of his life sentence for committing murder.
While imprisoned, Hoover was in regular correspondence with his gang. As its Chairman, he handed down 16 laws to the gang members. These guiding principles actually read more like a pledge. In them, GD members swear to not disrespect other GD members, to defend GD and sacrifice their lives to do so if need be, to assist fellow members if they require it, and to accept the teachings of Hoover and no others.
A detailed list of the 16 laws, as well as other Gangster Disciples literature, can be found at ngcrc.com.
