SOTEL13 ~ West Los Angeles
This LA CityBeat story was written in 2003 descrbing the demise of SOTEL13 based in and around Stoner Park, but anyone who lives in West LA knows that their writers, at the very least, are far from gone.
“The Los Angeles Police Department’s West L.A. Division, home to the lowest crime rate in the city, mainly keeps its eye on two gangs: the Playboy Gangsta Crips, claiming turf along La Cienega Boulevard less than one mile south of tony Beverly Hills, and the Sotel gang, which is named for Sawtelle Boulevard and the adjacent neighborhood…”
http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=362&IssueNum=22
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- Dragon House ~ West Los Angeles
- Art Does Not Read Like a Sentence ~ West Los Angeles
No Tacos
Zodiak Killa wrote:
Yo, whut Up Tac??This is Good Reporting..But, yo GangBanging is still on the Rise..Just less Dickies and Hairnets, and More SUV’s and Assault rifles..I live in West L.A. in Blasting Fools Gangster Crip hxxd and They kill erryday..Ever since the Girl got killed coming from Hamilton, and those other 2 kidz got murked, It’z been at leat 3 shootingz a day..
I think you should look into this war that’s rising in Tagging Crewz too..Aiight..keep it up, I like ya work..
zodiak killa
Posted on 04-Jan-07 at 10:52 am | Permalink
Hadley wrote:
Thanks for the shout, ‘Killa! We are all about promoting unity and peace here, but recognize gangs and beef are a part of life in Los Angeles and most elsewhere. Many of us on the TACO staff work with at-risk kids through LA Bridges and other not-for-profits, and marvel at the complicated challenges faced by so many LA youth today when it comes to avoiding or choosing gangs. Not all ‘gang’ activity is negative in my eyes, but it’s past time killing each other and each other’s friends and families stops. Whether proud of our art, our name, or our neighborhoods, let’s not let the Babylon devils fool us any longer by drawing us with envy, pride or hate, seperating us by race, class, crew or creed. Greed is the real enemy in my eyes, but Together All Can Overcome!
Posted on 04-Jan-07 at 12:50 pm | Permalink
Beto Zapata wrote:
Gee, what a proud legacy you’re celebrating here, what with the delightful photos of the Sotel taggings. It’s bad enough that we see this shit on every square inch of our neighborhoods, but to see it glorified here, too…! Makes me embarrassed for you and the message you’re excusing if not downright promoting.
Posted on 05-Feb-07 at 6:26 am | Permalink
Hadley wrote:
It was not my intention to glorify gang-life, Snr, and I am sorry to cause your embarassment. We’re definitely not promoting, yet also not judging anything right here. We show the Los Angeles we see around us through our pictures and observations, and gangs and graffiti are a noticable part of life here which, for better and often worse, cannot be ignored, especially as you say, with tags like SOTEL13′s covering every square inch of this particular neighborhood, a story worth telling in my mind as it demonstrates the diversity, problems, and complexities found between the lines in ur city, even in its wealthier, crime-reduced areas. Many of us within TACO work weekly with at-risk middle school kids and do our best to show them alternatives to gang-life, still it is not something we plan to ignore if we can educate some readers as to who is doing what and where on the streets of L.A. Conversely, I have spoken with many younger people whose lives have been damaged by gang-violence to write for TACO and detail some of their personal losses and frustrations, but due to school or other commitments, it has not happened yet. Thank you for your comment.
Posted on 05-Feb-07 at 12:36 pm | Permalink
Socrates wrote:
This is great reporting. It lets people know the reality of life on the westside. Gang problems are not to be glorified but it simply cant be denied. The sawtelle neighborhood has been a small hispanic neighborhood for generations. Dating back to my great grandfather in the 1930′s when the small hispanic neighborhood between the tracks Sawtelle Santa Monica and Pico was known as “La Garra”. I was saddened when the cost of rent was no longer affordable and i had to leave behind my roots and a very unique neighborhood.
Posted on 22-Mar-07 at 3:43 pm | Permalink
cassandra wrote:
a vatos me gusta lo k tiene en todo de los angeles homes!!!!!!! yo tambien quiero ser parte de su ganga so dime k tienego k asr y yo lo ago homes!!!!!!
Posted on 23-Apr-07 at 11:36 am | Permalink
LUCKIE wrote:
WELL THAS COOL ITS ALL ABOUT S 13
Posted on 29-Aug-07 at 3:44 pm | Permalink
LIL DROOPY WS CSC.K wrote:
HOMIE ITS ALL BOUT SOTEL 13 GANG VATOS..FUCK SMACKS N CACAS..
Y TAMBIEN LOS NORPUTOS!!
BARRIO.SOTEL.13.PSYCHOS.CLIKA.ST.PK.ESE!!
Posted on 09-Nov-07 at 2:32 pm | Permalink
Soka KILLA wrote:
LAme as gang..always picking on crews..cant hang with with big gangs..bitchass foos..pick on gangs that are worth..u foos cant hang thats y u guys pick on crews…Rifa…18st…u guys shoulnt be a 13..u guys are a discrace to surenos..fuck sokas..big bad ass 18ST GANG
Posted on 09-Nov-07 at 3:57 pm | Permalink
woody wrote:
tham homies why do you bitches gotta hate. where about 55 thousand deep putos u cant even meet us at 100, stop fighting something u will never take out.
remember their nothing better than being with and eighteen streeter putos. hahahahahahahahahaha.
Posted on 27-Jan-08 at 9:27 pm | Permalink
Puppet wrote:
SOTEL 13 DEVILS ROLL CALL:STALKER,WINO,VAMPY,BLASTER,INSANE,REX, TRUSTY, HUERO, GRUMPY, SHY-BOY, YOUNGSTER, CONEJO, BOXER, SCOOBY, MINOR, LIL INSANE, SHARKY, CLUMSY, GREMLIN ,OSO, GRANDE, CRAZY DREW, NINO,LEFTY, CAPONE, TRIGGER, STOMPER, SPEEDY, PAYASO, TROUBLES, JOKER, CHINO, PELON, MIDGET, SHORTY, BROWN-BOY, KRANKY, BANDIT, SNIPER, SOLDIER, CRIMINAL, WARLOCK.2008 R.I.P O.G RACOON,LIL STOMPER, BIG STOMPER, LIL SPANTO, N LIL MENACE FUCK SMACK CACAS FAKETEENS N ALL OUR ENEMIES MAY DEATH BE UPON UR ASSES. DESDE PUPPET v.SOTEL13 DEVILS CLIQUE
Posted on 30-Jan-08 at 6:26 pm | Permalink
Sillie wrote:
Damnit I love them Sotel Duques! Yeah Baby!!
Posted on 22-Feb-08 at 4:00 pm | Permalink
blis one wrote:
my dad was from sotel 13….he died in june 1979..when i was 3 months old. my family kept this a big secret from me. i mostly stayed with my mom’s family and was kept away from the gang life. it wasnt till i was 11 years old did i find out how he really died. he was killed in mar vista park. his name was Juan Martinez. i dont know what his nickname was. i just know that its fucked up not knowing anything about my roots.this is the very first time i’ve ever found anything about Sotel 13. i grew up on Ocean Park and Centinella. me, my mom,my dad,my aunts and uncles all went to Richland,Webster and Uni.if anyone reading this knows about my dad…or maybe has an uncle or dad who knew my dad…please hit me up…my dad died representing and i feel i deserve to know the truth. its been 28 years. thankyou for taking the time to read this….i’m typing this shit with tears. *blis
Posted on 25-Feb-08 at 1:31 am | Permalink
LIL SILENT wrote:
orale ese firando y controlando!!!!!!
ESLOS 24 STREET PLAYBOYS SUR X3 CONTROLA ESE N FUCK OUR HATERS!!!!
FUCK U NORCULOS Y FLORENCIA, VATOS LOCOS NO LA PELAN!!!!!!!!
U GUYS ARE NOT TRUEE BLUEE UR WANNA BS ESE
PBS X3 CONTROLA ALL U LEVAS \!!!!!!!!
Posted on 03-Mar-08 at 10:45 am | Permalink
LIL SHADY wrote:
WAZ SUP TO ALL THE HOMIES FROM THE BIG BAD ASS SOTEL GANG LIL SHADY BACK FROM THE PINTA BE BACK SOON GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN OFF PAROLE IN 6 MONTHS
Posted on 04-Mar-08 at 12:57 am | Permalink
VILLAIN wrote:
FUCCK SOKAS ESE AND ALL OUR ENEMIGAS DIE SLOW MUTHERFUCCKERS SOY V1LLAIN FROM THAT BIG BAD ASS VARRIO SANTA MON1CA GANG 13 LIL LOKOS 17ST P-WEE LOKOS
Posted on 07-Mar-08 at 10:09 am | Permalink
lil shady wrote:
FUCK ALL U SMAKAS LOKAS LIL SHADY BE BACK SHUT ALL U FOOS OUT BIG BAD ASS SOTEL GANG DEVILS WEST LOS FINEST
Posted on 07-Mar-08 at 3:49 pm | Permalink
thrive wrote:
FUCK FAKETONES SMAKAS AND ALL THE MOTHER FUCKIN HATERS!!! I AINT FROM SOTEL BUT IVE LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR EVER SO IM DOWN WITH THE BROWN ESE!!! PURO SOTEL 13 GANG STONER PARK LOCOS!! YA FOOS ARE TIGHT KEEP PUTTIN IN WORK AND SHOW YOUR ENEMIGAS QUIEN CONTROLLA!!! FUCK FAKETONES AND CACAS AND SMAKAS!!! PUTOS!! SOTEL13 GANG ALL DAY EVERY MOTHER FUCKIN DAY!!!
Posted on 26-Mar-08 at 11:29 am | Permalink
buddy wrote:
I grew up in west LA in the early 80′s, went to nora sterry and webster, I was never in sotel but I had a couple of friends that were in sotel and I respect the gang and I´m glad it´s still alive T live in mexico, the last time I was in stoner park in 1995 the mural was in bad shape, does it exist?
Posted on 30-Mar-08 at 1:35 am | Permalink
MR.CRIMINAL wrote:
SANTA MONICA X3 LIL LOKOS GANG
Posted on 03-Apr-08 at 9:03 am | Permalink
juice wrote:
hey buddy” im pretty positive that the mural has been taken down since then.
Posted on 27-Apr-08 at 3:34 am | Permalink
sergio wrote:
thats right ese fuck norcacas bitch ass busters cant hang with sur 13 gang HCM click hardcorecriminales click fuck all the haters
Posted on 04-May-08 at 12:13 pm | Permalink
SMACAKILLER wrote:
BIG BAD ASS VARRIO SOTEL 13 GANG~ PURO WESTLOS~ FUCK –SMAKAMONICA–ONEFAKE– ~WESTSIDE SOTEL TRECE GANG~ 310 WESTLOS~ STONER PARK ESE~ WAVING THAT BROWN RAG ESE~ FUCK THE REST WE’RE THE BEST SOTEL GANG~
Posted on 05-May-08 at 4:19 am | Permalink
SOTELERA wrote:
Blis…
well i am an O.G from Sotel. The gang your dad was from. He was a homie of mine. He was a good homeboy to always have around. They called him Oso from my hood. I have much more to tell you about him. If you wanna know more contact me on my E-mail- tonisilva09@yahoo.com
Chola*** Frm SOTEL
Posted on 06-Jun-08 at 8:25 pm | Permalink
SOTELERA wrote:
blis. i have the answers you need. get at my email. tonisilva09@yahoo.com
Posted on 06-Jun-08 at 8:37 pm | Permalink
nowuknow wrote:
just remember that no matter who and what click hates santa monica. wether being that they had a homie killed, they got jumped or they just hate the city cause they were tought to hate…..
back in the late 1920′s and 1930′s the first gang known to have originated on the westside was SANTA MONICA (Tomato Patch) first gang to start it all. and it gave birth to all the other clicks surounding the city.
dont believe…ask any of your O.G homies. RESPECT what gave you birth.
SM
Posted on 11-Jun-08 at 5:37 am | Permalink
SOTELERO wrote:
“PURO BARRIO*SOTEL*TRECE” FUCK SMAKAS,CACAS,MOCOS,FACKTEENS,MIERDASECA,NORCACAS, FUCK TAGERS.AND ALL THE BITCH ASS HATERS N TAGERS WHO TRY TO FUCK WITH LOS SOTELEROS.THAT’S ALL ABOUT “BARRIO*SOTEL*13*GANG”
Posted on 08-Jul-08 at 4:44 pm | Permalink
LOCA SOTEL STPK wrote:
SOTEL GANG IS A STONG FAMILIA.WE ARE LEADERS! NOT FOLLOWERS,YOU MIGHT NOT SEE US BUT WE ARE THERE.YOU CAN KNOCK DOWN BUILDINGS PUT CONDOS,IT NOT GOING TO MAKE ME A LESSER GANG MEMBER,I’M PROUD OF HOOD ITS ONE OF THE CLEANEST,NICEST IN THESE 4 CORNERS.WE ARE THE FINEST VARRIOS ON THE WESTSIDE AND PROUD TO SAY AUQI PARA SOTEL TRESE GANG!!!!
Posted on 09-Jul-08 at 6:08 am | Permalink
O.G CHOLA from SOTEL wrote:
KEEP IT SOTEL ALL DAY EVERYDAY.
Posted on 13-Jul-08 at 6:38 pm | Permalink
Galo canote wrote:
wow – this is a bit reminiscent of the party lines back in the days, gangs would called up only to gang-bang on the phone. seems as though we are experiencing internet banging here LOL.
for clarity; I know Hadley, and I personally do not believe he is either advocating, condoning, promoting and/or glorifying gang-banging.
He is a man who is “out to make waves” in our youth today. Someone who cares about the future of our generation.
I personally do not like gangs but have many friends who were or are in gangs. The reason I don’t like gangs is because many good friends have passed and many great families have been torn about because of it. But I agree with Hadley that not all gang activity is completely negative.
I am also completely aware it’s an element surrounding us in every area of our beloved city. but we need to focus on a more serious issue at hand. we should ask, why youngsters are drawn to joining gangs instead of immediately ostracizing them from society simply cuz they chose a gang by default.
as far as the writing goes, I love gang writing. some of the best fonts and calligraphic characteristics have come from gang writing.
my two cents
Posted on 14-Jul-08 at 10:19 am | Permalink
RICARDO wrote:
EY HOMS THI IS SOTELX3 PUTOS HAHAHAHA FUCK MY ENEMIGAS PUTOS AND LEVAS KEEP TALKING MIEDA PUTOS GANG BANG
MI LIL HOMIE SUSPECK AND SPEEDY AND C-BOY
ESE UNO TRES
Posted on 17-Jul-08 at 11:19 pm | Permalink
LiLONE wrote:
Fuck The north is all about the south gate CYPRESS gang 13
Posted on 18-Jul-08 at 9:36 pm | Permalink
LiLONE wrote:
Its all about the big south Side
Posted on 18-Jul-08 at 9:44 pm | Permalink
LENTO wrote:
WATS UP ESE SOTEL IS BACK TO KILL SMAKAS
Posted on 21-Jul-08 at 11:00 am | Permalink
unknown wrote:
big bad ass 18st shatto park locos click fuck ur little hoods dont be hating cuse we world wide la diesiocho rifa
Posted on 25-Jul-08 at 1:56 pm | Permalink
LOKO CHUXS 1 wrote:
BIG BAD WS TEPA 13 FUCK A SMACK , FAKETEEN , KLEENEX , CACA , PECK , STREET VERGA , CLOWNDALE , LITTLE TWATTS , TUERTOS , CRIMINALGAS AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT DONT LIKE MY VARRIO SOY EL LOKOTE CHUCKIE WS TEPA 13 BABY LOCOS 106 STR
Posted on 30-Jul-08 at 10:16 am | Permalink
SHYBOY wrote:
FUCK FRITONES AND ANYBODY FUCK U PUTOS SIGUEN ABLANDO MIERDA AND FUCK MY ENEMIGAS LIKE SMACKAS AND CACAS MIERDA SECA sOtElX3 rIfAnDo eL 13
SOTELX3 PSYCHOS KLIC SHYBOY
Posted on 31-Jul-08 at 9:10 pm | Permalink
LOKO CHUXS 1 wrote:
WEST LOS VARRIO TEPATITLAN XIII BABY LOKOTES KLIK 106 STREET FREEMAN AVE GANG FUCK ALL MY ENEMIGAS
Posted on 31-Jul-08 at 11:39 pm | Permalink