| Founded | Founded in 1984 by King Droopy in or near Albany Park |
|---|---|
| Affiliations | Give details |
| Colors | Black, Red, and Gold |
| Color usage | Akrhos - Black and red, Flip City Kings - Black and Gold |
| Primary ethnicities | Asian (Filipino) |
| Ethnicity notes | Asian (Filipino) |
| Symbols | Give details |
| Symbol usage | Flip City Kings – 5 point crown, five point star, lions, Latin King Master Akrhos – five point star |
| Status | Active |
Asian youths have struggled in Chicago against Hispanic and black gangs and have been bullied terribly by the bigger Hispanic and black gangs on the south side and north side and by the 1980s, Asians had had enough and started gang banging under their own banners as many were often mistreated or targeted closer by rivals when they joined Hispanic and black gangs. These Asian organizations would eventually evolve into some very tough and often ruthless organizations once they separated themselves from blacks and Hispanics.
Filipinos had struggled the most among the gang scene in Chicago as Filipinos never established a Filipino section of the city. Since their migration to Chicago in the earlier 20th century Filipinos were always spread out all over the city making it tough for them to stick together. Chinese always had Chinatown, Koreans have Korea Town in Albany Park and the Vietnamese have had part of Uptown but Filipinos had to live among them or had to live with Hispanics and blacks instead.
In the early 1980s, Chicago exploded with party crews that were groups that banded together to prevent gangs from attacking them yet they did not identify or act as gangbangers. This is how “Flip City” began as mostly Filipino kids that got together and stayed away from the Filipino gangs. Large “Flip parties” were thrown that became a big break dancing show down and often Filipino gangs would fight each other. There were other crews similar to Flip City like “Flip Paradise,” “Flip Brothers” and “Westside.”
In the year 1984, older members of Flip City joined the Latin Kings at Lawrence and Kedzie in the Albany Park neighborhood while still retaining ties to Flip City. The “Flip Brotherhood” group completely turned Latin King as well. Basically the Filipino members of the Latin Kings were called “Flip City Kings.”
In the year 1984, one of the Flip City Kings, “King Droopy,” moved to Troy and Leland in Albany Park to start his very own branch of Latin Kings which would exclusively become Flip City Kings. This group did not break away from the Latin Kings and were still full fledged Latin King members but because of their racial makeup they were considered a separate gang by many on the streets even though they were not. The Flip City Kings were perhaps the toughest Asian gang in the city at the time and stood out. Many would call them the “Flip City Crowns.” Flip City Kings worked heavily with notorious Latin King branches like the Beach and Spaulding Latin Kings or Latin Kings in K-Town or at North Avenue and Lockwood in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood. Flip City Kings had a deep rivalry with the Simon City Royals and Insane Popes. Flip City Kings began hanging out at Waveland Bowling Alley near Western Avenue and Waveland Ave in the North Center neighborhood. At this bowling alley Flip City Kings would battle the Royals which resulted in a major rumble in 1986 at the bowling alley. Flip City Kings also fought the Insane Popes from Mather High School in the West Ridge neighborhood.
The Flip City Kings were known to be brawlers while the older members often carried out hits on rivals shooting and stabbing them. A big war happened in 1989 when Flip City got into it with the Vietnamese Clan (VCs). Flip City put three VCs in the hospital causing one member to go deaf in one ear. VCs attacked back but also pressed charges on Flip City Kings; The Flips responded to VC attacks and pressing charges by blowing up VC cars and houses and murdering some other members.
Many young Filipino kids were terrified of the VCs as they stabbed and shot neutral Filipinos. In the early 1990s These kids then started their own gangs based upon Filipino college fraternities from the old country like Akrhos (Alpha Kappa Rho), SRB (Scout Royal Brotherhood, BNG (Bahala Na Gang). The Flip City Kings had no fear of the VCs and kept coming at them forcing VCs to summon Vietnamese refugees that landed in states like Texas or California.
One of these new Filipino groups I had mentioned was the Akrhos (Alpha Kappa Rho) which would became the most notorious of this new wave of Filipino kids that were influenced by the Flip City Kings and actually branched out from the Flip City Kings in the year 1990 is the suburb of Skokie. The Akrhos got lots of notoriety after fighting side by side with Flip City Kings which is how these two groups often get mistaken as being the same thing. Some Akrhos had dual membership in both Flip City Kings and Akrhos, another way people were often mistaken. These two organizations had a lot to do with each other but were separate and the Flip City Kings respected the north branch of Akrhos as they were some down gang members.
The Akrhos branched out on the south side of Chicago in the Marquette Park neighborhood in the mid-1990s. I believe their first section on the south side was 61st and California (Ghettoside). The Akrhos were open to taking in Mexican members and chose their own colors of black and red. This group often claimed to not be part of the People alliance either. They soon grew to take 61st and Richmond (The Almighty Side) and 61st and Mozart (Gangster Side).
Flip City Kings and Akrhos operated through the rest of the 1990s as original members began fading out of the picture or doing low key undercover work. In the 2000s decade both Flip City Kings and Akrhos went more underground. The Flip City Kings suffered a blow when the Troy and Leland founder King Droopy was caught in a ecstasy drug operation in 2007 attempting to import the drug from Canada to Chicago and California. Flip City members from Los Angeles and Chicago were connected and Latin Kings were involved. The bust happened in Chinatown when Canadians, Chinese gangsters, Latin Kings and Flip City Kings met to do the deal then authorities burst in.
Both Flip City Kings and Akrhos are still in existence and may perhaps make a comeback.
Known sections of the Akrohs past and present
Albany Park neighborhood 1984-2000s as Flip City Kings
Sections of Albany Park
Leland & Troy Established 1984-2000s as Flip City Kings
Marquette Park neighborhood Established as Akrohs 1995-2000s
Sections of Marquette Park
61st & California (Ghetto Side) Established as Akrohs 1995-2000s
61st & Mozart (Gangster Side) Established as Akrohs 1995-2000s
61st & Richmond (Almighty Side) Established as Akrohs 1995-2000s
North Center neighborhood Established 1984-2000s as Flip City Kings
Sections of North Center
Western & Waveland (Waveland Bowling Alley) Established 1984-2000s as Flip City Kings
Suburbs
Skokie Established 1990 as Akrohs