Brazers - Chicago Gang History

Founded	Founded in 1971 in or near Heart of Chicago (Lower West Side)
Affiliations	Folk Nation — c. 1981 – 2000 or later;
Colors	Black, White, Red, and Green
Primary ethnicities	Latino (Mexican)
Symbols	Mexican Flag, Eagle's Head, and Spear
Status	Active

The intersection of Cermak Road and California Avenue in Chicago’s Marshall Square (Little Village) neighborhood has long been an area of the neighborhood where intense gang violence has rocked this small area. The reason for this violence has always been about conflict with Latin Kings and attempts at Latin Kings trying to capture this corner since the late 60s. Since the Latin Kings became established in the Little Village community in 1966, youth from 22^nd (Cermak) and California have resisted recruitment attempts into the Latin Kings. The original group to resist Latin Kings was a group of Mexican immigrant youths. Latin Kings and other gangs started calling these youths “Braceros” which is Spanish for “Brazer.” Los Braceros was a term giving to immigrants who were known for carrying cash in their pockets after being paid for work. Many times gangs would victimize these immigrants were often ambushed and robbed of the money in their pockets. Latin Kings would come to 22^nd and California in the late 60s looking to rob what they considers “Braceros” and, as time passed, these youths were fighting back but also getting chased by Latin King heavy numbers.

In the year 1971, the immigrant youths at 22^nd and California used “Brazers” term as their own but did not have an actual club but just called each other “Brazers.” The Brazers were not fans of using guns because the founders believed using guns for gang fights was cowardly and they believed in fist fights. Brazers were great fighters but once guns were pulled they had no answer to gun play so perhaps this is the reason they would eventually leave this area of the city. Brazers were spread as far as 26^th Street and Western Avenue at the border of Heart of Chicago neighborhood and Marshall Square. Some original members were “Lito,” “Rabbit,” and “Brazero.” Brazers would continue to have a presence in this area until the late 70s. After the Brazers left the Two Two Boys were established at 22^nd and California and survived those streets from their start into present years with the use of guns. Brazers then moved to Heart of Chicago (Pilsen) neighborhood at the intersection of Marshfield Avenue and 19^th Street in some apartments in the neighborhood in 1975.

When the Brazers arrived at 19^th and Marshfield they found immediate conflict with neighborhood gangs which led then to officially organize as a club on the streets of West Pilsen. These Brazers hung out at St Pius V Catholic Church at the corner of 19^th and Ashland. The Pilsen area Brazers still were not fond of using firearms and now fought impressive battles against Latin Kings, Latin Counts, Bishops, Halsted Boys, Morgan Deuces, Villa Lobos and Latin Brothers in the area. Brazers had a decent relationship with Ambrose who seemed to be their only allies. Original members were “Tarzan” and “Beto” as examples.

A white youth, named Paul, from the Uptown neighborhood residing at apartments at the corner of Windsor Avenue and Hazel Street was kicked out of high school for bad behavior. Paul was sent to an alternative school in the Pilsen area where he met the newly formed Brazers after classes. Paul youth joined the Brazers and became the first of two white members of the gang. Paul started a chapter of the Brazers in Uptown and the corner of Clarendon Avenue and Windsor Avenue/Wilson Avenue. These Brazers hung out in Clarendon Park and this group formed in late 1975 to early 1976 during the 75-76 school year while Paul was attending the alternative school. There were several gangs in the area and the Brazers of Uptown did not get along with almost all of them. At the time, Latin Eagles were big in Lake View and traveling into Uptown all the time which started a rivalry with Brazers. Spanish Cobras was another gang that wasn’t from the area but often traveled into the area starting problems with Brazers. The war with Spanish Cobras was so severe it was never forgiven up to present years. Latin Kings were starting to form a couple blocks away at Montrose and Hazel but at first, Brazers had no issues with those Latin Kings. The Harrison Gents were less than a block away at Windsor and Hazel and conflict with Brazers happened. Brazers also had conflict with Black Gangster Disciples near Lawrence and Sheridan. The Vice Lords were just a block away at Hazel and Agatite. These Vice Lords sold drugs outside the apartments but I am not sure if the Brazers fought with them because Brazer turf extended to Sunnyside and Hazel, just a block away. These were the first enemies of the Brazers in the 70s. At the time, these were all a cluster of blighted apartment buildings and vacant lots where several impoverished white, black and Hispanic youths roamed the streets and often got attached to gangs creating a violent and dangerous neighborhood that has been heavily gentrified since the late 1990s into apartments for well-offs. Some founding members of the Uptown Brazers were “Hotfly” and “Gypsy,” “Choli,” “Chongo.” The Latin Eagles were the ones that killed Gypsy by shooting him to death.

Brazers used the Mexican flag as colors and used the Mexican flag brown eagle as one of their symbols. Most of the street legends of 70s Brazers is stories of either succumbing to gun violence or incarceration. Local legends tell tales of the Brazers as warriors and good fighters; however, all their original territories did not last in the 70s but their foundation was laid out for several more decades. 70s Brazers on both sides of the city took on large lists of enemies and few allies. In Pilsen area Brazers only hung out with Ambrose and eventually adopted the spear as a gang symbol just as Ambrose to show solidarity. In Uptown, the Brazers had no allies in the 70s.

The early 80s were tough times for the Brazers as all their gangbanging caught up to them severly. Since some members did not have U.S. citizenship they were deported, members like “Fish” was deported and “FuFu” fled to Mexico to avoid murder warrants for his arrest. Original Pilsen area members like Tarzan and Beto were put in prison which shut down the Pilsen area Brazers some time in the early 80s which caused that group to become extinct. Original members and leaders on the north side were sent to prison in 1981 including the white member that started this chapter who went down on firearm charges and armed robbery, he left the gang life afterward. After the Pilsen area branch was shut down remaining guys that still wanted to bang flipped to Ambrose, the legends that these Brazers moved up north is incorrect, they never went up north.

Hotfly was shot to death in front of a liquor store that used to be at the corner of Clarendon and Windsor, he was shot to death by Raul of the Latin Kings. This shooting happened in 1981 and may have started the permanent war with Latin Kings. In the year 1981, Uptown Brazers went in two directions. Some members started hanging out in a bar at Lawrence Avenue and Clark Street and they soon claimed this as new territory, “Coco” was the first leader and the founder of the Chase Park Brazers. The older members hung out in the bar while young pee wees and junior members from the old Clarendon hood set up in Chase Park which is at the same intersection. Other members moved to the Rogers Park community to the intersection of Morse Avenue and Wayne Avenue in 1981. Morse and Wayne had only older members from my understanding; hence, why many people think this section started later in time. Once the Morse and Wayne section started Brazers found common ground with the Simon City Royals in that neighborhood who were also fighting a heavy battle with Latin Kings. Black Gangster Disciples were strong in Rogers Park and were getting along with Royals as they were both Folk alliance, this was the beginning of problems between Brazers and Disciples scaling back.

In the year 1984, the Brazers officially joined the Folk alliance alongside Simon City Royals and Black Gangster Disciples. The Black Gangster Disciples were the main group to assist the Brazers with joining the alliance; therefore, Brazers adopted the pitchfork as one of their symbols. Brazers became “Almighty” joining the alliance with the Simon City Royals becoming “Almighty Brazers.” I am not sure why they adopted the colors of black and red, which are normally People alliance colors but Brazers changed their colors when joining Folks in 1984. A new leader for the Brazers was appointed in 1984, a 19-year-old white member named “Casper” who was said to be intelligent and tough. I am not sure what happened to Coco, but he was no longer leading the Chase Park Brazers by 84. Casper was appointed leader of the Brazers of Chase Park even though he was a new member, I am not sure which gang he was in before becoming a Brazer. Casper was the second white member and the last white member, at least up through the 2000s decade. Brazers also started heavy conflict with the Gaylords of Sunnyside and Magnolia. Brazers also fought with Gaylord allies the Kenmore Boys and the Uptown Rebels of Montrose and Malden. Uptown Rebels, Gaylords and Latin Kings were all part of the People alliance as was Vice Lords, another enemy. The Chase Park Brazers were legendary in the 1980s and many rivals were dazzled by how down these Brazers were and how hard they fought Latin Kings and Gaylords, the Brazers were one of the big gangs of Uptown in the 80s. Brazer turf grew all around Chase Park as they now conquered along the boundaries of: Ainslie Street on the north, Leland Avenue on the south, Magnolia Avenue on the east and Ravenswood Street on the west.

The Brazers continued to dominate Chase Park area well into the 1990s and their long time section founder “Coco” was still in the scene and still hanging out at the bar at Lawrence and Clark. On one fateful day in 1996, Coco was leaving the bar and as soon as he stepped outside members of the Latin Kings shot him dead. The bar was then closed down and the Brazers left Chase Park for good after that shooting and the death of Coco. I am not sure when Casper was no longer leader but he retired from gang life. After Coco was killed Brazers moved all their forces onto Morse and Wayne where they amassed over 80 members. Brazers supported La Raza in their pursuits of opening at the intersection of Clark Streets and Estes. Brazers were tight with La Raza, Simon City Royals and Gangster Disciples in Rogers Park. Brazers battled heavily with Latin Kings and Ashland Vikings in the neighborhood. The Brazers were being headed by “Chilango” from 1996 until 2009 when Chilango chose to retire. During these years the Brazers had some major presence in Rogers Park, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s.

In 2009, the Brazers left Morse and Wayne after Chilango retired and headed for the Edgewater neighborhood at the corner of Broadway and Ardmore. I don’t know what happened with the Ardmore section but it was started by an older member but it seemed to fade as time passed. Presently I am not sure if Brazers are still active.

If you have any 1970s, 1980s or 1990s pics please send them in!