| Founded | Founded in 1968 by Walter Wheat in or near West Garfield Park |
|---|---|
| Affiliations |
People Nation
— c. 1981
–
2000 or later; |
| Colors | Black, Red, Gold, and Brown |
| Color usage | Black and brown 1968-1978; Black and gold 1978-present; Black and red 1978-present |
| Primary ethnicities | African American |
| Symbols | Black Diamond, Crescent Moon, Cane, Top Hat, Gloves, and Playboy Bunny |
| Symbol usage | Number 4, black diamond 1986-present, crescent moon, cane, top hat, gloves, playboy bunny 1978-present, “solid” |
| Status | Active |
A quote from the Chicago Tribune on August 19, 1994, sums it up best for the early history of the Four Corner Hustlers, “There was a time when the Four Corner Hustlers actually stood for four corners, representing a meager six square blocks on the West Side.” (Papajohn, Chicago Tribune Aug 19, 1994).
The original Four Corners: 1967
There was indeed a time back in the year 1967 that two Unknown Vice Lord teenage boys had an idea of how to protect a certain area in the West Garfield Park neighborhood from invaders from outside the area that threatened the neighborhood with drug dealing, gangbanging and violence. The idea of the Four Corner Hustlers was about one main thing, neighborhood protection, and that did not mean only protection for their members but for everyone that lived in this territory. The territory was Madison Street on the north to Jackson Boulevard on the south, and from Independence on the east to Pulaski Road on the west and all the street corners in between including Jackson and Springfield, Springfield and Adams, Springfield and Wilcox, Springfield and Monroe, Springfield and Madison, Madison and Hamlin, Monroe and Hamlin, Hamlin and Wilcox, Adams and Hamlin, Jackson and Hamlin, Pulaski and Monroe, Pulaski and Wilcox and Pulaski and Adams. Walter Wheat (born April 11, 1951),14-year-old Freddie Gage, Richard “Lefthand Goodman,” 14 year old Marvin Evans, and approximately 7 others along with Willie Lloyd started the Unknown Vice Lords in West Garfield Park in 1967. Freddie Gage was the son of an original member of the Vice Lords and his father was also part of the Executioner Vice Lords. Walter Wheat the cousin of Black Souls founder Horace “King Pee Wee” Willis. The Supreme Gangsters moved into the West Garfield Park neighborhood later in the year and King Ike Taylor was the founder and leader of the west side Supreme Gangsters that would eventually became the west side Gangster Disciples we know today. Walt Wheat, Fred Gage, Willie Lloyd, Ike Taylor and Horace Willis came together as “Black Revolutionary Soul Brothers” because they all had interests in protecting their areas of West Garfield Park. These youths were inspired by Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Fred Hampton, Huey Newton, Marcus Garvey and Thurgood Marshall. The youths came together under the Soul Brothers banner because of law enforcement crackdowns against African American street gangs on the west side and south side and the dismantling of black power movements. The streets were becoming flooded with drugs by the later 60s and was seemingly ushered in by the Italian Mafia and possible government agencies and the Soul Brothers aimed to fight against it.
In the year 1968, the “Four Corner Hustlers” were given birth out of the Unknown Vice Lords and the Black Soul Brothers but there now was a “Soul Brothers” group from K-Town in North Lawndale and a “Black Souls” from West Garfield Park.
The Four Corner Hustlers formed a fighting gang not a drug dealing gang or a gang that destroyed their own neighborhood. Instead, they were going to beat down any gang that came in there acting destructive. This idea was all put together at Delano playground at the corner of Springfield and Wilcox. The Four Corner Hustlers had strict rules to abide by, no drug dealing, no drug using (not even Marijuana), no mugging, no burglarizing, but shop lifting and stealing from delivery trucks was fully acceptable. Any violence inflicted on rival gangs was acceptable too, shooting, stabbing, cracking skulls, whatever needed to be done to show who was running those corners was acceptable.
Walt Wheat was strict about the behavior of the Four Corner Hustlers and forbid members from using any drugs, including marijuana and forbid members to drink alcohol into intoxication, Wheat expected Fours to be highly disciplined.
By the year 1968, the Four Corner Hustlers were fully established in West Garfield Park and Walter Wheat was the founder and became the “Chief” while Fred Gage was given the title of “King.” When the Black Souls formed at the edge of the Four Corners in 1968, the Four Corner Hustlers bonded with them since King Pee Wee and Walt Wheat were family and they were still part of the Black Revolutionary Soul Brothers movement.
When the Fours became fully official in 1968, the Unknown Vice Lord founder Willie Lloyd was furious and declared 40 days of war against the Fours for leaving the Vice Lords and for over a decade UVLs and Fours were at war.
Capitol Hill and L-Town: 1968
The Austin community was the last west side community to racially change from white to African American and because of this many groups of whites were hostile toward their new African American neighbors. Groups of teens and adult men spat at, chased and attacked groups of African Americans as they moved into south Austin for the first time in 1967. By 1968, enough African American youths had moved to south Austin in the Columbus Park area to clique up and fight back against the racial attacks. The Four Corner Hustlers branched out to Austin and recruited Monroe “Money” Banks alongside Hodari Joe at the intersection of Parkside Avenue and Madison Street which is a block north of Columbus Park. Monroe Banks and Hodari Joe became the biggest Four Corner Hustler legends in Austin and were the founders of Austin Fours. There was racial competition at the park to use the recreational services like a swimming pool etc…and many groups of whites aimed to keep blacks out of the park leading to a large racial clash that one can’t read about in any newspapers, but according to many old street legends and founders of Austin area Vice Lords, the racial clashing was very much real.
According to many old school Black P Stones and Vice Lords that settled in Austin in 1968, the Four Corner Hustlers were aggressive about recruitment so much that Fours started a war with Black P Stones and Apache (Insane) Vice Lords. Over time, Capitol Hill would grow to be within the borders of Jackson Boulevard on the south to Lake Street on the north and from Austin Boulevard on the west to Laramie Avenue on the east.
Along the Chicago Avenue corridor in Austin, many African American families were struggling to settle in this part of Central Austin as white gangs were putting up a fight in 1968. The Four Corner Hustlers arrived along Chicago Avenue but I’m not sure who started the Fours along Chicago Avenue between Cicero Avenue to Central Avenue but when they formed in 1968 they battled with Black P Stones for this area and each group referred to their parts around this part of Chicago Avenue as “L-Town.” Four Corner Hustlers arrived earlier in 1968 than Black P Stones, but by the later part of the year the two groups were fighting each other more than white gangs.
Both L-Town and Capitol Hill remain Four Corner Hustler strong holds and may remain there permanently.
North Lawndale: 1968
Once the Four Corner Hustlers took formation and began to branch out to other west side communities, North Lawndale became a neighborhood settled by the Fours and this branch was assembled by Eugene Rhoiney in 1968. Eugene Rhoiney would end up in prison for murder in 1969 but would come back to these streets until he was incarcerated again for murder in 1988. These Fours were originally along Karlov Avenue between 14th and 16th Streets. Eugene Rhoiney last resided at 1315 S. Kolin Ave when he was imprisoned in 1988 which is right in the neighborhood.
The Mackateers: The first Four Corner Hustler branch
I don’t know the exact year the Mackateer Four Corner Hustlers were founded but I know it was long ago either in the early 70s or maybe late 60s.The Mackateers or “Mackatives” were started in the Austin neighborhood but I am not sure exactly where in the neighborhood. “Icey Duck” was the founder of the Mackateers alongside Fred Rogers and Ced “Gucci” McNeal. Just like the L-Town and Capital Hill Four Corner Hustlers the Mackateers were big into making money and their founders were big players in the game.
The end of the Revolutionary Black Soul Brothers: 1969
In 1969, Horace Willis was shot to death by Chicago police and the Black Souls would become a violent street gang and this ended the Revolutionary Black Soul Brothers movement on the streets and Four Corner Hustlers were fully independent.
Incarceration of Fred Gage: 1972
On February 14, 1972, Four Corner Hustlers and Unknown Vice Lord gang members attended a Valentine’s Day dance at 3906 Lexington Ave (corner of Springfield and Lexington) at the Presentation Catholic Church. The dance was an invite only situation and officer Henderson Arnold told everyone they must have a membership card to stay at the dance in the basement. 18-year-old Freddie Gage was one that did not have an invitation and Officer Arnold told him to leave, when he refused a struggle happened between the officer and Gage that resulted in Arnold’s gun firing off which caused a bullet to hit Officer Arnold in his face and neck. Afterward Four Corner Hustler Leo Walker came up with his .22 caliber derringer and started shooting at Arnold as well while Freddie Gage and Walter Wheat tackled him according to court documents. As officer Arnold tried to escape, he was being shot at. Arnold survived and needed surgery to repair the damage, he was shot three times. It was at this point in time that Frederick “King Freddie” Gage now was sentenced to do 10 years in prison for this attempted murder (People vs. Walker, 1975).
Chicago Avenue and Hamlin: West Humboldt Park, 1975
In the year 1975, the black community on the far south side of West Humboldt Park went through a gang change after the original gang element south of Chicago Avenue was destroyed brutally by Chicago police. The Supreme Gangsters and Black Souls have a violent rivalry on these streets that made the newspapers in the early 70s leading to their extinction in the early-mid 70s. In the year 1975, a new wave of gangs swept West Humboldt Park that brought in Black Gangster Disciples and Vice Lords, but Four Corner Hustlers would take their piece of the pie at Chicago Avenue and Hamlin while running a strong heroin game a block away at Iowa and Hamlin, this was the beginning of a major legacy of the Four Corner Hustlers in West Humboldt Park that still remains highly active presently.
Incarceration of Walt Wheat: 1975
In the year 1975 Walter Wheat was sent to prison for aggravated assault and other charges. He was to spend over 10 years in prison. With Fred Gage and Walt Wheat in prison, the Fours became more ingrained in the prison system while Fours on the streets became more focused on making money in the heroin game, especially in Austin. During the court case of People V. Allen, police officer John Nee testified during the 1993 court proceedings against the Four Corner Hustlers that he had been watching their drug operations around Madison and Menard for 18 years which would mean he began noticing the drug trafficking in 1975, the same year Walt Wheat was put in prison (Fact source, People V. Allen). Officer John Nee was speaking about Capital Hill and was just two blocks from where the Austin Fours originated.
The Incarceration of Monroe Banks: 1977
According to the Chicago Tribune January 27, 1977 issue, Monroe Banks was the lookout man involved in the murder of Earl Anderson who was shot to death by McKinley Williams in Anderson’s apartment. Monroe Banks was living at 5825 W. Washington BLVD at the time which is in the heart of Capital Hill while Anderson was just two blocks away in Capital Hill as well. The article did not say why Anderson was targeted but it was a robbery. Monroe Banks now would end up in prison just like Fred Gage and Walt Wheat.
El Rukn sanctions of 1979: the gateway to the south side
In the year 1979 the El Rukns organization on the south side of Chicago handed down sanctions upon the Black P Stones demanding they cease to existence or succumb to violence. This is when Black P Stones called upon allies from the west side. Conservative Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords and Insane Vice Lords were called upon from the Vice Lords as was Four Corner Hustlers. Some of the hardest and craziest of the Four Corner Hustlers were called upon to flip Black P Stones to Four Corner Hustlers or many other Stones went with Vice Lord groups.
Maywood and Bellwood Four Corner Hustlers
Maywood and Bellwood were two Cook County Chicago suburbs that racially transitioned from majority white to majority African American at the same time. Maywood had a black community since the 1950s but the community was middle-class and blended with the white community but once the factories in the area began to close in the late 70s, white flight ran rampant in both Maywood and Bellwood which caused property values to plummet and now landlords were renting to low income families from Chicago to live in these two communities. Between 1979 and 1980, conflict started with a racial conflict at local high schools and with mostly Italian Melrose Park youths but then turned gang related once Latin Kings settled these suburbs and bullied African American youths. As the early 80s unfolded, not only would Latin Kings find conflict with Black Gangster Disciples that colonized Maywood and Bellwood, People allied gangs fought with BGDs too and this included Four Corner Hustlers that settled both towns by 1980 at the latest. Since 1980, the Four Corner Hustlers have been very strong in both towns.
4VL
Beginning in the year 1978, the earliest signs of the Folks and Peoples alliances began to build up in the Illinois penitentiary system following an organized protest in Stateville prison among inmates headed by the heads of the Chicago gangs. The gangs came together to stand up to inmate mistreatment and when the protest was successful and ended two groups formed that formed deep bonds behind bars. One coalition began to take on the name “Folks” by 1979 and formally organized behind bars by 1980. The other coalition had no formal organization until 1981 when the Folks formed on the streets and the Folks prophecy began. The Four Corner hustlers were far removed from the Folks and behind bars Walt Wheat, Fred Gage and Monroe Banks forged deeper bonds with Vice Lords especially since Fred Gage’s ties to the Vice Lords ran deep within his family’s bloodlines. When it was time for the People alliance to form in prison and on the streets the Four Corner Hustlers not only joined the People alliance they came back home to the Vice Lord nation as “4 Vice Lords.” This meant that 4VL would come to the streets in 1981 and would be in effect more than half of the 80s decade. Once the Fours joined the Vice Lord nation the war with Unknown Vice Lords and Insane Vice Lords was squashed.
4s in the Wild Hundreds: 107th & Wabash
As soon as the Four Corner Hustlers joined the Vice Lord nation (AVLN) they advanced deeper into the south side and one of their most successful establishments was at the corner of 107th Street and Wabash Avenue as they gathered in the yard of the Lilydale Progressive M.B. Church. These Fours represented heavily with shirts and hoodies with a top hat and cane emblems and the number “4” on it with a “M” on top of the 4. The “M” was present because these were Mackateer 4s that branched from Austin. Conservative Vice Lords had already been in Roseland for 5 years and since the 4s were now demonstrating as Vice Lords there was nothing but love between them and the main enemy was Black Gangster Disciples. The Four Corner Hustlers would remain strong on these Roseland streets for decades to come and remain strong. Eventually, they started followed the Maniac Four Corner Hustler demonstration when it was launched in the earlier 90s.
The death of King Fred Gage: 1983
In late October of 1983 Freddie Gage was scheduled to be released from prison after his 10-year stint for attempted murder of a Chicago Police Officer on the Valentine’s day shooting in 1972. On the day before his release, he celebrated by drinking some bad moonshine that ended up killing him, he died at 29 years old. On November 1, 1983, a massive funeral service was put together for Gage which brought 5,000 people to his funeral. The funeral consisted of many members of the Vice Lords and Four Corner Hustlers and several others. There was a massive line down Chicago Ave that caused one lane of traffic to be blocked and Police needed to direct the traffic (Chicago tribune Jan 8, 1984, pg 1). This story made the first page in the Chicago Tribune, but the funny thing is they called him a Conservative Vice Lord leader and did not even mention the Four Corner Hustlers, this shows that the 4s were not quite known yet to the world outside the streets, but that would soon change. The first of the main founders of the nation Freddie “AL Malik Hodari” Gage now was laid to rest.
Rockford Mackateers: 1985
In the year 1985, Mackateer Four Corner Hustlers migrated to the southwest side of Rockford along Curve Street then eventually up toward State Street and heading to the west side of town. Four Corner Hustlers in Rockford nestled into the Concord public housing projects where they have fought with Gangster Disciples and Four Corner Hustlers moved into the Orton Keyes projects on the southeast side. For about a decade these Fours got along with all People allies in Rockford like Latin Kings, Conservative Vice Lords and Insane Vice Lords but would begin war with other People gangs then war within themselves by 1996. Once Angelo Roberts had influence on the Rockford Fours in the early to mid-90s they were no longer Mackateers and ran in the streets as factions. The Four Corner Hustlers have remained in Rockford for generations.
Harvey (The Village) 1985
In the year 1985, Walt Wheat was released from prison after spending 10 years behind bars. Walt Wheat did not return to live on the west side, instead he would move into the suburb of Harvey into the public housing projects located at 154th and Claremont. These projects were built between 1962 and 1963 and were once townhouses that became public housing projects at some point. In the YouTube video “4 Corner Hustlers: Walt Wheat Jr & “The Village” | Chicago Hood Vlog Documentary (4CH Stronghold)” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTiJq2j5YmQ) Walt Wheat Junior made a video walking through these projects as they are currently, shuttered and abandoned. Walt Wheat Junior described the founding of the Fours and how Wheat raised his children in these projects and shot dice in an alleyway with friends. When Walt Wheat moved to Harvey he started the Four Corner Hustlers in these projects nicknamed “The Village” in 1985 taking in stand up members with careful selection. Eventually, Four Corner Hustlers spread into other parts of Harvey and have become real big and have a strong legacy in this suburb linked to Four Corner Hustler foundation. Walt Wheat would resume leadership of the Four Corner Hustlers after release.
Chicago Heights Fours
I don’t know when Four Corner Hustlers settled in the suburb of Chicago Heights but it sure as hell is worth mentioning. I once lived next to a guy that was a Chicago Heights Four Corner Hustler, cool ass guy and he was often decked out in black and red with his hat to the left and that was my first knowledge on the depth of Chicago Heights Fours. Chicago Heights was once deep with GDs and Black P Stones and still is but the Fours eventually outpaced Stones and even GDs to an extent. Hopefully, I will cycle back to this page to update the founding story of Chi-Heights Fours.
The release of Monroe Banks and the crack game
In the year 1987, after serving 10 years behind bars, Monroe Banks was released from prison and was highly ambitious to take on a new hustle that could reap millions of dollars in profit. On the south side of Chicago, the Gangster Disciples were running the crack game while Black P Stones and El Rukns were running the heroin game. On the west side of Chicago, Vice Lords were running the heroin game but the crack game on the west side was wide open as the Gangster Disciples were not as deep on the west side. Monroe Banks saw major opportunity for money making with an open crack cocaine game on the west side and wanted to bring the Four Corner Hustlers into the fold. This crack game was not approved by Walt Wheat and many of the original Fours but Walt was overruled and had to agree to step down from leadership and allow Monroe Banks to take over the nation. Monroe Banks became acquainted with young Angelo Roberts of the Gangster Stones from the Henry Horner public housing. Angelo Roberts was the step son of Walt Wheat as Roberts became married and had children with Walt Wheat’s daughter, in 1987 Angelo Roberts would leave the Gangster Stones and joined the Four Corner Hustlers. Angelo Robert plugged in with Banks by helping bring the crack game to the Henry Horner projects by Angelo flipping some Gangster Stones into Fours. The Fours became real big in the 1936 W Washington Blvd building at the corner of Washington and Damen.
Love, Hate, Kill, Take: Double Solid in the Rockwells, the black diamond solid, war with the Unknowns
Upon release from prison in 1987 Monroe Banks made business arrangements with allied west side gangs to assist with the distribution of crack cocaine and to maintain peace with certain mobs on the west side. Banks wanted to establish an independence from the Vice Lord nation for members on the streets and effectively severed the direct ties to the Almighty Vice Lord nation in 1987 which was not to Walt Wheat’s approval; however, Banks was the new king of the Fours and the “Love, Hate, Kill, Take” concepts became the concepts for each point on the black diamond symbol. The black diamond and these concepts was shared to the Black Souls and both groups became “Solid” indicating a solidarity in their relationship on the streets and making money together. This “Solid” concept had roots dating back to 1968 when both these mobs were starting and were family from the start, now they were “Solid.” This establishment between Four Corner Hustlers and Black Souls became the “440 plus” concepts and both groups would tag “440” on the walls alongside the black diamond.
One of the biggest motivators for Banks breaking from the AVLN was that Banks was angered by an individual that was linked to Willie Lloyd of the Unknown Vice Lords and wanted to take this person out. Banks visited Lloyd while Lloyd was incarcerated and asked permission to kill this person but Lloyd told Banks to wait until he was released. Banks could not wait and made his move anyway which angered Lloyd and this started the war again between Unknown Vice Lords and Four Corner Hustlers in 1987 which was the event that brought Banks to make the decision to sever ties to the AVLN on the streets.
Traveling Vice Lords were the deepest gang in the Rockwell public housing projects, when the buildings still stood, and the Four Corner Hustlers became interested in pulling profits from these projects while establishing the Fours in these buildings as of 1987. Monroe Banks extended the “Solid” concepts to the Travelers with a “Solid” concept that goes both ways as “Double Solid” and both groups claimed “Double Solid” which not not only shows that the solidarity goes both ways it also shows a multi-layer of solidarity to assure a tight alliance. The Four Corner Hustlers then were able to establish themselves and grow heavily in the Rockwell Gardens projects.
Incarceration of Eugene Rhoiney 1988 and the loyalty of Angelo Roberts
During the later 1980s as the Four Corner Hustlers got deeper embedded in the drug trade it led to more violent crime convictions. The future leader of the Four Corner Hustlers Angelo Roberts was one member that got caught up in a murder case alongside Four Corner Hustler co-founder Eugene Rhoiney. According to the court case of the People Vs. Rhoiney January 24th, 1988, Chicago police found the dead body of Stephen Edwards behind a Jewel grocery store located at 3552 West Grand Avenue in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood. The man was beaten to death and tied up with torn strips of bed sheets around his face, neck hands, knees, and thighs. He had cuts dug into his chest that caused lots of bleeding; it appeared Edwards had been kidnapped and tortured. The detectives then visited Edward’s address at 3841 West Adams in the West Garfield Park neighborhood which is right in the middle of the original Four Corner Hustler territory. Edwards was living in the basement of this building and was a drug addict. The landlord was interviewed and gave permission for the police to enter the building and search the basement, they also spoke to Rhoiney. The police found evidence the murder happened in the basement as the torn rags found on Edwards matched the bed spread that Edwards slept on in the basement. Rhoiney told police that Edwards had been accused by his girlfriend Carolyn Lewis of stealing from her and she wanted him to leave her alone, that’s when she went to Rhoiney to help keep Edwards away. In another incident sometime later in the month Edwards and another man were cooking cocaine and heroin in the basement when they broke out into an argument about how much drugs each of them would get. Rhoiney and Angelo Roberts said they came downstairs to break up the fight. Rhoiney and Roberts allegedly saw Edwards hit his partner with a stool so Rhoiney hit Edwards with a lead pipe in the back of the legs and twice in the head making it into a protection type of murder. Rhoiney originally stated that Edwards left with two men in a car after the argument but later admitted he killed him but made it look accidental or justified. Forensic experts testified they found extensive evidence of repeated blows all over his body and found stab wounds in each lung. They also found evidence the man was tied up as he was beaten and stabbed. Rhoiney had said there was a party in the building, and he happened to hear the commotion downstairs and came to discipline Edwards; however, it was later confirmed there was no party that day. It then became conclusive that the murder was planned and Rhoiney was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. His violent past perhaps did not help his case because he was once convicted of murder in 1969 as well. Angelo Roberts wouldn’t cooperate when interviewed by police and he used his fifth amendment rights to not testify against Rhoiney proving that Angelo Roberts was no snitch and was loyal to the organization. Roberts also avoided charges of trying to conceal a homicide and unlawful use of a weapon. He was later suspected of shooting a police officer in 1990 but managed to dodge conviction (Source: UPI Archives October 21, 1994). The way he handled this case enhanced his reputation greatly. Eugene Rhoiney is presently still in prison serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
War with the Mafias: 1989
In the year 1989, the Mafia Insane Vice Lords were established as they instantly absorbed several Vice Lord groups within the Insane Vice Lords, Undertaker Vice Lords, all of the Central Insane Vice Lords, many of the Cicero Insane Vice Lords all joined the Mafias making the Mafias a huge nation within the AVLN. The Four Corner Hustlers didn’t necessary have beef with Troy Martin and his Central Insane VLs but they were at odds with Insane Vice Lords since 1968 and many of these other Vice Lord groups so the hostility was inherited due to rivalry over the heroin game in the south Austin and Central Austin streets. The war with the Mafias was instantly deadly and has been intense since ‘89 and will never end.
August 1991: the death of Monroe “AL Ghani” Banks
I don’t know all the detailed story on how the Black Souls and Four Corner Hustlers ended up at odds with each other in 1991 but it led to the shooting death of Monroe Banks. According to the history Channel’s show “Gangland” Banks was shot while watching a man try to get a cat down from a tree, then a member of the Black Souls shot him dead. The war did not continue and was likely due to drug profit disputes and once Banks was killed Walt Wheat likely smoothed it over and for a brief time, Walt Wheat took over leadership of the Fours for the rest of 1991. Once again, running the Fours was not a fit for Wheat because the 90s was a hard time to be running this organization now that new schoolers had desires that did not coincide with original concepts. During this period Walt Wheat was investing in his son-in-law Angelo Roberts and preparing him to run the nation; however, Roberts continued to encounter issues with law enforcement that included the shooting of a Chicago police officer Detective Clarence Longley who was shot in his right hand as him and other officers exited a Henry Horner project building at 2215 W. Lake St, Longley was ok after the shooting according to the Chicago Tribune July 2, 1990 article. Angelo Roberts avoided conviction but shortly after the death of Monroe Banks, Roberts was back in custody for other crimes in September of 1991.
Angelo “LO” Roberts
In the year 1992, Angelo Roberts officially took over the Four Corner Hustlers at the age of 22 with the blessing of Walt Wheat; however, Walt Wheat could not forecast what Roberts would do with the nation once be took power. Angelo Roberts was the nephew of a Vietnam veteran who was well versed in martial arts and mentored his nephew Angelo into the realm of martial arts. From the legends I heard of it almost seems like Angelo’s uncle was a special forces veteran which would explain the knowledge of discipline in multiple forms of martial arts. These martial arts forms Angelo was taught was Aikedo, Wing Chun, and Japanese Karate. Legend has it that Angelo Roberts could walk anywhere in Chicago and no one was able to beat him in a fight. One legend says that Black P Stones were fighting with each other in the Henry Horner projects and Angelo Roberts beat up at least 20 of them and knocking many out cold demanding they stop the violence. Roberts was highly disciplined and did not use drugs or drank alcohol. Roberts would buy ice cream for the children in the Henry Horner projects and encourage them to stay in school and avoid a life of crime and gangs. Angelo Roberts was also known to fight with police officers even when several of them would try to apprehend him, Roberts was seemingly unstoppable and he was deeply feared on the streets and respected. During most of Robert’s leadership tenure he was incarcerated.
Angelo’s world
Once Angelo Roberts took over the mob he brought about massive expansion especially in the Henry Horner projects as he flipped the majority of the Gangster Stones into Four Corner Hustlers. The Rockwell Gardens Four Corner Hustlers also grew large and the Double Solid world grew. Four Corner Hustlers appeared in unlikely areas like Uptown and West Ridge and even grew into the suburb of Bolingbrook. I grew up in Romeoville and remember going to high school with many Bolingbrook Four Corner Hustlers and for some time in the late 90s they even had many white and Hispanic members in Romeoville, these guys were deep!
Under Angelo, the Four Corner Hustlers broke into many factions like: Body Snatcher Fours, Syndicate Fours, LT (Lavergn and Thomas) Fours, Angelo’s Fours, Shauwn Wayfield Fours, Maniac Fours and others. The Maniac Fours took over much of the Mackateer turf especially in Roseland. Under Angelo the Henry Horners and Rockwell projects were buzzing with crack cocaine which turned into a multi million dollar hustle, the Fours even took over the Maplewood Courts projects pulling in big profits.
Spanish Four Corner Hustlers: 1992
In the Hispanic and white neighborhood of Belmont-Cragin, two Puerto Rican youths joined the Four Corner Hustlers and laid claim to Lockwood and Altgeld. “Mousie” was the one brother that would take the lead and asked Angelo Roberts if he could have an independent branch of Fours, Angelo granted these ambitious brothers their own Fours at Lockwood and Altgeld called the “Spanish Four Corner Hustlers.” These Spanish Four Corner Hustlers would eventually become deep in Belmont-Cragin and spread to the Hermosa neighborhood and became deep.
Syndicate Fours: 1992
When the Four Corner Hustlers began breaking into factions in 1992, one faction became the Syndicate Four Corner Hustlers. The Syndicates began in the North Lawndale community in the area of Pulaski Road between Lexington to Polk. According to a 2011 issue of the Chicago Sun Times, the Syndicates formed in 1992 and members had been making $9,000 a day in drug sales as many members even commuted from the suburbs. According to the article, members often would get Superman tattoos and were originally formed due to a dispute with the rest of the gang. These Fours were getting their heroin from Mexican drug cartels according to the Sun Times.
Shakey Shawn and the Body Snatchers: 1992
In the year 1992, 25 year old Raymond “Shakey Shawn” Betts formed the “Body Snatchers” as an enforcer group of Four Corner Hustlers that became especially violent. These Four Corner Hustlers formed at Division and Laramie in the Austin neighborhood from Division to North Avenue and from Central Avenue to as far as Lamon. Ray Betts was close with some of the heaviest hitters and original members of the Four Corner Hustlers and this got him the title of “Prince.” Betts even landed in Tamms supermax prison in 1994 for armed violence and aggravated kidnapping convictions according to several news and criminal justice sites on the internet. Betts’ operations drew in $10,000 a day in drug sales.
The worsening war with the Unknowns: 1993
Unknown Vice Lord leader Willie Lloyd was in prison in the late 80s and early 90s achieving release on December 30, 1992. During Lloyd’s time behind bars he encountered Angelo Roberts and the two men argued behind bars and once Willie Lloyd got out, the relations soured fast leading to violet shootings in January of 1993 that even made the newspaper on January 10th when UVLs opened fire on about a dozen Four Corner Hustlers, ever since 1993 Fours and UVLs are die hard enemies on the streets.
1994 allegations against Angelo Roberts
Angelo Roberts ended up behind bars in 1992 because the Chicago Police clamped down on Roberts and did a major raid on his operations which got Roberts in prison. There is an old video that gets passed around of Angelo Roberts fighting with four or five police officers viciously. When Roberts got out of Prison in June of 1994, he would encounter legal issues right away. It became rumored after his release that he wanted to blow up the Chicago Police District 11 police station at 3151 W. Harrison St, police then pursued Roberts for arrest but some street sources claim the charges were untrue and it was a set up.
The death of Walter “Al Bahdee Hodari” Wheat: 1994
On Monday July 25, 1994, 43-year-old Walter Wheat was sitting in a 1982 Oldsmobile Regency waiting for his friends to come back out as they were in a clothing store at the 3800 block of West Chicago Ave at Chicago Avenue and Hamlin. As he sat there a shirtless 17-year-old Bobby Cooley rode up on the car with a 9mm pistol and fired two shots into Wheat’s back and the back of his head. The founder/leader and longtime leader behind the leaders of the Four Corner Hustlers was now killed by his own gang. By September, Cooley was apprehended and charged with another shooting as well, he is currently doing a life sentence for killing King Walter “Al Bahdee Hodari” Wheat (Chicago Tribune George Papajohn, August 19, 1994). Many say Angelo Roberts was behind the murder due to a power struggle for the Four Corner Hustlers but many others insist Angelo Roberts was not part of the murder and loved Walt Wheat and was an avid follower of the original Four Corner Hustler beliefs. In either case, Roberts was never officially tied to the murder and the murder only went as far as Bobby Cooley.
Angelo Roberts and the alleged war on police: 1994
According to police reports Angelo Roberts attempted to buy high-powered weapons in what he thought was a deal with drug dealers as he attempted to buy a LAWS anti-tank rocket in exchange for cash and drugs. It turned out he was trying to buy from ATF agents. Somehow there was no arrest at the scene because Roberts got suspicious and went into hiding for the rest of 1994. Authorities reported that Roberts wanted to use this weapon to blow up the District 11 Police headquarters at 3151 W. Harrison St on Chicago’s west side for revenge for interrupting his drug operations in the housing projects (Chicago Tribune Andrew Martin, January 17, 1995). Some have said these allegations were not true and that the police set it up.
The death of Angelo Roberts: 1995
On January 16, 1995 at 1:00 A.M. CPD found the body of Angelo Roberts at 7009 S. vernon (70th and Vernon) in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. He was found with his throat slashed in the back of a brown Chevy. No one has ever been caught in connection for the murder (Chicago Tribune Andrew Martin, January 17, 1995).
Whether or not Angelo Roberts had the intention of using the LAWS rocket on the district 11 police station is true or not, one thing for sure is Roberts had conflict with the district 11 police. His conflict with the police may have brought on his death. Some rumors say the police kidnapped Angelo and killed him. Others will say that Angelo Roberts was killed by older Four Corner Hustlers in retaliation for the death of Walt Wheat. In either case, Roberts was tied up and beaten heavily but died with a smile on his face because he refused to give his attackers the satisfaction of making him suffer. Angelo Robert’s funeral involved a standing casket because his family did not want anyone looking down on Roberts at his services which pays homage to his leadership as a man above other men. The legacy of Angelo Roberts lives on presently and many Four Corner Hustler groups refer to themselves as “Angelo’s Fours.”
The rise of Ray Longstreet: 1995
After Angelo Roberts was killed in 1995, Ray Longstreet took over leadership of the Four Corner Hustlers. Ray Longstreet was an old school member of the Four Corner Hustlers of Chicago Avenue and Hamlin. Longstreet has deep family ties and Longstreet was related to Earnest Lavern “LaRod” Longstreet who was the man that created the Devil’s Disciples and he was the overall Disciple founder for the Gangster Disciples and Black Disciple legacy. Lavern Longstreet was an older brother to Ray Longstreet and was a brother old enough to be Longstreet’s father. Leadership was in the blood for the Longstreets and now Ray Longstreet was heading the Four Corner Hustlers especially the West Humboldt Park operations with Iowa and Hamlin being the capital of these operations. Longstreet had his Fours acting as a corporation with employees working around the clock selling crack and heroin and using the nearby expressway to move drugs on and off the expressway. Ray Longstreet ran his operations as the leader of the Fours until 2005 when he was given federal charges and ended up behind bars. Longstreet once faced charges in the 90s for attacking a correctional officer showing that Longstreet was a serious individual just like all the previous Four Corner Hustler leaders.
Later years
In the 2000s decade and later, the Four Corner Hustlers have continued to grow exponentially into new suburbs and in new areas of the city. Four Corner Hustlers groups move as money cliques and often clique up with money cliques in other gangs like the Gangster Disciples. The old leadership has mostly died out accept the leadership of Raymond Betts who was brought up on charges in 2023 while residing in the suburb of Riverdale.
The Four Corner Hustlers have grown to become one of Chicago’s top 10 largest gangs and have spread to several other states in the U.S.
Please send in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s pics!
Known decks of Four Corner Hustlers past and present:
Decks of Avalon Park
79th & Avalon
Austin neighborhood Established 1968-present years
Decks of Austin
Adams & Central (Angelo 4CH)
North Ave to Division, Austin to Mason
Bloomingdale to Wabansia, Lorel to Latrobe (Hollygrove)
Hirsch to Potomac, Lavergne to Lamon
Thomas to Augusta, Lawler to Lavergne (LT)
Augusta to Iowa, Menard to Waller
Division to North, Central to Lamon (Body Snatcher 4CH)
Huron to Ohio, Menard to Waller (Body Snatcher 4CH)
Chicago to Huron, Parkside to Pine
Lake to West End, Austin to Mayfield
Washington to Madison, Lorel to Lotus
Madison to Adams, Austin to Mayfield
Madison to Jackson, Central to Lotus (Angelo 4CH)
Van Buren to Harrison, Central to Lotus (Trigga Town Angelo 4CH)
Washington to Quincy, Laramie to Leamington (Solid Gang)
Madison from Central to Pine (Angelo 4CH)
Wabansia & Central
Laramie & Thomas (LT)
Thomas & Lockwood (LT)
Adams & Lotus
Augusta & Austin
Bloomingdale & Lockwood
Austin & Division
Division & Cicero
Division & Lavergne
Division & Long
Division & Mayfield
Division & Parkside
Division & Pine
Filmore & Mason (The Island)
Laramie from Fulton to Maypole
Iowa & Central
Lake & Austin
Madison & Austin
Monroe & Mayfield
North Ave & Pine (Shared with Conservative Vice Lords)
Potomac & Lavergne (Shared with Imperial Insane Vice Lords)
Superior & Menard (Body Snatcher 4CH)
West End & Central
Division & Le Claire
Chicago & Lorel
Lotus & Congress
Belmont-Cragin neighborhood Established 1992-present years
Decks of Belmont-Cragin
Waveland to Addison, Lavergne to Kilpatrick (Spanish 4CH)
Diversey to Fullerton, Long to Laramie (Spanish 4CH)
Laramie to Central, Diversey to Fullerton (Spanish 4CH)
Altgeld & Lockwood (Spanish 4CH) 1992-present years
Decks of Burnside
93rd & University
Decks of Calumet Heights
93rd & Harper
87th & Crieger
Chatham neighborhood Established 1979-present years
Decks of Chatham
91st to 93rd, Cottage Grove to Dauphin (GMC D Block, Formerly the Waste Lands)
East Garfield Park neighborhood
Known decks of East Garfield Park
Lake to Washington, California to Talman
Madison & Kedzie
Garfield Ridge neighborhood Established 1979-2011
Decks of Garfield Ridge
47th & Lamon
43rd & Cicero (Leclaire Courts projects shared with Conservative Vice Lords) Established 1979-2011
Hermosa neighborhood Established 1992-present years
George to Drummond, Kenton to Kostner (Spanish 4CH) 1992-present years
Decks of Hyde Park
51st & Blackstone
Decks of Marquette Park
60th & Albany (Red Wall Street)
Near West Side neighborhood Established 1987-present years
Decks of Near West Side
Lake to Washington, Wolcott to Hermitage (Wood Block)
Jackson to Van Buren, Maplewood to Campbell, Van Buren & Maplewood (former Maplewood Courts projects)
Madison to Jackson, Campbell to Rockwell, Van Buren & Artesian (Rockwell Gardens projects)
Lake & Wood (Henry Horner projects, The Hornets, shared with Conservative Vice Lords and Renegade Vice Lords)
Fulton & Hoyne (Henry Horner projects, Balla City)
North Lawndale neighborhood Established 1968-present years
Decks of North Lawndale
Lexington to Polk & Pulaski (P Town, Syndicate Fours)
19th & Pulaski
Roosevelt & Kedzie
Karlov from 14th to 16th
Portage Park neighborhood Established 1992-present years
Decks of Portage Park
Addison & Cicero (Spanish Four Corner Hustlers, The Row) 1992-present years
Decks of Near North Side
North Ave & Vine (Shared with Conservative Vice Lords)
Riverdale neighborhood Established 1979-present years
Decks of Riverdale
Altgeld Gardens projects Established 1979-present years
Roseland neighborhood Established 1981-present years
Decks of Roseland
103rd to 106th, Cottage Grove to Maryland (Licksquad Risky Road)
107th & Vernon
107th & Champlain (Shared with Conservative Vice Lords)
91st & La Salle
South Chicago neighborhood Established 1979-present years
Decks of South Chicago
81st to 82nd, Paxton to Crandon (081 SG) Established 1979-present years
South Shore neighborhood Established 1979-present years
Decks of South Shore
71st to 72nd, Bennett to Jeffrey (Ghetto World)
68th to 71st, Chappell to Crandon
69th to 70th, Dorchester to Kenwood (Zoland ABM, Formerly known as Slab Side or Black Diamond City A.K.A Solid)
Stoney Island from 73rd to 74th (Rock Island, shared with Conservative Vice Lords & Black P Stones)
Uptown neighborhood Established 1992-present years
Decks of Uptown
Leland to Sunnyside, Sheridan to Clarendon (Lil 4 Mobb) 1992-present years
Windsor & Hazel (Shared with Conservative Vice Lords) 1992-present years
West Garfield Park neighborhood Established 1967-present years
Decks of West Garfield Park
Harrison to Arlington, Karlov to Pulaski (P Town)
West End to Madison, Pulaski to Hamlin Established 1967-present years
Wilcox to Jackson, Kildare to Keeler (4CGG)
Van Buren to Congress, Pulaski to Hamlin
Madison to Jackson, Pulaski to Independence (Motherland) Established 1968-present years
Adams & Keeler
West Humboldt Park neighborhood Established 1975-present years
Decks of West Humboldt Park
Division to Thomas, Keeler to Karlov
Division to Thomas, Pulaski to Springfield
Iowa to Chicago, Avers to Hamlin (The Ave)
Decks of West Pullman
120th to 123rd, Halsted to Green (Green Guys)
West Ridge neighborhood Established 1992-present years
Decks of West Ridge
Howard to Birchwood, Western to Bell 1992-present years
Decks of Woodlawn
Cottage Grove from 64th to 65th (Grip Side)
Suburbs
Aurora
Bellwood Established 1980
Bolingbrook
Calumet City
Carpentersville
Carrier Mills
Chicago Heights
East St. Louis
Elgin
Erie
Ford Heights
Forest Park
Fulton
Harvey
Maywood Established 1980
Midlothian
Moline
Morrison
Normal
Oak Park
Ottawa
Rockford
Rock Island
Sterling
Gary, IND
