Crips: Strapped 'n Strong

Rip deals, drug trafficking and arms possession are part and parcel of the The Hague Crips gang, an abbreviation of Community Revolution In Progress, which originated in Los Angeles. Because director Joost van der Valk was friends with gang leader Keylow, he managed to talk the bad boys into allowing him an intriguing glimpse behind the crime scenes. In a Hague hood, things happen that most people only see on cop shows on TV. Keylow acts as a seasoned guide, giving a tour of various illegal activities, while his friend Main C - just released from prison - is thinking of leaving the Crips. He makes an endearing attempt to be a good father. The sturdy Santos lies low as a recluse and travels to Suriname for a ritual wash. Between these personal stories, cocaine pellets are pressed and fingerprints are wiped from bullets. Obviously, not everything could be filmed, but the makers lay bare the surface layer of a lesser known subculture in the Netherlands.