DAMN! I almost forgot. The reason North Richmond is the worst part of the bay is very simple. It is unincorporated.
Most people don't know this, but its crucial info to understanding the game out here. The city is not a city, and they are not fully incorporated into richmond. WHy is that important.
THEY HAVE NO POLICE. THEY HAVE NO FIRE DEPARTMENT. Take that back, there is a little fire station on Pennsylvania right before you cross them tracks... but for the most parts,you are onyour own. That's what makes it like the wild west out there. North IS a muthafucka. North, SouthSide, and Central Richmond are major hoods, but north is the worst because they dont have no police.
Cops gotta come from Richmond Proper to deal with shit outthere. All they got is a sherriff. SHERRIFF!!!
Now that being said, in my younger more foolish days, my brother had been stabbed (almost killed) and I was looking for the cat. Put the word out on this dude. He was hidin. Found out where he was sittin, waited in the cut and before he came to his apartment in North, the Sherriff was there and arrested him. The "sheriff" stopped me from probably makin the biggest mistake of my life, so I can't say their sherrif is useless, but they mostly only work on tips. If somebody is given up by the locals, the Sheriff will pounce, but other than that.... they are basically useless.
Surrounded by train tracks, plenty of backstreets, no police, and a steady supply of narcotics... its basehead heaven over there.
On our album, "Ice-Cold Heat" I think the City of Richmond is represented to the fullest. We took off two songs that were rep songs (City of Rich, by Sham) and (They Way of Life, by Detrimental) that were hella cool. We decided to put these two songs on from this kid that got murdered out in Oakland. Tryin to pay respects to his life. But maybe I'll post some audio of the other songs for yall to hear the music comin out the Rich.