Boy Fred your on point about wankers in your crew or those with big mouths and nothing else getting you into situations which you could of done without but have to defend because you are now there. Its one of things that will make a wise man leave a big crew and just deal with his bonified bredrens on a more low key level..because as you said certain man will get you killed or banged up for an unrighteous sityuation. Usually it the most low key/ cool temperament brother you can rely on in a fight situation. When shit kicks off you know who your friends are and a different level of respect is earned mutually.

Back in the day my crew was primarily around music/ sound system / like 1000s of other black youth/ also a certain community existed where the immediate brothers in your neighborhood would be the ones you rave/ check gal/ get work for/ etc. No point having your boy child at 14/15 and getting robbed/ beat up/ coming to your nice respectable African concious youth club.. where unsavoury and ignorantboys will set for..rob their phone/ take their money/ and mark them for sport. Better be able to fight or run if need be/ butdo either well. Thankfully these 14 year old are not using guns yet which changes the whole strategy. You can always practice against attacks with a wooden knife...

Its a fine line preparing a boy child for war and being able to defend themselves physically and by their general confidence and the way they carry themselves.And not as a by-product give them a pechant for solving conflicts by violent means. Even a six year old boy has to learn those lessons otherwise he will be prayed on. "Sometimes son you got to busspeople's head to stopthem bothering you.." hard to explain to mothers sometimes but its the ugly reality. Especially the way these schools are the total lack of discipline is unbelievable.

Young boys like to flex with young boys. The more the better. So at 14/15/16/17/18 you will always have crews of young men who want to test their new found powers. Best you give your son the skills to be able to deal with the tests that will come. Ideally to solve conflicts before they start. Thankfully the young girl ( pretending to be boys)group culture is in its infancy in the UK.