Chris Higgins
Chicago Gang Business Cards
by Chris Higgins - February 10, 2010 - 2:24 PM

So here’s something that happened. Back in the 70′s and early 80′s, Chicago gang members had their own business cards. Created using clip art on a low budget, they’re kind of a riot — many feature heavy metal, unicorns, axes, and other stuff generally considered “awesome” by teens in of the era. Some are overtly racist, homophobic, xenophobic, or otherwise disturbing — but fewer than you’d think. Check out Chicago’s Lesser Known Arts History Lesson or OG Art Gallery for more, but here’s a taste:

Chicago Gang Business Cards

Tons more are here; they’re also mirrored on Flickr.

(Via Boing Boing.)

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Comments (10)

  1. When have teenage boys ever considered unicorns to be awesome?

    posted by Matt Soniak on 2-10-2010 at 3:17 pm

  2. @Matt – good point. I guess when there’s crossed rifles underneath them that makes unicorns awesome?

    posted by Chris Higgins on 2-10-2010 at 3:32 pm

  3. Unicorns that shoot lazers from their horns and bees from their mouths are pretty freaking awesome. Now if we could just get them to piss Bud Light

    tim

    posted by Tim on 2-10-2010 at 4:23 pm

  4. Chris, I’ll give you points on the rifle; but still, if I’ve got chipmunks with scythes or druids on my business card, the first thing I’m gonna do is mop the floor with unicorn guys.

    posted by Matt Soniak on 2-10-2010 at 4:46 pm

  5. Maybe they were originally horses and then the guys thought “What would be a more dangerous/pointy horse?” and the clip-art guy said: “UNICORN DUDEZ!!!!”

    Although I gotta say their manes/tails look very Unicorn to me.

    posted by Chris Higgins on 2-10-2010 at 4:50 pm

  6. They were trying to pick up the ladies with those cards. Perhaps they were big pimpin as the kids say now

    posted by hockey zombie on 2-10-2010 at 4:59 pm

  7. I’m pretty sure this is how the Baseball Furies and the Gramercy Riffs rolled too.

    posted by Seth on 2-10-2010 at 6:45 pm

  8. warriors, come out and play!!

    don’t forget the “orphans” a gang so weak they didn’t even have colors.

    posted by ee the c on 2-11-2010 at 2:48 pm

  9. A lot of members of fooball gangs in the uk used to carry their own business cards. When they beat up a rival gang member they used to leave a business card at the scene.

    posted by BCD Local on 2-11-2010 at 3:31 pm

  10. Hmmmm…

    These cards are kind of old…

    I wonder if “Cholo” and “K-Ray” would show us their respective INSANE UNKNOWNS tattoos after a couple of Bud Lights at Applebees Wednesday night Happy Hour. I might even spring for some cheese sticks to see that..

    posted by Goliath The Pickle on 2-11-2010 at 5:30 pm

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