When the tensions between two or more rival gangs reaches a critical point in which the outcomes of any violent act would be devastating to all parties.
In the early 1990s, when Whitey's control over street gangs was much more pronounced, the main fear during a situation of Street Brinkmanship was that violence would spill into the suburbs and cause the
hammer of the white
devil to fall from the sky. As a result, Street Brinkmanship was maintained through the practice of having satellite affiliate gangs perform indirect attacks on
gang assets through much milder warfare. The warfare was often set up to look
like "some crackhead" got his hands on a
gun and blew a whole bunch of motherfuckers away.
Into the early 2000s, however, Whitey's control over street
gang activities became less obvious (although farther reaching and exponentially more sophisticated). Only the most intelligent
gang members were able to steer their "Ghetto Pirate Ships" through the webs of deceit that were woven by evil "Prime Movers" who governed the urban underworld from back rooms in sinister-looking
high-rises. It was imperative, therefore, for all gangs to protect the unsettled
peace that was imposed upon them for fear of repercussions unimaginable to mortal
men.
Crip #1: I wanted to fuck that motherfucker up, but my man, Slimey,
will let "The Old Man in the Tower" know about it and he'll feed my
family to pigs.
Crip #2: That's fucked, man. I wish it was
like the old days where you could go out and blast a motherfucker without having to get permission from some old white dude. The Bloods been waitin' for this motherfuckin' shit and we's afraid to deliver.
Crip #1: Chill it, bro. Let's keep waitin'. I
don't want get no cement shoes or nothin'. A niggah
will get his own when he has it comin'. Maintain, motherfucker. Maintain the Street Brinkmanship. Let's get us some tacos.
Crip #2: A'ight.