Turf Coat

In primarily black neighborhoods in San Francisco, CA in the late 80's and early 90's, d-boys and gang bangers from different SF turfs (i.e. Fillmoe, Lakeview, Sunnydale, Hunter's Point) made custom Starter jackets with the name of their hood or their knicknames and or random slogans stitched on the back, front and sleeves. These jackets made it clear about your neighborhood affiliation. After the Cheap Charlie massacre in 1989 when niggas from Hunter's Point sprayed up some niggas from Sunnydale, it sparked inter and intra-turf wars across the city and turf jackets started popping up everywhere. Sunnydale would wear San Diego Padres jackets and hats because the of the interlocking "SD" logo standing for Sunnydale. Lakeview would wear UNLV hats and jackets because UNLV was an acronym for "United Niggas of Lakeview" or "Underground Niggas Livin' Violently". Other times, SF Giants and Niners hats were used but with different slogans and hood names stitched into the back and sleeves of mostly Satin Starter baseball jackets. Other random satin Starter team jackets were used as well. During the early 90's, the local TV news media spotlighted the turf coat trend that was a large part of the local gang warfare in San Francisco inner city neighborhoods.

"That was back when we wore turf coats and turf hats with your name on the back" ~ Legendary undergound Laview, SF rapper, Cellski circa 1994

"In turf coats, Levi's, with brims on, the game is thick, and the paper is long, telling you everything a young nigga miss bout home..."

~ Fillmoe, SF rapper Messy Marv circa 1998