Poverty Driven Children

Poverty Driven Children, commonly associated with the acronym PDC, is the later positive and commercial identity adopted by a group that had previously been known as a Brixton street gang. The subject described by the PDC article is rooted in Angell Town Estate in Brixton, south London, and is not a conventional standalone consumer brand with a clearly documented corporate registration or current operating structure. The group's origins lay among local youths influenced by the older 28s presence in Brixton. Elijah, later known as Jaja Soze, Nathan, Michael and Simon formed the Young 28s, an independent successor-style group that became associated with the PDC name during the mid-1990s. The name was variously expanded as Peel Dem Crew or Pil Dem Crew, using Jamaican street terminology connected with robbery. Other historical expansions included Pussy Drugs Cash. During the 1990s, the group became prominent in south-west London, particularly around the SW9 postcode, and was associated with red and purple colours. Accounts of its earlier period describe involvement in drug dealing, robberies, firearms offences, shootings, stabbings and other violence. PDC expanded its influence beyond Angell Town into parts of Kennington and Stockwell. Its activities included so-called steaming, in which groups rushed banks, shops or public transport settings to seize money or goods. It also became involved in rivalries with groups in neighbouring areas, including the Peckham Boys and other Jamaican-led gangs. A police investigation beginning in 2002 resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of several figures connected with the group, including Jaja Soze and other founders. The imprisonment of senior members contributed to fragmentation, with former affiliates forming or joining separate groups such as the Muslim Boys, Y28s, CFR and PIF. During his imprisonment, Jaja Soze rejected gang life and studied business. Around 2005, he promoted Poverty Driven Children as a reworking of the PDC identity focused on constructive activity. After his release, former members established PDC Entertainments, also described as Public Demand Cartel Entertainments, as a music label and collective. Its activities included rap music, mixtapes, music videos and the album Pray Days Change. The wider reorientation also encompassed a clothing line called Public Demand Cartel, a barbershop called Pristine Designer Cuts and a youth engagement project called Code 7. The rebrand remained controversial because public authorities and media coverage continued to connect the organization with its criminal past. In 2007, Lambeth Council reportedly described PDC as the borough's largest gang and attributed 2,500 members to it, while PDC representatives disputed that characterization and said the figure referred to online fans rather than gang membership. Jaja Soze stated in interviews that the gang no longer existed. The group's transformation was later discussed in Danny Dyer's 2009 documentary series Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men. Available reference material does not establish the current legal status, ownership, catalogue availability or continued operation of Poverty Driven Children or PDC Entertainments.

PDC developed from a group of youths connected with Angell Town Estate in Brixton and influenced by the older 28s. Elijah, Nathan, Michael and Simon formed the Young 28s, which was independent of the original 28s. In 1995, Tanna introduced the PDC name, explained in contemporary accounts as Peel Dem Crew or Pil Dem Crew. The phrase referred to robbery in Jamaican street slang, while other expansions were later used, including Pussy Drugs Cash and, after the rebrand, Poverty Driven Children and Public Demand Cartel. During the 1990s, PDC became one of the most prominent groups in south-west London. It was principally associated with Angell Town and the SW9 area, but its activity extended into Kennington and Stockwell. Historical descriptions link the group to drug dealing, robberies, firearms offences and serious violence. PDC was also associated with red and purple colours and with conflict involving groups in neighbouring Peckham and other Jamaican-led networks. One activity attributed to members was steaming, involving rapid robberies of banks, shops or trains and buses. A police surveillance operation launched in 2002 brought arrests and prison sentences for multiple PDC figures. Kojo was arrested in a drug-related case, while Byron and Errol received custodial sentences. Founders including Nathan, Simon and Jaja Soze were also arrested in cases involving supply offences and firearms. The loss of senior members contributed to the group's fragmentation. Former members and affiliates became associated with groups including the Muslim Boys, Y28s, CFR and PIF. The Muslim Boys received significant press attention because of claims that some members combined criminal activity with militant religious rhetoric; the reliability and scale of some of the more dramatic claims were disputed. While imprisoned, Jaja Soze renounced gang life and undertook business studies. Around 2005, he recast PDC as Poverty Driven Children, a name intended to support a more constructive public identity. After his release, he and former associates formed PDC Entertainments, also called Public Demand Cartel Entertainments. The project operated as a music collective and label, building on music that PDC members had already been making since the mid-1990s. It released the album Pray Days Change and several music videos. Related initiatives included Public Demand Cartel clothing, Pristine Designer Cuts and the Code 7 youth engagement project. The rebrand did not eliminate scrutiny of the PDC name. In 2007, Lambeth Council was reported to have called PDC the borough's largest gang and to have cited 2,500 members. PDC representatives rejected the figure as a description of active gang membership, explaining that it reflected followers of a MySpace page. Jaja Soze repeatedly said in interviews that the gang no longer existed. The history was revisited in Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men in 2009. Publicly available material does not provide reliable evidence about the label's current activity, formal incorporation, ownership, distribution arrangements or present-day leadership.

• 2009

  Documentary coverage

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  PDC was covered in Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men, bringing its gang history and later reorientation to a television audience.

• 2007

  Membership claim is publicly disputed

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  A Lambeth Council claim that PDC had 2,500 members was challenged by representatives who attributed the number to online fans.

• 2005

  PDC is reframed as Poverty Driven Children

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  Jaja Soze promoted a transition away from gang life toward music, business and youth-focused activity.

• 2005

  PDC Entertainments is established

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  Former members organized a music collective and label under the PDC Entertainments or Public Demand Cartel Entertainments name.

• 2002

  Undercover police operation produces arrests

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  A police surveillance operation led to arrests and imprisonment involving several PDC leaders and members.

• 1995

  The PDC name emerges

  [1]PDCen.wikipedia.org

  Tanna is credited with introducing the PDC name within the Brixton group that had developed from the Young 28s.

A post-gang music and community-enterprise identity intended to redirect the PDC name toward recording, clothing, grooming and youth engagement.

• Album

  Pray Days Change

  The documented album associated with the reformed PDC music collective. It represented the group's attempt to redirect the PDC name from street activity toward recorded music and a more constructive public identity.

• Recorded music

  PDC music videos and mixtapes

  PDC members had made music and circulated mixtapes from the mid-1990s. After the rebrand, music videos and recordings became central elements of PDC Entertainments' public-facing activity.

• Clothing

  Public Demand Cartel clothing

  A clothing line connected with the Public Demand Cartel identity and the broader effort to turn the PDC name into a legitimate lifestyle and enterprise platform.

• Barbershop

  Pristine Designer Cuts

  A barbershop venture listed among the legitimate businesses associated with the reformed PDC network.

• Youth engagement

  Code 7

  A youth engagement project created as part of the post-gang strategy to encourage more positive activity among young people.

• 2007

  Dispute over reported gang size

  Lambeth Council reportedly described PDC as having 2,500 members, while PDC representatives said the number referred to MySpace followers rather than active gang membership.

  Source

• 2002

  Criminal investigation and imprisonment of PDC figures

  An undercover police operation resulted in arrests and prison sentences involving PDC leaders and members in drug-supply and firearms-related cases.

  Source

Read more

• 2005

  Rebrand the group as Poverty Driven ChildrenStrategy

  Background

  After imprisonment, Jaja Soze rejected the former gang lifestyle and studied business.

  Action taken

  The PDC identity was redirected toward music, clothing, grooming and youth engagement rather than street activity.

  Aftermath

  The reorientation produced PDC Entertainments and related ventures, although media and public authorities continued to associate the name with its earlier history.

  Source

• 2005

  Launch of PDC EntertainmentsProduct launch

  Background

  Former PDC members sought to establish a legitimate platform around their existing involvement in rap music and mixtapes.

  Action taken

  They created PDC Entertainments, also referred to as Public Demand Cartel Entertainments, and released music including Pray Days Change and several videos.

  Aftermath

  The label became part of a broader set of PDC-branded initiatives, but its current operating status is undocumented.

  Source

1. 1PDCen.wikipedia.org