“When it comes to the streets, there’s rules. They ain’t written down, and you won’t find them in a book. It’s natural stuff you know the moment your momma let you out the house. Kinda like you know how to breathe without somebody telling you.” 

This quote opens the novel, and immediately establishes how important the traditions and code of conduct of the streets are to Mav’s life. The rules of the street feel as natural to him as breathing, because he was born into a certain identity and set of expectations.

“One of them yell out, ‘Don’t let them punk you, Li’l Don and Li’l Zeke!’ It don’t matter that my pops been locked up for nine years or that King’s pops been dead almost as long. They still Big Don, the former crown, and Big Zeke, his right-hand man. That make me Li’l Don and King Li’l Zeke. Guess we not old enough to go by our own names yet.”

This moment provides an important piece of background information on Mav’s and Zeke’s fathers while establishing the complexity of Mav’s identity and relationship with his father. Even though Pops has been off the streets for nine years, within the King Lords, Mav is still viewed as a smaller version of his father. While he admires his father, it frustrates him when he isn’t viewed as his own person.

“No mother want their son in a gang, but no mother want their son dead either. Pops made so many enemies in the streets that I need somebody to have my back. He told Ma I had to join. Kinging run in my blood anyway.” 

This quote again touches on the theme of a pre-determined identity. As the son of a former King Lords leader, Mav had no choice but to join the gang himself for protection. He feels that being a King Lord runs in his blood because of his father, which makes the idea of leaving the gang or trying to chart out a different path through life feel futile.