Rappers use the slang term "block" to refer to a specific region in their community. The block is that part of town where all the rappers from one or more crews are based out of. Usually when they say "I'm from the West Coast", what they mean is "I'm from L.A." or "San Francisco". There are also East Coast blocks. The concept of the block originated on the west side of Chicago, where many members of the Gangster Disciples gang live and sell drugs. They divide up the city by selling blocks to different gangs so they can't fight each other. Based on this fact, it can be said that the block is a place where different gangs can share space without going to war. There are four main types of blocks: the east coast block, the south side (of Chicago) block, the west coast block, and the middle school block. The east coast block is based in New York City, and consists of neighborhoods like Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. South Side Chicago has its own version of this block called the "south side block". It's based in mostly black neighborhoods, but there are some white ones too. The west coast block is in San Francisco and Los Angeles.