Corey Holcomb on Seeing a Murder at Age 12, Why He Never Joined a Gang (Part 3)

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In this VladTV interview, comedian Corey Holcomb reflects on growing up in Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes, where gangs like the Black Disciples, Gangster Disciples, Mickey Cobras and Stones shaped daily life outside his window. Holcomb recalls living near “The Hole,” watching fights between neighborhood crews, and witnessing a fatal shooting as a sixth or seventh grader after someone fired a shotgun into a crowd. He explains how seeing classmates caught up in violence, without grief counseling or support, made gang life feel like something he never wanted to join.

Holcomb also opens up about his mother’s strict discipline, how she kept him from going downstairs in the projects, and how making people laugh helped him move through dangerous spaces. The conversation also touches on childhood poverty, inner-city trauma, family survival, and a fire he accidentally started while playing with matches.