South Central Los Santos & Davis Are Two Different Things

[Cadillac]

 

---

 

Davis is an independent city from Los Santos. However, it is still in the Los Santos metropolitan area, similar to the real-life city of Compton, California, on which the city is based.

 

Strawberry is a neighborhood is likely based on the Crenshaw District of South Central Los Angeles.

 

Chamberlain Hills takes its influence from Baldwin Hills, while the neighborhood resembles the Baldwin Village (also known as "The Jungles") community in the Crenshaw district of South Los Angeles.

 

Rancho's southern part of the neighborhood is based on Watts, whilst the northern part is based on Florence. The projects to the south of Rancho resemble the Nickerson Gardens housing projects in Watts. There are also Los Santos' version of the Watts Towers behind the housing projects

 

https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Davis

https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Chamberlain_Hills

https://gta.fandom.com/wiki/Rancho

---

 

You're probably wondering why I linked this well known information to the forums and made a whole topic about it. Well, allow me to start it off...

 

I've noticed a lot of players in game confusing the Davis City / South Los Santos (South Central) as just Davis. 
This is not the case. Here's why:
 

• Davis, San Andreas = Compton, California
• Compton is not apart of South Central = Davis is not apart of South Central neither.
• Compton is apart of Los Angeles County = Davis is apart of Los Santos County
• Baldwin Hills, Watts, Florence and Crenshaw are districts in South Central LA and are NOT considered Compton = Chamberlain Hills, Strawberry, North Rancho and South Rancho are districts in South Central LS and are NOT considered Davis City.

---

 

If we're talking lore-wise for South Central and Davis, then no born and raised resident would be referring to Strawberry, Chamberlain Hills and Rancho as apart of Davis. Nor would any born and raised resident refer to Davis as apart of South Central either. You may argue that the map is too small to separate the neighborhoods from the city, but remember that this is a video game where map size cannot completely replicate the real life sources as they should. However, if the lore is directly replacing California's Los Angeles County, then I feel that in-game should be the same. 

 

 

I brought this topic to light because no one ever really mentions this apart from a handful of gang roleplayers that actively participate in the RP scene in these areas. I'm curious to see how the community responds to this thread. Please if you respond, keep the toxicity to a low.

[DLimit]

On an I.C. and O.O.C. level, many people outside of South-Central simply refer to "South Central L.S." as "Davis" because Davis/Compton is more popular than the other regions of South-Central. Easier to say "I ain't going to Compton/Davis" than "I ain't going to South-Central". The average person outside of south-central refers to the region as "Compton/Davis" on both an O.O.C. and I.C. level, any way. First thing that an outsider classifies "South-Central L.A." as is "Compton", which seems to be the case when people ICly identify it as "Davis".

When it comes to locals in south-central, though? You're 100% correct.

EDIT: Just arguing that on an IC and OOC level, even though "Compton" is not South-Central, a ton of outsiders still refer to it as that as it's been glorified in Hollywood throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Even N.W.A. referred to "Compton" as "South-Central" in "Straight Outta Compton"... it's just culturally perceived as such, even though it legally isn't.
 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by DLimit

[F0r3sT]

This was needed.

[Cadillac]

9 minutes ago, DLimit said:

On an I.C. and O.O.C. level, many people outside of South-Central simply refer to "South Central L.S." as "Davis" because Davis/Compton is more popular than the other regions of South-Central. Easier to say "I ain't going to Compton/Davis" than "I ain't going to South-Central". The average person outside of south-central refers to the region as "Compton/Davis" on both an O.O.C. and I.C. level, any way. First thing that an outsider classifies "South-Central L.A." as is "Compton", which seems to be the case when people ICly identify it as "Davis".

When it comes to locals in south-central, though? You're 100% correct.

EDIT: Just arguing that on an IC and OOC level, even though "Compton" is not South-Central, a ton of outsiders still refer to it as that as it's been glorified in Hollywood throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Even N.W.A. referred to "Compton" as "South-Central" in "Straight Outta Compton"... it's just culturally perceived as such, even though it legally isn't.
 

 

 

 

Yeah, NWA referred to South Central and Compton as a whole, but you got to understand that not all of NWA was from Compton. Back in the days was different from now, they referred to SCLA and Compton as one because they simply were not getting any limelight from the industry. I understand what you're saying though, it's generally the same thing when being referred to in different cultures like a suburban community or an outsider who doesn't know.

 

However, if you ask any gang banger or local from South Central to Compton present day on whether or not South Central is Compton, they will say that Compton and Watts is in LA county while South Central is LA. 

[DLimit]

4 minutes ago, Safe + Sound said:

 

 

Yeah, NWA referred to South Central and Compton as a whole, but you got to understand that not all of NWA was from Compton. Back in the days was different from now, they referred to SCLA and Compton as one because they simply were not getting any limelight from the industry. I understand what you're saying though, it's generally the same thing when being referred to in different cultures like a suburban community or an outsider who doesn't know.

 

However, if you ask any gang banger or local from South Central to Compton present day on whether or not South Central is Compton, they will say that Compton and Watts is in LA county while South Central is LA. 

100%, locals in the area should be aware of the difference between the regions. As for outsiders? It shouldn't be necessary as they'd be ignorant of the regions unless they are politicians or land developers etc...

[Helm]

Eh, feel it's a bit of a stretch to call Davis its own city in GTA:W's lore. It doesn't have a municipal government, nor any municipal ordinances. I think it's more accurate to say that Davis was annexed by Los Santos until something in that regard changes.

 

As for the rest of your points, I do think it's important for people who live in Davis, or any other district in the city, to understand what it is, and what it isn't. But, as I said above, Davis is in South Central LS, and given its lack of municipal standing currently, there's nothing to really distinguish it from its neighboring districts. 

[Cadillac]

1 hour ago, Helm said:

Eh, feel it's a bit of a stretch to call Davis its own city in GTA:W's lore. It doesn't have a municipal government, nor any municipal ordinances. I think it's more accurate to say that Davis was annexed by Los Santos until something in that regard changes.

 

As for the rest of your points, I do think it's important for people who live in Davis, or any other district in the city, to understand what it is, and what it isn't. But, as I said above, Davis is in South Central LS, and given its lack of municipal standing currently, there's nothing to really distinguish it from its neighboring districts. 

Nah Davis it's own city

[kirbyz]

The area is super small. Just call it Davis.

[i dont wanna od in LA]

I agree, the continuity is just very void and doesn't actually break it down properly, however I'm all for recognizing those cities as their real life counterparts would be.

[orca112]

This is where the map and Los Santos 'as is' clashes with its real life equivalent.

 

Due to the compressed map size and limited playerbase to staff even a singular local government, it makes little sense for a part of the city located in the center of said city to suddenly be an independent city of their own with the respective infrastructure and government. It is similar senseless as making e.g. Vespucci or West Vinewood it's own entity rather than keeping them as what they are - an area and part of Los Santos.

 

Ultimately, people perceive and address it is a part of the metropolitan city Los Santos... the thing it physically is in the game. "The area of Davis", "Rancho area", "the Vespucci area", "Vinewood area" and so forth.