"The actors -- many of whom are actual former gang members ..."
One of the funniest things I have ever heard was a radio interview with Richard Price - one of the writers of The Wire.
He describes how he drove one of the actual Baltimore gang members, in his car - I think from Baltimore to Philly - and while they were driving, they were listening to NPR, and A Prairie Home Companion came on the radio ...
... and this gang member from Baltimore was flabbergasted and wanted to know just What. The. Fuck. this was on the radio ...