As far as driving into the housing projects in chicago to get that fire, well thats a thing of the past. A majority of the projects have been torn down. Henry Horner Homes, Rockwell Gardens, Robert Taylor Homes, and Stateway Gardens are all torn down. Lathrop Homes are being put on the chopping block, maybe the last housing project fully intact? ABLA Homes , Cabrini Green, Harold Ickes Homes, and Dearborn Homes are all in various states of being torn down. The few Cabrini Towers that are left always have cop cars stationed outside, and the near south side Ickes and Dearborn area is screaming with cops (although you can still find some killer dope there if you got balls of steel). Long story short, the glory days of project dope have passed.
The west side is a totally open air market. There's dope on every corner and outside every convenience/liquor store. You are right. There's shitty dope, fire dope, asshole cops, and areas where it seems like they couldnt give a fuck. Find a good corner, get a phone number, and whabamm! Jabs (pack of blows, usually anywhere between 12-14) delivered to the comfort of your home! Or thrown down a few extra bucks and get a gram, a rock hard ball of some fire shit. Each spot runs their own shit for the most part. They find a connect, cut it, bag it, and sling it. Much different from stamps on the east coast where the corner boys buy it prepackaged from wholesalers. Also, unlike the east coast who gets their shipments from the ports, I hear that a good portion of the dope comes direct from Nigeria. The northside cabbies get it shipped from family and friends, pressed into sheets and inserted and shipped in books. Then its time to hop in their cab, cruise out west, and make some drops.
To be honest, i've felt relatively safe shopping in a certain area on the northern end of the west side, round the garfield/humboldt border. Maybe its a false sense of security, but i've never had a run-in over there with the cops, and its an easy in, easy out, mile and a half ride to the spot. And like i said, all you gotta do is ask homeboy on the corner if he's got a car and will deliver on a jab, and you're all set, unless the shit starts to fall off, in which case its back to the corner to find a better line. Its good to have a few numbers, and if somebody's shit fell off and they call you trying to get your business back, its pretty easy to get a sample bag out of them.
Now personally, i think this town sucks. Only reason i stay here is that i've met some of the most genuinely good people i've ever known. On the other hand, it seems like this town is a rich person's playground. We got some amazing, world class restaurants here. If i was making 100k, i dont think i would have many qualms about living here.
Oh and there're also dope scenes on the north (Uptown) and south sides, but its much more of a who you know kinda thing. The open air market is out west, and its kindof a fun place to shop! Especially if you're loaded and can buy a blow off of every block! The different packaging makes it kinda fun too. Usually its either in tiny (1.25cm x 1.75cm) ziplock baggies bought from the local corner store (not as often are slightly larger ones) or folded up inside a tiny square of aluminum foil. Sometimes they'll do the foil inside a baggie. Sometimes the bags and foils are sold loose, unsealed. But most tips build an identity/brand by either the color of the baggie, the repeated pattern on the bag, or the way they seal it. As far as sealing, some spots dont, others staple the tops of the bags or put a lil piece of colored electrical tape across the top. Some line the baggies or foils up in a row between a strip of clear packing tape (maybe putting a thin lengthwise strip of tissue paper inside to help open it up), or packing tape on one side and colored painters tape on the other. On the tape spots, they will make lil cuts between each bag/foil so when they're dealing, they can easily tear off however many blows you want with the quickness. A few different tips out there use lil capsules.
Its an interesting little scene here, for sure.
granted you will be coppin like a mofo for it 
