I agree with Scorsese on the definition below and will also include that one of the definition of mob is an organized gang as well.
The VLN have been the most organized black mob in Chicago and still currently maintain an hierarchy amongst their branches. They have already expanded into other activities such as prostitution , white collar fraud, and still collecting street tax as well.
The GDN ( no longer BGD) in Chicago is definitely a shadow of its former self but due their large membership and numerous decks (factions, crews, cliques) they still are organized just depending on the particular decks. Outside of Illinois in other states the chapters seem to maintain the corporate hierarchy.
The MCN is mentioned mainly due to their leader Mickey Cogwell being involved labor unions. But that was the past and the Cobras are mainly to the south side holding a sizable turf since the city tore down the Robert Taylor projects. They still have an infamous reputation despite their small size.
The Black Souls are the most low profile and tight knit mob currently. Little info and members tend to cooperate with other west side mobs especially the 4CH to some degree. So far their only been a couple major bust in the Souls and they still maintaining.
Are you aware of current Chicago gang politics? Vice Lords aren't as organized as you're claiming they are, not in this day and age. Vice Lords have always been involved in prostitution, that doesn't make them comparable to the Mafia, a few members or heads are involved white collar fraud, not the entire organization. They've always taxed dealers in their neighborhoods, they all do it, not just the Vice Lords.
GDN, is a name only. They aren't organized, in fact, there is still BGD, there are also IBGD's, Insane Black Gangster Disciples. They're no longer a united front, in fact many of their decks, war with each other, there are Black Gangster Disciple decks that are currently at war with other Black Gangster Disciples, that's where the "Insane" name comes from. The Insanes are the ones who are at war with other GD's. There are GD's who hang out and do crime with other VL decks, because they have a common enemy, the GD's they're at war against. GDN is a name only, again, they've become so fractured, and split and broken up, that there's no way they can be compared to a group like the American Mafia. Them having large membership doesn't make them organized, considering most of that membership are split into different factions, and the majority of the factions are all butting heads and killing each other. That's how it currently is in Chicago, when it comes to "GDN".
Having a good rep also doesn't make them organized or comparable to the Mob. Mickey Cobra's are also currently just a common street gang, keep in mind they're a part of the Peoples Nation, along with the Black P-Stones, Vice Lords, 4CH's and the Latin Kings. The People's Nation is the organization, the People's Nation as a whole, maybe back in the day were comparable to a truly organized crime group. But today? No way, because them too, like the Gangster Disciple Nation are so fractured and at war with each other, that they technically aren't an organized crime group.
It'd be like the Five Families in NY all at war with each other, constantly gunning for each other, and looking to kill leaders and take over drug turf and the garment districts. Families have warred with each other in the past, but rarely does it happen that way, they're mostly a unified front, they have a commission to sort out those kind of problems to make sure the all out bloodshed doesn't happen the way it did before Luciano brought the Castellamarese War to a head and created the Commission. These groups that you mention have no such thing and are killing each other every single day in Chicago, especially in the case of "GDN".
Completely off topic, I've been bumped up. I am now caporegime of the Gangsterbb Family.
