A gunman who stashed a loaded handgun in an alleyway claims he had the weapon for his own protection after his record label business partner was kidnapped.
Zico Reid denies being a member of one of south Manchester's notorious street gangs.
Prosecutors allege he was a 'highly respected' member of the Rusholme Crips, which emerged from the Gooch gang.
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The Gooch and Doddington gangs led the city to be labelled as 'Gunchester' in the 1990s.
Reid was stopped by armed police after being tracked around the back streets of Rusholme.
He was arrested and police found a Walther hangdun in undergrowth in an alleyway off Heald Avenue.
Reid has admitted possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, but denies it was related to gang activity.
He said he was concerned about his safety after his business partner at Quality Street Records, a music label they set up, was kidnapped with a ransom of £100,000 and 10 kilos of heroin and cocaine each being demanded.
"My business partner was kidnapped and everyone was saying that I would be next," Reid told Manchester Crown Court.
He said he believed they had kidnapped his business partner to 'get at me', and to try and get a music deal.
Reid said: "They seem to think that I have friends in that area, people that are doing well for themselves, and thought if they was doing well if they threatened me I could make them do well as well."
He said he had received threat to life 'Osman' warnings from the police, and was hearing 'rumours on the streets' on a 'daily basis'.
"They phoned my phone, the kidnappers, saying that they have got my mate," Reid said.
"They were just asking for money."
Reid said he wasn't aware of the kidnappers asking for drugs.
"I told them I didn't have the money and to let him go," he said.
Asked why he had gloves, and a balaclava which had been rolled up when he was arrested, Reid said: "We had plans to shoot a music video.
"We was going to have a few kids on motorbikes out."
Prosecutors alleged that Reid was a 'highly respected' member of the Rusholme Crips.
"Zico is certainly someone that has earned his stripes within the Rusholme Crips," said DC Graham Parry, of GMP's anti-gang XCalibre Taskforce.
Speaking of 34-year-old Reid, DC Parry said: "He has done very well to survive that long."
He said younger gang members would more often be on the streets, and that Reid may be seen if there was 'some enforcement that needed to be done'.
"It would be not a regular occurrence you would see Zico on the streets," DC Parry said.
The officer said that Reid had previously been banned from attending Manchester's annual Caribbean Carnival.
He said: "We as the police for a duty of care to the community, we used to draw a banning list for gang members who were deemed to be currently active within the last 12 months.
"Zico was down as one of those individuals."
He said Reid had been seen to associate with known gang members.
Another officer said Reid had made a hand sign affiliated to the Rusholme Crips towards him, moving his fingers to create a C, to refer to Crips.
Reid was arrested on August 6, 2019, after a police surveillance operation.
His co-defendant Ali Ismail has admitted possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, as well as possessing prohibited ammunition and having an article with a blade or a point.
Three weeks earlier, Ismail, 29, was arrested after a loaded Smith and Wesson Magnum was recovered from the basement of house in Dickenson Road, Rusholme.
The gun as well as 20 bullets were found in an old oven.
Reid had been in contact with Ismail earlier that day.
The hearing continues, with Reid, of Eva Street, Rusholme, and Ismail, of Dickenson Road, Rusholme, expected to be sentenced tomorrow.
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