Forbiden Art

The other day I posted on one of the three social media that I have a profile on. I had simply asked if I should title this pierce something along the lines of ‘’Writing on the Wall’’, to which my contacts rather profusely disagreed, justifying their objection by voicing the cliché nature of such a title. To be honest it wasn’t my intention to go with that title, however it did rather reveal that as individuals it in our nature to express ourselves as vigorously as we can possibly can. That is precisely what I feel Graffiti does in society, I decided on going with Forbidden Art, due to the observation that people tend to gravitate towards things that are mostly frowned upon by any kind of authority, there is joy and liberation in engaging in what is not allowed, taking into consideration also the conflict between the lawfully acceptable versus Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression. We see graffiti on buildings, pavements, street light poles, traffic signs, trains, under bridges and practically any surface around cities. For people who were born and have lived all their lives in urban regions, the art of Graffiti is both a taboo (to some degree, largely due to its standing with agents of law enforcement) and a raw unorthodox form of expression and creativity. Dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire, graffiti originated as a way of leaving messages and even being used as signs for navigation. In modern times, it forms one of the four elements of hip hop culture alongside Emceeing, Break dancing and Dee-Jaying.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary www.oxforddictionaries.com definition of Graffiti, “In Italian the word graffiti is a plural noun and its singular form is graffito. Traditionally, the same distinction has been maintained in English, so that graffiti, being plural, would require a plural verb: the graffiti were all over the wall. By the same token, the singular would require a singular verb: there was a graffito on the wall.” Apart from it being outlawed by authorities and the abhorrence from senior citizens, graffiti is arguably a unique and intriguing element as far as urban art goes. Over the years there have been more legal avenues where graffiti artists have showcased their talents mainly in youth events and obviously in hip hop gatherings. The Graffiti collective better known as Demolition Squad were the recipients of the best graffiti crew at the first South African Hip Hop Awards in 2012. An affiliate of DS crew, graffitist Aybe 247 (graffitist is an actual word you can Google it) had talks with LiveJam to share his experiences regarding his trade:

Aybe 247, DS

When did you begin embracing hip hop culture and subsequently Graffiti?

Around 2000, (Although I did first get into some krisskross back in the '91 maybe '92, anyways, so ja 2000 and within a few months I was tagging my neighbourhood with Aerolaks, back then it was mainstream junk like Eminem etc. slowly I got onto the Cypress Hill, DJ Qbert, Madlib, KRS One then cats in my crew pulled out the downloaded stuff like Typical Cats, El-P, Looptroop, ... eish the list can go on and on!

Who do you look up to?

In SA I will always still mention Wealz 130 (RL, EM, YMB), that guy had his head in the right place! He knew everything and taught me so much when I met him in Jozi. Internationally I feel Bates (AIO), the guy has too many styles, still goes around doing trains, street bombing, mad pieces, tracksides etc. ... the best thing is he still does letters and didn't fall for the ''drop graffiti, become a street artist and go hire a cherry picker to paint a big character on the side of a building'' trend

Who have you collaborated with?

Wow, quite a few peeps over the years, mostly crew, lemme give you the last 5 years excluding my own crew: East, Bias, Zesta, Rekso, Sine, Dice, Mym, Jestr, Yeh Two, Serg, Korpz& Coe One.

When did you become recognized as a Graffiti Artist?

In terms of actual Graffiti (the way I believe in it which is getting your name up illegally), I would say around the era of 2002 - 2004, I got into DS and the two of us (Tapz and myself) just went out basically 2 - 3 times a week almost solidly for those two years. We've been mugged together, threatened to be shot by railway security, stepped in every kind of homeless shit possible, followed by crack heads ...every minute to me was Graffiti, if I was in spar I'd be jacking nozzles from every can of mr min, mr muscle, spray & cook etc., I was in CNA racking all kinds of markers, stickers, using a box cutter blade to cut the Graff pages out of Source Magazine, Riding metro bus or taxis and marker tagging the seats ... Pure Obsession! Corporately, I didnt really have the motivation to go out looking for jobs, but Kwazi (an OG Demolition Squad Bboy) was also a writer and he hooked up a job for Nokia who did some huge snowboarding event in Capetown - we got mad cash for that gig, he hooked up a few others before I left SA in the '04.

Who has played a key role in your Graffiti career?

Hard to say, my family could have been real A-holes and pressured me to stop 'coslet’s face it, at that time I was still at home and as much as I tried, the cans could never remain silent in my bag while I was walking out the house pretending to go to a club or bar with Tapz, but they left me to do it so that did help, other than that I'd say myself and Tapz as bombing partners are pretty much unstoppable, we have the same thirsting for getting up, we may not have the same mind when it comes to spots but that's another story.

Let us know of shows/events that you actively involved in.

In SA it was the Nokie ''Totally board'' event, In Dubai UAE I painted at the Dubai Xgames 2006 & '07, also for Red Bull Futsal event I think in 2008

Tell us your achievements and you milestones so far, competitions you have won, awards, endorsements.

Hmm, Milestone is after 13 years I'm still painting, maybe being the writer at the Xgames is an achievement ... no awards except finding out that DS was voted best Graffiti Crew 2013 or 2012? I think. But that had nothing to do with me due to being in London at the time, and most newcomers to the scene in SA don't even know I exist.

Who would you want to work with?

I'd still dig to paint with Bates one day but I've learned not to expect things like that, you get yourself all excited then as soon as it's supposed to happen everything screws up, other than that, I'll paint with anybody really as long as they are a Graffiti writer. DS is going to be doing some international stuff this year, so peeps keep an eye out!

Who are your favourite Graffiti Artists locally and internationally?

Locally = Anyone getting up on trains especially! All the old RL cats, CPT writers; Kes 3, Toe, Wer, Sure, Micro, Sect, Jest, Wealz and so on, Gogga. Internationally = Bates, Soten, Swet, Mr.Maks, Mr. Poison, Viper, Jepsy, King 157, Twist, Gnome. Probably way more...

Where do you see Graff art in 5 years from now?

I could definitely see great improvement as the generations’progress; I'd give a better take on it all if I wasn't living overseas for the last decade though.

What do you think hinders hip hop from flourishing?

Bad image perhaps, I'm basing this on the place where I live now, you wear a hoodie here and people cross the street thinking you want to mug them, cops roll by giving you that look ... yet it's damn cold here that's why my hood's always on !! things like that, otherwise I do feel SA had a better understanding and acceptance of Hip Hop, it brings cultures together and does better than religion in my opinion

Who do you think is Hot or Not in the Game right now?

Eish honestly I don't follow Graffiti Celebrities anymore, the internet has created hundreds of ''dope artists'' probably because those cats used the net to bite to get good, then made hundreds of YouTube videos and whatnot until Graphotism noticed them and asked for an interview, loads of toys ask me, ''yo you know this cat (insert Graff celebrity name here)'' and I go, ''nah sorry'' ... the way they look at me all disappointed like I'm talking shit or trying to pretend I'm too dope to know that writer. I just don't have the time these days to sit on 12oz Prophet or catching trends and shit

Since your unforeseen break away from DS what are your future plans as a Graff Artist?

At the moment, the crew is trying to fix the mishap that caused me to leave, so the future will just be what they make of it, in terms of myself, I will be that old retired man still able to pop the sickest throwies while suffering from arthritis! Or even if I'm still able to walk after I'm past my life as a really old dude who smells of pee, I'll be back in the train yards man, screw it ... when they catch me it will be like ''you going to arrest a 78 year old man??? You have no morals you little punk!!'' then at some point start acting like I have dementia and whatnot (picture grandpa from jackass in the shoplifting scene)

Graffiti is an old art form dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire, in

your honest opinion besides issues with private property, what do you think is the reason why authorities out-law this art-form?

When people pick up a can or a marker, and go writing, they automatically often start writing anti-establishment things, or just expressions which is a right brain function, the authorities don't want right brainers they want left brained robots who do their biddings (pay taxes, accept all draconian laws and corruption etc.), it is a low level secret happening (late at night in the dark streets) and shows that people still have some freedom, this really pisses them off because this shows in a sense that they are still unable to control everything, even in 1984!.

Any pierce of advised, words of wisdom for aspiring Graff artists?

I ignored sketching as I just disliked it, but keep trying as it does develop your style, also design a throw up and practice it, within a short time you will be able to put it up in minutes, then eventually you could have it down to a minute, you will develop it until it is sick ... before you know it you have a style in you can control that is you! Then try pieces etc.

If you don't have the cash for paint (I've heard how much cans cost in SA today - I remember the days at the Sprayon factory getting cans for R12 each!!) you can be a tag / throw up / bombing king, as long as you get your shit up lots!! Have hundreds of tite tags everywhere and when you can afford, the odd throw up and random pieces here and there. Go to paint shops and tell them you need rejected paint for a project or something, they sometimes have stock of miss mixed paint that was rejected by the customer because a difference in colour, they will sell it to you discounted or sometimes it’s free!! You can get a sponge and fill in your pieces / throwups etc. with paint and outline in spray-paint - this saves loads of money

Also, keep in mind ... you are a TOY until further notice

Peace