When did it become acceptable for people to lay down absolute garbage masquerading as pieces? Don?t pretend like you haven?t seen it. The awkward letters, inconsistent lines, overuse of dots/clouds/arrows, fills that look like the inside of a 2 yr old?s diaper. Hipster graffiti, semester style, hot garbage… whatever you want to call this emerging “style”. It used to be you put your best foot forward. Now apparently you put the foot forward that just stepped in dogshit.
But hey, if you have…
A) The right amount of drugs
B) The right amount of hip connections
C) The ability to fool people
D) More than one pair of skinny jeans in your closet
…well hey, you?re good to go as a member of a new writer subclass that differentiates itself simply producing terrible fucking graffiti.
I remember a higher standard that writers were held to when it came to determining status as a major player. You know?.clean lines, proportioned letters, multi-color fills. I mean, the things that take practice, dedication, passion. I guess building a strong foundation of talent has been forsaken in the face of tpromises of quick success and glory.
Graffiti always needs new direction and imagery to stay relevant and fresh in the minds of both it?s participants and fan base right? Then why aren?t we seeing more pieces, throwies and tags that should be making the likes of Saber and Revok re-evaluate the amount of time they spend in the studio and in the streets?
Well, instead we now have fools writing the equivalent of a Myspace blog on the wall. What?s this about your “shattered heart weeping over the echos of time in 2009″? Get the fuck outta here with your cryptic nonsensical bullshit.
The crisp alleyway pieces I remember seeing everywhere? Hmmm, seems to be harder and harder to come across the more I go out. Instead, I?m treated to blobby letters rocking sunglasses riding on clouds crusted with stars. Wow, your Peter Max-inspired bullshit was TOTALLY worth dodging four blocks worth of addicts, broken glass, needles and undercovers to get to.
The scene I’ve grown up with has gone from bombing a wall, racking some tall can King Cobras and bum rushing the show to…sipping lattes and listening the latest offering from ?Panic At The Disco.??!? Everytime I meet these particular writers, it?s hard to tell if I?m talking to a man or a woman. Sometimes it?s both actually. Yikes, check for that adams apple son. Really, I?d rather kick it with people I can count on when the shit flies. Not someone that stands back from the action because they were too afraid of their vintage shirt getting wrecked.
Please, someone explain what it is I am missing when I see this stuff. Obviously the hidden meaning behind those crappy letters and lazy fills continues to elude me. There has to be a reason why there are ENDLESS threads on sites like 12oz Prophet where moderators and resident jerkoffs alike crow endlessly about how edgy and cutting edge this stuff is.
Really, it pains me to see a bad ass Natrl thread sink into obscurity while some no-name, rainbow painting, vespa-riding geek enjoys weeks worth of being in one of the top slots with legions of bandwagon jumpers applauding their excessive and “ironic” use of arrows and sparkles. It’s like when you see a really hot girl with an ugly dude. You wonder what the hell you’re doing wrong and you go nuts trying to find answers that just aren’t there.
Personally, I think trying to assign ANY type of meaning to this emerging style gives it way too much credit. Real talk, it?s a cheap shortcut to fame and recognition for those starting out and a sign of laziness for the heads that have been pushing cans and markers for years. If anything this new breed of graffiti gives legitimacy to the efforts of city government and other entities that would like to see graffiti eradicated completely.
Hey, I?m not one to say what is and what doesn?t count as graffiti. That?d put me on a level with a lot of the people I look down on and well, I couldn’t forgive myself for that. But look? what I do know is what I like…and I don?t like this shit one bit..
My greatest fear is that I?m alone in feeling this way. Prove me wrong people.
60 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- APzine by Artig:Prod » Blog Archive » Quality Control is Dead - [...] Read the following article and let me know your opinion. When i read this, i was like: yeah, you’re ...
This article is complety true,
toyss theses days. /:
fuck that new wave frisco shit! bkf is garbage! they justa buncha trendy nut hugger rockin no style havin funk fakers breh. they just makin graff look more unnaceptable to the city so they go out and hire twice as many buffers to clean up this bullshit along with the real graf that niggas put time and effort into.
There is some proper shit graffiti popping up all over London too…[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/3200505990_a4f380af53_s.jpg[/img]
I guess it’s all subjective, but things change and not always for the better.
You’re not alone man, sad thing is sites like 12oz promote this garbage. Look at Portland, Seattle, San Fran and even Detroit and Dallas now. They’ve all been hit with this garbage and people dig it.
BKF is all hipster cats thats why they write hipster graffitti. You wrote a whole page of shit that is true, I think they do this on purpose
oh yeah, there is a “Cake87″ on BKF too
its those fucking franny’s dawg, FUCK THE FRISCO GRAFF SCENE
I FEEL EXACTLY THE SAME WAY ABOUT THIS BULLSHIT FOOLS ARE PAINTING AND THINKING ITS HOT SHIT. I MISS THE OLD 90S STYLE LIKE BLES,PHABLE,TYKE,GKAE BUT MOST SHIT NOW IS JUST WEAK AND ITS GONNA GET CAPPED OVER. YEAH FOOLS ARE PAINTIN ILLEGALY BUT THEIR LACKIN STYLE AND CREATIVITY. THESE NEW CATS JUST DONT KNOW THE DEAL
IF U KNEW THE WRITERS U WOULD BE DOWN WIT THA STYLE U JUST DONT KNO SHIT
THESE WRITERS R AS FUCKED UP AS THERE PIECES ARE.. ITS FUNNY AND THEY DONT CARE ABOUT WAT PPL THINK.. THEY COULD DO GOOD ASS PIECES BUT THIS IS WAT THEY CHOSE TO DO… YALL JUST DONT KNO
FUCK SABER AND REVOKS PRETTY ASSS PIECING TOO
you are not alone
and if you read what “kush smoking” wrote, i hope you agree that he is wack! FUCKING TARD
hahahahahahahaah
graffiti is graffiti. who care if its ugly and all up on your face kinda shit. longest its illegal. most of those dudes that paint those styles can actually paint good stuff and a good percentage of them bomb a lot. its just in your face graffiti. raw as fuck.
i get what your saying and understand your view on it, but i personally like most of the “hipster” graff. not OMG from bkf (the main picture you posted) but 80% of BKF, US, and a few members of outlaws shit come correct. Only thing im not likin is writers from different cities of portland, frisco, etc. trying to bite that style.
graffiti has no rules get over it.
cake 87 is the real cake dudes been painting for like 15 years
i guess its all relative, its all really all about expression right? I mean if you really need to get some sunglass-wearing pieces off your chest, fuck it do it . Not all graff writers are into the rap and hiphop subculutre, actually some of the rawest writers I know just listen to hardcore. Point is graff isn’t for everybody, just anybody who has the balls enough to write on someone else’s shit, even if it looks like a two year olds diaper.
Wow. OK first off the Drugs crew is a joke between some members of BKF and OUTLAWS, OMG is a fucking king but you wouldn’t know.
OP is a toy.
I live right here in sf where I see this mess everywhere. They are all biting off of ORFN which is the OG who spawned all of this. I respect ORFN but none of these bullshit toys. They should all just hand over their paint to real heads who have style and challenge themselves. Not ones who back petal.
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3286253294_b4ac49a5bb.jpg[/img]
[img]http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/460495580_b0742ba6fa.jpg[/img]
WHO EVER DR.KAVORKIAN IS NEEDS TO NOT POST PICTURES OF MY GRAFFITI AND ACT LIKE ITS ME
Whats funny is how much it has brought down other writers. Look at Bonus for example. Just seems like he’ll just do what ever his homies will do. Yeah, he’s raw as fuck but what happened to reppin DFM and the fresh as straight letters, and well put together throwys? He said, fuck that, and started doing the fuck style bullshit cause i need to be excepted when im making out with hitop and oddio on hawthorne. In my opinion, you just got to laugh at it.
I just want to set the record straight that this was not intended as an anti BFK article. AND I’d be a hypocrite if I said I hated on this style completely because there are individuals (Remio, Orfn, Panda Sex, etc…) that pull it off really well.
With that said, keep up the discussion. Fresh to see both sides of the fence getting their opinions out there.
“I live right here in sf where I see this mess everywhere. They are all biting off of ORFN which is the OG who spawned all of this. I respect ORFN but none of these bullshit toys. They should all just hand over their paint to real heads who have style and challenge themselves. Not ones who back petal.” – truth be told
This style has nothing to do with orfn, started out in beligen way back . .but you stuck up amriecans woldn’t know… you guys ever heard of the ERS, CAP crew and so on?
and by the way, this style is awesome, pushing it instead of just recycling what you guys like… What ever happend to change?
alot of the shit is toy. its not be taken serious like burner wildstyle.
everyone who is fake is gey and toy,yah bitches with $$$ and travell and get big britches and bitch about vintage or anycloths toy faggs
There is room for this style too. Not everyone has to paint like msk with 100 designer spraypaint colors. Its funny ur so offended. what does aiming guns at the camera have to do with graffiti? maybe ur style needs a rest
I just want to set the record straight that this was not intended as an anti BFK article. AND I?d be a hypocrite if I said I hated on this style completely because there are individuals (Remio, Orfn, Panda Sex, etc?) that pull it off really well.
what the fuck? this is a huge contradiction. what makes panda sex any better or worse than omg or any other writer who paints in this style? your opinion? you sound like youre just jealous man. these people are painting a lot, and getting recognition for it. if you dont like what they are painting.. you could just go paint over it.. or paint more than them.. but you are not. you are on the internet blogging about how it disappoints you. meanwhile, most of these guys are out traveling the world and painting way more than you. I have to agree that the style is not exactly my favorite, however, how are you gonna knock their hustle? that is some hater shit.
…I really dont even know whats up eith this scene,,,,,,,,BUT,, if they can do 3 of them side by side,, that look pretty much the same,,,,,,,,when then there must be some control?,,,,,,,,,,,,
But who really shits out chuckee cheese tokens anyways?,,,,,,,,,,,,I f you aint gettin heavens, or hang-overs, or In yo face as I turn up the bass spots,,,,,,,,,,step up yo game playa,,,,,,,,,,,,and if yer like me,, and too old,,, chill in the cut,,, let these new fools get thier shine on………………..if they can???
“most of these guys are out traveling the world and painting way more than you.”
Ah, so all I need to do now is to just paint kooky weird shit on walls….a lot….and i get to travel the world?
Man, sign me up.
fuck these guys their hipster fags fuck em all in the ass with a razor blade some gasoline and a lighter
so, if i hear you correctly, you LOVE vintage graf, but you HATE vintage clothes.
alllllright. but skinny jeans, are they vintage? or aren’t they? kate moss or bob dylan? shit, makes you wonder, huh lil’ fella?
rest assured, tho, cammo bikinis are brand new, and available at all local Claire’s Accessories.
and grandpa, shouting at the tv is not going to make it play yr fav episodes of Hogan’s Heroes. also, it’s 2pm, so you know what that means, DINNER TIME!
what i gathered from bonus is that he doesn’t associate himself with petty washed-up retards cuz he hasn’t followed the same path of personal devolution. plus, that 2-year-old sore spot is another topic altogether.
Big Kid Fun is about pizza. wrap your mind around that!
yes, drugs crew is a blatant (meaning, respect is paid in flickr) homage to the Crew Against People, and the super rad belgian writers like R.Kelly. one day i would like to make art like Rebus, or Beyonze NYCD.
question: if you see an avalanche, say, on tv, or while sitting on a chair lift at Meadows, do you say angrily to yourself, “that is bullshit and i serously don’t get how fucking avalanches can even exist when the snow was so soft and sparkly and serene just two seconds ago! WTF?! somebody’s got to stop this from happening!” ??? is that it, then? you missed that day of 6th grade science, huh?
well, let me make this metaphor:
the history of a certain genre of art (in this case illegal art, or street art, or spray can art) can be kind of like a sloping face of a mountain, because early in the winter the first snow may fall really powpowdery and dry due to climate at the time…but then maybe one week it warms up and it rains…then it drops to 10 below and a hard layer of ice forms. then maybe another ‘sick’ week of dry powder dumps nonstop….but then for two months it’s off and on rain, sleet, snow, hail, then powder….and so on. All of a sudden, someone farts, and the whole thing comes a tumblin’ down wreaking mega distruction.
point is, the weight of all those styles of snow was too much, and they didn’t end up jiving anymore and a huge chunk splintered off because it naturally needed to. it is the snow’s TIME to change.
the weight of so many years of the same style of graffiti, to me, is just like this. at a certain time, some of us just need to let go and see where the chips fall. and you can obviously see that it is not just one snowflake, but hoards of us, young and old, toys and kings, who value release over “sticking together” and “keeping shape” no matter how many log cabins we take out on our way down.
i hope this shed some light, since you asked. it’s just one lady’s opinion.
also, if omg were your friend, and shit went down, he would be klutch. how do you think he does so much work? just a lucky guy? never any pigs around, hero bums, street vigilantes on his trail? that was a fucked-up judgement call, and you should be ashamed of yourself for such piss-poor editorial writing. it’s a good thing you work in illegitimate arenas such as the blogosphere.
Keep Portland Weird
That there folks is a pretty fuckin legitimate counterpoint. Responses?
That there folks is a pretty fuckin legitimate counterpoint. Responses?
All I know is Im not even feeling that style..but usually when people are hating like some of these comments is cause there not out there getting their own;..real writers know whats up so dont trip…
i thought graff was about expression and having fun. some of you ninjas take this shit way too seriously..
fuck this franny ass bullshit
really riri.. just cause your graffiti matches your clothing..by that I mean my fucking granma can pull off his clothes and his graff better than your boy..just cause you were the ugliest clothes at goodwill doesnt make you hip..and just cause your up doesnt make you a king…to bad the karate guy didnt finish the fucking job and push him futher into the street…then we wouldnt eve be having this fucking retarded conversation.
people remember weird shit
it gets attention
shit, dude even took the time to write a big ass blog about it
i don’t get what fashion has to do with anything
caring about how dudes are dressed is some solid faggotry
how is a writer supposed to be dressed anyways?
xxx-l white tee and some size 40 dickies?
dressing like a hipster can get you much fresher pussy than trying to dress like some plain ol played scrubby thug wanna-be
oh I totally agree wit ya holmez. I did most my distruction in early 90z & thiz shit they doin now iz fuck trash. these dudez now want be considered “artist” haha I say call me a fuckin Vandal. proud to be nite walker spot stalker. what happened? the net & myspace- folkz gettin over nite fame off 1 pic (bullshit at that). nowadayz ya don’t have to go hard n streetz to be sumbody now. fuck that. sumtimez I hate web. we had to earn our status & fame n streetz riskin it all just to get known. so fuckin easy now. speaclly since it takez no control or style or origalality now. oh miss the dayz of real graff & real writerz. these hippy fuckz would got smashed & jacked if came around us back in the dayz hahahaha
IS NOT ABOUT DRUGS, IS NOT ABOUT GAY TIGHT JEANS, ITS ABOUT STYLE.. BUT HIPSTERS ARE THE THICK’S OF STYLE.. BITE BITE BITE.. FUCK THAT.. ONLY TRUE ONES WILL REMAIN, THE OTHER JUST BE CLAIMING.
its kinda sad that people try to elevate their local style-norms to the world’s graffiti-rules.you usa-LA-SF wherever people just don’t get that today’s “hipster style” is not an sf phenomenon.have you ever seen some russian,ukrainian,polish or italian ignorant-styles?east europe paints that kind of style already for years and years..a few if the people here seem to have a limited conservative opinion on a free illegal form of expression.me for example,i don’t “feel” LA-(semi-)wildstyles at all…
I’m happy to see these styles are finally being adopted in the US. Plenty of us here in europe have long been bored to death by same same commercial burner graffiti. This kind of soul emanated from Scandinavia, exploded in Barcelona in the late 90s and now dominates eastern Europe. It has been our playground for years.
Graffiti writers have always been of any kind, hiphop came later. Hipsters are as legitimate writers as hiphoppers are.
FuCK that ShIt iTZ all about the nike 120′s tiGHT jEAnz an the wife beater thatz real shIT riGHt there!!!!!!!!!!
” Adek BKF on Wednesday 25, 2009
Whats funny is how much it has brought down other writers. Look at Bonus for example. Just seems like he?ll just do what ever his homies will do. Yeah, he?s raw as fuck but what happened to reppin DFM and the fresh as straight letters, and well put together throwys? He said, fuck that, and started doing the fuck style bullshit cause i need to be excepted when im making out with hitop and oddio on hawthorne. In my opinion, you just got to laugh at it.
”
have you seen bonus new stuff? its pretty legit. why you care how he paints? let ppl do what they want.
if its illegal its all the same shit piecing is a waste of paint id rather see ten shitty throws than some piece that took 4 hours bump bkf and all those fools for being more famous than you since there getting talked about on the internet
96% of hipster graffiti is retarded kids who have no talent trying to get into graffiti game. they jock a certain style, make it look like shit, and claim it’s something completely progressive. what they don’t realize is that a few fools decently rock the hipster style (although personally im not much of a fan). for example, riri, if that is really you, is wack as fuck, not creative, and lacks basic can control. yet riri claims that what she does is some avant garde graffiti shit. so if i pick up a can of paint and do something that is sloppy, doesn’t make sense, and not appealing at all i’m creating some new style of graf? no, im throwing shit on the wall and claiming it dope. doing something that purposefully looks shitty is hardly being creative.
KARSO Is like a 1990 ford taurus, a piece of shit
[img]http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2687/karso3.jpg[/img]
I’d add this to your post Camio but I can’t edit others posts lol
By that same token I also can’t stand everyone that bites like they’re from LA. LA style makes sense if you came from LA, because there’s a sense of real tradition, culture, and history behind it. I really can’t stand graf that looks like they took tracing paper to flix of LA’s best – that’s disrespect at its finest. Writers that work hard at developing their own vision get my props. Fools that bite should get nothing – all they want is a shortcut to fame – and usually they get it anyway. Fuck that.
fuck all you you stupid kids. i hope you all get shot in the face. you dont know what graffiti is.
believe it or not i know dudes that wear tight pants that dont paint that hipster garbage