ANSWER THESE: interview questions

species j i L L · **ANSWER THESE: interview questions -** 09-30-2005, 03:38 AM

Hey I'm making a documentary and I have these interview questions that I'm gonna ask people but maybe you can answer them if you want so I can get an idea of what I'll be hearing as responses. these are for graff writers only and these all are referring to graff, so answer them as a graff artist. (i posted this on the bboy forum too cuz i want straight answers from specific types of artists)

State your real name, alias, age, crew, and location.

What first got you interested in it?

How long have you been doing this and what keeps you motivated?

Who are some pioneers and famous people who do this?

What are the pros/ benefits of being one?

What are the cons/ struggles of being one?

What are some common misconceptions of what you do?

How does what you do relate to the other elements?

What kind of events/battles do you go to?

List some tools (and their purpose) you need in order to do what you do.

What type of competition is there between people who do it?

List some terms and define them in your own words.

How did you learn? (mentors, etc?)

What should someone do if they wanted to start?

Additional (RELEVANT!) information.

Personal conclusive statement.

(These are the basic questions that all interviewees will be asked. Other questions will be asked upon improvisation or request.)

iomek · 09-30-2005, 04:50 AM

State your real name, alias, age, crew, and location.
My real name? I'm not saying. People know me by 'Iomek', part of the PM (project mayhem) and KDT (killin dem toys) crews. I'm 15 and living in the UK.

What first got you interested in it?
Heh.. At first i was just wanting to find out some mroe info about the Hiphop culture, searching on the internet I came across several forums, and i eventaully came across some graff ones. Thats when i got intrested, i never saw it in so much depth before, it was completely new to me, and I loved it.

How long have you been doing this and what keeps you motivated?
I would say i have been writing around nearly 4 years, my boys keep me motivated, but shits got hard recently, so i have to find other means, internet is often good, alot of nice sites. Watching videos is also good, gets me hyped up, and make me want to go out and cause havoc.

Who are some pioneers and famous people who do this?
Famous people getting gritty in the writing world? Hah. I'm sure there isn't any. Well, there are very well known hiphop heads that write, like Fab5 Freddy, but im pretty sure there isn't any famous people who write. As for 'famous' people in the culture, there is quite alot, different people look up to different things. I myself look up to Hense, Saber, Gamble, Cope2, JA, and alot of others, including all my boys and quite a few UK heads.

What are the pros/ benefits of being one?
Everything. Once you've hitted somthing up, painted a piece or dropped a bomb in a hot location, there is nothing better than the feeling that you have got away with doing somthing that crazy, and to see other people take notice towards it, whether its negative or not, still makes me happy. Also, the amount of people you meet, i never knew it was really that much of a community when i first started, but after travelling to paint places, you get to know some real dope people.

What are the cons/ struggles of being one?
Hmm.. The obvious fact maybe? To try not to get caught. If you plan shit out and dont blabber your mouth to fools then you should be tight, but all this crackdown on graff makes it harder and harder, but even so, they will never be able to stop it. Just need to be more cautious and aware of things, but other then that the chances of getting caught are pretty slim.

What are some common misconceptions of what you do?
Well, graff isn't the only crim writers do, im speeking for myself here and most other writers, we take part of racking, tresspassing (obviously), and drug use. I never knew about racking when i 1st joined the scene, but once i did, i couden't help but try it. After racking 6cans in 1 go, i realised how easy it was, and continued ever since. Drugs, well thats part of most peoples lifes anyway, not a certain thing only writers do, heh.

How does what you do relate to the other elements?
Other elements in hiphop? I'm not sure, i guess it doesn't do that much, and could survive without the other elements, where as say Bboying, that couldent survive without the other elements. Those are all linked in together, and need each other to work, and i supose graff doesn't need any support. Sure graff can make some backdrops to hiphop gigs look all pretty, but its not linked in like the other elements.

What kind of events/battles do you go to?
None, sometimes i do the old internet battle, but only for fun. Luckily i haven't had that many run ins and beef in the outside, so never had to paint a battle. I use to go to a legal wall aswell monthly for all of us writers in my town to catch up and shit, but recently has filled up with a load of legal boys, which i dont really respect much. I'm much more of a fan for those who go out smacking shit up and risking their life. Thats just my opinion though.

List some tools (and their purpose) you need in order to do what you do.
Hah, depends what mission you're doing. Sometimes you need bolt cutters, to break in places, or to get somewhere specific. Sometimes need extensionable rollers, to paint big blockbusters. Somtimes need rope for various things, normally real dangerous stupid things, but real worth it.

What type of competition is there between people who do it?
Depends where you are from. I hear down in London, if you go over the wrong person then thats it, you're gonna get some trouble. Most boys dont have trouble beating on toys, i guess its all part of the learning process. And other competition, im not sure, somtimes people in the same crew get competition, on who can put up the most, but thats all cool competition.

List some terms and define them in your own words.
Too damn many..

How did you learn? (mentors, etc?)
By myself? I'm not sure, when i started writing i didn't know anyone else who did it. I just browsed graff forums and sketched for a year. Then got in contact with local writers, and started painting.

What should someone do if they wanted to start?
Keep it simple, get some style before you paint, respect others.

Additional (RELEVANT!) information.

Personal conclusive statement.
I dont know what i'm supose to write here, but if you want to start writing, dont be stupid, dont go and tell all your mates cause you think its 'cool'. Cause if you get into it serious, on the way your gonna get alot of problems. Dont jump in and try to go wildstyle, just keep it simple, get some sort of style, and put it up! Writing is hard in some ways, with the law, but all the benefits are worth it, all the memorys, friends you meet, etc.. No one can stop you if you love it, and hopefully i will carry on untill the day i die.

FatMasterSlim · 09-30-2005, 05:23 PM

state your real name...sounds like popo...squalay!

FAT

aker88 · 09-30-2005, 07:18 PM

State your real name, alias, age, crew, and location.
Im not sayin my real name...i write EROK...solo...thers no writers in my area at all...im almost 18 and livin in Amman Jordan at the moment...been doin graff for about 3 years and a lil..

What first got you interested in it?
A ps1 game called Thrasher: skate and destroy...had lots of graff on the walls in the game (or maybe a couple of pieces i dont remember)...but anyways...i kinda liked it...then started scribbling on a paper...chekd it out on the internet and fell in love..

How long have you been doing this and what keeps you motivated?
bout 3 years and a lil...when i look at famous artists and ther shit...it gets me hyped...makes me feel that i wanna be like them one day...this keeps me goin..

Who are some pioneers and famous people who do this?
i dont think thers any famous ppl in this game... its "illegal" remember...or maybe u can say marc ecko...hes pretty famous...he makes a living out of graffiti wear...

What are the pros/ benefits of being one?
graffiti can completely change the way u look at life if u really understand its meaning...

What are the cons/ struggles of being one?
fuck the police...and i hate them anti-graffiti muthafukkaz...i hope they burn in hell..

What are some common misconceptions of what you do?

How does what you do relate to the other elements?
expressing yourself wit art...hiphop elements r all based on self expression in my opinion.

What kind of events/battles do you go to?
never been to any events....i battle on the internet but its nuttin serious..

List some tools (and their purpose) you need in order to do what you do.
a couple cans of spray paint r enough...

What type of competition is there between people who do it?
competition? Be the king of ur city...hit up as much spots as u can...keep ur shit clean and fresh...try to get up to most wanted in ur area...u might get a challange one day from someother writer thats gettin up good...

List some terms and define them in your own words.
go to artcrimes.com ull find alot..
How did you learn? (mentors, etc?)
by myself...sittin in my room sketchin...

What should someone do if they wanted to start?
be simple....this is the most important part for starters....by time..everything else will come to u...

Personal conclusive statement
I Love Graffiti.

MoreOne · 09-30-2005, 09:47 PM

State your real name, alias, age, crew, and location.

-Haha nice try, my name is Jack Smith, I write More, 14, AW crew, Florida.

What first got you interested in it?

My cousin came from Cali and he had done this graffiti-like thing for his name (Even though it was wack) I wanted to do something like it. I started looking up Graffiti-related things on the internet and here I am today.

How long have you been doing this and what keeps you motivated?

About 4-5 months now, seeing new burners and wanting to become a good writer keeps me motivated.

Who are some pioneers and famous people who do this?

Taki 183 needs a mention for making graffiti publicly recognized, but the all time most important writer is PHASE2, who practically invented burners and throwups and pioneered many styles. Other mentions are Lee, for rocking full cars, Seen for just being so bad ass, Dondi for being in the whole-car revolution, and many others.

What are the pros/ benefits of being one?

-Understanding the hip hop culture, I really didn't know much about Hip Hop and I have a better understanding of how it started and not the average teenager who doesn't know shit and just watches MTV.
-Being artistic. I love being creative and expressing what I call my Art to the public and just knowing that you're on of those guys who get recognized by everyday people, all the time.
-Being part of something huge. I love meeting new writers and just the feeling of when another writer recognizes you from either getting up or just from liking your pieces and shit, it's an incredible feeling. It means alot to me.

What are the cons/ struggles of being one?

-Police.
-"Ghetto" image. I like to apply myself at school, and for the most part i'm a pretty decent kid, not a big nerd but not what you would consider a writer to be anyway
-People think you're a delinquent with nothing better to do
-Parents (although mine don't mind)

What are some common misconceptions of what you do?

-I'm in a gang. It's a group of artists, not a gang.

How does what you do relate to the other elements?

I use graffiti on school projects, my room, designs, just being artistic and really expressing myself.

What kind of events/battles do you go to?

-None really, however I sometimes go to a place where alot of Breakers and Writers hang out, but that's about it

List some tools (and their purpose) you need in order to do what you do.

-This is really starting to sound like a popo now.

Anyway I have Mops(Homemade paint markers), Postermans, Sharpies, Magnums, Marks-A-Lot for tagging and of course, Krylon,Montana,Rusto,American Accents for painting.

What type of competition is there between people who do it?

Beef. Niggers always wanna cross you out just to cause beef. Me and another writer caught someone tagging in a bathroom at our school where we had some tags up and we confronted him about the crossings and he denied it like a bitch and the next day all our tags were crossed out and he had put his name next to it and his crew and now there's beef between the two crews.

List some terms and define them in your own words.

Way too many to list, but the basics:

Bombing - Going out tagging, getting up

Getting up - Bombing, writing, painting, just hitting up spots

All City - tags all over your city, pieces, throws, stickers, tags, becoming a king of your city.

Handstyle - the way you write your tag

Dope - nice, cool,

Piece - short for masterpiece, or anything that's not a tag or a throwup, usually consists of 3-4 colors and has 3-d.

How did you learn? (mentors, etc?)

Self-teaching, looking at other styles and changing them into your own, inspiration. No real mentors since all my crew buddies are about the same level as me.

What should someone do if they wanted to start?

LEARN THEIR FUCKING HISTORY. I can't stand a writer who's never head of Phase 2, Junior 161, Cope, Seen, etc.

Start simple then work your into different styles, DON'T put any arrows in your beginning pieces, simple block letters then start experimenting.

Additional (RELEVANT!) information.

If you don't have a passion for this, it isn't for you, it may take you YEARS to become even recognized as a decent/good writer.

Personal conclusive statement.

Get off the computer, go sketch and get up.

-More Oner, AW crew

qubixrube · 10-10-2005, 04:08 PM

You sound like a fed. Are you?

species j i L L · 10-11-2005, 12:02 PM

LOL i'm a 17 year old girl who goes to high school. forget the real name part then.. that was originally intended for the other elements but i just realized that doesn't work with writers and taggers. I posted this in the bboy forum too (but no one really answered it AT ALL).

fuzbal1 · 10-16-2005, 05:29 PM

Alias, age, crew

I go by Kaos, I am 13, I am not in a crew yet. (I don’t want to say my location).

What first got you interested in it?

The thing that got me interested in graff is going to my local skate park. The park is cement and is the place where almost all of the graff in my town is.

How long have you been doing this and what keeps you motivated?

I have been doing graff for 5-6 months. I am kept motivated by the pieces that I see done by all of the people that are better than me and the people that I am aspiring to be like.

What are the pros/ benefits of being one?

Artistic expression and the adrenaline that comes when you do any illegal graff are some of the benefits of being a writer

What are the cons/ struggles of being one?

Cops and people who think of graff as simply vandalism are some of the struggles of being a writer

What are some common misconceptions of what you do?

Some common misconceptions of graff and writers are that graff is vandalism and that writers are in gangs and stuff like that.

How does what you do relate to the other elements?

Graff relates to hip-hop and art and other things like that.

What kind of events/battles do you go to?

I don’t go to any events but I do battle sometimes on the internet.

List some tools (and their purpose) you need in order to do what you do.

Spray paint, caps, markers, pencils and other art supplies are needed in graff.

What type of competition is there between people who do it?

Crews against crews because one crew went over another crews graff.

List some terms and define them in your own words.

There are way too many to list.

How did you learn? (mentors, etc?)

I taught myself through the internet and some friends

What should someone do if they wanted to start?

Start simple because if you don’t you wont ever get anywhere. When I started I insisted on starting off complicated and it never looked good until I got basic letter structure.

Personal conclusive statement.

I don’t know what to say.

That's it.