What is Graffiti?
1.
An element of the Hip Hop culture misinterpreted and misrepresented by the mainstream media, and most especially hated by affluent (usually white) businessmen who don't understand the roots or meaning of the writing on the walls.
Contrary to popular belief, Graff is NOT any of the following: writing on houses of worship, people's houses in general, other writer's names, or tombstones. The aforementioned need not be identified with bus, train, subway and wall burners. That's REAL graffiti, the visual aspect of
Since Graffiti is an element in
From the beginning, the powers that be have sought afte the destruction of our culture, from transit authorities chasing after writers, to housing police harassing people at block parties, to lawsuits being filed against DJs for
These very same corporations, usually headed by conservative individuals who "care" about their buildings, are the organisations which lobby for tighter anti-graffiti laws. So it may seem that "Hip Hop" is all well with mainstream America, but they're actually destroying us from within, in more than one way.
Long live Graffiti!
2.
A form of art and expression. The world is each ones canvas.
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3.
Art. Misinterpreted by government and mainstream as "destroying" property. Graffiti is only art when it is not offensive or crude like suburban graffiti that simply has curse words and crude drawings of male and female genitalia. Graffiti is done by paint, ink, scratching glass, etc...
That graffiti in downtown is some hot shyt, but the graffiti in the neighborhood just sucks.
4.
Graffiti is a commonly misunderstood form of illegal art. Graffiti is done on walls, buses, trains, and other forms of private and public property, often without permission (thus the 'illegal' part). Ink, paint, scratches, and other ways can be used to do graffiti; spray paint cans with special tips being the favored way, since they are easily carried and do not require brushes and other equipment. Note that not all things sprayed/written on a wall are graffiti! Gang markings, crude bathroom writings, and other less artistic forms of wall-markings are NOT graffiti.
Graffiti (also called Graf) is a form of self expression, and while it is illegal, is NOT vandalism.
Closely related to people who
Man, I saw some awesome graf down by Ninth Street yesterday.
5.
my anti-drug. The action of applying a paint or ink onto a wall in the form of artwork. A highly illegal practice that must be done in a swift and covert manner.
Most kids spend there Friday and Saturday nights smoking weed or getting drunk. I prefer exploring the town with my best buddy doing graffiti.
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6.
an underground comunity. graff artists spend lots of time and money buying markers paint spray paint. they have notbooks thats they pratice in called blackbooks. they also make there own markers or mops. some will stay up walking around citys from dusk till dawn. dont think it pisses them off when u remove or 'buff' there tags or throwups, thats recycles the walls for them. its been going on sence cave men so get over it, it wont stop. its and addicting rush. thats graffiti.
i wont stop, cant stop, graffiti forever.
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7.
The visual personifacation of hip-hop. despite what most of the ill-informed probably middle-aged suburban white people think, graffiti is only limited to stickers (postals), tags (done with pilots, flowpen, krink, homemade markers, etc.), throw ups (aslo called throwies, and done in paint. they are usually just stylized bubble letters of the writters name with 3d or drop shadow), pieces (short for masterpieces, and also known as burners, these range from relativly simple, to intricate and complex designs, a style known as wildstyle. these pieces take hours to do and are considered the highest level of graffiti), and finaly charachters (cartoonish representations of the writters alter ego). Graffiti should not be confused with vandalism, which is instead crude marking or destruction, the aim of which is to cause damage to property, regardless of aethetic appeal. graffiti is just the opposite. IF GRAFFITI WASNT ART, THEN WHY WOULD WRITTERS SPEND HOURS AND HOURS SKETCHING AND PRACTICING IN SKETCHBOOKS? also, there are things that are considered off limits and non ethical, and are not to be touched. some of these things include
residential property (unless its the house of a writter that you know personally and have beef with)
churches or places of worship
cemeteries
cars (unless obviously abandoned)
These are only the basics and different writters may restrict themselves from other things.
Graffiti is 90% of the time NOT GANG RELATED. gangs, however, are not to be confused with crews. crews are a group of writters. thats it. theres no drugs or crime (othere than graffiti) involved with the crew. crews usually have initiations like tagging a police car, or getting up in an open space etc. crew names are usually three letter abbreviations like DFM, or PCK etc.
Again, the motivation for graffiti IS NEVER VANDALISM. if that is the motive, then it simply isnt graffiti. motivation varies from writter to writter, but is usually
respect as a writter
fame
to see his own work
This is achieved by getting up. getting up is the act of getting your work up around the city. if you get up enough, your considered to be "all city", but this hardly happens. also, your art and style speaks for your reputation. for example, if your
Graffiti doesnt have messages, unless its some kind of side quote next to a piece. messages of anarchy and rebellion are considered vandalism.
Stay up y'all.
Suke-one
Graffiti:
(names are fictional slangdefine editors!)
alex: hey joey, i drew a penis on this tools mailbox it waas sweet!
joey: cool alex! i wrote anarchy on my neighbors audi!
writter: stupid toys.
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