Since graffiti as a spatial practice and urban art movement pre-dates hip hop by over 10 years (having begun in Philadelphia with the writer Cornbread in the late 1960s) it is spurious at best to link graffiti and hip hop as mutually constitutive. Furthermore, many of the most prolific graffiti writers have been inspired by punk, heavy metal, classic oldies, and funk in addition to hip hop. Since graffiti is a spatial practice produced on both private and public spaces, "graffiti style" lettering and characters in sanctioned spaces such as galleries or places of capitalist consumption on canvas, t-shirts, or any other packaged and confined objects merely shares in and emulates stereotypical graffiti imagery, but is not itself graffiti. Graffiti cannot accurately be attributed to any one group or style of practitioner other than those who adhere to the aesthetic norms and mores of the graffiti community at large.
by Stefano Bloch February 16, 2008
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 Hip Hop accompanied by the physical (breakdance), verbal (emceeing), and rhythmic (turntablism).
Since Graffiti is an element in Hip Hop just as important as DJing, MCing and Breaking, any assault on Graffiti (i.e., calling it "vandalism", "not art", etc.) should be viewed as an assault on Hip Hop altogether.
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 sampling ("copyrighted" material). Now it may seem like everything is okay since Rap has hit the mainstream, but the major corporations threaten its existence every day. Remember the last Rap video you saw on TV. Did you see any tags, any DJs working the wheels of steel, any B-Boys tearing up the floor, any MCs really rocking the party? Or was it just images of scantily clad females, guys flashing their "bling", and "gangstas" shooting their guns off? Chances are it was the latter, the money-making gimmick that corporations such as MTV make money off of today.
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.
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 Hip Hop accompanied by the physical (breakdance), verbal (emceeing), and rhythmic (turntablism).
Since Graffiti is an element in Hip Hop just as important as DJing, MCing and Breaking, any assault on Graffiti (i.e., calling it "vandalism", "not art", etc.) should be viewed as an assault on Hip Hop altogether.
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 sampling ("copyrighted" material). Now it may seem like everything is okay since Rap has hit the mainstream, but the major corporations threaten its existence every day. Remember the last Rap video you saw on TV. Did you see any tags, any DJs working the wheels of steel, any B-Boys tearing up the floor, any MCs really rocking the party? Or was it just images of scantily clad females, guys flashing their "bling", and "gangstas" shooting their guns off? Chances are it was the latter, the money-making gimmick that corporations such as MTV make money off of today.
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.
by jAwN June 30, 2004
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...
by nikkan_hanil November 20, 2003
The use of spray paint, markers, etc. to draw (or "tag" if you're using spray paint) on public or private property. Considered to be a form of vandalism, but a form of "art" to those who partake in it.
by El dorito November 25, 2009
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.
by GILFstar December 7, 2005
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 tag.
Graffiti (also called Graf) is a form of self expression, and while it is illegal, is NOT vandalism.
Closely related to people who tag.
by THORNE ¥ August 9, 2004