Graffiti is NOT one of the four elements of Hip Hop. This is chronologically impossible. "Graffiti" was first born as "Writin' " in NYC in 1969-70, a decade before rap music reached NYC in the late 70s. Hip Hop which began in the early 80s, can not include "graffiti" as one of its elements, because Writin' or Graffiti surfaced decade before Hip Hop. Hip Hop is really the last element of Writin'.
Graffiti is the plural of the italian "graffito." Graffito in english means to scratch or scribble. What you saw on the NYC subways in the early 70s were no "scribbles. Instead, those of us who started Writin' would call our large letter pieces, masterpieces.
We were WRITERS who WROTE OUR NAMES.We were not "graffiti artists." Every time a new face would appear on the scene, we would always ask two questions, "you write?" and "what you wrtie?" Not "do you do graffiti?"
It was the NYT who first baptized an entire Culture with the denigrating term "graffiti" in 1971.
Why this denigration? The only correct answer to this question is: Racism.
If our last names would have been been Rockefeller, Trump, Bloomberg or Kennedy, instead of Ramirez, Jones or Delgado, then those same powers that be would have named the new Culture with a more formal name. Instead of "graffiti", the NYT would have referred to it as "avant garde pop something art." But because it was invented by the children of the Working Class, the powers that be saw fit to denigrate the entire Culture with "graffiti."
Graffiti is the plural of the italian "graffito." Graffito in english means to scratch or scribble. What you saw on the NYC subways in the early 70s were no "scribbles. Instead, those of us who started Writin' would call our large letter pieces, masterpieces.
We were WRITERS who WROTE OUR NAMES.We were not "graffiti artists." Every time a new face would appear on the scene, we would always ask two questions, "you write?" and "what you wrtie?" Not "do you do graffiti?"
It was the NYT who first baptized an entire Culture with the denigrating term "graffiti" in 1971.
Why this denigration? The only correct answer to this question is: Racism.
If our last names would have been been Rockefeller, Trump, Bloomberg or Kennedy, instead of Ramirez, Jones or Delgado, then those same powers that be would have named the new Culture with a more formal name. Instead of "graffiti", the NYT would have referred to it as "avant garde pop something art." But because it was invented by the children of the Working Class, the powers that be saw fit to denigrate the entire Culture with "graffiti."
by MICO March 12, 2015
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Get the graffiti mug.A hidden pier right by the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philly. This is one of Philadelphia's most Instagramable areas. The pier used to hold working train tracks, but they ran down. In summer we go here and jump into the river off of the sides of the pier! :)
by Alwaysonpointeee May 23, 2018
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I wish people would stop leaving all this taco bell graffiti, I mean the brush is right next to the toilet for a reason!
by I piss knowledge December 10, 2020
Get the taco bell graffiti mug.A very kawaii amazing friend who makes people really happy. Toxic graffiti is insane and say gross things about gross characters, but you still need to be tolerant to dumb nerd people… Toxic Graffiti is funny, cute, skilled, creative and the best person you could’ve ever met.
by Shellcomets November 22, 2021
Get the Toxic Graffiti mug.Person 1 : Yo man wanna go do some graffity
Person 2: You mean graffiti?
Person 1: Nah, i have no fucking ideea what the hell i am doing
Person 2: You mean graffiti?
Person 1: Nah, i have no fucking ideea what the hell i am doing
by Krisan September 17, 2021
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Them: I’ve already flushed twice and there’s still shit stuck on the toilet
Me: That’s the Devil’s Graffiti, baby. You can’t deface what’s already been defaced.
Me: That’s the Devil’s Graffiti, baby. You can’t deface what’s already been defaced.
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