Graffiti

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 to Writin', what the N word is to African American.

by MICO March 12, 2015

graffmance

A graffmance When two graffiti writers/artists go out and paint/write with each other and throw one another's Tags up

The writers Reser and Mable definitely have a graffmance

by Mcchickenwing September 29, 2017

graffiti pier

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! :)

Hey, meet me at Graffiti Pier after dance!

by Alwaysonpointeee May 23, 2018

graffiti

“illicit or controversial forms of art intended for and presented to the public”

Nietzsche's work is often recognized as graffiti, due to its controversial nature

by smartperson42069 August 21, 2019

graffoodi

California burrito

Graffoodi They don’t even have the word burrito on their menu 🌯

by Californiaburritoman January 24, 2020

graff

the way idiots pronounce giraffe

they forget that there are 2 sylables

i saw a graff at the zoo!
"its girraffe, you idiot"

by heyfellowkids June 30, 2020

Graffentrification

A state of pre-gentrification when predominantly white graffiti writers and other starving artists, or punk rock musician types move to impoverished areas predominantly inhabited by families of minorities and begin changing the urban environment by creating legal art and illegal vandalism. This makes it intriguing to other types of more affluent artists like graphic designers, photographers and other people who may fall under the tech industry umbrella. These people tend to be from a higher economic bracket thus willing to pay higher rents. The influx of this second group is what leads to classic gentrification and higher rents and property values in the area.

Graffentrification is a theory about gentrification that opposes the broken window theory.

by Naka1_osd January 28, 2021