New Page 0

Interviews

History

Stories

Canvas

Burners

Outlines

Tags

Throw-Ups

Events

BURNERS

********************************************************************************************

The Beginning of an Artistic Generation in Brooklyn

Many early Brooklyn artists picked up, where the Bronx artists left off. The earliest masterpieces done on the Brooklyn lines were no thicker than an average signature. Many did not cover a whole panel of a Subway car. On the forefront of writers, standing out on the letter lines were MICO, PISTOL 1, KILLER 1, SAVAGE, SPIN, FLINT 707, SUPER STRUT, 7-UP, STOP 700, MINGO 1 and STEVE 61. They were only a few of many who made the cross-over from single hits ( tags ), to what would later be called pieces.

The early Brooklyn artists had their own style of lettering, which developed from their own style of writing their names. Many elements used in their masterpieces were Softie letters ( also know as bubble letters), Twists, Arrows, and Peace signs added to letters. Flint 707 was one of the most inventive artists on the Brooklyn BMT lines. His use of some amazing color schemes helped him stand out from many. FLINT saved his best work for the IRT line. He completed one of the most amazing masterpieces of the 1970's. It was a three-dimensional top-to-bottom with clouds and an incredible color scheme. Others doing ground breaking work on the Brooklyn lines were PISTOL 1 for his three dimensional letters, MICO for his unique bubble style, back grounds and political messages used in most of his pieces. SHARK 77, DIABLO, BROTHER LOVE 333, UNCLE JOHN 178, TEAR.2, ALL 1, BOMB 1, TEE, STIM, SHINTO 1, DIZZY 1, VINNY plus a few others kept a consistent presence on many of the Brooklyn lines. Here are few photos of some of our favorites…Enjoy the tour!

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

MICO, was an early writer who made the transition from single hits ( tags ) to masterpieces. Above is an example of that early transition.

TRIKE ; Mico is a Brooklyn legend and one of the many that wrote during the pioneering days of Graff.

SUBWAY BANDITS

BOMB 1, was a writer with a great Brooklyn hand writing style. Many of the early pieces where an extension of the artist hand writing style. A student of Art and Design in 1970's, Bomb 1's style of painting evolved through out the years which earned the respect of many writers all over the city.

.............

DIABLO 1 was a very talented Brooklyn writer who had pieces not only on the Brooklyn bmt lines but did many masterpieces on the IRT lines. The photo on the left is a joint production by ALL1 and DIABLO 3YB which was done on the 2 line in 1974. ALL 1 would have to be one of the most over looked writers from Brooklyn. ALL was the king of the double R Subway lines which ran from Brooklyn though Manhattan and stopping in Queens.

SUPER STURT & STAR 206

TERO 3YB ; There was a local writing group in Brooklyn called The Words (TW) Talking about guys bombing insides with great tags, Kane and Bach were members of this group. I met them in '74 around Bushwick in an abandoned house with a couple of other dudes I think Joint 170, Pax and a kid who wrote June with the same "J" as Joint.. If I'm not mistaken the first Naco 1 (not Dondi) was from around there also. That neighborhood had tons of writers all looking up to the styles of Flint 707 who set the standard back then and we were just little kids gettin' up...memories!

DISCO 3YB ; Most people never met Mingo.. And his Brother Gumbe aka Toke / Stun one. Mingo was king of the E & F's back in 74. They were a group that wrote to together Nice 204, Cosa, Steve 61 ,Earl, Piper 2, Lil Ace 159, Truckin 204, Move 1 who also wrote soma. MINGO rarely went out of that group of writing partners. I came in to the game in 74 ( on subways) Mingo, Toke and Nice 204 where becoming Pimp and Huslters by then

MR ICE ; Flint 707 was one of my favorite artist on the BMT's representing a group called Diamonds Inc, which had members like Chino 125, Spark 747, Pbx 1 and a few others. FLINT 707 did some great work on the M line.

MASTERS OF GRAFFITI

LIL SOUL 159 ; The middle is a real classic from the early 1970's, It's shows a tag by GAMBE 1 ( was was MINGO's Brother ), a MINGO and a Super KID 1 tag. SUPER KID and LIL OUTLAW were partners, and original members of M.O.G. They lived back behind Sutphin Boulevard, which was 5 blocks behind my birth neighborhood of 40 Projects in South Jamaica, Queens. Their neighborhood also produced writers such as Kodak 2 and his partner KOP-OUT,

RHINO, KEITH 67, and DOC STAIN and his little brother Roll who didn't get up much, but ran pretty heavy with us just the same. LIL OUTLAW was a little guy like me, and we were cool. We hit streets and subway insides together, but never pieced together. Me and SUPER KID did a LOT of damage piecing together, mostly in 169th street lay-up, and hitting streets and insides. He was without doubt, the MOST dangerous and feared Queens writer EVER! This cat was a Supreme Warlord for the Savage Nomads. They and the 7 Crowns were from Baisley Projects which was where COSA 1 was from, and going on toward the Rockdale Village high-rises, where LIL ACE 172 was from. Anyway, SUPER KID was one lean mean knocked out front tooth son of a bitch. This guy just like NAIL 170 and MR DUCK from Brooklyn LOVED me. I'm sure it was because I was so little with an innocent face and got up. I knew of guys that were stabbed and shot by zip guns by Super Kid. He was truly dangerous! I remember one day I was in 169th Street by myself, and as I was leaving, he came in. He told me to turn

right back around because he had enough paint for both of us. After we finish our first pieces, he says to me "Soul, you wanna do a top to bottom?" I asked him how the hell was I gonna do that in that layup. He said "I'll stand on the third rail guard, and you stand on my shoulders." This "KILLER" was gonna let me stand on his shoulders? Well, yes he did, and I did the top to bottom! Again, I don't know why this dude liked me so much, but I ain't complaining now, and I SURELY wasn't complaining then.

Check out the next page ...

Photo credits go to...BLADE, DIME 139, SAR, LED 2 and the team at SubwayOutlaws.Com ~ If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at Message@SubwayOutlaws.Com. Check out the new book ...NEW YORK SUBWAY GRAFFITI 1973-1975.