1) Alright so thanks for taking the time out to do this interview, can we get a brief rundown of who you are and how long have you been in the game? What crew do you rep and how did you start writing Ast?
Well, I was always enamored with the graffiti I saw along the highways and tracksides as a young lad. As I grew up, I aspired to learn more about this underground subculture, hoping to meet someone who was practiced in this weird and elusive craft. After acquiring hip hop magazines and then later graffiti magazines, I attempted to sketch letters and outlines building off of the things that inspired me most.
I started writing in 1996, toy as all get out, catching tags and hollows throughout Philadelphia not knowing what I was doing. Moving to Brooklyn in 1997, things changed immediately as I was introduced to a slew of seasoned writers who accepted me as one of their own. From that moment, things changed rapidly concerning my style and graffiti trajectory.
Initially I got put down in a crew with the recently deceased 12Gage (RIP, also from Philadelphia but living in NYC at the time) and Five-O (Philadelphia). Currently, I push 3 crews: EDK, NSF, and SBF. Over the years I’ve been put down in heaps of crews, but the older I’ve get the less crews I feel comfortable pushing.
2) We did a short bio with you this time last year and you made mention that you started writing in Philadelphia before moving to Brooklyn and writing there under your mentor @reyism72. I’m curious, how would you compare the two scenes of Brooklyn and Philly?
Brooklyn and Philadelphia are worlds apart even though there is only 100 miles separating the 2 regions. Both have very distinct styles and plenty of history dating back to the origins of modern day graffiti. Philadelphia has a very calculated approach to their style, mainly through the tags/hand styles and the countless variations and iterations of how they can be executed.
Brooklyn on the other hand, when it comes to tags it comes down to 2, maybe 3 hand styles at best: a bomb tag, an ornate stylized tag, and a vertical. However the way Philadelphia is with hand styles, New York is the same way with throw ups/bubbles/hollows.
3) Bouncing off that question, I’m sure you saw plenty of differences between Brooklyn and Philly in the late 90s, but do you think that graffiti in general has become homogenous due to the influence of people seeing each others work on social media? From your perspective of doing this for 30 years do you think the net has helped graffiti artists expand or stagnate?
Social media and the internet in general, in my opinion, have definitely made it insanely easier for any muppet from wherever in the world to basically have more of an understanding of the subculture and more importantly, the tools and knowledge needed to execute. When I first started, I didn’t know anything about different caps and the techniques, but I’d later learn through spraying and leveling up with more practiced writers.
There also wasn’t a bevy of competing foreign paint companies that cater to the graffiti/muralist market. Currently YouTube and TikTok have youngsters posting tutorials covering pretty much all aspects of graffiti. As is such with all things the easier a thing is, the harder it is for someone to actually master it. You can’t really post a tutorial on ‘style’. You can try, but style is something I believe that comes from within. It’s cultivated and honed over years, filtered through tragedy, love, loss, hunger, and experience.
4) This time last year you had announced a project you were doing at the time called Grotesk Exterior. Can you give us some details about what that project is and are you still doing it?
I had to put a pause on Grotesk Exterior as my work/life balance was altered. Grotesk Exterior will still push forward hopefully before 2025.
5) One of the things I enjoy about your IG page is you seem to be all about promoting not just your work but the scene in general. You do these really cool video edits for your project Grotesk Exterior, they feel like they fit directly in with the hip hop mashup vibe that goes very well with the music and graffiti. So what inspired you to do this? Was it to document your own process and your inspirations?
Thanks for that acknowledgement! I’m all about culture and sharing things that inspire and motivate me beyond just sharing my personal accolades. I used to be a DJ, but now I’m just a lover of music, culture, art, and really anything creative. I strive to tell stories beyond just what I’m spraying on a train, rooftop, tunnel, or wall. You wont find me following the social media trends though, that’s for sure.
6) One of the captions you have posted under your videos is “stop censoring shit”, I’m guessing this is your take on what social media companies are doing with what people post? Was there a specific incident that happened personally that you want to make people aware of?
I pay attention and notice the little details. When I was a teenager, liberals and democrats alike were anti-censorship. Republicans were the reason your favorite 1990’s album came with that black and white “Explicit Lyrics” sticker warning (among other things). The tables have switched and now it’s the democrats who are quick to censor any voice that goes against their narrative. Currently,
Republicans are more pro free speech than Democrats, but only concerning certain topics. Essentially, they’re both fucked in my opinion ( I’m a registered Independent).
7) What is your favorite documentary or book that covers the history or major players of graffiti and why?
Fuzz One’s book, Dondi’s book, Style Wars (of course), Nov York’s book, and the latest dopeness I’ve read is the XsoupRevs joint.
8) What’s your go-to hip hop artist to listen to while you’re working? Who would you say is underappreciated in either hip hop or graffiti that deserves more recognition?
When it comes to music – especially hip hop, I’m definitely stuck in the old days. My wheelhouse for hip hop is the late 80s to late 90s. There are some exceptions in the early 00s but for the most part I’m nodding my head to tracks laid down long ago.
9) You say in our bio we did with you that the biggest advice you ever got was to draw daily and to keep up with this. Consistency is king. I’m curious are you still able to keep this consistency now as someone who is 30 years into it?
I endeavor to sketch and draw daily —even if it’s not letters. I consider myself lucky that my career landed in the world of art and design. As such, I’m afforded and often times encouraged, to expand my artistic prowess which helps me keep pushing it as my boy Mast said to me today. At times I can find myself uninspired or halted by ‘writers block’ so overtime I’ve learned that sketching daily or as much as possible is the best way to force yourself out of such a hole.
10) Thanks again for taking the time out to chat, Any shout outs you would like to give? Where can people follow you and do you have a place for people to purchase your work?
Thanks for reaching out! The best way to reach out is my IG: @AstismEDK.
Rest in peace to my fallen brothers: MFOne, Vandel, Zyre, 12Gage, Acne, Nekst, Tre, & Geeks.
Shout out to @Reyism72, @tonesrock, @Tarsizm, @Snekeism, @Blasted_Again, @The_Curvazoid, @Indeliblefunk, @Wentism, @Sloppy_Monsta, @Johnnyerp, @chrisnise, and all the fellas in 215 land that have been welcoming…
