Low-Life | UK Hip Hop Story | Ders of SOE [Glasgow] and TIC of NMW [Northampton]

Intro

Early Doors:
1979-1985

False Dawn:
1985-1990

Underground Years:
1990-1995

The Renaissance:
1995- 2000

The Future:
2000 & Beyond

Artists &
Discographies

Ders of SOE [Glasgow] and TIC of NMW [Northampton]

Here at britishhiphop.co.uk we came across a couple of writers from Northampton and Glasgow and thought that we had better give them an opportunity to chat and let us in on what their thoughts are about the graff scene and what is going on in their respective areas. Read on to hear what they had to say...

For all that don’t know please introduce yourself and let the readers know a bit about your crew, i.e. what do the initials in your crew name stand for and what are the areas you paint?

TIC: Well, my name is (haha) ******** n I write TIC, TICO, TICA, TICS, TICZ, PULSE (old), I’m in 2RA (2 Rude Artists), but more like 10 now. And NMW (Northamptons Most Wanted).

DERS: I write Ders. I put up SOE (State Of Emergency) and FBR (Fat Boys Return). SOE is a Glasgow based crew that paint in and around Glasgow, the crew was created by Arch and Daze. FBR is a Glasgow based crew created by Oska. Its mainly Glaswegian but has a lot of writers from other areas putting it up as well.

As individuals what do you write? What are your tags?

TIC: TIC, OBSE, AIME, MOK, SOUL, SWITCH.

DERS: SOE = ARCH, DAZE, SECK, TURN, MOMS, and myself. FBR = too many people putting it up to name all of them but OSKA, AKME, EJEK, DAZE, SECK, JUST, RAED, CHE, ROULE and myself are all representing to name a few.

How old are you?

TIC: 16.

DERS: 15.

What was it that got you into graffiti and when do you think it was that you would have started drawing on paper, maybe keeping a pad?

TIC: Just seeing random stuff round about got me into it really, started sketching a while ago, and then wanted to take it to another level.

DERS: I started sketching about 5 yrs ago after being influenced with a lot of early Pane and KLA shit.

What was it that got you onto the next level and actually throwing up on walls etc?

TIC: Being with mates helps, because you don’t do it on your own, just got bored with sketching all the time, needed walls…

DERS: I got older and wanted to paint.

When and where was your first piece? What was the feeling you got after putting it up? Was it what you expected?

TIC: My first piece was at back of sum school in town and I wrote PULSE back then, I thought it was ok, and not as hard as I had thought it might be to do, but I couldn’t get the hang of shading..

DERS: My first piece was with Arch and Mase at the bench in Glasgow. The actual piece wasn’t too hot when I look back on it but for a 1st piece it was cool.

So, by now you must have done a few pieces. Which one was your favourite piece? Where was it and when would it have been done?

TIC: Ermm, I don’t really have a favourite piece I like Mosta them. Probably sommat at lockup, deffo a colour dub.

DERS: I’m not sure if I have a favourite one. There are a good few that I’m pleased I’ve got under my belt but I couldn’t tell you my favourite.

What has been your craziest or worst writing experience?

TIC: Ermm, having me and my mate filmed bombing sum garage round and about and having sum man leg us and catching it all on film was well funny.

DERS: My craziest experience was probably out doing dubs with Arch and Daze a while ago. We ended up getting chased by two police cars and a police van. Had to run across motorways and shit to get away from them.

Are there any other crews or artists in your area who you know or whose tags you see all over?

TIC: Yeh, many graffa’s in CFC, CWF etc, shout to Disa n Det..

DERS: I know quite a few writers. Glasgow’s not exactly massive so it’s easy to mingle with other crews and shit. I’ve always wanted to paint with Pane but never had the chance.

So you have built up a bit of knowledge about graf in the UK and more specifically around your manor, can you break down, for a bit of perspective, how graffiti filtered into UK culture? I mean who would have been the first people to bring it over from the US, or developing native artforms that already existed, maybe stemming from Punk etc.? Maybe much of the early roots had been laid by the time you came on the scene?

TIC: Yeh, much of it was already going down before I came to do stuff, but I’m happy to add sum new stuff to the scene round my area.

DERS: Well I’ve always related Graff to hip-hop. Every writer I know loves hip-hop and is part of the culture. In Glasgow I think a lot of the writers that are about nowadays started out putting up “menchies” (a style of lettering exclusive to Glasgow stemming from the word “mention”. Means when people write there name on the wall and big up their mates. Just a thing a lot off wee kids do when they are bored and get hold of a marker) as kids and then progressed onto more creative and colourful lettering as they grew out of putting up “menchies” and started being influenced by hip-hop.

OK, for a while there, as the popularity of Hip Hop grew in the UK, so did graf. Can you tell us a bit about some of the big names who got over? I can think of the Artful Dodger and some people may not know, but Goldie started as a graffiti artist didn’t he?

DERS: Yeh he did, he is featured in Spraycan Art. So did KRS one and Big Juss (Lune TNS, from Company Flow) to name a few. Its good to be able to listen to hip-hop that is about Graff because you can relate to it and it gives what your doing a better sense of meaning and purpose.

TIC: Can't say I know mate, respect to any fresh new hip hop tho..

How would you describe your style, is there anyone you have based it on?

TIC: Not really, everyone develops their own style over time, and if you get good you get known for it… that’s what every artists wants..

DERS: I don’t know man, I’ve learned a lot since I first started out. I just started to perfect my own style on paper and now I’d say its kind of different from what it was back in the day. It used to be based around a lot of Panes shit but now that’s long gone.

What do you make of artists like Banksy who are tying to take it to the next level and can sell prints of their work for more than £1000? I’m sure you would like to command income like that…

TIC: Hell yeh, grand a print, lol, nah respect to that if they’re good enough for that then do it, its all good.

DERS: I think that’s cool coz if you have style and can make cash from what you love doing, then fucking do it. I know a few people that done Graff workshops and stuff and they said that it was easy money so it’s cool. Just as long as you don’t give away the tricks of the trade to all the people that don’t deserve to know them! Haha.

Banksy is keeping it real though, he makes sure that there is some serious message in all his work. I admire that…

TIC: Yeh, stuff without message is crap really, everything good as a meaning so yeh, he’s keeping it real.

What do you make of the whole stickering phenomenon? Do you think it is just another way of getting over, or do you think it is a bit of a cop out?

TIC: Nah, stickers are good, slap it on… and go… I don’t really do much of it, but I can see how people see it as a cop out, but anyway of getting your stuff around is good ennit..

DERS: Nah its cool. I tend to use them for travelling when u might not have the chance to get up with paint or pens all the time. I’ve got stickers in New York, London and Paris so I’m quite chuffed with that but I don’t use stickers in Glasgow, just pens and paint.

Why do you think that Graffiti artists are so demonised in the media? OK, you have to admit what you are doing constitutes criminal damage, but often times you are brightening things up and you aren’t hurting anyone.

TIC: Yeh, many people think is messes stuff up, but we could be doing worse things, they should concentrate on serious stuff not youths painting, its pretty petty and it’s all about getting your message across and there ain’t many ways in which you can do that now.

DERS: Because a lot of people look at the down side of Graff and that’s what sticks in their minds. They don’t look at Graff the same way as us writers do…. At the end of the day we are all vandal bastards with an artistic touch, that’s what Graff is. LOL.

Similar to the stickering, what do you think of Etching? Is this connected to graffiti in your eyes, or does it give more conventional spraycan artists a bad name?

TIC: Nah, anything that adds to the overall ‘writin’ scene is good, can’t say its at the front of my mind tho..

DERS: Nah, etching is good, it gets your name up and cant be buffed.

Did you hear about Enzo having to go on the run after there was a major campaign about him in London?

TIC: Yeh, herd bout that, respect to him for keeping it up…

DERS: Yeh, that’s what the hardcore writers will have to face soon, jail time and massive fines. Just the way things are looking these days.

What do you think of the zero tolerance policy many councils are now having on graffiti, will this make your lives more difficult?

TIC: Yeh, course it will, but no matter how much they try stop it, people are still gonna break da mould, that’s the buzz, what its all about.

DERS: To a certain extent but overall it will just show the government that they can’t stop Graff no matter how hard they try.

I ask everyone about politics, because I think it is important that we have knowledge of what is going on. Do you have anything to say on that? Any issues you think people need to open their eyes to?

TIC: Yeh, keeping that zero tolerance thing away from Northampton… Haha.

DERS: Graff has been around for years and it wont go away, this is what people need to open their eyes to. In 100 years Graff will be completely respected as an art form because people will have realised the effort and artistic talent involved.

What is your opinion on the Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly? Do you feel we are getting the full story and is there a conspiracy or shady dealings behind this sad story? What is your perspective on this?

TIC: Well, I think were not getting full stuff here, there behind the scenes stuff we don’t hear bout so I don’t want to make a judgement..

DERS: Ohhhhhh rite ayeee, that death? Lol. Right over my head.

If you could change something about society, what would it be and why?

TIC: Ermm, paint should be cheaper, to stop burns in out pockets..

DERS: I would wipe out all the Neds in Glasgow because all they do is fuck people about. They are the scum of the earth…. I would also wipe out ignorance.

Overall then, do you have an opinion on whether the graffiti scene is getting better or worse? And why?

TIC: Better, cus there are many new and fresh writers cumin through, so everything is getting better, except for the beef…. Cut it, stick to the graff in hand..

DERS: Hmm, I have mixed views. There are nice styles shooting about but too many wee toys as well.

Would you consider doing legal pieces and getting paid for your work? Sometimes artists who do this are frowned upon by the underground artists…

TIC: I would consider it, cus if you’re good enough then its ok, and getting paid for it, which is better, I could see how it could b looked down at, but as long as you don’t give your tag away then I think its ok..

DERS: Yeh, of couse I would. I’d still do illegal shit too though.

Are there more opportunities for legal work these days, or have those days gone and in fact the council provided walls are coming down?

TIC: There are barely any legal spots nowadays… More are needed…

DERS: There are no legal walls in Glasgow at the moment. But there is the odd piece to be done or mural to be painted for people.

Continue on to Part 2

Contact TIC: pulse_da_pimp_2004@hotmail.com :: www.northamptonsmostwanted.cjb.net
Contact Ders: Spraycanking@aol.com
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