Low-Life | UK Hip Hop Story | Ders of SOE [Glasgow] and TIC of NMW [Northampton] Part 2

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1979-1985

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1985-1990

Underground Years:
1990-1995

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Ders of SOE [Glasgow] and TIC of NMW [Northampton] Part 2

How do you feel about the connection to Hip Hop and Graffiti? Is Graffiti an element of Hip Hop, or like so many graf artists do you think that Hip Hop over the years has largely ignored graffiti and therefore disown the connection?

TIC: Nah, it has a connection, cus it’s the type of music that you kinda associate with graff. And it’s GOOD too, ha.

DERS: Nah, graffiti is hip hop.

How do feel about the graffiti on the web? Do you have your own website?
TIC: Yeh, I have my own site, www.northamptonsmostwanted.cjb.net, as long as identities are kept, its all good.

DERS: Web Graff is cool, lets you see more and more unseen shit from other areas which is cool. Nah, I don’t have my own site.

In General how do you view the Internet? Do you think it is a way for the small man to have a voice, or are there too many idiots too willing to spout a load of rubbish with no control over them?

TIC: I think a bit of both really, people will whack rubbish about as long as there are opportunities about..

DERS: Free music and free porn. Who couldn’t like the Internet. Lol.

What do you think about the graf in other countries? Sometimes it seems like it is a much bigger thing and is more accepted in foreign lands…

TIC: Yeh, it seems as if UK is the only place to be strict as f*ck on graff, it ain’t right, I’m emigrating to Aussie land.. Haa.

DERS: Yeh, I noticed when in Paris that a lot of shop owners had hired writers to paint their shutters with the shop name. It made the city look much more interesting.

Where do you get your paint? Do you keep it real and rob that as well, or do you buy it?

TIC: Nah, don’t rob it, buy it at a secret location, shh …

DERS: Buy it mainly but if I can rob the odd tin of car paint or plasti-cote I will.

Do you have a favourite brand or colour? Belton seems to be popular, but then maybe there is a cheap Halfords can that’ll do the same job?

TIC: Nah, cheap ain’t always better, never really, Monty is good, Monster, yeh and Belton… Monty most though..

DERS: I like Belton and Montana. A local writer “Most” has made his own brand of paint called Monster, which I highly recommend. 100% Glaswegian lol, check it out…. www.monstercolors.com.

Some new paints don’t have the rattle when they are shaken. How does that work, and is it a good thing if you are trying to not get noticed?

TIC: If they don’t have the widget in, then the paint could b shite, or it could be a burna. It would be good if you could get all paint (of good quality) with no noise rattling but that’ll never happen, but we can wish..

DERS: Yeh, Montana chrome doesn’t have the balls. It’s shit hot for bombing up and stuff.

Back in the day there as all the talk of ‘fat caps’ and trying to get hold of them. What was that all about, and is it still a problem today? Do writers have a collection of caps?

TIC: Yeh, we keep caps, depends what we use buy find whatever, caps are the key to painting, you can’t do a quality piece decent with one cap really. Caps are easy to get hold of now..

DERS: I have a collection of fats and skinnys. Rusto, pink-dot, NY fats….. Take your pick lol.

Do you have any tips or techniques you want to pass on, like how to get even coverage, or avoid drips?

TIC: Nah , that’s my secrets eh..

How can people learn to do this? Are there any instructional books or websites?

TIC: Nah, its nothing to do with instructions, its just you, you write yourself, sketch yourself, your own styles. You can look at sites and stuff for just looking but not copying…

What books would you recommend if any for people wanting to check out the art and the history. I used to have those books by Henry Chalfont – Spraycan Art and Subway art, they were pretty important when they came out.

DERS: Yeh, they are cool, if you wanna check out the latest productions and stuff then buy / rack Graphotism magazine.

TIC: Don’t have a clue mate, don’t read graff books, stick to the real thing.

What other advice might you have for struggling graf artists in the UK? Perhaps you know how to avoid certain cameras, or know of areas where it is simply never safe to paint?

TIC: If your gonna do a risky area then don’t be a prick and do it in daylight, wait ‘til propa late, and cover up, with a mask or dark clothes and keep plugging away.

DERS: Nope, let them figure it out themselves.

Have you planned out your next piece, and if so what is it going to be?

TIC: Well, I’ve planned to do my room, sky blue background letters of AZA, with dark blue outline and shading and middle blue pattern, with a lime green splodge effect finish.. It’ll be good.

DERS: I’m hoping a production with lots of peeps. Maybe in Edinburgh.

What is going to be keeping you busy over the next few months?

TIC: Graffin, sketchin, skules a bog at mo, can’t be bothered, hehe, nah I just sketch at skule.

What are your longer-term plans and objectives for you as an artist?

TIC: Just for me to improve and get bigga ‘n bigga, start to do murals maybe…

DERS: To bomb a lot more and be able to piece like a bastard.

Do you see your work in the future moving into other artforms, maybe films, animation, calligraphy, or cartoons etc?

TIC: No.

DERS: Hmmmmm, not thought about it.

Which writers and/or artists most inspire you?

TIC: Hafs, Disa, Dazer, and Nerv for his bombing. Always have fresh graff to see from Dese.

DERS: FCK have amazing styles and the ER are all over the place.

What do dislike about the graf scene?

TIC: Beef, people doggin your work, or mates work, should be shot..

DERS: Too many wee toys and too much laws surrounding it.

Outside graffiti what other artforms give you inspiration? Are there any more conventional artists you like?

TIC: Van Gogh, cough cough/..

What are the things that you like to do when you aren’t doodling or tagging? Do you like sports or the Cinema for example?

TIC: Yeh, footy and stuff with mates, town and that…

DERS: I love hip hop and going to hip hop gigs and stuff.. The usual shite as well.

Any shout outs?

TIC: Obse, Disa, Soul, Switch, Obv, Beat, Esc, Aime, Mok, Det.

DERS: Yeh, ups to…. Arch, Daze, Seck, Moms, Eazy Riders, Fat Boys, Gav, GeeMoney and anyone else I missed. Peace.

Is there anything else you would like to add or mention?

TIC: Just keep da fresh new stuff coming on to the scene, nuff luv and repect to every graffer keeping it real… Peace.

DERS: Fuck the pigs, fuck the toys, fuck RnB, fuck the wiggers, fuck the fakers, fuck the haters and fuck the wannabes who try and blend in.

Thank you very much for your time.

TIC: Cheers m8...

Back to Part 1

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