Hello my party people. The following is a message I posted on Music & Strenght Crew's page in www.iamhiphop.com.



Yo, M&S,Thank you for posting that video bomb on my page. Damn, it's a shame that wall is going to be torn down.

Now, this is for all the people out there. . . What I saw in that video was massive. Government actually allowed graff artists to take over this long track of wall under the trains in Japan. I know a lot of us writers think that outdoing the govt is part of being a writer. Bombing place where we're not allowed. Tearing down the vast array of billboard letters that promote consumerism and negative individualism and replacing them with a sense of creativity and community in our own letters, but, what that City in Japan did was amazing.

It's something that Obey and Ecko' are advocating. Even though the government allowed this wall to be taken over, it was great to hear that the artists were able to come together, commune, share their styles as they came to this spot not only to bomb but also to see the artists at work, to see the work itself. That's one of the best ways an artist can build him or herself.If we had something like that here in the states, we'd have stronger writers out there, less toys, less wack shit, more organization and better representation of what Hip Hop really is.

At the same time, it takes it back to when the good stuff went all-city. Back in San Francisco, we had Psycho City--local SF businesses allowed graff writers to blow up their walls with the freshest pieces. You didn't see advertising posters that implied that you'll be without unless you bought what they were selling. You saw real art. You also saw a community. Artists communicated. They grew better, faster and stronger. My party people, it was dope.

Now, the real problem with government. Sweeping policies that threatened to close down those businesses unless they stopped allowing this community. The mayor at the time enforced this policy with only a single societal view driving her actions. The lack of community consensus (the owners of these buildings had an agreement with these artists!). The lack of acknowledging community.

To say the least, it backfired. Closing down Psycho City opened up the rest of the city to be painted on. This inherent need to create, to accomplish great personal feats overtook the mayor's individualistic agenda to achieve something selfish. The art itself found itself on rooftops, places where it was more in your face instead of when it was in Phsycho City, the small wall area in the heart of San Francisco.

If we say art is life. Then life finds a way to survive and grow. Whether or not the govt allows. Should have kept Psycho City open, now the whole of San Francisco is open.

I hope you check out the video.

Hype.PEACE.