Man -

Interview: ManOne COI
Interview by: GuerillaOne

Q- What do you write?

Man One.

Q- What crew(s) do you represent?

Always COI and I just got hooked up with 90DBC from Paris.

Q- When did you start painting? Do you still paint?

I got into writing in 1987. Yes I still paint, the only difference is now I make a living doing it.

Q- Why did you start?

I started just because I was bored of riding the RTD (r.i.p.) everyday for 2 1/ 2 hours to and from school. I needed something to keep me busy and make me feel like I wasn't wasting my time on those stupid buses.

Q- What was you favorite writing experience?

I have had so many great experiences writing its hard to pick one. But one of the best experiences had to be at Belmont in the late 1980's when you'd stop by on a Saturday afternoon and there would be literally hundreds of writers throughout the day just painting and hanging out. I guess those were the "good ol' days" because the vibe in graff and in law enforcement was much different then.

Q- What was your craziest/worse experience?

The one that comes to mind is bombing with Sacred and Oiler one late night. We were getting a spot off the freeway in this dried up river/wash near a bridge. As we were getting ready to scale the fence, these two guys popped out from nowhere. It turned out they were just partying but we didn't know who they were. They kept asking if we were writers, but we just avoided giving them straight answers. So we turned around and just as we started to walk away, we ducked for cover as one guy let off several loud ass blasts from his gat. But this wasn't no little Saturday Night Special, this was like a .357 or some shit. We all thought we were dead. Luckily he wasn't trying to hit us (he said), he was just giving us a little scare. We took a couple of deep breathes, jumped the fence, and got the spot.

Q- Has graff changed in your eyes?

Of course graff has changed. Without change things die. The problem is that not all change is positive. Techniques like brushes and rollers are almost just as important as cans to many writers now a days. This is a good thing, it allows for more options. But things like pulling out a gat on some one just because they crossed you out is whack. I prefer the old "mano a mano" technique, you get your ass kicked and walk away knowing you lost.. but at least you're still alive.

Q- How do you compare the old school era of LA to the new generation of LA writers?

To me one major difference is that before, you started out slow and developed style and technique. You just didn't go out and try to bust a wildstyle with dimensions on your first trip to downtown. There was a natural progression. You got your tag down, your throw-up, and then you started messing around with color and get that can control. Now a days, some new jacks start off by trying to do some german style abstract lettering that they saw on Art Crimes by using some caps they just picked up at Workmens over on Melrose. I don't care how good you are, first you must pay some dues, practice, get up a little bit before you try to flex some raw styles. It took me about 3 years before I even attempted to bust a burner at Belmont. I had too much respect for the cats who were up at that time and I knew if I went over them it better burn or I'd be toyed up. This philosophy is almost extinct now.

Q- Do you like the new styles out there?

I love innovation but I hate immitation. New styles I think help to pump people up. Because just when you've thought everything in graff has been done, someone proves you wrong. I just hate it when a writer says "Wow, maybe I should paint like that now?". Conduct this experiment at home kids. Do a piece, don't sign it. Show it around town. If people recognize it as yours then you know its your style. If people can't identify the piece as yours and they think Daim is in your town visiting, guess what? You're biting kid!

Q- I know this question gets debated a lot (at least with old schoolers) but who(m) do you think had the most impact in the LA scene?

By far on a worldwide level, it was Hex. He put L.A. on the map, he was years ahead of his time with the stuff he was doing. Till this day when you travel out of the country people ask about him. Too bad he got out of the scene. But as far as impacting the local writing scene, that honor belongs to Chaka. I credit him with making graff "user friendly", before him the public couldn't decipher the writing on the wall. I mean, a Wisk throw up or a Sleez signature couldn't be read by someone like my pops. But an ultra-flat black, "C-H-A-K-A" fat-capped on the side of the 101 could be read by my grandma, and she don't even speak english!

Q- What writer/crew deserves more credit in your eyes for developing the graff scene in LA?

This question is almost impossible to answer without leaving someone out, so please understand I mean no disrespect. But in my view it was crews like STN, K2S, & MAK on the eastside and WCA, BC, & KSN on the westside that had everyone talking in the mid to late 80's. Then from the late 80's to the early 90's there was a little more variety crews like UTI, LOD, CBS, COI, STP, NASA, TNT, AWR, etc. Now a lot of those crews continue to push forward thanks to kids like MSK, TKO, SH, YR, LTS, WGS, WAI, CDP... and the list goes on. The main thing to remember is that not one person or crew owns L.A., but everyone has a little bit to contribute in their own personal way.

Q- The Internet is becoming a new medium for graff artists to expose their work. How do feel about this whole web thing and is it really part of getting up?

The internet is a great tool for writers. It helps your work to be seen globally and communications to be made instantly, but I do not see this as getting up. It is only strategic marketing and advertising at its best. The fools who are really "getting up" are the hackers or so called "Cyber-Vandals". They are doing to the web what graff has done to the streets; taken them back.

Q- What do you think about the graff overseas, such as in Germany, Holland etc?

I was in Germany like 3 different times, I love it. Europe has its own flavor. They paint and think differently than us. It allows graff to grow and take on new meanings. Although, there is a school of thought out there that believes that if it didn't come from NY then it ain't graff. These guys continue to bite styles and names from "Subway Art", claiming if it ain't a b-boy it ain't legit...whatever!? I mean no one can dispute New York's history, but stay off the nuts!

Q- What does the future have in store for graffiti?

No one really knows, but I can't wait!

Q- Will you be a supporter? or a hater?

Always a supporter. (You should check out my autograph book.) The bottom line is I love graff.

Q- Anything else to add?

Yeah. Always remember that when you write, people you might never meet will be affected by your art. So before you get up, think carefully about what you would like to say. And say it with passion! Peace, I'm out!!

End of Interview-