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A writer could just burn with a Top-to-Bottom, as seen here with the famous FLINT 707 candy-cane piece, done in the early to mid 1970's. This piece blew many writers away and even forced few into retirement. The true originator of the Top-to-Bottom is hard to pin point; some say JAPAN 1 started it, and others say SUPER KOOL 223.

By 1973, spotting a Top-to-Bottom running became a normal event that most writers saw. In the beginning, the first Top-to-Bottoms did not take up the entire subway car, but mainly half of its length. HUNDO 1 took this idea to a new level by painting extra large thick letters, that took up the whole train. Many Top-to-Bottoms consisted of bubble letter, straight letter, western letter and block letter styles. Outside tags were becoming a thing of the past. Numerous writers started doing larger, more elaborate letters just to keep two steps ahead of the rest. To a Subway Outlaw, the Top-to-Bottom writings were about dominance. It was how he/she could take over a line with the biggest and the best, as well as the most work that could hit the public (the next day). TRACY 168 took this honor for being a total package, on what a subway writer should be. He took over the lines with stylish Top-to-Bottoms, as well as with quick letter styles. His most amazing production was writing a Top-to-Bottom on the outside of a train with CLIFF 159, and one inside of the train. That truly blew many writers minds when they saw it!

Writers like SUPER STRUT who had a very long name, executed a Top-to-Bottom with their entire name. Various artists like LEE, of the THE FABULOUS FIVE, took off where FLINT 707 left off. As a result, he did some of the most memorable Top-to-Bottoms of his era. BLADE, an all time king of the 2's and 5's, was considered by many to be one of the all time kings of the whole car Top-to-Bottoms. SEEN UA pulled off dozens of Top-to-Bottoms in the early 1980's and took over, where BLADE left off. A writer truly over looked, was MIN 1 a.k.a. NE, who pulled off the most colorful Top-to-Bottoms (along with KEL and the RTW-WOW crew), on the BMT's. One of MIN's biggest products was a Top-to-Bottom wild style done for SHY 147 (R.I.P.), which ran on the RR train in the mid 1980's. DONDI's work was always a pleasure to be seen .... as it had neat, clean, large and colorful letters, that looked like they belonged on a subway car. The following are a few photos of our favorites:

COKE 1 - 225

is a former king of the 3rd Avenue L's, a subway line which no longer exists. COKE hit many other lines in the early 1970's. He hit the BMT's, IND's, as well as go city-wide with single hits (tags). STAY HIGH 149's pieces in the early 1970's, were mainly an extension of our single hits (tags). This piece of history was captured by BLADE 1 in 1972.

AJAX

Top-to-Bottom done on the number five line, in 1974. AJAX was a writer with great style and has painted with some the most talented writers of his time. In addition, he wrote with some of the hottest writing groups in the early days such as THE EBONY DUKES, THE CRAZY FIVE and THE INDEPENDENTS. AJAX's career was cut short, due to the tragic death of his parents, in which he never recovered.

CRACHEE 11 & ROX aka DEATH

Top-to-Bottom whole-car, done by CRACHEE and DEATH in early 1973.

BLADE - This was the first two man whole-car Top-to-Bottom, done on the 2 line. The photo was taken by CRACHEE without caring much if he got the rest of the ROX's piece or not.

BIC 149

This Top-to-Bottom whole-car was don,e in 1974, on the 4 subway line. BIC was a writer with very good style for his day, and who was also a member of WANTED, THE INDEPENDENTS and WILD STYLE.

VINNY

Top-to-Bottom done on the 2 train line. VINNY's logo pieces were seen all over the city.

BUTCH 2...

did many top to bottoms throughout 1975 to 1977. He was an original member of the TFP crew (THE FANTASTIC PARTNERS) and helped bring out CASE 2. The two started one of the most artistic writing partnerships in history.

COMET

Top-to-Bottom done on a BMT, RR train, in 1975. Many did not know COMET to be an All City writer, but he later joined up with many BMT writers (especially AFX 2).

JESTER

Top -to-Bottom done on the number 4-line, which was one of many lines he took control of, for a short time.

RAVE.1 - I can remember a Top-to-Bottom that ran on the number 1 train line, around 1974 - 1975, which was done by COMET and AJAX. It was very colorful and on the side of it, read "AJAX and COMET the cleanest niggas in town".

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