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I started writing in downtown Brooklyn (Boerum Hill ) 1979. When I started , the guys getting up  in my area were SES and the 7DS crew( who I eventually became good friends with) , AC, Thor  and countless other  writers form Brooklyn.. As for the writers
hitting the iron horse.. well the list is countless. .besides the fore mentioned writers( who for the most part hit the letter trains)
There were writers such as DONDI (rip) , SKEME , JAMES TOP, SOE, BAN 2, BLADE , IZ THE WIZ , T-KID , ZEPHYR, SEEN and the UA Crew and  so many more. Okay , sit down and enjoy the story your about to read.. As a young child I went to school in Brooklyn Heights, I attended a catholic school filled with 99% Caucasian kids.. myself and a handful were Latin or Black...at that time I never even noticed Graffiti.. In 1979 I started to attend Brooklyn Technical HS.. in the beginning of my freshman year ( I was 13 ) I was a kid who felt out of place.. never having to go to public school before.. so I just kinda layed in the cut and observed.. My cousin (later to be known as RESONE) who also attended the same catholic school as I did , was also going through the same ordeal.. he was attending Aviation HS in Queens.. well one day he comes over to my house and has a pilot with him and is was boasting how he is a Graffiti writer now.. being uneducated and always being sheltered from the streets by my mother.. I was in awe and wanted to be one also.. I just wanted to be down.. typical teenage emotions.. so we called our boy ( later to be known as RAZE XMEN ) and invited him to
come with us to the art store to get a marker and become official  writers.. he was like okay sounds  like fun.. when we got to the art store I picked up a  pilot and went to pay for it.. my cousin stopped me and said " NO! real writers don't pay for markers, you have to steal it!" ... I got  nervous.. and said... lol.. I remember this so clearly.

 "Im not a real writer yet so this one I'm paying for and RAZE did the same...as it  turns out my cousin had hooked up with "2BAD" a very skilled and  known writer from Queens.. and this is where he got the urge to be a  writer and all his education on what a real Graffiti writer is and does.. well now I had a marker, now I needed a tag.. my first tag was RAP1.. these are my initials and the #1 because my cousin told me That I needed a number after my tag to make it official.. I hit the streets in my area with that for a few weeks and then my cousin told me that that tag was already being used and that i should find another tag.. so I tagged "ROID1" , ROID was short for asteroids (a hot arcade game at the time) in which I was the neighborhood reigning  champ down at the pizzeria...well the summer came and i was hitting up ROID around the way and doing motion tags with RAZE and RES.. I also found myself sitting on the nevins street platform checking out trains and trying to learn.. different styles and who was who.. I would sit there for hours sometimes by myself.. observing , literally taking notes on a pad.. I bought a small Black book and started to do pieces and practice my tag.. one day I saw this dark skinned girl on Fulton street (the ALBEE SQUARE MALL).. and I was gaga for her.. being a little nervous I followed her trying to get up the nerve to say hello... I followed her all the way to Wykoff projects.. where I chickened out and walked home taking tags.. everyday I would walk down to the projects to look for her and say hello and ask her out on a date.. for like 2 weeks I did this and everyday I would take a different route and hit the streets with my marker...finally one day i see her and I go up to her and tell her how I've been trying to meet up with her and ask her out...she was flattered i guess , but declined my  advances.. due to the fact that she had a boyfriend...and who was staring me down from like 15 feet away unbeknownst to me...he then approached me and it was on.. we had a quick scrap in which neither one of us got a punch off, just a wrestling match.. his boys broke it up and were like .. Shorty didn't do anything wrong , he was just  trying to kick it and didn't know she was taken...the lil beef was squashed and a friendship was born.. I was introduced to the projects ( the place my mother warned me never to go to) and the guys who would one day be some of my best friends, the guy i fought with over the lil dark skinned boriqua girl wrote "SWAN 1" and his boys wrote "BALE 1 , TORO 2 , DIZ 1 , CRATE and PH" all later to be known as original XMEN and my best friends.

At the time of the incident these guys didn't know that i was an aspiring writer and that i was ROID.. like I said earlier I was hitting the streets hard in the area.. so they had seen my tag.. well everyday i would go back to the projects and hang for an hour or two.. and 1 day CRATE pulls out a marker and starts taking a tag in the elevator.. I was like that's  you.. I had seen him up in the streets and around the pj's.. he was like why.. and I told him what i wrote and the guys all fell out laughing and were like thats you!! they called me toy and that I needed some help with my style and a new name, cause ROID was corny and sounded like hemaroid... lol.. then they all pulled out markers ( an array of tools , from magnums to mini's to uni's and pilot's) and asked me to see mine.. well my trusty pilot in which I loved.. turned  out to be wack.. it was dry and still had the original tip.. I once again was laughed at... we went to DIZ's house and we gave my pilot a  makeover.. when we were done and they had showed me how to improve my marker and hand styles... my marker was now a flooded killing machine and i was feeling great.. now all  I needed was a better tag.. one that wasn't corny and that was unique... I tried RHINO170..and then scrap1( short for scrappy doo, scooby doo's nephew.. lol) and then one day, while chilling out in front of the projects.. one of the bochincheras of the PJ's said " mira este pareses TATTOO.. de fantasy island" ( a bochinchera is a gossiping old lady , and all PJ's have them).. well my new friends fell out laughing and started yelling "de plane boss de plane...we all fell out laughing and it hit me.. that  was it "TATTOO"... being that I'm a short fella and dark skinned. This was a perfect tag...but it was too long. I tried TAT2..TATOO..TA2 and then CRATE  says try "TATU"  and that was it.  I had found my  tag... and it was mine and no one else's... it didn't sound like anyone else's  and it was unique and described me...so now i had to start all over again.. and I did. But now with a vengeance and I don't know how to describe it.. but it was like I had a mission to accomplish.

I started off  motion tagging in 79..with RES  and RAZE.. It was fun but I remember not being able to get a crisp tag due to the train
bouncing all over the tracks. My first lay up was Kingston and Utica. 2BAD took me there with RES... it was a  new world and a place I
fell in love with and would visit allot.. the tunnels , any tunnel was a fun place for me and I was never scared...we would walk the tunnels
just for fun from station to station... my first yard was NEW LOTS...  I went alone... no one was down that night. it was fall and a little nippy. But by this time, all I wanted to do was bomb... that night I met DONDI (RIP), a true legend and someone whom I looked up to. he was kool with me that night and didn't look down to me. he thought I was  a lil kid.. because I was so short. He did his thing and I bombed. We never met up again after that night.. but it was an honor to meet him....this was all in 79...in 1980 I started destroying anything on steel wheels that I could get to. I went to as many different lay up's as I could and as many yards that I could. As for my writing partners...as you know RAZE and RES, were my original partners and childhood friends, then I hooked up with CRATE, BALE, TORO2 , DIZ and PH from wykoff Pj's.. these guys bombed but weren't obsessed like I was. We did bomb , but at the end of the day. I wanted to go back, but they showed me lay ups and hatches... and gave me my first train keys and 600 keys ( a 600 is a universal lock that the MTA at the time used all over the system, and having that key was essential as a writer..this key was a rare key and if caught , you would get locked up for possesion of a criminal tool) i then started writing heavily with OB1..we bombed together alot and became like brothers..to this day we stay in contact and see each other, i would say OB1 was one of my best writing partners..then there was TES AND DJ NO...true killing machines when it came to bombing...TES went to aviation hs with RES(
my cousin RES started  off TESS also..they were good friends in H.S...get it RES and TES!!) RES did his thing early on..but stopped after a close call where he almost got caught..this was in early 1981.The funny thing was that RES'S father worked for the MTA at the time.......needles to say i bombed heavey with TES AND DJ NO... I also did alot of bombing with KOOL AD (RIP) AND SEE1..AD was killed in DUSTER... ONE FUNNY GUY AND HE WAS MAD KOOL AS THE NAME STATES, it was a shame that he died and it was a big blow to all of us in the crew..and last but not least SOE.. one of my best writing partners and eventually my 2nd in command..I met SOE at brooklyn tech and the rest is history..........




My peak as a writer would be 1982-1986.by 1985 my crew was a household name...and i was enjoying every second of it..








Once again relax and enjoy the story i'm about to unfold....As you
read earlier , I started writing in 1979..that first year was a
learning experience...One day mid 1980..it was myself RES and
2Bad..we were in my room piecing in black books and talking crap...by
this time i had gotten down with a few crews...but i never did rep
them..only one i repped a little was 7ds...but never the less..we
were talking and  2BAD and RES were talking about crews and who they
were down with and who they would like to get down with...well I was
one who never really liked having to ask anyone for anything..and i
started yapping off at the mouth on how i'm going to start my own
crew and writers are going to want be down with me..RES and 2BAD were
>>>>>>>like..yeah okay!!..so that got me pissed off...I sat there and
>>>>>>>started to think of names for my crew..99% of the crews out had
>>>>>>>initials for their crew...OTB= out to bomb  , UA=united artist etc.
>>>>>>>etc.etc..... I wanted to stand out..a name to be noticed...I
>>>>>>>collected alot of comic books as a kid.....and right on my desk was
>>>>>>>the newest issue of THE UNCANNY XMEN...bam!! that was it..the XMEN
>>>>>>>was the baddest and coolest super heroes out there(atleast to me) and
>>>>>>>they were my favorite...I felt it would be a bad ass name for a
>>>>>>>crew....so I stated right there to RES and 2BAD I'm starting my crew
>>>>>>>today and it's called the "XMEN"..they chuckled and I even offered
>>>>>>>2BAD to be my vice..it should have been RES or RAZE..but I figured 
>>>>>>>since 2BAD was already a acomplished writer and had more credibility
>>>>>>>than myself , he would the smarter choice in order for the crew to
>>>>>>>get recognition...RES and RAZE did'nt mind and were down with me
>>>>>>>regardless....2Bad on the other hand never took me seriously I
>>>>>>>believe and really did'nt rep it like a vice should have..I feel
>>>>>>>since i was just an up and coming writer maybe he felt that should'nt
>>>>>>>be a vice and that I was'nt serious , 2BAD was a really skilled
>>>>>>>writer, you never hear too much about him, I feel he was over
>>>>>>>shadowed by FUZZONE  cause they were from the same area and same
>>>>>>>time,soon after that 2BAD fell off the graff tip and did'nt really
>>>>>>>bomb any more ...never the less..I bombed and repped my crew.. I
>>>>>>>bombed hard..myself and RAZE bombed hard..like I wrote earlier..RES
>>>>>>>started off and even introduced me to grafitti..but he fell off from
>>>>>>>writing and never made the impact  he really could have..well
>>>>>>>needless to say we were making an impact and getting noticed...I was
>>>>>>>repping my crew hard and so were my boys in Wykoff...The XMEN were
>>>>>>>getting known in all the graffitti circles and it was great..it felt
>>>>>>>like it happened over night...That same year in the cafeteria of
>>>>>>>Brooklyn Tech HS...I met this kid he was an MC from the southside
>>>>>>>(the lindsey projects) he was cool and he called himself SIDDY SID..I
>>>>>>>told him that i wrote grafitti and he was like word thats you..I
>>>>>>>heard of you and the XMEN..he introduced me to alot of guys in the
>>>>>>>school and told me that SOE went to our school..I never knew that SOE
>>>>>>>went to Brooklyn Tech..like myself we did'nt bomb the school(never
>>>>>>>shit where you eat) and I wanted to meet him..i wanted to pick his
>>>>>>>brain and learn from him..he had been writing for along time and i
>>>>>>>could definately learn from him...SOE was pointed out to me and I
>>>>>>>approached him..I said whats up ..you write SOE..at first he was on
>>>>>>>the defense and was like who's asking..I guess he thought I was a
>>>>>>>writer looking for some beef with him..I introduced myself and we
>>>>>>>kicked it..He told me he has seen my tag and crew and that we were
>>>>>>>doing damage..I was proud of myself right there and then..We started
>>>>>>>a friendship that day and eventually soon after that I asked him to
>>>>>>>be my vice to the XMEN... he accepted the responsibility the right
>>>>>>>way and we started history..Once again RAZE should have been the vice
>>>>>>>, he actually even went to brooklyn tech also..but RAZE still repping
>>>>>>>XMEN had been  doing alot of moving and running and was you can say
>>>>>>>under the wing of T-KID for a minute..he was learning from one of the
>>>>>>>best and doing his thing..RAZE a very under rated writer..he could
>>>>>>>piece , DJ and break dance...true XMEN and one of my oldest
>>>>>>>friends......The XMEN was a big crew..we hailed from every boro of
>>>>>>>NY....we were based out of brooklyn..but were spread out....we were
>>>>>>>very popular in all circles and had a big following...we really took
>>>>>>>NYC by storm...once myself and SOE hooked up..we bombed whatever was
>>>>>>>in our path..never being without a marker or paint can we would bomb
>>>>>>>the streets and station, only time we were'nt holding was when we
>>>>>>>would go to the yards or lay-ups...never looking like some of the
>>>>>>>typical writers you would encounter..what i mean by that , was that
>>>>>>>if you did'nt know us you would'nt know we were writers, even after
>>>>>>>bombing a whole lay-up , we would come out clean as a whistle and not
>>>>>>>a spot of ink, paint or dirt on us..and whomever we decided was going
>>>>>>>to go bomb with us, had to follow the same strict codes....At one
>>>>>>>point the XMEN was over 100 deep...to sit here and type all the XMEN
>>>>>>>would take a long time...here are a few names...SOE , RES , RAZE ,
>>>>>>>OB1, PREZ1 , KOOL AD , SEE1 , BALE , TORO2, KEO , DIZ, TES , DJ NO ,
>>>>>>>BRIAN, 2BAD,BRIM, DASH, RON1 AND ALL THE "TVS" FROM STATEN ISLAND ,
>>>>>>>NICK2 AND CRAZY EDDIE AND ALL THE STARLIGHT ROLLERS, TONY
>>>>>>>MORAN(ORIGINAL XMEN DJ BEFORE MAKING MUSIC WITH THE FREESTYLE GROUP
>>>>>>>"THE LATIN RASCALS " AND  MTV FAME) , EPIC & CHIBA FROM GOWANUS PJ'S
>>>>>>>, MACE AND THE WHOLE BROOKLYN TECH CREW.....THE WHOLE WYKOFF CREW ,
>>>>>>>RISK, RIST, 2 SMART and theres many more XMEN not mentioned..they
>>>>>>>know who they are...and they all get props..cause without each one of
>>>>>>>them the XMEN crew would'nt have been whole.....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>7) What were some of the yards or lay ups you and the group hit most?
>>>>>>>During my extensive run I could honestly say I hit 90% of the lay-ups
>>>>>>>and yards...As a crew my crew at one time or another we hit every
>>>>>>>spot that there was to hit.. My personal favorites and most hit were
>>>>>>>as follows..as pertaining to lay-ups...the nevins st afternoon lay
>>>>>>>up..we would literally hit this lay-up atleast 4 days of the
>>>>>>>week..nevins street was 4 blocks from BKLYN TECH and we would cut out
>>>>>>>during lunch and hit it then go back to school..the school gaurds
>>>>>>>were down with us and would let us go in and out of the school as we
>>>>>>>pleased..then there was kingston and utica , fort hamilton , the pink
>>>>>>>houses , gunhill road and sheephead bay..as for yards our favorite
>>>>>>>was the dewey yard..we had that on lock..That was my backyard and
>>>>>>>XMEN LAND... i frequented new lots also.....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>8) Can you tell us all the lines you hit and would you say you and
>>>>>>>the group were ALL CITY? ( PLEASE tell us where and your Experiences
>>>>>>>there? )
>>>>>>>I hit every line during my extended run and yes the XMEN and myself
>>>>>>>went all city from the end of 1982 -1984..There wasn't a line or car
>>>>>>>that you would atleast see one XMEN tag in it or on it..During this
>>>>>>>period not only were the XMEN all city but we were literally a
>>>>>>>household name..ok maybe household might be stretching it a bit but
>>>>>>>our reputation and street cred's were up there with ZULU NATION and
>>>>>>>ROCSTEADY...not only did we bomb the MTA but we also hit the streets.
>>>>>>>Myself and my crew made a rule to hit only perm spots when hitting
>>>>>>>the streets( a perm spot is short for permanent , this is a spot made
>>>>>>>of concrete..the concrete would soak up the paint and the only real
>>>>>>>way to buff it was to paint over it or knock it down..we used ultra
>>>>>>>flat black cause that was the most effective) . To this day
>>>>>>>throughout NYC you can still see XMEN tags here and there on these
>>>>>>>perm spots. Also to add to this , TESS and DJ NO completely crushed
>>>>>>>NYC with a sticker and poster campaign. This was atleast a decade
>>>>>>>before COST and REVS .In no way am I trying to discredit the efforts
>>>>>>>of COST and REVS, these guys put in alot of work and I believe still
>>>>>>>do. I just want to set the history books straight..TESS and DJ NO 
>>>>>>>are the original kings of this kind of movement and that this is just
>>>>>>>another chapter in the XMEN history..when i say we were household,
>>>>>>>I'm not lying..here are some examples......In BKLYN TECH HS , 1981 ,
>>>>>>>myself and SOE made an agrrement with the principal , deans and
>>>>>>>security that we would not be bothered as long as we did'nt bomb the
>>>>>>>school..we were given free reign of the center section of the
>>>>>>>cafeteria to do with what we wanted..they even gave us paint to do a
>>>>>>>piece in the lunchroom..Roseanne Scamadella once visited the school
>>>>>>>cause there was a robbery attempt in the school and a few of us
>>>>>>>chased the guy down..we did'nt catch him , but never the less the
>>>>>>>school recognized our efforts and pointed the cameras in our
>>>>>>>direction and I was interviewed as TATU XMEN , the leader of the XMEN
>>>>>>>CREW(thinking back now this was dumb on my behalf, i could have set
>>>>>>>myself up with the vandal squad, luckily that did'nt happen..i was
>>>>>>>just a kid looking for fame)..if you were an avid comic book reader ,
>>>>>>>then you would have noticed that at this point in time MARVEL COMICS
>>>>>>>started using drawings of XMEN tags and XMEN stickers in a few of
>>>>>>>their comic books..mostly FF4 and SPIDERMAN, these super heroes were
>>>>>>>based out of NYC and in quite a few issues if you paid attention ,
>>>>>>>you would see XMEN tags and stickers in their drawings of the
>>>>>>>streets..this was crazy to us..but it just said that we were being
>>>>>>>noticed..also TESS and DJ NO with their sticker and poster bomb made
>>>>>>>headlines a couple of times in the dailey news , ny times and the new
>>>>>>>yorker magazine.... also many rappers from that era recognized us,
>>>>>>>during many shows at clubs throughout the city, if we were present we
>>>>>>>would get shout outs from them and given props..we had the city on
>>>>>>>lock and every teenager in the city had heard of us in one way or
>>>>>>>another....At times it was like we were celebs.Back then wirters ,
>>>>>>>rappers and breakdancers were really the in thing and the XMEN were a
>>>>>>>big part of that era. Another good aspect about us , was that 99% of
>>>>>>>the masses really loved us...anywhere we went we would recieve
>>>>>>>love....we never looked for beef and we always kept allies in high
>>>>>>>places( our best and closest allies were the VAMP SQUAD FROM
>>>>>>>S.I)...This all may sound wierd but its true..all this from grafitti?
>>>>>>>yes..this was the times that we lived in..kids just wanted to be
>>>>>>>heard ,and those who really wanted to be heard put in work and
>>>>>>>recieved accolades for it..I treated everyone in my crew with respect
>>>>>>>and in return got respect..I showed everyone love and in retrun got
>>>>>>>love..I know what it is for a crew member to show up at my house in
>>>>>>>the middle of the night cause he got into trouble at home or was
>>>>>>>going thru problems with his parents or the law and I would open my
>>>>>>>door to them and let them stay. May it be a night or a couple of
>>>>>>>days..this happened on many occasions , I know what it is to see  a
>>>>>>>kid( a complete stranger) get bullied or ruffed up and step in to
>>>>>>>give assistance(just had to drop the "X") ...Give love , get
>>>>>>>love..that was my motto....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>9) Would you have any raid stories and were you ever nabbed for
>>>>>>>writing ? ( Please tell us as many as you like? )
>>>>>>>LOL...LOL... let me start with..I never got caught doing grafitti or
>>>>>>>anything related to grafitti....i do have stories though...my first
>>>>>>>raid was in the fort hamilton lay-up..It was myself, BALE, DIZ ,
>>>>>>>CRATE and TORO2...we were bombing insides and all of a sudden all the
>>>>>>>lights in the train come on..BALE  ducks down and says yo it's a
>>>>>>>raid..I was never in this situation before , but my boys had been.. I
>>>>>>>was petrafied..CRATE yells split up...I followed DIZ and we hid in a
>>>>>>>small space underneath the train for like 5 minutes(it felt like a
>>>>>>>year) we heard many footsteps all around and voices saying things
>>>>>>>like you go that way and check all conductor boothes...once we did'nt
>>>>>>>hear any more footsteps and voices , we took off down the tunnel..DIZ
>>>>>>>knew the lay up well and he headed towards a hatch..we flipped the
>>>>>>>hatch and made it to the street..CRATE had taken a different
>>>>>>>route..and we met up with him later..we waited by the PJ's till night
>>>>>>>fall and BALE never showed up..he was the unlucky one that day and
>>>>>>>got caught...2 days later we I ran into him..he told me  that they
>>>>>>>cornered him and soaked him in his own ink..he was still trying to
>>>>>>>get the ink off...that day I told myself that i would take every
>>>>>>>precaution never to get busted...I learned the ins and outs of every
>>>>>>>lay up i went to..I would even go to the lay ups first without any
>>>>>>>ink or paint and lay in the cut and learn the schedules of the work
>>>>>>>bums and conductors....After hooking up with SOE ( whom also never
>>>>>>>got caught in his carreer as a writer) we came up with intricate
>>>>>>>plans and rules for our bombs..we had black jump suits , never go
>>>>>>>without ample supply of gloves..we had rubber slip ons for our
>>>>>>>shoes..we never went to a lay up or yard with supplies..and never
>>>>>>>left with supplies...how do you  ask..well after making the vandal
>>>>>>>squads top ten most wanted list( this we knew from other XMEN and
>>>>>>>writers that got caught, they would be questioned on XMEN where
>>>>>>>abouts and bombing parties) we started to plant our supplies in the
>>>>>>>layup or yard( I knew too many writers that got caught before even
>>>>>>>getting to the lay-up or yard cause a cop would frisk them cause they
>>>>>>>looked like writers and get caught with markers , ink and paint) , so
>>>>>>>we could just go in and take what we needed and whatever we did'nt
>>>>>>>use we would put back until the next time...at the dewey yard, we
>>>>>>>actually had a foxhole that we covered with wood and dirt..we would
>>>>>>>buy supermarket ink by the cases and leave them in there..also in
>>>>>>>there we had cleaning materials, change of clothes , liquor and a
>>>>>>>weapon or 2...sounds crazy but it was effective..alot of writers back
>>>>>>>then looked like writers..what i meant by this was alot of guys lived
>>>>>>>to bomb..and not trying toput anyone down but , they stayed
>>>>>>>dirty..they always had ink on their clothes, sneakers or shoes always
>>>>>>>dirty,always wore a hoody, paint on their hands..we on the other
>>>>>>>hand, did things different..I've seen guys get searched and busted
>>>>>>>cause they looked like a writer..perfect example..remember "SPIT"
>>>>>>>from the movie "BEATSTREET"..well he looked like a typical
>>>>>>>writer..dirty hoody and what not..well not us..I know what it is to
>>>>>>>go to a lay up in a shirt and tie..like 5 of us..and right before we
>>>>>>>got to the lay-up we would put on our jumpsuits and rubber slip
>>>>>>>ons..go in the lay up and pull out our cache of supplies and bomb...
>>>>>>>when we were done..we would put the remaining supplies back in our
>>>>>>>stash and pull off our jumpsuits and walk on the platform like we
>>>>>>>were going to a wedding or something..walk right by  a cop and say
>>>>>>>hello..we figured if we did'nt look the part, noone would think we
>>>>>>>were that and that we  had just bombed 8 sets of trains and were just
>>>>>>>good clean kids heading home from some kind of social event or
>>>>>>>church...we did'nt dress like this always..no way..we were far from
>>>>>>>that..we were b-boy down on a regular basis with the fat laces,
>>>>>>>cazels and sheepkins..but when we bombed..we were the uncanny XMEN
>>>>>>>and would mutate into something else...one more story I'll share
>>>>>>>right now is a funny one...we were in the dewey..we had hit about 10
>>>>>>>sets , it was myself , SOE, and  OB1......we were killing it that
>>>>>>>night and were far from being done..the dewey yard held every train
>>>>>>>line..i believe they had one of their main work shops for the MTA
>>>>>>>there..so every line would go there for maintence..we had a ball
>>>>>>>there and that was our home away from home...all of a sudden the
>>>>>>>whole set of trains we had just hit had their lights on , OB looked
>>>>>>>out of a window and was like oh shit!!! raid and theres ashit load of
>>>>>>>them..i looked out of the window and saw like a bunch of men running
>>>>>>>towards the train we were hitting , SOE looked out  the other side
>>>>>>>and saw the same thing in both directions..we were fucked...it seemed
>>>>>>>as if our run was over and our cherries were about to get popped...no
>>>>>>>matter what direction we ran , we were caught..the guys looked at me
>>>>>>>and was like what do we do..I said we go up..follow me...they had'nt
>>>>>>>gotten to the car we were in yet...so I went in between cars and
>>>>>>>climbed to the roof of the train and hauled ass...SOE and OB were
>>>>>>>right behind me..we were jumping from car to car trying to get to the
>>>>>>>end of the set...but this was in the wrong direction of which we
>>>>>>>usually exited the yard and our alternate route was blocked off...we
>>>>>>>got to the end of the set and had to jump...at train is approx. 14
>>>>>>>feet high from track to roof..i beleive..the police and train workers
>>>>>>>were far behind us on  the ground and really did'nt know in which
>>>>>>>direction we had gone..so i jumped and just wanted to get out..but
>>>>>>>when i jumped I landed wrong and something snapped..I had broken my
>>>>>>>leg and now i was fucked..I wanted to scream..but knew I could'nt...I
>>>>>>>just cried..I had never broken any bone in my body before and did'nt
>>>>>>>know that something like this could hurt so much..SOE and OB jumped
>>>>>>>down and were fine..they knew I had hurt myself ..I told them to go I
>>>>>>>can't run..they picked me up in between them , you know like when one
>>>>>>>of your boys is drunk and two of you help him walk by putting the
>>>>>>>drunk guy in between them and carrying him underneath his armpits and
>>>>>>>almost dragging the guy to the car or wherever you were gonna place
>>>>>>>him...well thats how they did me...they said if you go down we go
>>>>>>>down...so they dragged me to the closest fence that was accesable to
>>>>>>>the streets.. we then came across the next problem..how do I get over
>>>>>>>the fence??with a broken leg?? they were just fine , but they
>>>>>>>could'nt carry me and climb at the same time....I told them to go
>>>>>>>with out me..just go..doe'snt make sense that we all get
>>>>>>>busted....they said no and told me to try...I climbed that fence
>>>>>>>mostly with my arms and one leg in extreme pain.....but i made it to
>>>>>>>the top...where OB pulled me over and tried to help me down..SOE was
>>>>>>>already over and was waiting below me to catch me just in case...well
>>>>>>>1/4 of the way down i slipped  and fell on SOE...SOE was alright but
>>>>>>>I hit my leg again and screamed..this time i was heard and they had
>>>>>>>to carry me out of there..we hid for awhile by the highway and then
>>>>>>>made it to the train station....on the way to the train station SOE
>>>>>>>lit a spliff and that helped with the pain..we made it to downtown
>>>>>>>BKLYN and to my house..SOE was suppose to stay over that night...but
>>>>>>>decided against it..he knew I was in a world of shit..especially with
>>>>>>>mom dukes..so we sat on my stoop for like 30 minutes recapping the
>>>>>>>nights events and I was trying to deal with the pain..this was one
>>>>>>>time we never changed out of our bombinng apparell and I was really
>>>>>>>dirty...so were the guys..well the inevitable was about to come to
>>>>>>>light..I had to go upstairs and the guy's left me alone for this one
>>>>>>>cause they would had rathered dealt with the police that with my mom
>>>>>>>at 3am. and me having a broken leg and all full of dirt and
>>>>>>>ink...they knew momdukes was gonna flip out..So they wished me luck
>>>>>>>and left me to handle my ordeal that layed in front of me...I crawled
>>>>>>>up the steps and made it into my house...mom was'nt awake , so i
>>>>>>>tried to get ice from the freezer to put on my leg..big mistake I
>>>>>>>tried to stand on my own....but i could'nt do it ..i dropped all the
>>>>>>>ice and fell..my mom came running in with  a stick, thinking it might
>>>>>>>have been an intruder and found me on the floor...she asked me what
>>>>>>>the hell i was doing ..I told her I slipped..she said get up..I said
>>>>>>>okay and just layed there..she said , well??? get up..I said okay and
>>>>>>>just layed there and told her to go to bed and I'll clean up the
>>>>>>>mess..she said get up!! I said......" I can't mama!! I broke my
>>>>>>>leg....she then flipped on the light and noticed that i was all dirty
>>>>>>>and ink stained...she then hit me with the stick and started cursing
>>>>>>>all high heaven and grafitti.......lol....lol...it turns out that I
>>>>>>>did'nt break the bone all the way..it just split..I wore a cast for 2
>>>>>>>weeks and then took it off myself..2 days later I went back to the
>>>>>>>yards to finish what i had started 2 weeks
>>>>>>>prior......................
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>10)  Would you have any racking adventures to share with us ?
>>>>>>>Racking adventures...racking was part of the job..after that first
>>>>>>>marker I bought...I learned to rack.. 2BAD taught me how to rack and
>>>>>>>where to rack....from markers to paint to black books and
>>>>>>>designers...even how to lift the glass on displays and rack
>>>>>>>airbrushes.....a lil later on SEE1 and KOOL AD, showed me the jersey
>>>>>>>racks..we would take the path to differnt spots in NJ , we all would
>>>>>>>bring a folding laundry cart..you know the kind grandma  used with
>>>>>>>the rubber wheels and it usually was red or dark blue..lol..... well
>>>>>>>we went with those and they showed me  how to come back with cases of
>>>>>>>paint...The only thing I payed for was supermarket ink from sam
>>>>>>>underbergs , on atlantic ave in downtown bklyn..at first racking the
>>>>>>>ink was feaseable..but then they got up on it..everyone would go
>>>>>>>there to rack ink..so they locked it up..and sold it only on
>>>>>>>request..that place is a grafitti landmark and whomever SAMUEL
>>>>>>>UNDERBERG is , he and his family owe alot to grafitti..cause writers
>>>>>>>from all over the city would come there for ink..we were one of the
>>>>>>>first.. but then everyone got up on it..they must have made millions
>>>>>>>off of us writers...We would buy it by the case full, 2 and three at
>>>>>>>a time....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>11) You and your crew were also very big on the 7-line , and wrote
>>>>>>>with allot of writers from that era like CEE , ANGEL DUSTER, and Old
>>>>>>>Timer SON ONE plus a few others. Can you tell us your expirences with
>>>>>>>them and hitting the 7's and did you take up into some of your lay
>>>>>>>ups.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>The 7's is like any other train to me..nothing special...if it was
>>>>>>>steel and on a track we would hit it..I know that for queens writers
>>>>>>>the 7 was a big deal..that was like Yankee stadium to the
>>>>>>>yankees..you know what i mean...but we hit them  hard , even when
>>>>>>>they painted them white we crushed them....SOE put me up on the 7's
>>>>>>>and how to attack them....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>12 ) Would you can any raid or chase stories you can share with ?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>see # 9
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>13) The X-MEN were big in the night clubs and doing parties. Could
>>>>>>>you share those Experiences with us?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>We were party and club fiends...The XMEN were more than a grafitti
>>>>>>>crew..we were a hip hop crew..a party crew..it started off as a graff
>>>>>>>only crew and as we grew in numbers and in stature..we mutated into
>>>>>>>an elite organization of writers, b-boys,dj's, dancers, roller
>>>>>>>skaters and more.....Once we grew a rep for getting up..kids from all
>>>>>>>over flocked to us wanting to be down..it started with us just
>>>>>>>hanging out..in the park with a couple of boom boxes....myself , SOE
>>>>>>>, OB1 , my boys from wykoff and a few friends..or whomever was gonna
>>>>>>>bomb with us that night...we would party a lil bit before going to
>>>>>>>bomb the trains....it was like a ritual of some sorts....at first it
>>>>>>>was just a few of us ..and then more people would come , and they
>>>>>>>would bring more people and so on and so on..before you know it we
>>>>>>>had around 30-40 people having a full blown party in front of the
>>>>>>>PJ's....needless to say the police would come and break us up....so
>>>>>>>we needed a new spot..so we found a park in brooklyn..that was out of
>>>>>>>the way and well hidden..it was actually 30 feet below street level
>>>>>>>and you had to walk down 2 ramps to get to it...XMEN park we dubbed
>>>>>>>it and we would have serious hang outs there...with atleast 50 -100
>>>>>>>people at times...it became an every friday night ritual..and people
>>>>>>>from all over would come to our secret spot ..but they had to come
>>>>>>>with one of our members....this was crazy..it was like out of a
>>>>>>>video...Just picture this in your mind.. an abandoned park down in a
>>>>>>>ditch under the highway in the shadow of one of the most majestic
>>>>>>>bridges in the world.....old rusty monkey bars..broken swings(only 2
>>>>>>>operational) , an old sprinkler section that now has grass , weeds
>>>>>>>and bushes growing out of the cracked pavement , a bunch of old ass
>>>>>>>benches and one big street lamp hang over the park giving it a
>>>>>>>shadowy affect....then every friday at sundown....slowly but surely
>>>>>>>children of the night would start to appear...guys and girls..from
>>>>>>>their early teens to their mid 20's....from all races and from all
>>>>>>>over NYC....just wanting to have fun..without any beef and some of
>>>>>>>them just needing to be a part of something bigger than them...then a
>>>>>>>select few would pull out the original ghetto blasters , the suitcase
>>>>>>>with sounds...the old school "BOOM BOXES"....they would hook them up
>>>>>>>to each other and pop in an original mix tape..and then boom in the
>>>>>>>mist of cigarettes and weed smoke and the odor of beer and liquor..a
>>>>>>>grand celebration would begin...a celebration of life and
>>>>>>>youthfullness..a celebration of rebellion..."FUCK THE SYSTEM"....a
>>>>>>>celebration of the "X".....pieces being done..tags being
>>>>>>>taken..dancing , dancing and more dancing , drinking and smoking and
>>>>>>>all the while chants of XMEN! XMEN! XMEN! could be heard.........once
>>>>>>>a month we would take our party to washington square park.......right
>>>>>>>by the fountain..we would make a circle with our boom boxes and
>>>>>>>connect them together..now imagine from 15-20 ghetto blasters
>>>>>>>connected and all playing them same music..now thats a party....we
>>>>>>>would make our circle and dance are asses off..people would stop and
>>>>>>>stare..people would stop and join in..and by the end of the night
>>>>>>>they would be chanting "XMEN and not even know why..they would just
>>>>>>>know they had a great fucking time...one night we were in washington
>>>>>>>square doing our thing......and a group of very refine men and women
>>>>>>>were walking by..the men had on tuxes and the women were dressed in
>>>>>>>evening dresses..very sophisticated...very well off...it seems that
>>>>>>>they were passing thru the park as a short cut to get to a function
>>>>>>>at NYU...they noticed the music and got curious..they saw our circle
>>>>>>>and the festivities..and decided to watch for a few minutes...before
>>>>>>>you know it I had this rich woman breaking her back in the middle of
>>>>>>>the circle and her friends were smoking and drinking  with my
>>>>>>>boys...the guys that were escorting them that evening..at first got
>>>>>>>mad and then they joined in and were dancing with are ladies...it was
>>>>>>>crazy, it was fun and it showed that no matter were you come from
>>>>>>>every one has a party animal in them...that night (even if it was
>>>>>>>just for that one night) those yuppies or socialites were converted
>>>>>>>into XMEN and I'm sure they will always remember that night..becaause
>>>>>>>they had fun.....when the seasons changed we would take our parties
>>>>>>>indoors..we would rent spaces..and charge a small cover fee..we had
>>>>>>>to pay for the space somehow..no one would mind cause they knew for a
>>>>>>>few dollars they were gonna have a ball and be with their crew...they
>>>>>>>know the music was gonna be great and that it was exclusive to the
>>>>>>>"X" only....if you were wanted to go to one of our parties you had to
>>>>>>>go withsomeone who was down...every once and a while a stranger would
>>>>>>>slip by our security.....9 times out of 10 it would be handled
>>>>>>>peacefully.....we also would hit the clubs...we would be in the clubs
>>>>>>>from 20-40 deep...we knew all the DJ's and bouncers...a select few of
>>>>>>>us were on most V.I.P. list....walking thru the club would be like
>>>>>>>...well think of a movie about teenagers and the popular crowd
>>>>>>>walking thru the lunchroom and everyone saying hi and giving out daps
>>>>>>>, pounds and high 5's....thats how it was for some of us in the upper
>>>>>>>circle of the XMEN...we knew everyone, or visa versa..everyone knew
>>>>>>>us.......from gothams west, the funhouse, roxy's , broadway int'l,
>>>>>>>broadway 96 ,northmore high, fresh 14...wherever we went..we had some
>>>>>>>kind of pull and we had a crowd with us......now your asking
>>>>>>>yourself..these guys partied like crazy..when did they bomb????well I
>>>>>>>can't tell you all of our secrets....but the proof is in the
>>>>>>>pudding...as much as we got up....we partied just as hard....I think
>>>>>>>thats one of the main reasons we got so popular..we liked to have
>>>>>>>fun..later for beefing with writers and toys..over some non
>>>>>>>sense...life was to short....so we decided to party instead......
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Did you or your group have any problems with other writers or
>>>>>>>writing groups going over your work or other member of the X-men?
>>>>>>>I can truly say..we were a fun loving group...beef's were minimal..I
>>>>>>>know to some graff was a way of life and this was thier only chanel
>>>>>>>of respect.....at first in the begining..I lived for the bomb..then
>>>>>>>the XMEN grew and turned more into a society than a crew..a
>>>>>>>sub-culture of somewhat...it was just more than bombing now...but my
>>>>>>>motto was give love and get love....we embraced alot of guys that
>>>>>>>others would have turned away..and when they were a part of they,
>>>>>>>came out of their shells...and became either good writers, dancers,
>>>>>>>dj's or just got a better hold of them selves cause now they felt
>>>>>>>part of something.....we never really had many grafitti based beefs,
>>>>>>>there were some..one beef was between TESS and MIN1...it was the
>>>>>>>usual you went over me beef...something that when you look back at
>>>>>>>now was so stupid.....well the beef came to an end one night at the
>>>>>>>funhouse....MIN1...true legend and now a friend.. had come to the
>>>>>>>funhouse in search of TESS..it was known that on saturday night we
>>>>>>>would frequent the funhouse on a regular basis...but I don't think
>>>>>>>MIN knew how deep we rolled...well he approached me with 2 members of
>>>>>>>his crew...and requested that I point out TESS to him...he stated he
>>>>>>>wanted to handle his beef with TESS and that I should point him
>>>>>>>out...well that night TESS was still out bombing and had'nt shown up
>>>>>>>yet....and MIN obviously did'nt realize that we were atleast 25 deep
>>>>>>>at that particular moment...and behind me was a sea of XMEN and XMEN
>>>>>>>afiilaites....so i turned around and say..this guy is looking for
>>>>>>>TESS..so one of the boys(brian was his name, a pretty big fella)
>>>>>>>steps up and says I'm TESS whats up and looks down at MIN..then my
>>>>>>>boy SCOT steps up and says no motherfucker I"M TESS , then one after
>>>>>>>another fellow XMEN stepped up claiming to be TESS.... it was quite
>>>>>>>funny to us but to MIN and his 2 boys..it was'nt..I chilled my boys
>>>>>>>out and spoke with MIN..MIN left that night unharmed and we had an
>>>>>>>understanding..the beef was squashed..I could have been an asshole
>>>>>>>and let the dogs loose...but for what?? To keep the beef going?? TO
>>>>>>>make one of my favorite clubs a warzone and probably get banned from
>>>>>>>it or worse get set up..did'nt make sense....my boy's wanted to go
>>>>>>>off..they had a few drinks and joints in them...thier egos flared
>>>>>>>when a confrontation evolved...but being the leader that I
>>>>>>>was..sometimes you have to think with your head and not your heart..I
>>>>>>>got a lot of flack behind that decision..a few of the fellas felt we
>>>>>>>should have made a point that we were'nt to be messed with....then I
>>>>>>>pointed out to them...when were we ever messed with!! never..now
>>>>>>>think why and you'll have your answer...they agreed and we moved on
>>>>>>>from that trivial confrontation...the funny thing is , atleast 15
>>>>>>>yr's later..I ran into MIN at my job..he was applying for a position
>>>>>>>there and we recognized each other....we stared each other down for a
>>>>>>>second and then we gave each other the universal ghetto hug and
>>>>>>>laughed..we went out to get some eats and reminissed on the pass,
>>>>>>>graffitt and that night in the funhouse....we had a good laugh..and
>>>>>>>realized how dumb some of the shit we did as kids really was...I
>>>>>>>pulled a few strings and MIN got the job...he worked with  my company
>>>>>>>for a year or 2..then he moved on..I chose this story cause it ended
>>>>>>>non violent...and hopefully the kids out there doing graffitti today
>>>>>>>can learn that graff is about fun and art...express yourself with
>>>>>>>your art and not with violence..in the long run you'll be better
>>>>>>>off..you hear alot of horror stories from back in the days about
>>>>>>>beefs between writers and crews....now that we've grown up we can
>>>>>>>take a look at it and really say was it worth it...I can personally
>>>>>>>say..no...the only thing that was worth it was the graff itself and
>>>>>>>the fun times that were had....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>15) What writers from your era do you feel are truely over looked in
>>>>>>>writing?
>>>>>>  when it comes to the history books..I personally feel alot of
>>>>>>writers get overlooked...even alot of my boys....but the old school
>>>>>>knows and so do the historians..
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>16) Who would you say was your best writing partner and way?
>>>>>>>My best writing partner would be SOE...we bombed together, went to
>>>>>>>school together and partied together...right up there would be OB1
>>>>>>>and RAZE and PREZ1 and SEE1 and I keep going my crew was huge and I
>>>>>>>would bomb with the most of them at one time or another...But SOE
>>>>>>>would be my best than OB and RAZE and.......my XMEN CREW....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>17) The insides of the trains are so over looked? can you tell us
>>>>>>>your apporch to killing the insides and who were other writers
>>>>>>>killing the insides in your day?
>>>>>>>Your right the inside are over looked and I did 90% percent of my
>>>>>>>bombing on the insides....Alot of people will say all the XMEN ever
>>>>>>>did was bomb the insides and that we could not burn..this is not
>>>>>>>true...we had are selected burners , top to bottoms and whole
>>>>>>>cars....but the insides were are thing..and we crushed them...my
>>>>>>>approach to th insides was simple....destroy!!!!! and thats it.....it
>>>>>>>got to a point that we would go bomb and all the trains there were
>>>>>>>already killed by us...so we would just write over
>>>>>>>ourselves...lol.....there were hundreds of writers killing the
>>>>>>>insides..so to try to sit here and name them all would be
>>>>>>>endless...every month some kid would come out of the wood work and
>>>>>>>kill shit for a minute or two and then disappear....the trick was
>>>>>>>longevity...and thats where we came in...we bombed  for a long
>>>>>>>time... a good 6 yrs straight non stop....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>18) Did you have any aliases ?
>>>>>>>no....I was strictly TATU XMEN PREZ....the only other name I would
>>>>>>>put up is DIANA..my girlfriends name...only the true old school would
>>>>>>>remember this...she was up as much as me for a few years......we were
>>>>>>>together for 5yrs and then broke up..it was all my fault....but guess
>>>>>>>what...we got back together  about decade later and were together
>>>>>>>still..so if I ever decide to pick up a marker or can  , you will see
>>>>>>>her name up once again.....she's my heart and my muse...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>19) How did the X-MEN disband .. when and why did you stop writing? (
>>>>>>>also when was the last time you hit the trains? )
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Well we never disbanded..we just grew up...I stay in contact with
>>>>>>>many of the XMEN and they will always rep the "X"  hard when the
>>>>>>>topic comes up...many of us went on to get good educations and
>>>>>>>reputable careers in law, medicine, music, art , computers and
>>>>>>>business......I stopped hitting the trains late 1986..I was partying
>>>>>>>heavey and started to lay all my eggs there..I put my self on the
>>>>>>>path of self destruction..and almost ruined my life with
>>>>>>>drugs..slowly I slipped away from the limelight and became a mere
>>>>>>>shell of what I once was...Anywhere I went I still got recognition
>>>>>>>for a few years...but i was'nt TATU anymore...I was someone else....
>>>>>>>a few years down the line I got my act together ...but by then the
>>>>>>>graff game was on a serious decline and the penalties were really
>>>>>>>stiff......It was'nt in me anymore to bomb anymore........Sadly to
>>>>>>>say many writers took this path of destruction , many either got
>>>>>>>hooked on drugs or landed up in jail......I know of so many.....I
>>>>>>>don't need to mention any names...but it's a sad  sad thing... I know
>>>>>>>cause I was there.....
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>20) Would you have any closing words?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Closing words....hmmmmmmmm......Yes I do...I would like to say..Graff
>>>>>>>brought me a lot of joy as a youth on the streets of NYC...the
>>>>>>>memories are endless....the game was different then..the lifestyle
>>>>>>>was different....the kids were different...to me personally I feel it
>>>>>>>was better...our era was a great one..The birth of hip hop, break
>>>>>>>dancing and and the era when graffiti really started to get
>>>>>>>recognition from the masses...How I miss those days .....If I could
>>>>>>>just do it all over again...I would do it so much bigger and
>>>>>>>smarter......the game today has changed a whole lot...the graff is
>>>>>>>different, the styles are crazy and the skills some of these kids
>>>>>>>have are amazing....I personally don't like the lettering thats being
>>>>>>>used now a days...alot of it looks like craziness...and is
>>>>>>>undecypherable..the art work and paint control behind it is
>>>>>>>absolutley great..but the lettering is painfull..I come from the old
>>>>>>>school way of thinking if it's not somewhat legible then it's bad
>>>>>>>marketing.....and  bad marketing = bad business...The pieces now are
>>>>>>>to wild and is'nt the purpose of this is so the masses can say wow
>>>>>>>there goes that guy again..he's really good..not ummmmmm...well the
>>>>>>>art and the pretty colors are great!!I wish i knew what it was
>>>>>>>though....it also does'nt have any soul...Hitting the steel..had
>>>>>>>heart and soul....may it be a burner or smashing the insides...we put
>>>>>>>our heart and soul into it...then to sit back and watch your shit go
>>>>>>>from borough to borough...was a trip and a satisfying thing.......we
>>>>>>>knew what is was to be children of the night...to wreck a whole yard 
>>>>>>>and look back from atop of a fence, stare at the tower and say "fuck
>>>>>>>you", I'll be back ..to sweat ink and bleed paint..just for the sake
>>>>>>>of getting up........those were the days and it's sad to say graff
>>>>>>>will never see those days again....but the memories live on......