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DAILY HIP HOP FACTS

The exact geographical location of the first "tagger" is difficult to pinpoint. Some sources identify New York (specifically taggers Julio 204 and Taki 183 of the Washington Heights area), and others identify Philadelphia (with tagger Cornbread) as the point of origin. Yet, it goes more or less undisputed that New York "is where graffiti culture blossomed.

SEPT 1

Julio 204 and Taki 183

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"Wildstyle" graffiti, includes complex, interlocking or overlapping letters, and sometimes cartoon-like characters and other images, all painted in bright colors.

"wildstyle" graffiti

SEPT 2

Early graffiti artists were commonly called "writers" or "taggers" (individuals who write simple "tags," or their stylized signatures, with the goal of tagging as many locations as possible.)

writers OR TAGGERS

SEPT 3

Soon after graffiti began appearing on city surfaces, subway cars and trains became major targets for New York City's early graffiti writers and taggers, as these vehicles traveled great distances, allowing the writer's name to be seen by a wider audience. The subway rapidly became the most popular place to write, with many graffiti artists looking down upon those who wrote on walls.

SUBWAY graffiti

SEPT 4

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, many graffiti writers began to shift away from text-based works to include imagery. Basquiat and Haring, both were key figures in capturing the aesthetic and sentiments of hip-hop and the sociopolitical issues plaguing the black and Latino communities and conveying it through their work, resulting in some of the more captivating and pivotal images of the decade, from Basquiat’s 1983 piece “Untitled (History of the Black People),” to Haring’s “Crack Is Wack” mural in Harlem.

Basquiat and Haring

SEPT 5

The term "graffiti" comes from the Greek "graphein," meaning "to scratch, draw, or write," and thus a broad definition of the term includes all forms of inscriptions on walls.

graffiti

SEPT 6

Director: Tony Silver Graffiti’s elemental pillar in Hip Hop’s foundation has been relinquished to an afterthought yet is still very present to the naked eye. The art is in the clothes we wear album covers we stream and buildings where the music is performed.

Style Wars (1983)

SEPT 7

Lady Pink’s career as a graffiti artist began when she was a teenager tagging her ex-boyfriend’s name on city walls after he was sent to live in Puerto Rico. Soon after, she fell in love with the thrill and the art. She snuck into subway and train yards to write her moniker “Lady Pink” in bold, colorful letters on the cars. This name was born from her love of historical romances, the Victorian period, the femininity associated with the color pink, and her affinity for the aesthetic look of the letters.

Lady Pink

SEPT 8

In 2001, at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, Lydia Yee and Franklin Sirmans curated a defining show, One Planet Under a Groove: Hip-Hop and Contemporary Art, which featured the work of Danny Simmons, the older brother to Run of RUN_DMC & Russell Simmons.

Danny Simmons

SEPT 17

Graffiti on subway cars began as crude, simple tags, but as tagging became increasingly popular, writers had to find new ways to make their names stand out. Over the next few years, new calligraphic styles were developed and tags turned into large, colorful, elaborate pieces, aided by the realization that different spray can nozzles (also referred to as "caps") from other household aerosol products (like oven cleaner) could be used on spray paint cans to create varying effects and line widths. It did not take long for the crude tags to grow in size, and to develop into artistic, colorful pieces that took up the length of entire subway cars.

Graffiti STYLES

SEPT 9

Influenced by hip-hop and street culture, Shepard Fairey’s OBEY campaign, which began in 1989, grew from a street sticker to a worldwide art campaign, blending graffiti aesthetics with politically charged art.

OBEY

SEPT 10

In the 1980s, the city of New York viewed graffiti's inherent vandalism as a major concern, and a massive amount of resources were poured into the graffiti "problem." The New York Police cracked down on writers, often following suspect youth as they left school, searching them for graffiti-related paraphernalia, staking out their houses, or gathering information from informants.

the graffiti "problem"

SEPT 11

Sean “Diddy” Combs made headlines with his history-making purchase of a painting by renowned artist Kerry James Marshall during a Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York, setting the mogul back $21.1 million. historically significant due to it being the most expensive piece by a living black artist to be sold to a buyer.

Sean “Diddy” Combs

SEPT 12

One of the first figures to help bring hip-hop and graffiti to the art gallery was Fab 5 Freddy, a streetwise graffiti writer with style, charm and gift of gab unique of its own. A member of the Brooklyn-based graffiti crew the Fabulous 5, in 1979, Fab 5 Freddy showcased his talents overseas in an exhibition in Rome.

Fab 5 Freddy

SEPT 13

Jay Z and Mark Romanek produced a video for his song, Picasso Baby, by staging a 2013 performance at the Pace Gallery that drew a who’s-who of the art (and hip-hop) world for a re-appropriation of conceptual artist Marina Abramovic’s The Artist Is Present at New York’s MoMA.

Picasso Baby

SEPT 14

Art-school dropout Kanye West’s collaborated with neo-expressionist painter George Condo for his 2010 My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album along with custom Birkin bags.

Kanye West

SEPT 15

In 1980, Fab 5 Freddy announced his aesthetic intentions by painting his famous Campbell’s Soup full-car subway train, making Warhol hip-hop as much as he was making himself pop.

Fab 5 Freddy

SEPT 16

Swizz Beatz, became an art collector after being introduced to Peter Max’s work during a boat cruise in 1999. he plays a crucial role in bridging hip hop and contemporary art by deejaying at art events, joining the board of the Brooklyn Museum, and launching his own art fair.

Swizz Beatz

SEPT 18

Jay-Z, who has regularly rapped about artists including Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, Pablo Picasso, and Jeff Koons, but filmed his Picasso Baby music video at the Pace Gallery in New York City as part of a six-hour performance.

Jay-Z

SEPT 19

Pharrell interviewed creatives in his 2015 YouTube series called “ARTST TLK”.

ARTST TLK

SEPT 20

Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton" integrates hip-hop with Broadway, proving the genre's versatility and appeal, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2016.

Hamilton

SEPT 21

Kendrick Lamar's 2017 album "DAMN." was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, marking the first time a non-classical, non-jazz work received the honor.

DAMN

SEPT 22

Released in 2016, "Lemonade" isn't just an album; it's also a visual masterpiece that tells a story through powerful imagery accompanying each track.

Lemonade

SEPT 23

For his 2010 album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," Kanye collaborated with contemporary artist George Condo for a series of paintings, one of which was used as the album's controversial cover. This collaboration bridges hip-hop and the contemporary art world.

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

SEPT 24

In 2012, a holographic projection of the late rapper Tupac Shakur performed alongside Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at the Coachella Valley Music Festival, showcasing a fusion of technology, performance art, and hip-hop.

Tupac Shakur

SEPT 25

Missy Elliott, with the help of director Dave Meyers, has been known for her avant-garde music videos. From the futuristic landscapes of "Sock It 2 Me" to the visual creativity in "Work It," her videos are a fusion of hip-hop with surreal and innovative visual art.

Missy Elliott

SEPT 26

Beyond his music, Tyler, The Creator has been known for his vivid and unique aesthetics, from his TV show "Loiter Squad" to his GOLF fashion line and elaborate music videos, each demonstrating hip-hop's reach into television, fashion, and cinematography.

Tyler, The Creator

SEPT 27

With tools like Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, artists are creating digital paintings and illustrations influenced by hip-hop culture. This digital art often finds its way to album covers, merchandise, and social media.

digital art

SEPT 28

Some hip-hop artists, like MF DOOM and Wu-Tang Clan, have drawn heavy inspiration from comic book culture. Their personas, album covers, and music videos sometimes echo the narratives of superheroes or villains, adding layers of storytelling to their work.

comic book culture

SEPT 29

Sneaker culture is massive within hip-hop. Customizing shoes, turning them into unique pieces of art, and even sneaker collaborations with artists show how footwear has become more than just about fashion—it's a form of self-expression.

Sneaker culture

SEPT 30