>I can't believe that you met futura. i read his book, studied
>his influences.

Looking back it was weird. I was in this country city (Louisville) and he was "on tour", going from city to city doing some community/school projects with kids like me. I do remember I was very excited. I was starting to listen to rap music, breaking was almost out of style (for a minute) and out of nowhere came Futura, wearing the fresh hip-hop gear. He took off his fuzzy coat, rolled up his sleeves and showed us how to apply the spray paint (using different sized caps).

>it seems like graff artists deserve something in
>return. the politics that exist within the community of who's
>selling out to the system, who deserves to be a king and so
>on, are all trivial.

I guess it just depends on where you stand as far as a position. Some of these older folks (and some of the younger ones) were/are very political. In NYC it was the artist against Koch (Mayor) and the city authorities. There is a rebellious, anti-authority theme in many of the earlier works that would be out of place in some public areas. Keith Haring was probably the one who first brought graffiti into the commercial art spotlight. I remember passing by his "Crack is Whack" mural all the time when I worked in East Harlem. In a way that was a community piece. There were walls like that all over Harlem at some point.

>i don't blame the artists that
>work for the companies.

Yeah but I am talking about the Absoluts, the companies that bring in a stable of artists, even promote these artists' work via print or web site...as long as their product is featured prominently. It's not really about graphic design. These companies as well as the galleries throughout Europe and the rest of the world paid graff artists well over the years...and many of them got good/free promotion.

>and maybe they're the ones who have
>to say, "i did this for you, now you've got to give back to
>the community that got me here." thanks nettrice...still can't
>believe you met futura.

No problem. This got me reminiscing...Futura and other artists really made an effort to give back in those days (to kids like me). Maybe this is a chance for the younger generation.