Stuff You Should Know Graffiti: So Cool It’s A Pillar of Hip Hop
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Nov 20, 2025 Explore the vibrant world of graffiti, where NYC kids pushed artistic boundaries with spray cans. Discover the evolution from subway art to iconic tagging styles that define hip-hop culture. Learn about early pioneers like Cornbread and how tagging became a mark of identity. Dive into the impact of influential documentaries and the legal challenges faced by artists. Hear about the transition of street art into galleries and the modern artists fighting against co-opting. This colorful journey through graffiti reveals its undeniable essence in urban expression.
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Graffiti's Diverse Origins
- Graffiti in the U.S. evolved from multiple earlier traditions including Mexican muralism and Chicano public art.
- Spray paint and markers later merged those influences into modern tag and style culture.
Cornbread's Early Tagging Stunt
- Daryl McRae, aka Cornbread, began tagging in Philadelphia in 1965 and expanded his nickname across the city after juvie.
- He famously ran along bus routes to show his tag to a crush and helped popularize name-based graffiti.
Graffiti Scales With Skill
- Graffiti categories progress by complexity: tags, throw-ups, and pieces, each requiring more time and skill.
- Pieces can take days or months and often involve crews, unlike quick tags done in under a minute.
