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50. Ja<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> New York\/Los Angeles<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1984-present<\/p>\nYou would think that a writer from the 80s couldn\u2019t make this list with just a throw-up, but Ja did. After kinging New York, he moved to Los Angeles and took that city by storm. He still hasn\u2019t stopped. Amazing.<\/p>\n
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49. Revs<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> early \u201980s-present<\/p>\nRevs is probably the biggest crossover writer from the subway movement to the street art movement, which is something he refuses to capitalize on. He began hitting subways in the early \u201980s and had a decent career. In the late 1980s he teamed up with his partner Cost to do a series of wheat-pasted messages throughout the city. If that wasn\u2019t enough, the duo began using bucket paint to roll their names from rooftops. When Cost retired, Revs decided to write his autobiography in every tunnel in the transit system; it\u2019s still an unfinished work. When he isn\u2019t working on his autobiography, Revs is soddering unique sculptures in the five boroughs. He\u2019s a legend.<\/p>\n
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48. Tats Cru<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> early \u201980s-present<\/p>\nTats Cru was formed as a subway writing crew in the early 1980s by Brim. Each member of the crew had style to spare, and they were a major presence on the IRT lines. When the subway movement ended, the group disbanded, with members reuniting occasionally to paint walls. In 1996 Tats Cru became an official company with Bg 183, Nicer, and Bio. They\u2019ve been paid well to paint murals around the world and are to the commercial mural world what Crash and Daze were to the fine art world. While making money is nice, Tats Cru is also an institution in the South Bronx, where they teach a class in painting and constantly give back to the community.<\/p>\n
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47. Cope 2<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1980-present<\/p>\nCope 2 has seemingly had three careers as a writer. He began on the trains in the early \u201980s, eventually kinging the 4 line. When graff moved from the trains to walls, Cope and his crew Kings Destroy did incredible murals. And finally, he has one of the most ubiquitous throw-ups around.<\/p>\n
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46. Ces<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1983-present<\/p>\nCes began hitting trains in 1983, staying on the showcase lines of the IRTs. As the wall movement began, Ces became a strong writer for the legendary FX crew. Through the crew he had entered the European scene and took full advantage of it, he continues to paint around the world and is co-owner of Tuff City in the Bronx.<\/p>\n
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45. Sane\/Smith<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan\/Queens<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1984-present<\/p>\nSane\/Smith were originally two brothers from Manhattan who made a conscious effort to get up in the most obscure spots in New York, as well as the most visible (like the Brooklyn Bridge). When Sane passed away, Smith kept the duo\u2019s name alive by painting both their names.<\/p>\n
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44. Lady Pink<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Queens<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1979-present<\/p>\nLady Pink had a decent subway career in the 1980s, but it\u2019s not what puts her on this list. Her murals of the 1990s are visually very distinct and usually involved fun imagery with camouflaged graffiti. Residents of the neighborhood loved them, and she was still getting up changing the thought process of a lot of emerging writers.<\/p>\n
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43. Sento<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1985-present<\/p>\nSento is another writer that hasn\u2019t stopped in almost 30 years. His whole-cars of the late \u201980s are legendary. After hooking up with Kase 2, Sento\u2019s style began to evolve, breaking away from traditional subway styles. He did walls, freights, and trains in Europe, helping establish a strong TFP presence in other countries.<\/p>\n
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42. Ket<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1986-present<\/p>\nKet\u2019s been painting for over a quarter of a century, rarely taking a break. His promotion of the graff movement via Stress<\/em> Magazine, and later Complex Media, has helped pushed the movement into uncharted territories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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41. Ven<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1984-1995<\/p>\nVen was famous in the late 1980s for two things: 1) He was known as the great communicator and brought together writers that normally wouldn\u2019t have met. He also hooked up a lot of old school writers with a chance to do one last train. 2) His war on the clean cars that ran through the 90s was something that put him at considerable risk and on the top of the Vandal Squad\u2019s most wanted list.<\/p>\n
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40. Reas<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1980-present<\/p>\nReas began writing in the early \u201980s and was going strong by 1985. He was highly respected as a character man as well as a stylist. In the late \u201980s he loosened his style up a little bit as he began hitting clean cars with Ven. He continues to paint around the world.<\/p>\n
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39. Crash and Daze<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Chill 2<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx\/Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1977-present<\/p>\nCrash and Daze were two great writers, famous for both style and characters. They make this list for being the first two writers to live the lives of professional artists \u2013 making money exclusively from their canvasses. It seems everybody has a chance to do it today, but back in 1980 when they began their gallery careers, the odds were stacked heavily against them.<\/p>\n
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38. Mitch 77<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Tue<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1975-1980<\/p>\nMitch 77 was the total package on the 4 line in the late \u201970s, crushing trains with burners and whole-cars and even the occasional throw-up.<\/p>\n
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37. Ghost<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Six-Pack<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Queens<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1980-present<\/p>\nThere are so many iconoclasts that didn\u2019t make this list, like Lsd-Om and Futura 2000, that it\u2019s nice to have someone on here who broke all the rules, which is what Ghost did. From 1980 to 1986 he painted in the style of the RTW writers, at the same time he was warring with them. After a quick break, he regrouped and threw out the style handbook. His pieces from 1987 to 1989 were sprawled across trains like an octopus thrashing about. From a strict composition point of view, they made no sense, but they worked. His throw-ups were just as radical, usually done sideways or upside down; they gave the illusion that they were flying by in the breeze. He continued to paint during the clean train movement and today paints globally.<\/p>\n
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36. T-Kid 170<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1977-present<\/p>\nT-Kid 170 is probably the last writer in the lineage of the TDS, TFP, and IND\u2019s stylemasters. He learned from such masters as Tracy 168 and Padre Dos in the 1970s and started evolving into his own style in the \u201980s. His ability to draw helped him immensely when he started competing with European writers through the \u201990s. He continues to paint around the world.<\/p>\n
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35. Doc TC5<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> Arab, Bagel<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1980-present<\/p>\nIf you ever wondered what would\u2019ve happened if Dondi had continued to paint into the 1980s, you need look no further. Doc was a stylemaster in the mold of Dondi and rarely wasted his time with anything else. When the subway movement ended in 1989, Doc continued to paint walls, where he\u2019s still a major presence.<\/p>\n
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34. Doze<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1979-1986<\/p>\nWhile not the most prolific writer on the trains, his influence in the graff community was deep. Doze was one of the major writers from Art and Design High School, where he handed out styles to anyone that asked. He\u2019s credited with inventing the Mugsy character, an iconic figure on the Broadway line.<\/p>\n
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33. Zephyr and Revolt<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> Gold, Heist, Chi 193<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1977-1985<\/p>\nZephyr and Revolt were two writers that emerged from the Bandshell scene of the \u201970s. They were writing partners that complimented each other well. While Zephyr was probably stronger in style, Revolt was a master at characters. When they finished on the trains, the two writers continued painting illegally and helped jumpstart the freight train movement.<\/p>\n
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32. Min<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Ne<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1977-1985<\/p>\nMin has been dubbed the unlikliest king of the city. When he started writing in 1977, he was so short that he took the name Miniature \u2013 Min for short. He learned at the hands of legendary RTW founder Bilrock, and when Bil quit the scene in 1980 (the only reason he\u2019s not on this list), he gave the crew to Min. Min did throw-ups on almost every line, and with Kel, he did a series of wildstyle top to bottoms from 1983-1985. He was finished by 1986.<\/p>\n
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31. Haze<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Se-3<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Manhattan<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1973-1984<\/p>\nHaze was definitely not the biggest bomber on this list, but it doesn\u2019t matter; his throw-ups were a work of beauty. His Se-3 is considered the gold standard for a throw-up. He\u2019s also responsible for bringing color to the throw-up which were usually done in bright silver.<\/p>\n
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30. Quik<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Queens<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1974-1986<\/p>\nQuik took the same route as Iz; both writers were up in the 70s, and they just kept going. He popularized the usage of doing a face in his first letter, something that is still seen around the world in the work of other writers. Like Iz, he did whole-cars and burners as well.<\/p>\n
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29. Iz<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Ike 357<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Queens<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1973-1989<\/p>\nIf you were a bomber in the 1970s and didn\u2019t make the list for that era, then the only way to do it was to keep going, and going, and going. He has arguably bombed more trains than any other writer with his ubiquitous throw-up.<\/p>\n
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28. Seen<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> Psycho, Apache<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1978-present<\/p>\nSeen did it all \u2013 perfect whole-cars, great throw-ups, window down burners, and beautifully rendered characters. He and his UA crew ruled the 6 line for a decade and took over other lines at will. Seen\u2019s Hands of Doom whole-car is one of the most iconic trains ever painted; it was done in 1980 and was known for its gradual fades. Seen continues to paint around the world.<\/p>\n
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27. Kyle and Jon 156<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> Harlem<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1980-1987<\/p>\nIt was difficult to top the whole-cars of the 1970s; it seemed like everything had been done, including an abstract car by Futura. This didn\u2019t stop Kyle and Jon from bringing their own unique take on what a whole-car should look like. Jon was a great stylist, and Kyle was an expert illustrator who sometimes took 10 hours to paint one character. As their works progressed, Jon began experimenting with abstract letters, sometimes throwing paint at a train. They were unique voices at a time when that was hard to find.<\/p>\n
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26. Noc 167<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Boy Five<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1976-1984<\/p>\nNoc 167 gets my vote as the greatest stylemaster. He was mentored in the mid-\u201970s by style greats Nic 707 and Stan 153 who encouraged his drawing ability, as well. During the late \u201970s, as Noc\u2019s reputation spread, he was offered free spraypaint by other writers who just wanted to see him paint. Two of his most famous cars are the Boy 5 whole car with Dondi and his Style Wars whole-car done in 1980.<\/p>\n
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25. Slave<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Ken<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1975-1980<\/p>\nWhen you think of TF5, you usually think of Lee and whole-car specialists; then there was Slave. He was a master at style and did many of his pieces with the letter A upside down. He reached his peak in 1977, and 1978 and was just as strong since the TDS writers were at their peak.<\/p>\n
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24. Kel 139<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1977-1984<\/p>\nKel 139 is one of those rare writers who\u2019s been involved with three major crews at a high level. In the late \u201970s, he left the elite IRT lines to join Dondi in Brooklyn, and the two writers spurred each other on. In 1979, he created Roc Stars, an elite style crew that would pull out window down burners on all 10 cars of whatever train they painted. They pulled off this feat numerous times. As that crew disintegrated, he moved on to become a pivotal member of RTW, helping to tighten up the style of the crew.<\/p>\n
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23. Dondi<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> Naco, Bus 129<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Brooklyn<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1976-1984<\/p>\nDondi was not unlike Kool 131 in that it was all about the outline. He also had great camouflage skills. Dondi would become one of the strongest writers to emerge from the Brooklyn scene. He did great whole-cars, blockbusters, and throw-ups, and he possessed a great tag, but his claim to fame was style. He worked with various writers, always making them stronger. He left the trains in the early \u201980s to enter the art world.<\/p>\n
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22. Kool 131<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> 2 Bad, Warm, Vega 2, Dobra 2, Boss<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Harlem<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1975-1984<\/p>\nKool 131 was a fan of Riff 170 and wrote as many names as possible to stretch the limits of style. What makes Kool\u2019s work unique are the clean fill-ins, which have very few camouflage elements. This was because he was color blind. If his outline didn\u2019t work, then it was over. Needless to say, Kool\u2019s outlines almost always worked.<\/p>\n
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21. Chain 3<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> Tee Bag 170, Word, Dr. Phibes, Ash, Pod, Peel<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1974-1983<\/p>\nChain 3 had so much style that he was a key member of two of the greatest style crews ever. He was a co-founder of TDS and helped paint some of their most popular cars. In 1978 he retired for a period before teaming up with TMT to challenge his old crew. In the 1980s he did some cars with other greats including Skeme and Dez.<\/p>\n
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20. Part<\/h2>\n
Aliases:<\/strong> 2 Worm, Fudge 357<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> Harlem<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1974-present<\/p>\nPart seems to have three different graffiti careers. He began as a stylist in 1974, gaining recognition on the 6 line. In October of 1976, he started to paint with TDS, making him one of the strongest stylists in graffiti. When he finished with the trains in the \u201980s, he moved seamlessly on to the walls of his beloved Harlem. Today, he paints around the world.<\/p>\n
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19. Comet<\/h2>\n
Neighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1971-1989<\/p>\nComet was Blade\u2019s partner, and like Blade, he had also painted 5,000 trains. A good portion of his arsenal was sheer-bombing with Comet throw-ups. He had a 5-letter name and a nice style; it was amazing that he could keep up let alone set the pace, as he frequently did.<\/p>\n
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18. Jester<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Dye 167<\/p>\nNeighborhood:<\/strong> The Bronx<\/p>\nYears Active:<\/strong> 1972-1977<\/p>\nThere were a lot of active throw-up specialists in the \u201970s. The ones that made this list had to bring something else to the table, and for Jester it was style. He had pretty much done everything else in writing by 1975, and he was highly competitive; the throw-up became the next step for him, hitting all lines with his Dye 167s or DY 167 bubble letters until his retirement in 1977.<\/p>\n
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17. In<\/h2>\n
Alias:<\/strong> Kill 3<\/p>\n
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