ALONE ONE's blog - AloneOne.com

NYC/ Brooklyn Gang Graffiti

aloneone — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:00:07 +0000

After aborting my Los Angeles relocation a few years ago, I thought along with the gang driven drive-by shootings and talk of “colors”, I’d also be leaving the accompanying graffiti. Well, maybe not so quick. Seems that New York has been getting its fair share of gang turf wars as evident on the streets of Brooklyn…

Filed under: Graffiti, Photography Tagged: Bloods, Brooklyn, Crips, Gang Graffiti, Gangs, Graffiti, New York, New York City, NYC

And You Wonder Why I’m Motherfuckin STRESSED??

aloneone — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:38:25 +0000

…more free drawing paper.

Filed under: Art, Photography, Politics, Ramblings Tagged: -Fuck, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Art, Free Drawing Paper

LOCKED zine preview

aloneone — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:00:55 +0000

Oh yeah.. some preview pics from the “LOCKED” zine…

OKTO

CAYPE

LOST

SMEAR

KURSE

GRINS

POSTERBOY

ALONE

There’s still some copies left. Grab one here.

Filed under: Uncategorized

“Everything …but the Girl”

aloneone — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:00:57 +0000

“Everything but …the Girl.”
pen on free paper
2011

Filed under: Art Tagged: 2011, Alone, Alone1, AloneOne, Art, Artwork, Drawings

“Becoming A Writer” by Harlan Ellison

aloneone — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:11:58 +0000

“Becoming a writer is easy. Staying a writer is hard” – Harlan Ellison

..funny how a lot of these quotes by different writers about writer’s can easily be read into by other writers.

Filed under: Inspiration, Uncategorized Tagged: Graffiti, Harlan Ellison, Quotes, Writers

X-MEN Boston, late 1980′s – early 1990′s

aloneone — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:41:58 +0000

OK, first off I have to say this is barely an original post, all the pics are stolen off the internet along with the Dash history lesson, but the influence that Boston X-MEN had on my graffiti beginnings can’t be stated enough. Early to mid eighties, Boston’s elevated MBTA orange line was the center of graffiti. Looking out the windows at the cityscapes and the beautiful rooftop murals and signatures made a huge impression on me. When the el was taken down in 1989 focus turned to the streets. And from Egleston Square to Forest Hills up to Roslindale Square… it was all X-MEN…

a classic “X-MEN” blockbuster by MK. Not sure where this one was. There was one of these on a fire escape facing Egleston Sq in 89-90. It was a landmark spot. A very official “Welcome to Egleston: this is X-MEN territory!”

“SCENE” wasn’t X-MEN, but the “DASH” under SCENE’s “S” was. And this photo really brings back memories. After the orange line moved from it’s elevated Washington Street location to it’s present trench location, Amory and Lamartine streets became the new Washington Street in a way. This building was on Lamartine between Paul Gore and Wyman Streets. I would pass this on the regular going to see my first girlfriend on Sheridan St, so of course this time was quite impressionable. When this building was removed in the early 90′s for some new condos (a sign of times to come), it really was a nail in the coffin for an amazing era in Boston graffiti and my youth.

“MK” and “RICH3″ at the top of the bleachers at English High School, home to many a writer’s meatings. Probably 1990. Well visible from Washington Street and Williams Street when cutting over to Amory Street. Great Spot.
great hand styles by WISDOM (X-MEN TUF).

“ARCH” between Jackson Square and Roxbury Crossing, probably 1990.

“RICH” throw-up.

“MKAY” (MK) at Jamaica Plain High School, before it changed to English High School in 1989. Another classic location.

Unfortunately I can’t find the 2 MOST influential X-MEN pieces to me (Anyone has them, PLEASE send em over! (That means you BYG!)). The first was the “X-MEN” in all blues at the Forest Hills wall, 1989/1990, done by MK (and probably others, Romeo? Rich?). The second was the “ROMEO RICH” at the same wall, same time, bubble letters with a fresh yellow/green fill and (I believe) red outline and these RIDICULOUS shines. Oooh! The first time I went up to that wall in person I knew if I wanted to do graffiti, especially in Jamaica Plain, I better make that shit dope. X-MEN had seriously set some high standards.

Here’s a quick history lesson taken from BostonGraffitiGhosts.com…

from DASH – X-MEN (taken out of the middle of a conversation):

“with all respect i would like to clearly say…BACK then as GMC, or XMEN, or PAL, or DF we never opened the doors for nobody to join us..u have to live on the same block or one of us had to bring u in.. and rarely ever did that.. i dont rec…all every knowing a person Remote in Boston in JP…There are many X-Men crews in graf, bboying, MC’s etc etc.. HipHop is officially world wide and allot of history is getting mixed.
The clear Venom to the Story of How X Men migrated to JP.. is one of the most simplest, kinda boring.. but i am a official witness..so here i will say only what my eyes and ears have saw & witnessed..
**ME,LEFTY,FLEX,CHAP started a crew in JP called GMC Ground Master Crew.. in JP Washington st. Egleston sq.. we had all MC’s, BBoys, BGIrls, Writers, graffers, DJ’s..
**JP was a one of those neighborhoods that every summer you will meet someone new and most of the time new cats were from NYC, CT, MIA..
1981 we started bboying in JP…after the bboy life died down a little bit..MEANING that we battled every crew and there was nothing left, crews were breaking up, some peeps stopped dancing etc.
1975 CHAP moved to JP from NYC L.E.S
1979′s SEN2 moved to JP from NYC
1982 around that time ANOMIC moves to JP from Bridgport, CT
1983..a bboy/graffer named MKay moved to JP..
1984 Sandman moved here from Miami
MK comes from Bridgeport CT.. the BX backyard…living between CT & BKLyn.. he has met, went bombing and knows official real XMEN graffers..he has full permission to honor and carry the name..
MK..& I became tight- so i introduced him to chap & sen.. anomic is mk 2nd cousin..they have fam that are related..i already knew and was tight w anomic so it was easy to allow MK to chill w us and rep..

GMC crew went and started a new chapter w FLOORLORDS we are the original Floorlords2 members.. GRAFFING GOT big and so did our neighborhood EVERYBODY wanted to be down..so GMC got bigger and we kept our graff circle mad small.. only 7 to 8 fam members only.
LarryLove & SEn2 are cousins.
MK & Anomic are cousins.
CHAP..Sandman..Daze- Dash & Lefty are brothers.
as we got older we are now around 13-17 years old so all of our friends were hanging out and watching us bomb..MK puts up his signature tag and ends w xmen.. so of course if your fam or a friend u will rep the same.. XMEN is now just begining to be a bunch of family niggas from the same block..dancing dies down.,,GRAFFING picks up..
w the crack taking over so does the crime and now our family friends that live on our block are getting arrested left n right.. so the name XMEN goes into a negative vibe.. cus the Police wants to label everything..SO not to take away from THE ORIGINAL XMEN in NYC..
but basically the seeds they left behind grow and move on and thats how the name carries on.. our own friends and fam.. our own neighbors that we grew up.. dancing, graffing, and we had nothing left and went bombing we we would carry on XMEN..
xMEN block buster above was done by MK.

i think that helps.. but if u have any Q’s hit me up.. Peace.. UNO”

Filed under: Graffiti, Inspiration Tagged: Boston, Graffiti, Inspiration, Jamaica Plain, Old-School, X-MEN

FIGHT BACK.

aloneone — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:00:08 +0000

Pretty cool that we now have all these fancy video camera/cell phones to capture a fraction of the oppression served to us from our authorities. But what I like to see more than the video “evidence” is people just FIGHTING BACK…

Filed under: Politics, Ramblings, YouTube Tagged: FIGHT BACK, police brutality

“Locked” zine out now

aloneone — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:00:59 +0000

Featuring the art of graffiti and street artists while they are locked in the system from 1996–2011.

8.5″ x 5.5″
2o+ full color pages stapled with a thick cover.
Each issue is signed and numbered by Alone One in a limited edition of 100.

Contributing Artists:
Alone One
Caype
Grins
Kurse
Lost
Okto
PosterBoy
Smear

Grab a copy at one of these locations in Boston, NYC, or Los Angeles or directly online over at AloneArt.com…

Or get one here by making a $10 donation*. Free shipping (include your address in the Paypal comments/notes).

*All of the proceeds go directly to the contributing artists’ defense lawyers and commissaries. These crazy graffiti writers lifestyles require legal funds. So support the cause and get a great collection of art at the same time. Any size donations appreciated, larger donations get larger thank yous! So (speaking for all of us) thanks in advance for your support.

Filed under: Art Tagged: 2011, 5AV, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Caype, commissary, DFM, EOS, Freedom, Graffiti, graffiti art, Grins, Held Down, jail, jail art, KBN, Kurse, Locked, Locked zine, Lost, martyrs, MTS, OD, Okto, prison, prison art, Street Art, Zines

PosterBoy and Aakash Nihalani (Street Art Co-existing With Graffiti)

aloneone — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:00:02 +0000

If street artists want to co-exist and be accepted by the graffiti world, there’s an old graffiti rule that they should understand. “DO NOT GO OVER OTHER PEOPLE.” ESPECIALLY if it’s bigger, better, or old. Sure those tags and those filled in “throw up” letters DO make a nice looking background to your street art. But that graffiti was there FIRST. It might not seem like much, but those letters were done on the spot with risk of arrest, possibly by someone from another city/country , a king, or even a RIPed writer’s last artifact. Undoubtedly potential historic pieces in the graffiti world. You CAN NOT go over them. Go BEHIND them? Hmm.. Maaaybe? ..If it’s done respectfully. This is a pic I took in Bushwick back in 2009..

Posterboy and Aakash Nihalani playin by the rules.

“Give respect, Get respect.”

Filed under: Art, Graffiti, Inspiration, Photography, Ramblings Tagged: 2009, Aakash Nihalani, Bushwick, Graffiti, Graffiti vs. Street Art, New York, New York City, NYC, Photography, Poster Boy, Posterboy, Street Art, Streets

“Silver Lining”

aloneone — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 12:45:28 +0000

“Silver Lining”
oil on canvas
12″ x 36″ x 1 1/4″

Shown at HOURGLASS‘s art show “Royal Flush”…

…every cloud has one.

Filed under: Art Tagged: 2011, Alone, Alone One, Alone1, AloneOne, Art, Fine Art, Oils, Paintings, Silver Lining