“I don’t believe that my graffiti is an art form. My graffiti is vandalism.”
An interesting profile by VICE on Miami’s MSG Cartel – Miami Style Gods. Founded in the early 90s, the graffiti crew has put their stamp on Miami’s streets, billboard, heavens, abandos, and wherever else they feel like writing their names. Just raw graffiti shit, up high and down low.
MSG founder; CROME, and crew members; ESON, TOUCH, and ABUSE, share their history as graffiti writers in Miami, and discuss the addictive nature and risk of painting illegally, and how far they’re willing to go to get their names up.
“The rest of the world is just gone.”
Juxtaposed with primetime news coverage of the crew’s aftermath, live-action footage, and interviews, they touch on motivation; “I just like writing on other people’s shit”, and getting over on the system; “You can get away with just about anything if you play your cards right.”
They also compare how graffiti has changed over the years, touching on the acceptance of graffiti in gentrified neighbourhoods like Wynwood, and how this process has also changed what they can get away with – being able to paint any wall they want in Wynwood, at any time, without being harassed.
“It started as just a bunch of people trying to be infamous and create some dope shit.”
“It’s become a lot more acceptable.”
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