Rags to Riches: How the Rise of Graffiti Has Mimicked its Artists On Saturday Night Live in 1997, then-mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani declared “we’ve gotten [graffiti] off our subways, but there are still idiots out there trying to turn our streets into an eyesore! (McKay)” Now, almost twenty years later, an original piece of iconic street artist Banksy’s work sells for as much as $1.7 million (Randal). Each of Banksy’s most valued pieces was undervalued by hundreds of thousands of dollars. The unconventional value in each piece has been embraced by people all over the world, leaving traditional art in the dust. Historically, graffiti was made famous by Taki 183 in the infamous neighborhood of Washington Heights. After he attained notoriety,
“Kids all over New York, realizing the fame and notoriety that could be gained from "tagging" their names on subway cars (that traveled …show more content…
Police departments in cities blamed gangs for this explosion, and Los Angeles reported an eight percent increase in homicides from 1991 to 1992 (Hubler). With motivation behind gang life being wildly misunderstood for decades, anything with a connotation has adopted a so-called “bad reputation”. Everything from tattoos to skin color has fallen victim to the stigma and ignorance surrounding gangs. Like graffiti, rap was born in the inner city and crafted by self-professed former gang members. Legends like Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls spun rhymes recounting the racial injustice and violence black people suffered in neighborhoods like the South Side of Chicago, Brooklyn, and South Central L.A. This art form highlighted the psychological and emotional effects of living in a constant combat zone. In Shakur’s “Life Goes On,” he laments for the lives of his lost brothers, who died young due to violent crime. In the first verse, Tupac raps: “How many brothas fell victim to tha
“Kids all over New York, realizing the fame and notoriety that could be gained from "tagging" their names on subway cars (that traveled …show more content…
Police departments in cities blamed gangs for this explosion, and Los Angeles reported an eight percent increase in homicides from 1991 to 1992 (Hubler). With motivation behind gang life being wildly misunderstood for decades, anything with a connotation has adopted a so-called “bad reputation”. Everything from tattoos to skin color has fallen victim to the stigma and ignorance surrounding gangs. Like graffiti, rap was born in the inner city and crafted by self-professed former gang members. Legends like Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls spun rhymes recounting the racial injustice and violence black people suffered in neighborhoods like the South Side of Chicago, Brooklyn, and South Central L.A. This art form highlighted the psychological and emotional effects of living in a constant combat zone. In Shakur’s “Life Goes On,” he laments for the lives of his lost brothers, who died young due to violent crime. In the first verse, Tupac raps: “How many brothas fell victim to tha