INTERVIEW BY HECKSTAR

HECK: WHAT DO YOU WRITE AND HOW DID YOU GET YOUR NAME/TAG?

SYE: SYE. I ACTUALLY TOOK THE NAME FROM A KID IN MY NEIGHBOORHOOD WHO COULDN'T ROCK THE NAME. BESIDES, HE WAS USING IT AS AN ALIAS AND AT THAT TIME NO ONE WAS WRITING THAT NAME.

HECK: WHAT CREWS DO YOU PUSH?

SYE: I PUSH TC5 AND FC. TPA IS MY ORIGINAL FAM AND ALWAYS WILL BE. EVEN THOUGH I DON'T PUSH TPA LIKE BEFORE, I WILL ALWAYS BE KNOWN AS SYE.TPA

HECK: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING?

SYE: 1980

HECK: WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD DID YOU START WRITING IN?

SYE: I GREW UP IN QUEENS.

HECK: WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE HOOD?

SYE: THE CREW...TPA. THE SIMPLICITY OF LIFE AND THAT The Crew…TPA. The simplicity of life AND THAT WHOLE TIME PERIOD IN THE GRAFFITI CULTURE.

HECK: WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE FIRST TIME YOU DID YOUR FIRST FILLIN, BURNER, OR PEICE?

SYE: I REMEMBER DOING MY FIRST PIECE IN 176 PARK ON A HANDBALL COURT. IT WAS SILVER AND IT WAS BITTER WACK.

HECK: WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEGEND IN YOUR EYES?

SYE: A WRITER THAT WAS ALL CITY (ON THE TRAINS). A WRITER THAT DID THE INSIDES AS WELL AS OUTSIDES. ONE WHO CREATED STYLE AND OTHERS EMULATED.

HECK: WOULD YOU SAY YOU GOT INTO GRAFF FOR THE FAME, RESPECT OR SENSE OF SELF-ACHIEVEMENT?

SYE: EVERY WRITER GETS INTO THE CULTURE FOR ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BUT MY INTITIAL INVOLVEMENT WAS BECAUSE I WAS FASCINATED WITH THE ART FORM: THE MANIPULATION OF LETTERS. I WAS NEVER A BOMBER. I ALWAYS ENJOYED PIECING.

HECK: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO MAKE PEOPLE RESPECT GRAFF AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU?

SYE: TO SEE IT FOR MORE THAN WHAT IT'S PERCEIVED TO BE - VANDALISM. LOOK AT THE ARTISTIC FORM, THE IMAGINATION AND ABILITY TO CONVEY IDEAS OR MESSAGES.

HECK: WHO WOULD YOU SAY INFLUENCED YOU TO START BOMBING?

SYE: MY YOUNGER BROTHER INITIALLY PEEKED MY INTEREST, BUT TAKING NOTE OF GUYS LIKE BABY168, 0E3...HOW I WOULD SEE THEIR NAMES ALMOST EVERYWHERE WHEN I WOULD RIDE THE TRAIN TO SCHOOL. I WOULD WATCH THE J LINES THAT USED TO RUN ELEVATED ON JAMAICA AVE...I REMEMBER SEEING CATS LIKE BOLT, JAMES.TOP, ETC.

HECK: HOW DID YOU LEARN TO WRITE?

SYE: I COULD ALWAYS DRAW, BUT YOU LEARN TO WRITE FROM YOUR MENTORS AND FROM BEING COGNIZANT OF YOUR GRAFFITI SURROUNDINGS. I CAN'T SAY THERE WAS ONE SPECIFIC PERSON THAT TAUGHT ME. YOU LEARN, PICK UP DIFFERENT TIPS, TRICKS WHEN YOU PIECE WITH OTHER HEADS.

HECK: HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PAINT? ANY FUNNY RACKING MISSIONS?

SYE: RACKED IT...WHO DIDN'T?

HECK: ANY FUNNY STORIES?

SYE: I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN WE, TPA, WERE GOING AT WITH RTW. WE WENT TO KEY LAY-UPS TO MAXIMIZE OUR BOMBING EFFORTS. ONE NIGHT, WE DECIDE TO GO TO FORT HAMILTON, BECAUSE IT WAS A MULTI-LEVEL LAY-UP, TO KING THE DING DONGS. EVERYONE HAD MAD BAGS OF PAINT. NOW TO GET TO THE LAY-UP I REMEMBER WE HAD TO RUN DOWN THE TRACKS FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE A MILE. I REMEMBER GETTING MAYBE HALF WAY THERE AND I TRIPPED AND FELL. I GOT UP AND CONTINUED RUNNING UNTILL I GOT TO THE LAY-UP. SUDDENLY, I REALIZED THAT WHEN I FELL, I CUT MY HAND OPEN...MY WRITING HAND. I HAD DEEP GASHES DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MY FINGERS. IT WAS BLEEDING PROFUSELY AND WAS FULL OF GRAVEL AND DEBRIS. I REMEMBER SAYING THAT I WAS HURT AND CER TURNED AND LOOKED AT MY HAND AND SAID, "THAT SHIT AINT NOTHING!" I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. I COULDN'T CLOSE MY HAND AND HE WAS LIKE, "COME ON. WE GOTTA PUT IT ON THEM CATS!". SLOAN WAS LIKE, "YO, YOU SHOULD GO..I'LL GO BACK WITH YOU." I COULD SEE THE DISGUST IN CER'S FACE, BUT I HAD TO LEAVE. I WAS IN TOO MUCH PAIN.

HECK: BEEF: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? ANYTHING YOU WANT TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST?

SYE: GROWING UP, IT WAS PART OF THE CULTURE , BUT NOW AS A GROWN MAN, IT'S LAUGHABLE BUT YOU STILL HAVE CATS WHO GET REAL SENSITIVE WHEN YOU DON'T AGREE WITH THEIR THINKING OR WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM IT BECAUSE FOR ME, AT THIS AGE, GRAFF IS A WAY TO RELAX FROM THE NORMAL PRESSURES AND STRESS OF LIFE.

HECK: WHAT ADVISE WOULD YOU GIVE TO WRITERS OUT THERE?

SYE: IF YOU PIECE, LEARN LETTER STRUCTURE. LEARN THE COLOR WHEEL. KNOW THE HISTORY...KNOW THAT YOU MAY NOT BE THE ORIGINAL "WHOEVER". IF YOU DECIDE TO USE A NAME THAT HAS BEEN USED BEFORE, (WHICH YOU SHOULDN'T), PUT A NUMBER ON IT.

HECK: HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER YOU BY?

SYE: JUST THAT I WAS VERSATILE WITH MY PIECING AND COULD ADAPT TO WHOMEVER I PAINTED WITH.

HECK: SHOUT OUTS?

SYE: SHOUT OUTS TO CER, DEMO, LUST, KAP, PW, SLOAN, ADAM, CEY, EZO, BREAK, SPICER, ABBY, 2NICE, SOFINE… SHOUTS TO MY TC5 AND FC FAM.

Thanks for taking time to check out the site. Here you will find pics of names you know and names you don't. I just want to thank all those who have sent in pictures, and played a key role in contributing to the site. Hope you enjoy it!