Modern graffiti is a
rebellious art form which was especially
popular in the
US during the
1980's. Graffiti is usually a
colorful
spray painting which is rendered on the sides of
buildings,
bridges,
handball courts, or other public
structures. Also known as "writing" or "tagging", graffiti is often associated with the
origins of
hip-hop music and the
boroughs of
New York City. Because graffiti is considered by most
authorities to be
vandalism, its
practitioners often worked quickly at night, and they signed their work with
pseudonyms. Another way writers avoided
prosecution was by adopting particular styles of writing which are difficult to read with an
untrained eye. These styles are often so distinct that they can identify the origin of the artist.
Brooklyn Style, for example, often has
arrowheads at the endstrokes of letters which emerge outward from the grafitti in many directions.
The following are a list of slang terms used by writers:
Wak: substandard or incorrect
Generic: synonymous with wak
Buff: To remove graffiti
Tag: the signature part of the graffiti
Burn: to beat the competition at writing
Def: really good. (synonymous with fresh)
Rad: the best
Toy: an inexperienced writer
Bite: to copy another's style
Up: a prominent writer