The Graffiti Hall of Fame
One of El Barrio’s most notable sights was given its flowers this past weekend. On Saturday, August 24, 106th Street and Park Avenue was named Graffiti Hall of Fame Way. Since the late 1970s, The Graffiti Hall of Fame has been a pillar of Hip Hop culture and the East Harlem community. Inside the Jackie Robinson Middle School’s playground, artists from around the world come to showcase their skills and share painting techniques yearly. During the 1970s local kids would go to the schoolyard to paint or get up. It wasn’t until 1981, that a community activist named Ray “Sting Ray” Rodriguez was permitted to legally allow artists to paint on the walls inside the schoolyard. Pioneers like Part One, Lava 1&2, and others began to paint on the playground walls in the early 1970’s. The tradition continued in the early 1980s by artists Dez, Vulcan, Jean13, Skeme, and Daze, to name a few. These artists would inspire the next generation of Graffiti Artists like myself.
The day was celebrated by Hip Hop’s most recognized Kings like Tats Crew, Part One, Shame 125, Serve, Soze, Cortes Creates, Taste One, Delta, Daze, Crash, and Skeme who were some of many that painted on the Hall of Fames walls. The Art Cube Project had ten canvas-covered cubes for registered artists to paint and show off their skills. Artists who participated were Shiro, Cope 2, Hip Hop Is My Religion, Martha Leica, Jaek, Rozone, Mace, Orios Designs, and many others.
DJ’s Grand Wizard Theodore, Large Professor, DJ Enuff, DJ Taj, DP One, and Ted Smooth were in the mix, to name a few. Inspirational Hip Hop pioneers were in attendance like Martha Cooper, Mare 139, Charlie Ahearn, and Jorge “Fabel” Pabon were speakers during the street naming ceremony. Breakdancers Dynamic Rockers and Mod Squad battled while others participated. The breaking event was hosted by renowned breakdancers Rokafella & Kwikstep. The event was hosted by GHOF organizer Sharif Profit, Art Cube Project, Snipes, Diana Ayala, Vitamin Water, Tag Colors, On The Run, Sprayground, and Coca-Cola. I was honored to be a participating artist in this year’s Graffiti Hall of Fame anniversary as it was my first time in many years painting inside this world-renowned Graffiti Mecca.
– Oliver Rios
