Issue Two - Cover Artist

NATRL RSN GL

Four G's: What do you write and what crews do you rep?

Natrl: I write NATRL. I represent RSN (RSEN’S CREW!!), GRAFF LIFE, MDK (Murder Death Kill), UM (Under Madness)

Four G's: Where are you from and how long have you been writing?

I’m from Bay area. I’ve been writing since 91’.

Four G's: How’d you get into graffiti?

Natrl: I got into graffiti when I was 10 years old, I was a skateboarder. Benicia had one of the only skate parks around and right next door was a Taco Bell, and I got caught tagging in the bathroom by one of the workers. I thought it was a wrap. He said, “you like this shit right there.” He pointed to a fat cap RSEN tag with ill flairs (fat on top, thin on bottom) and I said, “that’s the shit.” He smiled and said, “that’s me.” RSEN took me under his wing, taking me to the train yard. I painted at the train yard all night, and that shit goes and travels where other writers in other cities would see it. That was a whole new thing for me. I could feel more comfortable painting a train than I could on the freeway. He was telling me that I got to do pieces, characters, breaking down the whole game, markers, what this cap does. I didn’t know shit; I was just a kid with a marker.

RSEN was soo raw but no one ever knew about him. Everyone in GRAFF LIFE he brought up. We wouldn’t be who we are without the man.

Four G's: When did you get involved with GRAFF LIFE and what are they all about?

Natrl: Well it’s a small circle of friends I grew up with. We’re all cats from small towns, normal ass kids that were into skateboarding. GL didn’t get fully developed until like 95’ for half the crew. It was already established since the eighties, but the original members were TACH and RSEN who started it.

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To read the rest of this interview with NATRL pick up Four G's Magazine - Issue Two here.

NATRL's Myspace

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Montana Colors

"Graffiti for Passion"

The first spray can designed with Graffiti Writers in mind, was developed in 1994 in Barcelona, Spain. By a young sales manager of Felton Spray, a top selling spray paint company. Jordi Rubio had a vision to create a spray paint can that produced clean lines, with good pressure, and excellent coverage. After presenting his idea to Felton and getting shut down he decided to leave. With the help of workmate Miquel Galea and graffiti artists Kapi and Moockie, Montana Colors was born. Together they created the top quality spray paint inside 200 ml cans, in 60 varieties of colors, at a low price for customers, and began distributing to several European countries.

In 1996 Montana Colors introduced a new 400 ml can called, “Montana Hardcore!”  The product has a powerful fast valve, a glossy color range and unmatched coverage. In 1997 Montana Colors designed and patented the Donut, a special ring that encloses the valve and recognizes spray paint color. The Donut has inspired many competitors to try to recreate the innovation. Their success and distribution grew to the global market, and other spray paint manufactures started to realize that Montana Colors was force to be reckoned with. Jealously from these other manufactures brought on an unnecessary war. In 2000, after failing in their attempt to buy Montana Colors, a German competitor concocted a strategy, to plagiarize Montana’s products. This resulted in many legal fees used to defend their name, unpaid invoices left by clients who switched to the competitor and disastrous debt for Montana Colors.  To make matters worse a magazine reported that Montana produced dangerous paint, again forcing the company to defend their honor and reclaim their reputation.

In the middle of this unethical war, tragedy struck the Montana Colors factory in Vacarisses. In June 2002 a static electric accident caused a scary fire that destroyed the factory. Luckily there were no victims, but with no production and no money, they feared they would be forced to close.

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To read the rest of this article about Montana Colors pick up Four G's Magazine - Issue Two here, including more talk about the "Nitro 2G" and the newest "94" spray cans.

(Photos by: Andy Souza)

Montana Colors

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Your boy big TOPR

The key to any good rap song is simply to keep it real. True rap artists are recognized for their hardships and what they’ve done to overcome them and those that don’t tell a legit story lose ground quickly. Authenticity is commendable and San Francisco rapper and graffiti artist, TOPR is definitely genuine. He is the epitome of what you see is what you get – raw and honest.

By Adrienne Smith

TOPR left his family for the streets of his hometown (Santa Cruz, California) at the age of 15. The intellectual artist made friends quickly with college students, who offered him a couch to sleep on and Top Ramen to eat. The college dinner essential soon became his nickname and one night, while frying on acid, he came to the realization that he wanted a change. He needed a new tag and thought, “Top Ramen” would be a fitting choice for both paint and music. “I always just thought it was really funny, so I started writing it and picked it up as my rap name. Now that I am more successful and haven’t eaten it in 10 or 15 years, I have shortened it to TOPR.”

Growing up with an older god-brother who was a B-boy, TOPR was introduced to hip-hop at a young age. He took an interest in the music and culture associated with it, encompassing both rap and graffiti. “I’ve been rapping since 88. I was 12 years old. I am almost 32 now, so that’s more than half my life – almost 3 times my life. Whenever you do something longer than you haven’t done it, it becomes second nature.”

A natural he is. Influenced by what he refers to as, “the golden age of rap music” and the likes of early Def Jam, Lord Finesse, and KRS One, combined with inspiration from battle rap and standup comedy, TOPR emerged as an underground rap legend. His classic style, mixed with original beats and true lyrics, has led him to the completion of five very distinct albums.
TOPR moved to San Francisco in 1993, where he dedicated all of his free time to battle circles and graffiti. He took up painting with the crew LORDS, in the city, and throughout Marin and Sonoma counties.

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To read the rest of this article about TOPR pick up Four G's Magazine - Issue Two here, including more talk about the his future album L. Ron Hustler.

(Photos by: Gretchen Robinette)

TOPR's myspace

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Daat

Santa Rosa Tattoo

Santa Rosa is a crazy city an hour north of San Francisco. It is a mix of Bikers and Cowboys, Cholos and Hippies. It is also the home of Santa Rosa Tattoo, now run by Daat and his crew: Scott and apprentice shop mule Sean. Daat is kind of a tornado, talking on his phone, reading a magazine, refurbishing gumball machines from the 1950’s and barbecuing in the side yard, while getting ready for a client. When he settles into work though he works with amazing precision and delicate touch, leaving his clients with fine lines and a bit of entertainment as well.

Daat made a name for himself with his script lettering. The letter control learned from graffiti made it the most natural thing for him to excel at. “I had to take script out of my portfolio for the most part. I didn’t want to be defined by it.” While in the middle of a tattoo of cherry blossoms on the forearm of a beautiful young lady who kept checking his progress saying how amazing it was turning out, he leaned back and said, “I just like to draw. Fine line traditional stuff is my favorite,” and then leaned in for another line.

Growing up Daat was influenced mainly by graffiti. His older brother who wrote graffiti and a writer friend of his, “Sha” who was the first big writer he met. Later he met Quake from Lords Crew who helped and supported Daat in his formative years of graffiti. Quake has guided and supported more than a couple generations of graffiti artists in the North Bay.

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To read the rest of this story about Daat pick up Four G's Magazine - Issue Two here.

(Story by: Kelton Wolfe)

Santa Rosa Tattoo's Myspace

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