215HIPHOP.COM ~ Philly Hip Hop » First Element

July 2008
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First Element - Interview with Credit XTC

Posted by TZR in Interviews

The city of Philadelphia has a deeply rooted history regarding the looked down upon medium of Graffiti. In order to begin to understand parts of that history I decided to speak to a person that was part of a very instrumental era of Philadelphia graffiti, the early 80’s. Credit XTC.

Interview by digs darklighter

DD: If you had to paint a description of the early days of Philadelphia graffiti. What would it look like?

Credit XTC: First off I broke out at the end of 1979 beginning of 1980. Jay Cee KCD a friend of my brother moved into my house he was still writing even though KCD was just about dead. Two years prior around 1977-78 KCD was at its height. Every other center city kid was a wannabe writer. JC took me out showed me some hands all that early shit… Then I hooked up with these 2 guys PAP and BREZ… two toys that crushed CC (center city). They were from Logan Circle. I was writing BAD RAT at the time. Then while writing with PAP on front and vine I fell off of 95 breaking my foot. That’s when it took off. I then meet my Young Boy DEPOZE who showed me NYC hand styles that no one in Philly had at the time. This kid lived in Manhattan Monday thru Friday and came to Philly on the weekends. My hand quickly developed and next I meet RARA PDF the truest ambassador of 80’s Philly Graff. While on crutches 8 brothers came past some steps we hung on and this bigheaded fool says OK which one of you write BADRAT? An hour later I was rushing Els (elevated trains) on 46th St. platform with RARA, MASE, MEEN, SPIZER, RULES, TAN, and FUB. Then I was beating and routing day and night for the next year. I was put down in PDF and started catching rep. Then in 81 changed my name to CREDIT meet MR BLINT and started the Ecstasy crew.
As far as the landscape this was all before the BUFF, before septa cops, and before paint behind glass. I mean flow-master ink by the quarts sitting in the art stores waiting to be plucked off the shelf days. Insides of the EL trains, Subways and trolleys and Buses was everything. Then came bus routes. The highways were virgins as was as Conrail train lines. 15th and Chestnut St…. Spaceport, Zounds, and Supercade were the center of the universe.

DD: You mentioned a lot of historic crews as far Philadelphia graffiti goes. Could you define the meanings of some of the crew names that you mentioned? What do the letters stand for? As far as today goes crews to me just aren’t the same. Its more just people putting people down that they don’t know or just want to have in their crew so they could namedrop. What was it like to be part of a “crew” in your era?

CREDIT XTC: Crews: 1st off KCD stood for “Klub City Decorators” and was mostly center city and west Philly kids, they were a real crew that had HUGE house parties… and I mean they were the hottest parties in the city. If someone said yo we going to this KCD party you knew it was going to be hot. PDF Pure Dee Funketeers was RARA’s clique and I repped it cause RARA was just the epitome of what 80’s graffiti was.and I liked the name. At that time it was PDF and LAW 1 that were the main crews but really we all hung together anyway at the arcades at 15th street. For those that don’t know that’s a place where you played video games for a quarter.

XTC was short for the thrill of ecstasy. Which is what Graff is to me. A thrill seekers high. And it was more of a crew that could be described in one word as opposed to the traditional three word crews. The originals were I, MR BLINT, DEPOZE, RAZZ, CLYDE, ESTRO. Basically all the top piecers of the time. It was the elite. And that’s what we set out to do. To take this thing to another level. We were the first wave of piecers to hit the city. Blint hooked up this mad interview with the TV show Visions. ESTRO, PIZZAZ, and I gave these crazy interviews… and then we had this party at blint’s crib to celebrate and watch it…then we plotted out to do production type pieces
We did several west Philly roofs as a crew spring garden roofs. Expressway and the wall of fame. All the top spots

DD: Describe the transition and its impact from painting on a street level to the rooftops.

CREDIT XTC: No real transition rooftops that faced the el were always great up high spots. And Popcorn, MB, Jimi Astro, Johnski, and Moe had that sh*t up tight. A rooftop just allowed you more time to paint. The kind of time pieces require. It was the continuation of septa centered graffiti. Since the outsides of the trains were now getting buffed what was the sense to try to go in the yards to paint a train. Why not just climb a roof. The same el riders would see your name anyway.

DD: All writers have them, what’s your craziest police chase story?

CREDIT XTC: I never ran from the cops…

DD: Why? And how did that work out for you

CREDIT XTC: Every time they stopped me I was caught. I don’t know why I have never ran from cops probably because when I really get honest with myself, I know I was wrong. How did it work out? I’ve paid probably more than anyone else in the history of Philly Graff.
Time, money, loss of respect in the community, and letting down my family. Back in the day it was really no biggie. You get caught and you pay a fine. So what! If you are under 18 your parents yell or beat your ass. So what! The price of fame was never so cheap.
The whole broken windows theory of law enforcement is bullsh*t. Nobody stuck up a convenience store because they cleaned up the graffiti. Hell, if that was the case, why are we at an all time high in murders. Back in the day during the Frank Rizzo times, police did sweat the dumb sh*t. They went after the real killers, not measly wall writers. To them a quick beat down, steal your paint, ride you to the worst neighbor hood, and ditch you. That was what they did to writers. They just played with you.

My best story is when RARA and me are on the EL, and I had this awesome flowing marker juiced to the gills. Anyhow this septa cop undercover busts me. This is when they first came out with SEPTA cops. He takes the marker shakes it and plays with it. And I’m like “oh shit, please don’t open the cap”. He didn’t listen and he was covered in ink from head to toe. I also had a huge case back in the 80’s for hitting all the R5 train stops. In the end it was a just another huge fine.

DD: How would you describe Philadelphia “hand styles” to someone that has never seen them before?

CREDIT XTC: I have traveled the world and am truly blessed to have been to so many different places. In my mind there are only two cities where graffiti means anything. Philly and NYC, all the rest is bullsh*t. We were the first. Our hand styles are unique period. It’s vertical as opposed to horizontal. Up and down. I have never had a desire to write in other countries or other cities. To me, its just wack.

DD: What are your thoughts on the current state of Philadelphia graffiti?

CREDIT XTC: Graffiti to me is dead. It died with septa and anti back in 1985. It was reborn in 1993-4 by SOBAD, SUB, PERVIS, and RAZZ, ECT and what over 300 old head wall writers. I only caught the tail end and unfortunately brought it to its end in 96.
There are still beasts and there are still toys that part of the game has not changed
Recession and hard times is good for the Graff game. No money no buff it’s that simple. In 92 when real estate was still in a major recession. Graff was resurrected. If Philly real estate or the Philly economy tanks Graff will revive. It’s just the way it is. Graff has to play it’s self out on the walls. When the buff is money deep that’s hard when the buff is broke that’s easy.
I always loved ink over paint. And ink is really dead. I believe marker flair is the foundation to writer’s hand skills.

DD: Any last words, shout outs, suggestions, mantras, or creeds you’d like to share?

CREDIT XTC: Last words… Graff and the fight game saved and changed my life; sometimes we have to go down dark roads to get to see the sunlight of the sun. I really don’t think I would be where I am today if it was not for all the madness. They say every saint has a sinner past…. I’m just being honest. If I could have changed it all I would have the first time. But life doesn’t work that way. And to everyone that I hurt. Each day I endeavor to replace the bad deeds with good deeds, in time I hope to make it all right … and the lord knows I got work to do…

No matter how long it’s been from your last hit you still can’t pass a wall without seeing its history. I see every real name that road it. The ghost tags are so deep in my mind as if they are written in etch, no buff can ever erase them because there impression on me runs to the core.
I shout out to the kings, the toys, the fans and the phoneys, from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and beyond ……