Bombin’ Atomically: COPE2 & KET vs. NYPD

"King" COPE2

Without question, COPE2…ahem, “King” COPE2 ran what I saw of the graffiti world coming up in the BX (Tracy 168 was sick too). I lived by the 2 & 5 train and also found myself plenty of times on the 4 line and spotting new COPE throw ups and burners was a great way to lose time while riding the iron horse. COPE’s infamy—you can even spot his throw ups in Grand Theft Auto IV—surely had him on the NYPD vandal squad’s hit list, so it’s more than a little bit interesting that COPE and Po Po are going to be sitting on the same panel at the powerHouse Arena in DUMBO this Thursday.

What’s the panel about? To discuss Vandal Squad: Inside the New York City Transit Police Department, 1984-2004. The book’s title speaks for itself but the kicker is that it’s written by Joe Rivera—dubbed “Joe Blow” by COPE—a former transit cop.

Needless to say, many in the writer set—notably KET, founder of the sorely missed STRESS Magazine—are not too keen on someone who made a living locking up graf writers profiting from their art. KET is on the panel too, and in his blog is clear on his the intent of calling out Jake on their duplicity. I may have to make the trek out to Brooklyn to peep this sure to be intense discussion. [spotted at Gothamist]

UPDATE:

So They Meet Again: Vandals and Former Vandal Squad [via Gothamist]

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