RIP KASE 2 x Graffiti KING

Hearing via Twitter that pioneering graffiti legend KASE 2 (CASE)—born Jeff Brown—has passed away. Will add more info as it becomes available. A South Bronx representative, “One arm” KASE got a boost in fame after he appeared in the seminal Hip-Hop documentary Style Wars, which should be in your collection, back in ’83. A clip of KASE in the film below. RIP.

UPDATE: MTV RapFix blog posted some nice words on KASE, who succumbed to cancer, from King Phade.

RELATED:

KING CASE2 T.F.P! rest in paradise my brother love you! [12OzProfit]

Bronx Bombing: Cope2 x Shepard Fairey

Umm, last I heard, King Cope was from The Bronx, not Brooklyn as Hypebeast will have you believe.

Anyway, Cope2 and Shepard Fairey (who is in town prepping an exhibition at Deitch Projects) connected to drop a mural in the Boogie Down that combines both of the renowned artists’ aesthetics. Must go see this for myself sooner than later. More pics after the video of this event below (by EWOK 5MH via Animal NY) and the break. [Checked at Hypebeast]

PREVIOUSLY:

Bombin’ Atomically: COPE2 & KET vs. NYPD

Shepard Fairey, Cope2

Virtual Taggin’ via Wii

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The above WiiSpray teaser is kinda ill. Not sure if many heads in the graffiti set can afford such big enough monitor to do their tags justice, but surely Nintendo will figure something out. The special controller being sponsored by Montona spraypaint, a choice look. (Spotted at Engadget)

Also gives me an excuse to post Artifacts’ “Wrong Side of the Tracks” Video

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RELATED:

Graffiti for Wii Video Shows 100% Silly Fun, 0% Mess [via Gizmodo]

The Next Graffiti Fad: Fire Tagging [via Fast Company]

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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