Thrill Side!

This is a interview with graffiti writer/bomber Gaks from Oakland. This interview took place one night at a taco truck when I ran into  a group of writers while I was taking pictures of graffiti.

TS:  What got you into Graffiti?

Gaks: one day I was chilling at home, Gacho told me him and his boys were gonna get into it with some cholos in front of a church. I asked if he needed back up, grabbed my souvenir A’s Terry Steinbach bat , headed outside the door and Rocko was waiting for us in the Subaru bucket. We got to the church , everyone is just chillin, kicking it. I was introduced to a few of the members from TSG. I liked the unity, the camaraderie. Nothing ended up happening with the cholos but ever since then I liked being out and kicking it with them, they introduced me to graff and been doing it ever since.

TS: you took a long break from graffiti. Now you are back and stronger than ever. What made you come back?

Gaks: I lost my houses, It’s a way out of reality I guess.

TS: What crews are you in?

Gaks: TSG, HYSU?, 640

TS: Influences in graff?

Gaks: First one was Rush TSG

TS: oh you’re just saying that

Gaks: no really, he got me in the game, taught me fills, shadows and shit like that. As far as styles and letters and what he brought to the game it would have to be Beats 737, the old Beats 737. He’d bomb and piece, I liked his style, well rounded guy

TS: What do you think about the graffiti scene in Oakland?

Gaks: I think it’s pretty strong. Strongest I’ve ever seen it. When I first started writing , I would see more tags and hollow throwies. Things were poppin more towards the 20s and downtown, now you see a few more cats coming out to paint in the Deep. Don’t recall much, but now you can see more out of towners paint here in the town. I guess Oakland is poppin.

TS: ass or tittes?

Gaks: Do I have to choose just one?

TS: yup

Gaks: I’m an ass man.

TS: Beer or hard liquor?

Gaks: Burr

TS: Any writers that stand out to you?

Gaks: At this point, right now right now, I want to say Anemal, but i dont think he bombs as much. So i’m going to have to say Swerve, he kills shit.

TS:  What do you like about going out and painting on people’s shit? why dont you write on your ass or something?

Gaks: I don’t have a big enough ass to write on. But I like planning, preparing, I like to check out the spot in advanced and checking the scenery. I like the adrenaline rush,  your worries and everything go away. I guess you could say I feel free , while most people are home, sleeping, watching t.v. i’m out there doing my thang, I see shit from a different perspective.

TS:  What do you think about hipsters? 

Gaks: What do I think about hipsters? hmmmmmmm…… honestly I don’t know any, I won’t judge them. I do think the way they flood their jeans and how tight their jeans are is pretty silly.

TS:  A memorable story you want to share about  a night out on a mission?

Gaks: I had been checking this spot out for a while. A virgin spot,  high on top of a big building. I ended up going up there alone because my patna Rush didn’t want to get dirty. I got there and 2 cop cars rolled by. When the coast was clear I ran up there.  When I got up I ran towards  the sign I was going to paint on but fell halfway through the roof. It appeared to have fire damage, I was in there waist deep, looked down and saw all kind of metals at the bottom of the building. I managed to pull my self back up and now I was pretty nervous, I was thinking of just heading back down but instead I just creeped real slow across the roof, my legs were shaking, I was pretty shook up from the fall but kept on going. I started painting and a little later I noticed 2 cop cars down on the street at the light, I crept slowly again, fell again, got up and hid for a little bit. They didn’t see me, I finished rocking that shit and headed back down. The spot ran for years before people decided it would be a good idea to go over me.

TS: What do you think will happen on December 21st 2012 ?

Gaks: hu? when?

TS: you know? when the world is supposed to end

Gaks: oh, let me check on my phone if it’s a friday or Saturday hold on. Friday, I think it will be a regular ass day.

TS: 5 years from now, where do you see yourself?

Gaks: 5 years from now, married with a family, own house, settled down. Still be going to the yards, catch a train or something. Nothing too hot.

TS: Would you Punch a baby for endless amounts of paint?

Gaks: A fat baby?

TS: yeah not no skinny ass baby, a healthy baby. Not no hard ass punch either, but a cool lil punch on the ribs.

Gaks: If he was fat yeah, cause he could take it.

Wire: blood he wouldn’t even remember when he grow up.

Gaks: I think I would, I think I would.

TS: When you first started writing , writers in Oakland were more into doing nice tags, fades, flares , hollows and that kinda shit. Now you see more people doing fill ins and most of the tags in the town suck and you rarely see the fades. Why do you think that is?

Gaks: I think other writers came and influenced the current scene.

TS: shout outs? last words before we wrapped it up?

Gaks: Shout out to my TSG BOH mobsters, you know who you are. HYSU?, 640, free Romance , Yque, Saeto, Duel-8. R.I.P. Haunt, Weenie, Fernie, Plebe, Lil Chino.

TS:follow me on twitter @rushawnwuan