Review:
Rockin’ it Suckers- New York City’s Most Wanted Graffiti Vandals
By Ket and Cousin Frank
Born in Philadelphia and raised on the streets of New York City, graffiti art created a generation of toxic fume breathers and paint splattered shoe wearers who lead lives masked by aliases.
The most infamous of the hooded artists lurking underground belonged to the RIS crew, and they created more than some tags to upset the police — they revived a movement.
Rockin’ it Suckers- New York City’s Most Wanted Graffiti Vandals is a first-hand account of the NYC graffiti crew’s endeavors in the underground. Armed with bottles of Krylon, RIS brought graffiti back to the streets during the late ‘80s when throw ups and pieces took a backseat to dope peddling.
Complete with raw essays from RIS members, Rockin’ it Suckers embodies the livelihood of the RIS crew and their struggle to outsmart the authorities and keep the form of street art off life support.
The artwork that graces the pages of Rockin’ it Suckers is assured to provide any New Yorker with a bout of nostalgia sure to result in a longing for the days when Bloomberg wasn’t riding the subway to work.
The cars have been buffed and the stations have been beautified, but the legacy of the RIS crew lives on in Rockin’ it Suckers.
–Rachel Hislop
