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KADE 198 INTERVIEW

©2001, 2003 @149st Do not republish without permission.
Interview conducted April 3, 2001.

Where and when did you start writing (on trains)?
Me and TEAN first started in the Bronx in 1976.

Did you have a style mentor?
MR. JINX 174 gave me my first style. He used to live in my building. He had quit at that time, then me and TEAN met CHINO MALO, REE 2, RIB. CHINO MALO gave me some style, then CHAIN 3 taught me some of his skills. I also used to admire BUTCH 2 and KASE 2

What lines have you hit?
1,2,3,4,5,6 and IND's

What borough and what street are you originally from?
I'm from the BRONX and I used to live on 180th street and Southern Boulevard.

What crews have you written for?
MTA, CHINO MALO's crew. CHEEBA ACTION, BUTCH and KASE'S crew. 3YB When I met CLIFF 159 at N.O.G.A. (Nation of Graffiti Artists) in 1977.

Who were your best writing partners?
TEAN of course, CHAIN 3, FED 2 and TEEN 125.

Who were your rivals?
We had a few run-ins with members of TDS when we used to go to N.O.G.A. I got into a beef with SLAVE TF5 at NOGA, because I went over one of his pieces, but we resolved it. A lot of members in my crew had beef with other crew's like CIA,TR. But no personal beefs with me and anyone in particular.

How did you get your names KADE 198 and 2 MUCH?
I just made it up on my own and the 198 sound good with it. I made up 2-MUCH because everyone had a name with "2" and it was a good lettering name.

List all the other names under which you are known?
2-MUCH, CADE, WOOD 2. I also Bombed the insides with THE WORLD IS A GHETTO.

Do you have any interesting 149th Street Bench memories?
A lot of fights, TEAN and KEL, BEAR 167 and IZ THE WIZ. People used to get their black books taken, cameras those was the good old days. Everyone would just hang out to see the freshest pieces come out like LEE, KADE, TEAN CHAIN, TMT Whole cars BUTCH and KASE etc.

How and when (what year?) did TMT Start?
Me and TEAN wanted to start our own crew, so we made up TMT in 1977.

How did the name originate?
It started out with just the two of us, so is was The Magnificent Two.

When and why did you change it to The Magnificent Team?
Shortly after we had to change it to The Magnificent Team, because there were so many members.

Who was the president and vice president of TMT?
I am the Pres. and TEAN is the V.P.

Name all the original members of TMT.
KADE 198,TEAN 5, CHAIN 3,VINE, TYBU 2 R.I.P., EC-3, 2-SWIFT, CRANE, REE 2, BEST 149, SEAP, FED2, TEEN 125, NIKE, KF 174, TADE, PE-5, ADROCK R.I.P., MOON, BEAR 167 R.I.P,. BROTHER FUZZ ONE, PAVO, REPEL. TAKE and TAPE my cousins.

Name all official subsequent members of TMT?
JY, ROE, DEZ, SKEME, RATE, MYZER, SEK170, GREG, and too many other's that I can't remember.

Where were TMT's favorite locations to paint?
The Ghost Yard, 225th Street lay-up, Esplanade, The One Tunnel, Baychester lay-up, Gunhill lay-up, the Two Yard.

Tell us about how TMT started to hit the INDs subway division.
We used to hit the IND's at the ghost yard and at Bedford Park yard.

What influenced TMT to do all the Vaughn Bode characters and who was the first writer that you recall doing them?
t that time everyone was doing Vaughn Bode characters, the first person I saw to do them was CHINO MALO and DON 1.

When did the last members of the TMT crew quit writing?
Mid 80s.

How did TMT become allied with The Spanish Five?
Too long ago to remember. I think we met FED 2 and TEEN 125 at the One Tunnel.

Are there any old writers that you feel should get more credit that were left out of the many books on the topic of graffiti?
All The old writers: RIFF 170, LAMA ,SUPER KOOL 223, HELL 3, BAMA, STITCH, STATIC, STIM R.I.P., TEE, CLIFF 159, SOLID, VOE 56, LSD 3, PHASE 2, BOT, MR. JINX 174, STAN 153, STAYHIGH 149, JESTER, MOVIN, IN, AMRL, TOPCAT, KINDO 2, BUTCH 2, KASE 2. The old School from JACK PELSINGER'S N.O.G.A.

Any closing words on your work?
TMT FOREVER MOTHER F_____s! We are planning to do an old school reunion focusing on style, not the stencil shit new writers are using to make their pieces straight.
PEACE TO ALL THE OLD AND NEW WRITERS!!! KADE198 PEACE!


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