SAIN TOP INTERVIEW ©2002, 2003 @149st Do not republish without permission. Where and when did you start writing on trains? Park Slope in '72 on 17th Street was the block that I live with writers like LIL King, TITO (17st.), COCO (17st.), LIL SPY THOR (17st.), PAY(17st.) KONG and the fellas from 17th Street inspired me to write. What was the first subway line you hit? The first line I hit was the N, R with LIL KING and some other writers. How did you become affiliated with The Odd Partners crew? When I moved into East New York, Brooklyn the late '70s I hooked up with FLIN then I met SONO aka DURO, NACO aka DONDI R.I.P., MICKEY aka TO TOP R.I.P, IK aka THE HULK, HURST aka OI R.I.P., KIST R.I.P., DIKE CD, SID THE KID, G-WIZ, DEEP aka OQ 172 and other writers witch there was so many. I use to hang out with my other boys from Grant Crew. I was more into rapping to girls, dancing and racking up spray cans and beers, smoking weed, so when I met up with TO TOP and I asked him If I could push up TOP. He said that I was just bombing inside with Crazy Insides Artist and that I needed many more throw-ups to be down, so from there on I just started bombing outside with my boys from TOP and CIA; DURO, FLIN, GWIZ, DEEP and other brothers. About the '80s, that's about the time I met JEE2 (JAMESTOP), because I was having war with a few writers that started crossing out my throw-ups, so me OQ-172 and FR was bombing all-city. 1) SAKE YD, nobody listen so you got to fight don't play no game on me. 2) KP sucker graffiti writers who go picking flowers, go for yours we went for ours and 3) MIN if you want to battle go home and get your saddle; for I could run you over like a herd of cattle sucker. The battle with MIN could have been stoped. DURO should have told him to stop crossing out my throw-ups misunderstanding peace and respect to MIN aka NE and DURO still my bro one love, worldÕs greatest graffiti writer and DONDI CIA too. Which writers of the 1970s impressed you the most? My favorite piecers of the '70s was LIL KING, SLAVE, VINNY, DONDI aka NACO, DURO aka SONO, HATE 168, NASTY NA,VADE DEMO, SUPER COOL and LEE TF5. Name your favorite locations to paint trains? My favorite yard was the Js, M and LL in East New York and the 2s and 5s on Livonia, A and CC at Pitkin Yard the 1 and 9 Ghost Yard at 207th Street in Manhattan, The D at Concourse in The Bronx, LL at Canarise Yard, E, R, and F at Union Turnpike, Jamaica Yard and the lay-up were the Grant Avenue East New York, LL at Hallsy Avenue, Myrtle Avenue and Js and LLs at Atlantic Avenue and a few other ones like The Bridge,City Hall and The Bowery and Canal Street. Bomb some lay-ups down in Queens also all-city in the end, I was bombing with FR than solo with my 9MM 16 shot. What was it like to write in the 1980s? The '80s was fun for me. I bombed all-city with FR and OQ DEEP, my cousin one love. Then I stoped about 1988 when I started working for New York City Transit every writers dream come true. N.Y.C. Transit been good to me making over $55,000 a year to stop writer the train. If you went over a the number at the corner T.A. has your mug shot, so be careful graffiti is always in my blood. Do you have anyclosing words? I thank those past present and future writers. Once a writer always a writer. Peace to all downtown and uptown bombers. Too many to thank from AERON to ZEPHYR and crews first TOP, CIA then from AOK to XMEN. Special thanks to the throw-up kids TO TOP, IN, IZ, K56, OE3, PG3 and many more wild style kings DONDI, DURO, KEL FIRST and many more. Peace to all for one and one for all. Faithful to two crews TOP- CIA. One love peace - SAIN TOP Back to SAIN TOP main page | Home |  Artists |  Crews |  History |  Links |  E mail | Glossary |