Graffiti artists share why they tag Downtown LA's 'Graffiti Towers'

[@TheWowWowWest]

1:18 - More overpriced condos and expensive retail shops is NOT fortunate for this city. The developers got what they deserve for coming here to make the wealth gap even worse.

[@Ph.40Lowks]

Preach

[@antiirichh]

Well said

[@olm4700]

“ I don’t condone breaking the law “ “How much for the spray paint (that “won’t be used to break the law” is?” “Five bucks” 😂

[@RAM00184]

I got five on it.

[@ericperez7872]

That’s Legendary my boi 💯

[@javierr5481]

Good for them

[@Mr19thcenturyman]

So the developers ran out of money..?? Leaving behind a "Blight" on the city. Where is the investigation into that?

[@jdos5643]

I don’t care about that. The graffiti taggers should all get prosecuted. They need to learn to paint their own houses like that not what’s not theirs. Also why blur their faces. These are criminals making places look ghetto.

[@zqpcydbfoqbdiehdj]

@@jdos5643 or could’ve just written “fix the damn homeless situation here” that’d be phenomenal. 😂

[@jdos5643]

@@zqpcydbfoqbdiehdj yeah that too. Homeless many of them however don’t have many appealing choices. Yet these taggers have a place. They are contributing to making places look like dumps.

[@javierr5481]

@@jdos5643 found the bootlicker

[@axidhaus]

LA is what it is …

[@marcoflores8004]

Lmao why dont they charge the foreign investment companies lol. Kickbacks thats why

[@PowerstrokeSynd]

It looks cool AF

[@TheStreetFoolosopherMr187]

Crying about graffiti but the homeless people peeing all over the sidewalks

[@appalachiatiger]

Yep both parties devalue their environment, hence a strain on the dollar and taxpayer. What do we do with these types of humans who cant take care of themselves as adults?

[@mystroceo]

Graffiti vandals peeing on the wall with colored paint. I see no difference.

[@appalachiatiger]

Republicans at least try to cut the budget. If they did, they wouldnt hold office at all.

[@nathanturley4916]

Do you have a dog do you ever take your dog for a walk does your dog pee on the sidewalk and fire hydrants than anything else shut the f****** about the homeless

[@karencarpenter5845]

Where are these human beings supposed to go to the bathroom?

[@Ronald-hk6fk]

I have a friend who use to tag trains when he was younger. Got to see pics of what he did & it was awesome! He went on to work for Disney & design the packaging of the individual character glasses they sold there at the parks. He said the pay was low & eventually stopped. Moved back home but is busy designing food trucks, logos, websites & business cards

[@Biggle_PeePee]

Its because the Homie D.A George Gascon said “Its all good no big deal” and Gavin Newsom agrees “it aint racist and sheeeit” Defund the Police 👍 (R.I.P. George Floyd its just art like shut up)

[@KarenPatrol123]

Awesome to break the law? Ok 😅

[@Biggle_PeePee]

@@KarenPatrol123 well they allow it screw it!!! Ya’ll got enough Tax Money dont get mad that it doesn’t go in your favorite politicians pocket lol

[@aldubberr3114]

Cops break the law all the time

[@ilovemytribe]

Does he have an IG, I'm looking for a logo designer

[@Truckngirl]

Leads to the depreciation of property values? And miles of broken down RVs and trailers and tents don't? LA is a JOKE.

[@apples874]

Both is true

[@FuIranWeak]

Stick to the topic at hand LA has millions of issues we are aware.

[@princeofdarknessxyz1]

yup that's LA...blame the politicians, lawmakers, cops, and yes the criminals

[@Jeanne90275]

Part of LA...like police chases, murders, organized retail theft, and the homeless? Like dogs marking their territory.

[@Biggle_PeePee]

Its because the Homie D.A George Gascon said “Its all good no big deal” and Gavin Newsom agrees “it aint racist and sheeeit” Defund the Police 👍 (R.I.P. George Floyd its just art like shut up)

[@TheWowWowWest]

🔺🤡

[@ericrx369]

like apes beating their chest

[@1fault]

🤓

[@LibraYall]

Just like Kansas City, Little Rock Arkansas....so where is the perfect city in America with no crime? It doesn't exist.

[@shad0wCh8ser]

Don't touch what is not yours... that's how you get into it with ppl bc IT'S NOT YOURS! With that said, I do enjoy Graffiti but I don't support ppl doing that on random places and on properties that owners don't want. Hit up local shops or get commissions. When you tag up the place, you're taking what is not yours, plain and simple. There are known spots that ppl are okay with the tags -as art, but if you're doing it where ppl don't want, it's vandalism.

[@sthcalguy3024]

I hope that graffiti continues. The tourists need to be warned NOT TO be in Los Angeles. I see the tourists every weekend, they are mortified.

[@VetementsEth]

Graffiti is seen all around the world NYC PARIS DUBAI stop being a loser it aint gonna hurt you

[@jdos5643]

If you want that to Continue invite graffiti criminals to paint your entire house with these graffiti how you like that.

[@Volksoner619]

@@jdos5643stop crying and go do something about it.

[@FuIranWeak]

It’s vandalism and looks ridiculous. if you want to play with paint go get some paint and paint some pictures and open an art gallery

[@FuIranWeak]

Get a job and stop defacing peoples property that they paid for.

[@archieolmstead6688]

Those crazy Amish again. NO respect for private property.

[@DanH-u3f]

Because they know they'll never be prosecuted for it.

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

graffiti is and always has been petty crime.

[@mikegardens]

First of all, How is Kevin Deleon still I office? and second, wasn't there an LA council member caught taking bribes from developers and okaying projects? Wonder of those graffiti buildings are a part of that?

[@IAmDaveInLA]

👏🏼

[@RextheRebel]

Housing should be publicly funded. Private developers hinder progress. Graffiti artists should be employed to paint professionally other buildings with actual art. If they can't paint real art they should be charged with vandalism.

[@appalachiatiger]

I wonder if a graffitti artist would be ok with me tagging their house or car?

[@Jaccob9ceJay]

Theirs rulesss. Look em up theirs a bunch. Only gang members tag people’s appartments but rarely houses. jesus man😂

[@FuIranWeak]

Of course they wouldn’t bunch of dirtbags

[@dumbassmcgee6891]

they dont tag houses or cars t@rd

[@godgoatedme]

How is Kevin DeLeon still running los Angeles 😂

[@nueok]

Why don’t they tag their own place?

[@unkorichie2029]

Because they don't own anything

[@realf1rme]

or their nalgas 😂😂

[@jdos5643]

@@unkorichie2029so you’re saying these are homeless individuals tagging private property buildings?

[@elsweetjohnny213]

They most definitely do hahaha. Why dont you ask one when you catch em tagging your home.

[@realf1rme]

@@elsweetjohnny213 they dont want 2 get sprayed in the face

[@trique9776]

If it’s art and not vandalism, then I am sure that if I graffiti on the car of a graffiti artist then they won’t mind either. I will just tell them, “it’s just art”

[@EdiPooH9]

Definitely try this.

[@kenchu5900]

If it is an art, then it's got to be heck of an ugly art.

[@m2klever]

Wienie

[@PeeZeeTheDirector]

This signals to EVERY SINGLE real estate developper that in LA, your 100 million $ investment will not be protected by the city and its destruction will be broadcasted in real time. Congratulations Los Angeles. True geniuses 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@CCantalya]

What part of they ran out of money does the city not understand? Sure the check is in the mail

[@jdos5643]

The Fontaine blue ran out of money and then it was Purchased and finished. Doesn’t matter what happened prior criminals have no business tagging there or anywhere. Maybe they should tag where they live their own houses.

[@Dan.50]

The media have been glorifying this activity for decades and should be held both legally and financially accountable for their role in it.

[@malibumusicnews1371]

The artists need to get paid for painting the murals

[@jdos5643]

Murals I’m ok with. Graffiti is garbage needs to go and these taggers need to be locked up

[@gerzz9308]

​@@jdos5643graffiti takes years of practice and its only called graffiti if its done on private property and their usually called writers not taggers but people call em taggers

[@DarkPrincessOfLight]

The city spending tax dollars to protect these privately owned buildings is INSANE. That money could be going to help the unhoused! Those graffiti artists were highlighting how ridiculous that we have so many unhoused while massive condo units like these have been vacant for years. They've been abandoned since 2019 & its only now they're getting so much attention.

[@joetrolo7076]

Yeah that's why they're doing it. 🙄Nothing to do with their egos

[@apples874]

LA has spent 20 billion over the 5 past years on the homeless lol.

[@apples874]

With all the money spent on the homeless, the problem only gets worse, so clearly what the city of LA is doing is not working. Therefore putting the money towards the homeless would be worse than trying to maintain a nice-looking city free of graffiti

[@1fault]

I love tagging

[@unkle-]

Drive by it all the time. Feels like the early signs for the downfall of once a beautiful city. Almost gives you an apocalyptic feel.

[@triggws7789]

Chinese investors fault

[@incognitoazzmobsta]

Makes the city look better than before.. the towers have been an eyesore for years its bout time these artists fix it up n make it beautiful

[@3yokodakid]

bru u sound lame asf Unc that shi fire

[@EmmanuelBarrios-f1h]

So a couple of graffiti sprayed Skyscrapers make you feel like the world is ending? The whole city has been getting sprayed for decades now😂

[@unkle-]

@@EmmanuelBarrios-f1h Sweetheart. There is beautiful artwork done by graffiti artist all over the world but this isn’t it. Can you show any other sky scrapers fully tagged up? No one said the world is ending.

[@nothingnessofeverything]

I agree that it’s art, but do it where people allow it not everywhere you want. These guys had beautiful work but the majority you see is just horrible garbage. Please those need to do something productive.

[@apples874]

They are criminal punks

[@stuckinfoned79]

Great story. The bourgeoisie need to hear from the proletariat from time to time.

[@apples874]

Sure, whatever you say, commie.

[@DemarcusQ]

LA ain’t even about the creative side anymore it’s about showing how gangster you can act with the famous gang areas “Compton” all them rundown neighborhoods.

[@LibraYall]

They went New Jack City: *Nino Brown* "Yeah, we takin' over the Carter. We gon' bum rush the whole damn thing."

[@gmeks11]

That’s riiiiiight !!!! 💪🏼

[@sandrae4912]

Those tall buildings with the grafitti are abandoned shopping mall and plaza buildings that were not completed by the owner and abandoned for yrs by the developers.The city asked the owner several times to have security, paint over but they couldn't afford finishing the project. The city has put money together to take ownership of the building(s) & fencing of the whole thing trying to paint the whole thing but that takes money from other areas the city doesn't have. Several folks were arrested in February for graffiti. But yeah there are a lot of businesses closed since covid even in Hollywood. Everyone orders on Amazon and no one wants to drive far. The valley & outskirts places like woodland hills etc are thriving tho but getting more & more expensive. Hollywood & DTLA used to be the places to hangout buy not anymore really...

[@xxxskitzo]

No legal wall will ever be as cool as that tower.

[@rockyroad7345]

Graffiti has gone from rebel art to mainstream to warmed over kitsch. I thought LA was cutting edge. 🤡

[@stevenguevara2184]

So those ancient relatives of ours. Who did their art in caves all over the world. Are Vandals?

[@apples874]

The fact you'd compare the Stone Age to today is laughable

[@FuIranWeak]

Do you really see what you typed? Caves. Caves didn’t take money to build. It wasn’t someone’s property that your defacing. Man what a dumb argument 🤦‍♂️

[@FuIranWeak]

You can’t be that dumb

[@ericperez7872]

Legends is all I gotta say 💯💯💯 if you know you know 💯💯💯

[@mikegardens]

I wish the reporter had asked if they would be okay with someone making art on the side their house or apartment where they live. Let's be honest, part of graffiti is the thrill of getting away with something and doing something illegal. It is an art form, but there's a fine line between art and violating personal property.

[@jdos5643]

If they so want to call it art then there are gallery walls they can paint or canvases or wood panels. Not buildings

[@ZNUFONER]

​@@jdos5643most people write for adrenaline, its a thrill and when youre out painting you jus forget about everything else. seeing a frieght train pass by with your own piece on it is amazing

[@1fault]

🤓

[@VetementsEth]

they haven't touched the building since 2019 and we are paying for its protection? protecting it over paint XD?

[@FuIranWeak]

Do you know the cost involved in removing the paint?

[@linguist2k]

Graffiti on one's own property is art. Graffiti on someone else's property is vandalism. It's as simple as that!

[@feversgv]

How about public property ?

[@linguist2k]

@@feversgv Nope! Loosely speaking, "public property" is co-owned by all the members of the city/county. So a tagger would need to get permission from all the other members of the city/county in order to lawfully tag public property. In other words, a tagger cannot lawfully unilaterally (i.e. without permission from all the co-owners) tag public property. Thus, tagging on public property is vandalism.

[@jeffalbillar7625]

Agreed, and abandoning huge buildings in the middle of Los Angeles or any city should be a crime as well. Those buildings have been standing there AS IS since 2019. That's almost 6 years of a building in decay IN LOS ANGELES. Smack dab in the heart of Los Angeles. I would think that those buildings are a perfect place to let these guys put up some art. I drive past them frequently and they are honestly a better sight with the graffiti

[@linguist2k]

@@jeffalbillar7625 Excellent points!

[@Hellowithyou]

Why not both?

[@fredhickey3271]

City wasting more money again after again

[@Truelib99Hobbes]

Fatherless behavior by people who have no respect for their community or the property of others.

[@jdos5643]

Yes these ppl come from the ghetto. They were not taught right.

[@mikeg3439]

Why are you dignifying crime.

[@Blacklightroom]

The name duly concurs with the subject matter at hand.

[@abc123fhdi]

Who's here after the high rise for homeless opened on skid row? The city should seize these buildings and develop them rather than building tax payer funded high rise condos. They can then sell the units at market rate to make the money back.

[@nathanturley4916]

Why are you sensationalizing graffiti and crime these people should be arrested and so should the news people for sensationalizing crime

[@MarkDaSharK-fh7kd]

Its beautiful

[@MichaelInTheDesert]

Doesn’t want to show their face. What a bunch of 🤡

[@xiomanaxoxoxo3212]

looks beautiful. so cool they should keep it .the crime should be against the wealthy abandoners.

[@alfador.]

It looks amazing

[@DunkInHerDonut]

That’s a nice view.

[@wschevyrider]

No CBS tag

[@pseudobeast4653]

I love what the artists did with this failed capitalistic quagmire. Those apartments would have been left mostly empty because so few in LA could afford the rent.

[@richardjohnson8009]

Solution: have actual artists paint something actually artistic and beautiful over the ugly piss

[@Oscar_Von_Doom]

Valid point in my opinion.

[@Dflowen]

LOLOL. A funny word I saw is SORAK. It was on 101 South and on the tower lol.

[@realf1rme]

hes allover the place

[@Dflowen]

@@realf1rme hahahaha cool info. the graffiti artist stood out. Find SORAK when stuck in traffic.

[@PeterWilliamson-nn9et]

Some are talented artists, others more like vandals or taggers

[@anyonename8067]

It will be art if they tag their own homes!

[@jdos5643]

They should tag their own homes nor someone else’s property. These criminals need to be prosecuted. Also why did they blur their faces?

[@audenharper3014]

Their moms won't let them 😤

[@jimas9775]

Doing something good…? Bro you’re breaking the law!!

[@timadams940]

"Like a Movie"....let's not glamorize vandalism by fools with nothing to say

[@michealklee8844]

No your not doing something good because the clean up comes out our taxes

[@mikDubb]

It's all ignorance. People need to find a better way to express themselves. This lowers property value, mainly in urban hoods. It also increases taxes, resulting in everyone living in LA to pay more. Which contributes to the homeless crisis. People think they're bigger than life itself and have to leave their mark to fill validation. Signs of insecurities and low vibration.

[@805Tyrone]

Without taking any position...mostly peaceful graffiti ehh media?

[@HermanoChosen11321]

The people complaining about graffiti still voted for sleepy joe biden and every other woke politician.

[@kristakaufman-y6j]

Want to solve homeless crisi get tesla tiny houses put one in desert per 100 people that is 500 per person and then set up a tiny house for every 100 you move to desert to pitch tents tesla tiny house gives shower washroom kitchen for them to share and has its own hydro and 100 can camp around each so city can move homeless out of city streets and clean it up tax payers have to pay for homeless in court and jail and other policing cost so instead use money and for every homeless 100 people get one tiny tesla house set it up in open space in desert on outskirts and then they have kitchen washroom hydro to share and camp there ! TAX DOLLARS WELL SPENT $$$ 500$ per person you will spend it anyways so solve issue instead of leaving them on streets to live in cardboard house on sidewalk where they poop and pee get them camping in desert but put tesla tiny houses to have washroom and hydro kitchen shower for them! SOLVE IT! CITY CAN HOOK UP WATER FOR THEM ! HAVE CAMPS MOVE TO DESERT AREAS OUTSIDE CITY!

[@FuIranWeak]

This is really dumb

[@phillipgonzlez8635]

I don’t know why squatters don’t take it over??

[@bobzacamano658]

13 percent

[@Mob4336]

What’s the city councilman’s name again ? 😂

[@luissalazar7480]

That’s RuthLess 😱

[@Mikeslife714]

We should be interviewing bank robbers as well. Let’s keep it going. Glorifying criminal activity come on NBCLA.

[@richardjohnson8009]

yea foo nothin illegal foo, but you kno isell the sprain pain foo

[@mrcpaddler]

Mental Giants these "artists".

[@LouKiss]

the only "art" portion is the national attention it brought how much of a joke LA is anymore. "doing something good" would be getting permission and developing some talent. Although I'm glad my apartment building recently got tagged just to frustrate my cheap ghetto land lord that goes under the radar come inspection time.

[@deucessoto]

Lol LA this is what you get, you voted for it. Enjoy paying 3k a month for a 1 bed room apartment, all the while restaurants and businesses close shop leaving all of you with all that "beautiful art" to look at.

[@la.water3]

thats what we want lol close the wealth gap. we don't mind the muck

[@apples874]

Well said. I don't think they will ever learn from their mistakes. Instead, they will either continue their voting ways or FLEE to another state and continue their voting ways

[@apples874]

@@la.water3 Commiefornia

[@la.water3]

if it helps you sleep at night bud yes commiefornia

[@Modernaire]

Graffiti Vandals. Not artist. Graffiti everywhere, but not the level that we’re seeing now I don’t understand why you would want to glorify and normalize it as if it’s something that part of LA culture or something but I guess it doesn’t happen in your communities. It’s called “art”. There’s no justification to vandalize somebody else’s property property that cost a lot of money, whether private or own by evil corporation. No one gives anyone the right to the face anything. Art improves art is not provoking sometimes it’s even spiritual contributes to an awakening or some kind or beautifies granted there is art that causes controversy makes a statement , however this is not this is vandalism. There’s no excuse for it and there’s no excuse for the glorification of it and encouragement to normalizeit. Put yourself in the position of an owner, who comes back to the property and finds it the face vandalized their costs related to that cleanup Enormous cost not repaint it to fix the damage which can be expensive. Not put yourself in their shoes. What happens is that affect the economy? It creates and contributes higher higher cost for whatever is related to that. It’s passed on. Graffiti vandalism also oppresses it’s. It’s not art. It represents a social decay and collapse and it means absolutely nothing other than to the graffiti vandals that engage in it which doesn’t even matter nobody cares. Nobody likes it if you like it, then invite them to graffiti your house, your luxury apartments, your car you see you don’t like it. And we forget We forget to profile expose that a lot of these graffiti Vandals actually come from upper income neighborhoods and they don’t destroy their neighborhood. They come to the poor immigrants, low income, black American, etc. communities to the face. They help press. So on top of members of the community, whose parents did not instill any ethics or morals or respect for others or as they did, they let their kids run rampant in the streets to join other graffiti vandals. You have some kind of alignment to street games, And what are they do those members of their own community help of their own. How is that? I know it’s tough, but we shouldn’t even be asking why they spray we should be asking why it’s a process why is destructive to vandalize instead of using a safe soft word like just “spray” .

[@QueenPeachCobbler]

God BLESS tha WRITERS!!! :0*

[@jimas9775]

What a waste of money!

[@deathdecorvid9926]

Culture

[@UNDRGRNDLOSTFILES]

Graffiti isn’t go no where :)

[@factchecker6674]

Dirtbags- I’m not sure if I’m talking about the real estate developers or the Dodger fans, errr, I mean the “graffiti artists”.

[@sopamarucha2388]

So Ghetto...

[@TylerChristoher]

Hell yeah. You got to be young and angry. Graffiti can shield you thru the hood and get you in lots of issues. We're ego trippin. Getting the world that got us. We want to be gangsters. A lot of us are gangsters. After doing so many years for it over time, I've been done for years. Quit drinking though also, big deal. It makes my days driving past seeing new paint. Keep on bombing homies, this one's out though, for now...

[@JimmySandoval-vf4vt]

Funny good work I tag to

[@Rick-267]

Bro..

[@Toonezbeats559]

😤

[@jedd4838]

Garbage 1990’s tacky art.

[@la.water3]

ok boomer

[@sh0t0kan]

Most of these people are gang members. Gang tags isn't art.

[@deehlgrm9379]

theres gangs and theres graffiti crews

[@sh0t0kan]

​@@deehlgrm9379 Maybe they aren't pushing drugs. I mean who knows. But they are into assault, breaking and entering, theft and the destruction of private and public property. Graffiti is an illegal activity. They are very much a GANG which is a group of people involved in criminal activity. These people are not artists.

[@TheStreetFoolosopherMr187]

Sorry hipsters! We started this artwork

[@JorgeAceves-vr8]

❤

[@SaulAlvarez-c2c]

The main rankers getting interviewed 😅

[@nelliebnice]

They're criminals and need to get some paper. If you don't own it, don't write on it.

[@rollinia7770]

Just heavy tax the paint sprays as cities clean up fee like the cigarettes since toxic paints bad for the environment anyway and then the shops owner will have lock it up from thief like those heavy taxes cigarette since it expensive to buy same as gas price for fixing the street like they real do it.

[@WhatokWhatok]

He say that he doesn't approve of graffiti such a liar but the walls that's suppose to be graffiti art on the walls in that rented space he sales spray cans he doesn't own that building why he not saling other things like the other businesses that's there this is why I say you give these people everything around here why hasn't the owner of building hasn't put him out when he the probably payed someone to graffiti on property for people to make honest living business in business community right there

[@richardjohnson8009]

yeah memory foo, so we like paint memory on the wall foo

[@la.water3]

ok boomer

[@DemarcusQ]

I know they all call themselves artist too, I can buy spray paint and spell out letters that doesn’t make me an artist, a real artist paints a story with paint not just remind everyone “Dripz” is in the area tf 😂😂😂

[@jdos5643]

Ghetto lowlifes that what these criminals are.

[@joselozano189]

Cooked a steak on the roof

[@indionopalez3716]

They are dope artist and definitely have skills!.

[@HamsterPower26]

Thank CHINA and BLACK PEOPLE.

[@la.water3]

relax boomer. race ain't a thing anymore

[@FloridaMan69.]

they wouldn't do that in afghanistan

[@Biggle_PeePee]

Its because the Homie D.A George Gascon said “Its all good no big deal” and Gavin Newsom agrees “it aint racist and sheeeit” Defund the Police 👍 (R.I.P. George Floyd its just art like shut up) They need to legalize gay marriage,art, and drugs sheeit

[@rollinia7770]

They won't do it in jail either.

[@princeofdarknessxyz1]

they wouldn't do that in disneyland

[@authorless]

They wouldn't do it on the Moon.

[@Sl20]

Whatever you called it let’s stick to this ,it looks better!!!! 4:47 🫢🔴🤫

[@PoetKing-ri6vz]

#a.n.o.ny.m.o.u.s.e#