In 1979 - 1983, the world witnessed masters at work -
an elite group of Graff Hand-stylists or MASTERS of GRAFFITI. Depending on the storyteller - Some were considered equal parts “Bandit” and “Brilliant”, but some were “Ground-Breaking” artists.

 

SKEME - A name synonymous with the BEST.
Along-side names just as important to hip-hop as DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa, SKEME is a Pioneer to Hip-Hop. To speak with any contemporaries or academics of the genre, a similar response is heard - SKEME is the TRUTH.

 

Born John Cecil Dash on November 28th, 1964 in Harlem, New York. The product of parents who both worked, left him with low supervision. This warranted a lot of time alone in the mornings and afternoons in 1979 at the age of 15, which he used to craft and hone his unique style in “Graff” to “Bomb” the New York City Subway system. SKEME “got up” on the 1,2,3,4,5 and the A, CC, and D lines and also hit the E,F,M and J lines of the Subway in New York City quickly going “ALL CITY”. He wrote with many of graffiti’s top artists. After “bombing” the insides with Graff’s most recognizable handstyles, he ventured to the “outsides” in 1980 executing numerous “window down pieces” (depicting both Straight and Wild Styles) “top to bottoms”, “end to ends”, “whole cars”, “simple silvers” and “throw ups”. Together with his partners Dez, Daze and Spank he went on to create what are arguably some of Graffiti’s Greatest Masterpieces.  

 

In early 1982, SKEME was featured, along with his mother, in the original pioneering documentary “STYLE WARS” which showcased Graff style and B-Boying [style, music and dance], two of Hip-Hop’s primary elements, to an uninformed but completely mesmerized United States of America. The documentary practically made SKEME a household name overnight. With his newly discovered celebrity, he continued his passion for his work and actually considers his crowning achievement not the documentary. No, for SKEME it was when Graff legend, pioneer and crew founder of INDS, PHASE 2, sought him out and enlisted him to collaborate with his contemporaries in pulling off and executing the famous “TUFF CITY” car. This collaboration, included other esteemed artists: Tean and Kade, Chains3, Kool131 and Part1. The TUFF CITY project gained SKEME prestigious membership into TMT “The Magnificent Team”. The most coveted of Graff Crews of the era.  

 

SKEME’s memberships and affiliations with the Top Graffiti Writing Crews of the era included: INDs (Independents),TDS (The Death Squad), TMT (The Magnificent Team), TNT (The Nasty Two aka or TNT - The Nation's Top), TED (The Ebony Dukes) & 3YB (Three Yard Boys). Shortly after filming “Style Wars”, SKEME’s mother, embarrassed by the Bandit title, “suggested” he leave the house. Like BANKSY, anonymity was necessary to be great in the 1980’s.  In his own words:

 

After the filming, I knew the gig was up. I knew that once my face was revealed,
the mystery would be removed and nothing would be the same. My mother knew too and shortly after the filming
sent me to the Army Recruiter on 125th St in Harlem, but I continued to bomb for the next 6 months, even up
until the night before I left for the army.

SKEME joined the US Army but in true bandit style - executed his “Farewell-for-Now” piece the night before departing for basic training. After 28 years of service, he retired from military in 2010 and returned to find that many of his contemporaries were still painting, well. In that realization, SKEME awoke again, finding his passion and jumped right into the Graff world with both feet -- and the art world responded -- Well! SKEME work has been exhibited globally, ranging from the Varsi Gallery of Italy to the Museum of New York City and an abundance of interviews and reputable articles in the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Fast Company and more. SKEME considers himself a letter “purist” first with a minor in drawing characters and caricatures, in the tradition of such greats as Riff170. Heavily influenced by the art of Marvel Comics, Heavy Metal Magazine and an urban abstract or “PUBLIC Art” expression of politically charged views. SKEME’s present works have a depth in experience and originality and a surpassing element to his pre-military works.