The color paint markers from 621 Thank You are a product many of us have wanted for a long time. I know a lot of writers, myself included who have used the white out markers by Art Primo and Presto over the years. But there hasn't been a version that released color options for said markers until now and I think this is a great innovation for the graff game. The markers themselves come in a nice variety of colors for all surfaces. They still have that sturdy metal valve nib on them that we are all used to and they are also refillable, which I personally enjoy as a feature on any mop, pen or marker. I would say, like with most markers, to give it a good shake every time you use it and make sure to get that vibrant color. I like that each cap is labeled with the color of the marker, which is a helpful little feature. They marker itself is durable and writes on all surfaces. The ink comes out smooth and has a nice drip effect if you choose to squeeze a little bit harder while writing with it. It's pocket sized or fits right in the tip of your sleeve for maximum inconspicuous activity and for stashing away quickly if the occasion calls for it. Here is a video demonstration:
I'm from Lodhi, Central Cal, in the valley. There's nothing there and I was always this skateboarder artist, into music and all my friends were super weirdos. I was into goth and punk and all those things the most in my town. I think there was less than ten of us of all age groups and I just outgrew it. When I was 18, this was in about 2005-6, I moved to SF and it was like "there's shit going on here." I moved into the shelters when I was 18, I was in and out of shelters for a bit.
I got into this program for kids who had been in the shelter and saved up some money and within two years of doing that I ended up in Oakland. Most of my friends I had made would always be taking the bus or the BART back to Oakland and I found that San Francisco is real crazy. It almost had a fractured psyche, you never know what's going to be around the next corner, there's people from all around the world. It's such a hardcore mix, it's almost frenetic. Oakland always had the laid back creative community type of feel and I like that better. Back then there were a lot of punk shows and house shows and a lot of cool stuff like that. So right now I'm 33 years old, so I've been in Oakland probably about thirteen or fourteen years.
How did you get your graffiti name? How did you come up with JSK42?
It was Random...
I lived in Sacramento for about a year, this was 4 or 5 years ago, and I was writing SHITSREAL. I hooked up with one of my friends out there, he writes BURGERS, he has more names now like 666 BURGERS and he does a lot of sticker trades and stuff. I started making a lot more stickers because he had slaps from all over, he was the first one I seen with a book and he kept all of his prototypes and stuff. He was sending packs and getting packs all the time, so I started making stickers and a few years later I was back in Oakland and I had moved into a house where most of the people did graffiti. I started going to 14th Street [Supply] when it was downtown and getting new stuff. I was at Merchant's [Saloon] one night and I was drunk and I had tagged up the bathroom and I decided I needed a new name. SHITSREAL was too long.
I was tipsy and I said to myself, I should pick like three letters and two numbers. And it just came from the back of my mind, JSK42, I was like "that work's and I'm going to run with it."
Were those letters and numbers that you liked?
I had heard from my friends, 3 other writers who were trying to do a custom piece for me, that those were three terrible letters to go together just because they're hard...
... I like 42 a lot, that's from The Hitchhiker's Guide [To The Galaxy] and they had a machine in the book that knows everything and they ask it 'what's the meaning of life' and the answer is 42. That was a good book series and I liked the humor in that answer, but it was mostly totally random. I like that it was by chance. It reminds me of doing Noise Music or Collage Art where you just start putting stuff down and just see where it goes. You mix it together, chop it up, without listening to it and then see what you got. So I liked it, it was just random and meaningless.
Though I did find out there's a crew in the midwest called JSK, so if you see it up on trains, that's not me...
.
..I don't like graff beef.
Have you had any negative experiences in the graffiti community?
No I've stayed out of the way for the longest time. I have a few friends who do it here and there. And a few friends who have beef a lot and friends who used to have beef a lot. I've just heard so many shitshow stories that are just petty, unnecessary and aggravated stuff. Unfortunately, it's a lowkey defiant kind of art form, so you're definitely going to have all different types of people doing it. Those people might also rob people, they might also kill people, they may do hard drugs and be more cut throat type of people. All different people write, so you never know, you have to be careful. Other people roll how other people roll, but sometimes you got to stay out of the way.
What is you business called and when did you start said business?
We are called 621 Thank You. We do color white outs, it basically began when I started buying Presto's [White Out Markers] at 14th Street [Supply] a couple of years ago and they became my favorite. Then I started dying them and buying them on Amazon for a little bit cheaper. Then I got some of the Press And Go [Markers] for Art Primo and I liked those a lot more for many reasons. And it's pretty much the same thing except you can unscrew the top and they're refillable, so you can put anything you want in them. But I ended up just dying them colors for myself, to see which colors worked and which blends worked. Then a few friends of mine, over and over, said "this is a million dollar product, I want these and I know more than a handful of people who want these." I had people who wanted to go into business with me, but I just kept going. I bought a bunch from Art Primo and now I'm just rocking with it. I put up stickers [on my website] and I also do a lot of Non Sport Trading Cards, like wacky ones or like for movies like Batman and Garbage Pail Kids and all the kind of stuff. Just trying to make it more fun. It seemed like the people who buy graffiti stuff on Instagram would like that kind of stuff and sometimes the orders are for younger kids, so yeah its been fun.
It's my way to keep busy. And also even when I have busy weeks I'm not making a lot of money. So right now its a lot of fun, there is a potential big deal coming soon and I maybe sold out for the next few weeks. (This deal ended up going through a few days after this interview and 621 Thank You will be partnering with Art Primo and putting out color dye Press And Go Markers).
Do you dye the actual white out that is already in the Press And Go [Markers]?
We have them sent to us filled and we put our sticker on them, pop them open and run it through to test if it works. Then we put a dab of color on the cap, so it's straight dyed...
...I could never find color white out myself and I liked the idea so I just jumped on it.
What advice would you give to young artists coming up in graffiti?
Paint and dry and tag at home as much as you possibly can. Go get reams of paper and do your style a million times, try other styles a million times. I'd say be careful who you go out [and paint] with. The most important advice would be to take care of yourself, being creative is important and a lot of people don't do it, but take care of yourself. Jump into it, but I think also exercise is important and having a routine. I get up every morning and I count my beads and do a mantra, then I come over here [Town Park, Oakland, CA] and I skate until I'm sweating and then I go home and have some Yerba Mate and breakfast and start the day, which has all helped me. I quit drinking that's been good for me, for younger kids I would say don't do drugs right off the bat. Maybe wait until your twenties if you can (Laughter). Mental health is real and it's important...
...Be fearless and be creative, be experimental.
Do you consider yourself to be an entrepenuer?
This year I've started considering that word because running this little business is floating me, so yes. Yes I do and I think more people should consider themselves entrepreneurs. And if you don't want to consider yourself an entrepreneur, then you should think of money as a game and if you're not playing the game correctly you're going to lose. What the game is and what the rules are is that if your money [spent] is not making you money then you're losing the money game. And it's something I've heard my whole life, but only realized in the last year how many ways there are to make money legally and in an honest way. The stronger and larger your community is, the more opportunities you are going to have. The more people who can trust you and who can relate to you, the more opportunity you're going to have to make money and I'm learning that.
You already have an online store but do you want to open a physical store one day?
I've thought about it and if I open a store I would like it to be in Oakland and I would want it to be something super cutty. I'd like to sell stuff you can't normally find or even sell things from etch to pre filled fire extinguishers and collapsable ladders. That would be ideal, not that I'm going to do it, but I would love to.
Are there any projects in the mix that you are currently working on or any shout outs?
Shout out to anybody who has sent stickers in to us, I featured everyone who has sent a pack on my instagram in a little video. Shout outs to Thank You Crew, FRITOE, MIXTAPE and all the skaters at Town Park and anyone who's getting up in Oakland right now and to anyone who has supported us.
(621 Thank You's colored white out markers are going to be available on Art Primo. They ended up cutting a deal for the rest of their stock to be sold through Art Primo. JSK42 couldn't speak on the deal at the time of this interview, but now that the deal has gone through he would like buyers to know about it. So make sure and be on the lookout for their markers at Art Primo's stores).
Follow them on Instagram at @621.ty
Follow us on Instagram at @Derp_taggz
Stay tuned to the blog for more interviews and reviews and more graffiti and counter culture!
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