Artist Interview with Deir One (GFC x CMF x IJS)

 

 

1. Where are you from and what do you write?

    Born and raised in Oakland, California. Deir One GFC, CMF, IJS. Specifically from the East but it’s love to the West and North.

2. How did you choose your name? Did you always have the same one? Or did your name find you as it does for many of us?

 

    Maaan, I been writing deir since like 2014. I been through another name I wrote from 2009-2014. If you know what I wrote, then you know. I aint tellin nobodyyy. Also I found the name by looking for something more indigenous or semetic. I wanted something that wasn’t an English word basically.

3. How long have u been writing and how has the scene progressed since you have been involved?

 

    Been writing since 09, kinda hinted at that in the last question. Really the big difference is there’s so many writers from out of town and so many toys nowadays. Back then there was just a local scene and we respected the town cuz we from here. Our OGs taught us hit the books first. We wasnt able to just do throws everywhere our OGs would clown us and all this shit wasn’t runnin'. I would say more shit is running, theres no more locals, and people put to much pride in these damn bubble letters (laughs).

4. How do you choose your color schemes? Do you have a favorite color combo?

 

    I like to stand out, I love golds, coppers, and chrome. I like shinin' I'm from the town foreal! Also I be using different colors to outline black and white is classic but I'm on a different typa time.

5. Who have been some of your biggest influences in graffiti?

 

    Biggest influences the OGs, My OGs are some of the originals. TMT, MBT, TDK, and BSK. On the style shit, I look up to Kufue, Vogue, Dream, Phresh, Poem, Chain3, Skeme, Slave, and my big brother Prize 6.. rest in paint.

 

    Back in the day comin' up it was KOD, TNS, BTW,640, NBS, D2M, and shit, our crew CMF. Wait nah TBS, NGH, them was the days when it was local niggas just tryna get up harder than each other. Crazy beef between CMF and BTW against AUK. If you know, you know.

 

 

6. Where’s your favorite place to paint? Do you like trains, day spots, street bombing etc? If you had to choose one what would it be?

 

    I love construction sites, fresh gates, and freeways. Also I like cutty spots and prime spots, like I'm hittin' spots by all the fast food joints. I don't really hit many spots in the hood. It's hella moms and pop shops “immigrants” and other local folks who got it out the mud and people just be etchin' the windows and shit. That's lowkey hatin,' folks swear they attackin' the system but the whole time they just in our neighborhoods terrorizin' shit take that shit to y'all cities, but y'all cant cause they be from the suburbs (laughs).

7. What lead you to become a graffiti writer? Do you have any epic stories from your days as a bomber that you could tell us?

 

    This Hip Hop shit in my blood for real. I used to write my name on the walls at my granny's house. Crazy story I'm with the homie, hit a fence on the 880. [The one] on Hegenberger, razor wire slices my hand, my bone was showin'. It took 39 stitches. We walkin' around Hegenberger with my hand leaking blood. Had to call moms, because we was on foot back then. Teenage shit too, just walkin' the whole town on foot at 14 years old and in 2009 around that time the town was more violent. I  don't know how we made it but we did. 

 

Runnin' from the police, “sex workers” pullin' up on us offerin' sevices. Me and my homies whoopin' on other writers. Hella shit. Town Shit!

8. What advice would you give to writers who are just starting out in graffiti?

 

    Practice, get you a solid tag and learn the streets. Get yo' styles right, because u can hit a million spots, but be weak. I only hit a few spots a night, but I think my shit stands out. It's why people notice me... Also don't post your face on IG. Stick to the weed, don't allow outta-towners to take yo' spots, get on yo' shit and be dedicated. 

9. Do you have any projects, gallery showings or anyone you want to shout out? Anything you want to plug?

    Man not really at the moment, I have my hands in other fields I'm more than just a tagger. So the other shit I do, real ones know. I want to say thanks for offering me this opportunity, I'm just grateful. GFC shit rest up to all our comrades. Oh yeah CMF might be one of the last town crews around right now all local cats too. We stood the test of time I 'member they hated on us.

 

    Kztom, Pops, Kork, Kufue, Arkoe, Cha2, Revo, Damnear, Yeet, Snuf. Can't think of eveybody else right now. Shout-out to the city too, I love Frisco!

 

 

Thanks for reading! Keep coming back as we are going to be having more artist interviews, new product reviews and more upcoming in 2022! Derp Taggz is back! Follow us on Instagram on our new account @Derp_Taggz2 since IG saw fit to pull down my old account. I think it was all haters trying to report the shit, but we wont ever stop! The graffiti scene at this historic time in Oakland needs to be remembered properly and through the eyes of those of us who are here. We will not be censored. Shout out to Deir for the dope interview, make sure and follow him on Instagram @burymyheartineso and thanks to y'all for supporting us here at Derp Taggz through the years!!!