CANE

est. 1995 

 
NovaCane . KillaCane
 
 
 Photo - Leaf & Wood
 
 
Leaf & Wood - What year do you consider that you started taking writing serious?
 
CANE - I started in 1995 but didn’t get any recognition until 1999. By 2000 me and my partner had some of the best spots in the Bronx . “NovaCane”.
 
 
 
Photo - Artist - 1999 - 52nd Precinct 
 
 

LW - What do you find more rewarding? The finished piece or the process of creating?

CANE Creating something new is is always a good feeling but nothing like driving by and seeing your finished piece in the street , Or having someone show interest in a finished canvas that you worked on . So definitely the finished product.

 

Photo - @Addicted2NorthFace

 

LW Insights on how you handle a career, family, and graffiti at the same time in your life?

CANE - As I’ve gotten older there’s a lot more to manage. I’m not a teen anymore with no worries or bills. A lot more to lose now, family, mortgage to pay, good paying job. With that being said I still make time to get my gear ready and head out a few nights every month. Kinda like back in the day, just more calculated about what I’m doing. Life comes first before my graff life. If you would have asked me that when I was 18 .... totally different answer.

 

 Photo - Leaf & Wood

 

LW Does cannabis play a role in your creative process, before, during, after?

CANEAll of the above, I smoke before I sketch. Once I'm halfway thru coloring and of course right after as I’m giving it the final inspection. Unless I’m street bombing then it’s usually once at the beginning of the night and again on the ride home.

 

Photo - @Addicted2NorthFace 

 

LWDo you have any personal rituals when it comes to smoking?

CANENot really. I don’t do the cyphers with ten heads like I used to do lol. Nowadays I just twist paper mostly or an occasional gar. Usually just leaf but I dabble in all sorts of products... oil/dabs/resin. No edibles for me tho, I go right to sleep.

 

 Photo - Leaf & Wood

  

LWCredit for previous artist? Inspired by? Mentor? Someone you built off of artistically?

CANE - My mentor was SEME KBC crew. he started me off with my first throwie and hand style and I ran with it from there. I never even looked at graff until he put me on. Inspired by so many it’s hard to list em all. Sak/tabe/ric / nesta/remo/ yes2/ces/ per/notak/Jnice/chad/ cope2/ skid/dolt/mate/xs/ melk/meth/ 9volt/just/ pen/shine /mast .. that just some off top. I can’t list everyone but those dudes I saw up all over the BX.

 

Photo - @Addicted2NorthFace

 

LW - NYC is said to be the birthplace of modern graffiti, in your opinion, does it still influence the scene on a world scale?

CANE - NY is definitely the birthplace of modern graff and will always have an influence on the graff scene. The internet however has exposed us to all different genres of graff from all over the world. You used to be able to distinguish NY graff from any other part of the world. Now I see throwies in NY that have a straight up Cali influence or European influence. Social media made to where I can see how they’re painting in Brazil or Japan so New York isn’t the only thing people are exposed to nowadays. The NY style of street bombing will forever be what I remember... and that what influenced me.

 

 Photo - Leaf & Wood

 

LWWhat makes you happy?

CANE - Happiness to me is being able to provide for my family, being mentally and physically healthy and enjoying life while you’re here. No sense on wishing I did something when I can do it now and not worry about “what if?”

 

Photo - @Addicted2NorthFace 

LWIf CANE had their own brand cannabis genetics, what would your strain be called?

CANE - KushyCane of course 🤙🏼