The controversial art movement of graffiti has been vividly alive since the very start- over 40 years ago. Graffiti art has been such a significant movement throughout several cultural identities and the birth of graffiti was closely integrated with hip hop/rap music, street dance/break dance, and was the first controversial type of urban expression. The outside influences such as music, gangs, and drugs are not at all positive aspects, but assets nonetheless in helping to wholly define graffiti and it's effects on street culture. Graffiti was partly birthed amongst hatred, violence, crime and negativity. One instance when graffiti began to become popular was in 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. "Graffiti creators started tagging the subway walls, silently claiming their right to have an identity of their own." Graffiti is now internationally practiced, although New York City is always known and respected as the root of this worldwide movement. Top-tagged cities other than NYC are Berlin, London, Brazil, and several other cities in South America, Europe and the a little too in the Middle East. Styles vary according to region and intention but the use of popping colors and creative design is constant across the board. Having seen several types of street art and how different the graffiti can be within the same city, and also how incredibly unique each artist works, I am continuously impressed and fascinated with this movement.
