HEEMS

1:What do you write ,  how long have you been writing for (year started), and why did you get involved in it ?

I write HEEMS HYSU, I have been writing since 2006. During the time I started to write, I was living in the Bay Area where the creek ran behind my apartments. I would see new graffiti popping up almost every other day. Me and some of the older kids in my area would climb over the fence and go down to the creek. We would walk the creek all day as it would go for miles. I remember looking at the graffiti having no clue what it was, but knowing I wanted to do it. Growing up around that time in my life, I did not have much guidance, so once I started to get supplies, and figure out the game it was over! 

2:How did you get your name?

I originally started rocking the name HEEM around 2011, at some point I added the S because there’s just something about the way 5 letter names flow! At that time I was in high school, and we would take the AC Transit EVERYWHERE it was nothing like the muni system back in the day, but we started to bus hop. Back then we had the paper bus cards so we could take any bus we wanted all day. During that time in my life, I was drinking alcohol a lot, and my favorite was always Henny.  Not sure if kids these days still call it HEEM but back then we did. I remember catching a one liner HEEM tag on the 97 line, and the name stuck with me! 

3: Who were your biggest influences and why?

I have been influenced by so many. Graffiti has evolved like crazy, and I love seeing different styles, spots, tools being used, and ways people get shit done, so It’s hard to name everybody. During the beginning of my graffiti career taking bus, and Bart, and trying to find every yard I could, some of the writers that influence me had to be Rane, Ceks (RIP), Zenk, Omega, Plant Trees, Phaze, Grow, and Belk. I have such a shitty memory from that time of my life, but I remember seeing these guys at almost every yard I went to, or every time I looked out of the bus, or Bart window. Definitely names that made me want to keep pushing! During more recent years it’s hard to put a list of names down because I am influenced by so many people, I even look outside of my area, and country to see what writers are doing, as long as your active, and progressing your probably influencing someone out there. 

4: What's  your Favorite type of graffiti? 

Tags.. hands down. I think that’s where everyone starts, and it’s a style you create your self, almost like your own fucking language, and alphabet. You can see so much from a tag it’s crazy. Outside of that I like legible shit, throws, straight letters, rollers, anything you can look at and read right away (as long as it got style) never been a fan of crazy ass pieces or burners. If I have a few hours to spare I like to spend it getting as much shit done as I can. Not wasting my whole day, or tons of paint on one piece.. that’s just me.. 

5: Do you consider graffiti Hip Hop? and if not where did you pick it up from and what group do you think it falls in?

I think back in the day looking at the roots of graffiti, way before my time, hip hop definitely had a huge influence. Hard to say if that influence is the same now, as it was back then.. It’s difficult to fully explain why I picked it up, and what made me keep going. I had a tough life growing up to say the least. Graffiti was a huge part of my environment. There were many routes I could have taken, and all of them were probably worse than the route doing graffiti. I hated being at the house sometimes, so I would jump on my bike, skateboard, or even leave on foot for hours! Having no where to go I would explore tunnels train tracks, creeks, abandoned spots, and graffiti just grew on me. It’s an addiction that’s hard to explain I don’t think for me it could ever be kicked… as far as the group it falls in, I think that’s an impossible answer. I have met writers from all types of walks of life. I think everyone has a story on why they started, and continue to do graffiti. 

6: What's your favorite type of music?

Growing up it was always hip hop, but now that I’m getting older I listen to all types of shit. I will still listen to rap, and hip hop, but will also put on some hardcore, and even country depending on my moods. I love music, and don’t really have preference no more. 

7: What's the difference between Graffiti and Gang graffiti to you?

Huge difference.. gang graffiti typically is marking there territory or letting another hood know they were there. Gang graffiti usually is for another hood to see, and to let’s MFs know where they at! Graffiti is more personal, and writers usually do it for themselves, and do it wherever the fuck they want lol. It’s almost like a “I was here” mark.. 

8: Fruity pebbles or coco pebbles? 

Coco pebbles all the way. Chocolate milk over fruity milk all day! 

9: Are you in your prime as of right now? And if not, when do you think your prime was? 

Definitely not in my prime right now. It’s hard mentally because all I think about is graffiti, and if I had more time, and different circumstances, I would be WAY more active... I would say my prime was 2012-2019 that’s when I was out almost every night rockin. The one word I would say tho is consistency… even though I’m not out bombing every night, I try to keep my name alive and my mind at ease. I got to catch tags, put slaps up, catch a throw or something at least every other day or it really impacts me mentally. There is no winner in graffiti, just try to stay in the race.. 

10: What's your favorite city that you have painted and why is it your favorite?

Unfortunately Ive never traveled internationally, but I’ve got to travel through 20 states throughout the years, and I got to say I like rocking big cities or metro areas where other people are out rocking. I fucking hate painting a city that has no graffiti. If I had to narrow it down to one city it would have to be San Francisco. Something about the cold foggy nights that just sets up the vibe to paint graffiti perfectly. It’s been a while, but I travel to SF any chance I have. 

11: What do you think of people getting jail time for graffiti ?

I’ve had close friends go to jail for graffiti, my crew was actually one of the first, and only graffiti crews in the Bay Area to get a gang enhancement thrown at them for graffiti. I understand it’s a crime and if your out doing graffiti, and your fucking active, your going to deal with cops one way or another eventually. But the one thing I hate is seeing writers get more time then real fucking criminals, I also hate seeing writers get thousands of dollars thrown at them for restitution when it takes less then half that shit to paint over what they did, the media always makes it seems worse then what it is. I will say two things.. always run from cops, and never talk to to them.. 

12: Do you still drink 40’s and if so what's your favorite brand to drink?

My 40’s days are over lol not a heavy drinker any more but I do still drink. I like IPA’s, whisky, Hennessy and tequila.. depending on what I’m doing and my mood..

13: How do you feel about the graffiti trend and as well as being used for everything now a days (clothing,lunch boxes , hats , etc…..)

I think it’s bullshit, and hypocritical. These company’s will try to use graffiti as a fashion trend but call the cops on the local writer catching a tag near there store.. graffiti ain’t a Trend, and wasn’t created to make money off of, if you don’t actively do it, and know the lifestyle stay clear from it.. 

14: Do you have a chase story that people would like to hear one that you almost shit your self during?

I have many chase stories.. most have been pretty simple I see the boys, and I’m gone lol. I will share one that probably was the most memorable, I was in high school, and was getting ready to rock a local yard with some of the homies at the time. As we are walking into the yard we see three other dude painting. One was ceks, which at that time was a writer who was a huge influence to me. As we started to paint, my boys mom called, and asked if we were painting because she heard a graffiti call on the police scanner, and it turned out to be exactly where we were. We walked over to the three older heads and told them, and they seemed to not care. We told them it’s on them but we are out. They ended up walking up to the yard entrance with us, and all we see are a line of cops walking towards us. We all scattered, me Ceks, and my boy Sect at the time bolted up the hill as we watched PD grab two of our boys. We ended up finding a chicken coop way up in the hill and hid there. For about 30 minutes we heard cops screaming “come out with your hands up, and we have a K9” being young, me and my boy were spooked but ceks looked over us and said “if they knew where we were we would be in cuffs, and to stay quiet” finally we stopped hearing the cops, and we still waited it out for another hour or so, the whole time one of our favorite writers is just lacing us up on game, and sharing stories. We ended up having to throw a jacket over a bob wire fence to climb over, and get out, by this time it was dark and pd was no where in site.. man the memories graffiti brings.. 

15: Any last Shout outs?

Shout out my day one brothers Biler, and Jeeps been rocking with the kid for 15+ years. Shout out to my OG brothers in the game Dub, 179, and John 5, and lastly all my H brothers Haven’t Yet Stopped Us!…