10 of the Best Graffiti Writers in the World. Style Masters.
This list isn't exclusive, of course. There are plenty of other incredible artists out there that I could have chosen. With the worldwide spread of graffiti there are so many talented artists working in the graffiti style it's almost impossible to come up with a definitive top ten list of the "best graffiti artists."
These 10 are pretty damned good though 
Dondi
The Style Master General.
One of the most influential writers of all time. The ultimate stylist.
Revok
My favorite of the LA style writers. I eat that West Coast style up and Revok has taken it all to an impossible extreme. So fresh.
(all revok photos courtesy flickr user anarchosyn)
Vulcan
(vulcan photo courtesy flickr user otherthings.
"The Style Messiah."
The stuff he did in the 80s is more complex and thought-provoking to me than 99.999% of the work done since. His photos in Spraycan Art (one reproduced below) are amongst my favorite pieces of all time.
Daim
The 3d master. Daim takes what, in the hands of some is basically a cheesy novelty style and brings it to the absolute top of the graffiti style game. Top notch color, form, design and draftsmanship.
photo courtesy flickr user Pasota.com
photo courtesy flickr user Harry Palmer
Doc/Arab
(photo credit to Doc himself. Swiped from myspace)
So much style.
Ces
(classic vet and ces halloween wall courtesy flickr user dmax3270)
The classic wild style practitioner. Very influential.
Bates
For my money, the best style writer in the world today. At a time when many people literally paint the same outline dozens or even hundreds of times and just change up the colors, Bates paints a different style pretty much every time. If you're a writer, know one thing: Bates can probably do your style better than you.
Delta
One of the most unique styles in graffiti, Dutch old school legend Delta takes his industrial design background and applies it to the letter form in wildly creative ways.
(photo credits to … you guessed it … my hard drive*)
Dream TDK
RIP
One of the first West Coast writers that really impressed me when I was younger. He had a really smooth classic style. People doing 500 color "burners" could learn a lot by looking at Dream's letters.
REAS
Reas is, for my money, the best practitioner of that funky AOK/RIS style that basically took over graffiti a few years ago. So fresh, crazy influential and as Todd James, one of the top 'writer makes good stories" ever.
Photo credits are noted where possible. A lot of these are just pulled from my hard drive (and therefore originally pulled off the net), so if you see an image here that's yours and you want it pulled or just want me to properly credit you, please just let me know.
Not a bad list but I definitely would have added Cycle, Espo, Tracy 168, Twist and a couple of others in the top ten.
cycle is imok, so I didn't want to look like I was playing favorites… lol. he's super fresh.
Need one on top "all city" bombers. Like JA, Cope2, Cost, etc.
Nice list Rob.
KOSIONE LOOMIT EWOK TASSO SEEN?
TOO MANY TO PICK 10!
But Thank you!
-NOW
weareallone.tv
"TOO MANY TO PICK 10!"
Exactly!
I'd add Wane, Revs and T-Kid but it's a fine list nonetheless.
weres sane smith cmon
SABER!! wtf!
definetley over a couple of the old school ones
overall nice choices
I THINK YOU FORGOT COPE2 WEST METRO GHOST KET
CES FX
@NYC GRAFFITI ART
Definitely didn't forget those guys. GHOST vs. REAS was one pairing I thought a lot about. WEST is insanely good too. There are just so many fresh writers to choose form I had to just choose… I'll debate this list internally for a while.
@solar Again it was SABER vs. REVOK and I went with REVOK. It's probably because we both have names that start with RE, but his stuff appeals to me just a little more than SABER. SABER is super fresh.
NO PHASE TWO NO STYLE MASTERS. PERIOD END OF STORY. AND NO DISS TO BATES BUT 99.9% OF WHAT HE DOES IS EVERYONE ELSES STYLE!!! GHOST??? BE SERIOUS.
PHASE2 could have a post of his own, no doubt. I definitely didn't mean to diminish PHASE2's contribution to style by omitting him in this list. This isn't the top ten. It's just ten out of many.
I think GHOST is fresh. I know some people are never going to like that style, but to me GHOST is 100% fresh.
BATES, yeah, he does "everyone else's style," but half the time he does them better…
ROB YOU'S A COOL GUY NO DOUBT. YEAH TECHNICALLY WE CAN "DEBATE" STYLE FOREVER.BUT MASTERING STYLE IS ABOUT INNOVATION CREATIVITY AND BURNING. BURNING AMONGS THE BEST INNOVATORS AND ORIGINALS IN A CERTAIN RESPECT.
AND IN A BATTLE AGAINST THE BEST OF SUCH A LOT A FEW OF THESE GUYS WOULDN'T STAND A CHANCE.TEHY WOULD GET PUMMELED. ALONG WITH THE PHANTOM.
ANOTHER THING THAT PEOPLE CURRENTLY SLEEP ON IS THAT A LOT OF THESE TECHNICALLY CORRECT COMPUTER ARCHITECT ART SCHOOL DO IT BY THE BOOK TYPES THAT MAY HAVE THE SKILLS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SOUL.
FROM A HARDCORE STYLE FREAKS PERSPECTIVE IF YOUR STYLE ISN'T COMING FROM OUT OF YOUR MIND, BE IT FLIPPING WHAT INFLUENCES YOU TO ANOTHER LEVEL OR JUST COMING FROM NO FIELD WITH SOMETHING THAT'S THE TRUEST DEGREE OF STYLE. BEYOND STANDARDS.
IF YOU ARE FLIPPING SWITCHES TO "CREATE" THAT AND THEN SIMPLY TAKE YOUR LITTLE COPY TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT, OKAY THE
END RESULT IS SOMETHING BUT WHAT ARE THEY REALLY CREATING INNOVATING OR BRINGING TO THE TABLE ON A NEW FOUND TIP??
YOU HAVE BUMS WHO ARE BETTER (IN THE MINDS OF THE BLIND) THAN THE NEXT BUM WHO PEOPLE PUT ON A PEDESTAL BECAUSE ONE OF A FEW THINGS.THEY CAN'T DO IT AND THERE'S NO ONE AROUND BETTER THAN THE BUMS…ETC SO DA BUMS A CHAMP.
STANDARDS OF STYLE HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS. PEOPLE CAN LIKE WHAT THEY LIKE. LIKE LOVING WEAK RAP. WHEN IT'S OBVIOUS WHAT THE EXQUISITE STUFF IS. SOULJA BOY?? OKAY WE LOVE YOU BRA. BUT RAKIM HE WILL NEVER BE. LOVING HIM IS NEVER GOING TO MAKE HIM THE CREME OF THE CROP WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACTS.
OPINIONS DON'T KNOCK PEOPLE AND OUT PUNCHES DO. IT'S MATH.
THIS ISN'T A DEBATE THOUGH. JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT. SOME OF THESE CATS COULD PROBABLY HOLD ONE ANOTHER TO A STANDSTILL NO DOUBT. BUT THEM BASIC TYPES NEXT TO A REVOK OR VULCAN?? THAT'S CHAPPELLE!!!PEACE!!!
DANG MY SPELLING!!!
instead of revok, put Skill UTI
deam ang dream are my heros ma dream cause he made it happen in the bay deam cause his style and the way he does all the crasy 3d
REVOKE NIKKA LA'S GRATEST ..
YALL ARE BUGGING OUT.HERE IS YOUR TOP TEN….
10.DOC
9.WEST
8.MITCH
7.DUSTER
6.SEEN
5.DOZE
4.T-KID
3.SKEME
2.TACK
1.DONDI
ENUFF SAID…LET IT BE KNOWN
Lee Quinones? OR Seen?
Both are incredible. LEE especially served to remind us of what was possible with graffiti artistically and SEEN really solidified the template for what we think of as "traditional" graffiti.
SEEN'S A PUSSY
I CAME ACROSS THIS BLOG GOOGLING FOR "EWOK AWR" PHOTOS(GO FIGURE!) -ANYWAYS, TO THE CREATOR OF THIS LIST I THANK YOU… I AM EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE(AT LEAST IN YOUR OPINION) -CONSIDERED AMONGST THE RANKS OF SUCH A AMAZING LIST OF LEGENDS, MANY OF WHOM WERE, AND STILL REMAIN TO THIS DAY A HUGE PERSONAL INFLUENCE AND INSPIRATION…
PS. IMPRESSED THAT YOU INCLUDED DELTA… A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SLEPT ON THAT CAT, HE WAS WAAAAAY AHEAD OF HIS TIME. ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES.
R.
omg av u nt heard of can2
Of course I've heard of Can2. Super fresh writer. Incredible characters.
my top 10 are
10.auto
9.dondi
8.cope2
7.tkid
6.billy167
5.lace357
4.delta
3.zephyer<—- dnt mind the spellin
2.seen
1. can2
In a 'best graffiti writers' list you gotta include character artists. Mode 2 bro.. legend in the game.
Good lookin list of lettermen.. askew and she one would be up on mine.. skeme, virus.
Tou take your time puttin something like this together so half the net can get together and call you an idiot eh? Good work.
Mode2 is a good call. Complete legend and deservedly so. Guy is so good.
and yeah, lists like this mean I get to take my lumps. I've been around long enough to not let it bug me. To be honest, I love hearing other people's opinions on this stuff.
And Krink!! That splatter shits gon all over the world!
quit beefn my list…
at the end of the day its my choice regardless of what u fink
… in belfast were im frum there are some fresh writer eg. search on youtube. belfast legends
No one's beefing your list aaron. All great choices.
ok . lets put all this behind us.
so rob were u frum
Boston, MA
sweet.
du u write
REACT IMOK
them gaffitis are hot as hell
ever since i was five iv been dreaming of
doing graffs like that 11 years ago now im almost there
im reali gud at sketchn n stuff bt i wud like sum help 4 a graffiti name
wud u like 2 help me
yeah nice list heres what i think
10.lee
9.cert
8.abbs
7.rime
6.wane cod
5.ewok
4.askew
3.phang
2.saber
1.revok
u need to add ins, Alien Man\A.M., and cope 2
Guys, go check ODEITH for yourselves. THE ILLUSIONIST.
Check it:
http://www.odeith.com/
nah the real master are these….
1 DONDI
2 BLADE
3 SLAVE
4 CLIFF
5 HONDO
6 SUPERCOOL
7 IZ THE WIZ
8 PHASE2
9 PNUT
10 LOVESTER
SO NOW YOU KNOW!PEACE!
i believe sonny 107 has been over looked,,,pnut will tell you..
thats my dad
REVOK? A GUY WHO STANDS A WEEK IN FRONT OF A WALL?? THAT'S NOT GRAFFITI….
i have mad respect for all these writers even tho i dont agree with your list i think banksy cope and t kid should all b on there actually
rico u cud mre than likley stand in front of a wall 4 a year and wud have shit on revok
my list
10.H2O MI
9.KA BT
8.PER FX
7.TKID TNB
6.LEE TS5
5.NIC 1 AK
4.DONTAY TC5
3.DOZE TC5
2.DOVES TCK
1.STEM YNN
YOU MUST KNOW THESE WRITTERS CREATED OFF THE TOP OF THE DOME NO MAGS,NO BOOKS,NO INTERNET STRAIGHT DOME….AND BY THE WAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHROME ANGELS A.K.A TRAILBLAZERS THE REST GOT IT AFTER WE MADE IT PEACE……….
Daaaaamn datz sum of da nicest work I've ever seen yall must b n da game fo a long time already hoply I get good like dat 1 day
props on the list. i'd trade a few out for some personal favorites. i would like to see your input on top ten crews. that would definitely start a riot but, id be down to read your input.
First two that spring to mind ate TC5 and FBA. And it's true, that would be mayhem. Some people are going to be mad because I mentioned TC5 and FBA ahead of *insert top crew here*
Er….SHOK1 !!!!! How can you talk about style and not mention him
http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/graffiti/shok1-graffiti-leake-street-cans-tunnel.htm
10 UTAH MUL
9 IZ THE WIK
8 Seak
7 Totem
6 SCIEN 123K
5 COPE 2
4 Saber AWR
3 Smash 137
2 Heist RA (RIP)
1 Ether MUL
Also i think your forgetting histories writers who were known to do outsides but whom were famous for their insides too even if most inside writers never got the type of credit they deserved when in reality these guys were on fire and were definitely a force of their own..
Snake
Dean
Roto
Smoke
Dondi
Ses
Rasta
Revolt
Fuzz
Tean
Zephyr
Wasp
Ban2
Min
Strike
Shy147
Great list.
For my part, I didn't really "forget" anyone. I just had to choose 10, so obviously some people were going to get left out.
man i guess…i only consider a master someone with true skill what is true skill? 1.YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW/DRAFT PRO LIKE A PRODIGY 2.YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES STYLE AND BALANCE. 3.CAN CONTROL the only guy you listed i think is close to master level is daim. the others are really good too just not masters like delta, bates and ces are the other dudes i like on the list…revok is good but im not a fan of nick-nack styles. MY LIST WOULD BE MORE LIKE : MADC, DARE, GES, TOTEM, DOES, DAIM, SEW, PLAGUE1, SANE2, COPE2, LABRAT, ect..
I feel top ten:
Seen
Dase
Crash
Lee
Mitch 77
Daim
BG183
Revok
Phase2
Part2
One of the most artistic, talented, versatile writers i believe to be is DAMB. dude is sick. Trust me!
got flicks?
Def some good picks, Revok(I say hes number one because he has been relevant for a long period of time), Daim, Ces and Dream(I could support that one all day).
But come on you have to put Seen. He did it all. Him and Can 2 are your classic graffiti style at its best.
And I saw Twist mentioned. He has/had the tightest hands ever. And coming from where you come from, hands are priority. I dont know if hes top ten but I would prob put him there
And Im not the biggest Totem fan but I cant front on him either.
My Top Ten, Not necessarily in order.
Seen
Can Two
Daim
Totem
Revok
Dream TDK
Cope2
Ces
Dondi
Rime Msk
Smash 137 is my favorite writer right now, but I havent heard of him for that long
Eazy, dope commentary. Glad to see you on here.
TWIST is the shit. Clearly. Incredible hand styles and he's proved to be incredibly influential over the years.
SEEN is definitely the shit. So is CAN2.
TOTEM, is super influential. I can't front on him, either.
RIME is fucking insanely good.
I know if there is a graffiti battle in the world. There is one or two group that as a chance to win. My first choice will be,
1) TAT CRU
2) MSK
3) FX
4) TNB
5) KD
Winner someone in TAT CRU:
BG183, BIO, NICER, HOW, NOSM or SEN2
Top Artistic Talents!
Top style kings of al time… first level.
1.Phase2
2. Riff 170
3. Billy 167
4. Tracy 168
5. Pel
6. Part 1
7. Chain 3
8. Kool 131
9. Noc 167
10. Slave
11. Dondi
12. Case 2
13. Butch 2
14. T-Kid
Top style Kings second generation
1. Seen (Tc5)
2. Doze
3. Skeme
4. Dez
5. Kel
6. Daze
7. Magoo2
8. Web
9. Baby168
10. Tack
11. Mitch 77
12. Duster
13. Cos 207
and if you feel like adding me
To Doctc5
I like your list of first and second
generation. Now i want to know the third
generation list.
Peace
2 Cool
yeah, plus one on that suggestion. I'd love to see DOC's third, fourth generation lists too.
Phase 2 Butch 2 Kade 198
Riff 170 Me who else…Dondi
Bic 149 Part one Phade
Billy 167 Kool 131 Magoo
Checker 170 Noc 167 SEEN (W)
Tracy168 Kase 2 Sonic
Mr Pug Doo 2 Don 1
Bot 707 Krome 100 Dez
Pel one LEE Chino malo
Peso131 Padre dos Skeme
reserves:
Cost one
Chi CHi 133
I got style masters piping in left and right here.
That's the shit.
tloks or detr
totem2 or dytch66
revok or ewok
nace or dream
natrl or chez
retna or reyes
daim or craola
sub or ces
siner or tank
kofie or scribe
You really can't because you have to start with the best of different eras:
Phase 2
Riff 170
Bic 149
Pel one
Billy 167
Tracy 168
Mr pug 2
Butch 2
Peso 131
Doo 2
Thatz the true first GEN…
you can argue….
Cost/ Palo one
chi-chi 133
P-Nut 2
checker 170
sonny 107
P-Hase 168
Bot 707
Hydra 1
Mr.Jinx 174
Te 163d!
Krome100
If I forgot…I'm old…1
thats what i'm talking about,,,alot of people forgot about sonny 107 i'm glad my father still has some love in the streets
Second GEN
Me of course!
Kool 131
Part one
Padre Dos
Lee
Nic 707
Sid 149
Kase 2
Anthony 101
Noc167
You can argue:
Slave
Magoo 2
SMILY 149
Rid one
Slave
Panic 1
Puma 107
Rasp 1
Defie 1
Prof.2.165
game 5
OZ 109
jean13
3rd GEN…
Mitch 77
Kade 198
Phade
SEK170
SEEN/w
Kel 1
Stan 1
Dez
Skeme
T-kid170
You can Argue…
Seen/B
shame125
Airborne
Tack
Magoo (the other)
I forgot: STAN 153, Scar 36, AJ 161
and Rasta and Dondi My Bad!
the fourth gen you have to figure out because this spreads across the world
Brim 1
Gizmo 1
Ces 1
WEB
DOC
Cav
Sien 5
Bates
Loomit
Daim
Big Arguements:
Cope
Clark
Muse
Per
A one
How / nosm
Bio
CEN
NICER
KEY
Damb… Sonic (2 gen) is gonna kill me!
Themo
Acet
Search
The 5th is on you…too many this is style…we can do throw-up masters later…1
thanks man. That's a great knowledge bomb right there. I'd love to take a couple of days to put together examples of all your choices.
Were talking style…
There are the ones with style and the ones who changed the rules of the game…
I forgot STEM (4 Gen)
Lask (4)
BABY 168 (3 Gen)
SEX, WIE (5 GEN)
EASE (4 GEN)
CAMP (4 GEN)
PASE (4 GEN)
Jester one changed the rules W/bubble style…1
Interesting picks. I could also think of alot of others. Top 10 is a hard hard thing to choose, for sure.
I understand that we are primarily talking about wildstyle lettering.
But a "Graffiti…Writer"…or a practioner of lettering/ typography etc…
I would add Chaz Bojorquez.
Although he did NOT "invent" cholo writing in LA,
He certainly influenced ALOT of other people with his evolved style which pulls from traditional East LA hood styles, as well as chinese calligraphy and other forms of calligraphy and world wide forms of writing.
He's influenced cholos/homeboys to bangers…to the average west coast writer/street bomber, tattoo artist…to the skilled artist, such as people like REVOK and RETNA…etc.
That is only my opinion. I know many dont agree that "gang" or cholo/hood writing doesnt count…
But it all comes from the same place….
…The Streets
great name. nothing but respect from over here on the east coast.
Yes, Cholo Writing is a part of what we do!
It showed the expansion of where our art is flowing to as well as the bending computer styles of Europe.
Itz another part of a Style trackers
life to know these things remember each
state has a different style. Someone always adds an element that keeps this art going…1
what about SENTO.???????????????'
regconize!
SENTO is the shit. Super duper fresh.
SENTO…Is a Kase 2 student…My Bad…1
everybody is a student of somebody.even chain 3,i think.Sento is the bomb,past,present and future.
There is a difference… I didn't have a wing to cover me…I was self taught…
we tend to forget…I came up through
ranks! The Rank closed after the mid-80's were Style took a turn to the World
0f computers and bold characters and reality. respect for knowing who is the true King is gone…Who is a true King Now? You have artist which is good but
Who stands out to be number one?
Now you have claim to be kingz lol…1
the rank were closed before chain3 .riff 170,phase2..u know that hundrends of times better than me chain!and of course i guess u had wings to cover you….
anyway u did that for how long?5,7 maybe 10 years?keep talkin about what u did as a kid.
Sento is still doin it,and thats the main difference.
I see the toy department still exsist…
Ayeeee dream that guy went to my highschool, some kids from the highschool tagged a wall at the highschool he went to in memory of dream
Totem should be in there. So clean. Tyke's Witness as well
Correction : Tyke Witness. Damn you english class
my father sonny 107 was sick wit it…all he talked about was how much he loved to write,tag burn, and bomb,,,but it seems like the graffiti world forgot about him,,,except for a few loyal friends of his,, thanks tracy 168, pnut, and the rest of the whole crew that kept my fathers name alive..
sonny 107 is my dad if anybody knows were i can find some of his stuff please email me jacobreyes1@hotmail.com
Damn dude some real legends chiming in here. I'm gonna add Part 1, Min, Quik and Poem to my earlier input. Skeme too. That guy couldn't not be fresh if he tried.