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'Denim Masters' by artist BG 183 of Tats Cru -
Photo Credit: Richard Rodriquez
BORIQUA COLLEGE PRESENTS
‘Urban Perspectives’
– art exhibit through August 15 — curated by LEIA SANDS©™ and graffiti legend Cose TDS.
By RICHARD RODRIQUEZ
On the opening night of Boriqua College’s Urban Perspectives, a flood warning was issued. That loud, unmistakable siren ripping through the cell phone was a clear warning. And since we live on an island—one that floods like we’re starring in a low-budget biblical remake—most smart people would’ve stayed home.
But here’s the thing. I’m a New York graffiti artist. We don’t flinch. We don’t pause. A little water? Please. I’ve been through worse. And besides—I can swim.
So yeah... I went.
How could I stay away? The second I heard Urban Perspectives was opening, my whole body leaned in. That name—it whispered to me. Called to me like an echo off a subway wall. A show that brings together both old-school and new-school graffiti artists?
Legends and up-and-comers? Under one roof? At Boricua College? That ain’t just an art show. That’s a timestamp in NYC history.
Curated by LeiA Sands + Cose TDS, Urban Perspectives (which runs through August 15) features work by RiFF 170, AL Diaz (Samo), Kay Love, Rosa Guadalupe, BC, Kevin Myer, SJK 171, BG138, Melissa Schainker, Snake188, Bom5, Mike171, TKIiD, Call Her AL, Miki Mu, Valeri Larko, DUNE, Nac143, X-overt, Envy, Nomes TDS. DJ: Marlone B. Host: Rob Rivera and Olga Correa.
We don’t get this kind of lineup often. Some of these artists didn’t even rock with each other back in the train yard days. So to see them now, not just under one roof—but on the same wall? That’s powerful. That’s growth. That’s hip-hop culture doing what it does best—evolving, and still holding its roots down.
Let’s talk about the co-curator Cose.
Straight up—he’s a Bronx legend. Some call him Coast TDS—but if you know, you know.
Calling him “a prominent figure in the NYC graffiti scene” doesn’t cut it. Cose is the Bronx. The Bronx is Cose. They call him a style master, and that’s no hype. His work lives in a major NYC museum—not a one-off piece, a full archive. He started in ’79 as GAP 1 MGA. Influenced by Skeme and Tack from FBA. Brought into TDS by Mane 167. Tight with Bear 167. While the crew’s known for style, let’s be clear—they were bombing, too. And he didn’t get stuck in the train era. He evolved.
Walking through the space, it hit me hard. The past merging with the present. I saw old styles, new techniques, raw energy dripping off every canvas. This was storytelling. This was resilience.
Let me tell you something—graffiti has chapters. And these older cats? They were the architects before their time. Their canvas was steel. Thirty-foot panels flying through the city. Top-to-bottom burners that read like comic book strips. Back then, hearing your name rumble through the underground on a moving train? That was life. That was church.
You want to talk evolution? We went from steel trains to stretched canvas. From the White Elephant era—when the MTA painted all the cars white, practically handing out blank scrolls—to seeing those same minds on gallery walls. That switch hits different. It’s like unrolling a whole train panel onto a frame. It’s sacred.
When I came into the game, the trains were clean—burgundy red. They called them Red Birds. You didn’t see much art on them. The second a train got hit, it was pulled out of service. Scratchitti was more our era. Windows so etched up, it looked like you were riding through clouds.
We didn’t have the same open canvas, which is why we pay homage every chance we get. This culture—our culture—started before us, and shows like this remind us why we fight to keep it alive.
And that brings me to the energy in the room.
These legends? They still got it. The spark. The purpose. The joy. I saw it in their eyes. BG 183 from Tats Cru, Bom5, Cose TDS, HEKTAD, Riff 171, Snake 1—they all took the time to tag my blackbook.
No ego. No hesitation. Just love.
But the moment that cracked me open? That was Riff 171. I hadn’t seen him since my coffee distribution days in ‘06. He used to sketch on napkins while I poured lattes near Cooper Union. That night? He signed one of my books—and handed me one of his.
And then I saw him. Coke La Rock.
I swear my heart stopped.
The first MC in hip-hop history, standing across the room like a time traveler from Sedgwick Avenue.
I whispered to Riff, “Is that Coke La Rock?”
Riff didn’t say a word—just nodded three times. That was my green light.
I approached slow. Respectful. Didn’t want to move wrong. You don’t just walk up on royalty. I told him the truth: that he is hip-hop’s first wordsmith. That nobody’s got a pop like Coke La Rock.
He heard me. He felt me.
And then—he signed my black book.
Before I walked away, he gave me something even deeper. He said:
“Be that person I met today. Keep telling the history. People need to hear it.”
That’s purpose.
From age 13 to 43, I’ve surfed through fire and ash just to keep painting. Some days, I’ve felt invisible. Like this world don’t see the worth in our splatters, our napkin sketches, our tags.
But that night? Surrounded by legends, drenched from a flash flood, holding signed pages in my hand—I felt seen.
Urban Perspectives wasn’t just a show.
It was a reminder.
A call to keep documenting.
To keep honoring.
To keep speaking.
Because sometimes the art is the story.
And sometimes...
The story is the art.
For more information on Boricua College’s ‘Urban Perspectives’ go to their website
boricuacollege.edu or contact the Manhattan campus at (212) 694-1000 for more information.
FYI: In graffiti, "top-to-bottom burners" refer to an elaborate and highly skilled type of graffiti piece that covers a surface, typically a subway car, wall, or billboard, from the top edge to the bottom edge. These are considered some of the most impressive and visually impactful works in graffiti, often showcasing intricate letter styles, vibrant color schemes, and detailed backgrounds. The term "burner" in graffiti generally signifies a particularly striking and well-executed piece that stands out and "burns" in the eyes of onlookers, surpassing other works in its visual impact.
FYI: A handcrafted book used in graffiti is called a blackbook or a piece book.
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