On the homepage of YouTube, graffiti and hip hop legend Fab Five Freddy introduces a selection of videos, talks about graffiti, hip hop, and Banksy’s film Exit Through The Gift Shop.

Fred sent us this terrific annotation of his favorite videos currently on Youtube:

I was a part of a very cool underground public access TV show in 1979 called Glenn Obrien’s TV Party that aired weekly back then. I was a regular guest and one of the show’s cameramen.  Typically, it was a groovy talk show format but this was a theme show. Bad musically, but a lotta fun. Check Jean Michel Basquiat standing there with a guitar smiling.  And he wrote Mock Penis Envy on the wall visible behind Blondie’s Chris Stein, also with a guitar and shades on.

This is a mash up video of scenes from my film Wild Style. Some clever guys in Amsterdam did this and I love it.

Here’s the my scene from Downtown 81, a film done in that year that stared Jean-Michele Basquiat and is a very good look at that time on the downtown scene in New York City. Lee Quinones, the legendary graff artist, is in the scene with me painting as Jean walks up.  Then we go inside and have a ‘lil fun.

2 Pac was a friend of mine and here he’s free styling during an interview I did with him for YO! in ‘95.

Wu Tang Clans TV debut on YO! MTV Raps before the world would embrace there raw and clever version of hip hop music.

An encounter I had with George Bush senior a couple of years ago.  The fact that he discussed our brief chat with Larry King was impressive.

 

Here’s a scene from the first film/documentary to showcase New York Subway graffiti. “Stations Of The Elevated” released or finished in 1981.  Back then I’m sure this film was not seen by to many. I don’t recall it ever airing on TV. But these days thanks to digital tech and sites like this, we can see what it was like when nearly
every New York City subway car was touched by graffiti.  I love this film!

“One Love” for Nas, off of his first album.  Most of my favorite video’s had a narrative storyline.  This lyrical masterpiece from Nas was like a great script and I shot this entire video in the Queens Bridge housing project where he grew up.

“Talking All That Jazz” is a clip I directed for Stetsasonic which is the first video to deal with the soon to be large issue of sampling.  Also, because I grew up in a jaz loving house hold and drummer Max Roach was my godfather, I knew I’d be able to do a good job with this one.

Kool G Rap & Polo, “Road To The Riches”, one of the first video’s to illustrate the rise & fall of New York City drug dealer.
of 1988. 

BLONDIE’S video for the song Rapture was like my coming out party in 1981 and introduced me to a world that really wouldn’t know me well until several years later in 1988 when YO! MTV Raps would air weekly coast to coast and in many countries around the world.  Click here to view.