LA Creatives: Ladie One Interview
STYLE IS TRUTH
LADIE ONE / FAME CITY KINGS
Thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. Wanna introduce yourself?
What up! This is a short story about Ladie One!
How did your relationship with breaking and graffiti begin? Can you pinpoint a particular moment that left an impression on you?
I started writing graffiti in 2003 out of Miami,Florida and around 2005 started breaking. I was around a lot of Bboy’s at a community center named catalyst out of Hialeah Gardens and organically did both simultaneously since I started both.
Graffiti is notably a male dominated/toxic environment, What was your experience as a woman trying to make a name for herself?
I was fortunate enough to have mentors and crewmates that never gave me easy props so I had no problem unrelating a gender to the craft. I always worked hard to be respected in the game as an equal contender not being based off gender. I would battle anyone male or female and not let it faze my performance or outlook on the situation bc it’s just hiphop you either carry the true essence or not.
What is your philosophy on ‘Style’- not just in graff but also in the perspective of breaking? What makes a good/unique ‘Style’?
My outlook on Style is truth. Everyone is going to have a preference on what they favor and art is subjective in a whole but I always will respect anything that is authentic to that person being themselves. I have a more traditional style with both based on how I was schooled and I hold that responsibility to carry on my crews tradition. Style to me is about being Fresh and original but what makes a style good or unique is to have it make sense. Hip-hop is all about the essence in any of the elements, if you wana be fresh you need to embody and study the roots and foundation first.
How did you come to connect with FC and how is it being based in the west coast with a notably east coast/NY style?
I connected with FC through my Graffiti Mentor TEAL. I was schooled for years before I was even considered to be down. Then got down with MAOS FC in 2019. Being in LA I think our crew definitely sticks out as an east coast crew with the traditional FC style although we do have the west coast chapter out here. I’ve been in LA for 15 years so I would say LA has heavily influenced my technicality with my mural work.
You mention starting out in Miami, any particular crazy encounters, chases while out painting? If so, what were your takeaways from those moments?
Yeah I started writing in Miami as a kid so I have endless amounts of bombing stories. Fighting a pack of raccoons, getting chased out of yards by cops, fighting off homeless people, hiding for hours in apartment complexes etc. The takeaway I always get from painting on the streets doing murals or bombing is it’s always a risk, but mostly a high reward. Haha
Can you share some powerful moments from your career as a working artist? I see you were recently published in KET’s latest book, Congrats!
I’ve been a working full time artist for over 14 years in LA and it’s always going to be a marathon with no finish line. There’s no finish line when you are living and breathing art into your everyday life. Everything in your life becomes art itself. I learned to enjoy the process and present moment bc that’s where all the magic lives.
How do you manage your mental health and balance all the things that are constantly happening around you?
This is a great question! Especially to those who are looking into being a creative full time. The answer is mastering yourself to the point where you can alchemize and integrate any emotion or situation into your work. Your work is a confession of your reality so instead of looking for ways to escape your life and all the things life does you must learn to use it all as fuel for creation. Regardless if you’re having the worst or best day, full of rage or happiness, all these emotions are perfect in every way. In doing this we can inspire others to free themselves and embrace the humanness of being alive.
For newer artists entering the scene, how important is having a crew? Should younger artists be looking to get into groups early on?
I think having a solid mentor is more important than having a crew at first. Everything regarding crews will always be organic. I think if you’re newer to the scene and want to learn the right way approach someone who’s style you look up to and has been in the game for some time already and is rooted in Hip-Hop knowledge and culture.
What are your plans for your future? Do you have any particular achievements you’re pushing for (number of trains, walls etc)
I have dreams that are so big and plans that I can’t speak about haha. What I will say is more recently I’ve been incorporating my performance, theatrical and dance background into my current work in the studio creating a new body of work that is extremely psychological and different than I’ve experienced before from myself.
Shoutouts:
Shoutout to my Crew FAME CITY KINGS and HEARTBREAKERZ CREW!
Follow LADIE @ladie_one
Ladie One Studios
Join Our Movement
We’re creating a space where graffiti can thrive outside of algorithms. Get involved in our forum, contribute to 400ml, and help bring the culture back to its roots. Email us at hello@4hundredml.com if you’re interested in contributing.
