It's painfully early on a weekend morning in the 'hood, and Phoenix graffiti artist DOSE and his homie FOES head south through streets filled with homeless crack- and meth-heads. The scene looks like something out of a Rob Zombie flick, with undead hookers and addicts plodding aimlessly from one side of the street to another.
The doors on DOSE's sleek, black sedan are locked and, anyway, it's not as though the pair are looking to score rocks. They pass through the area around Madison Street and Seventh Avenue and seek out the train yards farther south and west. DOSE drives through the yards, then follows the train tracks via back roads, going even farther west, looking for freight cars to tag.
"There's not anything in the yards right now," gripes DOSE. "Because the economy is down, there are no trains to fuck with."
They finally stop in an industrial area that looks suitably abandoned, jump out of the ride, and get busy. FOES disappears behind a train car — one of the few they see that day — standing alone on a side track. Although DOSE has a palette of spray-paint cans in the trunk, he opts to tag with custom-made markers filled with ink he mixed himself. They're quicker to hide should cops or private security roll up.
Light poles, fences, buildings, the sidewalk, you name it — they all become a blank canvas for urban hieroglyphics. FOES returns from tagging the side of a car and tells how he startled a bum lying under some plywood.
Suddenly, DOSE spots a rent-a-cop parking his security vehicle on a side street near the trio. Rather than wait for the inevitable, DOSE boldly strides toward the guard, engaging him in pleasantries. When he returns, he says not to sweat it. He told the guard they had stopped to take a leak and would soon be moving on.
"The worst thing anyone can do is run like a little girl," says DOSE, easing back in the car. "If you run right off the bat, they're gonna know you're doing something wrong. So I speak to them before they speak to me."
The day bleeds into the afternoon, and DOSE and FOES end up where they started, at a hideout doing bong hits, drinking Arrogant Bastard Ale, and jawboning about — what else? — graffiti.
Life's a ripe plum for DOSE right now. The veteran Phoenix writer (what graffiti artists call themselves) has been steadily increasing his fame over the past few years, helping to form an art collective called Forever In Control, which has sought out legal walls in spots across town, from the so-called "graffiti alley" behind stores on McDowell Road between 18th and 19th streets to the cinder block walls of Miranda's Custom Cars in south Phoenix.
Graffiti alley garnered the attention of ASU's Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts and heavy-hitters like former Herberger director of community engagement Joe Baker. This led to collaboration with established Phoenix sculptor and painter Hector Ruiz.
The products of the Ruiz-DOSE collaboration are wall-size canvases filled with social commentary, humor, and regional symbolism — explosions of color and visual references that critique the hypocrisy of modern American society, its racism, and its ruthless pursuit of the dollar. The canvases have caught the eye of Phoenix Art Museum modern-art curator Sara Cochran, who has included them in an ongoing exhibit of Latino artists called "Locals Only." Major local collector Treg Bradley has begun snapping them up. And Bentley Calverley, owner of Scottsdale's Bentley Gallery and Downtown's Bentley Projects, is representing both DOSE and Ruiz and is planning a major exhibition for both artists in November.
It's the kind of recognition that would make an art-school grad salivate. But DOSE didn't go to art school. That's to say, his art school has been the graffiti world, and it operates by different rules. That's why he still tags, even though he's in his 30s (relative old age for a graf writer) and on the verge of mainstream success.
"I keep tagging," DOSE says, "to let the other writers know that just because I'm doing gallery shows doesn't mean I'm sleeping on the streets or sleeping on the roots of what started it."
DOSE is cagey about his past. He has to be. Graffiti (or "criminal damage," as it's defined by Arizona Revised Statute 13-1602) could get a writer charged with anything from a class 2 misdemeanor to a class 4 felony, depending on how much it costs to clean or "buff" the damage.
DOSE claims he's never been caught, and he plans to keep it that way, though as his fame increases, keeping his real identity and his DOSE persona separate will become increasingly difficult.
"I don't care what anyone says," DOSE remarks. "I'm successful at graffiti, and I'm going to keep doing it. Am I going to stop because of the mere fact that it's illegal?"
As a condition of his cooperation for this story, New Times agreed not to show DOSE's face or reveal his birth name.
DOSE shares certain facts about his life, while keeping others in the dark. He's from Los Angeles and moved to Phoenix with his family when he was a teen. After high school, there was a stint in the military, though he remains vague on what branch. He was stationed in Latin America for a time, but ask him what he did there, and he'll give you a sarcastic answer about smuggling cocaine into the country for the CIA.
Sad to say, there's somebody in Austin right now using your tag name and defacing other people's art and some of the really cool businesses on the east side. Â It's a shame and causes confusion and misdirected hatred. Â No disrespect to any artists, but disrespecting fellow artists is wrong.
ei fkin haters he is makin a revolution with his art... suporting the raza... and all the shit we have taken through the years im proud to say im his cousin...
They got the name wrong. The name is DOZE Green NOT Dose. Here is an interviewhttp://www.vimeo.com/1992146
YO I READ THROUGH ALL THE COMMENTS!! LET ME START BY SAYING THIS. EVERYONE OF YOU BITCH ASS NIGGAS POSTING HATE COMMENTS ON THIS AND NOT LEAVING YOUR NAME WILL BE FOUND AND WILL NEVER GET UP AGAIN!!! DOSE IS A GREAT ARTIST! HE PUTS HIS WORKS IN THE STREET!!! HE MAKES MAD BANK!!! HE IS PROLLY THE ONLY GRAFFER IN AZ DOING SHIT LIKE THIS!!! AND TO ALL YOU FOOLS CALLING HIM A BULLY THIS NIKKA IS PRETTY CHILL. FOOLS ARE TERRIFIED TO HAVE BEEF WITH HIM,, HE'LL STOMP ALL OVER YOUR ASS!! YO AND ALL THE FOOLS SAYING HE IS OR WAS THE WACKEST FOOL IN TAF LOL HAHAH YO EVEN SREK COMMENTED THIS SHIT SAYING PROPS TO DOSE AND TELLING YALL FOOLS OFF YALL NIKKAS ARE BITCHMADE 2 FACERS ... REAL RECONIZE REAL!!! LISTO KYSKKKK
Dose- I read all the comments and it's funny how people actually sat and wasted time trying to insult and degrade what they obviously envy. I can't believe how far you've come homeboy and I can say I remember your first works of art. All the hate you receive is a confirmation you doin the damn thing . (if they really didn't like it, they wouldn't pay attention). Oh no, the haterz will talk about me now. My life will be over if they say something to hurt my feelings ...hahahahahaha!Please feel free to dedicate your next work to the lifeless retards who blessed your page with what they thought was going to stop you from what you do.
It amazes me to read all the hate mail from a bunch of self proclaimed "men" that are deathly afraid to put their names up after talking smack. I didn't realize there were so many "PUSSIES" in our great town. It take a very strong individual to do what he has done, while the rest of you "great graffiti artist" talk smack, he's busy planning his next moves and consistently stays 10 steps ahead of his competition.Bravo!!!
P.S. and if DOSE is as "toy" or just started painting, like some have claimed. Then, what does that make the rest of you that will never accomplish a tenth of what he's already done?
dose..dose..dose.fake..fake.fake..im not hating bout him selling his paitingggs ...he is doing his thing..shit i wish i can do the same shit, but he is a "fakE"..talking shit bout cope2 how he is fake.."how can cope2 still be paiting n not get cought. when he is showing his face out on videos, braging how he hasnt got cought"...........
THIS IS GRAFF TALK...BLAH,BLAH HATING ON DOSE, HES MAKINGTHAT LOOT,PAYING HIS BILLS, ETC....WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIS GRAFFITI, HES A FUCKING TOY! AINT ARTISTIC EITHER IF YOU SEEN HIS WORK WITH MR.RUIZ. WHY GIVE PROPS TO SOMEONE THAT AINT GOOD WHEN THERES PLENTY OF WRITERS THAT CAN BURN HIS WORK THAT HAVENT EVEN BEEN PAINTING AS LONG AS HE CLAIMS TO HAVE. JUST CAUSE THEY DID A STORY ABOUT HIS PUNK ASS HE'S NOW THE GRAFFITI KING OF ARIZONA?!?!? FUCK THAT! HE SUCKS AND WHOEVER IS STICKING UP FOR HIM IS OBIVIOUSLY BLIND OR DOESNT KNOW WHAT GOOD GRAFFITI OR ART IS. SUCKERS! KEEP IT GULLY IN THE STREETS!
it is a story about a guy. it could have been about anyone. take it for what it is. you are all just jealous. grow up.
So many assume, so little know...I agree with comments #13 (Shaft, see you at work, lol) and #43. Haters only hate the things they can't get and the people they can't be...and by hating you're only making his name more known, bringing him more recognition, more fame...suckers! he mind as well thank you for the favor...DOSE, mad props to you homie, you're making it happen, no one else is there supporting your ass, paying your bills, taking care of your family, you're making it happen, and that's more than any of your haters can say...while they're out there wasting their time chasing and prosecuting people, working at some 9-5 job at Mickey D's bringing in 38,000 a year...your art is selling for 38,000 a piece. You do what you do, and you're happy, it is what it is. All the haters need to get over themselves, go catch some real fucken criminals, the ones selling crack and raping your kids...you're just a bunch of unhappy, cowardly failures, get a life, and go make something of yourself like this guy did, defeating all odds...NO BITCHASSNESS!!!
Dose is going to keep doing his thing regardless, hate it or love it. Get that Money!
david harris we did not understand what the hell your post says you type like you have a dick in your mouth or hand or whatever good luck with that
Nothing starts a neighborhood into a downward spiral into being run by drug dealing gangsters faster than graffiti. Taggers should be shot on sight.
Props to New Times for supporting this local artist. Congrats to the artist Dose for crossing cultural borders and taking his art to a new level. Always strive for more in life. From some of these posts it sounds like you must be a strong minded and motivated individual to break away from the crowd. As a native hispanic myself, it feels good to see another rise above and follow his dreams. Dont pay attention to anyone you left behind for its their loss not yours. I look forward to seeing your work in your upcoming show.
DOSE YOU ARE NOT SICK! YOUR GRAFF LOOKS THE SAME AS THE DAY YOU STARTED. GET THAT CAN OF PAINT OUT YOUR ASS AND GET THEM CHEEKS BACK ON THE CORNER GUY. TAH
You guys only know dose as the writer. None of the real homies even care. We all support Dose as the artist he is. But for you or your homie to talk about his wife and kids is not acceptable. If it wasnt you then it was your homies that you allowed to talk this way. Graff shit is one thing but family is another. Dose has more love in AZ than you can imagine. I for one hope it isnt one of the people I met from Dose. But if it is...trust me, we dont take kindness to rape talk about his wife and his children. I regret to inform you that I will not only take it out on you but your family members for putting it out on my brother. Do yourslefs a favor and bow out now. Trust me we will find out who the truth is and make an example out of him. Let it go. Dose left you. You are still writing. Its all good. Pubes, you are intelligent, let it go. Tell your homies to let it go. If not, then it is what it is. When I find out who the truth is we will end the story.
wow if i had the time to sit on the web and talk shit but i am to busy creating , but talking all that shit and not saying who u are is really toy its like crossing some one out and not putting your name thats pussy there will b a time when all is truth...... u cant tell time cuz time will only tell........ karma is one bitch i will not cross ...
Stephen Lemmon should have picked another candidate with far more integrity for a graffiti artist that actually wants the scene as a whole to unite and progress instead.
What a waste of fucking time. If I caught you knuckleheads spraying someones shit I'd put that can up yo pussy ass. Faggots.
wad up dose? looks like you got a bunch of haters on ur dick,lol, for them 2 take the time out 2 write about u and talk shit, they are just makin u more known. Ur makin money, taken care of urs. funny, none of these pussy's will say this shit to ur face and wont put their names, internet bangers. CONGRATS
ONLY RESPECT HES GETTING IS FROM ALL THE YOUNGSTERS AND PEEWEES HE REFERS TO THEM AS TOYS-HEY KIDS DONT LOOK UP TO THIS ASSHOLE!
WONDER WHY FOOLS ARE BACKING UP THIS PUNK? ALL HE'S THINKING IS YOUR JUST "DICK-RIDING" HIM LIKE HE TELLS OTHER WRITERS WHEN THEY GIVE PROPS TO ANOTHER WRITER OTHER THAN HIS PUNK ASS! ALSO WONDER WHAT WOULD THE REST OF THE FLY IDFAMILIA WOULD THINK WHEN THEY SEE ALL THE NEGATIVE BUT TRUE FEEDBACK THEIR "NEW EDITION" GOT FROM HIS INTERVIEW?
Comment 43 'Let's review the facts'-you're oh so wrong, and its so clear that a majority of your 'facts' were through what you've heard....not actually been there for ; ).
Wipe it up...a little more...no, on your left cheek....there you go. : )
its sad when a person works hard for what they got and every one hates cuz its not them selves and cry cuz they cant find the road to success so go call the wwwwwwaaaaaaammbulance cuz all your doing is pounding sand when you should be pounding on a door so you can get a foot in and do your own stuff go hate on the government ,I N S ,or sheriff Joe cuz your words will do nothing ssssooo nnnnnooooo mmmmaaaaaaaassssss bull shit
I SAID STAY BEHIND THE SCENES ,NOT UNNOTICED BUT I NOTICE YOUR WIFE IS GETTING LONELY ID POUND THAT AND LET YOUR KIDS WATCH ! LMAO KEEP TELLING YOURSELF HOW REAL YOU ARE IM SURE FLYID WILL BE THE NEXT TO GIVE YOU THE BOOT...
I GUESS THIS IS WHAT GUYS WITH SMALL DICKS HAVE TO DO WHEN THEY CANT AFFORD A RED LAMBO!LOL
Let's review a few facts.
Who's in the museum?
Whose shit is getting repped by a Scottsdale gallery?
Who's doing collabos with a major AZ artist?
Whose shit is still all over the street? (Sorry haters, it is.)
Who helped push the concept of legal walls in PHX, when his homies told him it was too dangerous to cross over?
Who got on the cover of New Times?
Whose stuff is being collected by those with deep pockets?
Who got Luis Miranda to turn his walls over to major writers from in and outside the Valley? (C'mon, yall can't tell me that shit ain't cool.)
Who's been scoring gigs from Red Bull, etc.?
As for previous comments by the ignorant about FIC. FIC is an artists coillective, not a crew. That's why you don't see anyone putting up FIC. You do see TAF.
DOSE has something a lot of you posers don't: AMBITION. For the buttpirate who said real writers stay unnoticed. Right, only those who wish to remain LFL: LOSERS FOR LIFE.
For the other writers out there who're are convinced they're better than DOSE, you may be. But without ambition, brohas, you'll never get out of your moms basement.
Finally, DOSE has included a lot of people on his rise. Sure he's got an ego, but he's honest about it.
Ya'll should do the same. Hate the game, not the playa.
For those calling DOSE a toy. Please tell DOSE where you will tell him that in person, and then PLEASE, PLEASE tell us all, so we can go down to wherever and watch you get served.
LOOKS LIKE SOMEONE CLOSE TO DOSE AGREED WITH WHAT I SAID EARLIER.ITS ALL GOOD GULLY YOU DIDNT WANT HIM TO LOOK BAD OR MAYBE JUST YOUR WHOLE CLIQUE, JUST REALIZE WHO YOU REALLY CLICKED UP WITH G-FUNK.
this is the type of crap, which is 95% of the time this guy churns out
http://www.skateallcities.com/...
this is a picture of him going over another writers artwork!!! this is a common sight from this guy!!!!
just ignorant shit!!
way to go newtimes on picking the right guy to showcase!
goes to show lack of what you know! and more of who you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this guy will not get any respect from me, respect is earned not given!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The heart behind his work cancels out everything he worked for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF, EVEN HIS PARTNER SERP SHOWS HIM UP WHEN THEY PAINT TOGETHER! TELL YOU THE HONEST TRUTH, DOSESHOULDNT EVEN BE PAINTING WITH SERP BECAUSE HE MAKES HIM AND THE REST OF FLY ID LOOK HORRIBLE WITH HIM PUTTING IT DOWN, LMAO!!!!!!!!!!
Aint hating on Dose but he's weak! How can I hate on someone that sucks?! Maybe cause he's trying to steal the spotlight on real writers with some actual skills! No skills and always crying about how AZ looks bad in graffiti forums and you have the biggest toy in AZ on the cover of the New Times and even interviewing in the 5AM vid.WHY???? He doesnt speak for all of the AZ Writerz!!!Caliming to be a king but he cant paint or draw for shit! He's the REAL definition of a toy: someone whos been painting since '89 still sucks til this day, he has the skills of a beginner or a female writer, just look when the Exchange Tour came last year to Phx and they painted the Miranda wall, Dose was the weakest one on that wall! STOP MAKING AZ LOOK WEAK LIKE YOU! GET OUT THE SPOTLIGHT CAUSE YOUR JUST NOT THAT GOOD AT ALL PUNK!!!!!
LOL^^^^^^ Im putting him on a pedestal ? By saying Congrads...? Dude is paying his bills... Sounds like a Old member from an old CREW is SAD. So sad he cant leave a name... MAN UP... STATE YOUR NAME...
Serene and Dose have a lot more in common than we all think, and they're both big time toys, they both quit their PHX and LA crew because nobody liked them, they both have cheesy interviews where they lied their asses off to achieve fake street cred, they both bite and steal letter styles, they both try to be someone they're not, they both had to suck a lot of dick to rep a crew on the opposite side of the country, they should team up and be best friends!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA and i find it funny that foes, swel, xs put this phoney on a pedestal they dont have an inch of skill in their pinky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LUV THIS SHIT EVEN MORE!!!
TLOK and RIME sitting in a tree: K-I-S-S-I-N-G First comes love, then comes.......................
LETS SEE THOSE PICTURES 1989 THROUGH 2004 ? LMAO REAL KINGS STAY BEHIND THE SCENES...YOU CAN FOOL THE PUBLIC LITTLE PUTA BUT YOU CANT FOOL THE WRITERS
DOSE was a fucking toy just in 2006 pubes put him on the letter game and serk 2 showed him some techniqe ,give me a fucking break..you can earn your keep in the game or you can decieve everyone who gave that fag a name and front like your a king with 3 and a half years under the old belt 32 year old nobody,theres kids in cali half the age with twice the destruction ...you do the math keep manipulating the weak minded people because thats all youll ever be in life keep cheating on your wife your kids and your friends you piece of shit.oh i cant wait til youre locked up for your fake ass publicity stunt at least KAPER earnrd and deserved it FUCK THE HYPE FAME HORROR YOU SCARY ASS BITCH!
1st off you can ignore this comment because I am hiding behind a screen name, a scrawny white fella who cant hold his own if you must know. I have seen and documented a big share of Az's graff life for approaching 20 yrs now, and am familiar with all of our states alumni and graffiti big leaguers. For what its worth congrats to Dose-he's doing for himself and thats that HIMSELF. Is it Real? is it Wrong? Naah, its him doing for what he needs like he said and we all gotta respect that. Only those dozens of people in the graff scene who have worked with him or paid dues with him will know the honesty behind this fella. I more recently became familiar with him as a person just before the 1st event he put together. i would take photos and gather round to watch him and many others do their thing. Numerous times have I footed over to where him and others were painting and have seen the character from afar. A 'bully'-right on the nose you can say. It was an individual who would chew out or put kids right on the spot, or bully them, if things werent the way he wanted them or rollout the gossip carpet in order to persuade new onlookers to his way of mind. The tale of this 'OG AZ' writer dates back to '89 its said elsewhere. and where are these 1989 photos? 1995 photos? 1996? 2000? There are several individuals in this state that should reign supreme and few were mentioned above. (not you Excess im sorry-id believe maybe u started in 1989 beacause your style is still after all these years...stuck in it-go get more nachos).I pitty that this might fool some readers to believe hes in the same spotlight as El Mac or Banksy-as its brought up. i do agree with an above comment mentioning his abilities on an art level-definitely not the worst in the TAF crew and i too would like to know the story behind the FlyID enrollment-Serp?-but his top works artistically were hands down when Gnes Serp Srek Pubes Clark had involvement. His letters are definetly font driven and can only be manipulated so far. A wildstyle? a solo production? not at that level-so he takes what he has and makes it work with new direction from Hector-(a really good individual when i met him and a shocker when i heard they work together). This moment will ride out so far, maybe when his former friends,turned enemy,turned friends again realize the game of Dose. Graff gossip is loved and spreads like VanBuren thighs in this city-in other cities and even Tucson writers would cringe or look shook on the letters TAF -and why was that??? Because the saw a TAF wholecar roll thru town? they saw a TAF thread online? no....DOSE. The online and face to face bully "he stands as if trying to test you'-AHA! The beefs he had started im sure may have been a perfect open door for his crew at the time to walk in and have problems with someone because of him...or were they bullied to?Since no longer affiliated, the waters have calmed and the scene and beefs have settled and old enemies are now , praising him...i mean, his friends.Keep in mind an article has many fables within-one to address could be 'the collective FIC started in 1998'? I do not recall any FIC tags or walls in 1998? i dont recall seeing FIC productions next to CDK or TWK or BWS or NG? based on what was said in threads or flyers and his show...the name was a combination of his 2 former crews?Again congrats to the many comments,exposure and journey that Dose is on, it truly is great. I'll continue to support and attend his shows and watch as i have been from afar simply out of the love for graffiti and seeing the movement from what i believe was the start here in AZ.Good luck to you all!
THE REASON THE GUYS WHO WALL GETS TAGGED DONT BEAT US UP IS CAUSE THEY FLAT OUT CANT ...WERE GROWN ASS MEN THEY CAN TRY ...BUT THEN THERE GONNA GET BEAT DOWN AND WERE GONNA KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE HAHA SO I"LL SAY IT AGAIN CONGRATS TO DOSE AND HECTOR .LOTS OF GRAFFITI HEADS HAVE DONE LOTS OF GOOD STUFF AND MADE TONS OF MONEY BUT THE ARTICLE IS ABOUT DOSE'S JOURNEY .. ME AND HIM WERE ENEMIES..WERE NOT NOW AND WE DONT LIVE IN THE PAST LIKE ALOTTA OF THESE HATERS ...P.S. DONT HIDE BEHIND YOUR SCREENAME IF YOU SO FUCKIN TOUGH .....
Wouldn't it be funny if a guy who had his wall tagged by "DOSE" showed up at that gallery or his studio and just kicked the tar out of the guy. Not a normal "beat the tar out of the guy" but an old style Kung Fu, Wing Chun, wake up in the hospital 2 days later "beat the tar out of the guy". I'm just saying that if the guy does not care about the laws why can't we just wail on him? There is no law stopping us.
your garbage son! was weakest fool in taf and now fly i.d...how did u get in? come on no drawing skills whatsoever all u can rock is those simple circle faces u done 10000 times!feel sorry for the fools buying that garbage only thing worth it is the work from hector ruiz~no disrespect but theres alot more writers in phx that are 100 times more artistic & skillful than this fool! he must love happy faces i guess? and had the nerve to call the other dose from florida a toy pleeze hes killed more spots other than your weak trains u painted! just saying this fool is weak his stuff is garbage looks like hes been painting graff for 2 years hasnt progressed yet some kids that aint been painting as long as this fool and can burn everything hes done in the past 10years! go teach art class to 1st graders!real talk son!
LOL INNER CITY^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Heres YOUR Own CREW BEING BULLIEs...LOL WOW SENSITIVE THUGZ>>>>>SAME FUCKING MOVIE>>> WOW>>>LMAO LMAO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
I must admit, I'm no fan of graffiti but these guys paintings are choatic yet beautiful. Dose & Hector, you gentlemen are on your path to success.
Something tells me, the so called DOSE comment above me is not the real DOSE!
Find everything you're looking for in your city
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
