PHASE. 2, a bold and pioneering spirit in hip-hop, left his indelible mark on art, fashion, music, and dance, where acts of rebellion transformed into sparks of avant-garde expression. With his innovative vision, he sowed the seeds of an urban culture that, born in the streets of New York, expanded into a global movement. In the metallic maze of New York subway cars, where the first writers were inventing a visual language, PHASE. 2 etched his name. Known for his “wildstyle” lettering filled with loops, arrows, and edgy curves, his designs pulsed with energy, leaping off the walls. In late 1972, he created the iconic “softie” letter, a rounded, bubble-like form destined to become the emblem of early subway murals. His creativity flowed beyond just letters; he embellished the “softie” with twists, arrows, and subtle touches like stars, giving rise to variations like “phasemagorical phantastic,” “bubble cloud,” and “bubble drip.” His unique style evolved and spread, influencing countless artists and establishing a universal language of graffiti. As rap music gained ground, PHASE. 2 was already at the heart of the movement, a kinetic presence in park jams and clubs. His flowing rap style echoed the fluidity of his visual art. As leader of Electrified Movement, he introduced B-boying to new styles like “battle rock” and co-founded the legendary New York City Breakers, an untamed crew that would take the global stage by storm. PHASE. 2 also pioneered hip-hop’s visual aesthetic in flyers. His flyers became artworks in themselves: thick marker borders intersected with fine ink lines, geometric shapes, and syncopated typefaces that danced together. Each flyer was a visual manifesto, capturing the vibrant spirit of a generation hungry for freedom, and influencing countless imitators in the process. With IGTimes, the first magazine dedicated to aerosol culture, PHASE. 2 took on the roles of art director, writer, and editor. Over ten years, he became a chronicler of graffiti’s evolution, sculpting words with the same urgency as his art. His work reached new heights in 1996 with the publication of Style: Writing from the Underground, a vivid, confessional exploration of the world he helped create. Beyond the canvas, PHASE. 2 continued to innovate: he crafted live aerosol art at The Roxy alongside hip-hop luminaries, where he also designed flyers for events that would introduce the downtown punk and new wave scenes to hip-hop culture. In 1982, he released two rap singles and later, in 1986, became the art director of International Get Hip Times, giving him yet another platform to shape hip-hop’s visual narrative. He also created the first large-scale, three-dimensional graffiti sculpture, a six-foot steel piece installed at the Jacob Javits Center, a groundbreaking achievement for the aerosol medium. Though he played no official part in its production, PHASE. 2 is said to have inspired the character “Phade” in the early hip-hop film Wild Style. He also consulted on Beat Street, solidifying his influence as both an artist and cultural icon. PHASE. 2 was more than a visionary; he was a builder of language, a storyteller of the city, and a guardian of the hip-hop culture he helped to shape.