Contrary to popular belief, graffiti isn’t petty vandalism or a niche medium; it’s much more than that. Graffiti is just as artistic and creative as any piece you’d find in the Louvre Museum or the Museum of Modern Art. Some artists, such as O.G. Slick, have used graffiti and street art to launch successful careers. Although O.G. Slick sounds more like a rapper’s stage name, he’s actually a very accomplished artist and clothing designer.
O.G. Slick, whose real name is Richard Wyrgatsch II, has been making graffiti and street art for most of his life. Slick’s love for art is hereditary. His mother painted as a hobby and he gained inspiration by watching her create. He came up with the name O.G. Slick because when he attended Catholic school as a child, one of the nuns said that he thought he was pretty “slick.” O.G. Slick also grew up embracing hip-hop culture. In Hawaii, he was exposed to hip-hop in clubs held on military bases. Slick naturally gravitated to street art because it encompassed elements of hip-hop. As he perfected his art style, aerosol became his primary medium. He became notorious for graffiti which drew the ire of local police enforcement. To avoid any possible punishment, Slick decided to leave Hawaii to study art in California.