Interview with the tagger

The Obama-Barbarella mural graffiti episode shined a little light into the dark alleys of tagging culture putting the mural artist face-to-face, or e-mail to e-mail with taggers.

The exchange brings to mind my contact with a tagger from this summer via Facebook. Through a series of tips, I tracked down the name of a man who lives on Capitol Hill who, a few who claimed to know him said, was the notorious Syrup tagger.

While his profile was covered with graffiti applications and graphics, my interaction was less than fruitful. Here's the Facebook back and forth from this summer:

do you tag?
Between XXXXX and You
 
Chs Blog
July 23 at 10:36pm
Sorry if I've got you confused with somebody else :)
 
XXXXX
Add as Friend
July 30 at 2:55pm
Report Message
are you a snitch? what kinda question is that. i use axe bodyspray.
 
Chs Blog
July 30 at 3:36pm
Not a snitch. I write about Capitol Hill and thought you -- if you're the same XXXXX people have told me about -- might tell me about why you tag. Some pissed off people gave me your name but they also might be full of shit.
 
XXXXX
Add as Friend
August 6 at 2:54pm
Report Message
you are a snitch. go tell on somebody and get them locked up.
 
Chs Blog
August 6 at 3:20pm
well, somebody told me you tag so people already know and you haven't been locked up. But I'll leave you be. You can send mail to jseattle@gmail.com if you change your mind. Wish the etching would stop. The paint sucks but is easy to deal with. The etching is fucked up.

There you go. Do you know Syrup? Tell him to drop me a line.