Graffiti Hall of Fame - 45th Annual Edition

The 45th Annual Graffiti Hall of Fame - Harlem NYC's legendary Graffiti and Hip Hop Festival

About this Event

Graffiti Hall of Fame - 45th Annual Edition

Come join us for the 45th Annual Edition of the Graffiti Hall of Fame event! Get ready for an exciting day filled with vibrant graffiti, street art, dance battles, guest DJs & MCs and Hip Hop in its purest forms.

Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025

Date: Sunday, August 17, 2025

Time: 12:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time) to 9:00 PM

Location: 106th Street and Park Avenue, New York, NY 10039

Immerse yourself in the world of graffiti as talented artists from all over showcase their skills and leave their mark on the city walls. Witness the transformation of blank canvases into stunning works of art right before your eyes.

Whether you're an art enthusiast or simply curious about this urban art form, this event promises to be a visual treat. Explore the diverse styles and techniques employed by these talented artists as they bring their imagination to life.

Join us and be a part of this incredible celebration of graffiti culture. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience the energy and creativity that defines the Graffiti Hall of Fame event!

This year we are hosting an incredible line up - TBA

D J LINE UP - RALPHY CBS, DJ ENUFF, KS360, & MORE TBA

MC CYPHER: HOSTED BY SHARK TV

DANCE CYPHERS: FULL CIRLCE, DYNAMIC ROCKERS, TBA

The Graffiti Hall of Fame started in the El Barrio section of East Harlem, at a playground on the corner of 106th St and Park Avenue. It was a local meet up for graffiti writers from around the city as a place to hangout, exchange tales of subway bombing runs (painting expeditions). The walls of the playground served as a vandal's safe haven to practice and test new skills, exchange information, forge relationships, settle beefs or develop crew alliances.

Looking to formally establish this place where graffiti artists could hone their craft in a safe space, Harlem community leader Ray “Sting Ray” Rodriguez dubbed the concrete walls of the now Jackie Robinson Educational Complex’s schoolyard the Graffiti Hall of Fame, and it has been attracting some of the best street artists in the world for more than 44+ years.

Originally creating this semi-unauthorized gallery in 1980, Sting Ray and his supporters meant for it to be a place where graff artists could come and practice their skills with spray paint, during a time when the art itself was moving away from simply scrawled tags to bright, expressive murals. Each of the school yard’s inner four walls or outer walls were fair game.

As the Hip-Hop culture exploded globally through the late 80s and into the 90s, driven internationally by the success of the music and mass media. Many point to early films about the culture like Henry Chaflants' Style Wars, Charlie Ahearns' Wild Style along with books like Martha Coopers' Subway Art as the catalyst for the culture. They became vehicles for the graffiti elements of the culture to reach the far corners of the world. This exposure of NYC subway art, inspired other artist from around the globe to take up the artform and begin their own expressions. Ironically, during this same time frame, the New York Citys MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) went to war to remove graffitti off the subway system entirely. The campaign of police raids, and big budgets for the "buff" and new "graffiti-proof" stainless steel trains was in hyperdrive in the late 80s into early 90s. Eventually that battle was won by the MTA. However, the artform began to blossom and transition from being mostly an underground and outlawed artform to finding its place above ground. Showing up more in the streets, parks, and trucks in the form of murals. Once this transition began to happened The Graffiti Hall of Fame became ever more important to the subway artist looking for an outlet to express themselves. As a safe haven it allowed for them to paint openly in the daylight and flourish at a time when the city officials were looking to crush the entire artform.

Its was during this time the organizational torch was passed to Joey TDS, who was a local artist from the Harlem neighborhood who began to promote it as an annual event for the community. He began organizing with the local MCs, DJs and Break Dance Crews to come out in support of the event. In doing so began a process of shedding some of the stigma associated with this community of artist deamed vandals. The event allowed them to showcase their raw artistic talents. In true fashion of the competition that lies within culture, the slogan "Strictly Kings and Better" emerged as its moniker. As it became a competition of crews to showcase and spotlight some of the art form's best and brightest. Many strongly feel the GHOF allowed for the continuation of the evolution of letterform styles when the subway art was extinguished in NYC. Now officially 44 years in existence, it is undoubtedly the Mecca of the Graffiti movement. Much of the contemporary street art origins began within the four walls of the GHOF, and stands on the shoulders of many of the pioneers who laid a foundation to mural art. In 2019, the torch was yet again passed on to Sharif "EBER" Profit who is now at the helm of taking the event forward into the future, with the addition of the Art Cube Project infusing more creativity and talent with contemporary street artist. In 2024 the legacy was benchmarked by the City of New York with the corner of 106th & Park Avenue being named "Graffiti Hall of Fame Way" in recognition of its cutural impact on the NYC and global artist community at large. Early February 2025 the graffiti community sorrowfuly was met with the news of the untimely passing of Joey TDS and tributes will be heavy in many hearts at this years event.

As the face of the city changes and old things become replaced by shiny new things, the events organizers are dedicated to keeping the annual GHOF event alive. Anyone that is inspired by the graffiti art form, a spectator or a facilitator. We would greatly appreciate your purchase of a ticket as the funds go to organize the event with staff, supplies, scaffolding, audio and visual equipment, curtion of talent, community giveaways and prizes. Please share on social media.

This year we are hosting an incredible line up of artist-

TBA

Your ticket purchase goes toward the funding of the Graffiti Hall of Fame. Thank You.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf3PABOoNNM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPmddUzM5qw
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