Words with Kems

First off an apology to Kem has to be given as this interview is a few months old but got lost in all the spam mail I was getting.

Where in the world do you come from and where do you currently live? 

A. I’m currently residing in the North East. Sorry to be so vague but every time I state where I live, the number of crazy PM’s I get increases. There not even good PM’s, just creepy shit, like heads responding to a Craiglist’s Ad for a Casual Encounters . Lot’s of Freaks, Geeks and weirdo’s out there.

How did you start painting?

A. I’ve always been into graff ever since I was a little kid. My mom and I would ride the train into the city and I would stare out the window and watch the pieces go by. I always wondered how they got there and who did it. Once I got into grade school I started skating a lot in the city and met up with other skaters that were into tagging. Those were the best days of my life, skating non-stop, going to shows, hit’n up spots, not a care in the world. I didn’t really start taking graff seriously until around 95″ that’s when I met Ges and we started collaborating..

If so everybody has them crazy stories while out tagging/bombing… Like’ getting shot at by barack obama when painting the whitehouse’.Care to share any?

I have a million one stories like most writers but the most unusual is that fact that I’ve found dead people on 2 separate occasions. Personally I would not be surprised if this has happened to more writers, because were always lurking around in the strange spots where crazy shit happens. The first body I found was the most memorable because it played out like a scene in a horror movie.

I was scoping this spot in a marshy area off the interstate. I had to creep through all these reeds and jump over this small canal in which I nearly missed this indescribable heap of shit. Things didn’t seem right, I started to inspect the area and noticed this ratty flannel with what looked like a wither had sticking into the mud. The chest cavity was inflated like a beach ball and the smell was intense. The skin and hair on the back of the head was peeled back and expose the skull. The whole scene was so surreal it was hard to make out what was going on, I finally gathered up my wits and realized I was looking at a dead dude laying face down in the dirt. I wasn’t sure what needed to be done, I drove back into the city and ran into my friend with his girl. I was telling them what I had seen my story intrigued them enough that they wanted to go back out into the marsh to view the body.

By this time the sun was setting as we made our way through the marsh, it took us awhile to find dead dude. As soon as we were close my friend’s girl started freaking out and getting real nauseous. The moment was awkward because I don’t think they were expecting a zombie like dead dude. Everyone was bugged, we ended up split’n for this party. Later that night I anonymously called it in because missing loved and unloved ones sucks balls.

Whats a day in your life like?

I’m well into adult life and have held out on any real responsibility for as long as I could, but now I’m in it.. Everyday starts out pretty much the same, make coffee, take a poop, check flickr after that it becomes super hectic, filled with a million and one things to do. I actually don’t mind it because I suffer from attention deficit and the choas makes the day go by faster. I’m super blessed because I’m actually doing what I love but prior to this I had no direction other than graff and thought it was going to be construction for life.Never not working….. like a Jamaican

Smoke/Drink?

No on the smoke. Yes on the drink but I’m real cheap date. I’m part Asian so I turn super red and my eyes get more slanty. My favorite drinks include beer, Bloody Mary’s and Extra dirty dirty dirty Martini’s with five olives and Kettle One. I’m a Red Bull fiend but I’ve cut back consumption to only when I’m painting. For some reason it really helps me focus like some sort of liquid Ridlin. I use to love 5 hour energy and 6 hour power but after 11 hours of being tweaked out it gets really scary.

Name a track you are really diging at this moment?
 

Secretly I’ve been so hyped on this Autotune the News track with Antoine Dodson. This shit is hilarious 4 million plus views Life is stranger than fiction. This is why I love America. Aside from that it’s been a steady diet of DamFunk, Major Lazer, Classic 70’s tracks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEvNS5TzvwM

What does ‘AllChrome’ mean?Is it like your logo?

A. ALL CHROME relates back to my penchant for chrome spray paint. Almost all of my wholecars are done in chrome because it covers so damn well and looks bad ass.  People always ask me how many cans of chrome have I used on on all those wholecars I’m not sure? I tried to calculate a rough estimate a few years back, it was something stupid like 5,500+ cans which really bugged me out. Chromosapiens……

What happened here : ” http://www.flickr.com/photos/allchrome/4048098001/ ”

A. Yeah, it was one of those nights. Ever since the economy went down the toilet CSX has been pulling train non-stop, we’ve lost a lot of wholecars over the past year and it’s getting harder and harder to figure out the schedule. I was really disappointed when this one got pulled it had the potential to be a real banger. Everything was going so well and all of sudden the engine came out of no where. Yeti and I made a mad dash to stash the ladders and paint. I think we ended up hiding for awhile and getting covered in poison ivy. On the real the brakeman are not stupid they know what’s going on, those trains stink like Rusto and they’ve pulled a ton of our wholecars. Fuck it!

 

I love this shot, where is this? ” http://www.flickr.com/photos/allchrome/3156116651/in/set-72157612017681904/ ”

A. I shot this in early 2000 on Saint Cathrine’s St in Montreal, It was such a crazy trip. We were crashing at some flat, sleeping on cardboard, people were coming and going at all hours. The whole trip was a blur with On top of it all it was such a random group of writers. I think it was myself, Ges, Sever, Sp One, Trik and Causer. That’s what I love about graff you never what’s gonna happen or whose gonna be around?

You seem to be painting all over the world,Travelling quite alot whats the deal with that?

I have always had a serious case of wanders lust. In 97 I took my first spraycation to Europe and was instantly hooked, ever since then all I wanted to do was paint and travel. For awhile I was living in my parents basement working at a garden center, saving up for the next adventure. Travel will change your whole perspective on life, beg borrow and steal, do what it takes to make it happen. Even today I try to coordinate my business travel with a bit of spray because nothings better than business and pleasure.

Name some Artists/Writers who motivate you? (if possible give me a picture of their work)

Damn I’m inspired by so many people on a regular basis. At the moment I’ve been super hyped on:

Jurne, Rime, Adult Entertainment Crew, Stae, Ges, Jupe, Horfe, Dondi, James White, HSA Crew…..I’m at a loss.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Realistically! I’ll probably be further into adult life driving a mini van with 10 screaming fuckers. Hopefully still painting The future is unwritten……..

Thanks for your time,any last words?

Life is flimsy, enjoy the moments given to you with crew, friends and family. Thanks to RNS for letting me ramble and most of all to my wife Liz whose put’s up with my insanity.

Check out his flickr!