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If you live anywhere in Staten Island or New York City, you have most definitely seen work by the one and only GOAL. Since 1991, GOAL has been smashing property heavy and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. Not only has GOAL been putting work in on the streets, but he has started a few trends that have become popular over the years.

So what’s good dude? You ready to smash 2017??

2017 will be no different from the last 26 years. I’ve painted steady every year of my career and have photo albums to prove it. Over the years piecing is getting a little boring, but doing fill-ins is like busting nuts.

How many names did you go through before you chose GOAL?

Well, I went to school down the block from my house and the school had a walk over bridge that was grilled. So I always saw graffiti since first grade. At that time my best friend SW had an older brother RB. I saw him paint the bridge one day during school, and was like “I need a name.” I went into the lunchroom and I had a bag lunch with an Ecto Cooler juice box. I told my boy “I’m gonna touch the box with two fingers and those two letters gonna be my tag.” It was EC… Then RB started teaching me so I tried CE, then RE, but I liked the letters EC. So I picked 10 names from the dictionary and made my mom pick one. She chose EPIC. I stayed with that till ’95-’96 then my boy started driving me painting and I told him he needed a name also. He loves soccer so he picked GOAL. I was writing both names for two years, then the heat came on with EPIC and another old-school writer was writing it in Brooklyn so I just took GOAL and stuck with it.

The Ecto Cooler is a classic. RB, BOBBY, the train crusher? Every time I go to a layup I see at least five trains with his name on it. What kind of spots are your favorites to rock? Streets, track spots?

Nah RB is an old school Staten Island guy, not that toy crap. This guy has been piecing and doing highways and shit since the 80’s. I’ll paint anything, anytime, anywhere. My favorite thing to rock is a beautiful girl, I’m a sex-a-holic.

How many women do you think you’ve painted on?

I don’t know, my last girl asked me to paint her everyday, but I never did. As soon as she gets naked I just gotta fuck.

Growing up, what old school heads did you have the opportunity to meet growing up?

Well, I’m from Staten so there are a lot of people the other boroughs aren’t familiar with. These were the guys I looked up to and learned from. Such as, SCOPE2, MARS, ECHO, VERS, TEO, LEV, SIGN, FADE, but I did leave Staten Island and met a lot of people. Ones that stick out to me are guys like CAP MPC, TRACY 168, HEKTAD, COPE2, JUST WF, NOE, TYKE TFO. I always show respect to the guys that paved the way for me. Now days these new kids have no respect and they suck, no style.

And that’s a fact. A lot of cats are ready to go out and paint, but don’t know any history. What was one of the first spots you busted a nut your first time hitting?

Wow, a lot of shit. In the late 90’s, I went all city. I drove more than public transportation. So I was smashing highways like the BQE was that dope shit, roofs, all of the major avenues. I remember I linked up with JUST WF and did a few spots in the Bronx and I think I went over somebody. Soon after that I linked up with JEE and since they told me to meet them in the Bronx I trooped out there and met COPE, REMO, SPEK BTC R.I.P. and we painted the 2 and 5 lines till noon the next day. There were fill-ins on everything. I kept going to the Bronx with the WF crew and BTC crew killing shit, but that came to a halt when vandal squad caught up with me.

Oh shit, how long did they have you bagged for?

That was a long time ago and I only got community service for that case. I have been to jail for graffiti and it sucked. Sorry, but I really don’t want to talk about that part of graffiti. I feel underrated and hated on in the graffiti community. The hate and jealousy is real. If I was a bum broke toy I would be mad too. I just wish I got credit for some trends I started, like the whole collaborative fill-in collages on canvas in the 90’s. I used to always have a canvas on me and had good writers do their stamp fill-in for me. The next thing you know people realized it was a good idea. Better than a black book because you close the book and you cant see the work; the canvas is hanging.

No worries, totally understandable. How often do you like rocking canvases?

24 hours, now 20 years later every writer does it. I do pieces on canvas once a month. I do a fill-in on canvas everyday. You could ask writers like KECH REC, HEILS MIA, KEVS MIA, SERF, MINT, if I’m telling the truth. Just like SERF and MINT started the whole vinyl sticker fill-in cut outs and never get credit. I’ve seen a lot of writers come and go; jock and bite styles, and I’m still here doing my thing.

I believe you. You grew up in a different era with graffiti. Things are a lot different now then what they used to be. How many times have you ever caught somebody trying to bite off you or even your crew’s style?

I don’t mind people biting or using my ideas as influence, just show me love and respect. When I was a kid I always looked at RB, SCOPE2, MARS TNI and others. I bit and learned from them, and to this day I still show them love and respect. It’s hard to being a well-rounded graffiti artist. Learning all the letters, throwups, pieces, tags, block letters, how to bomb consistent, picking spots connecting with others, and doing piece walls. Now I think the computer is another element you have to learn to be a graffiti artist. Even the sticker game is part of it. If you’re a king you have to do it all and don’t stop doing it. There’s guys that pop up every five years and think they’re the shit. Take a hike, I’m out here 12 months a year risking it all for this sport.

What other trends have you started?

Another trend I started was when I started writing JOE GOAL. I remember seeing one old-school guy write his name before his tag, but I went crazy with it. Next thing you know anybody with the name “Joe” was writing it in front of their tag. Then the entire New York side, and even some guy from Jersey shows the kid no love.

Where else outside of New York have you had the opportunity to paint?

I’ve been all over the United States; I’ve connected with some great people. LA was fun. I have graffiti family in Baltimore. My man CASPA HITS RTH… RTH crew is worldwide and I’m a huge part of the crew so I can go anywhere and have a place to stay with a tour guide. I’ve been to Europe, which was fun. I painted non-stop everyday. Right now there’s a dope scene in New Jersey. A lot of good writers are putting in work, and I like being a part of it. My young bull DRANE RTH helps me kill shit out there. If you do your homework on RTH crew you will see how big the gang is.

That’s dope. Mad respect. What’s the highest you’ll go to hit something? Anything like highways signs?

The moon… I’ve done it all man and I’ll keep doing it. You gotta respect the art youngsters. Like in hockey you might be able to fight, but if you’ve never scored a goal you suck man. So in graff you can be a fake, immature, tough guy and try to impress people or you can act like a grown man and show your skills.

What kind of rush do you get when you hit heaven spots?

I used to get super high on some crazy drugs, so that shit doesn’t really do much for me. On a bomb after my first fill-in for the night I feel open, like I have permission to kill shit no fear, but the first fill-in always has me shook.

What type of freak things have you seen throughout your graffiti career?

Just some chases and bullshit. One time I was filming for my movie called “A Day in the Life” and I was rocking my fill-in on the street. A big silver stomper. As I’m spraying, a red laser beam is following my hand on the wall. The whole time I thought it was the camera. When I finished the fill I asked the cameraman about the red light and he said it wasn’t him. So I said, “Let’s hurry up, outline, and be out.” As I started to outline the red light came back. This time I followed it to a house across the street and got shook. The next thing I know there’s mad cops so I told the cameraman “Yo, go one way and I’ll go the other.” As the cops came down the wrong way on the street, I walk up to them and they ask to see my hands and my arm was covered in silver. So I started to jet, and made it three blocks. They hit me with the car, and beat me bad. I needed staples in my head and had a broken nose, but two weeks later I filmed for the movie. You can cop it online or go to it on Instagram.

What’s the biggest piece you’ve done to this day?

That one’s in Staten Island, by the Wu-Tang projects.

Anyone you want to give a shout out to?

Shout out to OUCH MIA, Rest In Peace. Shout out to GN RTH RIP. Shout out to Michelle Emz for being so hot. Shout out to DG NWC, SPEK BTC, ODB Wu-Tang, Erik Garner, fuck all cops. Shout out to the homeless bum that rapped MAP. Shout out to all the hookers and sluts sucking dicks. Fuck all graffiti writers, you all suck and jock each other like homos. Guys who like guys go to other art shows for an autograph. I’m the greatest NYC kid in the game. No breaks, come suck a fart out of my ass.

Written by Nathaniel Villano

Instagram: @Waitwhatnoway

JOE GOAL: @Joseph_goalbino