By 1970; "tagging”, or "hitting" as it was known, began to enter the insides of the trains; in 1971 the first tags appeared on the outside. The early tags were usually done with a marker just as the writer exited the train. Style began to evolve as “LEE 163RD” became the first writer to join his letters together turning his tag into a logo. Other distinct tags belonged to: “SCOOTER”, “STAY HIGH 149”, “COOL CLIFF 120”, "TRACY 168", “BUG 170”, “SPIN”, and “PHASE 2”. The days of simply printing your name were over. As the writers made it to the yards, the exteriors of the trains would get bombed overnight; and JOE 136 from Manhattan dubbed the first king of the one line.
“LEE 163RD” got credit with another first as he purposely hit the front of every car he could with the knowledge that eventually that car would rotate into the lead car. That would be the first car other writers would look at as it entered the station. “LEE” and “PHASE 2”, his cousin and protégé became the first kings in the Bronx.
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