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Funky Nous Deco
— Hip Hop flyer from the Eighties
"I started doing flyers for Flash, and then the wave came behind it."
I call it “Funky Nous Deco” no doubt.
It was my approach to eventually combine those elements (the stars, symmetry, circles, squares) in a particular fashion, even with things like silhouettes.
At one time I didn’t have access to the better press type. So I just had to do it with what I had. Stick-on letters are a trip. Letraset, Chartpak markers, and other rub-off letters were easy to maneuver efficiently.
I can recall giving out the December 31, 1981 Borough Boogie-Thon flyer, and just from looking at it, someone said something like: “What is this? Yo, I’m going to it!”
That was type crazy. But it spoke to the whole purpose of doing them.
— Excerpt from "Eye on Design magazine n.4"
Collaboration
— 1981/1982
PHASE 2 made significant contributions to the spread of Hip Hop culture not only through his flyers but also by designing logos for Mike & Dave Records and Tuff City, as well as the album artwork for "Fast Money" released by Mike & Dave Records. In 1982, he created the logos for the poster of the New York City Rap Tour, also known as The Roxy Tour. This event was the first international tour to export Hip Hop beyond New York, with stops in Paris, Lyon, Belfort, Mulhouse, Strasbourg, London, and Los Angeles.
Boogie Boys
Romeo Knight
— 1985
Doug E. Fresh
All the way to heaven
— 1986
From Pat Vogt on Instagram:
In 2019 I contacted Phase2 about this poster after I re-discovered it in my archive. He quickly responded with his signature capitals:
"COOL… GREAT FIND... GREAT COLLAGE IF I MAY SAY SO MYSELF... ALL THO YOU MAY NOT WANT TO HEAR THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN BLACK AND WHITE. WHICH WAS MY PREFERABLE STYLE FOR THAT STYLE OR TWO CONTRASTING COLORS. PASTELS NEVER... SOME KNUCKLEHEAD WHO TOOK IT TO PRINT PUT THOSE COLORS IN…REGARDLESS IF FOLKS ARE LOVING IT LIKE MICKEY D'S. I PREFER IT AS IT WAS IN THE VIDEO... AND THATS THE TRUE STORY..."
IGT/TIGHT
— 1986/1994
In 1984 David Schmidlapp founded IGTimes, the first fanzine dedicated to aerosol art. It was one sheet of paper that was folded and had the same format as the New York subway map. Starting from issue number 8 in 1986, P.H.A.S.E. 2 actively cooperated in terms of lay out and content until the project came to an end in 1994. Since 1989 IGTimes has also presented its own Aerosol Armada: multimedia slides, talks, paintings and throwdowns, which has been booked in major universities, art centers and youth centers worldwide.
Today, the entire archive is preserved at the Cornell University Library.
Zoo York
Clothing - Skateboard deck
Zoo York is a clothing and skateboard brand founded in New York City in 1993 by skaters Rodney Smith, Eli Morgan Gesner, and Adam Schatz. It has always been known for its aesthetic that blends elements of Hip Hop culture with the world of skateboarding.
Rawkus
— 1998/1999
Rawkus Entertainment was a US hip hop record label founded in 1995 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater. The label played a significant role in the underground Hip Hop scene and helped launch several successful artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and Company Flow. It was particularly influential for its approach to Hip Hop, emphasizing sophisticated lyrics and innovative productions.
Def Jux
— 2002/2005
Definitive Jux, often abbreviated as Def Jux, was an independent hip hop record label founded by El-P in 1999. The label played a significant role in the underground Hip Hop scene, helping shape the sound and aesthetics of alternative Hip Hop. It released music from influential artists such as El-P himself, Aesop Rock, Cannibal Ox, RJD2, and many others.
Ol' Skool Flava
— 2004/2005
Sub-label of Tuff City that revives old school Hip Hop tracks, usually in the form of themed compilations.
Nitro Microphone Underground
— 2005
Nitro Microphone Underground is a Japanese Hip Hop group from Tokyo. Discovered by Def Jam Japan, the group holds legendary status in Japan as the first Japanese Hip Hop act to gain significant acclaim without transitioning to pop.
STUSSY
— 2006
Starting in 2001, Stussy created a bridge between contemporary art and street culture with the CUSTOM MADE line. Unlike in the 1990s, when Stussy's limited editions were the result of collaborations with other companies like Carhartt, CUSTOM MADE represented a new line of products that individually involved writers and photographers.
Supreme
2007
Expansion X Mita
— 2010
P.H.A.S.E. 2 collaborates with New York clothing brand EXPANSION and Mita sneakers to create the poster for the relaunch of the New Balance CM820 model.
Shut NYC
2015
Shut Skateboards is an iconic skateboard brand founded in 1986 by Rodney Smith and Bruno Musso. Originally based in California, Shut became the first skateboard brand in New York City and the world’s first company entirely dedicated to street skateboarding. The brand experienced a period of obscurity in the '90s when Smith founded Zoo York with Eli Morgan Gessner and Adam Schatz. However, Shut made a triumphant return in 2006, restarting its operations.
In 2007, the company reopened its flagship skateboard store in the Lower East Side, serving the community for ten years before closing in 2017 and transitioning to an online presence.
Various
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