South Central Bombs

91st and Hooper, 92nd and Central

2011-12-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

I was able to get a few shots from the Watts Art Gallery on 91st and Hooper and from a K4P wall on 92nd and Central.

LandMark Shop

2011-12-04T13:47:00.001-08:00

I got to stop by LandMark on 67th and San Pedro. Thanks Cram for the flyers. If you don't know about HEX TGO, he is an LA Legend...

KASE 2 Dedication Wall - Western and Manchester

2011-11-19T13:59:00.001-08:00

KASE 2 was one of the originators of wild style pieces in the South Bronx of New York. He passed away this year and this wall on Manchester and Western is dedicated to him.

Degnan and Exposition

2011-11-19T13:54:00.001-08:00

Caught pictures of bombs from Degnan to Crenshaw on Exposition along the new tracks. The train isn't up and running yet, so it makes it easier to bomb. The bombs were ok though.

30th and Western

2011-11-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

Zombie inspired pieces at this spot - I was trying to get into the lot to get some better pictures. More from other locations will be coming soon!

Adams and Crenshaw

2011-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

I recently saw this new mural at Adams and Crenshaw. At first glance, it looks nice, but up close, it needs some work! Much love to the artist, they just need to clean it up some!

Western To Main

2011-09-10T15:06:00.000-07:00

New shots from 85th and Western and 47th Pl. and Main. The 85th and Western was is in progress and had pieces by Lied To Society in the past. At 47th Pl., GAW had outfitted an auto shop.

63rd Pl and Broadway

2011-08-07T21:51:00.000-07:00

I got a few good shots at a cabinet shop on 63rd Pl. and Broadway. Next stop is to re-check what new stuff has been done by the Blue Line!

Down Western

2011-07-24T02:52:00.000-07:00

Got a few new shots from the Western and Exposition area. The new concrete walls made for the train coming through have become the new hot spots. I'm late on it! I also came across this mural across from the Barack Obama Global Preparation Academy on 46th and Western.

Adams and Normandie Alley

2011-06-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

New shots from the alley...Mortal Kombat mural with 3-d pieces, very nice!

Vermont and Central

2011-05-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Added new photos from Vermont and Central - Some from Adams and Normandie coming soon!

New Sets

2011-04-02T22:54:00.000-07:00

Updated flickr page to include new sets - same photos just better organized...hoping to get some new photos tomorrow...

More off Jefferson Blvd.

2011-03-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

A few more off Edgeview, 5th Ave., and 2nd Ave. on Jefferson...

Crenshaw to Central

2011-01-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

Added new shots from Crenshaw and Central - two completely opposite sides of South Central.

Jefferson Blvd.

2010-12-21T14:24:00.001-08:00

New shots from Visions Crew and others on 1500 block and 2700 block of Jefferson Blvd.

Broadway and Normandie

2010-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

Added multiple locations on Broadway and Normandie - also updated photos at Slauson Tracks, 50th and Broadway and 60th and Normandie.

Figueroa to Vermont

2010-10-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

New piece at 45th and Fig, two that I never saw at 23rd and Vermont!

www.southcentralbombs.com

2010-09-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

http://southcentralbombs.blogspot.com is now www.southcentralbombs.com - Look for a book in the next year, for real!

Slauson Tracks and Pace

2010-09-19T09:10:00.000-07:00

Some updates around the Slauson Tracks area, and the 33rd St. area has been good for graffiti, nice new one by Pace.

Eastside, 18th to 43rd

2010-09-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Added shots from the North East side. A few nice ones, but mostly painted over by gangs and toys. Lots more to add soon.

New Shots from Vermont and Jefferson

2010-07-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

Nice panoramas from TNS Kings and Soul King on 93rd and Vermont and 94th and Vermont. Also, great Black Panthers mural at 11th Ave and Jefferson and some nice pieces across the street from there - check them out!

Manchester and 65th St.

2010-06-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

Added new bombs and pieces from Manchester and Broadway, 65th and Main, and 65th and San Pedro.

Vermont

2010-04-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

A couple of new shots from Manchester, and a new KWS Moezart shot on 61st.

West Adams

2010-04-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

Finally back! I added some nice panoramas from the West Adams area, mainly sticking to Adams, off of Arlington, LaSalle, and Normandie.

2010-01-30T19:30:00.000-08:00

I some photos about a month ago, but just barely added them to the map. A few from MLK, plus an update to Slauson Tracks!

krush iv power

2009-12-20T23:30:00.001-08:00

Came up today on krush iv power at 33rd and main...there was part of the crew there working on another piece...the amount of color and detail is a sensory overload! I literally could not read the pieces until after I took the shots!

More Watts!

2009-11-21T21:32:00.000-08:00

Added Lied To Society at 85th and Western, updated 109th and Central, plus new ones at 108th and Central.

Blog Re-vamped

2009-11-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

http://southcentralbombs.blogspot.com has been streamlined and linked to hotep4all.com/graffiti.html

93rd and Vermont

2009-10-05T23:25:00.001-07:00

More from KWS...think it is the same artist that does the liquor store at 91st and Budlong...

Vermont to Hoover

2009-06-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Added some photos to 61st and Vermont (the Southern California Library) and 62nd and Hoover. There are a few more in that area I need to go back and get!

Ugghhh! Toys!

2009-04-10T00:38:00.000-07:00

Toy - A beginning graf artist that doesn't not know the rules of the art or have any skill

Never cover a beautiful piece with a two-minute bomb!

Added some on Budlong and another on Broadway.

Western, Manchester and Broadway

2009-03-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

I added in pictures from Western, Manchester, and Broadway. I know there is more stuff out there, I'm just having trouble finding the great stuff! I need to get out earlier in the morning so I have more time to take the photos!

More From the Blue Line

2009-01-25T13:37:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I had the chance to get further up the Blue Line. There is definitely some good stuff there, and I was able to get a few good shots. I also got a few shots on Western, Adams, and by Jefferson High School, so definitely check them all out!

Special Feature - The Blue Line

2008-12-30T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is a special feature for SC Bombs. Trains, train stations, metro stations, and the railroad tracks that they run on have had an important role in the history of graffiti all the way back to NYC. I want to document all the major pieces and murals you would see as you take the Blue Line metro straight through the East Side of South Central. Expect continued updates as I get them! You can check out the whole set here, and this is the same link where I will add more as they become available. Also, check up on the map on the main page to find where they are located.

Santee Education Complex

2008-10-05T11:35:00.000-07:00

I had to go up to Santee to start a program to clear my teaching credential. Santee is in the northeast corner of South Central. Being in the southwest corner, I do not know the area very well. They had some nice murals inside and outside of the school though.

Two new photos and a few I can't include!

2008-08-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

I added two new photos from Century and Main and 97th and Avalon. I also found a great mural in Compton, but it is obviously outside of LA, so I did not use the pictures. I will post them here, but not on the map.

Unincorporated Florence

2008-08-14T16:55:00.000-07:00

I went to Unincorporated Florence, which is part of South Central, but looks like its mini-city. It has a difference architectural style, and feels more like downtown LA. Right between the two shots I added, a man was killed the day before.

Up Avalon and San Pedro

2008-07-10T00:13:00.000-07:00

Since my new school is on Avalon, I decided to drive up Avalon, almost to downtown. It was worth the trip, because I found some good stuff.

Budlong and Vermont!

2008-06-15T14:42:00.001-07:00

I added a few more in the Vermont and Budlong area - Check them out as well!

Down Broadway!

2008-06-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

I am using a new Canon camera, and it allows for photo stitching. I like this picture of MLK and Tupac over a city scape of LA. It is one of my favorite finds so far. More to come soon! Here is another with MLK in it with Cesar Chavez.

Normandie to King

2008-04-05T00:36:00.000-07:00

I added a few from Normandie and King. This was an interesting find. Obama has a big following in the hood! There are t-shirts and art pieces being sold on various corners as well. There definitely were not any murals of Hilary!

On the Come Back!

2008-01-20T19:43:00.000-08:00

It has been awhile, but I want to try to update this web site more often. I got some good shots today to check out, mostly up Western Ave. There has been a little bit of a drought in good new pieces. There is a lot of little tags and some toy bombs, but nothing that exciting. But South LA may be coming back. If anyone out there in the blogging world knows of some good spots, let me know!

Central Ave.

2007-12-08T16:58:00.000-08:00

Central Ave. used to be the spot in South Central. There was a huge jazz scene centered there. It was also the center of the Black community in LA. Since I live on the Westside of South Central, I don't know Central Ave (on the Eastside) very well. I thought there would be a lot more murals related to the history, but there is not! Here is all that I found:

Budlong and Duke Ellington

2007-10-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

I got some quick shots in of a corner store on Budlong and 92nd that a student had told me about some time ago. Also, a nice one of Duke Ellington on 110th and Denker on the campus of Washington Prep. Check'em out!

Into Florence!

2007-10-27T22:22:00.001-07:00

I took these pictures a while ago, but just uploaded them to the map. I've just been so busy! I can't wait to get out more!

Long-Time No Post!

2007-09-15T21:47:00.000-07:00

What's up! So it has been a long time without a post. All summer in fact. A lot of this comes from major changes at my job that required me to work a lot more. That said, I'm on the come-back. This site will be updated next week. See you then!

Vermont to Hoover to Figueroa

2007-06-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few from around Vermont and Hoover north of Gage. There are a few good ones in here. I'm going to post up some more South Central History soon as well. I'm very busy right now, so it is hard to get out there!

South Central History

2007-05-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

What's up? I haven't had a chance to get out, just mad busy right now. In the mean time, peep out a little history of the area that concentrates on Watts and West Adams, the two neighborhoods that really started things out.

Watts
Watts was founded in 1910 as a separate city. It was originally home to Blacks, whites, Asians, and immigrants from Europe and Mexico. At this time, there were only 15000 Blacks in all of LA. LA had one of the highest rates of home ownership for Blacks and Latinos in the United States. This attracted more Blacks and Latinos to come to LA in search of buying a house. This also led to housing laws in the 1920s. Laws that separated sections of LA by race came into effect and limited Blacks to Watts and the Northern part of South Central. It also limited the housing of Asians and Mexicans.

In the 1940s, huge waves of Blacks and whites from the South migrated to Los Angeles. After World War II began, there were many jobs available in LA. Most of these jobs consisted of building ships and weapons for the war. Most of the Asian population of Watts was Japanese and were forced into internment camps. Many Blacks and whites from the South settled in South LA. Because of the housing laws, Blacks could only live in Watts and the area North of Watts. These two areas consisted of only 5% of the city.

The area quickly became an overcrowded ghetto where only Black people lived. Initially, most people had jobs that supported the war. In fact, Jordon Downs and Imperial Courts housing projects were originally built to house the ship workers. After the war, Watts faced a terrible unemployment. At the same time, people from the South continued to come to Watts for a better life. This led to feelings of hopelessness and disappointment. In 1955, Nickerson Gardens was built due to unemployment and poverty in the area. Many were very frustrated. There were three bus lines in Watts and none of them led to major business areas were people could get jobs. The nearest hospital was 2 hours away. All of these frustrations blew up in the Watts Riots of 1965, which we will look at in detail next class.

West Adams
The Watts Riots scared many whites out of South LA. The Westside of South Central, Inglewood, and Compton all lost major white populations. It also scared many middle-class Black people. They quickly moved into these areas. Many wealthy Black people went to West Adams after the riots. Wealthy Blacks had begun to move into West Adams in the 1920s. Many more moved there after the riots.

In the 1970s there was another major migration. Ladera Heights and Baldwin Hills desegregated in the 1970s. Many wealthy Black families moved out of West Adams. This is also when many of the large houses in West Adams were divided up into apartments for Latino immigrants and USC students. We will learn more about recent immigration and USC later in the unit.

Central Ave.

2007-05-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

The pictures today come from Central Ave. I came up on a huge wall of bombs and pieces on 109th and Central. It was incredible. Definitely check it out if you are in the area because you got to see it in person. Watts has some incredible murals and an incredible history. I have a post on that someday soon because in a couple of weeks, I will be teaching about the history of South Central.

Normandie and Slauson

2007-04-14T14:25:00.000-07:00

I have some new shots from Normandie and from Slauson. The ones on 60th and Normandie are pretty tight pieces. Also, check out the book list on the mural with the Marcus Garvey quote. Very nice! The quote says "Up you mighty race, and accomplish what you will." A very powerful quote. It is sad that some people have tagged over it. They must have missed the message.

I'm having some trouble finding good murals east of Main and in the Newton area. If you know of any, hit me on my gmail at hotep4all@gmail.com.

Long Delay While on the East Coast

2007-04-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long delay in updating the site. I was away chaperoning a HBCU college tour for some local high school students. I got a few snapshots of murals and pieces in D.C., Baltimore, and Atlanta. D.C. and Baltimore's scene was pretty weak. Atlanta was better, but they have a lot of toys! There will be more updates soon as I have about a week before I have to go back to work.

New Shots From Vermont and Figueroa!

2007-03-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

What's up! Here are a few nice shots from Vermont and Figueroa. The ones from Figueroa are right in the neighborhood where Highway Ricky Ross grew up. He is the notrious drug dealer that started the crack epidemic. I wonder how the hood would be different if he never existed?

New Pics from Gompers and Watts

2007-02-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

What's up? I got some new pictures from Gompers Middle School and then deep in Watts! I really like the ones from Watts. Especially check out the new one on 103rd and Grape St.

One

New Pictures From Western Ave.

2007-02-10T19:10:00.000-08:00

What's up,

I put up a few new pictures from Western Ave. While I was taking the "Black Life" pictures at 105th and Western, a man came up to me asking for some money. He said it was for his children that he is rasing alone and that he had recently been in a car accident and was having trouble providing money. It's a rough life out here for a lot of people.

Raining in LA - No pictures!

2007-01-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

There will be no pictures this week because of rain in LA. Sorry! I'm going to try to outline South LA on the map so that people can have a better idea of what the borders of South Central are. Look forward to updates next week!

Main to Florence

2007-01-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

What's up! I added pictures from Main, starting at Imperial and going all the way up to Florence. There is many pictures that I want to add, I just need some time to take them! There are some greats ones on here from Vandals Ink, a tattoo shop on Florence and Main. Also, there are some great murals on Hoover and Florence. Check'em out.

Finally! Photos from the East Side

2007-01-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

What's up everyone,

I finally put up some photos from the East Side of South Central. I will usually be updating this each week from herein. I got photos from Avalon, Wilmington, and Imperial. Check them out!

South Central Bombs

2007-01-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome to South Central Bombs!