ZOKA

43 February 2000

By FlyCat

New year and new names among our pages, this time we turn our gaze to the south and specifically to beautiful Puglia.

Zoka has always been among those who, from time to time, would send in photos of their most recent productions, always in line with what I would call ‘the right gist’. This interview took place just before the end of the year, which is why I asked him to comment in one sentence on his appearance in the very first issue of a year as full of expectations as this one that has just begun:

“What can I say? Each of us has chosen a path, an idea to follow and to pursue, the important thing is to believe in it from the beginning, thus helping us to continue on a path we know but do not see. Standing up for what we believe in. Everyone is ready to change things, to implement revolutions, but I remember that we are part (willingly or unwillingly) of a boring subculture, of a system that is on our heads, where business devours us, and to change things we need a radical reset of the whole thing thus starting from the beginning (it is utopia, but it is reality). I don't agree with all this fuss that is being raised regarding the Hip Hop scene, it has been turned by the media into a freak show; not being inside the scene myself, I wonder why we keep feeding information to ‘these assholes from publicists, journalists, etc... people who don't know shit about this (as well as other cultures) and therefore freely write bullshit. Welcome the money (and who ever refused it!), but that's not why one sells out one's mother. Are we going to end up thinking that b-boys are clowns? Guys stop them! Go hardcore or go f*** yourself!”.

“I started so much drawing on paper until I felt it was right to start fixing my letters and colors on the wall. It was 1994 and from there a continuous research and evolution led me to what I do now. This innate urge reached me by accident, it was not a reflection of the scene it belongs to, I was not listening to Hip Hop, I was drawing with the Misfits in my ears and the rest did not interest me; this passion has always gone beyond its origins. My first kru, of which I am the founder together with Mong and my friend Vittorio, was RSN which was later joined by other writers. In the beginning I did not know much, I drew with the colors and rudimentarily modified caps that came my way, partly because here in my city there were no materials or references that could help us. People didn't even know about the existence of fanzines. Then over time everything became easier, the style kept getting better and better and better defined what you wanted to express. With the letters, the stroke, the colors, the size of the piece I am able to express what is on my mind, what I have inside and experience a deep feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that I would not exchange for anything else.

There have been many changes in these years, such as the explosion of the phenomenon, which has put everything on a commercial level and writing itself has undergone strong pressures that has made people a little crazy: skazzi, haughtiness, pride are now a fashion. For what then? It's good to compare, but I draw for myself. It's the ideas the way you think, the way you act and what you want to convey, even through the texts that give me confirmation of what I think. I don't like it and if others are okay with it, whatever!

I have met so many people with whom I draw who have instead managed to give me something, and although we do not see each other often because of distance, the bond that unites us goes beyond belonging to the same EFC and MDS kru. True friendship and sincerity are the prerogatives of being ‘together’ and not hypocrisy and opportunism.

Now I have also started painting on canvas, but there is still room for improvement, the technique is different and I am still at the beginning.

For some time now I have been carrying on the project ’Back Ta Beat Ya,“ a web-zine entirely of my own making. It's a bit of a catalog of photos of walls, trains, bombing and silver from Italy and elsewhere. In fact anyone who wants to send me material helping to keep the site alive, the address is http://utenti.tripod.it/zauk, where you will find the e-mail.

Coming soon will include reviews, events and available material all about hardcore, a genre I listen to and live. I sing in Scourge, a band formed in ’97; our style is new school cadenced, but there is no shortage of old school fired up stretches. We have made a mini CD with five tracks and are working on recording a 7-inch.

I can't speak my mind referring to any scene, whether it's Hip Hop or hardcore or whatever: I think whatever the reason is that drives us to do something, we do it because we believe in it and no canon or other people can stop us and that's a fact. Don't be influenced in your choices and always be yourself...masks don't hold up!

I can't forget the friends I cherish: the Scourge, Nitro, Flood, Puzol, Hulk, Walsh, all the EFC and MDS, Teatro, Rake and ... Annarella.”