Kicking it with NYC Graffiti artist 3ESS
 3ess is a New York City based graffiti artist hailed from Chile. Killing roofs & gates for a few years now, 3ess has really left his mark in the game. Also releasing his clothing line Home Work 3ess continues to create & fully express himself. 3ess is apart of Break Fresh NYC too, supporting & working with real dudes that keep breaking alive in NYC. We’ve met a lot of graffiti writers over the years & 3ess has been hands down one of the humblest dudes in the game simply because he’s for the culture & keeping the arts alive. Doesn’t care about the fame & the likes on social media, he cares about spreading good vibes & just doing what makes him happy. Check out the full interview where he speaks about how he got his name, spots he likes to bomb & so much more.Â
 How did you come up with the tag 3ess & did you always run with the hand style you use now? I started writing in Chile like 15 years ago. Growing up I was always good at drawing and so I turned myself into it really when I was 12. I was writing ‘Besar’ back then. All my Chilean hommies know me by that. I replaced the B for a 3 in honor of a Chilean writer 3cros. I used to look up to his handstyles because he was too ill to me. I don’t know if he was ill to somebody else but he was dope to me. And different. Anyway, I was already doing the 3 in Chile but I thought Besar was too long to bomb with, so I cut it down to 3es and I ran with it for a while in Chile but never made any serious progress over there. I was younger and I just wanted to party and get girls at the time. Once I moved to NYC, I was like ‘Nah, I gotta step it up now and so I added another S to make it a bit more balanced. 4 letters, a number 3, and two S's to make it even more original and different to the rest. 2 S's were like a challenge to me. So much fun. I made up the 3ess in one night in East NY, early 2006 and that was the formula I been using since.
What are some of your favorite spots to hit? Right now I love rooftops my dude. The ones that are hard to climb and shit. You need to be a true ninja to actually get that high, you feel me? I’m on my ninja shit.  [Laughs] On top of that, if you hit the right rooftop, it might last you a long time. I like dead spots too. The tracks, abandoned spots, freights, dirty spots that nobody wants to paint. I’ll paint that shit any day bro.Â
HW is a fresh clothing line, can you tell us a little about it & how it started? Well HW is a lifestyle. HOMEWORK started as a dream here in Brooklyn. Growing up I always wanted to evolve as a writer/artist and make up more than just art on the walls. I knew I could do it all from scratch and so one day I decided to give it a try. From the designs, photography, filming, editing, and printing. I’m doing this whole operation at my studio here in Brooklyn.  There’s no middle man, I’m actually hand printing every single item. I’m doing my HOMEWORK in a way.
What is your spray can of choice? Right now, the IRONLAKS are just working great for me. Very rich and vibrant colors and it dries fast.Â
If Nas & Jay Z had a foot race, who would win? I’m a big fan of Nas bro.I think Nas burns Jay Z on the all time note. Jay Z might sound more on the radio nowadays but that’s nothing bro. I don’t listen to the radio all that much just because the message is all washed up to get you behind the system’s bars. Be careful to what you listen to my G.Â
You’re wildstyle’s are insane, what are some of your favorite colors to burn one of those?[Laughs] My mans! Good looking! My favorite is to roll the black house paint inside then Orange outline yellow 3d, dark purple lights and white shines. Booonnggggg
If you mad high, drunk & tired on the train and you see an elderly person getting on. You fake sleeping or you giving up your seat? I’ll give up the seat. I’m still young and drunk [Laughs]
What does New York City mean to you? It means the world to me. The best place on earth to do hip hop period. It was my dream to come here and do my thing.
What are your top 3 codes to live by? Rep correct. Watch where you step. And keep it humble.
What’s one of your favorite nights out bombing with Noxer? [Laughs] One night me and mans went to do this rooftop that was just a block away from the police precinct, that’s crazy already [Laughs] Climbing wasn’t easy, shit I think I broke some cable I was pulling from and made mad noise [LAUGHS] As we were up there painting the cops stopped at the Dunkin' Donuts across the street and right downstairs from where we was painting. They were there for mad long and we got stuck up there. They didn’t wanna leave. Almost 2 hours later we manage to finish and dip. I thought they knew we were there but nah [Laughs] Peace to my man Noxer.
 We know you’re big on the break dance culture. Tell us about Break Fresh NYC & how you got involved with them? Haha! Big? Me? Nah I just love the whole culture and movement of break dance all the hommies dancing keep me so inspired, I’m still in the underground as a B-boy, even though I’m back at it again, ill do my little test runs here and there but I’m not all that big as a B-boy I enjoy the foundation and old-school breaking every time I get a chance to get down and be me. I have mad fun breaking with my peoples,Â
Breakfresh man those are my peoples to death here in NYC they love this culture as much as you do and even more, my native Diego and schools started the chapter as me and other members are trying to make it bigger and stronger, I got involved thanks to my boy seize rocker, he introduced me to them and from then all the projects and ideas came organically. Those are such a talented individuals I will always respect and look up to.
Do you want to continue being a street bomber or is expanding your art something you want todo? Being a graffiti writer kind of placed me organically in the graphic design world here in New York City, I’m working on more graphics for HW and my art show as well. More will come with time. As far as me going bombing I’m taking a break right now I’m taking care my business. I'll be back though.Â
Any lost words for all the readers out there? Master your heart before you master your craft, stay original, do your thing, run it and keep it humble all the way trough. I want to say peace to my all natives that are supporting me from day 1 and showing me the right steps to this!! One love, peace to whoever want to rock with us, we love you too, peace to the whole TFP family and of course a huge shot out to my mentor Noxer DOD, what up mang????
In addition to that I want to say thanks to my boy seize rock and the whole Breakfresh crew! Diego how many rounds B!!!!Â
I can’t forget shot out to the RTR/MZK crew, My big hommie Born and the ink master Sham! Peace fam!Â
One love 3Â
Peace to 3ess for being apart of this & letting us interview him. 3ess also did all the graffiti handstyle tabs on our site right now, much love.
Come vibe with us Thursday night in the Lower East Side for Gangster Boogie by Break Fresh NYC, Full details here
Follow up with all of 3ess's work & his clothing line via www.3ess.com www.DYHWStore.com








