T-Kid 170

Julius Cavero, better known as T-Kid 170, is one of the most influential figures in the history of New York graffiti. Born in 1961 in the Bronx to Cuban parents, he began writing graffiti in the early 1970s and quickly established himself as one of the city's most innovative style writers. His iconic tag, T-Kid 170, became synonymous with technical excellence, bold compositions, and groundbreaking letterforms that helped shape the evolution of wildstyle graffiti. Painting extensively on New York City subway trains throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, T-Kid 170 earned widespread respect for his originality and mastery of lettering. He was an active member of several legendary graffiti crews, including The Nasty Boys (NB) and The Magnificent Team (TMT), and became one of the artists most admired by his peers for continually pushing the limits of graffiti design. Following the decline of subway graffiti, T-Kid successfully transitioned from trains to canvas, murals, and commissioned works without losing the energy and authenticity that defined his early career. His paintings blend the visual language of classic New York graffiti with abstraction, calligraphy, and expressive color, creating a distinctive style that has influenced generations of artists around the world. Beyond his artistic practice, T-Kid 170 has played an important role in documenting graffiti history. In 2003, he published the acclaimed book The Nasty Terrible T-Kid 170, an autobiographical account that offers a rare insider's perspective on the birth and evolution of New York graffiti culture. Today, his work has been exhibited internationally and is held in numerous public and private collections. Widely regarded as one of the true masters of graffiti lettering, T-Kid 170 remains a central figure in the recognition of graffiti as a significant contemporary art form.