Graffiti masterpiece breathes new life into Weltevreden Park
The Most Hated Crew shared the story behind their stunning mural in Weltevreden Park with the Northsider, revealing a beautiful tribute to the 27 Club.
After reaching out to our readers, and thanks to their immense response, the Northsider has finally tracked down The Most Hated Crew. Here’s the story behind the stunning mural on Jim Fouché Road …
A roughly 80m-long stretch of wall has had new life breathed into it after The Most Hated Crew (MHC) painted a mural from end-to-end, forever memorialising the 27 Club. MHC was formed five years ago by a group of artists who were tired of being ignored and swept aside when it comes to recognition for their work with their former crews.
“We were always left out of the clique – often when our crews were recognised for our work, we’d be ignored,” said Riot, a member of MHC.
“The whole purpose of forming the crew was so that you can no longer leave us out,” he continued.
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The crew consists of a total of 13 members, who all have their own ventures and murals that they paint when not painting as a crew. However, the crew often comes together when it’s the birthday of one of the members to do a big mural just like the one they recently painted in Weltevreden Park, just off Jim Fouché Road.
The mural was painted on the approximately 80m-long piece of wall to the left of Jim Fouché Road, 200m beyond Without Avenue when travelling from Beyers Naudé Drive. The inspiration behind the mural was the birthday of senior member Rype, who turned 27 in June. For this reason, the crew opted to memorialise the 27 Club; a group of renowned individuals from right across the pop culture spectrum who died at the age of 27.
The 27 Club includes the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain, among many others totalling more than 70 members.”I turned 27, and it was just something we had to do; it’s quite a standout age for people like us,” Rype said.
The incredible mural, which has revived the wall, features portraits of Jean-Michel Basquiat (graffiti artist), Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.
The wall was painted after permission was granted by the property owner. According to Riot, their murals are done to liven up neighbourhoods. “We are basically the exact opposite of our name, we don’t spread hate, we spread love, and our pieces are all about livening up the area,” he said.
The crew welcomes anybody who would like to join them, be it beginner or veteran, and is made up of a diverse group of people who range from the age of 19 up to 39. The 13 members in their crew makes them the largest active graffiti crew in the country, and they have pieces of art right across Johannesburg.
Their next project is likely to be a wall painted according to an American-Indian theme, according to Riot.
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