Today we’d like to introduce you to Basha Nisar.
Hi Basha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
801 MADE and the iconic 801 OG logo were created by Salt Lake City abstract graffiti artist BASHA in 1995. Inspired by the structure, energy, and environment of Salt Lake City’s Rose Park neighborhood, the logo and overall visual identity reflected a raw and authentic side of the city long before it became commercially recognized.
What started as an introduction into graffiti quickly expanded into music, fashion, and underground culture throughout Salt Lake City. Growing up around graffiti, freight trains, hip hop, and street culture, BASHA began building a visual identity that reflected the city in a raw and authentic way long before it became trendy.
In the early years, BASHA opened one of the few dedicated hip hop shops in Salt Lake City called The Hop in Sugar House, where he sold the 801 MADE clothing line alongside imported mixtapes from Chicago and New York. The shop became a cultural meeting point for local graffiti artists, skaters, DJs, and music lovers during a time when Salt Lake’s underground scene was still developing.
Over the years, 801 MADE quietly became part of the city’s identity. The clothing has been worn by Jazz athletes, DJs, artists, and people throughout the 801 nightlife and bar scene. Rather than chasing mainstream attention, the brand grew organically through authenticity, word of mouth, and a strong connection to the culture and people of Salt Lake City.
At the same time, BASHA continued evolving as an artist, eventually creating his own visual language known as Absgraff® — a system-based fusion of abstract art and graffiti. His work has since expanded into paintings, installations, fashion, and music.
From 2019–2024, 801 MADE opened 801 Art Gallery at 3000 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City — an intentional five-year time capsule documenting the city’s underground creative energy. The gallery combined handmade apparel, original Absgraff® paintings, immersive art experiences, photography, film projection, music, and early NFT experimentation under one roof while collaborating with local creatives across multiple disciplines.
801 Art Gallery operated with a minimal public schedule, focusing primarily on talent development, creative experimentation, and producing art shows that pushed beyond traditional gallery culture.
Today, 801 MADE represents more than clothing. It stands as a long-running cultural imprint tied directly to Salt Lake City’s creative underground — built independently, sustained through authenticity, and rooted in decades of art, music, design, and self-expression.
801 MADE remains one of the few brands to emerge directly from Salt Lake City’s underground and still retain its original identity decades later.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Salt Lake City has traditionally been a more reserved and conservative city, especially during the years when 801 MADE first started. The brand existed in a space that was heavily influenced by graffiti, hip hop, streetwear, nightlife, and underground culture — things that were not always widely accepted or commercially supported locally at the time.
In the beginning, sales were slow and there wasn’t really a blueprint for what we were building. A lot of it was driven purely by belief, consistency, and culture rather than immediate financial success. The underground scene in Salt Lake was much smaller then, so growing something authentic took patience and time.
Another challenge was staying original while the city itself evolved. Trends came and went, but 801 MADE survived because it stayed connected to the culture and never tried to imitate what other cities were doing. Everything was built independently and organically over decades through relationships, creativity, and persistence.
At times, being ahead of the curve can feel isolating, especially in a city that is still developing creatively. But looking back, those challenges are also what gave the brand its identity and longevity. The slower growth allowed the culture around it to develop naturally and gave it a stronger foundation over time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an abstract graffiti artist and the creator of Absgraff® — a visual language that combines abstraction and graffiti through structure, rhythm, and repetition. My work is rooted in decades of graffiti and studying movement, pressure, repetition, and visual balance.
Over the years, I’ve focused on building original ideas and identities instead of following trends. Whether it was creating 801 MADE in the 1990s, opening The Hop during Salt Lake City’s early underground hip hop era, or later developing Absgraff®, the goal was always to create something authentic that could last over time.
I’m best known locally for contributing to Salt Lake City’s underground creative culture through graffiti, fashion, and art. More recently, people know me for the black-and-white Absgraff® works and for building 801 Art Gallery as an experimental creative space.
What I’m most proud of is longevity and originality. A lot of projects come and go, but being able to build something independently over decades while keeping the original identity behind it means a lot to me. I’m also proud that the work has inspired younger artists and creatives to think differently and create their own path.
What sets me apart is that the work comes from lived experience and long-term dedication rather than imitation. Absgraff® was developed slowly over many years through experimentation and repetition. I approach art more like building a visual language than simply making images.
Everything I create connects back to the same visual philosophy and culture.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I was definitely a daydreamer. I’ve always had a strong imagination and naturally gravitated toward creativity, independence, and exploring ideas in my own way. I never responded well to overly strict teachers or rigid environments because I’ve always been more drawn to freedom, expression, and curiosity.
As a kid, I was also very into style and presentation. Whether it was saving up for the best BMX bike I could afford or dressing fashionably for school, I liked standing out and expressing myself visually from an early age. I’ve always appreciated design, aesthetics, and originality.
I loved drawing constantly and spent a lot of time outside exploring, walking through the woods, and imagining adventures with friends playing pirates and creating worlds in our heads. Looking back, a lot of those early interests connect directly to what I still do today through art and creativity.
Personality-wise, I was charismatic, social, and probably a little rebellious in certain ways. I liked attention, but I also liked observing people and creating my own lane instead of following what everyone else was doing. A lot of the foundation for who I became creatively was already there at a young age.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://801made.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/801made_/
