One of the most influential street artists who has paved the way for other artists today is Blek le Rat,who began the art of stencil graffiti. Blek le Rat has had a notable influence on Banksy,and as a result, Banksy has stenciled a lot of artwork that is almost identical to his
A veteran underground graffiti and street artist who had become quite influential among many was King Robbo, but most of his work had been destroyed. Robbo and Banksy were introduced to one another at a party, but unfortunately, the introduction didn't end well, which resulted in the ongoing battle of vandalizing each other's artwork. Sadly the "Graffiti War" between the two came to an end when Robbo lost his life due to health conditions.
Shepard Fairey is a street artist,graphic designer, illustrator,and founder of OBEY clothing. He is a close associate and friend who has worked with Banksy on a few projects, including the documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop. Fairey very often speak on behalf of Banksy to the press.
Thierry Guetta is a street artist who goes by the name of Mr. Brainwash. For a multitude of years, he filmed many hours of footage of Banksy. When it came down to organizing the footage in order to make a film, it was revealed that Guetta was not as organized as he claimed, therefore, Banksy decided to take the footage and edit the film himself.This was an attempt on Banksy's part to keep his identity mysterious.