Jean-Michel Basquiat
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Source: THE DROP SHOP / THE BASQUAIT ESTATE / THE DROP SHOP / THE BASQUAIT ESTATE
The legacy of Jean-Michel Basquiat will be brought to life in a special way for Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary. His estate will be releasing his “Beat Bop” single on vinyl.
Hype Beast is reporting that the late great artist’s music will be available. This week the estate announced it will be dropping his very rare “Beat Bop” song in partnership with The Drop Shop. In 1983 the Haitian and Puerto Rican creative founded Tartown Records Co. and recorded the gritty Rap song which featured an almost 10-minute battle between K-Rob and Rammellzee. In 2013 Profile Records founder Cory Robbins detailed how the record came to be with Spin Magazine. “It didn’t follow any rules. It was long and it didn’t have a hook. It was so free-form. There’s no record like it” he said.
According to the press release the forthcoming sale will feature 50 copies of the original 500 test pressings Jean-Michael Basquiat had created. “The Drop offers 39 of the original 50 copies that remained in Basquiat’s personal collection. All are factory-sealed and come in a numbered, handmade commemorative leather case with a signed certificate issued by the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat” it read. “The release marks the first time the Estate has offered any pressings from the artist’s personal collection for sale.”
In the past “Beat Bop” has sold for over $100,000 at auction. The limited-edition vinyl will be available starting November 2 at $4,000.00 each. You can find out more about the drop here.
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The world is about to get more insight into one of the most unique talents ever. A documentary about Jean-Michel Basquiat is on the way.
As spotted on Deadline, a new film titled King Pleasure will further explore the life of the graffiti writer turned abstract artist. Quinn Wilson, former Creative Director for Lizzo, is teaming up with Boardwalk Pictures (Val, Where’s My Jet?) to curate the project. The estate has also signed off on the project and will grant full access to their archives which include original art pieces, sketches, personal items, interviews, visuals and never seen before home movies.
The film studio expressed their enthusiasm about the forthcoming feature. “Jean-Michel Basquiat was one of the most electric artists of all time. He left behind a body of work that continues to inspire and capture the imagination of people from all walks of life” said Jordan Wynn, President of Boardwalk Studios. “We are honored that Lisane and Jeanine and the rest of the Basquiat family have granted us such incredible access to their trove of materials and we are excited to collaborate with Quinn who has a dazzling vision for an intimate and emotional portrait of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life.”
Quinn Wilson also explained why this will be a passion project for her. “I have been fortunate enough to gain an intimate understanding of Jean-Michel through the stories and recollections shared by his sisters and stepmother,” Wilson said in a formal statement. “We have discovered a story that cracks the narrative of what we know about the prolific artist. Through his previously unseen artwork, thoughts, and memorabilia, we’ve uncovered a history that shatters the conventional understanding of this icon and I look forward to doing justice to his life’s story and shining a light on him not only as an artist, but as a man.”
At this time there is no release date for the documentary film.
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Photo: Patrick McMullan / Getty
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Jay-Z is holding a very rare one-off concert. The Brooklyn rapper and mogul will be performing at a Basquiat x Andy Warhol exhibit in Paris.
On Wednesday, April 12, Roc Nation announced that Jay-Z will be holding a tribute concert for the Louis Vuitton Foundation on Friday (April 14) at 9pm. Tiffany & Co. is also a sponsor of the event, so you know the bag the “N*gga In Paris” rapper secured is serious. The man born Shawn Carter has a well-documented affinity for Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat and that connection is the basis for the performance.
The concert will be going down at the Auditorium of the Fondation in Paris. Jigga’s show serves the purpose of bringing more attention to Louis Vuiton’s “Basquiat × Warhol. Painting four hands” exhibit which features hundreds of the renowned artists’ collaborations. Between 1984 and 1985 they created around 160 paintings together.
Find out more information about the exhibit—which opened April 5 and runs through August—and show right here. Recently, Jay-Z was notably the only rapper to make the cut for Forbes’ 2023 Worlds Billionaires list.
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