We go again

Takashi Murakami is a weird name in hip hop and I don’t see without this internet age everyone would know him but he has been a creative force for a very long time in the hip hop sphere. But you will be very familiar with his Work and 2018 has been an Amazing Year for him working with Drakes OVO label, to Versace

How I first knew the man was through Kanye West, and the Graduation cover. The amazing classical covers was part of Kanye’s signature style and will go down in history in a capsule of greatness. The Japanese artist works with mono-line (single weight lines that don’t vary in thickness or taper off) electric technicolor paint & lovable characters. His pop art really unleashes your inner kid with moving imagery. Possibly the opposite of my art style, a lover of the grotesque.

This is not about me though this is about TK/MM who has had some amazing moments in 2018 and I want to quickly look back at some of those in a typical end of year fashion. At the end of the day I am a hypebeast so only the ones that I want to praise and nothing else, cool.

Takashi and Virgil

This friendship has been budding since 2007 just an assistant to Kanye meeting a major artist Takeshita and Virgil have worked together to create great work.

This year that spanned clothes and art pieces they’ve both moved with the upmost respect for each other’s craft sharing multiple installations it’s safe to say they grew their own very personal relationship with one another.

I can surely see the enjoyment they had working with each other through the art, there’s a common respect for each other’s signature and wanting to keep the other’s work whole. While at the same time an endeavour to push a new idea forward, that is clearly seen in ‘Glance past the future’ displayed haunting baroque Pyrex Vision signature with Takashi’s spooky-neon-hollow accents.

Takashi KIDS SEE GHOSTS

They see ghost they see creatures they see a storm a tundra and spooky hollow In the crypt they awake only at the golden hour. That’s a film idea and that’s mine. The Kids see ghost collaboration is amazing I want the Hoodie and a canvas of the painting.

Kanye I don’t know exactly what he was thinking but I hope he didn’t think this was going to try and recreate a moment of old. Just a Bonding of creative minds he’s known for a long time

Link to the spotify album

Kids see ghost cover didn’t impact to the level I thought it should because of the toxic maelstrom around Kanye at the time thank goodness I’m here in retrospect to call it amazing. I’m not joking when I say I want the vinyl or better yet a 2X2m canvas, if anyone can do that then please and thank you

Takashi Versace KSG

The Versace drop is up there with best sneakers this year, hand beaded and auctioned for a good cause at upwards of $15,000 the creative combination of Takeshi and Saleh gave us a precision blend of art and luxury

Not for nothing Art is Luxury nowadays but not all Luxury is art and some times, as you’ve heard from me – it’s not everyday Collab – This drop hit me viscerally and I just had to speak about it because I just immediately wanted the sneaker. For some reason I look at this and think comfort style warm and love. It is definitely the colour coded and for sure the materials I know was used but when it catches you it catches you.

Takeshi with these three collabs are the not only things he done this year but they do display his versatility of mediums and creativity of his personal style. His mastery of fun memes in colour exude a warmth and openness when you look at them, they immediately overtake and power the vision of whatever the project is.

As a true master of his style Takeshi Murakami earns his title as a best of a generation & creative genius. There’s a story here I soon want to talk about in-depth. How did hip-hop find Takeshi.

We’re learning more of – Whatever Moves Your Dial

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