It’s always a great sight to see those who come from hip hop be able to take their art to new levels and even make a living off of it. There’s b-boys who have become choreographers for major pop music artists, DJs who travel the world (like Biz Markie and DJ Scribble) and emcees who now see royalty checks for commercials and films (like Salt N’ Pepa, RZA, Swizz Beats, etc.)
Graff artists however have had tougher time making the move. Hype Williams is an example of one who used his eye for color coordination for music videos and Mr. Cartoon was able to do his thing with tatoos, designer toys and sneaker collaborations. Marc Ecko was also fortunate enough to build a successful fashion and accessories empire with his talent.
The latest graff genius to make his mark is Kaws. This dude has worked with Kanye, Nike, Medicom Toys and also has his own high-end street wear line Original Fake. Most recently, Kaws did a cover for Complex magazine with The Clipse. Check out the cover along with an in-depth interview with Kaws below.
