Jean-Michel Basquiat

the same old shit (SAMO)

Basquiat and Warhol

One of the most successful artists, having his paintings sold for 110.5 million USD, Often spotted beside Keith Haring and Andy Warhol, Basquiat would show up to Mr. Chow decked out in an Armani suit. He’d drink kir royale and socialize with the art-world elite. At the time of writing, he was 24. He had gone from selling drawings for $50 in 1980 to selling canvases “at a brisk pace—so brisk, some observers joked, that the paint was barely dry,” the article said. Basquiat said he worried he had become a “gallery mascot.” Not everyone knew what to make of the young Black man and his frenetic, rebellious paintings, but everyone wanted to be associated with him. Everyone still does.

First interaction with the Pop Art legend, Andy Warhol, was when he spotted Warhol sitting in a restaurant. He quickly painted a small card, no words, and went on to sell it to him for a few bucks. Warhol at the time was struggling with the fear of fading away in the art scene of the time. He saw something in Basquiat and soon reached out to him. Soon, their partnership became engraved in the world of art as powerful, controversial, yet highly impactful names. Warhol would create the base painting, while Basquiat would add texts and doodles on it, reflecting his early experiences in the graffiti art scene.

Controversies included talks in the art world about Warhol being a parasite on Basquiat, feeding off his fame, relevance and energy. The partnership ended for a brief period of time, before Warhol passed away.

What is ‘SAMO’?

SAMO

Basquiat and Diaz created the phrase “SAMO” during a stoned conversation, calling the marijuana they smoked “the same old crap,” then shortening the phrase to “Same Old” and eventually “SAMO”. The graffiti was painted on the walls of New York. The typography was often paired with a crown.

Basquiat didn’t want himself to be called a ‘black artist’, as earlier portrayed by rich gallery curators as 'the voice of the gutter'.

His impact bleeds through in todays art, design and music culture. Music & Basquiat

Jean-Michel Basquiat's father would play jazz and classical music in the house when he was a child. Basquiat would sit on the floor and draw while listening to the music. As an adult, Basquiat would continue to play music while he worked. However, music was more than just a soundtrack to his work. It was the lifeblood that ran through his paintings.

Basquiat and Music

Basquiat on mixer

Basquiat's paintings often featured musical symbols and references to musicians he admired. He also used words in a poetic way to create a sense of rhythm and flow in his paintings. The music that Basquiat listened to was as much a part of his paintings as the paint itself. He has been mentioned in the contemporary hip-hop culture multiple times by artists like Jay-Z and Rick Ross.

Basquiat also produced and played music in Gray. Here's one of his songs, called the Suicide Hotline.