ED PISKOR | "Ramellzee & Basquiat". Original artwork from page 75, volume 2 of "The Hip Hop Family Tree", 2015

ED PISKOR

"RAMELLZEE AND BASQUIAT". ORIGINAL ARTWORK FROM PAGE 75, VOLUME 2 OF THE HIP HOP FAMILY TREE, 2015

Pencil, ink, and marker on stiff paper (17 by 11 inches), signed "Ed Piskor 2020" at bottom.

"I think this first panel portrait of Rammellzee might be my favorite drawing in HHFT (I wonder how many other times I might have said that in this book). His contentious relationship with Jean-Michel Basquiat was fun to explore. They’d make for an amazing buddy movie."

From Fantagraphics, the publisher: 

Hip Hop Family Tree Book 2: 1981-1983. The second installment of this acclaimed graphic novel hip-hop history (originally serialized on the popular website Boing Boing) covers the years 1981-1983.

Covering the early years of 1981-1983, Hip Hop has made a big transition from the parks and rec rooms to downtown clubs and vinyl records. The performers make moves to separate themselves from the paying customers by dressing more and more flamboyant until a young group called RUN-DMC comes on the scene to take things back to the streets. This volume covers hits like Afrika Bambaataa’s Planet Rock, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s the Message, the movie Wild Style and introduces superstars like NWA, The Beastie Boys, Doug E Fresh, KRS One, ICE T, and early Public Enemy. Cameos by Dolemite, LL Cool J, Notorious BIG, and New Kids on the Block (?!)!"

REFERENCE:

Illustrated: Ed Piskor: The Fantagraphics Studio Edition, p. 70

PROVENANCE:

Courtesy Ed Piskor