The Writings on the Wall - BK The Artist
The artwork is storytelling, emotional, thought-provoking, and conversation-worthy. Whether a depiction of the beauty of a woman or the raw reality of the current state of our communities, I’m thinking of lyrics as I analyze them. It feels like the paintings play as a silent beat under today’s society voice. Hip Hop is artistry that transcends paper, and BK the Artist is putting the writings on the wall.
Encompassing that “Feeling So Good” JLo energy, I hop on the 6 and head to the South Bronx to partake in the Compound Conversations: Art, Music, Politics event. Not sure what to expect, my first sighting is Set Free, host, and founder of Compound, the new age creative arts studio. I spy with my eyes Carmelo Anthony, then in the corner is Desus from Desus & Mero, Ebro from Hot 97 chalking it up with Talib Kweli and Dave East in cool mode taking it all in. These are just a few names here to support, view, or be a part of this amazing Panel Discussion centered around BK the Artist. 7 minute read
In great company, I’m excited for the evening. I take intel of the white walls adorned with hanging images of voluptuous purple women, Muhammed Ali spewing out a butterfly, and Biggie Smalls in his infamous “on the corner” pose. Then, my eyes fall upon the velvet rope. What’s so important that it has to have security? Now I’m intrigued. As I walk up to it making my way through the crowd, I see a bold image of a familiar face, Nipsey Hussle.
A stoic-looking Hussle holds his head high, dressed in a sharp watercolor Blue Blazer embedded with representations of his life. On one sleeve there is a stack of books ranging from Mathematics to English, to Motivational reading. On the other sleeve, the word Crenshaw is highlighted in yellow cursive, while above it is the imagery of a dollar sign inside of a mailbox. (Can you guess what Tupac line came to mind? Hint, think Dear Mama). On the Lapel is a painting of his brother Samiel Asghedom, aka Blacc Sam, and a youthful version of Nipsey is displayed on the breast of his blazer. The details of this painting from the landmarks to skin tattoos, jewelry, and beard are so intricate it feels 3D. This piece was created upon T.I.’s request as he compiled memorabilia in honor of Nipsey.
After such a dope event, I have to sit down and dig a little deeper into the mind of this inspiring Creative. Although it’s the weekend, BK is in business mode. He has an appointment to meet Carmelo Anthony to deliver a painting, but first, he stops by a brunch spot in Brooklyn to talk with me. In a BKLYN Corduroy hat, Compound t-shirt, Neon Green Nikes, and his signature Brown beard, the Baltimore native’s vibe fits right in with the energy of the rustic relaxed mood of Crown Heights on a Saturday morning.
A multicultural man of Irish, Greek, and Native American descent, Brian Kirhagis spoke his destiny when he used his initials as his Pen Name. BK began his journey from Baltimore to Brooklyn when he moved to NYC to attend college. His out-of-the-box thinking was not completely appreciated by faculty as they preferred him to “color in the lines”, but his mind had other plans as he would produce abstract work that went against the grain.
Doing what is not expected of him continued to ruffle some feathers as he gained more exposure to his craft. When Eminem came into the Rap game people loved him because he spoke his truth, but there are opinions that he was only given praise because he is a white man in a predominately black culture. BK is no stranger to that opinion. Being a Caucasian man who tends to give the message of the oppressed/minorities in the Black/Hispanic communities, some feel he is not “qualified” to express that pain/story, especially in striking pieces such as CHAINGES.
He mentions a time a guy reached out to him on IG. “This guy tells me how amazing my artwork is and thanked me for being a black man conveying these messages. Once I told him I was white it took him aback, but he still showed love. But not everyone could have that same reaction.”
Talib Kweli touched on this during the Compound Panel Discussion saying, “You as a white man making that piece is a brave choice...because it’s something that’s easy to fuck up…and just to keep it a buck with you, there might be people in this room that feel like, I don’t like that a white guy did that.” He also followed that up by saying that this forum allowed him to hear and see the authenticity of BK’s artistry and intention, and therefore respects and appreciates it. Just like that, art was able to open the lines of communication, something we all believe it can and is meant to do.
This is why he has struck a chord with the Hip Hop Community. In the era that I grew up in, Hip Hop was an art form that was used to talk about politics and social injustices with Public Enemy and Talib Kweli, depict community struggles with Nas, Tupac, Biggie, display the importance of the Black woman with Queen Latifah, Monie Love and Roxanne Shante, while giving us animation and comedy like Busta Rhymes. When I see his art, I hear those voices, those songs play out through the strokes of his paintbrush.
“Hip Hop is underlying for everything. Hip Hop has pushed through and become a backdrop to cultures at large. We need to uphold and cherish it. It’s like a quilt with all these patchworks. I am a part of that quilt. I appreciate that. I feel like a guest that got the OK to move around,” says BK.
I asked him, “If you had to pick an MC to correlate your artistic style to who would it be?”
“Jay-Z. He is informative, and his music has raised a lot of young men that need guidance. People like Jay inspire the business and cultural impact, he has ownership. He is what I have always aspired to be in regards to creating an empire. The impact his music has on me, his lyrics have become my paintings. “How To Move In A Room Full of Vultures” is a piece that was shown at an exhibit at Dame’s Gallery, and I was able to create a relationship from that.”
When asked his thoughts on the current state of Hip Hop, he was candid saying, “It’s not in my favorite place, I don’t follow it as closely as I used to.” He believes Hip Hop can assist in changing the current climate of our society, and therefore wishes that radio & tv would highlight the lyrical aspect as much, if not more than those artists that are more interested in just “creating a vibe” with their music.
His biggest concerns are racism and education. “Let’s not create a gap between the people we don’t agree with. We can even bridge a generational gap with the way music is now,” referring to the Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus collaboration. “The biggest mistake is for the adults to stay away from the youth.”
He has been trying to bridge the gap between polar views since he was a teenager. With his father being a cop in the urban community, and BK having friends of all backgrounds, he was able to talk to his dad about some parts of the culture he was removed from, allowing his father to have a well-rounded perspective about the people he was policing in the community.
At the time he may not have realized it, but he was already walking in his purpose then. He didn’t want to stop at his parents when it came to providing an alternate perspective to people and felt he connected with this not because he is a minority, but because he is a human being, and as such, ignoring real-life issues going on around him is not an option.
He encourages Creatives to use the language of the Arts to create constant positive changes and unity within our communities. “Form follows Function. If you’re gonna make it you have to include what you are making it for. Once you gain a following, speak to those people for a bigger change. Don’t just create your form and forget about the blessing it is to have that gift and create.”
“If you could pick a place for one of your paintings to hang, where would it be and why?” “The White House. Do you know how dope it would be if the most impactful lawmakers and national executives saw The Pandemic Of Systemic Marionettes hanging on those walls?” he asks with bright eyes and a wide smile. “They would have to acknowledge it…something we (America) don’t like to do.”
Being in high demand for his artwork, BK the Artist isn’t stopping there. He has contributed his skills to the NBPA Players Voice Awards, creating the artwork for the “Freshest” Award received by Russell Westbrook, and the “X-Factor” award presented to Lou Williams. He is also working on a poetry book and would like to get into screenplays and movies. As a creative he wants to explore as many lanes as possible all sharing the same goal, which is “NOT TO TELL MY TRUTH, YOUR TRUTH, BUT THE HUMAN TRUTH.”
TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ON HIS ARTWORK GO to @bktheartist on Instagram or check out websites http://www.bktheartist.com/ and https://shor.by/bktheartist
Photos courtesy of BK The Artist IG Page