I feel an abundance of gratitude after completing my Nipsey Hussle tribute drawing. I was inspired to do this drawing after becoming aware of Nipsey’s story and legacy. As a featured visual artist at the Lincoln Theatre in Columbus, Ohio I chose to showcase my Nipsey Hussle and Malcolm X drawings at their 10th anniversary celebration of Backstage At The Lincoln. I posted my drawing of Nipsey to my Instagram account on the morning of the event, November 21, 2019. The next day I was graced with over 1300 likes and growing on this social media platform. I really appreciate the love that the Nipsey Hussle community of followers, friends and family have shown me. They have taken the time to like my drawing, share it, and encourage others to re-post etc, in a way that shows that the “Marathon Continues.”
It was an honor to draw and paint my tribute to Bro. Malcolm X (aka Malcolm Little, el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz). I attempted to create art in his image twice before but was not satisfied until this rendition. I think for me one of the things I admire most about Malcolm X is he symbolized intelligence, and as a young black man this played a part in my also wanting to be intelligent.
His speech where he referenced the house negro and the field negro was my inspiration to create the drawing on the right below, as it was at a time where I felt I could discern this divide among our leaders . It features Stephen (Samuel L Jackson in Django Unchained) and the late black nationalist Khalid Muhammad.
A few of my favorite Malcolm X quotes:
“A wise man can play the part of a clown, but a clown can’t play the part of a wise man.”
Malcolm X
“If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”
Malcolm X
“When you live in a poor neighborhood, you are living in an area where you have poor schools. When you have poor schools, you have poor teachers. When you have poor teachers, you get a poor education. When you get a poor education, you can only work in a poor-paying job. And that poor-paying job enables you to live again in a poor neighborhood. So, it’s a very vicious cycle.”
Malcolm X
“Education is an important element in the struggle for human rights. It is the means to help our children and thereby increase self-respect. Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
Malcolm X
Malcolm X was assassinated at 39 yrs young.
Born: May 19, 1925, Omaha, NE
Assassinated: February 21, 1965, New York City, NY
