Ubiquitous in pop culture since the early 2000s, Japanese contemporary artistTakashi Murakami is familiar with co-relating high and low culture. Among other achievements, he founded the “superflat” theory, which draws on traditional “flattened” Japanese printing with anime and pop culture imagery. He is also famed for his strong collaborative relationship with high fashion label Louis Vuitton, with whom he produced several legendary pieces, and he frequently teams up with fellow fashion icon Virgil Abloh. Perhaps most incredibly, he has had his work exhibited at the Palace of Versailles in France. However, Murakami remains legendary in my mind for the special relationship he has formed with modern hip-hop.
Although Murakami had already been developing in American pop culture for years, his status blossomed following Kanye West’s 2007 album “Graduation,” for which Murakami designed the cover. It features Kanye’s iconic Dropout Bear being fired from a cannon under a university, marbled with bright colors and Murakami’s iconic motifs. This marked Murakami’s first high-profile hip-hop collaboration and cultivated his creative relationship with Kanye (he later designed Kid Cudi and Kanye’s "Kids See Ghosts" (2018) album cover).
Since then, Murakami has collaborated with countless others, including brands like Supreme and Off-White and rappers like Kid Cudi, Kanye West, Drake and Pharrell Williams. But Murakami's influence on hip-hop has not been limited to official collaborations. Travis Scott gifted his entourage Iced-Out Eliantte & Co chains designed by Murakami,Justin Bieber has Murakami cushions on his couches,The Weeknd hasadorned Murakami apparel and Murakami’s smiling flower isseen frequently among modern hip-hop imagery.
Although it seems rather confounding how Murakami can traverse the high art community and hip-hop, I have surmised a rather simple explanation for his prominence: He never fails to recognize his inspiration and/or collaborator while also giving his own unique flair. His very art movement, superflat, ostensibly disrupts traditional Japanese art forms, yet it subtly maintains fundamental elements (primarily the presentation and composition of the work). Like his inspiration Andy Warhol, Murakami’s work has beencriticized for being kitsch or shallow. Yet I find that he adapts his work to whomever he is producing for, without abandoning his modus operandi: His installations at the Palace of Versailles reflect the massive frescos that adorn the castle, his work with Kanye West shows both the macabre and vicarious sides of the musician and his collaborations with streetwear brands like Uniqlo and Supreme add his inimitable style without extinguishing the brands’ creative control.
Hip-hop is an incredible collaborative culture — rappers frequently work with visual artists, and musicians regularly dabble in fashion. And although Murakami has yet to release any songs of his own, he has certainly engrained himself as an icon within the hip-hop community. Yes, his work is highly accessible, eye-catching and contains themes relevant to modern culture, but hip-hop loves him because he is Murakami. His work reflects his self-awareness of his position as an artist. Hip-hop artists love him and his work because he reflects who they are and what they do: break boundaries while respecting the craft.
