I’m notoriously known for interviewing some excellent upcoming producers and emcees, but hip-hop is much deeper than just that. Hip-Hop is a culture filled with music, art, fashion, the list is on going, so i want to try and spotlight more of the lather on the site, and present you guys with best and brightest. First up is Kerry Lester an graphic designer / digital artist from Georgia that work can only be describe as amazing. The above piece is from his “I Am The Great” collection inspired by the great Muhammad Ali. You can check out the entire collection over at http://www.phantomkay.com and read our interview after the jump. Enjoy.
Yoh: First off i want to welcome Phantom Kay to TheTapeDeck. For our readers unfamiliar with you can you give us a little introduction.
PhantomK: My Kerry Laster, I’m a graphic designer / digital artist from the beautiful state of Georgia. When I’m not out patrolling the streets in my mask and cape I like to plot on how I’m going to take over the world through digital design…haha.
ABJO-The Late Show
Yoh: From the colors, to the creativity, your art is very original. Where does your love for art come from,how long did it take you to find this “personal style” of yours,and who are some of your biggest inspirations.
PhantomK: First, thank you for the compliment. My love of art comes from my huge curiosity gland. My family has always encouraged me to question the world around me and always look below the surface of something to find the true understanding of it. As a result I’m a huge fan of riddles and mysteries. Art to me was nothing more than the combination of both. Whenever I hear, see, or taste something that has been creatively slaved over for hours upon hours it’s hard to not get sucked into a world of question: what were they thinking when they created this, what is the underlined message, or how do I feel about this piece? Art to me is nothing more than questioning the world around you and expressing your thoughts about those questions through some tangible form.
As far as finding my own style, I would have to say that I’m still evolving. If you look at my work from a month it doesn’t match what I created last week, or if you look at something I create today and compare it to 3 months from now. Each time you compare my work there will be obvious difference in the colors, tones, textures, subject matter, and etc. Everytime I work on a new piece my goal is to make this piece different from the last. I’m forever working on my approach and my technique. It’s a good way to never reach a prime or peak with my work. It keeps me fresh.
Some of my inspirations are old cartoons with a vintage look or old movie posters. But some of my biggest inspirations are jazz music (I’ve created some much work to Miles Davis’ “Kind Of Blue”) and my everyday life. All the things, people, and place that I come across on a daily affect the way I think, thus affect the artwork I create.
Curtiss King’-SinBad
Yoh: When i first saw your artwork for Ab-Soul’s “Long Term Mentality” album cover i was blown away. How did you two end up hooking up? And did he already have an idea for the cover or did you come up with it from scratch?
PhantomK: It was actually the president of Top Dawg Entertainment, Punch, that made it all happen. He saw some of my work and reached out to me about collaborating on a few projects; one of them being Ab-Soul’s album. They were extremely free and open to anything concerning the artwork. They initially sent me a few images of inspiration, and what you see is the first design I created for them fresh out the gate. I love when clients let me just let me just fly on a project.
Ab-Soull-Gone Insane
Yoh: You’ve done alot of covers for artist albums/mixtapes/beat tapes. Any particular one you’d consider a favorite,if so which and why?
PhantomK: As an artist, you are always in love with your current work. I really dig this album cover I just created for two artists out of California named Jansport J and Hawdwerk. The album is called “BlackBalls,” and I love the style of it. It’s something a little different for me.
Yoh: Alot of hip-hop inspired art on your site. Who are you feeling currently? Any particular album in heavy rotation?
PhantomK: Hmmmm……..Believe it or not I listen to more non-hip-hop music than hip-hop stuff. I’ve been killing Fiona Apple right now. It’s something about her voice that I just can’t stop putting on repeat right now….haha. My work is more about people than genres. All the people that you see on my site are people that I think are interesting, not popular.
Yoh: You’ve done some dope collections,i’ll name a few and you just tell us what inspired them
YCollection:The Producers
YCollection: In Honor Of The 343 C
YCollection: We Are Here
J.Dilla(RIP)
PhantomK: With “The Producers” I wanted create a collection of artwork about different music producers that each had a heavy musical rotation in my life. These were people who help shape the foundation for my hip-hop consciousness.
In Honor Of The 343 D
With “In Honor Of The 343” I wanted to honor the 343 firefighters that died during 9-11. Until that point I had never created any artwork about 9-11 because of the mixed emotions I have about that day with it being my birthday. So, I felt like the timing was right for me to create the collection, with the NYC memorial being unveiled, and the country finally getting a chance to make peace with that tragic day. I wanted to help with that process.
Pedlar
“We Are Here” is the collection that touched me the most. It is completely inspired by the homeless community. I had yet to see anyone of my peers really devote a collection of work to that subject. So many times we forget or ignore them, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are people and need to have a voice. And with that collection I wanted to yell out for them that WE ARE HERE!
Yoh: Your next collection that will be released on Oct 7th via your website is called “I Am The Great”. What can you tell us about that without spoiling to much?
Perfect
PhantomK: This collection is inspired by the great Muhammad Ali. I wanted to go somewhere different. I had never created any artwork based off of any sports figure, and there is no better figure to start with than the ‘pound for pound’ greatest boxer of all times. I wanted explore his different faces and phases. I really had a lot of fun creating this collection, and I love the way it came together.
Yoh: I personally felt that your Watch The Throne artwork was better than the original. You truly painted the perfect picture of “Watch The Throne”.. How’d you feel about the album?
Watching The Throne
PhantomK: I thought it sounded like two guys at a point in their careers where they can just have fun and create art because they want to and not because they have to.
Yoh: One of my personal favorites is The Face Of Music piece you did for Ice Cube. Only 75 prints were made which was signed by both you and Ice Cube. If you had to describe that piece in one word what would it be?
Face Of Music
PhantomK: Bold
Yoh: What does the future hold for Phantom Kay, and any words for inspiring artist?
Women
PhantomK: Endless possibilities, I still practice every single day like I’m a beginner. Always in search of a new technique of approach to creating art. My words of inspiration to other artist would be to never settle for just making something. Art is creation with a purpose. If there is no purpose for what you are creating then why create it?
Yoh: What does success mean to Phantom Kay?
PhantomK: Choosing projects based off of my desire to do them and not my desire to make money from them. It’s waking up knowing that I am doing what I love, and being able to buy all the oreo cookies in a walmart whenever I want to…haha!
Yoh: I wanna thank you sir for taking the time out to chat with me. Huge fan of your artwork and i wish you the best in the future with all endeavors. I hope everyone goes to http://www.phantomkay.com and check out some amazing art.
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