Jean-Michel Basquiat was on the come-up as a young, Black artist in New York City. So when some prospective buyers wanted to come to his studio to purchase a piece, he was excited.
But things quickly took a turn for the worst when they did the dumbest, most racist thing ever.
They “gifted” him a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken! Basquiat was baffled at their white audacity. He turned them away, refused to sell them his art, and when they left he reached over the railing and dumped a bucket of waste on their heads!
The racism continued – but he got his revenge soon enough.
Taxis often wouldn’t stop for him, so he stunted by taking a limousine everywhere! But Basquiat never let white foolishness prevent him from creating, or any racist limitations box him in.
Basquiat stayed true to himself. And those racists are probably kicking themselves – in 2017, a painting of his sold for over $10 million, and in 2022, a family-curated Basquiat exhibition in NYC quickly sold out tickets!
Basquiat refused to let white supremacy stop him and never shied away from using his art to highlight Black experiences. He used art as a means of liberation for himself and his people.
Basquiat’s work and legacy prove that we can stay true to ourselves – and win!