Seeing Sounds: An Exclusive Interview With PS Im Dope (Pics)

Swag is not a culture, hip-hop is a culture. And like any culture hip-hop is multi-faceted, including much more than just music. Like, for example, incredibly dope visuals artists, which is exactly why I wanted to take a moment to highlight PS I'm Dope. A Virginia artist who has designed Wale's "Ambition" album cover, 9th Wonder's "The Wonder Years" cover and more, PS Im Dope took a minute to answer some of my questions and share more of her art. Enjoy...

RefinedHype: How did you first get into drawing for music-related projects? What were your first?

PS Im Dope: Music is life. Because hip hop has grown as a visual more than just aural. Once I actually got into hip hop music, that was all my work became. I'm inspired by the things that surround me. My first piece I did that got me started with being committed to this...hip hop artistry, was in 2009, I did a group piece for N.E.R.D., but I had done work before then in high school for a couple folks.

RefinedHype: Both in music and art, so much has become digitized. How has digital media affected your art? For you, what's the appeal of hand-drawn work?

PS Im Dope: All my "art" starts off on paper, always. But all my "work" has been digital...mixtape covers and flyers, logos, etc. It definitely took away from my artistic integrity, but at the same time allowed me to add another genre to my resume'. With hand-drawn work though, it is what it is. Raw and unfiltered. What's on the paper is what is. Yes, there are other artists that draw and paint, but we are always individuals. Hand-drawn work not only shows the skill level of the artist but embodies the individual it is made for.

RefinedHype: You've got an upcoming art show in June titled "A Low End Theory: The Art of Seeing Sound". What do you hope to accomplish with this show?

PS Im Dope: The show is actually called "A Low End Theory: The Art of Seeing Sound", and it's more than a show, it's a series. It's about the definition of what I think a "Low End Theory" is, which is about defining self. Not conforming to the state that is and creating your own movement. The purpose of the show is to in a sense, immortalize those greats, the present and future, keeping their works infinite. I want to show that not only is hip hop relatable to art (in more than the sense of graffiti), but hip hop in itself is an artform. Being an emcee is art, music is art, art is love. It's about capturing what we're passionate about, what we're doing to be remembered.

Check out some more work from PS I'm Dope's "Faces" series below. And if you'd like to cop some of her work, be sure to check out the PS Im Dope store.

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