The Artists Behind Jay-Z’ Spending Spree at Art Basel Posted by Ru Porter on 12/12/12 | Filed under Opinion, Jay-Z, Art

Hip-Hop comes in many shapes and forms. Its influence can be found in today’s fashions and even contemporary art. Sadly, it’s dying bread that is constantly being eliminated from schools across the country. Thankfully, there’s an exhibition like Art Basel Miami, an international contemporary art fair held each year in South Beach for collectors, enthusiasts and all around purveyors of the culture. A spin-off of the annual art fair in Basel, Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach has become as much about the parties celebrating art and artists as the art itself.

For many, the Art Basel Festival is an incomparable opportunity for starving artists to have their work seen by the eyes of wealthy collectors, top gallery owners, and curators from around the world. Artists like 31-year old Chicagoan Hebru Brantley, brought to Basel as a finalist in the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Artisan Series, was a favorite amongst Jay-Z, and his piece “Everyone’s Scared,” which earned him a final spot in the annual Art Basel exhibit presented by Bombay Sapphire and Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, sold to Jay for $20K on Sunday night.

But Hov wasn't the only urban artist to do some spending at Basel last week. Rick Ross, who was a first timer, went home with a Richard Mosse photograph valued at $20K, while Diddy took back an Ivan Navarro sculpture for $65K, and New York-based street art sensation Alec Monopoly presented a custom painting to A$AP Rocky.

According to the New York Post, these celebrity splurges helped boost sales to $1.5 billion in revenue. Check out the gallery below of some dope hip-hop inspired pieces from this year’s exhibit. And you thought rappers only spent money on frivolous items like expensive cars, clothes and jewelry.

A lot of sites would stop there, but here at RefinedHype we wanted to give you a look and some info at the artists actually behind the rapper spending spree. You might just discover one of your new favorite artists. Enjoy...

Alec Monopoly


According to his website, Alec Monopoly is the unidentified street artist speaking through the iconic board game character of the Monopoly man. Alec’s art connects the medium with the message on lampposts, billboards, and galleries throughout the world. Initially his work was fueled by concepts of wealth, excess, and the ingredients of an economic collapse, his art has since evolved to explore ideas of society and selfhood at large.

Hebru Brantley


Hebru Brantley claims his style derives from graffiti-worn buildings and sneaker-hung telephone poles honoring memories of local legends. Saturday morning cartoons and comic books celebrating the triumphs of mythological heroes inspired him to tell stories. Brushes and aerosol cans replace his original medium, words and incantation. The paintings are a peak into his mind represented by codified synapses and coagulated liquid pigments.

Richard Mosse


Complex Magazine reports Richard Mosse is a prominent fine art photographer known for coloring his images in vibrant, red/pink hues, often depicting nature and images of conflict in the Congo. Most recently, it was announced that he's been chosen to represent Ireland at the Venice Biennale.