Jay-Z Will Hold A ‘Celebratory Concert’ To Pay Tribute To Andy Warhol And Jean-Michel Basquiat

Jay-Z is a man of exquisite taste across the board. From the brand of adult beverage he prefers, the songs he chooses to appear on, or who he gives a recommendation to, the “God Did” rap icon has earned the right to be picky. However, there is one thing he can’t resist, the late visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. So much so that this Friday (April 14), the musician will hold a ‘celebratory concert’ in Paris to pay tribute to both Basquiat and Andy Warhol.

The concert set to take place at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in France is part of an exhibition, Basquiat x Warhol. Painting Four Hands, in which the late artists’ work is being shown. Although Basquiat’s estate has spoken out against his work being featured by Jay-Z and his wife Beyoncé’s Tiffany & Co campaign (who is also backing this concert), the rapper emphasizes that he is solely a fan.

As part of the organization announced the event on Twitter, writing, “To coincide with the Basquiat x Warhol. Painting Four Hands exhibition, Jay-Z will give a celebratory concert to pay tribute to Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.”

The entertainer has often made reference to the late artists in his music. For example, in his 2008 song, “Ain’t I,” featuring Timbaland, he rapped, “I got Warhols on my halls walls, I got Basquiats in the lobby of my spot/I’m so sophisticatedly hood, S. Carter cashmere premium goods.”

In his 2011 song, “Illest Motherf*cker Alive” with Ye (formerly Kanye West), he rapped, “When I say it then you see, it ain’t only in the music / Basquiat, Warhols serving as my muses / My house like a museum so I see ’em when I’m peeing, usually you have this much taste, you European.”

This isn’t the first time the mogul has blended together live performance with visual art. Back in 2013, Jay-Z enlisted visual artists across mediums to participate in his project, Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film.

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