Born and raised in Los Angeles, the influence of the city surfaces in Kofie’s spiraling, mechanical structures, which often resemble abstracted cityscapes and industrial developments. Involved in street art as a teenager, his work began as traditional graffiti-inspired characters; over time, as he began breaking down those characters, they evolved into the massive, architectural paintings he’s now revered for.

In addition to appearing on his Draftsmen clothing line and in numerous magazines, Kofie’s artwork has been displayed in exhibitions in major cities throughout Japan and the United States, including Tokyo, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston. Watch the interview from “The Run Up,” after the jump.

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Upper Playground recently announced a collaborative project with Montana Colors to create artist series Hardcore cans by four artists. The third MTN x UP Limited Edition artist can in the series features the collaborative work of El Mac and Retna.

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Mike Giant’s art is found on skateboards, walls, t-shirts, and even skin. Although found in different forms and venues, his signature black and white style holds true to the sense of urban surrealism often linked to the skateboard, tattoo and graffiti culture, while still being recognizably unique. Mike Giant’s art has been displayed in galleries from San Francisco, where he resides, to Los Angeles, Spain and Australia. He has also launched his own clothing line, Rebel 8, which highlights his work on everything from tees to hats. Check out his interview with Walrus TV after the jump.

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Dope Coture recently collaborated with Italian artist Antonio Chiesa on a tee for their women’s line. The print features a mosaic portrait of icon Marilyn Monroe made entirely from Italian Vanity Fair magazines. These will be limited to 65 pieces worldwide. Order yours here before they’re all sold out. Another shot of the shirt after the jump.

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Spare Paint is a two-part series that features San Francisco artists David Choong Lee and Brian Barneclo as they engage two homeless men panhandling the rush hour traffic. They offer their talents to paint new, visually striking cardboard signs. In Part Two, we meet William, a home restoration specialist, as he shares his stories of what it’s like to live on the streets and how he ended up there. Check it out after the jump.

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Here we have a look at the physical making and shooting of Jay-Z’s latest album cover for Blueprint 3. The cover of the album features a wide range of musical equipment in white, with three red stripes painted across. If you haven’t picked up the album be sure to pick it up as you may know that this completes his Blueprint Trilogy. Check out the video after the jump and see how this was all done. Enjoy!

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