"I'm a king. I'm dipped in God's black complexion...

Survival of the fittest is the natural selection..."

By now you might already know that Black Thought and Dangermouse are dropping a collabo album CHEAT CODES in August.  Maybe you've already seen this video for the new single Aquamarine too.  But I just saw it a few minutes ago, so now I'm sharing it with you.

Wait... Is there a YOD / Madlib album brewing?

Man... When I saw this YouTube vid on Twitter from Your Old Droog featuring MADLIB, my wheels started turning...

#NowPlayingAtGhettoMangaHQ RUFFIAN (Produced by Custom Made. f/ Mickey Factz, IAMGAWD and GRIFFEN)

I don't recall ever hearing of Filthē Records before today.  But when I peeped a snippet of this single Ruffian (from the Chicago-based label's upcoming compilation The Dirt Up Here: A Filthē Album)

on GRIFFEN's Instagram, I had to check it out...

Throwback Thursday: A Few Words About Paul Grist's MUDMAN Volume 1

I ran across this copy of MUDMAN Volume 1 by Paul Grist while going through stuff in storage.  Here's my thoughts about it.

#NowPlayingAtGhettoMangaHQ THERE GOES THE NEIGHBORHOOD by TankAndTheBangas

I fell in love with Tank (frontwoman of Tank and the Bangas) along with the rest of the world when the latest amazing band from NOLA appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Series in 2017.  Equally comfy rhyming or crooning, the tiny artist whose vocals and lyrics are as heavy as her name has only blossomed into a more and more impressive artist since then.  

Tank and the Bangas' new video There Goes The Neighborhood tackles one of the black community's most persistent specters with the cheerful melancholy I've come to expect from them.

Hey fam, you want 12 stickers for $25?

I'm still recovering from Fan Expo Dallas, and while I catch up on client work, I thought y'all might like some stickers!

S T I C K E R S

THE MELANITES #2 Kickstarter IS LIVE

As you may know, I'm Art Director/Assistant Project Manager on the indie comic The Melanites. They brought me in to make sure everything remains raw!

My first issue as AD, THE MELANITES #2, is now LIVE on
Kickstarter!

11 Years Later, I'm still Bumping This Underground Gem

"Lines tighter than a body builder's definition

with an undying will, my mother said I'd never listen"

I recite this quote (from the song PHOENIX by Napoleon Da Legend, produced by Crazy Al Cayne, off their 2011 album The Sugar Cayne Experiment Vol #1: Napoleon Da Legend) on a regular basis (especially when someone compliments my linework)...

Watch This Animated Video for the Calypso Song A BETTER TOMORROW

 Love afros, inspirational songs, anime-influenced cartoons, and black female superheroes?  Yeah, me too.  So I was excited to find out that the video for Terri Lyon's Calypso jawn A Better Tomorrow has been selected to five film festivals and is a finalist in two of them!  

Check out the video below: 

For Hip Hoppers Only

#NowPlayingAtGhettoMangaHQ

Hey fam,   Here's a quick blast about all the hip hop jawns that's in my headphones at the moment.

Heads Up! Mike Hawthorne's ALL CITY VOLUME 0 is ON SALE

Mike Hawthorne's beautiful hardcover art book ALL CITY VOLUME 0 is on sale for a limited time, so I recorded a video and what not.

"Can a Thug Be Born Again" by Corance Davis

On 2/2/19,  the creator and founder of B.A.T. Industries, Tyrone “Tyger” Moore messaged me with the idea for a one-page story explaining the philosophy of Born Again Thugs.

He had a vision for a story we could do right then that wouldn’t compromise the main story of the Melanites comic. It would be a one-page story about what Born Again Thugs stood for. 

That begs the question, what does Born Again Thugs stand for?

#NowPlayingAtGhettoMangaHQ MODUS OPERANDI by Napoleon Da Legend

People always ask me what I'm listening to, only to be disappointed that they never heard of the rhymers I eff wit.

One of the most prolific and high quality rhymers I know if is Napoleon Da Legend.  His new record Modus Operandi is just the latest in a long line of dope records from a true underground legend.

Work in Progress- SHADOWEYES FOR GOOD by Sophie Campbell

Everybody knows I'm a huge fan of Sophie Campbell, especially of her cute and gritty monster hero comic Shadoweyes.

Daily Sketch. Plus a contest.

Enjoy this doodle, and enter to win some prizes.

Hey there!  Here's my first Daily Sketch of the New Year!  If you want to have my new sketches emailed to your email inbox, subscribe here.

Between client work, seasonal blahs, and family issues, I haven't been keeping up my Daily Sketching like I wanted to. 

BUT!

I did draw something today!

35% off. No big deal.

Teepublic's running a sitewide sales where you get up to 35% off these items with my art.  Thought you'd wanna know.

There's a 35% Off sale on Teepublic right now.

#NowPlaying EGO by Guilty Simpson + Gensu Dean

This Friday, Guilty Simpson & Gensu Dean have a new album dropping on Mello Music Group called EGO, featuring Skyzoo, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Yarbrough, Black Milk, MarvWon, and more.

Listen to the lead singles after the jump.

It's October fam!

I drew this for a client celebrating their 10th anniversary.

Our Twitter peeps seem to REALLY like the story of these matching Cartoon Portraits, so check 'em out!

It's ULTRON Vs EVERYBODY In This Week's Episode of WHAT IF...?

This week's episode of What If...? starts with the Avengers failing to stop Ultron from reaching his final form, setting up a chain of events that transforms the genocidal A.I. into a threat of cosmic and even multiversal proportions.

You see them new STAHHR tees?!?! ♥

Gaaasp!  The first lady of the Metal Face familia, Stahhr dropped this peek at her upcoming tee shirt drop on the Twitter machine, and I am in full "mommy I wan' it" mode...

#NewVideo - CLOUD POUR by Qwazaar & Batsauce

Look what I found while I was looking through my emails.

A picture and a few words about Dopamine

Depressed? Anxious? No Attention Span? I Think I Know The Problem, fam, AND how you can fix it.

Once Again It's ON (S A L E)

Teepublic's running a sitewide sales where you get up to 38% off these items with my art! 38%? WOW!

Pegasus is one of my original characters that hasn't appeared in comics yet, but a few of y'all bought her tee shirt anyways... It's fun to get notified that you guys are taking advantage of my tees being on sale.

There's a method to the madness, fam

So who ARE the Melanites anyway?

I'm helping my people get out the word about their upcoming comic THE MELANITES, which is dropping soon.

Brandon Graham Talks RAIN LIKE HAMMERS

I just recently started reading Brandon Graham's graphic novel RAIN LIKE HAMMERS*, so I couldn't resist watching this interview.

Peep this sketchbook monster, fam

My dude Michael was working on a project and could use a hand, so I drew this monster.

AMEN Monster Sticker

This looks DOPE

I just ran into these images from MCMLXXV #1 on Twitter and was blown away by them!  Turns out you can read the first issue for free online.

fam: BiGS Volume 1 Preorders are Now Open!

It's official fam: BIGS VOLUME 1 is dropping Friday!

IT'S OFFICIAL!

Kickstart This- The GREAT FORCE

I just came across this Kickstarter campaign for a brand new teen superhero comic called THE GREAT FORCE, and it looks pretty cool.  Check out the preview art below.

Kickstart THIS- NIOBE & DURA: WRATH OF THE ANCIENT

While I was sleeping, NIOBE & DURA: WRATH OF THE ANCIENT dropped on Kickstarter.

"ZION I up in the party so you know it's just bliss..."

Lately we've been celebrating the life and cultural contribution of Zumbi, the emcee/frontman for eclectic Oakland hip hop crew ZION I.  My favorite ZION I song is apparently HUMAN BEING, off their 2012 album SHADOWBOXING, because I have been bumping it nonstop for the past few days...

My favorite No Way Home Trailer Moment

After watching the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, I had no choice but to draw this guy

Fan Art Friday: Doc Ock

BiGS Volume 1 Release Date

It's official, fam: BiGS VOLUME 1 will debut next month and I have gotten permission from the publisher to do my own preorder promotion

It's official: BiGS: VOLUME 1 is COMING in SEPTEMBER!

Happy Birthday Peppermint Patty!

People often do a double take when I tell them that Charles Schulz is one of my influences as an artist.  His strip PEANUTS, which spawned the wildly popular Charlie Brown cartoons, reveals Schulz's mastery of economy, something I always appreciate in great artists.

One of my favorite PEANUTS characters, the resident wild child Peppermint Patty, is celebrating a birthday today.

Are you a Wonder Woman fan?

I colored this old drawing of Wonder Woman, as my weird way of celebrating...

Check out this week's Throwback Thursday email, where I colored an old Wonder Woman sketch...

WHAT IF..? Episode 1- Peggy Carter Becomes the Super Soldier

As a Marvel Zombie growing up, I was always aware of Cap's love interest Peggy Carter, but I became a fan of the character when she appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger.   I didn't watch Agent Carter when it was on tv, but watching it once I got access to Disney+ solidified this SHIELD co-founder as a trailblazer for the pantheon of Marvel heroes.

The debut episode of Marvel's new animated series What If..? shows us a universe where she becomes the north star in the superhero constellations.

Rest In Power- Zumbi of ZION I

I just found out that Zumbi of Oakland rap crew ZION I passed away on Friday. No words. Rest In Peace. Condolences to his family and friends.

OGN (P)REVIEW- "RECKLESS VOL 1" by Ed Brubaker + Sean Phillips

My man Michael Lagocki recommended RECKLESS Volume 1 the period detective thriller by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, because he knows I dig 80's detective jawns like Spencer For Hire.  In RECKLESS, we follow a washed-up FBI spook who takes on cases that catch his interest.

Insomniac Rap Show- A few throwbacks

Welcome to The Insomniac Rap Show, where I share YouTube videos until I get sleepy.

Let's start with my favorite Joell Ortiz song:

The SHOCKING TRUE STORY of TYPHOON CAT GHOST!

The SHOCKING TRUE STORY of TYPHOON CAT GHOST

Prepare yourself to be whisked away to the far east for this brief tale of a possibly supernatural  encounter that I immortalized as this non-physical cat drawing...