This was a fun project for the new NIKE S23NYC office in Manhattan, NY. We were invited to create 12 illustrations/paintings that represented moments in street basketball history in New York. Starting from the infamous Rucker park court in Harlem and how this spot and the people going to the games had an effect on hip hop music, breakdancing and graffiti culture.

While DJ Kool Herc was busy starting the precursor to today’s hip hop, the fans where dancing and forming the beginnings of what is now called breakdancing. Herc would call these dancers break boy or break girl. These dances would often take place on basketball courts across NY. This image depicts a pizza version of Crazy Legs a Puerto Rican b-boy from the the Bronx and President of the Rock Steady Crew. What’s up @dozegreen another legend of the game.

Made with @sheryo
In collaboration with @weekday_studio and @nike

This piece illustrates one of the legends of the game. The true hero’s of Rucker park. One of the characters that stood out to us was Earl “The Goat” Manigault. 🐐 We wanted to highlight a lesser known king of the court, other players like Dr J and Kareem Abdul Jabar we’re also his peers. Born in 1944-1998 raised in Harlem, NY. His long limbs made him a formidable player with extraordinary leaping ability. “Goat Park” on Amsterdam at west 99th street in Manhattan is named after him. The film Rebound: the legend of Earl “The Goat” Manigault celebrates his life.

Another piece from the series that shows how street basket ball in NY influenced culture. While these legendary games were going down on street basketball courts all over NYC the fans watching were forming the very beginnings of what would be called hip hop. Not only the music but the activities that was brewing on these neighborhood courts would marinate into a rich sub culture. Touching on fashion, dance and music. This piece depicts a few of those fans experimenting with two turntables and a mixer which became a key instrument to hip hop music.

 This example shows Clive Campbell, DJ Kool Herc the Jamaican DJ who is credited for originating hip hop music in the Bronx. In the 1970s through his “back to school jam” on Sedgwick Ave. His new style of using a break from a drum beat and switching to a new beat on another turntable was innovative. Campbell would then make announcements over the beat in a syncopated, rhythmical method this style influenced many new artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash . This image also shows the iconic photo of Campbell rolling through the Bronx in his 66 Pontiac with massive speakers.

This piece illustrates the Holcombe Rucker story of getting the first inner city court constructed. As a parks and rec employee he started the famous pro-am basketball tournament and the “each one teach one” legend in basketball .

This piece depicts a street basket ball scene and references a game when Kevin Durant dropped 66 points in his first game at Harlem’s Rucker park in 2011. Just one of many legends and legendary stories that went down on this magic court.

A new piece with a new story for this great project that @sheryo and I created with @weekday_studio and Nike. Illustrating the history of street basket ball in NY and how it influenced culture especially hip hop culture. While these legendary games were going down on street basketball courts all over Manhattan, the fans watching were forming the very beginnings of what would be called hip hop. Not only the music but the culture that was brewing on these neighborhood courts would marinate into a rich sub culture. Touching on fashion, dance and music. This piece depicts a few of those fans getting up to no good.

This illustration depicts an rumor that said Herman “The Helicopter “ Knowles could leap so high he could pick quarters off the top of the backboard. An amazing player and ahero of street basketball. We also see a train with the words “crime in the city” painted on it. This comes from a quote from a writer named Skeme in the 1983 graffiti documentary “Style Wars”. All you see is crime in the city.

Final shots of the work in the halls of the Nike office.