The Rap Quotes Coast to Coast

by Jason Shelowitz, Aymann Ismail (Photographer)

Overview

A visual catalog of site-specic rap lyrics in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston and more.

With lyrics from Jay Z, Snoop Dogg, Andre 3000, Kanye West, Scarface and more.

Since 2013, multi-disciplinary artist Jay Shells (Jason Shelowitz) has been travelling to major US cities, installing his Rap Quotes campaign. At the time of this publication, the campaign has touched down in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston and the Bay Area.

Part art book and part guide book, "The Rap Quotes Coast to Coast" takes you on a new kind of journey, with gorgeous photography by Aymann Ismail to offer context for the hip hop lyrics that mark locations in these major cities.

Each city/chapter opens with remarks by local hip hop journalists and ends with a map plotting every site-specific rap lyric for that city, giving the reader the ability to take their own hip hop-specific tour of the city they love.

The Rap Quotes campaign is ongoing, and in the next few years will launch in Chicago, New Orleans, Miami and other cities around the globe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789188369192
Publisher:	Dokument Press
Publication date:	04/25/2019
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	7.33(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jay Shells (Jason Shelowitz) was born in 1979 in Oceanside, New York. His work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom as well as featured in publications including The New Yorker, The Los Angeles Times, Juxtapoz, Complex, ARTINFO and The New York Times. Jason's work appears in the book Seinfeldia by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, and Street Messages by Nicolas Ganz. Many of Jason's public art campaigns have been written about extensively on an international scale.

Aymann Ismail was born in 1989 in Newark, New Jersey. He is a renowned photographer, videographer and journalist who initially made waves creating original content for Animal New York. Aymann is currently producing, writing and directing the web series “Who's Afraid of Aymann Ismail” for Slate.

Editorial Reviews

"The Rap Quotes project is one of the greatest hip-hop themed street art projects of all time." — Andrew Lasane, Complex

"I remember getting a call that I was used for a Rap Quote. I was so amazed and honored to be included. It's so good to see the culture being embraced and spread around like this all across the world!" — Bun B

"That's a really dope one bro, all my Brooklyn n——s hitting me bout it. They love it." — Prodigy

"Every time I write a lyric about my city, it's like a little love note. But never in a million years did I think that those words would be printed up and hand delivered. I was beyond stoked. And when he posted those same lyrics on the walls of my favorite art gallery in the city next to a bunch of other MC's I respect?! That was the icing on my vegan cupcake. Thanks Jay Shells." — Murs

"At the time, Instagram was fairly new and still mostly a photography app. I was running around historical locations in Queens taking pics for my account, when someone sent me a pic of the quote. I was like 'no way in hell.' I drove to the location and took crazy pics. I was really proud to show everyone because South Jamaica is so influential to my career." — Pharoahe Monch

"Felt real good hearing and seeing my lyrics used for Rap Quotes signs by Jay Shells. What made it most special is for the people in my hood to be proud for me to be rappin—naming the corners we stood on and the people we lost." — Thirstin Howl III

"My phone was blowing up the day my sign went up on the corner of the block I was raised on. My family was so proud. It meant and still means a lot to me. I have a framed picture of it in my home." — Tone Trump

"I remember going back to my neighborhood to see the sign go up. It was a nostalgic moment to be standing next to the field where I played sports, behind the housing project building where I was raised. I took a photo and posted it. The next day it was stolen, that's Brownsville." — Masta Ace

"When I first started seeing the Jay Shells street signs, I immediately thought about how the rhythm and poetry of hip hop has allowed generations to connect and travel the world using their imagination. I thought about the streets that I've mentioned in my own stories, and how important they've been to my development as a person and as an artist. I even imagined how some of my lyrics might look in this unique creative format, so I feel honored (and still a bit shocked) that it manifested almost exactly as I saw it. Having my art presented in such an authentic and dynamic way means much more to me than having my name in corporate lights. Salute to Jay Shells." — Rakaa (Iriscience), Dilated Peoples

From the Publisher