In the inspiring realm where music and art intertwine, few collaborations have been as groundbreakingly iconic as the one between Kanye West and Takashi Murakami. While Ye is known to be a mastermind in the rap game, the Japanese artist’s works are considered no short of genius either. When they sampled their fusion of hip-hop and artistic mastery through the 46-year-old’s third album: ‘Graduation’, the fans were left spellbound by the result. Through the years, many have wondered how this unlikely duo came to be.

Here is the tale of how this partnership that redefined the visual landscape of the music industry unfolded. 

Ye’s fascination with Japanese art forms: Anime to architecture

Kanye West has long held a fascination for Japanese art and architecture. While many of his tracks over the years have been known to have featured visuals that are made in a manga-inspired look, the ‘Donda’ rapper has also incorporated aspects of Japan’s culture in various other aspects of his life. To this day, parallels are drawn between the rapper’s music and anime born from the Japanese manga culture. 

Besides music, his passion for architecture has greatly reflected his love for the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi which was also incorporated into his now-abandoned Malibu mansion. Even the Yeezy founder’s wardrobe has featured such references, like the time he stepped out in sandals inspired by small Japanese footwear. 

This same fascination had once led him to the town where Takashi Murakami had set up base in Japan.

The genesis: When Kanye West met Takashi Murakami

Recently, Kanye West and his wife, Bianca Censori, made a shenanigan-filled overseas trip to Tokyo, Japan that constantly made headlines. Well, this was not the first time the rap mogul had visited the South Asian nation. In 2007, the 24-time Grammy winner had flown out to Japan for a similar vacation where he encountered Murakami. 

While there, he made a pit stop at Murakami’s Kaikai Kiki studio in Asaka, where the artist had displayed his works made in the style of the post-modern art wave known as Superflat. Evidently, the visit left Ye rather impressed considering that three months later, he reached out to Murakami with a project in mind. 

Apparently, Ye felt that the artist’s style of work was perfect for the visual aspect of his ‘Graduation’ album! 

Graduation album art: A visual revolution

When the album came out, the vibrant and surreal creations by Murakami appeared on its front cover. The 62-year-old artist had designed West’s mascot as an animated dropout bear who was striking a pose against a futuristic backdrop. Made in Murakami’s distinctive style of bold colors and playful characters, fans found the cover art to be the perfect canvas to represent ‘Graduation.’

The marriage of hip-hop aesthetics and Murakami’s pop art sensibilities had not only captivated audiences but also opened new avenues for artists to experiment with the visual representation of their music. The cross-cultural references from this style of art added a layer of beauty and depth to the collaborative cover that the two artists had created together.

Their collaboration that converged the worlds of music and art was not only restricted to the cover though.

The music video extravaganza between Kanye West and Murakami 

Once the West-Murakami alliance had blossomed into fruition through ‘Graduation’, the Chicago-born rapper decided to take it a step further. He decided to rope in Murakami to add animations to the music videos accompanying his singles from the album. In ‘Good Morning’, Murakami showcased an animated world where dropout bears roamed amidst his signature flower motifs. Another track that incorporated his artwork was ‘Stronger’. 

For ‘Stronger’, Murakami took direct inspiration from the 1988 anime masterpiece: Akira. Within its narrative, the motorcycle sequence and the appearance of Tetsuo Shima from the anime gave a subtle nod to the artist’s and rapper’s love for that anime. While staying faithful to Akira’s storyline, Murakami even remade a pivotal moment from it. He showcased West as its antagonist, who gained extraordinary powers to emerge triumphant in battle.

After these spectacular creations from ‘Graduation’, the duo had hoped to collaborate on a show of their own too!

The unfinished next chapter: Kids See Ghosts

Back in 2018, Kanye West and Kid Cudi teamed up to create a rap duo called Kids See Ghosts. Later, they even went on to release an album under this group’s name by the same title before dissolving the duo. Well, in a tantalizing prospect that emerged three years ago, they had dropped hints about an upcoming animated show carrying the same name as their group, created in tandem with Takashi Murakami!

The Japanese artist had even skillfully directed the sneak peek for this exciting project. Moreover, it carried the moniker of Cudi and West’s duo’s album from 2018! Both rappers were also planning on lending their voices to the animal characters to appear in it. While the project was never launched, its trailer served as a captivating mirror of what could have been Kanye West’s budding connection to the realms of animation-based projects.

This was one among the many ways Murakami had inspired West’s legacy.

The Enduring Impact: Murakami’s reflections on the career of Kanye West

 The Japanese artist carries a philosophy of blurring the lines between art that depicts the highs and lows of life. This resonated with West’s own desire to break free from artistic constraints. The multi-dimensional approach that Murakami often employed in his work is still reflected in the way West approaches his projects.

When ‘Graduation’ first came out, its revolutionary cover was listed among the top five of that year by the Rolling Stones. As time has passed, this collaboration between him and Ye has become more than a moment in hip-hop history. From the inception of ‘Graduation’ to its ongoing influence, these artists’ collaboration showcased the potential for boundary-breaking partnerships in the ever-evolving landscape of creative expression. 

How do you think Takashi Murakami has impacted Kanye West in his ongoing career? Share your thoughts in the comments.