By JOHN DALY
Duchi Da Vinchi has released the single “Basquiat,” a modernized ode to life as a rock star, but that was probably the furthest thing from the mind of the famous artist after whom the song is named.
With “Basquiat,” musician Duchi Da Vinchi says his work suggests an attitude young people who feel lost in a world where they don’t fit in can adopt in order to cope.
Duchi Da Vinchi is a mysterious sort, calling himself an “outer-space inhabitant currently residing in L.A.” He wants to empower people to embrace their individuality with an unbothered charisma. As the saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.”
“Basquiat,” is Da Vinchi’s anthem to help celebrate yourself like a rock star who doesn’t have a care in the world.
The legendary Jean-Michel Basquiat rose to fame in New York City in the late 1970s as a graffiti artist who was taken under the wing of Andy Warhol. His satirical social commentary artwork gained momentum throughout New York at a time when class struggle was more evident than ever before. There were no cell phones let alone social media and art had a significant impact on society.
Basquiat had a difficult youth. As in the Duchi Da Vinchi song, he had a tough time finding his place in society but took his newfound fame in stride. At the height of fame, on Aug. 12, 1988, Basquiat was found dead of a drug overdose.
Jean-Michel Basquiat can be seen as the DJ in Blondie’s video, “Rapture,” considered to be the first rap song.
Listen to “Basquiat” by Duchi Da Vinchi here:
