Drake continues to 'work on excellence' with Sotheby's black art show collaboration

The New York Times reports that Drake — a considerably talented performer who is just generally “working on excellence” — will compile a comprehensive soundtrack for the Sotheby’s spring black contemporary art show.

Though the rapper’s not the boastful art snob that Jay Z and Kanye proclaim to be (see: “Picasso Baby: An Art Performance Film”), the auction house went on record to tout Drake as one of the “foremost cultural tastemakers” of our day — an assertion I will happily co-sign, as a member of the present day.

The auction house hopes Drake’s cache will draw attention to a show that features black art world stars Kara Walker, Nick Cave, Glenn Ligon, Wangechi Mutu, and the formidable Jean-Michel Basquiat among its 20-piece selection. Visitors and potential buyers can listen to Drizzy’s mixes as they ponder purchasing, say, a Nick Cave “sound suit” (I would personally take two).

While this might seem like a bit of an odd pairing, Drake’s spokeswoman explained that “Wheelchair Jimmy” often finds inspiration in visual artists — an inspiration that you’ll recall led him to work with Los Angeles artist Kadir Nelson for his dreamscape “head in the clouds” album cover art for Nothing Was the Same.

With this collaboration, Drake has circumvented a rut that many of his fellow rappers have seemingly fallen into: namechecking Basquiat alone, despite the fact that we live in a golden age of black American contemporary art.

Marjon Carlos is a style and culture writer for Fusion who boasts a strong turtleneck game and opinions on the subjects of fashion, gender, race, pop culture, and men’s footwear.