Check the Niggas in Poorest single cover for Yasiin Bey FKA Mos Def designed by me. Then be sure to take a look at the video, just as powerful. N.I.P.

Check the EJordanill Art Show video recap courtesy of KarmaloopTV.

The code, Binary. This is the “0101″ you see in the logo. Binary code is the representation of text by way of computer processor instructions. Each 0 and 1 has very specific meaning behind it assigning a bit string to each symbol creating a language between the user and the computer. I thought of this and how it related to my cousin’s life in both professional and personal standings. The way the code plays a part in his life is also responsible for the color in the design.

Black and white also looked at as on and off yes and no and is the color theory in this piece. With the translation being there is no maybe it is a zero or a one. This idea lends itself to Secondary Voice. No matter how powerful a person is, what decisions they must make and the effect those decisions have, they often never make those decisions by themselves. This extends to even the most reclusive, those who enjoy being solo dolo usually surrounded by none, they are not excluded from secondary voice.

To lighten the suspense this school of thought says no matter how powerful, how intelligent, it is almost always necessary for a person to have an alternate opinion in regard to a large decision to ensure several factors have been thought of and have been crossed out to travel to the best answer to a specific problem. This also is an idea Ondrei believes in and abides by in order to lead his employees to victory.

You’re a true leader when you get a leader to follow you as stated by the Black Babe Ruth also known as Jadakiss. This plays it’s role in the story as a leader is known to have a great team and even greater decision making skills. But those in these circles know that these decisions are not made by the leader him or herself, it is the secondary voice that aids in these decisions. And it is knowing that the decision is black or white on or off yes or no written simply in zeros and ones.

And so it begins, the brief story of a West Philly Native born fragile and premature. Hailing from Illadel, the land where the Killers dwell as rhymed by Riq G’s (known to others as Black Thought), comes an artist ready for a book in which several chapters are left open only to be determined by his decisions. It begins and ends with art. This art thing has been in my bones and blood since candy was a penny. With that, the accomplishments and accolades accumulated thus far are no surprise but yet a reward for consistent diligence and willingness to learn and perfect a colorful, delicate craft. I went from receiving a B.F.A in illustration from the University of the Arts, to becoming a Graphic Designer at Miskeen Originals to Lead Graphic Designer at Rocksmith to Designer of Karmaloop Private Label.

Being a Young Black Youth as the Ol’ Dirty Bastard would say it, I look at the world through hip hop’s lens. Growing up in the 90′s which is arguably the best era in rap music and coming up in Philly with stars such as Bill Cosby, Will Smith, Boyz II Men to even more current stars like Freeway, Jill Scott, Meek Mill and others, there were always role models to aspire to be better than and compete against. Hip hip is my backbone. Hip hop effects how I look at the world, thus constantly giving me the ammunition to design a t-shirt or paint a picture that relates to the culture and it’s fans while maintaing high standards.

It is artistic expression, support, competition and knowledge that brings me here as a painter and designer today. I know that others from my city have and continue to do whats needed to succeed keep me going. I know that coming from Philly, now residing in Brooklyn, came with bumps in the road, dark hallways where the other side was a mysterious abyss but approaching the unknown head-on results in victory. Lastly I know that if the road is smooth it would be less triumphant. It is this knowledge that connects me to Philadelphia, fuels my determination to be better and encourages me to represent my city with valor .