![]() With his belief that Art is Power, Porter has made it a point to make sure images of Black and Brown people are reflected in his work. “Sometimes just being a Black man doing what I do is a form of activism in itself.” He may not go out of his way to “Do the whole activism thing,” but it is there embedded in his work. Perry Porter helps paint the Black Lives Matter mural in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood at the height of the city's protests for racial justice this summer.įor Porter, art and activism are one and the same. That was my favorite part there weren’t many questions asked.” The artists were all there to get to know each other and create something to memorialize a movement they are passionate about. He explains: “It was surreal because we got a heads up maybe a day or two before, so no one got to plan what we were going to paint. Recently, Perry Porter AKA Perry Paints has been getting a bit of buzz since he was one of the artists who collaborated on the Black Lives Matter street mural on Capitol Hill in Seattle. While "Move My Feet" transports me to an upscale lounge or poolside at a Miami Beach hotel, "Custom" shows off Porter’s rapper side, warming you up for a backyard BBQ with friends and assuring you will all end up dancing by the end of the night. Both set the mood with a chill, steady, danceable beat, smart lyrics and catchy hooks. I’m still trying to decide if "Custom" or "Move My Feet" is my favorite track. I strongly recommend checking out Grey, a collaboration with Seattle producer OldMilk that was released in June. Musically, his work is sophisticated, smooth, atmospheric and sensual. He is self-taught in the medium, which isn’t terribly easy to master, but after experimenting a bit and being inspired by the work of Agnes Cecile, among others, he has made it his own. Porter loves the contrast of being a Black male rapper creating with watercolor. Tacoma artist Perry Porter loves the contrast of being a Black male rapper creating with watercolor. ![]() Since I was a kid, I’ve felt I can do anything.” If they want to think of me as a visual artist, that’s fine, too. “If people listen to my music and want to think of me as a rapper, that’s fine. “In an ignorance is bliss, sort of way, I never really thought of them being two different things,” he says. One of the things that interests me about Porter’s work is how it easily flows from the musical to the visual side. Something, as he puts it, that “would keep him out of trouble.” Creativity surrounded Porter, and not only was it familiar, it also was how he channeled his energy into something constructive. And with a father who was a DJ and an older brother and cousins who were rappers, music was even a larger part of his life than visual art early on. “She made me a very fierce person and allowed me to chase my dreams,” he says.Īt age 9, he was using Sharpies to draw all over the basement walls at home and making his own clothes. This has not been an issue for Tacoma painter and rapper Perry Porter, whose mother encouraged him to be as creative as he wanted. But the problem is how to remain an artist once the child grows up. ![]() Pablo Picasso once said: All children are artists.
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