Meet The Legendary Artist Behind J-Hope’s “MORE” Cover Art
BTS‘s J-Hope recently released his new song, “MORE,” off of his upcoming solo album, Jack in the Box.
For his concept photos and music video, J-Hope showed off a darker, edgier image than fans are used to. ARMY complimented the idol for his versatility as he effortlessly pulled off the new look and sound in his song.
There was a lot to be excited about, and a lot to eagerly take in when J-Hope released the song and music video on July 1.
Hours after the release, J-Hope made another exciting announcement on his Instagram page, and that was his collaboration with American artist and designer, KAWS.
J-Hope made the announcement in Korean and English, as he expressed his excitement and appreciation for the collaboration.
I’ve always had a special place in my heart for him, so this project is that much more meaningful and a huge honor for me.
— J-Hope
RM and J-Hope are known to be huge fans of KAWS. RM has an impressive collection of KAWS figures, which he showcased on BTS’s Twitter account in 2019.
J-Hope showed off his KAWS collection in a now-deleted Instagram story, which can be viewed in the article below.
BTS’s J-Hope And RM Are Successful KAWS Fanboys On Instagram
So who has BTS’s J-Hope and RM turning into the biggest fanboys? Brian Donnelly is the acclaimed artist professionally known KAWS. Brian, a New Jersey native, started his art journey as an underground graffiti artist in the 1990s.
His life changed when his friend, and fellow graffiti artist, Barry McGee, gave KAWS a key that opened up phone booths in New York City, where Brian was attending the School of Visual Arts. With the key, Brian would open up the side panels and pull the advertisement posters from the phone booths. He would then spraypaint over them with symbols and characters, which gained him media attention.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts, Brian started to do freelance animation for Disney. He worked on Disney projects such as Doug and 101 Dalmations.
He then launched his own brand, OriginalFake, where he began to make toys and figurines. This garnered much interest from Japan, where Brian would open his first flagship store.
KAWS would later collaborate with the Japanese retail company Uniqlo for a clothing line featuring his artwork and a collection of Sesame Street plush dolls.
BTS’s V collected the Sesame Street dolls and showed them off on Instagram, which Brian noticed and reposted to the official KAWS Instagram account.
Brian continued to grow his brand, creating artwork that ranged from 2D to 3D. The public love for his work grew, and his art was beginning to be displayed by prominent American hip-hop artists such as Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. This acceptance led to more celebrities collecting his work.
After decades of success, the artist’s popularity only continues to grow as his work is admired around the globe.
J-Hope’s new album will be released on July 15, where we will be able to see more of KAWS’ collaboration with J-Hope. The two have already released the cover art for “MORE,” which was designed by KAWS. The artwork and a sweet message to J-Hope were posted on KAWS’ official Instagram.
Thanks for the invitation to collaborate on your first solo album. I’m looking forward to the full album and full artwork releasing soon!
I appreciate all the support over the last few years!— KAWS
Until the full artwork is revealed, you can check out J-Hope’s “MORE” below!
