W magazine has tapped Drake to cover its upcoming special edition art issue.
For a new project featured in the issue, Drake plays the muse for five different artists. Titled "Views From the Five," each work includes the rapper in the artist's signature style. A piece done by KAWS incorporates tiny action figures of Drizzy alongside giant renditions of his "companion" sculptures. Another piece is a photo taken by Katherine Bernhardt of Drake in front of a colorful West Indian variety store his hometown of Toronto.
The collection of works also include more abstract pieces, like a black and white portrait painted by Bernhardt and one done by Henry Taylor. Taylor incorporated references from Drake's songs in his painting, depicting the rapper on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami with a speed-o-meter set at 100 mph.
When asked why the magazine chose to feature Drake on the cover of the special issue, Editor-in-Chief Stefano Tonchi told Fashionista, "We wanted somebody who could bring the 'entertainment' idea to art. Art in itself can be very elitist, so we always like to amplify the power of art with a collaboration with someone who has a lot of mass appeal."
Despite his recent foray into the art world with his work at Sotheby's earlier this year, and now this latest project, Drake shares in the accompanying interview that he didn't grow up around art.
"We didn’t really have paintings on the walls, but I grew up with album covers! I loved the Marvin Gaye cover for What’s Going On. It made me want to hear the music, to be in that world. I liked anything visual that pulled me into the music," he said to W.
Check out some of the pieces below and head over to W to view the rest of the portfolio.
