Kid Cudi will star, write, and direct an upcoming biopic about famed visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat after repeatedly being asked to portray him.
On Wednesday (Oct. 21), the rapper and posted an Instagram carousel to announce that he’ll be filming the Basquiat biopic JEAN next year. The late artist, who died in August 1988 at just 27-years-old due to an accidental drug overdose, has been portrayed by actor Jeffrey Wright in 1996 film Basquiat. Actor Kelvin L. Harrison will also play Basquiat in upcoming film Samo Lives.
“For years people have asked me about playing Jean Michel Basquiat in a film. But no project actually came to be,” Cudi captioned the post. “This year, I finally said fuck it, ima write it myself. This one im so proud of and excited about. To write a film about someone who existed was a challenge, but it was a welcomed one.”
“A lot of research, books, talks with people that knew him. This film will be a love letter to Jean, the 80s and NY city. Jean has inspired me all through out my career, and it will be the biggest honor to tell his story in a way we haven't seen before. I know a lot of yall gon be like FINALLY hahaha I love it. This ones for all those dreamers out there 😌🙏🏾❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥,” he concluded.
Cudi’s accompanying images showed an uncanny resemblance between him and Basquiat, as the entertainer wore a dreadlocked wig similar to the artist’s signature hairstyle. Another project dedicated to the artist is in the works, a documentary titled King Pleasure, which will contain "never-before-seen home movies, notebooks, photographs, animation, and interviews."
