top of page

Wu-Tang Clan
&
Chi Modu

The Inspiration:

 

       As fan of the Wu-Tang Clan since my early teenage years, watching 106 & Park and Much Music's Rap City led me to my love for hip-hop and its surrounding culture. I then came across the legendary Chi Modu, a Nigerian-born American hip-hop photographer. He is known for capturing iconic artists such as Tupac Shakur, Nas, Notorious B.I.G just to name a few. His work and legacy fascinated me as it encapsulated the essence of hip-hop and its impact on the world.

 

         As a result, I created a Tribute Piece to both Chi Modu and the Wu-tang Clan which was inspired by one of Chi Modu's photos from the 1992 'Protect Ya Neck' music video shoot in Brooklyn, New York. This piece features members of the Wu-Tang Clan and their crew leading to the name 'Wu-tang & Friends'.

 

The Creation Process:

         This photo inspired a tribute piece to honour Chi Modu and the Wu-Tang Clan. I have always loved both artists genius branding which spans across all media platforms and fashion.

 

            This is one of my personal accomplishments and one of my favourite photos in Chi Modu's collection. In a time during covid quarantine, working on this piece kept me motivated and re-inspired my passion for my craft.

 

         This artwork took 160 hours to complete, excluding the original planning, sketching and final edits. I began with lyrics from their acclaimed debut album 'Enter the Wu-Tang' (36 Chambers). This album launched them into superstardom which paved the way for future generations of hip hop. From a distance, the art piece appears to be Chi Modu's photograph, but up close, it reveals the lyrical masterpiece of the Wu-Tang Clan. Along with this I captured a time-lapse of the entire art process which I now do for all of my work.

 

    Future Ambitions and Goals:

          My aim is to create visibility for this tribute piece across both the Wu-tang Clan and the Chi Modu estate. I would love the opportunity to collaborate with the Chi Modu family and create my own origional hip hop collection.

 

            I also want to showcase this work as an example for other artists that want to amplify their brand with my unqiue style of work. I want to create new partnerships with the icons of the music fashion and entertainment industry.

IMG_1889.jpg
Raekwon and Me Parkhill.JPG
IMG_3291_edited.jpg
IMG_3290_edited.jpg
IMG_3292_edited.jpg
wu-tang-crew-full.jpg
about

 The Story Behind the Tical Jersey

The Inspiration:
 

I’ve been a Meth & Red fan ever since I copped The Blackout album through those old-school Columbia House stamps back in 2000. That moment lit the spark — my love for hip-hop exploded. From Method Man’s 1994 solo debut TICAL to Redman’s 1996 Muddy Waters, I was hooked. Method Man in The Wire, and of course, one of my all-time favorite movies: How High. Legends.

 

“Study high. Take the test high. Get high scores!”

 

Method Man’s TICAL was his first solo album and still stands as one of the greats.

The energy, the style, the attitude — all of that fed into my art.

 

I’ve always been inspired by the evolution of hip-hop fashion and culture — especially through basketball and hockey jerseys. This TICAL jersey was actually the first jersey I ever designed… and it ended up in the Nomi Man music video, on Method Man himself. (Link below 👇)

 

I’m also a big fan of the iconic branding from Wu-Tang and Method Man’s cannabis brand TICAL — “Taking Into Consideration All Lives.” That mantra and legacy were major influences.

 

 

The Creation Process:
 

I designed these while traveling through London, Paris, Toronto, Staten Island, and even Bobcaygeon. Every place added its own energy to the creative process.

 

The final result: Two fully custom TICAL jerseys for Method Man and Redman.

 

I even started working on the TICAL crest inside the Louvre in Paris, and hung it up on the wall for a quick photo — so technically, my art and TICAL have been hung in the Louvre, haha.

 

Each element was hand-drawn with ink pens on paper. I filled the artwork with lyrics from TICAL and Blackout, along with every Wu-Tang album title and iconic lines from the clan’s catalog.

 

After scanning the drawings, I had them printed into embroidered patches and stitched them onto green and white jerseys — matching the colors of the TICAL brand.

 

 

Future Ambitions & Goals:
 

This is just the beginning. I’m building an entire Hip-Hop Jersey and Apparel Collection — starting with an extensive Wu-Tang line, and expanding into other legends like: Redman, MF Doom, DMX, Biggie and Tupac to name a few.

I want my jerseys on the backs of the legends and their fans — repping my designs, my story, my vision.

 

 

🎥 Watch the Nomi Man Music Video ft. Method Man wearing my TICAL Jersey:

Track: M.A.N.

Artists: @imninoman & @methodmanofficial

Directed by: @benjifilmz

Produced by: @buckrollbeats

IMG_3332 4.jpg
IMG_3294 2_edited.png
meth tical.png
about
GOPR0123.JPG

Henrik
"The King"
Lundqvist

Custom Goalie Mask for Henrik Lundqvist's Induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame 2023 🏒

I had the incredible honour of creating a unique, hand-drawn goalie mask for Henrik Lundqvist's induction into the HHOF 2023 class. This project exemplifies my skill in creating sports memorabilia. This wearable piece not only celebrates the iconic athlete but captures the complete history of 'The Kings' entire career and his accomplishments.

Inspiration and Creation Process:

The idea came about after meeting Hockey Legend Lanny Mcdonald through the HHOF. He mentioned the upcoming induction ceremony after seeing my Original Six NHL series collection. I told him I wanted to create a custom goalie mask—something I had never done before, something out of my comfort zone—to test my skills and produce a truly unique piece of art. The Goalie mask is currently either on a travelling Hall of Fame exhibit or in the "Legends of Hockey" Mask exhibit at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. 

Having played hockey since I was three years old, I have always followed Henrik Lundqvist's career with the New York Rangers and Team Sweden. His iconic style and career achievements deserved a design that reflected his legacy on and off the ice. The goalie mask was hand-drawn directly onto the helmet, not digitally made, which really tested my artistry, patience and resulted in a visually striking, one-of-a-kind piece.

This project was one of my first original and most complicated pieces, requiring a lot of planning to incorporate everything I wanted to capture. I was proud to see the admiration it received from the HHOF and Hockey fans all over. The goalie mask includes a full biography of Henrik Lundqvist's career, as well as sports statistics with the New York Rangers and his international play with the National Swedish Team. It stands as a testament to pushing boundaries and creating something special for a deserving athlete.

Future ambitions:

Using this newfound art technique, which has limitless potential, I aim to create a custom-designed goalie mask for an active goaltender to wear in an NHL game. I also have the goal of designing a goalie mask for the starting goalie of the 2026 Winter Olympics for Team Canada.

about
loader,gif

2023
Vegas
Golden
Knights
                         2024
                         Florida                              Panthers
Stanley Cup Champions!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

about

NHL Stanley Cup Series
 

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

about

Raptors 30th Anniversary +
Vince Carter
Hall of Fame

 

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

about

Louis Armstrong
 

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

 

about

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

30th Anniversary of the "Purple Tape"
...Raekwon The Chef
 

Chicago Blackhawks

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

about

Live Nation X Jelly Roll

The Inspiration:

 

The Process: 

 

The Creation Process:

 

Future Ambitions and Goals:

about
loader,gif

Word UP Art

Word up to your mother

contact.

T. 123 - 456 - 7890 | info@wordupart.com

Join our mailing list

bottom of page