New Orleans’ own BMike designs cover for Will Smith’s memoir

Actor Will Smith’s new memoir dons the artwork of New Orleans’ own artist Brandan BMIKE Odums.

The cover of the book tells a story within itself. BMike made it by layering with paintings of Smith throughout the years, from his childhood to now. You can see it in the video below.

BMike is known for his graffiti-style with bright hues and bold images. 

The local-born artist first started to gain popularity after Project B, which took place last when a group of artists went into the former Florida housing development and created a montage of graffiti art, illegally. Artists used the blank walls to story the strides and struggles of the African Americans throughout the civil rights movement. 

In 2013 BMike did it again with Exhibit BE where 30 artists were granted permission to transform a temporarily vacant apartment complex into a ‘street art museum.’. They used the same concept, but this time adding even more of a New Orleans flair to it. In the project you see images and quotes from icons like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali next to depictions of local legends like Tuba Fats. 
The book is available to pre-order at the actor’s website.