Attention “Run’s House” fans in Motown: there’s an art exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit you must go see.

Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons, star of MTV’s Run’s House and dad to Vanessa and Angela Simmons, is among several hip-hop icons that have been captured in a series of paintings by famed Russian artist Alexander Melamid. The exhibit, “Holy Hip-Hop!” is a collection of 12 lifesize portraits of hip-hop icons chosen by Melamid for their influence and fame.

See Rev Run’s portrait at the MOCAD through April 20th

Source: MOCAD

Alexander Melamid met his subjects through his son, Dan “Dan The Man” Melamid. Dan Melamid is a music video director who has worked on projects with recording artists such as Prodigy, 50 Cent, Verbal Threat and Spider Loc. Over a 2-year period, Alexander got to know his portrait subjects which include Kanye West, Lil Jon and Russell Simmons. He then created his paintings based on photos he’d taken.

“Art is the key that unlocked a door that would not have opened for me,” said Alexander. “I thought it would be interesting to paint the men of hip-hop using the traditional European style I have been perfecting for 40 years.”

“Holy Hip-Hop! is important for Detroit because it presents a world-renowned artist whose portraits and their meanings will resonate strongly within our community,” said MOCAD Acting Director Marsha Miro. “Melamid’s paintings explore the dominance of hip-hop culture and what it means to today’s youth. The exhibition will stimulate a dialogue and provide opportunities that we haven’t yet explored at the museum.” (Source: MOCAD)

Can y’all imagine people viewing these portraits 300 years from now? Today’s hip-hop stars will be the 24th century’s Beethovens, Bachs, Mozarts.

Snoop

Kanye West

50 Cent

Art workers hang Melamid’s portrait of Don “Magic” Juan