Art, Beats & Lyrics

A once Atlanta-based art and hip-hop celebration has become a national tour celebrating the union of art and music.

- Joshua Rose

Every painter I know wants to be a musician or for that matter is already a musician. Conversely, most musicians want to be painters. Walk into any artist’s studio across the country and the first thing you notice is the music coming through the speakers and the artist painting in sync to what they happen to be listening to.

Music notes become paintbrush strokes. Paint becomes rhythm. The two are inseparable. Jabari Graham and Dwayne “Dubelyoo”

Wright realized this as well 14 years ago. But they also wanted to do something to add to the conversation. Wright at the time was a wellknown painter, muralist and illustrator living in Atlanta while Graham had been working at UniverSoul Circus also based in Atlanta.

The two had a vision and from that was born Art, Beats + Lyrics (AB+L), an art and music showcase featuring urban art and hip-hop that “provides an authentic and creative experience for seasoned art collectors; beats and rhymeslovers and today’s social media selfie-taker.” What was once a one-night-only show promoting Atlanta art and music is now a national, eight-city tour including a stop in Charlotte, North Carolina, February 15 for the NBA All-Star Game. The tour is sponsored by Jack Daniel’s.

“Art, Beats + Lyrics celebrates the uniqueness of urban art and music, which impacts pop culture on a global scale,” says Tracey Johnson, senior multicultural marketing manager for Jack Daniel’s. “As a brand, we’ve always been connected to the worlds of art and entertainment; and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is proud to carry on this tradition with the continued support of AB + L, which remains as vibrant as ever entering its 14th year.”