I Just Murdered The Alphabet is an art series mixing rap lyrics and hand-made typography.

It took me 6 months (8 hours a day), and about 45 silver pens to complete this series.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

UPDATE: You can now buy this original artwork here.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
Même avec les ongles noirs ils doigtent le va-ing – SETH GUEKO – Gremlins
Knock down your door like Jehovah’s witness – CASSIDY – Freestyle
Ma lumière met en valeur leurs zones d’ombre – DISIZ LA PESTE – La Fin Du Début
I got a problem solver and his name is revolver – JEDI MIND TRICKS – The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms

Character 15 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Avec les ongles noirs
SETH GUEKO

Even with dirty nails they finger pussies…
This is quite disgusting but we all know that your wife enjoys it.
If you don’t you should because that’s what she told me.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Même avec les ongles noirs ils doigtent le va-ing – SETH GUEKO – Gremlins

Knock down your door
CASSIDY

Want me or not I’m here at your door.
Close me doors I’ll enter from the windows.
Close the windows I come from the roof.
Protect the roof I ask your wife for the keys.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Knock down your door like Jehovah’s witness – CASSIDY – Freestyle

Ma lumière met en valeur leurs zones d’ombre
DISIZ LA PESTE

This line literally means that “My light enhances their shadows”.
And I know that whoever they are, they have a lot of shadows.
It prevent them to look too flat.
I like shadows a lot.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Ma lumière met en valeur leurs zones d’ombre – DISIZ LA PESTE – La Fin Du Début

I got a problem solver
JEDI MIND TRICKS

You got a problem?
Tell me what it is and I will see if I can solve it.
Sometimes not saying anything can actually avoid you from getting a problem.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I got a problem solver and his name is revolver – JEDI MIND TRICKS – The Sacrilege Of Fatal Arms

This drawing is one of the 22 characters I drew for the art series called I Just Murdered The Alphabet.

◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
Pop all the balloons and spit in the punch – LIL WAYNE – I am Not A Human Being
Ride with no ceiling – SLIM THUG – Ride With No Ceiling
Drop it like it’s hot – LIL WAYNE – Back That Azz Up
Everything is a Ha Ha for me – J. COLE – World Is Empty
This is my desire, want & need – BIG SEAN – Desire, Want & Need
I just murdered the alphabet – EMINEM – Still Don’t Give a Fuck

Character 14 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Pop all the balloons and spit in the punch
LIL WAYNE

If you invite me, I will ruin your party.
If you don’t invite me, I will come anyway.
But don’t worry, I will take you and all of your guests to a better party.
Free drinks, sexy girls, good music, and inspiring artworks.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Pop all the balloons and spit in the punch – LIL WAYNE – I am Not A Human Being

Ride with no ceiling
SLIM THUG

I ride without ceiling so I can reach the sky faster when I drive.
The sky is my playground, I live with stars and shine like a moon during a really dark night.
You didn’t know?
You see the stars way better when you are deep in the darkness.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Ride with no ceiling – SLIM THUG – Ride with no ceiling

Drop it like its hot
LIL WAYNE

Please note that the famous hip-hop punchline originally from the US rapper Lil Wayne.
Yes you read it right.
Drop it like it’s hot was a rap line originally brought to you by Lil Wayne.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Drop it like its hot – LIL WAYNE – Back That Azz Up

Everything is a Ha Ha for me
J COLE

I like to laugh every day.
I try not to take life too seriously.
I do my artworks with passion and I am really serious about that.
But when it comes to certain aspects such as fame and money, I keep in minds that it is not so important.
Money is over-rated.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Everything is a Ha Ha for me – J. COLE – World Is Empty

My desire want and need
BIG SEAN

This art project was prepared with my soul.
It’s all I want, all I can do.
I wake up every day of my life just to prepare more inspiring artworks.
This is my life.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
This is my desire want and need – BIG SEAN – Desire, Want & Need

I just murdered the alphabet
EMINEM

Thank you Eminem for inspiring me the title of this art project.
I don’t mean I want to kill the fonts.
I love fonts.
I just want to explore avery aspect and limitations of typography and font design.
In this series I was inspired by everything from sign painting to graffiti to traditional computer fonts.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I just murdered the alphabet – EMINEM – Still Don’t Give a Fuck

Artwork inspired by Hip-Hop punchlines for my upcoming I Just Murdered The Alphabet exhibition.

As you can see in this artwork, I used my graffiti background to create all those hand drawn fonts for this art series.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
I’m not a businessman, I’m a business man – JAY-Z – Diamonds From Sierra Leone (remix)
Ghetto shit is my life – DJ ASSAULT – Ghetto Shit
I’m so gangsta I eat the cereals out the milk – LIL SCRAPPY – Gangsta Gangsta
Les aigles ne volent pas avec les pigeons – BOOBA – Rat Des villes

Character 13 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Im a business man
JAY-Z

I don’t have so much money…
My business has nothing to do with becoming rich.
I mean, I am becoming rich, and it doesn’t take any material for that.
It is all about the knowledge and the experience you gain in the process.
Don’t get me wrong. I am no hippy.
Actually I hate hippies.
I’m Mega.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I’m not a businessman, I’m a business man – JAY-Z – Diamonds From Sierra Leone (remix)

Ghetto shit is my life
DJ ASSAULT

I met DJ Assault once in Paris.
We made an insane after party where he came to do a turntable mix at my place.
Until the police came and get everybody out from my house…

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Ghetto shit is my life – DJ ASSAULT – Ghetto Shit

So gangsta I eat the cereals out the milk
LIL SCRAPPY

I don’t like sugar.
I eat a lot of spices and I’m hot.
Thumbtack Press from USA even did an interview based on my love for chili once.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I’m so gangsta I eat the cereals out the milk – LIL SCRAPPY – Gangsta Gangsta

Les aigles ne volent pas avec les pigeons
BOOBA

Eagles don’t fly with pigeons.
Which one are you?
Can you even fly?
Don’t worry if you can’t because I will teach you.
It takes a lot of soul, so don’t forget to take it with you when you come to my flying lesson.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Les aigles ne volent pas avec les pigeons – BOOBA – Rat Des villes

Artwork made for the I Just Murdered The Alphabet exhibition in Paris

I’ll draw more of those characters in an upcoming exhibition that will be presented in Paris in October 2012.
Yes I never stop.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
Tell these shorties reach for the stars – NAS – Purple
I stay in tune with the sun, stars and moon – AZ – Your World Don’t Stop
Keep your fantasy hot like fire – OL’ DIRTY BASTARD – Fantasy
Like short sleeves I bear arms – JAY-Z – Brooklyn’s Finest

Character 12 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Tell these shorties reach for the stars
NAS

Everything is possible if you work hard for it.
You should teach your kids that.
Maybe you should not forget it yourself. You can make your dreams come true if your work hard enough for it.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Tell these shorties reach for the stars – NAS – Purple

I stay in tune with the sun stars and moon
AZ

I never lose touch with my reality.
My reality might actually look really like your dreams.
And your dreams might look like my nightmares.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I stay in tune with the sun stars – AZ – Your World Don’t Stop

Keep your fantasy hot like fire
OL DIRTY BASTARD

Don’t burn your wings with your fantasy.
Use your dreams to fly high in the sky.
And if you never give up, one day you may reach for the stars.
I swear you will.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Keep your fantasy hot like fire – OL’ DIRTY BASTARD – Fantasy

Like short sleeves I bear arms
JAY-Z

I build my own weapons.
My favorite ones is a silver ink pen.
I carry it at the end of my right arm.
It produce a strange noise when I use it.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Like short sleeves I bear arms – JAY-Z – Brooklyn’s Finest

Artwork for the solo art show called I Just Murdered The Alphabet

If I can give you one advice it would be: “Live for your dreams”.
And of course work, work, and work.
You can not do anything great without a dream, and only hard work allows you to make your dreams come true.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
Entre ciel et terre c’est le diable qui tend la main – ORELSAN – Entre Bien Et Mal
Moet drinking marijuana smoking, sweet dweller – NAS – Represent
Cause bitch I’m back – SLIM THUG – I’m Back
Get ready to die, tell God I say “hi” – THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – Unbelievable

Character 11 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Le diable qui me tend la main
ORELSAN

This punchline comes from a french hip-hop artists called Orelsan.
It translates as follow :”Between heaven and earth is the devil who reaches out.”
I shake the devil hands every day, right before I punch him in the face.
Then I go back to my artworks. There is nothing he can do about it because I’m not really a religious person.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Entre ciel et terre c’est le diable qui tend la main – ORELSAN – Entre Bien Et Mal

Moet drinking marijuana smoking
NAS

This is the fantasy.
People see me during my art exhibitions and they think that my life is really glamorous.
Actually my daily life is not.
The reality is more like Water drinking, chinese noodle eating.
By the way, I live and work on my art from Indonesia. One of the fact bout Indonesia is that the country doesn’t like people using drugs. It could be ok but they put people who smoke ganja in jail, which is not nice for me.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Moet drinking marijuana smoking, sweet dweller – NAS – Represent

Cause bitch I’m back
SLIM THUG

I never left, but I’m back.
This is how awesome I am.
I do things that you thought were not even possible.
But don’t worry, I’ll show you how you can become a cool person too.
First of all, you need to buy one of my artwork.
Hang it in your living room (bedroom is ok but only if you are a sexy girl).
Call your friends and they will confirm. You became cool…

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Cause bitch Im back – SLIM THUG – I’m back

Get ready to die tell God I say hi
NOTORIOUS BIG

Whoever your God is.
Don’t get angry at me. You should know that we are all going to die one day.
Just get ready, and live your life to the fullest.
Death always happens sooner than expected. Avoid future regrets by doing the things you really want to.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Get ready to die tell God I say hi – NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – Unbelievable

Character I drew for my art series I Just Murdered The Alphabet

I worked on this series of artworks during more than 6 months of hard work with a total dedication.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

UPDATE: You can now buy this original artwork here.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
It’s time to stand up and fight for what you believe in– ONYX – 2 Wrongs
How many dead folks this art resurrected – COMMON – The 6th Sense
It’s where you at – RAKIM – In The Ghetto
It’s like a jungle sometimes – GRANDMASTER FLASH – The Message

Character 10 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Time to stand up and fight for what you believe in
ONYX

You don’t have to wait to fight for your life.
Fight now and make your dreams come true.
It’s all up to you.
So stop to complain, shut up, and start working.
Because yes, to make your dreams come true is a lot of work.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
It’s time to stand up and fight for what you believe in – ONYX – 2 Wrongs

How many dead folks this art resurrected
COMMON

This art makes you live forever.
If you are already dead, those artworks will bring you back to life.
The only thing you have to do is to open your eyes.
Which is harder if you are already dead.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
How many dead folks this art resurrected – COMMON – The 6th Sense

Where you at
RAKIM

Watch the sky because this is my playground.
Watch the ground because it’s where I come from.
Watch the stars because it’s where I will be.
Watch your wife because I…
Just keep an eye on her, that’s a friendly advise. She is cute though.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
It’s where you at – RAKIM – In The Ghetto

Like a jungle sometimes
GRANDMASTER FLASH

It’s like a jungle all the time.
The imaginary characters I draw have decided to build a community based on animal instinct and freedom.
They have relocated to the tropical forest of Borneo to build their dream, and live the life they want to.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
It’s like a jungle sometimes – GRANDMASTER FLASH – The Message

I just murdered the alphabet is an inspiring art series I did for a solo art exhibition

The characters I drew for this series are part of an imaginary tribe who lives in the jungle of Borneo.
They chose to build their own utopia and stick with it.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
We don’t believe you, you need more people – JAY-Z – Takeover
We don’t work with no cowards – LIL ITALY – We Ain’t Hard 2 Find
I’m a man with needs that need fulfilling – BRAND NUBIAN – Love Me Or Leave Me Alone
This is my ghetto story – SWIZZ BEATZ – Ghetto Stories
Spit it for the city – NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – Spit Your Game
Ask Beavis, I get nuttin Butt-head – BIG L – 98 Freestyle

Character 9 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

You need more people
JAY-Z

Can you act alone?
Because if you don’t speak with passion I don’t believe you when you talk.
You can bring your friends but I probably won’t believe them neither.
Please keep in mind that I am doing all those inspiring artworks by myself.
I don’t need more people because you already believe me and my drawings.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
We don’t believe you, you need more people – JAY-Z – Takeover

We don’t Work with no cowards
LIL ITALY

I can not work with cowards.
I don’t want to work with people afraid to face the consequences of their decisions.
That’s why -most of the time- I work alone.
Beside, I don’t have a religion.
But I believe in karma.
To me, that’s just logic. You have to accept the consequences of what you previously did.
No need to be afraid.
Just do the right thing.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
We don’t work with no cowards – LIL ITALY – We Ain’t Hard 2 Find

I’m a man with needs that need fulfilling
BRAND NUBIAN

I try to fill my needs everyday.
If you think about it, I don’t have many needs.
All I want is to stay free.
I don’t care about getting rich or getting famous.
After all who knows… Time will tell.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
I’m a man with needs that need fulfilling – BRAND NUBIAN – Love Me Or Leave Me Alone

This is my ghetto story
SWIZZ BEATZ

What’s yours?
Those masked characters I drew for this series are part of a whole art saga.
This is the imaginary story of a group of suburban kids who left France for Borneo.
There they are going to build a community based on animal instincts and freedom.
Without any formal education, they use hip-hop quotes as a basis to create their own philosophy.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
This is my ghetto story – SWIZZ BEATZ – Ghetto Stories

Spit it for the city
NOTORIOUS BIG

I used to spit it for the city.
Now I spit it for the jungle.
I am currently based in Indonesia where I live near a tropical forest.
I like all the lizards, snakes, monkeys, and other wild animals.
I don’t really like the mosquitoes, but they don’t bother me much.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Spit it for the city – NOTORIOUS B.I.G. – Spit Your Game

Ask Beavis I get nuttin Butt-head
BIG L

Ask Beavis.
I like to get nice and round butts.
I like to get slurpy heads.
I like the MTV animation series Beavis and Butt-head.
To be honest, I don’t have a TV. So I can’t watch MTV or any other channel.
I guess I can keep staying focus on getting a lot of the other things I like.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Ask Beavis I get nuttin Butt-head – BIG L – 98 Freestyle

New artwork for my art series called I Just Murdered The Alphabet

My characters from La Société Des Griffeurs could be you.
If only you had balls.
◀ check the complete solo art exhibition.

Medium used: Hand-drawn with silver ink pens on 160g acid free art paper.

Hip-hop punchlines inspiration:
Y’all don’t wanna fuck with us – CAPONE-N-NOREAGA – Y’all Don’t Wanna
The pictures I paint make the Mona Lisa look like fake art – GAME – Letter To The King
It’s goin’ down – YUNG JOC – It’s Goin’ Down
We S.T.U.P.I.D. – MAC DRE – Get Stupid

Character 8 | Original handmade drawing for my solo art exhibition I Just Murdered The Alphabet

Yall dont wanna fuck with us
CAPONE-N-NOREAGA

But we will do it with you.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
Y’all don’t wanna fuck with us – CAPONE-N-NOREAGA – Y’all Don’t Wanna

I Make the Mona Lisa look like fake art
GAME

I don’t pretend to make art.
If you ask me what I do for a living, I breathe, I draw a lot, and I probably should sleep a little bit more.
My artworks are the result of my lifestyle.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
The pictures I paint make the Mona Lisa look like fake art – GAME – Letter To The King

Goin down
YUNG JOC

It’s going down baby.
And I make you come.
Both times.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
It’s goin’ down – YUNG JOC – It’s Goin’ Down

We stupid
MAC DRE

What do you think?
When I say “we stupid”, I mean that me and the characters I draw have not received a traditional education.
Still, we are self-taught.
I learned how to speak 5 languages by myself, I learned how to draw by myself.
I also like to write fictions, articles for magazines, and interview interesting people.
Everything is possible as long as you work for it.

Hip-hop punchline inspiration:
We S.T.U.P.I.D. – MAC DRE – Get Stupid