ABOUT
André LeRoy Davis
Who is HE?
Well, legendary Hip-Hop photographer, elder and motivational speaker Ernie Paniccioli, the author of the book “Who Shot Ya?,” dubbed André LeRoy Davis as, “Hip-Hop’s official Cartoonist.”
Mr. Davis on the other hand sees himself more as, “The Al Hirschfeld of Hip-Hop.” Like an Illustrative-documentary or like an illustrative Hip-Hop Historian using Illustrative Art, André has provided a visual record of the world of Hip-Hop entertainment and its entertainers for over the last thirty years.
A.L.Dré has written stories, conducted interviews, and structured music reviews for the likes of The Source, Vibe, Rap Pages, XXL, Smooth Magazine and HipHopDX since 1994. After earning his BFA from The School of Visual Arts College in New York City, André has been pimping his pencil as a freelance artist and a true Renaissance man. He has worked to supply caricatures, illustrations and humorous illustrations for an array of magazines, entertainment venues and record companies the likes of Bad Boy Entertainment, Def-Jam, Mad Magazine, Marvel Comics, MTV Networks and TOPPS Company, Inc. André LeRoy Davis wrote and illustrated The Last Word column on the last page in what was the preeminent Hip-Hop magazine, The Source, from the September 1990 issue up until the January 2007 issue.
He recently reintroduced the world to The Last Word brand in 2012 with the same humorous, political and poignant illustrations that the masses had grown accustomed to for years. André also helped to create logos, album covers, mix-tape art and a wide range of graphic designs for a diverse clientele first through the company that he co-founded, Melanin Inc. and now via his own brand Dré Designs.
André is an artist, a writer, a journalist, a curator and a Teacher. Most recently he has been sharing his wealth of knowledge by teaching his craft to those from the age of five to ninety-five. Whether it be at the elementary school level, as the head of the art department at the High School level or with Senior citizens, André has been educating budding artists to all aspects of drawing, illustration, painting, cartooning and caricature by opening the door for them to be creative using visual Arts.
Known worldwide Mr. Davis is a 2016 ECBACC (East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention) Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award winner. His artwork has been featured in the 2003 motion picture, “Tupac: Resurrection In His Own Words” as well as the 2015 Documentary, “Stretch and Bobbito: Radio That Changed Lives”.
His illustrations have appeared on sports trading cards as well comic book covers and inside books like, “DEFinition: The Art and Design of Hip Hop” a 2008 book by Cey Adams and Bill Adler as well as Chuck D Presents, “This Day in Rap and Hip-Hop History” and “Encyclopedia of Black Comics” both books released in 2017. His original illustrations have been on display on a plethora of walls. The Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, The Schomburg, Laffapalooza! Americas Urban International Comedy Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia, The Fullerton Museum in California and The Brooklyn Museum of Art, in Brooklyn, New York are just a few of the venues.
“ I can draw anything, but I’m a Hip-Hop artist, I document Hip-Hop.”
-André LeRoy Davis