TheSource.com would like to send a posthumous born day shout out to modern art icon Michael Jean-Basquiat. The Brooklyn-born artist from Haitian and Puerto Rican parents used social commentary in his paintings as a “springboard to deeper truths about the individual” as well as attacks on power structures and systems of racism.

Basquiat originally wrote graffiti in the Lower East Side of Manhattan under the moniker SAMO before he was found by pop culture legend Andy Warhol selling graffitied post cards. Basquiat became a staple in the art gallery community, appearing in the most prestigious and exclusive exhibits in the world.

Sadly, Basquiat lost his life to drugs after overdosing on heroin in his Manhattan apartment at age 27. Even in his death, Basquiat continues to be a sought after artist by some of today’s most notable celebrities, especially in Hip Hop, such as Swizz Beats, Jay-Z, Rick Ross and Nas. Check out some of his less popular pieces on exhibit below.