had twenty-three one man shows, been in forty three group shows from zurich to tokyo.
 one of the youngest artists ever to be included in the whitney biennial, also produced a rap record. it's said you're quite the ladies man - even dated madonna for a couple months!!! all at the ripe old age of 24. one might ask: is there anything left for jean michel basquiat to do?
what is it that gets you out of bed in the morning?
we're running a little late.
ready?
 can you.  decipher this for us?
yes. what do they.  stand for?
yes, i understand - but where do you take them from?
what are they?
hmmm. and 'parasites.' you seem to be a primal expressionist.
well, you said that. you've got a lot of references from leonardo da vinci, don't you?
yes, but as a black painter -
what?
you're not?
not black.
yes, yes.  let's talk about that.  your roots.  your father is from haiti, isn't he?
hmmmm. interesting. and when you grew up were there any primitives hanging in your home?
i see.  and.  how do you respond to being called - hmmm.  - yes, "the pickaninny of the art world."
why, that's from time magazine.
is it true that your mother resides in a mental institution?
let me.  just.  open something up here. you come from a nice, middle class, respectable home. your father is an accountant. why did you at one time live in a cardboard box in tompkins square?
or rather, do you think you're being exploited or are you yourself exploiting the white image of the black artist from the ghetto?
ok. one last thing. is there any anger in you? any anger in your work?
tell me about it. what are you angry about?