*By Chloe Aiello*
Graffiti artist to the stars Darrius "Spraykid" Ford isn't seeking out new celebrity clients. Instead, he's leveraging his success to prop up new and emerging artists.
The Chicago-based Ford's favorite medium is graffiti, but he said he's always partial to "layering" different materials.
"Everything I work with has layers ー I work in a non-traditional sense, I use spray paint, oil paint, household paint, hand paint. I layer my work, nothing is ever clean cut."
He's also collaborated with rapper Post Malone on his fashion, and is the fashion art director for rapper 2 Chainz' CEO Millionaires clothing line.
Now, he's helping other pop artists to gain the kind of exposure he craved at the beginning of his career through his Pryme Art Agency.
"Pryme is a hub for new and emerging artists, pop artists, pop culture. We create a platform for artists who don't have the exposure of top-tier pop artists or street artists," Ford told Cheddar on Thursday.
His agency is as diverse as his own tastes ー Ford doesn't discriminate.
"Fashion is art to me. Hip hop is art. Music is art. Creative direction, graphic design, and painting," he said.
Still, not all artists are created equal. What sets an artist apart in Ford's mind is a good grasp of art history.
"You need to know the significance of what your art is and the history of art. If you have any inspiration, it is always good to know what your background is."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/pryme-art-agency-is-founded-by-artists-for-artists).
A group representing several big tech companies is suing Utah over state laws about children's social media use.
Google has agreed to pay $700 million to settle an anti-trust settlement.
Stocks were up after the closing bell as Wall Street continued to pin their hopes on rate cuts after last week's comments from the Fed.
Cheddar News' Need2Know is brought to you by Securitize, which helps unlock broader access to alternative investments in private businesses, funds, and other alternative assets. The private credit boom is here and the Hamilton Lane Senior Credit Opportunities Fund has tripled in assets under management in just six months from November 2022 through April this year. Visit Securitize.io to learn more.
Google has agreed to pay $700 million and make several other concessions to settle allegations that it had been stifling competition against its Android app store — the same issue that went to trial in another case that could result in even bigger changes.
Nicki Minaj just reached a milestone that no other woman in rap has reached.
Apple announced that starting this week, it will stop selling some versions of the Apple watch in the U.S.
Southwest Airlines will pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation into a debacle in December 2022 when the airline canceled thousands of flights and stranded more than 2 million travelers over the holidays.
The House of Representatives recently passed a bill aimed at increasing transparency in healthcare.
If you have a flexible spending account, here's some short information for you so you don't leave money on the table.
