March 2nd, 1971 - December 12th, 1998
Arguably one of the most important hip hop visual artists since the days of Basquiat, Haring, and Quinones.
As far as I know, the first the public really had a chance to see any of his art was in the December '93 issue of Beat Down Magazine:
Earlier that year, Matty Reid, who had been calling himself Matt Doo (short for Doodle) linked up with schoolmate Gerard "G-Young" Young and formed a business together:
They were makin' art for anything, like shirts and jackets...:
Logos and paintings..., like this one done for The Boom Poetic poetry crew (letters by G-Young, centerpiece by Matt):
Even random sketches... (eventually used for CeStyle of Total Pack's Packhouse Music 1995-1998 EP in 2014):
But everything changed the following year when Matt booked a gig doing the cover to Organized Konfusion's second LP:
“Matt Doo was the artist who painted the album cover. He was from Queens as well, so there was the fabric there of him being a real b-boy. He walked from one part of Queens to the next part of Queens to be at the jam, or be up in the mix of action. He was the true sense of that dude who was in a cypher absorbing the entire culture. So when he approached us about doing the record [cover], it really came from a place of, 'You guys take me to a place in my spirit and my soul with what y’all do, and I think I can capture the essence of what this duo is about, and how your music moves me.' He put his heart and soul into this album cover. Literally. Every aspect of this cover was maniacal, and intricately thought about. Where the hammer would be placed, or the pig and the cop and the things along the path that you see on the cover, as well as the color technique. The actual oil painting is a big, 30’’ by 30’’ oil painting, then they took a photograph of the painting [for the album cover]. That in itself is bananas. When I tell people it’s an actual painting [they can’t believe it]. His brother has the painting.” ~ Pharoahe Monch
In '95 there were a couple more obscure releases, like this Teaser Tape for Craig Mack's Project Funk Da World LP:
And also a 12" by The F.L.A.M. Rotation, entitled Places:
One I'm still unsure about is Supernatural's Buddah Blessed It. I've read that the art is by Beef Sausage, Dooable Arts, & Jennifer Roddie.
The magazine appearances returned that year as well, with M. Reid's take on Mobb Deep's Shook Ones, in Rap Pages March '95 issue:
Here's a reference photo for the man the middle, Frank Silvah, chillin' in PS 147 in Queens:
And then continuing on with OutKast's Benz or Beamer, in the June '95 issue:
He graced the cover of the 5th Year Anniversary issue of Rap Pages in October the following year:
By the next year, Matt and G were both mostly working solo, still doing flyers on the side (one he did, possibly earlier, was for the Free Mumia people), as well as projects for just about whoever contacted them:
Other than the Stress cover, Matty's other most recognized work happened alongside graffiti writer Ewok, when they were both commissioned to do the cover to Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus LP in '97:
It was then that he did what I feel is one of his best and less celebrated pieces, for the Tags of the Times compilation, at the top of '98:
One that I just learned is attributed to him dropped during the middle of that year, the U-N-I vs. All mixtape:
On December 12th, 1998, Matt decided to shoot himself in the head, leaving behind a baby mama and a daughter named Mai, as well as a brother, Garnet.
Here he is again, apparently someone decided he needed to be wearin' Prince Po's suit:
His eulogy card supposedly read:
One last picture of him from the late nineties:“Lord it's so hard, living in this life.
A constant struggle each and every day.
Some wonder why I'd rather die,
than to continue living this way.
Many are blind and cannot find the truth,
'cause no one seems to really know.
But I won't accept that this is how it's gon' be.
Devil you gotta let me and my people go.
'cause I wanna be free, completely free.
Lord won't you please come and save me.
I wanna be free, totally free.
I'm not gon' let this world worry me.”
~ Goodie M.O.B.
A little over a month later saw the compilation Tags of the Times 2.0, showcasing what became the last cover that Matt worked on:
Meanwhile, soon after his death, commissioned pieces went missing, along with some of Doo's own personal artwork.
Not much else is known about the man, his work or his suicide.
Liner notes to Co-Flow's '99 instrumental LP, Little Johnny From the Hospitul:
“I dedicate this to Matt Doo (thank you), my name is El-P, I produce and I rap too.” ~ El-P on Tuned Mass Damper
“Bet you Garnet Reid got a Matt Doo tattoo.” ~ Talib Kweli on Holy MolyInterviewer: "Sorry if I pass for an European ignorant, but you dedicated Tuned Mass Damper and [Company Flow's] Little Johnny [From the Hospitul] to Matt Doo. Who was he exactly?"
El-P: "Matt Doo did the cover for Funcrusher Plus and also Organized Konfusion’s Extinction Agenda. A very talented guy who died. He got shot."
The song Be Easy by Prince Po is a tribute and dedication to Matt Doo.“I just spoke to [Garnet], and he was like, 'every day I see it, it reminds me of Matt Doo. I gotta walk past it every day.' Matt Doo committed suicide not long after working with us on that cover. His brother has a couple more pieces of his, [and he also did Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus cover]. He’s in my opinion one of the most incredible artists of our time. I told his brother, if we’re gonna do shows or listenings or whatever to celebrate [the 20th anniversary of] this album, I think that cover [and Matt’s work] is a big part of translating our [music visually]. We weren’t able to be that creative with the visuals yet. For the video, you just did what everybody else did—you rapped in it. And you change your fuckin’ clothes a couple times. But that cover helped people be like, 'this motherfucker Prince Po is beyond the universe with his shit. These dudes are trying to pave a path from the projects in the background to you. Look at where they’re coming from.' He played a big part in translating the sound of this album to the audience. We’re just blessed that the cover gets celebrated, and the album gets celebrated. It’s the biggest thank you.” ~ Pharoahe Monch
And finally here's G-Young, now Ge-Ology, talking about his business partner and friend:
Download all the artwork we have in the Matt Doo Collection thus far here.
So anybody got anything else? There might be somethin' else in that issue of Beat Down magazine and there's still some other Rap Pages and / or other magazine material out there if I remember correctly. Quality upgrades, additional info and any other mentions, especially articles on his death, would be appreciated too.
