Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Voice From the Streets and Beyond Jean-Michel Basquiat’s story is one of astonishing speed, meteoric rise, and tragically premature end – a whirlwind journey from the gritty streets of Brooklyn to the hallowed halls of international museums. Born in 1960 to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents, his early life was marked by movement and a yearning for belonging. Leaving home at fifteen, he immersed himself in the vibrant, chaotic energy of New York City’s Lower East Side, a crucible where graffiti art, punk rock rebellion, and burgeoning hip-hop culture collided. This envi…