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Work Of Artist Behind Chance's Mixtape Covers To Be Featured On Beer Cans

By Stephanie Lulay | June 15, 2017 6:22pm
 Brandon Breaux's artwork will be featured on limited-edition Bud Light aluminum bottles across Chicago. 
Brandon Breaux's artwork will be featured on limited-edition Bud Light aluminum bottles across Chicago. 
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DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay

PILSEN — A visual artist who made a name for himself collaborating with Chance the Rapper will soon have his work featured on beer bottles across the city. 

Grand Crossing native Brandon Breaux's artwork will be featured on Bud Light aluminum bottles sold in limited edition 8-packs in stores across Chicago and at Lollapalooza this summer. The Chicago-themed bottles feature a whimsical rendition of Chicago's cityscape, complete with the White Sox exploding pinwheel scoreboard, the Wrigley marquee, a Blackhawks logo, the Chicago 'dog and a Lolla stage. 

"I wanted it to be authentic and speak about Chicago from my perspective," Breaux said of the project. 

To celebrate the Bud Light summer packaging's launch, Breaux created a new art installation in Pilsen — featuring custom neon signs and pop-art prints of Chicago legends — that matches the aesthetic of the new cans. The art installation will travel across Chicago this summer, popping up at music festivals across the city, according to a Bud Light spokeswoman. 

Breaux, who works out of a studio in Pilsen and created the colorful cover artwork for Chance the Rapper's "10 Day," "Acid Rap" and "Coloring Book" mixtapes, said the new installation was inspired by the magic of Chicago's summers. 

"It's an honor to be a part of it," Breaux said. 

Artwork that mimics the new Bud Light aluminum cans artist Brandon Breaux created as part of his new art installation in Pilsen. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]

Working with Chance 

Both raised on 79th Street, Breaux, 34, and Chance The Rapper first met at open mics on the South Side. Breaux said he was drawn to Chance's "empowering" message — a throwback to the positive vibes from the pioneers that birthed the Hip Hop movement. 

"His music and his message is very empowering for people," said Breaux, who went to grade school in Chatham, high school at Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Mount Greenwood and graduated with a degree in art and design at DePaul University. 

Before "10 Day" was released, Chance's manager at the time saw some album cover artwork Breaux created for Chicago rapper Holt (formerly known as Hollywood Holt) and Chicago-born producers Christian Rich. The rest is history. 

Winner of three Grammy Awards, Chance's success has rubbed off on many of the creators he works with, most of whom have Chicago ties, Breaux said. Chance chose not to leave Chicago — "He's still here" — and that's put a lot of the artists he works with on the map. 

"Naturally a lot of relationships he has and people he is working with are from the city," Breaux said. "There's something admirable about that. People typically don't do that. ... The artists that are in [his] circle are getting a lot more attention because of it." 

Pop art artist Brandon Breaux created as part of his new art installation in Pilsen. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]