Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Life Painted in Rebellion and Brilliance Born December 22, 1960, in the vibrant heart of New York City’s Lower East Side, Jean-Michel Basquiat emerged from a complex tapestry of Haitian and Puerto Rican heritage. His early life was shaped by a profound sense of displacement and racial identity—themes that would become recurring motifs throughout his intensely personal and politically charged art. He initially…