Meet HiCoup

Brooklyn, NY born and New Jersey raised artist Jason Xavier Sparrow (a.k.a. HiCoup) was immersed into the art world earlier than most. Having a mother who worked as a receptionist at now Bedford Stuyvesant’s “Skylight Gallery”, he was exposed to all aspects of the art world. Both formally and self-taught, he began to experiment with other mediums as a way of visual expression. Immediately after graduating from high school, he attended “The Art Student’s League of New York”. During his early years at New Jersey City University where he would later obtain his BFA, Sparrow began his professional art career. At such an early age with his works shown with the likes of Norman Lewis and Romare Bearden, as well as having done a joint project with the protégé of Andy Warhol, Ultraviolet (Isabelle Dufresne), he had proven himself to be an emerging artist worth noticing.

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Staying true to being a mixed media artist, HiCoup draws on elements from such movements as Futurism, graffiti, abstract expressionism, animation and sculpture. The objective of his work is the investigation of space. To find out how far the dynamics of composition can be pushed both conceptually as well as physically remains at the core of his work. For him, it is not the outcome of any individual piece or series of work that is the point of interest, but rather the creative process itself.

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While simultaneously learning to appreciate the visual arts as a young boy, the development of a love for words began to be cultivated as well. As a result of poor adolescent behavior, his mother instituted the reading of books as a means of punishment. However, his wide breadth of reading led to a love of writing poetry while in grade school. As a young adult, HiCoup began performing his original writings at local public venues.

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As a recording artist, HiCoup has his roots in New York’s underground rap scene. He has opened for such acts as Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, and Erykah Badu, and collaborated with such legendary producers as Public Enemy’s DJ Johnny Juice. As a front man for the live reggae/ hip hop band, The Chosen, the group went on to become the 2009 winner of Bamboo rolling paper’s battle of the bands. He has performed at venues like SXSW in Austin, Tx  and has co-written and acted in the off Broadway production “Printz of Poetz” (loosely based on his life at the time as a young expected father). Produced by “Live Theater Gang”, or facilitating visual art/ poetry workshops for the young female population of Riker’s Correctional Facility, to teaching Graffiti Art at the High School of Service and Learning in Brooklyn New York. HiCoup’s artistic pursuit continues to maintain its course regardless as to the media. That being, the investigative process.