Jean-Michel Basquiat: A Voice of the Streets and a Revolutionary Artist Born in Brooklyn, New York City, on December 22, 1960, Jean-Michel Basquiat emerged from the vibrant, often turbulent, landscape of late 1970s and early 1980s New York as one of the most compelling and influential artists of his generation. His life was tragically cut short at the age of 27 in August 1988 due to a heroin overdose, but during his brief career, he l…