Dave Halili

{{Short description|American illustrator}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2014}}

{{Infobox artist

| name = Dave Halili

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = David M. Halili

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|04|30}}

| birth_place = Fullerton, California, U.S.

| image_flag =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| resting_place =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| field = Painting / drawing / graphics / illustration / digital art / printmaking / textile arts / screen printing

| training =

| movement = Social realism / graffiti / symbolism/ urban art / street art / hip hop / b-boying

| works = Ice-T album covers

| awards =

| website =

| module = {{infobox person

|embed = yes

|alias = H~Style

}}

}}

File:Body Count Album Cover.jpg

Dave Halili (born April 30, 1968) is a contemporary American fine arts illustrator, graffiti writer and graphic designer of album cover paintings, posters, logos, T-shirts along with other forms of representational merchandise. His best-known works are album covers for Body Count (Body Count, Born Dead), Ice-T (Home Invasion, VI - Return of the Real), The Skeletones (Skeletones Red) and Moon Ska Records compilation California Ska-Quake. An array of collaborations in the Hollywood entertainment industry and indie music scene have garnered him a Diamond record plaque, three Platinum awards, three Gold records and two Gold Europe plaques certified and registered by the RIAA.

Career

=''Body Count'' album cover=

Halili's artwork on the cover of Body Count came to symbolize the band's song "Cop Killer", which was widely criticized by the authorities, and raised questions about the boundaries between artistic freedom and censorship. This controversy, together with an executive clash over Halili's proposed montage for the jacket of Home Invasion, forced Ice-T to leave Warner Bros. Records. On March 23, 1993, Ice-T released the album with Halili's original illustration, produced by his own record label Ice-T.

Personal life

Halili resides and works in Orange County, California, where he runs a studio and screen printing workshop named Halili-Style Graphics & More.

Halili is also a lifetime member of the Universal Zulu Nation and the original Los Angeles-based {{proper name|Rhyme $yndicate}}. A friendship between Halili and TV producer Michael G. Moye led to a fortuitous business co-op where Halili designed, and manufactured media publicity products for Fox's first prime-time T.V. sitcom Married... with Children.

Art style and impact

Dave Halili is known for his graffiti street art style, which makes his work stand out from other street artists. His art often incorporates elements of social realism and street art, reflecting real-life issues and urban culture, giving his pieces a gritty, authentic feel that resonates with viewers.{{Cite web |last=Hamashige |first=Hope |date=1995-01-30 |title=SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ENTERPRISE : The Short, Graphic Career of David Halili : Artist: Controversy over an Ice-T rap album he designed hasn't hurt. At 26, he earns six figures. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-30-fi-26140-story.html |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} His bold and provocative themes, such as police brutality and social justice, have made a significant cultural impact, particularly within the hip hop and urban art communities. Halili's work has been featured in various media, contributing to important cultural conversations.{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=Sam |date=2021-07-07 |title=Visual Artist Dave Halili Talks About His Work On BODY COUNT'S Iconic Debut Release |url=https://metalinjection.net/editorials/back-in-the-day/visual-artist-dave-halili-talks-about-his-work-on-body-counts-debut-release-the-iconic-cop-killer-cover-art |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=Metal Injection |language=en-US}}

References

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite news

| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-16-fi-20689-story.html

| title=The Artist and the Bad Rap: Brea designer took heat for cover work on Ice-T album with infamous song 'Cop Killer'

| first=Hope

| last=Hamashige

| date=January 16, 1995

| newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}

{{cite news

| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-30-fi-26140-story.html

| title=The Short, Graphic Career of David Halili: Controversy over an Ice-T rap album he designed hasn't hurt

| first=Hope

| last=Hamashige

| date=January 30, 1995

| newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}

{{cite news

| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/29/arts/ice-t-and-warner-are-parting-company.html?src=pm

| title=Ice-T and Warner Are Parting Company

| first=Sheila

| last=Rule

| date=January 29, 1993

| newspaper=The New York Times}}

{{cite news

| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/29/arts/critic-s-notebook-ice-t-s-latest-gangster-rap-caper-finds-him-alone-his-own.html

| title=Ice-T's Latest Gangster-Rap Caper Finds Him Alone and on His Own

| first=John

| last=Pareles

| date=March 29, 1993

| newspaper=The New York Times}}

{{cite book

| url=

| title=Heavy Metal Thunder: Kick-Ass Cover Art from Kick-Ass Albums

| first=James

| last=Sherry

| author2=Neil Aldis

| year=2006

| publisher=Chronicle Books

| location=}}

{{cite book

| url=https://archive.org/details/iceopinionwhogiv00icet

| url-access=registration

| title=The Ice Opinion: Who Gives a Fuck?

| first=Tracy

| last=Marrow

| author2=Heidi Siegmund (editor)

| date=February 1, 1994

| publisher=St Martins Press

| location=| isbn=9780312104863

}}

{{cite web

| url=http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/credits/dave-halili/877171

| publisher=ARTIST Direct Music

| title=Artist Credits: Dave Halili

| author=

| date=

| accessdate=November 9, 2011}}

{{cite web

| url=http://www.manta.com/c/mmd9kpv/halili-style-graphics

| publisher=Manta

| title=Halili Style Graphics

| author=

| date=

| accessdate=November 9, 2011}}

{{cite web

| url=http://www.rockwell-center.org/news/april-30/

| publisher=Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies

| title=News On This Day - April 30 Illustrator

| author=

| date=Apr 30, 2013

| accessdate=November 1, 2013}}

}}