Art and political hip hop meet in “Hands Off! Melt ICE!”, premiering worldwide on March 23, 2026
My portrait of Gregory Bovino is the cover artwork for the new single by AWKWORD titled “Hands Off! Melt ICE!”, whose world premiere is scheduled for Monday, March 23, 2026. The visual work was conceived as an artistic interpretation of a controversial figure and becomes an integral part of the song’s political and social message, in line with the tradition of socially engaged hip hop that characterizes the work of the New York rapper.
The portrait of Gregory Bovino thus enters into a dialogue between visual art and protest music. The image is not merely a cover, but a narrative element that accompanies the single and amplifies its meaning: a reflection on power, authority, and contemporary social tensions.
The artist behind the track, AWKWORD, occupies a distinctive place in the international hip hop scene: an independent rapper, political organizer, and nonprofit strategist. For more than twenty years he has used music as a tool for social activism, addressing themes such as social justice, civil rights, anti-racism, and prison abolition. AWKWORD has created numerous music projects connected to social campaigns and political movements, collaborating with artists and activists around the world and often directing the proceeds of his music to charitable and community organizations.
His album “World View” (2014) has been described as one of the first global hip hop projects entirely dedicated to charity, featuring collaborations from multiple countries and artists from the international underground scene. Over the years AWKWORD has released songs and videos linked to social campaigns, protests, and civil rights movements, while also working as a journalist, consultant, and political organizer.
In this context, the choice to use my portrait of Gregory Bovino for the cover of “Hands Off! Melt ICE!” reinforces the connection between art and activism. The image becomes part of the single’s narrative and demonstrates how hip hop can still function as a space for cultural and political dialogue, where music and visual art collaborate to interpret and respond to the present.
