Cey Adams

Cey Adams designed the Beastie Boys logo after meeting them in front of Danceteria in 1984. The New York–born visual artist appeared in the 1982 documentary Style Wars; then, after photographer Talib Haqq discovered him painting a handball court in Jamaica, Queens, he joined RUSH Records Management and soon became creative director of Def Jam Records, where he formed iconic visual identities for the likes of Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C. and others. His expansive body of work helped to shape much of hip-hop’s aesthetic by way of graphical logo design, corporate branding and altruism.