Def Jam Designer Cey Adams on Art, Love Murals & Finding Purpose

What happens when a graffiti-obsessed teenager from Queens walks into a gallery with a painting under his arm and walks out with a contract that changes everything?

Legendary artist and Def Jam creative director Cey Adams shares his remarkable journey from drawing comics in his bedroom to designing album covers for the biggest names in music. Cey reflects on the 1980s downtown art scene alongside Basquiat, Haring, and Warhol, the lessons he learned about patience and presence, and how his iconic LOVE murals have touched countless lives—including a four-year-old boy who painted a single yellow brick.

With wisdom gleaned from decades in the creative trenches, Cey reveals why he never chases success, how he learned to appreciate wherever he is, and why art is meant to connect hearts. From meeting Glenn Frey in a bathroom to reuniting an artist with a lost masterpiece, this conversation is a masterclass in living with intention, creativity, and love. Perfect for artists, creatives, and anyone seeking inspiration in uncertain times.


Target Keywords: Cey Adams, Def Jam, graffiti artist, album cover designer, love mural, Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, downtown art scene, Keith Haring, Basquiat, Andy Warhol, art and connection, mindfulness, creativity, COVID-19 impact on artists, book project, Jackson Browne, Glenn Frey, Go-Go's, Kathy Valentine, art storytelling, Wynwood, Art Basel

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro & "I'm just an artist"
1:22 - Growing up in Queens, New York
7:35 - Graffiti artist beginnings in the 1970s
9:31 - Def Jam & designing album covers
11:16 - Downtown art scene: Basquiat, Haring, Warhol
17:19 - No regrets: everything led somewhere
22:11 - Therapy, patience & appreciating where you are
26:49 - COVID, creativity & itching to get busy
30:53 - Impact on exhibitions & book projects
36:41 - Book uncertainty & staying grounded
42:51 - Music influences & meeting Jackson Browne
58:05 - The heartwarming art restoration story
1:07:40 - Outro & final gratitude

RESOURCES:

Dara Levan / Every Soul Has a Story:
• https://www.instagram.com/dara.levan/
• Website: daralevan.com
@ceyadams

QUOTES:

"You can't be in two places at once. And it doesn't make sense for your body to be in one place and your mind to be wishing you were somewhere else."
– Cey Adams

"I don't believe in coincidence. There's no accidents in life. That's how I live!"
– Dara Levan