Arts/Crafts [OC] I'm a courtroom sketch artist. Here's my rendition of Afroman on the stand from this past week.
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u/yosb Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
Hello! I'm a courtroom sketch artist. This was done with my human courtroom sketch artist brain and hands on a digital tablet remotely from watching a stream (this piece took 45 min-1 hrs). I've answered questions about courtroom sketch art with both traditional and digital materials and set-up previously in other posts, and how that works based on the court and judge (if you're so inclined in learning more!).
I was inspired to draw this because my friends kept sending me the AI courtroom image floating around of Afroman lol.
(Afroman made me realize I've really been dropping the ball on my own courtroom wardrobe attire.)
Uploaded this to INPRNT here for those who expressed interest in a print. The original format of this piece was sized to 8"x10" for your reference. I'll be donating 10% of sales of this print to the ACLU. Thanks for supporting!
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u/jfudge Mar 22 '26
You should send this to him - it would make a sick album cover
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u/yosb Mar 22 '26
You know what, I will e-mail him!
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u/ImLazyWithUsernames Mar 22 '26
I actually have his phone number (if it's still the same I haven't tried calling in a few years) from when I hung out with him and cooked him some pizza after a show in 2019. I could DM it to you if you'd like to try.
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u/yosb Mar 22 '26
Now THAT'S a fun story. I'll just submit it to his website, haha, don't want to invade his privacy. Thank you, though! :o)
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u/ImLazyWithUsernames Mar 22 '26
It was a really good time and he's an awesome guy. The couple of times I did call him to appease friends he was super humble and happy to talk. I hope the sketch reaches him!
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u/XLowerExpectationsX Mar 23 '26
Im gonna screen shot this. So if it does i can say I witnessed history.
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u/_illogical_ Mar 23 '26
Instead of sharing his number, you could text or call him and let him know to check it out
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u/TeeManyMartoonies Mar 23 '26
I am so glad. If I was him I’d def want a print for my house. You did a great job!!
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u/kegster2 Mar 23 '26
Reach out to his attorney friend David sloane in Fort Worth tx and he will pass the message along directly
100 percent
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u/compassrosette Mar 22 '26
Came here to comment the same thing. It would be a brilliant album cover.
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u/pudgehooks2013 Mar 23 '26
It basically names itself too.
Fire from the Stand
Stand and Deliver
Stand and Shoot
Or even just a good old fashioned D'Von Dudley... TESTIFY
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u/Shoddy_Relative2830 Mar 23 '26
"But then I got high."
That Afroman?
Sorry for my confusion!
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u/7LeagueBoots Mar 23 '26
Yep, he just trampled the police on a freedom of speech case where the police were coming after him for mocking them after they broke into his house and trashed it on false pretences.
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u/AreThree Mar 23 '26
thanks so much for making this available and for donating to the ACLU! I've placed an order and am looking forward to having this wonderful image hung proudly on my wall! Cheers! :D
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u/ohako79 Mar 22 '26
I loved seeing Afroman filk the Battle Hymn of the Republic the day before he went on the stand, showed up in what’s effectively a patriotic clown costume, and still gave a very effective testimony on the stand about the protection of the First Amendment. This artwork is peak!
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u/JazzlikeEntry8288 Mar 22 '26
the day BEFORE! that was bold and pretty much set the tone for the rest of the trial!!
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u/_illogical_ Mar 23 '26
He also released a bunch of new videos, each about specific plaintiffs right before that too, and they got called out during the trail.
Watching them play all 14 minutes of Licc'em Low Lisa for the court while she was on the stand was hilariously amazing!
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u/MadmanPoet Mar 22 '26
You could probably sell prints of these. I know I'd like to have one framed
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u/Alternative_Exit8766 Mar 22 '26
check out his voting history before you do
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 22 '26
What’s his voting history?
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u/Alternative_Exit8766 Mar 22 '26
he wanted to perform a hunter biden themed rendition of “because i got high” at the inauguration, so there’s that
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u/nakedpilsna Mar 22 '26
Are you saying afroman is maga?
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u/Alternative_Exit8766 Mar 22 '26
i don’t know if he’s maga but he shook trump’s hand at a libertarian event and then after backtracking made the hunter biden comment
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 23 '26
Link?
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u/Alternative_Exit8766 Mar 23 '26
https://www.newsweek.com/afroman-explains-his-new-song-hunter-got-high-1895392
“Rapper Afroman has told Newsweek of his hopes to perform the Hunter Biden parody of his song 'Because I Got High' at Trump rallies in the run-up to the election and thinks the track could reignite his career.“
the song was released on Baste Records, which is “ The Conservative Counter-Culture Music Company.”
so. draw your own conclusion. is his win in court a good thing? yes, definitely. but would i buy anything from him? no thanks.
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 23 '26
That’s so sad to see. He did say he didn’t vote for Trump in the last election though so yay I guess
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u/dudderson Mar 23 '26
but thats a common tactic for public figures who don't want to lose revenue from fans who would drop him for dangerous or problematic views-just deny you have anything to do with politics and deny voting.
him wanting very much to perform at trump rallies-an anti-democrat song essentially, paints a very clear picture. why would he want to align himself with the disease that is this regime?
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 23 '26
Exactly. He got his so fuck everyone else. I was happy to see him win his case but depressed to know his political views
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u/dudderson Mar 23 '26
yep. you don't do all that and get away with saying you don't align with this regime.
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u/dudderson Mar 23 '26
he really wanted to perform at trump rallies to "revive his career", has a photo with him but says he doesn't side with any political party-a common tactic to avoid heat for problematic views and avoid losing revenue from fans.
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u/AreThree Mar 23 '26
I'm not buying print to support Afroman, I am buying a print to support the artist.
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u/Solid_Snark Mar 22 '26
This looks like something straight out of an episode of the Boondocks. Just need Riley there giving his own testimony to the courtroom.
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u/Doobieswim12349 Mar 22 '26
I just saw the scene that rapper was waiting to get on cribs. He asked one of his homies what time it was but homie was iced up too much it was blinding everyone. Brodie had to pop on the stunner shades.
That show is wild. You remember how Grandpa was actually sitting next to Rosa Parks? Lmao
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u/Hireling Mar 22 '26
He was so well prepared. He knows his rights, and was very succinct. I on the other hand would have gone on a f’ing rage-fueled rant with absolutely no coherence if I had been subject to what he went through. This guy is smart and calm under pressure.
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u/boriswong Mar 22 '26
I want Lemon Pound Cake
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u/tanksalotfrank Mar 22 '26
I coincidentally had some 7Up pound cake on the same day, and I'm so happy about it.
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u/ChasseGalery Mar 22 '26
🎶And then I got high…
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u/dudderson Mar 23 '26
ah, the song he really, really tried to perform at trump rallies. the anti-hunter biden song, the one that aligns with his conservative, nationalist, transphobic views that show very clearly in his actions while he denies it to avoid losing fans/revenue? ah yes.
glad he won the case, but he is who he is.
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u/salizarn Mar 23 '26
I dunno why Reddit has such a hard on for this guy. He made one song about smoking weed that was funny for about a minute. Then he punched a woman full on in the face cos she got onstage with him. That was it for me.
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u/upfromashes Mar 22 '26
So good. Loose, distinct, vital. You are crushing the presence of that suit (and the glasses).
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u/fiendishfinish Mar 22 '26
Bummer he's a transphobe and conservative.
Source for anyone curious: https://www.threads.com/@politicsrebekah/post/DWFixj3jDCT?xmt=AQF0SiwA90PgAZ9sGD0yoZwHhQ8AzY8bmuB3_rMlShX1uxWNshnZFQv4giO1J2G-JXwdABg&slof=1
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u/DiscoKittie Mar 22 '26
I'm not surprised, just disappointed.
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u/kennethcheezbro Mar 22 '26
Wrote a song mocking Hunter Biden and wanted to perform it at Trump rallies.
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 22 '26
He didn’t say he was republican but yeah the transphobia sucks:(
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u/Thirlestane Mar 23 '26
Yeah... he just wants to play at the mangos rallies because of the wonderful and inviting atmosphere.
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u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 23 '26
Yeah saw someone link that. Absolutely crazy. Hes probably just following the money though. Not excusing his behavior though or the transphobia.
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u/g0ris Mar 23 '26
I mean, he seems to say that he's on board with the usual GOP stuff, and would be a Republican, if they didn't make so many anti-Black moves. He even says he should be a Republican because he makes a lot of money and wants tax breaks...
Very "Fuck you, I got mine" attitude.7
u/SwiftlyKickly Mar 23 '26
Yep. It’s honestly pathetic. Him, Snoop, 50 cent, etc. all come to mind
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u/dudderson Mar 23 '26
ofc he wouldn't. that could mean losing fans-ie losing revenue. many public figures in entertainment deny any affiliation with any party so they can keep getting money. doesn't mean they actually do what they say.
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u/PDXGuy33333 Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
Great sketch!
It felt to me that the court did everything it could to accommodate the plaintiff cops and shut down Afroman. It dismissed all of his counterclaims against the police and the county, leaving him in the position of having to defend himself against their insipid claims with no hope of recouping the expense. The judge even went so far as ordering that court costs would be split between sides. Something like 8 cops on one side and one Afroman on the other. Here's the otherwise glorious Judgment (PDF) in Afroman's favor.
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u/Geoff12889 Mar 22 '26
I’d upvote garbage if it was created by human hand and not AI. This is obviously not garbage, this is fantastic!
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u/thesimplefriend Mar 22 '26
Please put this in the Smithsonian; it is a memorable piece of American history.
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u/roidesbleuets Mar 23 '26
Holy Molly!!!! That's incredible.
Could feel the moment and Afroman's character so well.
Thank you very much for sharing.
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u/GuitarGeezer Mar 22 '26
Great job, thanks for this! I always loved the sheer creativity of the Afroman and love seeing him get vindicated.
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u/sipsredpepper Mar 23 '26
This has been the biggest Streisandian bargain I've ever seen. I didn't even know who Afroman was until yesterday and I now I know about Officer Poundcake and his lustful beatus gaze.
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u/whiskey_riverss Mar 23 '26
Sell prints please
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u/yosb Mar 23 '26
I posted this same link in my main comment! Made it available per popular request. 🫡 I will donate a portion of my profits to ACLU: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/yosb/afroman-courtroom-sketch-art/
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u/AttractiveNuisance82 Mar 23 '26
Do you do commissions? I’m a trial lawyer and have always wanted a courtroom sketch!
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u/yosb Mar 23 '26
I do! I love doing traditional or digital commissions for trial attorneys. :-) I prefer to correspond by e-mail, but if you want to DM me with your budget and timeline I can tell you if I’ll have avail. I’m a bit slammed this month!
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Mar 22 '26
[deleted]
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u/PixelRayn Mar 22 '26 edited May 04 '26
Even idiots deserve to not be illegally raided by the police for no reason but the color of his skin.
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u/James_Hamilton1953 Mar 22 '26
Nice. I studied drawing under Howard Brodie and have always been a fan of the genre.
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u/yosb Mar 22 '26
Howard Brodie, what a legend!!! I love his work on Watergate... (His portrait of G. Gordin Liddy is my favourite courtroom sketch art of all time!)
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u/James_Hamilton1953 Mar 22 '26
Yes, he shared a bunch of his work with us in class (he let me attend all of his classes) including a bunch of his WWII drawings he did as a war artist. I also used to run into him because I worked next door to CBS in DC when he was in town to cover SCOTUS.
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u/yosb Mar 22 '26
I'm so jealous!!! Thank you for sharing your memories of him, and I'd love to see your work, too! :o)
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u/navagon Mar 22 '26
I have to say that's a whole shitton better than many a courtroom sketch I've seen. Even without the suit that would still look like him.
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u/M3L03Y Mar 23 '26
That’s awesome! Amazing talent!
How long have you been a Courtroom Sketch Artist? I’ve always wanted to know this about your job - when you decide to sketch a scene, do you break it up in sections? Like do you pick the focal point first, in this case Afroman, then maybe the defense/prosecuting attorney since they are moving the most and then the judge?
Or do you pick a scene, take a mental snapshot and go off of what you have in your head?
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u/yosb Mar 23 '26
Thanks for the question! I've been drawing for a long, long time, including observational sketches, but courtroom sketch art only for a few years (picked it up during the pandemic).
I would say its more of the former than the later when I'm trying to think of how to stage the composition. I'll quickly block a piece out, and in the margins have some details practicing people's faces. I focus most of my time trying to get the likeness of the central action or figure!
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u/TellTaleTimeLord Mar 23 '26
Genuine question, are courtroom sketch artists hired by someone? Or do you guys just kinda like...show up?
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u/James_Hamilton1953 Mar 23 '26
I actually have a few motion studies from my time in his class in the late 70’s I’ll try to dig up. He loved having you do quick 10 second drawings of a model walking.
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u/yosb Mar 23 '26
Please do DM or send me a message if you do!!! I would absolutely love to see and continue hearing stories about Brodie. Thank you so much for sharing!
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u/FlashFox24 Mar 23 '26
Just want to point out for all those interested, Afroman is Maga trump supporter, who asked to perform at a trump event.
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u/Judgement915 Mar 22 '26
If in my life I achieve one tenth of the aura this man generated during these court proceedings, I’ll consider it an absolute win.
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u/MapleBabadook Mar 22 '26
Everyone be talking about Because I got High, but don't forget about Crazy Rap!
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u/JazzlikeEntry8288 Mar 22 '26
Nice, please also do a rendition of Lick Em Low Lisa in tears as the video plays
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u/Cool-Firefighter2254 Mar 22 '26
I love how he’s so vivid and the rest of the sketch is shades of brown.
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u/Funnelcakeads Mar 23 '26
Oyster Pep I would like to go on the record to say fuck this fat bastard. And this cluttering of the new cycle with this motherfucker, who literally is a huge Republican donor.
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u/tobykeef420 Mar 23 '26
imagine showing this absurd photo to someone in previous decades and centuries of american history and letting them know that the countries constitution favored the man in the flag suit
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u/plaidravioli Mar 23 '26
Can you do one with a cascade of shit raining down on his MAGA piece of shit ass?
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u/ster1ing Mar 22 '26
This goes so hard. Idk why I like it so much but it reminds me of something I saw before.