Portfolio Review: Justin Hager Talks His Hilarious Pop Culture Mash-Ups

The artist combines all his favorite things to create Jay Z Salinger, Beach Boyz n Da Hood, and Ghostbusta Rhymes.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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We first spotted Justin Hager's work on Twitter—a sketch of Beyoncé and Jay Z posing as the couple in American Gothic, but instead of a pitchfork, they had a surfboar(t) between them. It makes sense that the Internet brought us to Hager's work because his paintings and drawings, mash-ups of cultural references that range from Jay Z to J.D. Salinger, are irresistibly sharable. 

The artist's pieces usually start with two of his favorite things, like The Beach Boys and Boyz n the Hood, which come together in clever pop culture puns: Beach Boyz n the Hood. We got in touch with Hager about how he comes up with his comical creations. Check out our Portfolio Review: Justin Hager Talks His Hilarious Pop Culture Mash-Ups.

You can find more from Hager on his Instagram and Twitter.

RELATED: Justin Hager Replaces the Pitchfork in "American Gothic" With Jay Z and Beyonce's Surfboardt
RELATED: Portfolio Review: Hueman Tells the Stories Behind Her Colorful, Fragmented Portraits

Salt-n-Pepa's Lonely Hearts Club Band

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Q*bert Gooding Jr.

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Rick James Franco

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Big Macaveli

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Ghostbusta Rhymes

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Gwen and Stimpy

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Jay Z Salinger

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Mike and Ike

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Flu Tang Clan (Detail)

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Beach Boyz n the Hood

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