About

Jake Franssen (sometimes stylized FRAN$$EN) is an American artist, writer, and designer. His work has ranged from independently published comic strips and picture books to portraiture, album covers, poster designs, and more. He holds a B.F.A. in Illustration from the Kansas City Art Institute (2019) and an A.A.S. in Digital Imaging from Kansas City Kansas Community College (2016).

In 2016, Jake began posting portraits of rappers to Instagram. This caught the attention of hip-hop media outlet DJBooth, a site he still does illustrations for. He has also produced work for other sites such as OkayPlayer and Revolt TV, and his pieces have been featured in content from Audiomack, All Def Digital, and BET Network. His self-published work, "A Coloring Book of Rappers" went up for sale on Amazon to close 2018, with a sequel in 2021. Jake's writing and cartooning skills can be demonstrated in his 2019 book "Flamingo (Freestyle)."

 

Partial Client List:

  • DJBooth
  • Revolt TV
  • OkayPlayer
  • All Def Music
  • BET Network
  • Coach Tev
  • NEFEW
Awards:
  • Honorable Mention: Red Vines Drawing Contest (2020)
  • Honorable Mention: Kansas City Kansas Community College Art Fair (2017)
  • Cartoon Contest Entry: featured in Highlight's Children's Magazine (2006)