All stories about "Skull Phone"

Paper magazine goes to the man himself to discuss those digital billboards. For those catching up, last week Clear Channel's billboards carried Skullphone's artwork, leading many to believe the graffiti artist had hacked his way into the boards (in reality, the images were paid for). Some loved seeing the artist up there; others questioned why he'd make a deal with evil Clear Channel, a company that has a stranglehold on Los Angeles. What Mr. Phone tells Paper: "People thought Bob Dylan sold out when he went electric. I guess people weren't ready for it." "To me it's American art. The (now digital) billboard on the side of the highway." For us, the best quote comes when he talks about himself in the third person: "Skullphone has a right to be there."
· Skullphone Speaks! [Paper Magazine]
· Billboard Hack No Hack! Skull Phone Ads Paid For [Curbed LA]

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A source confirms what we already suspected: Someone paid Clear Channel an undisclosed sum for two-day Los Angeles-wide "ads." As previously noted, images of a neon skull were spotted on billboards all over the city last Thursday night, leading many to believe the street artist had hacked his way into Clear Channel's billboards. Street cred: Totally lost for Mr. Phone? Pretty much. UPDATE: Clarified. It's not entirely clear who paid for the ads, but it wasn't a hack. And headline amended. UPDATE: Tony Alwin, a spokesperson for Clear Channel tell us: "The ads were paid for. The party represented themselves as wanting to advertise ads for an art project." Alwin says the party purchased two days worth of advertising.
· CurbedWire: Digital Billboard Sabotage on La Brea? Westside Metro Meeting [Curbed LA]

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