Formative episodes from the Queensbridge childhood of multi-platinum hip-hop artist Nas take on the feel of a graphic novel in the first two spots by Gentleman Scholar for the Timberland Legends Collection.

Gentleman Scholar creative director Chace Hartman: “Since the Legends series is as much lifestyle as product, the visual personification of Nas’ journey has to involve some intense storytelling and thoughtful problem solving in animation and design. It’s street and style.

“The team’s efforts have focused on delivering a gritty, textural narrative with a style that is familiar in the comic aesthetic, while also feeling fresh and new.

“The stories are both quiet and explosive, helping to redefine the new look of the Legends Club.”
 
“Trumpet”

 
“Dictionary”

Client: Timberland

Agency: Pereira & O’Dell/NY
Executive Creative Director: Dave Arnold
Creative Director: Jake Dubs & Juan Leguizamon
Art Director: Maya Renz
Head of Content Production: Tennille Teague
Senior Digital Producer: Jon Serna
Associate Producer: Rhea Phipps

Production Company: Gentleman Scholar
Creative Directors: Chace Hartman, William Campbell, Will Johnson
Executive Producer: Christina Roldan
Art Directors: Cristina Barna, Macauley Johnson
Senior Producers: Sue Yee Hubbard, Kirsten Noll
Storyboard Artist: Christopher Wolfgang Mauch
Designers: Cam Floyd, Christina Liang, Jina Kwon, Cristina Barna, Hana Eunjin Yean, Macauley Johnson, Trish Janovic
Lead Cel Animators: Laura Yilmaz, Harry Teitelman
Cel Animators: Taik Lee, Ana Chang, Matt Everton
Additional Cel Animation: Christopher Wolfgang Mauch, Stephanie Simpson, Sam Kim, Aly Tain
2D Animators: Aaron Kemnitzer, Ana Chang, Lauren Tom, Henry Pak, Pablo Robleto
Additional Animation: Alison Alvarez Avila
3D Animators: Aaron Kemnitzer, Arsen Arzumanyan
Compositors: Aaron Kemnitzer, Henry Pak, Lauren Tom, Pablo Robleto
Previz Artist: Arsen Arzumanyan

Original Music: Squeak E. Clean Productions