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Gangster gets Folk Art Festival ad all wrong

Eric "Baby Folks" Smith, a member of one of Chicago's oldest street organizations, was looking forward to the Folk Arts Festival. After learning about the event in a Chicago Reader advertisement, the aspiring artist ran home to frame a piece of "folk art" he was extremely proud of. He had previously spray-painted the same piece on a wall near 51st and Wentworth.

Baby Folks was shocked, upset, and disappointed that he was the only true Folk Nation member at the indoor Chicago Folk Art Festival held last month at the Harold Washington Library. "I was very uncomfortable. This was not my element and I felt unwelcome."

The ad showed no people, but various pieces of past artwork. He thought that was strange, but thought nothing of it. "Im’ going to keep my art real. I don't know why folks painted all this bunk stuff," he said. "Mine will keep it real and true to my Nation."

Instead, all he witnessed was multicolored T-shirts, dingy blue jeans, and an overwhelming smell of incense.

"I hoped my folks would be here showing their love for their nation, but all I see is white people and a bunch of bright colors," said Baby Folks. "I don'’ see Little Boo Boo, Shorty G, Big Stun, Stunna Folks, or Butta Folks."

However, much to his surprise, the beauty of "Hello World" stunned many at the event.

"We had about 12 people wanting to buy this one piece," said festival organizer Robert Evans Jr. "Several people thought he may have done the piece in prison and thought it may be worth thousands of dollars after Baby Folks gets shot in a drive by or something."

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