Steve Carr attended Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts on a full scholarship to train as a painter and begin a career in illustration. But his collaborative nature and love of music led him to the doors of Def Jam Recordings to hustle for a job. With little design experience and a business plan handwritten on notebook paper, he and partner Cey Adams pitched their vision for art and design as “uniquely insider” and talked their way into a deal. The Drawing Board was launched as the design company for Def Jam’s emerging roster. The progressive style of The Drawing Board put hip-hop design in the forefront of popular culture and made Carr a success in the music business. His design aesthetic— a blend of Street-art, High-art, comic books and movies— appealed to artists and broadened their audience. Steve collaborated with comic cook artists he loved and photographer friends and defined a fresh style. He started “Drawing Board Pictures” to produce and direct music videos and commercials. He worked with Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Slick Rick, LL Cool J, EPMD, Def Squad, Ludicris, Nelly, Moby, Redman and Method Man. He won MTV and Billboard awards. His Sprite campaign featured Nas, Kobe Bryant, Outcast and an animated “Voltron”.
Known for his movie-like concepts featuring actors and dialogue, film was the logical next move, Next Friday, his feature debut. When his all time favorite comedian Eddie Murphy asked him to direct another sequel, Dr. Dolittle 2, he was thrilled. The sequel was a hit and launched a career directing family films including Daddy Day Care with Eddie, Ice Cube’s Are We Done Yet?, Paul Blart: Mall Cop starring Kevin James, James Patterson’s Middle School: The Worst Years of my Life, and the musical Disney’s Freaky Friday, collaborating with Broadway giants Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. “
Steve directs films and commercials, produces films for others, paints in his Williamsburg studio and watches “The Odd Couple” like it’s his religion. His English Bulldog Ollie gets it.