In his short career, Jean-Michel Basquiat was a phenomenon. He became notorious for his graffiti art under the moniker Samo in the late 1970s on the Lower East Side scene, sold his first painting to Deborah Harry for $200 and became best friends with Andy Warhol. Appreciated by both the art community and the public, Basquiat was launched into international stardom. The film explores how his cult status soon began to override the art that had made him famous in the first place.