Every year brings a fresh crop of album art clearly influenced from various sources. This season brought covers from Metro Boomin, Joey Bada$$, Boldy James and Nicholas Craven, and more.
A 2021 “Gold Chains Edition” of Quasimoto’s 2005 album, with new artwork inspired by Sgt. Pepper’s. Note the name spelled out in bricks.
Recent album covers for MidaZ the Beast and Mavi have drawn inspiration from Shel Silverstein’s 1974 book, Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Audio Recon answers a few questions about its vinyl reissues featuring illustrations by Ghostshrimp.
Meek Mill is rendered in a thug’s dreams and nightmares. Artwork by Nina Chanel Abney.
The Record Store Day pressing of Freddie Gibbs & Madlib’s Piñata ’84 has art inspired by a design Island Records used in 1983 and 1984.
Life during a pandemic is given an impressionist perspective. Cover art by the late Peter Gellatly.
As the world adapts to life under a global pandemic, the album art of several recent rap releases is having a noticeable impact.
A spotlight on Tish Hyman’s artwork for Trap Bisney Fairy Tales. Illustration by Andrew Adames.
Spotlight on Kodak Black’s Painting Pictures. Illustrated by “OG Lyoch” Cartier.
A spotlight on album art for Craig G’s Ramblings of an Angry Old Man, with artwork by Adam Wallenta.
Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions gatefold sleeve image by Efram Wolff. Shabazz Palaces’ “The Palace Slide” image by Nep Sidhu.
