New project coming soon
We’ve been away for a while but we have been busy. I’m pleased to tease a new project coming really
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Author: marcus
Quality Control – Jurassic 5
This is one of my favourite albums. More complete than the J5LP, but with the same bounce and flavour as
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Mr Scarface is Back – Scarface
This artwork won’t win any awards for typography or accessibility (I mean, purple writing over a dark picture!!) but the
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Tell Em Why U Madd – The Madd Rapper
Who is the Madd Rapper? When he first started appearing on albums in the mid-90s, no-one knew his real identity.
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Paid in Full – Eric B & Rakim
Undoubtedly this album is a classic. It properly introduced the world to the talents of Rakim. The cover art depicts
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Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 – Black Thought & 9th Wonder
Okay, this one is a bit cheeky, because this EP was only released today (1 June 2018), so I can’t
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Reasonable Doubt – Jay-Z
From the man who was picked up by Big Daddy Kane, guested on tracks by Big L, and spurned a
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Check Your Head – Beastie Boys
Of all of the Beastie’s album covers, this is probably my favourite. But I don’t know why. They do prefer
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Long Live the Kane – Big Daddy Kane
For all of yesterday’s minimalism and female empowerment, today is all about the Big Daddy. Sat on a throne, resplendent
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All Hail the Queen – Queen Latifah
She’s just an absolute badass. This would get listed just for the logo in the corner, but then there is
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4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up – Gift of Gab
This solo album from Gift of Gab, of Blackalicious fame, is a little gem. Gab still brings the same amazing
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Breaking Atoms – Main Source
Love it. This 1991 debut album from the New York/Toronto group Main Source was the only ‘proper’ release. Large Professor
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Business as Usual – EPMD
I love this artwork. Erick and Parrish surrounded by the 5-0. Helicopters, dogs and many guns pointed in their direction,
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Woe to thee O land whose king is a child – Nephlim Modulation Systems
At first look this album cover seems like a colourful mess, much like the first listen of the densely packed
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Something Wicked This Way Comes – The Herbaliser
Another UK one, this time from the duo ‘The Herbaliser’. This album was released on Ninja Tunes (another great artwork
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Stakes Is High – De La Soul
As in education as in society, the stakes are high. Nothing says this more emphatically than the blurred image of
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The Embodiment of Instrumentation – Scratch
Scratch came to prominence with his work/quasi-membership of The Roots, where he served as their ‘DJ’ along with Rahzel. This
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The Diary – Scarface
While the pencil shading may not be out of place in a school exercise book, the imagery is great. A
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Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
I think ODB’s story makes for one of the greatest tragedies in hip hop. Much of Russell Jones’ downfall was
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Music for the Mature B-Boy – DJ Format
Another UK entry, this time from DJ (and one time Jurassic 5 bus driver) Format. Format likes a bit of
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Mos Def & Talib Kweli are – Black Star
I love this album. I mean, I really love this album. I cannot imagine a world where this album is
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Legacy of Blood – Jedi Mind Tricks
I’ll be honest: I don’t think I have ever heard this album, and my knowledge of JMT’s other stuff is
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Jazzmatazz – Guru
Gang Starr were pretty amazing; they helped define a whole era of hip hop. So when Guru decided to do
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J5 EP – Jurassic 5
J5’s debut EP was re-released with a few extra tracks and instrumentals as the J5 LP. Visually the cover art
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Hello Nasty – Beastie Boys
I’d say this is probably my least favourite Beastie’s album. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Intergalactic (and the video)
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Ghetto Blaster – Push Button Objects
I’ll be honest, up until this project, I’d not even heard of this album, and I barely knew of PBO
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Game Theory – The Roots
A hangman played out in the negative space of black soot, over the news. This is the Game Theory.
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Endtroducing… – DJ Shadow
I’m guessing this picture represents about 60% of DJ Shadow’s creative process.
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Electric Circus – Common
I do love an album cover with loads of faces – see Midnight Marauders. Common doesn’t disappoint. Plus the back
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De La Soul Is Dead – De La Soul
Two years after announcing the dawn of the D.A.I.S.Y. Age, De La Soul killed it. And boy did they.
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Criminal Minded – Boogie Down Productions
When people think Hip Hop, they often think of the West Coast gangsta style. However, KRS One and DJ Scott
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College Dropout – Kanye West
This album has a lot of resonance for me as it describes Kanye’s journey from dropping out of college, and
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Calm Down – Busta Rhymes ft. Eminem
I know, I know, technically this is a single, but come on. This is amazing. Plus Busta hasn’t looked that
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Bizarre Ride II – The Pharcyde
This is no April Fool, this is an awesome cover. It pretty much sums up the group’s debut album… it
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Bigger and Deffer – LL Cool J
We all know the album is Bigger and Deffer, but to use the acronym BAD, then have a photo of
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Arrhythmia – Antipop Consortium
Of all the foreground, midground, far(ground?) group shot album covers, this is my favourite. And the back cover is equally
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360 Degree Remixes – Push Button Objects
Revolving door, 360 degree remixes. Love it. Theres headphones and back packs. What more do you want?
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Run Come Save Me – Roots Manuva
I don’t know what it is I love about the album cover. The desolation, the jumping, the awkwardness… I just
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Sex Packets – Digital Underground
I’m not sure why, but I really like this cover. It’s a typical group shot, but everyone is very much
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PTSD – Pharoahe Monch
Pharoahe, with what looks like a smart raincoat, gas mask, and military hat holds what can only be described as
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This or That – Sway & King Tech
I’ve gone for something a little different with this one. This is a compilation album (including a track with Eminem
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Flesh of my Flesh, Blood of my Blood – DMX
DMX, covered in blood. Hands out in front, half begging forgiveness, half looking at just what he had done. It’s
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The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
To anyone who has heard any Slick Rick track will know he isn’t a New York native; he is clearly
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They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) – Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Not an album, this is one my 12″ singles. Brilliant track, but also a great cover. I don’t think this
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Kill the Architect – Cage
Undergrads will write essays about this album cover.
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Let’s Get Free – dead prez
Kids, guns, “Let’s get free”. It paints a picture. You know what you’re getting with this album, and boy do
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The Grey Album – DJ Danger Mouse
So Danger Mouse single-handed created the best Jay-Z album, and the best Beatles album in one go… Danger Mouse mixed
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Will Rap For Food – Cunninlynguists
Two of the four pillars, minimum
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Hip Hop For Respect EP – Various
Eight tracks, three of them are ‘One Four Love’, this EP was put together by Mos Def and Talib Kweli
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Black Trash: The Autobiography of Kirk Jones – Sticky Fingaz
Not the best album, nor the best rapper, but great artwork.
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and the Anonymous Nobody – De La Soul
The alternative version doesn’t include the MC either. All the singles’ artwork derives from this one, with various characters reproduced.
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Midnight Marauders – A Tribe Called Quest
The RBG figure, continuing from Low End Theory, is cool enough, but the inclusion of ATCQ’s contemporaries, heroes and up-and-coming
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Biz’s Baddest Beats – Biz Markie
He is such a child. Which is why we love the Biz.
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Like Water For Chocolate – Common
So. Many. Things.
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Blood, Sweat & No Tears – Stetsasonic
The worst advert for baby shampoo ever
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The Roots Come Alive – The Roots
Says everything
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