Everyone has seen the memes of whatever violent sociopolitical photo is hot at the moment with black bars over the eyes, imitating Benny’s 2019 album The Plugs I Met. It’s a fact that the New York underground has developed a certain aesthetic to match it’s unique blend of soul and grit, often using cover art that juxtaposes the music perfectly.
Westside Gunn might not have handpicked every style, but Griselda’s affinity for renaissance paintings and high fashion has bled into every crew’s repertoire at this point so the tastemaking is undeniable and the affect is greater than you might think. The practice validates hip-hop by equating it to high art and display’s how this is more than just a music genre – it’s a culture (even deeper, originally rooted in art through graffiti).
Through these distinct cover art styles, there is now space for artists in hip-hop that aren’t just rappers or producers; there’s a scene of painters just as rich as the musicians in the underground now. Here, we’ll discuss some artists whose covers have become highly sought after with their work popping up with every new-music Friday.
Keep in mind, there’s a whole different scene of artists doing their thing in trap, drill, plugg, etc., but that’s for another article.
Kightek
Kightek was the inspiration for this article because his work has become inescapable over the past year. Known for his highly realistic sketch style, Kightek has worked with everyone from Mavi to Conway to Vic Spencer and stays busy selling trays and prints with different portraits. Keep your eyes out for his stuff because it’s sure to keep popping up with the strong reception to Chaos Is My Ladder 2.
SquatDeadFace
SquatDeadFace got his big break with Westside Gunn’s 2019 Flygod Is An Awesome God. His distinct style of sketching and clear marker/paint strokes is just so appealing and his Instagram is a great follow because he’s constantly “remixing” classic album covers, movie scenes, and athletes – sometimes in mural format. At this point, having a SquatDeadFace cover for a single at least is a right of passage in the scene.
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Stab Master Arson
There’s not much info out there about Stab Master Arson but after seeing a couple of his pieces you start to connect the dots and appreciate the one of a kind pop art / collage style. You can find his work with Mickey Diamond, DOOF, Grim Moses, Mav, and more, but I hope to see him get some even bigger placements soon because a cover like this can really bring a project together.
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Isaac Pelayo
Isaac Pelayo has to be one of the first painters to kick off this wave of success in underground hip-hop. Watch one of Westside Gunn’s livestreams and he’ll walk you through a loft full of literal stacks of Pelayo paintings. He’s most known for his line of “third eye portraits”, including one of Chris Benoit for Supreme Blietele, which don’t really make much sense but there’s something so badass and mysterious about them. He’s also known for adding smiley faces over renaissance paintings, such as his alternate Pray For Paris art with the Mona Lisa.
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Pecue
Pecue is another artist who only has a couple big pieces so far, but the style is so good that we deserve to see him utilized more often. I first found him with his rendition of Who Made the Sunshine, which works nicely if you aren’t a fan of the original, and he recently did Jae Skeese’s Ground Level album. His page is a goldmine of what can only be described as digital stained glass, leaning into that high art feel.
CXP
CXP doesn’t have as distinct of a style as the aforementioned artists, but he’s just as prolific. He’s responsible for paintings going back to Flygod, some iconic Conway portraits, Cormega’s The Testament rerelease, and most importantly, a good number of Trust Gang, Flee Lord, Big Ghost LTD and Futurewave’s album covers. They always has the dopest art, so it’s no surprise he’s got one man behind it. Check out his page and you’ll be surprised how many of your favorite albums he’s worked on.
Sam Evans
Sam Evans might not have as many official cover arts under his belt as the other artists listed here, but you’re sure to recognize his style. All these wrestling paintings and you’re sure to pop up in this scene, most notably for Nacksaw Jim Duggan so far.
Mariella Angela
Similar to Kightek for being portrait focused, Mariella Angela puts a vibrant, painted spin on it. Most famous for doing Tana Talk 3, she’s also popped up with Dave East and Harry Fraud’s Hoffa. Portraits are kind of a niche style for album covers, but when they hit like this, they really hit.
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1000WORD$
1000WORD$ is quietly one of the most important figures in this lane of hip-hop. He might not have many official album covers, but if you can think of any rapper, there’s a good chance 1000WORD$ has a signed polaroid of them. His photos are article headers everywhere (here, included), so he’s done a wonderful job of cataloging the scene and bringing live shows to life for those who might never get a chance to see such underground rappers themselves.