New School Album Covers
The new school sub genre of rap was developed in the early 2000's, with Kanye West being considered one of the biggest names in moving the genre of rap in a new direction. Rappers subject matter deviated from more than the traditional 'thug life' message, and production incorporating elements from other genres creating a new kind of rap music. Along with the new message in the music, the album art also developed into something more just a rapper stood in front of camera.
Kanye West's 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak is an album that has had a profound effect on rap and popular music as a whole. This development of the genre is something that is reflected in his cover art. The style implies a vulnerability that is not usually present with rappers, with the depiction of a heart and the different shades of colours on the left showing an emotional side. It is also minimalist which is something that has become a convention of the genre.
This makes a strong contrast to the largely traditional 2pac album cover for 'all eyez on me'. The majority of the cover is a picture of 2pac and the only other elements are the album title and the artist's name. Being released in 1996, it makes a good comparison for how the genre has developed over time, depicted the change in artistic choices between two of the biggest artists of their era.
When creating our digipak, I think we should look to emulate the minimalist style that has been popularized in recent years by artists such as Kanye West. This would ensure that we are following modern conventions.
No comments:
Post a Comment