We’re back! I’ve been on trips around Europe, hence the delay. Leaving again in a few days. Still at it though. The Spotify playlist is always updated each Friday. Anyhow… The theme this week is cover art. I met the author to Damn Son Where Did You Find This which interviews the top 5 artists of hip hop cover arts. Incredibly interesting to see where the cover art has been and where it’s at today. My favourite cover art moment might be when someone realised that Futures cover for his album DS2 was a stock photo created by a Slovenian artist that never heard of Future prior. And that the same stock photo was used as the cover for a science book for High School kids as well. Cover art really took a leap forward with Kanye entering the scene, being more artistic, like when he brought the high-end street artists KAWS for his label companions covers. In recent years, my favourite series of cover arts is probably the illustrations gracing Curren$y’s album series Pilot Talk. What’s yours?
DRAM has released a lot of music these past weeks. Amongst the singles, he also dropped a Thanksgiving EP. I remember first reading about DRAM, being mentored by the legendary Rick Rubin (check out when Rubin and Jay Z is in the studio producing 99 Problems). You’d know great music would arrive, and DRAM hasn’t let us down.
One of Franklins favourite up-and-comer, YoungBoy Never Going Broke Again, released a new mixtape recently and just got featured on this track by Spacejam Bo.
Multi-creative Sean Leon is a visual artist, music producer, and director climbing the ladder in Toronto. Real talk, what is happening in Toronto, all these young talented artists rising?
CyHi The Prynce released his like 10 year old ongoing album last week. With some seriously heavy features, this track with Estelle is perfect to get in the mood.
Ill Nana
DRAM, Trippie Redd
New Money
Spacejam Bo, YoungBoy Never Going Broke Again
81
Sean Leon
Murda
CyHi The Prynce (feat. Estelle)