Lately, I’ve been seeing tweets about the best “U.S. and UK collabs” and it got me thinking… Over the last few years, I’ve been noticing a very distinct style of art on quite a bit of underground Hip-Hop album covers. Statement pieces. And for me, as a vinyl collector, the most memorable covers are the most artful. These original works of art by UK visual artist C DYER have a consistent theme and it’s become his signature aesthetic. C DYER designed 40 album covers in 2024, and was voted Artist of the Year on The Abyss Podcast. A recent nod to his work on the Polo Assassins album cover made way for a dope conversation that took me way back into this vault of underground Hip-Hop greatness!
When did you become fascinated with visual art?
C DYER: I guess I’ve always just been fascinated with art and music, probably even movies back in the ’90s, too. It always all went hand in hand for me. I always just knew how to draw and was involved in art for as long as I remember. It all sort of just came naturally to me. And when I first got into Hip-Hop music when I was around 10-11 years old. I would pick new music, apart from the musicians I already knew, I would pick music based on the album covers. So it’s always been a big part of my life without me probably even realising so at the time. Recently, Happy Art and Twogeebs have compared my run on covers to Pen and Pixel in the ’90s, and the fact that I started buying those No Limit albums based on that cover work, and I even discussed it in an art exam at school. So people saying these things is very surreal in many ways to me.
What inspires your approach and technique?
C DYER: I won’t pretend I know a lot about famous artists over the years. I’ve learnt more as the years have gone on. But truthfully it was always music and movies that inspired me. I would be walking round school at 13 years old with The LOX’s Money, Power, Respect album cover sketched and 2Pac and Biggie “Runnin” single cover sketched and in my art folder for everyone to see and stuff like that. If I liked the look of a cover, whether it was music or movies, I’d usually end up recreating it.
Is there a time period that most interests you visually and historically?
C DYER: Definitely the ’90s, it was the time I went through that brings me back to so many memories. Although I do think this recent run in underground Hip-Hop we have had over the last 6-7 years is just as good as that time period. With people not needing labels to release music anymore, it’s probably the most creative period for music I’ve ever known, if you search for it, of course.
How did you end up designing original artwork for album covers?
I started designing original artwork off of the back of the Hip-Hop music I like, making a resurgence into the scene again. The likes of Action Bronson, Roc Marci and Griselda Records, and more once I started going down the rabbit hole of music. But when I saw the FLYGOD album cover (shout out CXP) all over the internet and went into who was behind the music, that opened me up to so much more music again in the underground scene and got me painting again.
I was just painting musicians that I liked at the time, people like Westside Gunn, Mach Hommy, THA GOD FAHIM, Bub Rock, Eddie Kaine. I was just painting quite a lot and people started noticing from my posts on Instagram. Then one day WSG asked for the Pray for Paris concept painting I had done. Once I sent it over to him and I started getting DMs mentioning the art, and my profile kinda picked up from there. Then over a small period of time at the beginning of me doing covers , I did work for Ja’king The Divine, Heist Life, Eddie Kaine, Big Ghost & Jae Skeese. That little run kinda set it all up for me to start getting more cover work.
It was always Hip-Hop I’ve created covers for. There are other genres I would explore like R&B, maybe punk, if I got an opportunity to work with the likes of Pale Jay or Children of Zeus (RnB) or Ho99o9 (punk/Hip-Hop) maybe. But Hip-Hop has always been my favourite genre so I really enjoy the lane I’m in to be honest. I’ve always been a fan first, and I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about the art that I’m creating.
Who have you had a chance to work with more than once?
C DYER: The people I’ve worked with more than once would be Vega7 The Ronin. His run of albums and catalogue is amazing and I’ve got to work on three album covers for him. And a single. I’ve always enjoyed looking for and listening to new musicians. Like I said earlier, I’m a fan first, and I started listening to Vega before he had even dropped an album. Then he asked me to do his first album cover and we have built from there. I’ve worked with Knowitall and the Pen-tagon a few times now (Magic N Bird and Air BNE) and then Happy Art’s Polo Assassins cover and some unrealised work for Zilly900. I worked with Joey Majors and Grea8gawd a few times on tracks they were both featured on and then individually. But the person and label I’ve been building with most over this last year is Action Figure 973 and the label he’s apart of. Astra Music Group. Action Figure lyrically for me is one of the best out and he’s someone I enjoy building with and bringing art to life from the ideas we discuss. Also on Astra Music Group is Eric The Red13 and producer Wulverine, who I’ve worked with multiple times, and BCP (Con$piracy, Hound, Yozke, Bizzle) who I worked with as a group and then I’ve done art for some of the members individually, too. Shout out to War and Lito behind the scenes at Astra. I have a few in the stash with Action, too. For me, he’s one of the ones to watch for last year and this year. And Astra Music Group and The Pen-tagon, I can see big things happening for all those musicians involved in those groups and labels.
Big things happening this year so be on the look out for the people I will be working with. I don’t work with anyone whose music I’m not feeling. So it’s always worth people checking out, anything I work on. And I would just like to thank you for taking the time to speak to me and caring about the artwork in the scene, too.
Salute! Keep up with C DYER on the gram.
