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UNCOVERED: The Making Of Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star

blame it on Meka January 18, 2012

While I was in the Complex offices last week a guy walked right past me, and in my head I asked myself “Is that ego Trip’s Brent Rollins?” Turns out that it was, as he’s the Art Director of the magazine. Revisiting his ego Trip roots, Brent revealed that we was the mind behind the cover to Mos Def and Talib Kweli’s seminal debut LP…

What was the original inspiration for your design?
Brent Rollins: There were some loose things. Bob Marley was an inspiration, but not specifically the Burnin’ LP. Something else which escapes me now. I think Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions was maybe a reference, but it was kind of loose. Definitely a raw ’70s reggae feel. That is for sure.

What was the texture effect on the OG?
Brent Rollins: Metallic. Like [Gang Starr’s] Full Clip. Originally it was supposed to look like an old metal stamped sign. Like those large, embossed metal Pepsi-Cola signs. The vintage ones. Like it was screen-printed on metal. And then touched up and decorated by hand. You know in third-world countries it used to be cheaper to hand-paint something, so that kind of feel was really my actual inspiration.

Also, if you head to the site you can see the original cover as well. Dopeness.

READ: UNCOVERED: The Making Of Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star