In the current digital space that is the new music industry, artists release music more frequently than ever to remain present in the constantly changing "now." With releasing the music itself, now comes the challenge of standing out from the droves of other releases — making single cover art, which was once just a formality for iTunes, is now an essential aspect of each and every release.
Watch in HD! — Directed by Roger Gengo & Erick Cespedes
However when Childish Gambino released the three singles leading up to his most recent mixtape, 'Royalty,' he did more than just stand out. Gambino used the artwork as an equal platform to convey the message of his music. The thought process behind those three single covers, and the seven other pieces in the collection, were more in depth and planned out than most commercially released album covers.
In 'American Royalty, presented by The Masked Gorilla' artist Sam Spratt narrates the story of how exactly these pieces came to be. From him using Normal Rockwell as inspiration, to Gambino conducting interviews with local Atlanta youth to gain a perspective of their thought on current music, the depth which Spratt and Gambino went into telling the 'American Royalty' story may surprise you.
But that's not all. Coinciding with the release of the mini-documentary, Gambino and Spratt opened up an online store where you can purchase a limited edition high-quality print from the collection.
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