Doggystyle
The album cover alludes to a host of different cultural icons, and its legacy goes far beyond just its sound alone. The influence of its visual art and the concept behind it can still be seen in many album designs today. This specific album cover was seen as a controversy at the time because the artist took a medium that is traditionally geared towards children (cartoons) and made it explicit by the infusion of adult themes throughout. In 1993, cartoons were not yet so explicit so this album cover came as a shock to the public, but this theme of adultifying cartoon imagery becomes a staple in the world of hip-hop album art. This is just the beginning of a long line of cartoon album and mixtape covers that is still so prominent in the hip-hippo and rap scenes seen in today’s world.
