by Emma Farrell, staff writer Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version was Wu-Tang Clan member Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s first solo album. Designed by visual director Brent Killroe, the album cover features ODB’s public assistance (food stamp) card. In a 2011 interview with Complex magazine, Greg Burke, the Vice President Creative Director of Atlantic Records, named this album cover one of his all-time favorites: "Visually, it's an impactful cover. Plus, no one at the time had ever thought to put such a personal item of theirs on the cover. Sure, we had seen family pics of artists, and pics of them as children, but to use your public assistance card was a glimpse of creative brilliance.” I could be biased (because I pass a mural of this album cover on my block every day), but I think this cover is one of the most iconic of all time. The fact that it sits outside my local deli, five feet high and behind a bus stop, shows just how much the cover resonated with people. Although this album was a solo departure for ODB, it fits in well with the image Wu-Tang Clan had always put out, depicting the struggles of young people trying to survive in Staten Island and Brooklyn. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s brash and sometimes bizarre lyrics describe this lifestyle with his unforgettable and energetic delivery. However, there is some controversy surrounding ODB’s use of food stamps. Days after the release of Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, MTV aired a clip of ODB cashing in a welfare check for $375. After it became public that he had received a $45,000 advance from Elektra Records for the album, his case worker proceeded to end his welfare benefits. Check out Complex’s Top 10 Rap Album Cover Series here: http://www.complex.com/style/2014/01/greg-burkes-favorite-rap-album-covers-of-the-90s/ Check out Return to the 36 Chambers on Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/album/4tI4WJdTN5MzDMRMl2i7VR?play=true&utm_source=open.spotify.com&utm_medium=open |
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