debut album

1 cover story in our archive

Behind the Covers' archive includes 1 album cover documented under the "debut album" design theme, all from the 1990s. The cover sits within the hip-hop tradition and features work by Jay-Z. Each entry below includes the cover artwork, the designers and photographers behind it, and a short story about the visual choices that defined the release.

Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z — album cover art

Reasonable Doubt by Jay-Z (1996)

Jonathan Mannion and art director Adrien Vargas built Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt cover around a timeless New York mob-boss image: black and white, white suit, wide-brimmed hat, cigar and controlled anonymity. The album had originally been called Heir to the Throne before Jay-Z changed the title and let listeners decide whether he deserved the crown.

Label
Roc-A-Fella Records
Photographer
Jonathan Mannion
Genre
Hip-Hop
Decade
1990s
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