Cover of the Week 27/1 – Hip Hop Family Tree #6 by Ed Piskor

Ed Piskor has been making waves with his Hip Hop Family Tree but this issue carries so much sentimental meaning for me. As a student of the genre, Wildstyle was essential video watching for my education. It was seminal in depicting the origins of music and the iconic pioneers, who we all owe our passion to. The film is simultaneously fabulous and terrible! The rap battle between the Cold Crush and Fantastic Five was a real feud brought to the silver screen. The actual battle was amazing to watch and well filmed, with subsequent emcees jumping in from out of shot to lay down their rhymes. And that is what this cover depicts…and its beautiful. The attention to detail is wonderful with the clothing and facial appearances all drawn accurately. The perspective is a little exaggerated but works to show the stand off nature of the battle and the tiny man in the background filming it. It works as a metaphor for superhero battles and many a cover gone by, and to see the hip hop legends of a bygone age shown as such, brings warmth to my heart. Above all my favourite hidden highlights of the page are the trainers, especially the laceless shelltoes. Peace out!