Pen & Pixel Graphics Inc. was an American graphic design firm based in Houston, Texas that specialized in musical album covers, especially for gangsta rap artists in the Southern United States. For a long time, it was the house design firm for No Limit Records, Cash Money Records, and Suave House Records.
History The company was started in 1992 by brothers Aaron and Shawn Brauch. The Brauch brothers and their staff worked with over 8,000 clients and completed 19,180 album covers before the company closed its doors in 2003. The brothers cited peer-to-peer file sharing website Napster and the September 11 attacks as reasons for the close; artists were reluctant to fly to Houston to view artwork that listeners would be unlikely to see.
The album covers Pen & Pixel produced have been described as "gaudy", "more-is-more", and "outrageous". Common themes included bullets, cars, drugs, fire, gems, money, women, and other examples of wealth and riches. Pen & Pixel would fulfill client requests for custom album covers, with sketches of the album cover being drawn based on the concepts requested. These sketches would then be scanned by a computer, which would generate a list of items needed for the cover, such as cars and diamonds. Photos would then be taken of these items from different angles, so the same item could be reused in the future. Pen & Pixel apparently refused to produce political covers (with two exceptions being Da Good da Bad & da Ugly by Geto Boys and I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier by Willie D), and they once rejected a concept by Insane Clown Posse involving a pregnant woman being shot.
In 2020, Pen & Pixel came out of retirement to design the cover art for 21 Savage and Metro Boomin's Savage Mode II. The artwork is in their signature design, heavily inspired by those of Cash Money and No Limit and is a nod to the bling-rap album covers of the 1990s. Although Pen & Pixel were commissioned to do the Savage Mode II cover, the cover that was released for the album is not an official Pen & Pixel cover; but instead inspired by a cover Pen & Pixel did for 21 Savage that was scrapped due to deadline issues.
Timeline of notable covers
1992 I'm Goin' Out Lika Soldier by Willie D
1993 Comin' Out Hard by Eightball & MJG
1994 Ocean of Funk by E.S.G. On the Outside Looking In by Eightball & MJG
1995 Hillwood by SPM Mystic Stylez by Three 6 Mafia Sailin' Da South by E.S.G. On Top of the World by Eightball & MJG
1996 The Shocker by Silkk the Shocker 3 'n the Mornin' (Part Two) by DJ Screw Chapter 1: The End by Three 6 Mafia
1997 Tru 2 da Game by TRU Stackin Chips by 3X Krazy I'm Bout It by various artists Solja Rags by Juvenile Ghetto D by Master P Get It How U Live! by the Hot Boys Chapter 2: World Domination by Three 6 Mafia Unpredictable by Mystikal No More Glory by MJG Lyrics of a Pimp by Eightball & MJG How You Luv That by Big Tymer$
1998 Make 'Em Say Uhh! by Master P (single) Charge It 2 da Game by Silkk the Shocker Hustle Town by SPM Life or Death by C-Murder Give It 2 'Em Raw by Soulja Slim Lost by Eightball MP da Last Don by Master P Shell Shocked by Mac Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told by Snoop Dogg Angel Dust by Indo G Sky's the Limit by Magic How You Luv That Vol. 2 by Big Tymer$ Mean Green by various artists Ghetto Organized by the Gambino Family 400 Degreez by Juvenile Da Good da Bad & da Ugly by the Geto Boys Ghetto Fabulous by Mystikal Power Moves: The Table by SPM
1999 Made Man by Silkk the Shocker CrazyNDaLazDayz by Tear da Club Up Thugs Da Next Level by Mr. Serv-On Bossalinie by C-Murder Shinin' n' Grindin' by E.S.G. Chopper City in the Ghetto by B.G. First Come, First Served by Dr. Dooom Rear End by Mercedes Bigger & Blacker by Chris Rock Da Crime Family by TRU Guerrilla Warfare by the Hot Boys Thuggin' by Magic Ghetty Green by Project Pat World War III by Mac Only God Can Judge Me by Master P Tha Block Is Hot by Lil Wayne The 3rd Wish: To Rock the World by SPM Tha G-Code by Juvenile
2000 City Under Siege by E.S.G. I Got That Work by Big Tymers When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1 by Three 6 Mafia The Leprechaun by Lil' Flip Matthew by Kool Keith Trapped in Crime by C-Murder Baller Blockin' by various artists Let's Get Ready by Mystikal Space Age 4 Eva by Eightball & MJG Ghetto Postage by Master P Time Is Money by SPM Lights Out by Lil Wayne
2001 Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin by Project Pat My World, My Way by Silkk the Shocker Project English by Juvenile Choices: The Album by Three 6 Mafia C-P-3.com by C-Murder Bang or Ball by Mack 10 Never Change: The Pain and Glory Album by SPM Tarantula by Mystikal
2002 Tru Dawgs by C-Murder 500 Degreez by Lil Wayne Layin' da Smack Down by Project Pat
2003 White Eyes by Magic Let 'Em Burn by the Hot Boys Da Unbreakables by Three 6 Mafia Terrorist Threats by Westside Connection
2020 Savage Mode II by 21 Savage
References Footnotes
Citations
External links
Company archive at the University of Houston