aahh Radio – Community Series Episode 1: April77 Creative (Ben Funnell)

For our first ever Community Series episode, which aims to highlight those who are heavily involved in the local hip hop scene, but may not receive the recognition they deserve. We catch up with the creative director of April77 Creative, Benjamin Funnell.

If you have brought a local hip hop CD in the last 10 years or so, chances are you’d be looking at some of his design studios handy work. April77 Creative are just about to release a must have for any hip hop collector. A limited edition hardcover book titled “A Decade Of Album Cover Design“.

Beautifully bound and printed on high quality matte paper stock by Whites Law Bindery in Melbourne, this full colour hard bound book with premium gold foil stamped cover features 112 pages of album cover design as well as internal and supplementary artwork for many projects, single covers, logos and an exclusive look behind the scenes at A77′s studio in Newtown. Also included are concept designs and alternate versions which have never been seen or printed before.

The book also features an introductory essay by Stealth Magazine‘s founder and editor Mark Pollard, as well as client testimonials by Suffa (Hilltop Hoods), Pegz (Obese Records) and Bliss (Bliss N Eso). As an added bonus many of the local hip hop artists whose covers are featured were kind enough to contribute their personal thoughts and insight into the briefings, creative process and outcomes for their respective projects.

The only book of its kind which catalogues the past decade of releases and artwork for many of the biggest names in the fastest growing genre of music in Australia – this is truly a limited collector’s item and will be highly sought after for lovers of design, fans of local hip hop and music in general.