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OG has worked with many southern rap acts, including: Chamillionaire (top), Gerald G (middle) and David Banner (Bottom). 

For many their opinion of Southern rap music probably depends on where they stand on the map but no matter who you are there is definitely something to be said for a group of artists that work hard and know their audience well enough to make a good living as independent artists. So while many people in the hip-hop world like to view southern hip-hop as a cheap knock off of what the “art form” was meant to be, many in the South are too worried about steadily producing more of it, regardless of what others may think. This can be said for many hip-hop artists that have gotten to the point they are now by posting up and hustling mixtapes out the back of their trunk, but it’s important to point out that not all product that is hustled out the back of a trunk is created equal.

In terms of  design and photography all you need to do is jump on MySpace to witness firsthand that Pen & Pixel and their influence on cover artwork and photography is alive and well in the South. Whether that’s good or bad, I’ll let you be the judge, but many times when you’re looking for that platinum level of art you really are left with a gumball machine equivalent. It seems that just like everyone wants to be rapper, everyone wants to be a designer or photographer, without ever paying attention to quality. In Southern rap, there’s few artists and studios that really stand out and one artist who has not only embraced the culture and influences of southern rap but helped take to a more sophisticated level of artistry is Austin based OG of Luxury Mindz. OG took some time out of his busy schedule to rap with me a bit about his artwork, the artists he’s worked with, his platinum plaque, Austin hip-hop and the future of music related art.

Photo slideshow and interview after the jump ↓

How did you get started in photography and design?
Growing up, I was always interested in different types of visual media. Things like graphic design, photography, and video production always grabbed my attention, especially within music. I would try and figure out how different things were made and eventually figured out the concepts and methods behind fabricating them. In high school, I was able to develop my craft as a graphic artist and gradually embraced photography. I would design CD artwork and flyers for musicians in my school and around town, which led me to form my own creative company (Luxury Mindz) and eventually work with higher profile clients. Throughout college I continued to operate my creative company and further develop my skill set. At the same time I was able to build numerous relationships with artists and others within the industry. Passion, along with help from the man above, has been the key to getting where I am now.

What are some of your influences?
My primary influence, without a doubt, is life. The whole concept of only having a short amount of time on this earth motivates and drives me. This way of thinking was instilled in me by my family and the way in which they raised me. This approach and outlook easily carries over to my creative work and is what has allowed me to continue moving forward in my career. You can also add an amazing godson and a brand new beautiful niece to that list of things that motivate me. To answer your question with a bit more detail, I am deeply influenced by God, my family, music, books, movies, art, sports, and many other things within life.

What kind of equipment do you use in your studio?
My team and I use a variety of gear and equipment as apart of our workflow. Computer wise, we stick with Apple hardware. I’ve been an Apple owner all of my life and believe it’s essential for my role as a creative professional. Our current photo system is based on Canon equipment and our lighting gear and kits are comprised from several different brands. On the software side of things, we use a variety of applications from Adobe, Apple, Google and other developers. Productivity is very important to us, so we make sure to stay up on emerging technology. I must add that while we do favor certain brands over others, at the end of the day they are all just tools. The real secret to the work we produce is the vision and passion behind those tools.

Can you speak on your work with Chamillionaire and how you ended up with a platinum plaque on your wall?
I’ve known Cham for a number of years. We met back in 2000-2001 when he was an emerging underground artist. He had seen some of my design work and asked me if I was interested in working on some stuff for him. Ever since then, I’ve been involved and worked on various creative projects for him and his Chamillitary record label. His debut album on Universal Records, “The Sound of Revenge”, sold over one-million copies. I received the platinum plaque from him out of appreciation for the various work I have done throughout the years. He’s a smart and talented individual which is why he continues to have success. You will be able to see some of my recent Chamillitary photo work as it will soon be featured on his new online network, Chamillionaire.com when it launches.

What other artists have you worked with and which ones would you like to work with?
In addition to Chamillionaire, I’ve been fortunate to work with artists like David Banner, Scarface, Killer Mike and others. It’s been a blessing as these are artists who have impacted music and hip-hop on a very high level. While I would welcome the opportunity to work with just about any of the current big named artists, I would also like to work with the next generation of artists who have yet to reach there full potential. I say that so I could positively contribute and play a role in their creative and visual development. Within the last year, we’ve been making a strong attempt to reach out to those emerging up and coming artists. There is plenty of talent out there with equal amounts of creativity. Those are the kinds of artists I want to work with, especially those who stand for something.

Austin as a city and a scene is pretty small. Why do you think that no rap act out of Austin has had as much success on a larger scale and how so you feel about the support locally?
That’s a good question. There is plenty of hip-hop talent residing in Austin, that’s for sure. Artists such as Bavu Blakes, Gerald G, and South Bound do a great job of representing the city and although they don’t always get the credit they deserve, they remain focused and continually release quality material. It’s no secret that the music scene as a whole is somewhat over-saturated, so it makes sense that true and deserving talent sometimes get lost in all of the noise. With Austin being recognized as “the live music capital of the world”, I would like to think it’s only a matter of time before the hip-hop spotlight is on Austin. Sure additional local support is always a plus, but as with anything else, having a demand is essential. Talent doesn’t mean you deserve or will automatically receive support. Building a connection with potential fans, especially local, is in my opinion the best way to gain that support.

As physical product (cds, albums, mixtapes, magazines) become rarer and everything is becoming digital, what do you think will be in the future for music related design and photography?
To be honest, it’s a bit difficult to say because I don’t even think music industry people even know what lies ahead for music. That being said, I am very confident that music related visuals will still be around. The role visuals play in the development of an artist brand is one of the main reasons why I believe they will remain relevant. Music is music. Having visuals to represent that music is important as it provides the creative work with an identity. I would like to add that there is plenty of great music out there that can stand on its own and where the only visuals live in the imagination of the listener. While I may not know exactly what it is the future holds for music related visuals, I do know that my team and I look forward to being apart of it.

Check out some more of OG’s photography at OGPhotographer.com. The “Projects” section, has some great photos of Austin’s hip-hop themed after school project,Destiny by Design.

 Links
OGPhotographer.com
OGPhotographer on Flickr

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