The story
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.
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
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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
From Wikipedia’s article on Pen & Pixel, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3