MILTON, Ga. — DL Warfield might be known as “coach” to many in the area, but to others he’s the cover art designer of OutKast’s acclaimed “ATLiens” and “Aquemini” studio albums and dozens more from other well-known hip-hop artists.
Warfield, a Milton resident and human hip-hop encyclopedia, has a stylish confidence. When out and about, he sports one of his 15 wide-brimmed hats and patterned eye glasses, standing out in the crowd much like his iconic artwork.
“My trademark as a creative person is thinking differently at the drop of a dime,” Warfield said.
He aims to disrupt stereotypes, epitomized in his decision to pull inspiration from Spaghetti Westerns for T.I. and the Hustle Gang’s 2017 compilation album “We Want Smoke.”
Long before he became a youth football and track coach or helped brand Cambridge and Milton high schools, Warfield used his background in fine arts to create packaging for Atlanta hip-hop artists. The sensibilities he developed as a breakdancer in the early ’80s on the streets of St. Louis had their place, too.
In 1995, he became the creative director for LaFace Records, once home to artists like OutKast, T.I. and Goodie Mob. Some of their album covers, designed by Warfield, are hanging on the walls of the Atlanta mayor’s office downtown in celebration of hip-hop’s 50th year. They will be available for viewing until October.
Appen Media joined Warfield in his Alpharetta studio, where he was in the midst of adding warm colors with a long paint brush to a piece for a retrospective show to be held in St. Louis.
The space had some of his older work, like the original painting for OutKast’s single “Elevators (Me & You),” tucked away in a side room. But many pieces, propped along the wall, were part of his new series “CYPHERS.” Large wooden wheels, some with rotating pieces,…
Read the full article here
