Dr. Dre Is a Knight, Kendrick Lamar Gets Abstract and Billie Eilish Is Chaos in Interscope Records’ LACMA Exhibition

Interscope Records is launching its 30 th anniversary celebration in an imaginative manner with more than 50 artworks at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) called “Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined.” This exhibition will feature new works by a diverse group of visual artists — including Cecily Brown, Julie Curtiss, Shepard Fairey, Lauren Halsey, Damien Hirst, Rashid Johnson, Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha, Kehinde Wiley, and many others — that were inspired by the music of some of Interscope’s most influential recording artists, including 2Pac, Billie Eilish, Dr. Dre, Eminem, Gwen Stefani, Juice WRLD, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, MGK, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Olivia Rodrigo, Selena Gomez, Snoop Dogg and U2 and to name a few. A complete list of visual artists and the music creators they are paired with is below.

The first three artist images were revealed on Thursday: Kehinde Wiley has created a work inspired by Dr. Dre’s “The Chronic 2001”; Cecily Brown has created a work inspired by Billie Eilish’s EP “dont smile at me,” and Rashid Johnson has created a work inspired by Kendrick Lamar’s “Good Kid M.A.A.D. City” album.

The project was organized by Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine, current chairman John Janick and music executive Josh Abraham, along with Interscope Vice Chairman Steve Berman, who worked closely with all of the music and visual artists. The team also worked with LACMA Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design Staci Steinberger to organize the exhibition.

“Interscope’s original mission was to find the most profound artists, empower their creativity and watch what happens,” said Iovine.  “For the 30th, we wanted to continue that vision by assembling the most admired visual artists and empower them with that same creative license to honor the musical artists we have worked with over three decades.”

John Janick, Chairman, Interscope Geffen A&M commented: “From its earliest days, Interscope’s roster has included one-of-a-kind artists who clearly moved culture, and that’s something that we work to honor every single day in our current work at the label.  In conversation with one of our label partners Justin Lubliner, he sparked this idea. As Jimmy, Berm, Josh Abraham and I reached out to the visual artist community, we realized that having them create a lasting visual legacy that honors our artists’ music would be a hugely powerful tribute. The fact that so many of the world’s most acclaimed fine artists came together so eagerly to contribute to this project, and the fact that our own recording artists were as equally enthusiastic, is a deeply meaningful tribute to Interscope and one that we are immensely grateful for. Having these artworks debut at LACMA, one of the world’s most prestigious museums, is hugely gratifying for all of us who have been connected with Interscope over these past three decades. Sir Lucian Grainge’s enduring support of Interscope’s unique voice and vision over the years has helped make it possible for Interscope to foster an ambitious artistic endeavor of this magnitude.”

Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group said, “I’m so proud that Interscope’s culture of boundless creativity provides its artists with the widest palette possible with which to express themselves.  As a result, Interscope and its artists have not only consistently delivered some of the world’s most influential music, but also created groundbreaking visual media.  It is fitting that the great work of Interscope’s artists be reinterpreted by leading visual artists in a way that celebrates their unique visions as well as three decades of this iconic label.”

“There is a long history of record album covers being designed by visual artists,” said LACMA CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director Michael Govan. “As an institution that has long explored the intersection of art and other sectors, including design and music, LACMA has been collecting record album designs over the past several years, and it’s inspiring to see these artists reinterpret three decades of iconic contemporary music.”

“Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined” will be on view Sunday, January 30 through February 13, 2022, in LACMA’s Resnick Pavilion. Timed-entry general admission tickets will be released on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 10 am on the museum’s website and will include access to Interscope Reimagined. Visit LACMA’s website for more information.

VISUAL ARTISTS                  MUSICAL ARTISTS

Adam Pendleton                     Dr. Dre – The Chronic

Amoako Boafo                        6LACK – FREE 6LACK

Anna Park                               Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go?

Anna Weyant                          Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape

Burnt Toast                             Timbaland – Shock Value*

Burnt Toast                             N.E.R.D. – Seeing Sounds

Cecily Brown                           Billie Eilish-dont smile at me

Chloe Wise                             Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!

Damien Hirst                           Eminem – Entire Catalogue

Derrick Adams                        Mary J. Blige – The Breakthrough

Ed Ruscha                              2Pac – All Eyez On Me

Emily Mae Smith                     Nine Inch Nails – Broken

Ferrari Sheppard                    Blackstreet – “No Diggity”

Genesis Tramaine                  Summer Walker – Over It

Henni Alftan                            Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR

Henry Taylor                           Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. (“DNA”)

Hilary Pecis                             Selena Gomez – Rare

Issy Wood                               Gwen – Love. Angel. Music. Baby. (“Cool”)

Jenna Gribbon                        Lana Del Rey – Born To Die

Jennifer Guidi                         BLACKPINK – THE ALBUM

John Currin                             U2 – “Beautiful Day”

Jordy Kerwick                         MGK- Tickets to My Downfall (“My Bloody Valentine”)

Julie Curtiss                            No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom (“Just a Girl”)

KAWS                                     Dogg – Doggystyle

Kehinde Wiley                         Dr. Dre – The Chronic 2001

Lauren Halsey                         Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly

Lisa Yuskavage                      Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever

Loie Hollowell                         Lady Gaga – Fame Monster

Lucy Bull                                 No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom (“Spiderwebs”)

Mark Quinn                             MGK – Tickets to My Downfall

Matthew Wong                        Lana Del Rey – Paradise

Fulton Leroy Washington

AKA Mr. Wash                        The Game – The Documentary

Nicolas Party                          Lady Gaga – Joanne

Nina Chanel Abney                2Pac – The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

OSGEMEOS                           Black Eyed Peas – The E.N.D.

Rashid Johnson                      Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid MAAD City

Raymond Pettibon                  Lana Del Rey – Norman Fucking Rockwell

Reggie Burrows Hodges        Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid M.A.A.D City (“Swimming Pools” (Drank))

Richard Prince                        Nine Inch Nails – The Downward Spiral

Sayre Gomez                          50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’

Shepard Fairey                         Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell

Stanley Whitney                      Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly (“King Kunta”)

Takashi Murakami                  Juice WRLD – Goodbye and Good Riddance

Titus Kaphar                           Eve – Scorpion

Toyin Ojih Odutola                  Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.

Umar Rashid                           Tupac – Me Against The World

Will Boone                              Helmet – Meantime

* NFT