What the cover lacked in actual design merit, it more than made up for its artistic vision, making it one of the best rap album covers of all time. Later West explained that the picture was intended as, “an open casket for the CD.” The format had all but died by the time the album dropped in 2013. The album’s cover was simply the plain image of a CD in a jewel case. With little promotion beyond a provocative title. The artwork depicts Slim looking contemplatively across the water as he prepares to dispose of a body whose feet are protruding from the trunk of his car.Īlways willing to push the boundaries of art, Kanye West dropped his sixth studio album The cover of Eminem’s debut full length release mirrors the violent fantasies of the rapper’s alter ego for whom the record is named. The cover introduced the group’s signature ‘pistol and fist’ artwork and the ‘Tag the Jewels’ campaign in which the group encouraged graffiti artists to recreate the cover. The duo launched in 2013 with their self-titled debut album. Run the Jewels is the product of rapper-producer El-P and OutKast homie, emcee Killer Mike. Evocative, striking and timeless, this is absolutely one of the most iconic hip hop album covers of all time. The graphical portrayal of the shirtless rapper covered in blood was a striking image that suggested a rock and metal influence that DMX would later cater to in his recoding career. The record’s title and cover continued the Biblical theme of Memorable, unique and absolutely one of the best rap album covers of all time.ĭMX’s second album dropped less than a year after his debut. The album’s cover is an artistic rendition of the rapper’s face interwoven with the moon. Now over a decade later the record is regarded as a new-school classic. There were high hopes for the debut album from Kanye West protege Kid Cudi before it dropped in September, 2009. , a lot of these album artworks are usually as iconic and memorable as the music itself.Īrtwork, here are the 50 best rap album covers of all time. , and the minimalist allure of A Tribe Called Quest’s To the surreal cartoon universe of MF DOOM’s From the raw, real-world imagery of N.W.A.’s These covers capture a moment, reflect an artist’s persona, or amplify the socio-political messages within the tracks. The visual aesthetic of a rap album is often as crucial as the sonic experience it encapsulates. Still, that doesn’t mean the rap album cover is from a bygone era. Check out the full gallery below.What’s the value of a rap album cover in the streaming era? It’s not like back in the day when vinyl records featured the space large enough to accommodate thoughtful artwork – nowadays, you’re most likely staring at the cover on a mobile device. With that in mind and in light of rap’s 50-year anniversary this summer, XXL takes a look at the greatest album covers from different eras within the genre. Along with an artist's discography, artwork can also be a notable part of their legacy. Fast-forward to more recent years, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake and many more have pushed the boundaries of artistic expression through cover art. Likewise, the tattooed baby face on Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III is a 2008 classic. Till this day, it is one of the most memorable album covers.Ī few years into the new millennium, 50 Cent’s bullet-cracked Get Rich or Die Tryin'depiction became a staple in 2003. The 1998 artwork is a strikingly gory image of the late rapper appearing shirtless with his arms outstretched in a bathtub as he's covered in blood. In the late 1990s, DMX raised eyebrows with the Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood album cover. Artists were seemingly unapologetic about their project's graphics, even if it sparked discourse. The 1990s were all about statement pieces, from Snoop Dogg’s controversial Doggystyle illustration in 1993, to Lil' Kim’s famously daring Hard Core photograph in 1996. The artwork truly captured the progressive psychedelic sound of its time.Īs hip-hop shifted from golden age rhymes to flashy wordplay, album covers became bolder. At the end of the decade in 1989, De La Soul’s 3 Feet High & Rising cover image showcased an original work of art, with colorful hand-painted designs alongside a grayscale group portrait. The cover art displayed the swanky rap duo centered around an enlarged wad of cash, which was arguably glitzy for its era. and Rakim’s famed 1987 Paid in Fullartwork depicted a luxury-themed collage.
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