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The worst album covers ever #2: hip-hop

News
By Joe Bosso published 27 May 2009

The second in our continuing series of cover art lameness. This week... Hip-hop!

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Luke - I Got Shit On My Mind

Luke - I Got Shit On My Mind

Let's be honest: ridiculing any musical genre that calls Vanilla Ice one of its own is akin to shooting fish in a barrel.

On the other hand, have you ever tried shooting fish in a barrel? Fun for hours!

Recently, MusicRadar kicked off a series called The Worst Album Covers Ever, with our inaugural feature harpooning the lamest and most ludicrous cover art that heavy metal ever spewed forth.

And because we're equal opportunity hecklers, we now turn our cringing, disbelieving (OK, bursting-out-laughing) faces to the world of hip-hop, which has no shortage of album cover wretchedness.

At its best, hip-hop is a vital, challenging, creative musical force in which social commentary is delivered as poetry over beats and instrumentation that rock the body and the senses.

These albums don't do that. Well, they might but you wouldn't know it from their covers.

Enough talk (except for a quick 'WARNING! Some of these are verging on the NSFW but only if you work in a place of worship with a public-facing computer or something').

Hip-hop? We love you man, but sometimes a man's gotta shoot a fish, you know?

Page 1 of 23
Page 1 of 23
Big Bear - Doin Thangs

Big Bear - Doin Thangs

Page 2 of 23
Page 2 of 23
Hell Rell - Just For The Hell Of It

Hell Rell - Just For The Hell Of It

Page 3 of 23
Page 3 of 23
Vanilla Ice - To The Extreme

Vanilla Ice - To The Extreme

Page 4 of 23
Page 4 of 23
Devastatin' Dave (The Turntable Slave) - Zip Zap Rap

Devastatin' Dave (The Turntable Slave) - Zip Zap Rap

Page 5 of 23
Page 5 of 23
Pooh-Man (MC Pooh) - Funky As I Wanna Be

Pooh-Man (MC Pooh) - Funky As I Wanna Be

Page 6 of 23
Page 6 of 23
Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped

Geto Boys - We Can't Be Stopped

Page 7 of 23
Page 7 of 23
Tony Tee - Time To Get Physical

Tony Tee - Time To Get Physical

Page 8 of 23
Page 8 of 23
Vanilla Ice - Cool As Ice soundtrack

Vanilla Ice - Cool As Ice soundtrack

Page 9 of 23
Page 9 of 23
The Rappin' Mathematician - Volume 1

The Rappin' Mathematician - Volume 1

Page 10 of 23
Page 10 of 23
Iceberg - Gangsta Rap

Iceberg - Gangsta Rap

Page 11 of 23
Page 11 of 23
Hammer - Too Legit To Quit

Hammer - Too Legit To Quit

Page 12 of 23
Page 12 of 23
Black Jesus - T.G.S.N.T.

Black Jesus - T.G.S.N.T.

Page 13 of 23
Page 13 of 23
Sumthin' Terrible - U 2tupid

Sumthin' Terrible - U 2tupid

Page 14 of 23
Page 14 of 23
he 2 Live Crew - As Nasty As They Wanna Be

he 2 Live Crew - As Nasty As They Wanna Be

Page 15 of 23
Page 15 of 23
Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are... Bangers & Cash

Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are... Bangers & Cash

Page 16 of 23
Page 16 of 23
Suitcase Sam - Rappin' In The Country With Suitcase Sam

Suitcase Sam - Rappin' In The Country With Suitcase Sam

Page 17 of 23
Page 17 of 23
Vanilla Ice - Extremely Live

Vanilla Ice - Extremely Live

Page 18 of 23
Page 18 of 23
New Recruits - Torpedo Alert

New Recruits - Torpedo Alert

Page 19 of 23
Page 19 of 23
Indo G Presents... Christmas N' Memphis (Christmas Will Never Be The Same)

Indo G Presents... Christmas N' Memphis (Christmas Will Never Be The Same)

Page 20 of 23
Page 20 of 23
Lupe Fiasco - Food And Liquor

Lupe Fiasco - Food And Liquor

Page 21 of 23
Page 21 of 23
Insane Clown Posse - Amazing Jeckel Brothers

Insane Clown Posse - Amazing Jeckel Brothers

Page 22 of 23
Page 22 of 23
Lil' Flip - The Leprechaun

Lil' Flip - The Leprechaun

Liked this? Now read: The worst album covers ever #1: heavy metal

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Page 23 of 23
Joe Bosso
Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.

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