The 50 Best Hip-Hop Album Covers of All-Time

An artist’s album cover is arguably the most critical piece when rolling out a new project. Whether it’s a debut album or a performer’s swan song or anywhere in between, there’s always a special narrative or story attached to the music, because it heightens a listener’s experience when diving in for the first time — it’s the perfect companion piece.

Since its inception over 50 years ago, hip-hop culture has played an integral role in advancing stories through captivating portraits, sketches, and paintings that crystalizes an artist’s identity. Whether it was via childhood snapshots like those that graced Nas’ Illmatic or Notorious B.I.G.’s Ready to Die covers, or raunchier, eye-popping images like the ones on the front of Lil Kim’s Hardcore or Kool Keith’s Sex Style, artists took creative swings in the spirit of expressionism. Some covers even caused societal disruption, like those to Ice-T’s Power and Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet.

As time has progressed, album art doesn’t hold the same reverence as it once has. Fewer risks are taken, the emphasis has dwindled, and quite frankly, artists are way more complacent. Still, these 50 covers remain timeless and immortal despite the shift in eras and creativity. They’re not merely icebreakers for casuals who watch Tiny Desk performances on weekends — they’re visual time capsules forever etched in hip-hop history.

Below, Billboard’s hip-hop braintrust ranked the 50 greatest hip-hop album covers of all-time, spanning from from the genre’s earliest days, to some of the new generation’s most daring stars. Take a look below.