Best Rap Album Cover Bracket
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2024
- We pit 32 rap album covers against each other in a tournament style bracket, in order to decide the best album art of all-time. This tournament features Astroworld by Travis Scott, Graduation by Kanye West, The Slim Shady LP by Eminem & more. What do you think is the best rap album cover ever?
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The whole "oh its so iconic" angle Ant's bringing for Ready To Die is legitimately so stupid for a bracket like this. Just do a best album of all time bracket then. The bracket is significantly more interesting if you're judging the cover without looking at how well the album was made
exactly, just a random baby in a white background
It’s annoying for album quality too. It’s always an annoying and dumb argument. It’s iconic! We get it! Who cares! Choose the BEST one, that will be infinitely more interesting. God I hate it
@@TheTheorder For me, I think Ant wasn't able to defend RTD that well but man.... RTD has so much depth into it like the duality of an innocent child with eyes full of hope but he's.... born to d*e.... in that horrible world Biggie lays out in the album. Also, how it matches with the way Biggie lays that story from his birth and how he goes through that life from a very young age, takes you through cold-bloodedness, to remorse right up until he offs himself and then that album cover just hits even more. I agree with Ant, I think it's the greatest album cover in Hip Hop ever.
If RTD is just a "random baby on a white background" for y'all then I think you were not the intended audience for the video. There's much more to the cover than that.
Big facts, annoying bringing up another angle to approach the BEST ALBUM COVER bracket.
Exactly. If you’re gonna use the iconic argument, then I don’t see how they can take Flower Boy over Low End Theory
Donda got robbed
😂😂its the winner, just close your eyes
@@Mr.Playlists🤣🤣😭😭😭
😂😂😂😂😂
😂😭😭🙏🏼🙏🏼
😂😂😂
Ant's bias towards Ready to Die is INSANE... it's legit just a picture of a baby on a white background, how the fuck did it make it that far!?
Fr I thought this was gonna be about the actual art, not the iconicness of it. Faces is objectively better art than ready to die
facts
@@Ads_Snaps okay don't get me wrong, Ant is off his meds this entire episode but ready to die is FAR more than just a baby on a white background. It's got a lot of symbolism
And its not even biggie
He relates cause hes a similar size to biggie, thats why hes bias
The “iconic” angle Ant kept taking is ridiculous. If you’re going off of Iconic status, do a most iconic album cover bracket
The Slim Shady LP cover is a scene from “97 Bonnie & Clyde” which is on the album. It’s not a random guy on the dock, that’s Eminem & Halie with Kim in the trunk. That cover clears everything.
The problem with Ant's *"iconic"* argument is that Ant leaned more towards "popularity" and "exposure." The problem is that when discussing art, by that logic, the "Mona Lisa" is the greatest painting of all time, when it's not even a top 10 Da Vinci art piece.
ICONIC just means *"relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon."* An ICON is *"a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere."* The value in something iconic is in *"How easy it's to remember?"* and *"How easy it's to recognize?"*
Being iconic is just ONE ASPECT that an artist needs to worry about. When making art, the artist also needs to transmit emotions/messages, do a good job at representing his/her vision, have a purpose for existing in the first place, separate yourself from the rest, etc...
The value in art is in the creativity (not being too stale/predictable), composition (being recognizable and not having a bunch of useless bullshit across the art piece that serves no purpose), color palette (how pleasant it's to look at), meaning (how well it represents the album) and how good of a job the artist did to sell that image (so you can see it in the context that the artist wants you to see it).
Thank you
Anything ant says is right
If we’re talking about BETTER and not more iconic, carter 3 is a better cover than ready to die….
bro ready to die is literally just a baby on white background it makes no sense
well like its more about how the album cover ties into the concept of the album so id still say ready to die.
@@HeII0_th3r3 respect
Nah
@@simonunge6911its about the irony of the title with the cover, showing an innocent little baby one a clean white background, with the title READY TO DIE is just so good, why would a baby be ready to die?
Atrocity exhibition getting first rounded is a horrendous take also no motm 3?
Yeah for sure, faces is great but I’m taking atrocity exhibition any day of the week.
motm 3 isnt as iconic
@@drrippyjuicelive its only iconic because the album is better. Which goes against the whole idea of this bracker being BEST covers. MOTM 3 is easily the better cover
NFR only acknowledge the quality of cudi's first two albums
@@joseguerrero2253 shame cause motm3 is lowkey the best one
The doggystyle glazing is wild ngl, I cannot see it being that highly ranked
Fr
fr
Illmatic is no way in hell the best album cover on there but it is way better than doggystyle. and then it goes on to beat kids see ghosts and tpab 💀
Overrated cover
@@EM-xm8po which is crazy
0:52 “playing with the kids at the amusement park” -Ant
real
Average Drake fan
“Drake liked this comment”
Madvillany would have made a crazy run here
That's a cheatcode. Automatic winner.
it's just a cover with mf doom and a orange square it's not that good
Overrated cover
How?
Just a dude with a mask
Tha carter 3 looks so much better than ready to die
+1
No
SSLP cover is Eminem (and Hailey). Shit is perfect.
Lu looking mad cute today
everyday
Pause
It’s cuz ice spice is dropping
Got me acting up
real
TYLERS FLOWER BOY COVER IS MAJESTIC
The musics not there tho
@@501sYt but its based on the cover not the music
@@21ARYAN ik but imo I didnt like tylers cover the cover background is good but they made tyler dirty like he looks like he weighs 60lbs and is skinny asf
Relapse cover by Eminem is underrated
Thank you for this comment
100%
Revival cover is so underrated because it shows the listener’s reaction to the album.
We need a part 2 with TA13OO, The Forever Story, Piñata, 2014 FHD, JEFFERY, Let the Sun Talk, Learn 2 Swim, and more 🙏🏾
awaken my love, cheat codes, ctrl, daytona, inspectah deck, manger on mcnichols, random access memories, scaring the hoes, section.80, watching movies with the sound off
@@peabody688 daytona would make a push
@SmashedBurrito_ frrrrr
Swimming
Wwww for learn 2 swim
No way SSLP loses in the first round , that cover art is sick.
Agreed. For me it’s Em’s best album cover
Such an amazing album cover. Better than the blueprint by far
@@FowlerTheScouser-xh4epTES too
I have always preferred the original album cover for GKMC over the deluxe one, but i guess it's just me
Fr I prefer the homies over V A N
frl thats the one i got on my wall
Nah it was over for me after G.R.O.D.T beat TSSLP 😂
You dont like seeing sexy 50 cent
I still don't get what was so next level about the GRODT cover. I just don't get the hype around it (both as an album, musically speaking, and as a cover).
@@mohash21 Cross in the middle of the bullet hole signifying it 'blocked' the bullet and saved him / Gods watching over him is pretty genius tbh. It sums up his story pretty perfectly in one picture
@@JS310 but it's a basic picture imo. Like it's just 50 standing and staring. Other albums had much more going on conceptually within the covers. The whole bullet hole thing is ok at best, doesn't really make me go crazy as though it's the most genius and impactful thought.
I get the deeper meaning behind the bullet holes & the placement of the broken glass but it’s just not aesthetically pleasing compared to say a KSG, Atrocity Exhibition, Graduation
The meat riding for get rich or die trying bro, 50 cent vs a movie poster what are we talking about
BRACKET OF THE BEST BEAT SWITCHES
HOW MANY TIMES AM I GOING TO ASK
sicko mode vs fsmh in the finals ahhh bracket
@@emilio6291 more like 90210 vs Fake names
@@emilio6291 groovy Tony vs DUCKWORTH
@@emilio6291 so many great debates but these damn guys won’t make the video
Why did they put Live Love Asap cover over ALLA cover? ALLA cover is Rocky’s best
Nfr never stops pissing me off❤
3:15 I think the Good Kid Mad City cover is somehow much better. Of course the photo of Kendrick with the attachment is more interesting and cooler as a photo in itself, but I just think the vibe of the K.K.M.C cover is better. It feels better when you hold it in your hand as vinyl.
They knew exactly what they were doing with that T.I.T.S. 😂
Liquid Swords album cover is the greatest ever imo
It's just a baby on a point blank white background, what is so good about it xd
For real bro. So overrated
MM..Food shouldve won smh
Fr (no bias)
No Bandana, Madvillainy, At Long Last ASAP, Ta13oo, DRFL, 1999, Eternal Atake, All eye on me, 2014 FHD, TFS or Be ⁉️⁉️
need a pt.2 surely
My top 5:
1. The Slim Shady LP
2. The Blueprint
3. Graduation
4. Astroworld
5. All eyez on me
Doggystyle’s cover is lame wtf how is it crazy lmao
No it’s a perfect album cover. It’s beautiful and matches the album name
@@squeezeslemons 100% agreed, another stupid iCoNiC take
Illmatic, Kids See Ghosts and To Pimp a Butterfly were all better covers than Doggystyle. And I like the Doggystyle album cover btw.
@@ajstulbergNah Illmatic album cover is actually terrible, you’re being blinded by how good the music is. However I agree with the other take
@@Former_120fovSotter how are u gonna tell someone something is perfect
Ant dying on every hill because the art is iconic, Lu creaming in his pants over some broken glass. Somehow the winner was actually pretty good.
I like the "Get Rich Or Die Trying" album cover, but when 50 pouts, his face kind of reminds me of the lion from the Madagascar movies.
i can’t tell if they put the wrong cover or wrong title for long live asap
Exactly what I'm wondering
the bracket says long live but the picture is live love
We absolutely need a part 2 of this
I love the MF DOOM cover but man Graduation is visually more amazing and more iconic. Greatest cover of all time honestly
They are my two favourite album covers of all time . Picking one of them was the hardest decision i have ever taken ( i didn't even pick one 💀)
You guys should do a posse cut tierlist/bracket
Where is Trap Story by Gucci Mane? That’s the best cover of all time by far
NO WAY ASTROWORLD BOUNCED FIRST ROUND WTFF
ksg clears
@@jakestatefarm4612 so cap ngl when i see the cover of astroworld i can already hear the music thats in the album
@@SmashedBurrito_so do I with ksg
Its a great idea and composition but it looks kinda cheap in my opinion + ksg top tier
@@SmashedBurrito_so? That doesn't really matter icl
That Doggystyle cover is awful as shit
THANK U someone said it lmao
Bad take imo... I know what you're trying to say but I think you miss the point. There's so much that's expressed there... This cheeky new comic-esque character from the West Coast that came in with this huge wave and the G-funk no-f**ks given era of the 90's.... But hey, to each their own.
@@mohash21 yeah but it's horrible
Fr, it’s ironic asf but it’s not that great lol
KSG clears it
Ants 2 favorite things to say:
1: “To a certain extent.”
2. “If Im being honest with you.”
The Liquid Swords exit does hurt😂😂
It’s easily the best album cover here and you could make the argument that it’s the best hip hop album here too
2 min in and this ranking has gone to crap
fr bro Astroworld got robbed
Not understanding how a baby with a white background made it that far.
for nothing was the same, the older drake is definitely the most iconic
Yea , but the one with drake being a child is way better imo . Its like he is actually staring into his future , which makes much more sense than adult drake doing the same
"I've never been in a big 'hoo-rah' over the bullet hole." Is ants funniest take to date. (And he's right)
lu's argument for GRODT is funny. "it represents the content of the album" SSLP cover is literally a reference to 97 bonnie and clyde.
2:29 - “…reaching for some cheeks” 😭😭
Never noticed this, but the “Doggystyle” cover lowkey looks like Snoopy’s house from The Peanuts
My personal final would’ve been Atrocity Exhibition vs Graduation/Flower Boy
This is going so badly I’m making my own list with you.
Round 1
KSG
Illmatic
TPAB
ATliens
GRODT
Straight Outta Compton
Ready to Die
Atrocity Exhibition. (These two should not be matched together imo. they are WAY too different).
Graduation
Bizarre Ride II (way too close imo)
Flower Boy
The Low End Theory
The Blueprint
(I’m crying this is so hard 😭😭) Liquid Swords
No Pressure
ITANOMTHUB (follow the leader instead would be way harder for me imo 😔)
Round 2
Illmatic and KSG covers speaks for their albums so hard. I’m so stuck on this. imma go for KSG.
TPAB
I’m personally going Straight Outta Compton
Ready to Die
Graduation
Flower Boy yeah
Liquid Swords (but I’m biased asf)
No Pressure
Round 3
KSG (KSG vs TPAB vs Illmatic is so cruel imo) (ant please never cook again)
Straight Outta Compton
Graduation
Liquid Swords
Round 4
Straight Outta Compton but it even may be a tie
Graduation but it may even be a tie
Final Round
Straight Outta Compton
I can’t believe how much I disagree with everything you’ve said in this video. LOL but well okay
Nahhhh, F&L got done dirty, Logic literally took inspiration from that (and sampled Gold Watch from The Cool). When something is that much of a homage, you gotta go with the cover that thought of the idea first
Missing :
- Madvillany
- The Marshall Mathers LP
- The Forever Story
- Late Registration
- Stankonia
- Rodeo (Original)
18:25 Method Man, U-God and Masta Killa are missing on the album cover.
as the #1 rocky glazer, i can't stand to see that y'all mistook long live asap for live love asap
Objection! I'm the number 1 rocky glazer
slim shady shouldve gone way farther into the bracket. seeing eminem and hailey on the dock with slims girl in the car with the trunk open and the moon at night. so cinematic.
I'm surprised that you chose the PARTYNEXTDOOR cover as your top pick, Lou, but I respect your choice
We need a second bracket. There's a ton more great album covers.
Aquemini, Because the Internet, Madvillainny, Man On the Moon II, Miseducation, College Dropout, Rodeo, Pray For Haiti, Doris, Alfredo, Blank Face LP, The Tipping Point, Deltron 3030, Melodic Blue, My Krazy Life etc. etc.
The Blueprint being a final contender makes no sense. If that album was mid it would've gotten knocked off at group stage.
@@spukerchannel you do know that an album's cover is highly intensified because of the content itself right? The cover of Blueprint perfectly encapsulates the album and is a dope shot
Rap artist logo bracket or tier list would be a cool idea too
let’s gooo new NFR baby, ‼️
Liquid swords losing against the blueprint for me is crazy but it is what it is.
20:35
I 100% agree with Lu. A lot of artists these days don't put their name and album title on the front cover. I seriously will never understand that.
It's really funny how many comments there are on the subject. "How can you rule that out?", "That's absolutely awesome, wtf?" "The colors in combination with the expression." I find it somehow beautiful. People discussing art and aesthetics.
Edit: And since I'm bringing it up, how can 50 Cent win? Slim wins by far 😁
I like how they say that it’s about the best album cover and not how iconic it is and they put paid in full on the list
My favorites have to be Ironman- Ghost Face, Aquemini- Outkast, Uncle Sams Curse- Above The Law, King Tee- Act a Fool
My picks:
Round 1:
ASTROWORLD > KIDS SEE GHOSTS
Illmatic > Doggystyle (by a LONG shot; the Doggystyle cover is honestly awful imo)
good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe) > To Pimp a Butterfly
The Incredible True Story > ATLiens
The Slim Shady LP > Get Rich or Die Tryin' (by a long shot)
Straight Outta Compton > 3 Feet High and Rising (by a long shot)
Tha Carter III > Ready to Die
Atrocity Exhibition > Faces (by a long shot)
Nothing Was the Same > Graduation (just barely; both are amazing)
MM..FOOD > Bizarre Ride II
Man on the Moon: The End of Day > Flower Boy
The Low End Theory > Drill Music in Zion (by a long shot)
LIVE.LOVE.A$AP > The Blueprint
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) > Liquid Swords (by a long shot)
Food & Liquor > No Pressure
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back > Pain in Full
Sweet 16:
Illmatic > ASTROWORLD (by a long shot)
good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe) > The Incredible True Story
The Slim Shady LP > Straight Outta Compton
Atrocity Exhibition > Tha Carter III
Nothing Was the Same > MM..FOOD (by a long shot)
Man on the Moon: The End of Day > The Low End Theory (by a long shot)
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) > LIVE.LOVE.A$AP
Food & Liquor > It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Elite 8:
good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe) > Illmatic
The Slim Shady LP > Atrocity Exhibition
Man on the Moon: The End of Day > Nothing Was the Same
Food & Liquor > Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) [just barely]
Final 4:
The Slim Shady LP > good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe)
Man on the Moon: The End of Day > Food & Liquor (by a long shot)
Championship:
Man on the Moon: The End of Day > The Slim Shady LP
ant's learning lesson at 32:57 made my day
Illmatic album cover is low-key ass
? it's hard asf + it started the whole trend of putting a baby photo on an album cover
@@hovikuwu it's literally a faded baby photo with a city background. Takes like 30 sec to make lmao
@@ISpeakCartinese yeah...and it speaks a thousand words. The city of crime through a child's eyes.... And the storytelling on the album legit paint that exact same picture. It's like Nas takes you through the streets of N.Y from a young cat's perspective.
@@mohash21 I'm not saying the idea of the cover is bad, I'm just saying the actual cover is bad
@@ISpeakCartinesewho gives a shit how long it takes to make something, that’s not what art is about at all
Blueprint cover over LLA is crazy to me
i would have had the slim shady lp not knocked out so early. It’s fuckin poetic
I was shouting at my screen when it was Slim Shady LP. Ant, it’s not some random guy on the cover! It’s Eminem standing with little Hailey and Kim is in the truck! It is the story of 97 Bonnie and Clyde!
I clicked off the video when astroworld was a first round exit. My fav cover art oat, and now my fav album oat.
Graduation deserves the most flowers, the cover alone defined a whole generation and fits the lp itself perfectly. Every time I look at the cover it makes me think of the good ol times
My 3 fav albums covers of all time:
Denzel curry - TA1300
Westside gunn - pray for paris
Bladee - icedancer
HM: lil uzi vert vs the world, ignorance is bliss, freewave 3 and die lit
I personally would’ve like to have seen “Uptown Saturday Night” album cover by Camp Lo.
This is my new favorite nfr video 😂
33:07 "Tyler can hop back in his McLaren and drive away" lmao
y'all could have added Makaveli The Don Killuminati: The Seven Day Theory cover too, yesterday I came to know that on the cross there are maps and names written of the New York Burroughs, cities and other West Coast hoods. Pac felt he will be a martyr for all of those people as he felt crucified by the game. genius stuff, there is also a compass above the cross, describing the demographic divide due to the East Coast-West Coast beef.
The new Common & Pete Rock album cover is crazy too I won’t lie
no pray for paris is crazy
I think you guys should redo this but then look at the art and not what is the most iconic
Graduation, mm food n liquid swords are all better than blueprint fam
The Low End Theory cover is definitely better than Flower Boy
Blueprint is sick but they way they overhyping the camera angle for it 😭😭 was good enough for semis maximum
I’m baffled
Nahh this has to be one of their funniest video 😂
my picks
ksg > astroworld
doggystyle > illmatic (barely)
tpab > gkmc
Atliens > the incredible true story
grodt > slim shady lp
straight outta compton > 3fhar
Carter 3 > rtd
atrocity exhibition > faces
grad > nwts
mm food > br2tp
flower boy > motm
low end theory > dmiz
blueprint > long live asap
liquid swords > 36 chambers
no pressure > food & liquor
paid in full > itanomthub
ksg > doggystyle (barely)
atliens > tpab (barely)
grodt > straight outta Compton
Carter 3 > atrocity exhibition
grad > mm food
flower boy > low end theory
liquid swords > blueprint (barely)
paid in full > no pressure (barely)
atliens > ksg (barely)
grodt > carter 3
grad > flower boy
liquid swords > paid in full
atliens > grodt (barely)
grad > liquid swords (barely)
atliens > grad (barely)
I dont think Ant did any justice to the sslp cover tbh, to explain in, the cover is a "photo" taken in the events of the song Bonnie & Clyde where Eminem has killed his baby momma or his wife and he goes on a trip with his daughter Hailee to the beach to dump the body and you can see in the cover Em with Hailee in the distance and the open trunk of the car with a leg sticking out, the leg of yk.
No pressure beating Food and Liquor is criminal
These matchups were awesome!! All tough decisions
The Blueprint being second is hilarious, also why are there two Kendrick albums? And why are they against each other guaranteeing one progressing? I’m a Kendrick fan but that doesn’t seem fair
atrocity exhibition is so good no way its getting first rounded
Atrocity exhibition has such a perfect cover, and the album’s perfect too
Straight outta Compton could’ve made a way bigger push but I would also like to say, Graduation could’ve made a bigger push as well, hell even semi finals or maybe even final because of how unique and colorful it is. MM food is good but that style of album has been replicated and (could be wrong) mm food could’ve been a copy of that style depending on when it dropped. I have not found a single rap album cover that was able to copy or replicate graduation
Astroworld out in the first 30 seconds is absolutely crazy
Why was I getting emotional at ready to die vs get rich or die trying 😭
I ain’t even watch this video until the end and I know Ant and Lu are gonna be HELLA biased towards Ready To Die and Get Rich or Die Tryin and they’re gonna make it to the end just because they’re “iconic”. There are so many objectively better covers (imo KSG should win this whole bracket, that painting is like my fav painting ever).
21:58 Summary of Ant’s takes this whole video:
No Pressure over It Takes A Nation is so valid
if heros and villains was on this list it would wife every album off the face of the earth, nobody can top that
Bro had to blur the doggystyle pic 😂