Kendrick Lamar is really setting a precedence with his upcoming new album, To Pimp a Butterfly. Not only is that daunting four-letter word risking a potential censorship in retail stores who carry the CDs adjacent from bars of soap, he also sent a loud message with the album’s artwork.
By depicting the homies of “the hood” infiltrating the White House, he let it be known that his interest in going commercial to be able to compete with Macklemore on that Grammy stage is little to none. (As if the street single, “The Black The Berry” didn’t allude to that enough.)
To help hammer home the message, we compiled several politically charged rap album covers that have preceded To Pimp a Butterfly.
Hip-Hop is alive and well.
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Photos: Universal Pictures, Interscope.
The Roots – Things Fall Apart (1999)
Take your pick. The LRC were giving out history lessons with argubably their best album.
Nas – Nigger Untitled (2008)
That slave-whipped “N” stood a lot more for than just Nas in this instance. The music on the LP clarifies as such.
The Coup – Party Music (2001)
Contrary to first assumption, this controversial cover was created before the 9/11 attacks and subsequently banned for obvious reasons. The thought-provoking rap group still stood behind the message regardless.
Ice Cube – Death Certificate (1991)
If you look closely at the cover of arguably Hip-Hop’s most socially poignant album of all-time, the “death certificate” being signed is Uncle Sam’s. Yep.
Ice T – Home Invasion (1993)
The man you know as a TV cop fought for this album artwork to the point he had to switch labels just to get it out to the public. White suburbia’s nightmare.
Boogie Down Productions – By All Means Necessary (1988)
By channeling the honorable El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, KRS-One still reigns supreme with one the culture’s most provocative works of arts; visually and vocally.
Above The Law – Uncle Sam’s Curse (1994)
Does the government hate the ghetto? The Black Supermen said yes.
The Roots – Game Theory (2006)
The dark overtones of the music indeed matched the Jim Crow-esque cover on The Roots’ seventh studio album.
Common – Like Water For Chocolate (2000)
Gordon Parks’ “1956 Alabama” served as the template for the true beginning of Common’s rise to legendary status.
dead prez – Let’s Get Free (1999)
They told you it was “bigger than Hip-Hop” and the photo of child rebel soldiers proved as such.
Kam – Made In America (1995)
The West Coast forward thinking had you scratching your head before you even pushed play.
Kool G Rap & DJ Polo – Live And Let Die (1992)
Narcos and nooses. What else do you need to know?
Paris – Acid Reflux (2008)
As Lupe Fiasco once said, “Give ’em gum, give ’em guns, get ’em young, give ’em fun/But if they ain’t giving it up, then they ain’t getting none.”
Def Jef – Soul Food (1991)
What color is your lord and savior?
