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When Rappers Morph into Animals for Album Art

Kanye West and Jay-Z are beasts in the studio. Now, with the help of Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci, The Throne has captured that same animalistic quality through art.<br /><br />Included in the booklet for their <em>Watch the Throne</em> album are a set of bold, black-and-white photos of the two posed as the lions of hip-hop, with fangs coming out of their mouths and whiskers out of their cheekbones.<br /><br />But this isn't the first time rappers have channeled their animal instincts for images that eventually appear in their album sleeves. <em>XXL</em> presents a short list of other album covers in which hip-hoppers morph into their beastly counterparts. Growl!<em>—Gina Montana</em>

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Sheek Louch, <em>Donnie G: Don Gorilla</em>

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Sho Baraka, <em>Lions and Liars</em>

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Birdman, <em>Baby AKA The # 1 Stunna</em>

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Animal Cracker, <em>The Killing Booth</em>