The Worst Mixtape Covers of 2013 (So Far)

Everyone knows that you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, and we hope for the sake of these musicians that the same goes for music. Album artwork often forms our fist impressions of new music. Shoddy designs can influence the way we feel about a mixtape before we hear the first track. They could even keep us from copping the tape in the first place.

Not everyone can afford a top graphic designer, of course, but there's mediocre, and then there's downright terrible. To try and prevent new artists from making more abominable mixtape covers in the next half of the year, we compiled this list of The Worst Mixtape Covers of 2013 (So Far). Even we have to admit that some of them are pretty hilarious.

RELATED: Curren$y's 10 Best Mixtape Covers

RELATED: The Design Evolution of Kanye West's Album Artwork

RELATED: 10 Album Covers Designed by Andy Warhol

Release date: June 13

Is that a paper-thin vault door they're standing on or some kind of circular magic carpet? And why is one person flexing, one shooting, and the other looking for something?

image via

Release date: June 10

This looks like one of those photo-op backgrounds at an amusement park. Too bad it's not 2009 anymore.

image via

Release date: July 4

Cam recently posted this mixtape cover on Instagram, announcing his official return to the game this Fourth of July. We hope he has time to reconsider.

image via

Release date: January 17

This is such an awkward pose! And since this is the fourth installment, why hasn't he made it inside the theater yet? Maybe someone should tell Con about Netflix.

image via

Release date: February 7

Wow.

image via

Release date: January 15

After the second time, you probably should have invested in a big fanny pack or learned to carry less. Someone may have a future in fashion design though because that drawing is more than decent.

image via

Release date: January 28

Play around for five minutes with the beveling Photoshop filter, and you too can have a phenomenal mixtape cover like this.

image via

Release date: May 30

The fish would be weird if everything else about this cover wasn't already so bizarre.

image via

Release date: January 16

P looks uncomfortable on this cover, like a 46-year-old rapper who should have retired a decade ago.

image via

Release date: March 17

We're surprised that he's still allowed to use a computer. At least this is a step up from Hamilton's Sonic the Hedgehog covers. Actually, is that a condom over the cross and a cup labeled AIDS? We take it back. We prefer Sonic.

image via

Release date: June 17

Maybe we missed the prequel.

image via

Release date: January 9

All these years we thought cheese was slang for money.

image via

Release date: February 19

Is that Mushu from Disney's Mulan? Sisqo's dragon was more threatening than this.

image via

Release date: February 28

Rappers and DJs usually save the horror themes for October, not February. The falling leaves are a nice touch, though.

image via

Release date: April 29

There had to be a better picture in an old photo album somewhere.

image via

Release date: June 19

This is a blasphemous reference to a classic Morgan Freeman film. There is something off about the physics of that spill, too.

image via

Release date: January 22

Ghostbusters 3?

image via

Release date: June 3

We think we get what you were going for...and we know we hate it.

image via

Release date: May 9

There were three Lebron Flocka James mixtapes, a Benjamin Flocka mixtape, a DuFlocka Rant, a sequel called Du Flocka Rant 2, and now this. The covers should at least get better if the names get worst, right?

image via

Release date: February 22

We're not sure if this is mixtape cover or a prison singles flyer.

image via

Release date: May 19

Why are you dunking over bags and a backup basketball? We get it, you like expensive stuff. You're trying to hard.

image via

Release date: March 3

Nothing about this is acceptable. Nothing.

image via

Release date: May 22

Turk gets a pass because he's been on vacation, but someone in his camp should have told him that the half-man-half-ape thing has been done and only fuels haters. Sheek Louch learned that the hard way in 2010.

image via

Release date: April 30

This is technically an EP, but it deserves a spot on this list. The handwritten cover was cool the first time around. Now it just seems lazy.

image via

Release date: February 3

We expect no less from him. #ThankYouBasedGod.

image via