44. Smino, Blkswn
A wild card on this list is an act out of St. Louis named Smino that put out an album called Blkswn. The 2017 release might not have made a huge impact on the culture (despite the quality production and respectable flow), but the artist value and hood-inspiration on its cover simply is hard to deny. Smino appears to be getting his hair styled in twisted-knots by a lady with gem-stoned fingers. Hanging from the front side of his head is a wide-tooth comb with Blkswn written in thick-tipped Sharpee. A cascading red tone makes the scene warm and elevates the snapshot to another level.
It reflects something else … that this “Show Me State” rapper is thoughtful which is why talented artists like Noname and Rayvne Lenae have given him the co-sign.