Leland Wayne—the man the world knows as Metro Boomin—doesn't just drop beats. He drops moments. If you’ve spent any time on Rap Twitter or scrolling through Spotify since 2013, you’ve seen it. That specific, dark, often cinematic visual language that accompanies his production. It’s not accidental.
Most producers are happy with a logo in the corner of a rapper's cover. Not Metro. From the literal flames of Heroes & Villains to the nostalgic "bling" chaos of Savage Mode II, Metro Boomin album covers have become a critical part of his brand identity. Honestly, he treats his projects like blockbuster films, and the artwork is the theatrical poster that sets the mood before a single 808 hits your eardrums.
The Pink Floyd Connection and the High Stakes of Heroes & Villains
When Heroes & Villains dropped in 2022, the internet went into a bit of a meltdown over the cover art. It features Metro shaking hands with another version of himself who is completely engulfed in flames.
If you’re a classic rock fan, you recognized it instantly.
It is a direct, unapologetic homage to Pink Floyd’s 1975 masterpiece, Wish You Were Here. The original photo, taken by Aubrey "Po" Powell of Hipgnosis, symbolized the music industry’s tendency to "burn" artists—the "empty handshake" of a business deal.
By recreating this, Metro wasn't just being "retro." He was signaling a shift in how we view producers. He’s the protagonist now. The imagery, shot by photographer Matt Adam, suggests a duality: the "hero" and the "villain" within the same creator. It’s heavy. It’s dramatic. And it worked perfectly to frame an album that felt like a dark, operatic journey through the psyche of modern trap.
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The Missing Person Mystery
Before that, we had Not All Heroes Wear Capes. This was the 2018 project that solidified his solo superstar status. The rollout was legendary. Missing person fliers started appearing on billboards in Atlanta and New York. No context. Just Metro’s face and the words "Missing Person."
When the cover finally leaked—revealing Metro mid-leap, silhouetted against a cloudy sky like a street-level Superman—it connected all the dots. He hadn't been missing; he’d been in the lab, ascending. The visual was clean, minimalist, and signaled that he was finally stepping out from behind the rappers to claim his own narrative.
Why Savage Mode II Went Full 90s Nostalgia
You remember the "bling-bling" era? The late 90s and early 2000s when Cash Money and No Limit Records ruled the South? Their covers were insane. They were crowded, shiny, and looked like they were made in a basement with an early version of Photoshop.
For Savage Mode II, Metro and 21 Savage did the unthinkable. They brought Pen & Pixel out of retirement.
For those who don't know, Pen & Pixel was the Houston-based design firm responsible for those iconic, over-the-top covers for Master P, Juvenile, and Three 6 Mafia. They hadn't worked on a major rap project in decades.
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- The Vibe: Diamond-encrusted text, hovering knives, and a weirdly realistic wolf.
- The Reason: It wasn't just a meme. It was a tribute to the Southern rap lineage that birthed Metro’s sound.
- The Impact: It instantly made the album feel like a "classic" before anyone even heard the Morgan Freeman narration.
People either loved it or hated it. There was no in-between. But that’s the point of great art, right? It forces a reaction. While the first Savage Mode featured a simple, cold photo of 21 Savage with a knife on his forehead, the sequel used the artwork to tell a story about where they came from.
The Cinematic Shift: From Without Warning to Spider-Verse
Metro’s visuals often lean into horror or comic book tropes. Look at Without Warning, his 2017 collab with Offset and 21 Savage. The cover is just a snarling Doberman in the dark. It’s aggressive. It’s simple. It tells you exactly how those beats are going to feel—vicious and unpredictable.
Then you have his work on the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack.
For this, Metro was literally transformed into a character within the Marvel multiverse. The marketing featured "Spider-fied" illustrations of every guest artist, from Future to James Blake. This wasn't just a soundtrack; it was a "Metro Boomin Presents" event. By aligning Metro Boomin album covers with the visual language of one of the biggest film franchises in the world, he essentially ascended to "A-list curator" status.
We Don't Trust You: The Minimalist Flex
In 2024, when he teamed up with Future for We Don't Trust You, the aesthetic shifted again. The cover features the duo in a desert landscape, draped in high-end fashion (Metro in Celine, Future in Lanvin).
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It feels expensive. It feels cold.
The minimalism of the shot—captured again by Matt Adam—reflects the "business" of their partnership. There are no flames or comic book characters here. It’s just two titans at the top of their game, looking like they’re about to shut the industry down. Which, if you followed the Kendrick vs. Drake fallout that started on that very album, is exactly what they did.
Making It Stick: Lessons from Metro's Visual Game
If you're a creator, there is a lot to learn from how Metro handles his imagery. He doesn't just pick a "cool" photo. He builds a world.
- Reference the Greats: Don't be afraid to pull from history. Whether it's Pink Floyd or 90s Southern rap, using established visual "codes" helps your audience understand the depth of your work.
- Consistency is Key: Notice how Matt Adam's photography has become a staple for Metro. Having a "go-to" visual partner helps create a cohesive brand that fans can recognize instantly.
- The Rollout is Part of the Art: The billboards for Not All Heroes Wear Capes proved that the cover art starts long before the file is uploaded to Spotify. Use the mystery to build the hype.
The evolution of Metro Boomin album covers shows a producer who understands that we hear with our eyes first. He’s moved from being the guy in the background to a visual storyteller who uses every square inch of that digital thumbnail to command respect.
If you want to dive deeper into the technical side of his brand, start by looking into the photography of Matt Adam or the history of the Pen & Pixel studio. Understanding those two extremes—the cinematic and the "bling"—is the key to understanding how Metro Boomin conquered the aesthetic of modern hip-hop.
To truly appreciate these visuals, go back and watch the Heroes & Villains short film directed by Gibson Hazard. It bridges the gap between the music and the cover art, showing how Metro uses high-budget cinematography to turn a simple beat tape into a cultural event. Once you see the effort put into the "Metropolis" world-building, those album covers will never look like just "pictures" again.