Chance The Rapper, LL Cool J, Jean Grae and More Get Marvel Hip-Hop Variant Covers

Marvel is back with some fresh hip-hop variant covers. This time around, Chance The Rapper, LL Cool J, Kevin Gates, Jean Grae, Big Daddy Kane and Salt-N-Pepa are getting their comic book counterpart on a cover. Wu-Tang Clan also received their second variant cover.

"Comics and hip-hop share a common narrative: They’re all about underdogs struggling, striving and persevering against overwhelming odds,” said Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso over email to Playboy. "So it’s no surprise that so many rappers have been influenced by the Marvel mythology or embraced the Marvel heroes over the decades. The hip-hop covers were our way of showing that the love is reciprocal. A lot of the writers, artists and editors that make Marvel Comics are inspired by hip-hop, and it shows in their work."

Alonso continued to explain some of the reasons for why specific comic book heroes were chosen for their rap counterpart like Kevin Gates and Jessica Jones or LL Cool J and Luke Cage.

"We picked Kevin Gates’ Islah for Jessica Jones because his body language simply nails who she is," he said. "Ditto for LL’s BAD—the stance, the attitude was all Luke Cage."

The covers will debut in the following series: Champions #1 by Rahzzah, Ultimates 2 #1 by Risa Hulett, Infamous Iron Man #1 by Anthony Piper, Jessica Jones #1 by Jeff Dekal, Nova #1 by Christian Ward and Cage! #1 by Marco D’Alfonso.

Check out the variants below and head over to Playboy for more info on the variants.