Yeah, but when they weren't known.... that helped catch attention.
Did it really do a lot for them though? I'm not being facetious. I'm genuinely curious.
I got into Griselda off of Griselda Ghost, Hall & Nash, Don't Get Scared Now, Reject 2, Flygod, Roses are Red so is Blood, H.B.O., and My 1st Brick. I didn't listen to any of the Hermes tapes until later, and at that time only the 1st 3 were out, and 2 and 3 just had him on the cover in a ski mask. No Hitler imagery. I didn't notice any Hitler imagery until Hermes 4, and at that point I was already invested, even though I thought it was tacky and didn't get it.
By my count the Hermes tapes with artwork featuring Hitler are 1, 4, and 5. Unless there are some alternate covers...2, 3, 6, and 7 just have Gunn on the cover in a ski mask.
I honestly don't think the imagery or the name did much to push them. Maybe it caught a little bit of attention, but when anyone at this point gets asked about what Griselda projects to check out, none of the Hermes tapes are usually at the top of the list.
I could be wrong. Maybe the imagery caught people's attention and got them into Westside Gunn, but if the 1st Gunn project I heard of would've had the name Hitler in it, I probably would've passed on it. If anything I think it could be holding him back.