Designer Virgil Abloh has elicited outrage and provided social media with meme material yet again. Less than a month after catching flack for a paltry donation to bail funds for protesters, the Off-White founder has come under fire for his work on Pop Smoke’s posthumous album cover.
On Monday (June 29), Pop’s manager Steven Victor unveiled his client’s Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon cover art and revealed the late rapper requested Abloh design it. Although Pop’s wish was granted, fans have since called out Abloh for an apparent lack of effort in creating the artwork.
A petition asking to change the album cover has already received more than 8,000 signatures.
View this post on Instagramyou were always shootings for the stars and aiming for the moon. everything we talked about is happening, the only thing is you’re not here in the flesh to see it all come together. you wanted Virgil to design your album cover and lead creative.. Virgil designed the album cover and led creative.. we love you and miss you more and more each day ❤️
Pop’s Shoot For The Stars, Aim For The Moon is scheduled to drop on Friday (July 3). The LP is the follow-up to Meet The Woo 2, which was the slain artist’s last project before he passed away in February.
The Brooklyn-bred rapper was shot and killed during a home invasion in Los Angeles on February 19. Little progress has been made in his murder investigation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Pop, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, was only 20 years old. His posthumous album, which is executive produced by 50 Cent, will be released through Victor Victor Worldwide and Republic Records.
Check out some of the reactions to Pop’s Abloh-designed cover, including a few strays aimed at 50, below.
virgil really a bitch for doing pop’s cover like pic.twitter.com/LLE5CN0mmD
— baby k (@soykosi) June 29, 2020
Imma keep it two virgils … Virgil Abloh needs to be arrested for this pic.twitter.com/Kzy5qUxoMD
— Two ? (@Tw0Virgils) June 29, 2020
Virgil needs his ass beat. What kind of disrespect is this? Get someone else to create Pop Smokes artwork. Mchewwwww! pic.twitter.com/j2RG3lAzzc
— Back to Basics (@UjuCrystall) June 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/hikristofferson/status/1277772625121443840/photo/4
Yall need to bully @50cent to get the Pop Smoke cover changed the same way y'all bullied him to change the Power theme song back when they had Trey Songz sing it
We not accepting that Virgil bs cover
— Beyoncé's Future Lawyer (@FrontMasterFlex) June 30, 2020
First you donate 50 weak ass dollars and now this shit!! Virgil just quit you bozo pic.twitter.com/wPvCDyVZbB
— LAFLAMESSTEPSON??? (@laflamesstepson) June 29, 2020
Virgil fr used PicsArt for this..?♂️? pic.twitter.com/hWzye2v1VY
— NemoAintShit! (@NEMOHHOES) June 29, 2020
I’m not for cancelling people man, but Virgil needs to be stopped. We’ve had enough. He was better off doing this. pic.twitter.com/s52HEx5S0X
— Macc McCray ? (@MaccMcCray) June 29, 2020
Nah we as a collective gotta beat up Virgil for this nasty ass album cover and keep him just putting bread twisties on Nike Overplays
— (Frank) (@WhatisTheBronx) June 29, 2020
Finna make a new cover for Pop Smoke album myself. Somebody gotta go smash Virgil laptop for creating this 55
— AKAI ?☠️?☠️?☠️ (@shinlonered) June 29, 2020
bruh. lol virgil can’t be serious he submitted that trash as the official album cover. and why 50 cent accept it!? ??
— justice for breonna taylor NOW? (@iamRIFLEX) June 29, 2020
Virgil Abloh deadass just copied and pasted pop smoke's face on MS Paint https://t.co/Xa3dxISUih
— Ahmed/Justice for Breonna Taylor Elijah McClain (@big_business_) June 29, 2020
virgil said u mfs like tht 50 dollar joke so much guess how much i paid the graphic designer
— g (@stopitg) June 29, 2020
All Virgil has done is looked at What a Time To Be Alive and Beerbongs and Bentlys and mashed it together for Pop Smokes POSTHUMOUS album. The disrespect. pic.twitter.com/2PasR5zp3L
— ??? ???? (@theRapTalk) June 30, 2020
Pop Smoke in heaven when he sees Virgil's design pic.twitter.com/H4jUjNeQ3Y
— kawasaki (@kaawaasakii) June 29, 2020
I just want you to know Virgil designed this. Do whatever you would like with this info..but Pop Smoke is rolling in his grave. pic.twitter.com/WXPpjKtMpo
— triple taurus (@evelynvwoodsen) June 29, 2020
pop smoke watching virgil whip up his album art on MS paint pic.twitter.com/JhCWzky7hM
— 2020 the album (@DijahSB) June 29, 2020
Virgil put zero effort into that album cover. He literally used the first photo that comes up when you search Pop Smoke’s name on Google. pic.twitter.com/VUh4lHT12p
— Memes (@memepluug) June 29, 2020
https://twitter.com/montebooker/status/1277746778037645313
The Woo’s when they catch Virgil Abloh lackin for making that shitty album cover pic.twitter.com/GukTZQ5O4x
— Two ? (@Tw0Virgils) June 29, 2020
virgil, did u even try https://t.co/hDUBvvzbUu
— mafia ☆ boy (@levicarter) June 29, 2020
Pop Smoke in heaven looking at the rubbish art cover Virgil Abloh made for his album. pic.twitter.com/WazsUEhSEJ
— c (@chuuzus) June 29, 2020