50 Cent wants to assist Virgil Abloh with the cover of Pop Smoke’s debut studio album, Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon. The fashion designer caught criticism after the album artwork hit the web earlier in the week, and fans felt the creation was disrespectful to the late rapper.
Fif initially criticized the creation on Instagram writing, “f**k Virgil he’s [out] of here,” after he learned that Abloh was behind the cover.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday (June 30), the G-Unit honcho offered Abloh a helping hand. “Hey Virgil we need new album art. They ain’t going for that bulls**t. Love ya work let’s get to it.”
Hey Virgil we need new album art, they ain’t going for this bullshit. Love ya work let’s get to it. 🤔Steven i told you this shit was 😡eww let’s get it right! #bransoncognac #lecheminduroi pic.twitter.com/mE24CtErto
— 50cent (@50cent) June 30, 2020
Abloh later explained that the cover was inspired by his final conversation with Pop Smoke. “This album cover was one of like 5 things we talked about,” Virgil wrote in a deleted Instagram post. “He mentioned his story felt like the metaphor of a rose & thorns growing from the concrete of his hood in Canarsie, Brooklyn. In your memory, I just finished it yesterday.” Pop Smoke’s manager reportedly decided to change the cover of the album, which is slated for release on Friday (July 3).
UPDATE: Pop Smoke’s manager says they will change the album cover after listening to the fans. https://t.co/eGPQ9DXa1t
— Hot Freestyle (@HotFreestyle) June 30, 2020
In March, Fif announced that he was working on Pop Smoke’s posthumous LP. “I’m on the move listening to Pop Smoke. I deduced I’m gonna executive produce and finish his album for him,” he revealed on Instagram.
Pop Smoke was shot and killed inside his Southern California rental home in February. His murder remains unsolved.