art is subjective

Pop Smoke’s Manager Says They’ll Change Rapper’s Posthumous Album Art After Backlash

Photo: Instagram/StevenVictor

Given the tragic untimely death of rapper Pop Smoke, the stage name of Bashar Barakah Jackson, in February of this year, it’s reasonable to assume his fans would be sensitive about the arrival of his posthumous debut album, which is scheduled to drop on Friday, July 3. Still, it seems like they were not at all prepared for the cover art for the release, which follows his mixtapes Meet the Woo and Meet the Woo 2. Designed by Louis Vuitton designer Virgil Abloh, the cover art was, if not universally hated, at least very vocally objected to when it arrived on Monday, posted by Steven Victor, the head of Pop Smoke’s label Victor Victor Worldwide, on Instagram.

Almost instantly, Pop Smoke fans weighed in on the design, which many felt seemed rushed, or even worse, just plain bad. The reaction was quick, and so pervasive, Victor responded to it within a few hours, indicating that he and the label would revisit the cover. “BRB. MAKING A CHANGE,” he tweeted. “POP WOULD LISTEN TO HIS FANS!” Abloh, meanwhile, deleted the image from his Instagram.

Either way, the album is currently set to arrive this Friday, new cover art or no. In the meantime, you can check its newly-released tracklist below, courtesy of Pitchfork.

01 Bad Bitch From Tokyo (Intro) (prod. by 808Melo)
02 Aim For the Moon [ft. Quavo] (prod. by 808Melo and WondaGurl)
03 For the Night [ft. Lil Baby & DaBaby] (prod. by CashmoneyAP and Palaze)
04 44 Bulldog (prod. by Mobz and Mora)
05 Gangstas (prod. by Swirv & CashmoneyAP)
06 Yea Yea (prod. by HakzBeats)
07 Creature. [ft. Swae Lee] (prod. by 808Melo)
08 Snitchin [ft. Quavo & Future] (prod. by Buddah Bless & SethTheChef)
09 Make It Rain. [ft. Rowdy Rebel] (prod. by Yamaica)
10 The Woo. [ft. 50 Cent & Roddy Ricch] (prod. by 808Melo)
11 West Coast Shit. [ft. Tyga & Quavo] (prod. by DJ Mustard and Bongo)
12 Enjoy Yourself [ft. Karol G] (prod. by Palaze & Luci G)
13 Hotel Lobby (prod. by 808Melo & Jess Jackson)
14 What You Know Bout Love (prod. by Tash)
15 Something Special (prod. by Duro)
16 Diana [ft. King Combs] (prod. by SpunkBigga)
17 Got It on Me (prod. by Young Devante)
18 Tunnel Vision (Outro) (prod. by 808Melo, Nagra & Carson Hackney)
19 Dior (Bonus) (prod. by 808Melo)

Internet Has Very Strong Reaction to Pop Smoke Album Art