Freddie Gibbs Accuses Logic of Stealing His Album Cover Concept

Yesterday, Logic revealed the cover and trailer for his upcoming album Everybody. Hours later, Freddie Gibbs accused him of stealing his concept from the cover and trailer of his own forthcoming LP, You Only Live 2wice.

“Dear @logic301 I hope you purchase my album on Friday due to the fact that you just blatantly jocked my shit. Blessings. #ESGN #YOL2 3/31.”

Three weeks ago, Gibbs unveiled his You Only Live 2wice artwork. It features a painting of Freddie floating in the air like an angelic figure. Below him, two guys are taking photos, another man is looking on, two women are stripping, and police officers are arresting an individual on the ground. He previewed this cover with a video, which was shot inside of a museum. The clip showed onlookers admiring the painting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRTjW1QDats/

Similarly, Logic’s cover features a classic painting-inspired depiction of Young Sinatra and several others. It was revealed with a video that was also shot in a museum, which featured awe-inspired onlookers.

Yesterday, Sam Spratt, the artist who painted Logic’s cover, said he worked on it for six months. It’s unclear when Gibbs’ artwork was finalized. Nevertheless, fans noticed the similarities, too.

Logic bit Freddie Gibbs shit down to the museum. Wack.

— Antonio (@GroovyTony) March 30, 2017

Can’t believe Logic really bit Gangsta Gibbs cover… smh

— jeff (@jeff_toodope) March 30, 2017

It's cool. People can come up with similar ideas/concepts. Pretty sure Logic didn't bite Gibbs' cover.

— Chow Mein Papi (@FrankCNotRaw) March 30, 2017

This isn’t the first time Logic has been accused of copying artists in one way or another. In the past, he’s been slammed for using elements inspired by other MCs in his music. His song “Contact,” for instance, features the same drums as Kanye West’s “Amazing.” He’s also been called out for taking qualities from others, including Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Drake.

“I’ve been so inspired by others from Kendrick to Drake to Cole to Kanye to everybody in a great way,” he told Complex in 2015. “Like, ‘Oh he did this, I wanna try something like this.’ There’s less and less [of that]. It’s still there, I’m not ashamed, I never will be, and I don’t think you should be. Those same people who be like, ‘You sound like whoever–Kendrick, Cole, Kanye, Drake’ — Yes! If you say that reminds [you] of that, I did my job because this person is so incredible and I could stir up a similar feeling. You go to any other artists, the biggest pop stars, and they take from here and there. It’s like, why should I try to explain [myself]? It doesn’t matter. Fuck all that shit.”

Gibbs’ YOL2 is the start of a new era for the MC. Six months ago, he was found not guilty of sexual abuse in Australia, where he’d been accused of raping a woman in 2015. “The actual facts have always demonstrated that Freddie was and is 100 percent innocent,” said his lawyer Theodore Simon. “It is now self-evident he was wrongly accused.”

Freddie returns with his third solo album, You Only Live 2wice, at midnight. Meanwhile, Logic’s third album, Everybody, is set to drop May 5.