Update: Sources close to the situation tell Billboard that, “OVO didn’t source this artwork, they were presented it– it’s common to be presented with a whole pile of work to choose from that is referenced off older art.”
After months of teasers and snippets of his new songs, Drake treated fans to the two-track EP Scary Hours on Friday (Jan. 19) to hold them over until a new album materializes. While many were in pure bliss, electronic producer Rabit took to Instagram to call out the 6 God for allegedly copying the design used for the Scary Hours EP.
According to Rabit, Drake’s Scary Hours EP design resembles the producer’s 2015 Communion Tour poster, that was originally designed by an artist named Colin Fletcher. “Today I wake up to see OVO has redone one of my 2015 tour posters designed by @collindfletcher for Drake’s new single,” Rabit wrote on Instagram. The producer posted a side-by-side comparison of his 2015 tour poster and Drake’s EP artwork, both of which include block lettering positioned vertically with a slimmer, old-style font on top.
“This is a story that too many artists, musicians, and designers identify with,” Fletcher said in a statement to Pitchfork. “Hopefully this results in a larger conversation about popular culture’s relationship to underground artists.”
On Monday night (Jan. 22), Drake posted a photo of a studio soundboard with an OVO sweater on a nearby chair hinting that new music is imminent. Between photos of him attending parties and other outings, Drake also shared photos of him in the studio for the over the past few weeks, only heightening anticipation for whats to come.
Billboard has reached out to Drake’s reps for comment.
Take a look at Drake’s EP cover and Fletcher’s poster for Rabit below, and see what you think.