Lil Uzi Vert’s new project is already facing controversy.
Taking to Instagram on Tuesday (July 31), the rapper revealed the cover art for Eternal Atake, his first project since his 2017 debut Luv Is Rage 2, which was inspired by Heaven’s Gate, the infamous religious cult that believed the Hale-Bopp comet was a UFO. In 1997, 39 members were found dead in a mass suicide. Uzi’s avatar on Instagram is also a photo Heaven’s Gate leader Marshall Applewhite.
Uzi’s cover recreates the Heaven’s Gates logo and reads, “As was promised — the keys to Eternal Atake are here again in Luv and Rage (The UFO 2) as Lil Uzi Vert and his Father 2000 yrs. ago.”
In response, Heaven’s Gate has accused Uzi copyright infringement and threatened to take legal action. “He is using and adapting our copyrights and trademarks without our permission and the infringement will be taken up with our attorneys,” a representative for Heaven’s Gate told Genius. “This is not fair use or parody, it it a direct and clear infringement.”
Uzi, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday (July 31), is currently on tour with G-Eazy on “The Endless Summer Tour,” which runs through Sept. 8.