Fans of slain rapper Pop Smoke angry over cover art for upcoming album

Backlash over Pop Smoke album cover

Fans are angry over the album cover for the new posthumous album from rapper Pop Smoke.

The posthumous debut album of late rapper "Pop Smoke" will be released this week, but already fans are weighing in... on the album cover.

The artist who designed it is being criticized for its poor quality and the cover will now be redone.

The backlash shows that even in the age of streaming -- music lovers expect top-notch album artwork.

"Historically album covers were how people first discovered an artist. You'd be wandering around in the record store and if you saw a cover that was interesting. that's what drew you in," said Anthony DeCurtis an editor and historian with Rolling Stone magazine. "The album cover had to be the statement," he said.

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DeCurtis spoke to FOX 5 NY about just a few of the iconic images -- helping define modern music.

The Beatles: Abbey Road -- one of their final records.

"It captured a moment in time," DeCurtis said. "The end of one the great bands of all time."

Or The Clash's legendary record: London Calling.

"The Clash called themselves of the only band that mattered. Paul Simonon smashing his guitar on stage.. (captured) the anger.. the rawness of the music," DeCurtis said.

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Then there's the breakout solo album by Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

"She's coming out of The Fugees.... you have this intriguing portrait of her. you feel like you're going to learn who this woman is," DeCurtis said.

Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" is one of the most legendary album covers in history.

"You don't get a guy born in the USA - to the 1 percent - it was someone born in the USA as a working man," DeCurtis said.

The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready to Die" famously featured a baby on the cover.

"Right out of the womb. you're ready to meet your maker. That's what this world requires of you (as an African American male). The innocence of that image conveys that," DeCurtis said.

DeCurtis says the anger over Pop Smoke's album cover speaks more about how much people care about the slain rapper.

"What this backlash indicates. is how strong people’s emotions are about him," DeCurtis said.

Because -- even in the age of digital music, what’s on the cover - matters.

"This is going to be a huge record. You need an image that stands right alongside the music," DeCurtis said.