A lot of y’all didn’t realize I actually have four kids,” Offset tweeted earlier than the discharge of his debut solo album, Father of 4. “Fatherhood was lacking in my life, and once in a while I should be missing for work; however it all comes again to the children,” he introduced. “I’m placing them up for destiny. I didn’t take the cleanest path to fulfillment; I ran into walls and hurdles, but I overcame them. I’m happy with me!”
The 27-year-antique rapper doubled down on those words whilst selecting the cover artwork for the album. The picture, taken via photographer Pep Williams, captures Offset on a throne and his youngsters Jordan, Kody, Kalea, and Kulture. According to Williams, Cardi B was on FaceTime throughout the shoot to assist put baby Kulture comfy.
“To get Kulture clearly into it, Cardi B’s mom was on my shoulder, and I honestly held the smartphone [with Cardi on FaceTime] at the lens,” Williams says. “Cardi turned into actually on FaceTime thru the whole lot. I believe she becomes doing a song video on time. She kept taking breaks, after which she’d come on FaceTime, and they’d have a look at all the photographs we were taking. I shot so many, and there were so many proper ones.”
When the cover was found out in the arena, some questioned if it became Photoshopped together. However, Williams clarifies that it became based on an unmarried group image. He says the Egyptian heritage changed into edited in. However, the institution shot itself changed into made with an unmarried photo. “I shot it, after which they took it over from there. It changed into one image,” he explains. “A lot of humans were asking, like, ‘Hey, was that one image, photographs?’ I shot the photograph, and I submitted it.” He adds, “When it turned into completed, I guess, via the manner they did the layers or something… I’m not positive exactly the way it turned into laid out. It’s simply the way they had been doing the editing.” Williams says what he’s going to do not forget most from the shoot is how enjoyable Offset, Cardi, and the rest of the group have been to paintings with. “When you are round right humans, it makes the entirety a whole lot less complicated,” he says.
Our interview with Pep Williams, edited and condensed for readability, is under.
What were you guys attempting to perform with this cowl? What becomes the concept? Well, the concept was virtually modified. Originally it becomes RETNA who became coping with the creative aspect, but then he moved on to something else, so it turned into taking over. From there, it was extra Offset. It was just about him, the father of 4. You know, simply him and his children.
What is approximately the general topic and aesthetic?
It became a mix of the whole thing. Because it wasn’t simply strictly African or something like that, it was a mix; I guess you can say, like Native American, African—everything becomes within the blend. He had a few honestly excellent stylists and actually precise cloth cabinet humans that pulled together a few correct stuff. Joseph I, he’s exquisite. He, without a doubt, knocked it out. Then, Laurel DeWitt dealt with all the crowns and everything, and she’s dope. And Anastasia helped out with the apparel. So just really, sincerely precise humans.
What became it like photographing all one’s children? Was it hard to get them all to sit down nonetheless?
Well, the primary day changed into interesting, due to the fact they may be on East Coast time. So the children came in, and it was a bit later inside the day, so of the route, they’re sleepy. So we shot a 2d day when they have been refreshed. It was cool. We rented a huge area in L.A., and I allow the youngsters to have a laugh. That’s how you get ’em into it. You get ’em hyped, but you wear ’em down only a little bit. So they may be calm. However, they are still awake. They had been just walking everywhere, attempting on things. It becomes cool, guy. It becomes lovely.
I heard Cardi B’s mother changed into there with you, helping out with the kids?
Oh, they were all on my shoulder, believe me. [Laughs]. Trust me. Basically, to get Kulture sincerely into it, Cardi B’s mother was on my shoulder, and I sincerely held the cellphone [with Cardi on FaceTime] on the lens. Cardi became definitely on FaceTime via the whole lot. I trust she was doing a tuning video at the time. She kept taking breaks, and then she’d come on FaceTime, and they’d have a look at all the pictures we have been taking. I shot such a lot of, and there had been such a lot of correct ones. I actually have some amazing pics of Kulture and every person. They have a video of that whole scene; it is pretty cool.
How was the very last cover photo created, with the Egyptian imagery and the whole lot?
Oh, yeah, that become the editor who did that. Of path, we failed to visit the pyramid in Egypt. [Laughs]. So I shot it, and then they took it over from there. But become the group shot one photograph, or became it a composite of more than one photograph? Yeah, it becomes one photograph. A lot of humans have been asking, like, “Hey, became that one image, two pics?” I shot the photograph, and I submitted it. And then whilst it changed into completed, I wager, using the way they did the layers or something… I’m no longer positive precisely how it became laid out or whatever. But, yeah. There’s a video of the shoot.
Yeah, I noticed humans asking if everything turned into Photoshopped together.
Oh, yeah. Oh, agree with me, yeah. There has been a number of that. But no, it becomes simply one shot, but it’s simply the manner they have been doing the modifying. I don’t know. I haven’t even requested it because I’ve been to Cuba. I simply was given lower back. Us Weekly ran a tale announcing the album cowl changed into at first going to be the debut of Kulture’s face, but they changed the idea while Cardi determined to post a photo of Kulture on Instagram. Is that real? I don’t recollect listening to that. Because really, we had already shot it. And then I assume, truly, three or 4 days later, Cardi released that picture of Kulture.
Oh, OK. That makes sense. I’m curious approximately your historical past. How lengthy have you been a photographer, and what sorts of things do you commonly shoot? I’ve been shooting considering round ‘ninety-five. I absolutely started in excessive-cease style. I did work for all and sundry, after which from there I sort of was given tired of it in the 2000s. Basically, while you’re a fashion photographer, you just reproduction every different’s campaign for that year, or that fashion, or something. Everyone copies every other, and I wanted my paintings to have their very own extraordinary style. So, I just broke away, and I commenced to do extra exceptional art. Of route, I became taking pictures for all my buddies, from all the skateboard businesses to streetwear manufacturers and everything, but I centered extra on my fine artwork images.
Had you completed any album covers before this?
Yeah, bro. Yes, pretty plenty, through the years. Yeah. So many. Like two decades of album covers. I did stuff for Suicidal Tendencies, but I really suppose I shot greater mag covers than something, from Chris Brown to Amber Rose to Soulja Boy. It simply is going on and on.
What made this shooting stick out from different things you’ve got shot over time?
What I’ll don’t forget most is simply when you’re around people properly, it makes the entirety a whole lot simpler. Look, I’ve been on shoots where it has just been like a nightmare. I’ve walked off a few shots. I’m all, “Goodbye. See you.” Because the manner I shoot is, if I like you, it is all properly. I don’t, without doubt, care approximately the cash; I don’t care approximately any of that stuff. The result is what is critical. And then when ‘Set hit me up again to shoot his Amazon, Spotify, and Apple billboards… It becomes cool, guy. We went to his house; we knocked it out—real, real simple.
