Offset Channels Late Michael Jackson for New Album ‘Set It Off’ in White Socks and Glove

The music video for the rapper's latest single "FAN" also pays homage to the late King of Pop

Offset - SET IT OFF - The Album
Offset's new Michael Jackson inspired album . Photo:

Offset Instagram; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Offset is giving fans a taste of what they can expect from his new album Set It Off!

The rapper, 31, shared the news of the upcoming Oct. 13 release on Instagram Thursday, posting an image of the cover art, which shows the star — who is married to Cardi B — apparently dressed as the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Wearing a black suit with sunglasses, white socks and a white glove — echoing one of Jackson’s signature looks — the image showed the rapper upside down, falling as a street of buildings and cars explodes above him.

In another post on Instagram the same day, Offset shared a teaser clip from the music video for his single "FAN" which is taken from Set It Off. In the accompanying caption, Offset excitedly revealed "FAN directed by me! Midnight" ahead of it landing Friday. He also added "SET IT OFF."

On his Instagram Story, the rapper later shared a link to the full version of the single's video, which again displayed Offset's huge admiration for the late King of Pop.

Opening scenes in the "FAN" video showed the rapper walking alongside a woman, both wearing outfits that echo those worn by Jackson and actress Ola Ray in the famous "Thriller" music video. The video then cuts to a shot of a vinyl of Off The Wall, the late singer's 1979 album, before it pans to Offset dreaming of lying on a mattress in a street, wearing the same black suit and white accessories he is wearing on the album's cover, as a riot goes on in the streets around him.

As well as a scene where the rapper transforms into a terrifying creature — much like Jackson does in the "Thriller" video — "FAN" also features Offset and his date sitting in a movie theater and wearing a red leather jacket similar to the famous one worn by the late singer, both of which feature in the "Thriller" vid.

The rapper's latest video also takes inspiration from Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" music video, from his 1987 album, Bad. At one point in "FAN," Offset — wearing a similar white suit to the one Jackson wore in "Smooth Criminal" — even shows off the icon's signature dance move, the moonwalk.

Offset dresses as Michael Jackson
Offset also dressed as the late King of Pop in 2022.

Offset Instagram

Set It Off is not the first time Offset — who shares daughter Kulture Kiari, 5, and son Wave Set Cephus, 2 with Cardi as well as sons Jordan Cephus, 13, and Kody Cephus, 8, and daughter Kalea Marie Cephus, 8, from previous relationships — has shared his admiration for Jackson, who died in 2009.

In September 2022, Offset dressed as the music legend in a blue sequinned suit with golden sash. He has also previously displayed the large tattoo tribute he has to MJ on his chest on social media. 

Cardi B, Offset
Cardi B has revealed Offset's MJ obsession can be a little distracting!.

Francis Specker/CBS via Getty

Meanwhile, Cardi, 30, has been getting candid about her relationship with Offset, revealing that the star's tattoo tributes to MJ can be distracting!

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In an interview on Hot 97's Ebro in the Morning last week, Cardi said: "Well, he love Michael Jackson. I really need y'all to see that Michael Jackson tattoo he got on his stomach. I don't even wanna take it there... Y'all really have to see it, because every single time we're like, you know, it just be looking at me."

She continues: "The tattoo really be looking at me, like, 'Yeeaaahhh….” She also adds of her husband: "He love Michael Jackson, he love Prince, he love James Brown."

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