Although he’s giving out weekly free songs via G.O.O.D Fridays, Chicago Hip Hop superstar Kanye West has kept a number of things mysterious about next month’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The Def Jam artist’s fifth album may be coming November 22, 2010, but it was unclear what the art-inspired rapper’s cover would look like.
Today, West tweeted what it will not look like. Kanye’s intended cover featured a painting of what is believed to be a naked woman sitting on a naked man’s lap. West indicated that the man, who is also holding a bottle, is supposed to be him. The woman, he called his “phoenix.”
The cover is below:
With West’s label presumingly banning the cover, the rapper criticized retailers that would deem the content unsuitable, specifically Wal-Mart.
West also pointed to the popularity of nudity on album covers in the 1970s. Artists including John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, The Scorpions and David Bowie have all used nudity or overly sexual themes on cover art.
Previously in Hip Hop, Ice-T’s Home Invasion and The Coup’s Party Music had banned covers.
In all honesty … I really don’t be thinking about Wal-Mart when I make my music or album covers #Kanyeshrug!
(October 17)
UPDATE: Less than a day after West tweeted the art, The Los Angeles Times‘ music column “Pop & Hiss” spoke with a Def Jam employee close to this project. The person, who asked to remain anonymous for the sake of keeping their job revealed that Def Jam Records may have been willing to release My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy with the art.
The article reveals how West may have had the ultimate choice in whether to release with or without the cover. Read the The Los Angeles Times’ “Pop & Hiss” article here.
Look at it! Worse than Doggystyle!
http://tumblr.com/xmsm5rkzo
fuck if it’s controversial. It’s an absolutely horrible image, period.
yeah. the artist’s style is just ugh. tasteless choice of a cover. stick to making music kanye. visual art is not your thing
http://www.yahoofashion.net
Online Store,Get Name Brand Fashion From 12USD Now!
Lv,Gucci,Prada,Coach,Chanel Women sandal is $30
DG,JUICY,Lv,Gucci,Coach Hand-bag price is $35
Polo,Locaste,Levis,EdHardy,Bape,Christan Audigier AF,COOGI Tshirt price is $12
Jeans price is $30
Paypal accept,Door to Door services!
5 days arrive your home or your friendss adress b
not a smart idea to hav nudity on the cover… yur just goin to turn off a lot of ppl from buying yur cd
that shit is nasty.
i dont know why he wants to push it so bad. i probably wouldnt buy the album because it look like shit threw up on an album cover.
dude is starting to weird me out even more.
and ive seen the Yoko+Lennon, RHCP, Scorpions and D.Bowie ones and they all are pretty bad. so i’m not sure why he’d want to follow in their footstep.
i do see what he is saying though, it shouldnt be banned cause of the nudity but simply banned for looking like shit.
He should have just called it “Good Ass Job” and put up a picture of a fucking bear or something.
LMAO
Agreed
it looks like interracial porn. no disrespect ya….
Via Kanye’s twitter:
“So Nirvana can have a naked human being on they cover but I can’t have a PAINTING of a monster with no arms and a polka dot tail and wings”
true…
A naked baby, nonetheless
THIS NIGGA THINK HE ARTSY WITH HIS SHIT. NIGGA THAT SHIT LOOK UGLY AS FUCK, SIT CHO MONKEY ASS DOWN BOY! FUCKIN ILLUMINATI PUPPET ASS NIGGA.
Key-Words: “Dark Twisted Fantasy”. Get it now?
I don’t care if it fits the title…look at it; its ugly. Not only ugly as an album cover, ugly as artwork…trust me, I know. Kanye needs to stop trying to prove the he’s so unique and be what he is: a really good rapper and producer.
Kanye riddle me this… how the hell are you going to have nice ass album artwork labels for your tracks (G.o.o.d music friday tracks with the artists name and female backgrounds or whatnot..)…and then have this… ugly ass paint shit as your album cover? this threw me way off…
Yeah Kanye is going off his rocker…This shit is wack wierd and and a waste of that 3 million dollar budget. Go feed some children in the slums instead of paying fags to paint your gay delusions. Haha Kanye said he would be in the Bible if it were written again, but shit nigga, what woudl your role be. Don’t this nigga know he have enough influence to make change, but he instead uses his status to make deranged ass wierd shit, influencing some trendy ass pop culture garbage. Get a grip son.
^co-sign
real talk
Makes you wonder how the hell 2pac got away with a protraying himself as jesus getting crucified on the makaveli cover. Maybe the disclaimer underneath? Either way that shit looked dope as hell though.
what the hell is this?
first the name of his album is fucked now his album is too?
this nigga needs a serious reality check if he thinks people are gonna like that.
The point of being an artist is not to do what people like…but to do whats in your heart…If people connect well good…If they don’t …Fuck em
besides ten or so amazing beats, this is the best thing kanye has dropped in years
THIS IS THE DOPEST ALBUM COVER. 2 FUCKIN BAD IT WASN’T ALLOWED. IF YOU HATE IT ITS CUS UR A PHILISTINE.
It’s always somethin goin on but check me out on youtube THE GUITAR PLAYER FOR THIS DAY AND AGE. MANY ARTISTS USING LIVE BANDS NOW SO CHECK ME OUT ON YOUTUBE BRYANTC1000. CAN PLAY ON ANY BEAT OR FOR ANY ARTIST.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bryantc1000&aq=f
DC MARYALND VIRGINIA ALL DAY!! I wanna be seen and heard by the right ppl ALL AROUND and get some work in,collab, tour ect.
Get @ me leaving.carter@gmail.com
Shut The Fuck Up!
I’m not gonna lie, there’s probably some hidden meaning in there but im honestly confused what the fuck im looking at.
Still, it matches the title perfectly, it’s definitely Dark, Twisted, and at the same time a Fantasy. The whole thing is twisted, the sort of female… Is the fantasy and that Yeti thing is the dark side? Because he’s drinking too? Idno man…
Really should have stuck to calling it GOOD Ass Job
i’m all for artistic expression but thats kinda gross kanye…
kanye sold his soul he even admitted it in a freestyle. the phoneix represents the devil. notice he said it represented “his phoenix”. him and the devil have an active relationship check the award shows to
Then by your logic 2pac sold his soul to the devil as well. He said it more than once.
By his logic, pretty much every poetic rapper from Lupe Fiasco to Nas to Joe Buddens has sold their souls as well
Im sick of this dumb ass illuminati shit…r people really this gullible? ITS NOT REAL!
ummm youre just retarded, active relationship with shut the fuck up
What makes you think illuminati has something to do with religion?? It is an organization founded in I believe the 1770’s which was basically a secret society for rich people with power… and there have been many signs of it existing in the modern world….lol but if it does exist today I can tell you one thing… Kanye West doesn’t have ebough money to be part of it… lol and neither does Jay-Z so stop that nonsense… haha but 50 cent very well might be a part of it!
“the phoneix represents the devil. notice he said it represented “his phoenix”
no you dumb a**hole, phoenix is representing phoenix, how did you manage to make this stupid theory and why people are seeing things where they aren’t
i love it i absolutely love it thank you kanye cant wait till the album is out.
p.s.i have it as my computer wallpaper lol
Haha… freak
In my mind I’m thinking “Whoa… This just weird. But awesome!”
Fre-e-e-sssssssssh!
this is awesome. Break boundries and be creative. yeah it’s out there a bit. but its not typical and something you’ll see on an average cd. good shit in my opinion.
but, looks like were getting somethin different because of the bans anyway so dont matter
wow thats like the dopest album cover ive seen so far this year hahaha
kanyes mind really does have a twisted mind
Kanye is a student of the music game but this is a little over the top. ML the Truth 100 Drums Productions LLC
I really don’t know if I’m reading too much into this but, in the Power video the white women had wings, and the black women had horns coming out of their heads. Now, on this cover, Kanye’s “phoenix” appears to be of the caucasian persuasion….? All this, and through the Taylor swift thing in there and….where is Freud when you need him???
Is anyone really still interested in Kanye West?? I loved his first CD and his second was pretty good but that out sold 50 was just watered down soul beats with kanye trying to sing and every now and then spitting a 20 second verse… it was radio friendly but weak as hell… and that 808 album I honestly haven’t even listened too but I heard it sucked… what is it with all these new rappers losing their skills when they gain money???
So in one breath you say he’s lost his skills and the second you say you didn’t even listen to his album. What a moronic statement. And a lot of people are waiting for his album, you don’t speak for the world dumbass. You speak only for yourself
No I pretty much speak for the world when I say that… not the whole world just 90% of it…. and what I meant by that was his albums have got worse and worse… and I have heard a few songs from 808’s and they were garbage…asher roth is better than kanye west…
I’d question buying the album if that was the cover…what kind of look would the person @ the check out counter give you when you handed them that!?..
this annoys me, one its a painting, two it’s monsters on it. i think its maybe less about sex and more the fact what looks like an angry monkey doing a white woman scared teh label ppl kood take it wrong. i think it would have been a brilliant cover, maybea slip cover on top would suffice. but labels showed they suck again and im not for showing kids someones dark twisted fantasy, they have parents for that this is just art.
it’s awesomely repulsive.
Kanye is weird as fuck these days.. im sick of him tbh he’s beyond cockiness an has a ridiculous ego.. this guy think he’s a god or something. he needs a reality check.. i’d knock him the fuck out!
That’s the problem with being a genius the majority of people just can’t comprehend what’s going on
LOL! u bitch kanye aint a genius all he does is run his mouth about irrelevent shit all the time. he thinks he’s the greatest thing to step foot on this earth. And no, i know what’s goin on.. he’s on some masonic shit wit jay z.. just look at the power video.. i think ur the 1 that dont understand
I dont have a problem with the cover but his black ass should have put two black ass monsters on there not a black monster man and a fucking white monster bitch.
Not racists but lightskin or white women is old. been there done that.
I don’t like Kanye’s music but he is smart. This cover just creates controversy.
Kanye is already lauging to the bank right now. I don’t like the cover, but I like what he’s trying to do and the controversy it sparks up. He damn sure knew this sh*t isn’t going to be published… It’s all very smart marketing people!!
so kanye the nigga is a monkey…OK
And the white bitch is the devil…OK
Salvador Dali Draw This..No Kanye Did
Kanyes On Acid..Yes Forever
Do I Like It… What Happened To That Bear
He’s Still A Gay Fish
i see alot of you tend to think its kanyes marketing plan to “make them dissaprove” so he has a good story to tell / this controversy
but at first there are distributors who dissaprove.. thats the reality.
it is very good that kanye does this wether he really wanted to use it or not.
you gotta do stuff like this until these distributors cant do anything but shut the fuck up..
when i read comments on “hiphopsites” like this i wonder what team you guys are on..
people laughing about brothers sent to jail.. but in general alot of times you guys look at the situation just like the media portrais it..
Ye is a genious, not because of the cover but what the cover is causing. Its art. Art makes you feel something. Whether you feel it sucks or its good, it has you on here talking. And thats the point.
this iant art but ur a tart
stfu
Okay, from someone who used to be a huge Kanye fan I can honestly say somethin’ is wrong with dude. College Dropout/Late Registration Days were his best, Graduation was still good, but after that dude lost his mind somewhere. SMH…being a little outside the box is good, but he’s taken it overboard.
Just Kanye bitch ass tryin to stick it to the white man again wat else is new
Actually, I think that is him trying to stick it to a white woman…
Ye is an attention whore, not because of the cover but because of the unrivaled amount of shit that that comes out of dude’s mouth.
First strategy done by a guilty party is start naming names, Nirvana, Lennon – West probably surpassed some of the artists he mentioned, but why oh why does he insist on rapping? Nigga SUCKS AT RAPPING!
Nobody has even thought about this – maybe Kanye West needs to grow up, plus sex sells & this is a great way to get people looking
In conclusion…Kanye is a closet homosexual & I can’t wait for Dipset to lump this nigga head through his ass : )
Hmmm, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.
WTF is wrong with Kanye??? He is an attention whore!! I really seriously believe that he needs medication and has deep dark issues inside his head!! Mybe he suffers from little man sindrome and has a deep hate for white people for some reason!! Fuck him!! He is one of the reasons rap music is now officially ”pop”
i agree he always on sum racial shit
lmao.”attention whore”.classic.thts wut u call niggas lik kanye.plus tht cover is hella demonic lookn.not 2 sound churchy but hey.tht sht ugly a hell.(no point intendd).tht nigga on one.but im sure the album gon b tite
http://www.discogs.com/Willie-Hutch-The-Mark-Of-The-Beast/release/1109094
This Cover
That is a wicked cover, the bitches ass is showing a lil not the man’s which makes it a magnificent painting… bravo!!!
kanye lost his mind after the graduation album..
Fan of ye
But… This better be a F*ckin joke.
I’m not buying something with that cover
You’re not Kurt Cobain.
Bring back the bear.
Smart Move if its a pub stunt.
Dumb move if he really uses it.
Art would have been finishing the dropout series by having the bear get a good ass job.
Art would have been not alienating your current fan base (you know the ones that buy your old cds still) in favor of white socialite bs
lol
WTF?!!!$#!@%^!!!!!!!!!!! THE WOMAN HAS NO ARMS. A HORRIBLE PAINTING!!! I HOPE KANYE DIDN’T PAINT THIS SHIT. LOOKS LIKE A 2ND GRADER COULD’VE DONE THIS. KANYE MUST KNOW IN THE BACK OF HIS MIND HIS ALBUM ISN’T GOING TO DO THAT WELL IN SALES THIS TIME AROUND. OTHER WISE HE WOULDN’T PULL THIS.
I WOULD HAVE RATHER TO SEE THE BEAR WITH A GOOD ASS JOB TITLE BUT THIS RITE HERE IS ART,ALL BECAUSE IT WAS UNEXPECTED…THATS WHAT WINNERS DO..TO MANY URKELS ON UR TEAM/THATS WHY UR WINS-LOW,LOL
I value your carl winslow reference.
THE COVER LOOKS LIKE HES GETTIN FUCKED BY THE DEVIL, I WONDER IF THAT IS WHAT HES TRYIN TO SAY?…GENIUS
Ha! Ha! Look at you clowns. Once again Ye has a set a trap and ya’ll fell RIGHT in. He does shit to make people talk about it and it worked. Again.
you’re the clown bro.
Yeah that don’t look good at all, they should leave that inside the cover instead of the front.
haha. anything for a dollar
I’m a huge kanye fan…… But even I can say that cover looks ugly as fuck! Like damn Ye just out the fucking bear on the cover!!! I don’t know why he just didn’t go back to takeshi murakami. He could have put something sick together.
Oh well atleast the shits banned.
I don’t want to sex interacial, ugly, Coon sex on my iPod.
Art is subjective; beauty is in the eye of the beholder, etc etc yadda yadda yadda. ‘This isn’t art.’ ‘This is art.’ Paintings, music, literature, acting, sculptures- they’re trying to get across a message. If you believe everything your eyes see you’re easily fooled. Try to look BEYOND what you see- what is he tryin to tell us with this painting? What does it represent? You may not like the painting, but you may agree with the message. Of course no one likes what they SEE, but what’s it saying? Dumb ass niggas.
Man, I wish there could be more comments like yours.
Kanye is trying to say something, wheter you like it or not, at least it caught your insterest, that’s it. He is creative, he gave us food for thought, and if you don’t like the artwork, then listen to his music, and if you don’t like his music, then listen to somethig else, where is the problem?!
And what does this album cover exactly mean or is trying to depict? I am quite curious. I am sure it has a deeper meaning, nonetheless I highly doubt it is that deep (probably something to do with the industry fucking him, painted pretty, but actually a devil). The problem with you “know it alls” is you pretend you know it all, and congregate with other “know it alls'”, alas you don’t know it all. However you never mention what you know, just vague references that you know a lot. That way you can pretend to continue being smart, and part of an elite, and pat yourself on the back at night time. Toodles.
awwwww mr.west, u so crazy!
No denying Ye’s talents, but I’m beginning to think this nigga is gay what with all his pastels and shit, talking bout dykes in his songs. Ye probably is gay. He got talent but the nigga is prolly gay too.
Bawse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s pretty cool, to be honest. Not the best naked album cover I’ve ever seen (that one with Yoko Ono is sexy as fuck) but I get what West is going for here. The album should still be great.
Ye is missing the filter between brain and mouth that most of us have, i think his mom did a good job in helping him with that issue and now with her gone….. Plus he probably feels like he has no friends, cats just want something from him.
that cover mad ugly anyway. Graduation was better and College Dropout.
ppl stop dicki ridin everything kanye do. that shit ugly as hell. why u lyin to yourslef sayin u really like that shit. jus cuz he might be yo favorite artist dont mean you gotta co-sign everything they do. his first 3 album covers are classics
THAT BITCH GOT A TAIL COMIN OUT HER ASSCRACK!!!! SWAG
Don’t really know what to think of this? But let the man be his creative self. There used to be nuditiy on album covers all the time.
illuminti shizzle right there!
I really don’t see why you can put this out in the stores in front of the general public. Earthlings… i’ll never understand.
def jam snitch ass bitch lol
OF COURSE KANYE WEST MADE DA ULTIMATE CHOICE IF WAL MART WAS TALKIN BOUT NOT SELLING HIS SHIT.
He aint finna lose money wit that dummies!
the most poignant comment I have read thus far.
ILLUMINATI ART WORK AT ITS FINEST!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A FUCKIN SHAME!!!!!!!!!!!!
yep of course it is the illuminati have so much power they can’t even get it to sell at wallmart
truth
They knew from the jump that this wouldnt be approved for retail. They just did this for more publicity.
kanye crazy hahaha
what up yall i’m an up and coming producer check ya boi out and let me know what yall think! peace! http://www.myspace.com/jonproduction
album gonna alright for hip hop
Meh…
I don’t think this is Illuminati (that stuff is BS anyway) or anything, nor do I think its art. It’s just kinda…well, ugly. Lol. Not everything with some kind of (apparent) deep meaning is art. I swear Ye could find a patern of art in dog shit sombody just stepped on. Questionable album name, equally questionable, and also horrible, artwork for what looks to be an amazing album. :/
fuck kanye…..sold your soul to the devil what a damn shame…
I sold my sold to the devil!…what a crappy deal! Least it came wit a few toys like a happy meal!…-Kanye West
looks like jay z & kanye went crazy wit some crayolas
fuckin weird ass dude get a life kanye his shit is SO WHACK… be normal again or I aint buyin nothin
hey dick head above me^^^^^^^^^^ learn English u fuck!!!! Call me a coon to my face I’ll bust up your fucking ribs and eat them with beef fried rice no vegetables u cracker fuck!!!!!
Typical, nothin’ but muh dik on the mind.
I really don’t see anything wrong with the cover myself. Everyone want to be politically correct nowadays. Go look at some old Ice Tea, Too Short or Bass tapes. The art also has some fuk u whiteman undertones to it. Some people will never “get it” but whateva.
Rather Unique FLA
– Vintage Deadstock Snapbacks (NBA, NCAA, NHL, NFL and MLB
– Old School Pullovers, Members Only and Levis 501 Denims
http://www.Ratheruniquefla.blogspot.com/p/shop.html
Find Us on FACEBOOK!
stop suckin kanye.,…..so what the albumn cover is crazy. the music is still the same…SLUTS
Yes, I agree. This is a publicity stunt. And making black men look like monkies is never cool. I’m getting real sick of this dude. Go see a shrink and focus on just making good music. Your continued shanangons are exhausting to watch
Look like demons to me