After making controversial statements regarding his politics and the history of black slavery, Kanye West is once again inciting criticism from fans on Twitter.
On Thursday, May 24, the self-professed genius unveiled the album art for the upcoming album. Fans immediately noticed that the album art, a broken photograph, was taken from the bathroom of late singer Whitney Houston.
Pusha T's 'Daytona' And Its Whitney Houston Connection
The photo used by West and Pusha-T on Daytona was taken secretly by a member of the Houston family in 2006 and was published on the National Enquirer in the same year. It showed drug paraphernalia strewn all over the bathroom counter, revealing the award-winning singer's battle with addiction.
The "I Will Always Love You" singer was discovered dead face-down in a bathtub filled with water. The coroner who examined her body found traces of cocaine, marijuana, and prescription medication in her system.
In an interview with The Angie Martinez Show, Pusha-T shared that the photograph was a last-minute change to the album.
"[West] changed my artwork last night at 1 a.m. He wasn't feeling it," the rapper told the radio host. "The [original] artwork, it was pictures that we all agreed on."
Pusha T added that West had to pay $85,000 to license the photo to be used on Daytona.
During a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Pusha T said that he was not opposed to the change. He thought that the new album art was better than what they had before.
"I feel like the cover represents an organized chaos," he explained. "The energy of the album is a bit chaotic, but it's all in place. Looking at that cover, I'm sure whoever frequents that bathroom or area knew whatever they wanted to find and knew where it was."
Daytona is the first album that comes out of West's Jacksonhole, Wyoming studio. It is set to drop on Friday, May 25.
West, on a tweet, said that he and Pusha T have been working on the album for the past year and a half, but all their efforts were rewarded because they have already been receiving positive responses from fans.
album 1 PUSHA T DAYTONA dropping 2mrw pic.twitter.com/M1UPvax5fa — KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) May 24, 2018
Fans Slam Kanye West For Using Whitney Houston's Bathroom Photo
Unsurprisingly, several people were not happy about the use of the controversial photo on Pusha T's new album. Fans pointed out that the use of the photo, which reveals the singer's struggle with addiction, was insensitive.
is it too much to ask that people respect Whitney Houston — Molly Lambert (@mollylambert) May 24, 2018
To disrespect a titan like Whitney Houston, to reduce her legacy to a single image of a place and time in her life, is EXACTLY what Kanye seems to complain that the media does to him all the time. Indeed, the irony. — Toyin Ojih Odutola (@obia_thethird) May 24, 2018
Kanye West claims 2 have been suffering from opiate addiction himself. Instead of exploiting Whitney Houston's struggles 4 his own personal gain, why doesn't he post a picture of his own drug stash? What he's doing isn't "edgy" or "artsy"; it's exploitative, wrong & disrespectful — Jackie Talks Nerdy ️ (@JackieTalkNerdy) May 24, 2018
The disrespect Whitney Houston has experienced today is vomit inducing. Sad day. — amorphous (@loneamorphous) May 24, 2018
This is disgusting. Let Whitney Rest In Peace. Using her demons as album art isn’t “art” — Johanna (@johnnyboyxo) May 25, 2018
West is also set to release his still-untitled new album and a collaborative album with Kid Cudi called Kids See Ghost this summer.
