We know Kanye West as a flamboyant, larger-than life character, but he defied expectations this week, when he released the cover for his upcoming sixth studio album, Yeezus. Apparently ‘Ye’s latest bid to shock and overwhelm comes in the form of not shocking and overwhelming at all. How very post-modern. On Friday (May 31), DJ Semtex revealed what's being billed as the official cover, and apparently management have decided to keep this one as minimal as possible. The image just shows a clear CD case, a piece of red gaffer tape with Yeezus scrawled on it, and a note asking fans to “Please add graffiti,” MTV reports. 

The image gives off the same vibe as the one Kim Kardashian instagrammed during West’s performance on SNL last month – no gold, no decoration, no fluffy stuff. The message seems pretty clear – Yeezy is going back to basics with this album, the release date of which he revealed in an aptly brief tweet last month: “June Eighteen.”

Well, this is it then – the cover is out, the name and release date as well. We’ve even heard two singles off the record already – “New Slaves” and “Black Skinhead,” the latter of which Kanye debuted during the same eventful SNL performance. It all marks a clear new direction in Kanye’s music – hopefully his fans will take to the vastly different style.

Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Beverly Hills
Soon to be a dad and already a changed man.

Kanye West, London
The rapper is injecting some social commentary this time.