Kanye Album Art Not “Rejected” From Walmat, Rep Clarifies

Whether or not Kanye West’s controversial album cover for his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, will be appearing in stores next month is still uncertain, but as far as retail giant Walmart is concerned, it is not their fault.

A rep for the chain contacted Entertainment Weekly denying the implications that they refused to sell the disc due to the racy cover art. “We’re excited about Kanye West’s new album and we look forward to carrying it in our stores on November 22nd,” a spokesperson said. “As always, it’s our standard practice to carry the edited parental advisory version. We did not reject the cover artwork and it was never presented to us to view.”

As previously reported, ’Ye took to Twitter last Sunday (October 17) to announce that the powers that be did not approve of his vision for the front of his forthcoming CD booklet. “Yoooo they banned my album cover,” he wrote that afternoon. Adding, “In all honesty … I really don’t be thinking about Wal-Mart when I make my music or album covers.”

The cover in question features an all red backdrop with a distorted portrait of a nude Black male being straddled in a sexual position by a naked, angel-like White female. The Louis Vuitton Don told rapfix.mtv.com earlier this week, that along with that image, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, will also include four more covers.

’Ye’s 35-minute video for the album’s second single, "Runaway," is set to premiere on MTV, VH1, BET and their respective websites this Saturday at 8 p.m. —Elan Mancini