Kanye West Asked For 'Banned' Cover Art, Artist Says

Remember back in October, when Kanye West complained that the cover of his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album had been banned? Well, it turns out that may have been 'Ye's plan all along.

In a brand-new New Yorker profile of Fantasy cover artist George Condo — which, in true New Yorker fashion, is not available online — author/art critic Calvin Tomkins writes that West specifically asked Condo to create an image that would stir up controversy.

"A couple of weeks before my first visit to Condo's studio, Kanye West ... asked him to do a painting for the cover of his new album," Tomkins wrote. "West said that he had seen paintings by Condo, and wanted to collaborate with him. According to Condo, he also said that he was looking for 'something that will be banned.'

"West came to Condo's studio, where for several hours they listened to tapes of his music, and over the next few days Condo made eight or nine paintings," Tomkins continued. "[Including] a lurid scene of a naked black man on a bed, straddled by a naked white female creature with fearsome features, wings, no arms and a long, spotted tail. West chose that one."

In the days following West's initial claims that the cover of Fantasy had been banned by major chains — he specifically mentioned Walmart — the retailer told that they had never even seen the image in question, and that they were "excited about Kanye West's new album and ... look[ing] forward to carrying it in our stores."

West then told that he was actually planning five different covers for the album, and explained that he chose Condo's "phoenix" image because he "really love[d] the colors ... the imagery was amazing."

"I told [Condo] I wanted a phoenix, and that's what he came up with ... both me and George express ourselves with our truest vision, not based on what society feels is right," he added. "I thought it was a cool, awesome cover."

A spokesperson for West did not respond to MTV News' request for comment on the New Yorker story.