The album artwork for Tyga's upcoming album Kyoto has undoubtedly been one of the most controversial moves in rap music so far this year. The rapper is standing behind his decision to showcase the erotic work of artists Hajime Sorayama on the LP's cover and, earlier today, he even reached out on social media to thank him personally.
In an Instagram post that you can view in full here, Tyga had nothing but praise for Sorayama, whose artwork is as celebrated as it is divisive. In the caption to a picture of the man himself holding up a copy of the album art, the Compton native had this to say:
"KYOTO has been a real journey mentally & spiritually. you’ve helped capture the essence with a beautiful & truthful piece. We live in a society where the most impactful information is visual. This is the primal beauty of the woman. The motivation of man. So, thank you Hajime, for lending ur God given gift to help bring Kyoto 2 life, visually. 🙌🏾 Legend"
When asked about the public's outcry against the image, Tyga said simply, "it's art man, it's art." He added that Sorayama is
a very well known Japanese designer, so that's why I did it with him." He was pressed about the fact that some think the image is "straight up furry porn," but Tyga stood firm. "I don't even know what that is," he said. "I love it. It's an art piece, it's definitely an art piece. It's the beginning, just keep watching."