Ye’s new song “Cousins” stirred controversy with its incest confession and cover art tied to a painting once owned by Adolf Hitler.
Ye’s latest single, “Cousins,” has drawn intense scrutiny not only for its explicit lyrics about incest and now the rapper is courting even more controversy – in a more subtle manner.
The artwork for “Cousins” features a painting once owned by Adolf Hitler, further fueling concerns about the rapper’s repeated admiration for the Nazi dictator.
The cover image for “Cousins,” now streaming on all major platforms, is “Leda mit dem Schwan” by German artist Paul Mathias Padua.
The painting, which depicts the Greek myth of Zeus seducing Leda in the form of a swan, was purchased by Hitler and displayed in his second bedroom at the Berghof, his mountain retreat in Bavaria.
The mythological theme was consistent with Hitler’s preference for classical images that aligned with Nazi ideals of A#### beauty.
The Leda and the Swan motif has appeared in Western art since at least 1508, when Leonardo da Vinci created his own version.
However, Padua’s interpretation gained notoriety due to its Nazi ties.
The artwork is in line with Ye’s long-documented praise of Hitler. In 2025, he posted “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi” on social media, echoing earlier comments from a 2022 interview with Alex Jones, where he said, “Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.”
Ye’s fascination with Hitler is not new. Former collaborators have said he read Mein Kampf and once considered naming an album after the dictator.
“Cousins” is no less controversial.
Ye details a sexual relationship with his male cousin that began in childhood and continued until he was 14. He describes how they read adult magazines together and reenacted what they saw.
He links his behavior to his cousin’s later crime—murdering a pregnant woman, for which he is now serving a life sentence.