Cousins (Kanye West song)
"Cousins" is a song by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released on April 21, 2025, as the second single from his unreleased studio album, In a Perfect World. It was first surprise released on West's Twitter account before being sent to streaming platforms on April 24. A hip-hop song, it samples "Were There Originals" by Double Virgo and interpolates "10 Percs" by Dave Blunts. Blunts also wrote the song's lyrics, which are about an incestuous relationship West had with his male cousin when they were both children.
In November 2025, it was removed from streaming platforms.
Background
West has previously spoken of a cousin who is currently serving a life sentence in jail for a murder he committed at 17 years old. He has mentioned him on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018 and in the 2020 documentary Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project.In a Twitter post made alongside the song's release, West gave further details. He said that he and his cousin had engaged in an incestuous relationship as children, starting when his cousin was six and lasting until West was 14. He added that his cousin is now serving a life sentence for killing a pregnant woman "a few years after told him wouldn't 'look at dirty magazines together' anymore". West believed he was "self-centered" for taking the blame for his cousin's murder charge and for " him those dirty magazines when he was 6". He ended his post with: "My name is Ye and I sucked my cousins dick till I was 14."
"Cousins" was written by Dave Blunts, who also wrote the rest of In a Perfect World. Regarding its creation, Blunts said:
Composition and lyrics
In the song's lyrics, West details an alleged incestuous relationship he had with a male cousin that began after the two discovered homoerotic "dirty magazines" in his mother's closet. Unaware of its sexual implications, they started "reenacting everything that had seen", coming to the song's climax where West realizes he "gave cousin head". He tries to hide his relationship with his cousin, instructing him to "tell nobody" and that those around him will judge him for the experience. The few friends aware of the incest tell West to "take it to grave". West fears how people would view his sexuality as a result of his relationship, stating that people don't understand he's "not attracted to a man". A sample of "New Tank" by Playboi Carti transitions into the second half of the song, which uses altered lyrics from Blunts's song "10 Percs" to change its theme towards West's public addiction to nitrous oxide and relationship with Bianca Censori. West's interpolation of the song is done via an artificial intelligence-generated audio deepfake of his voice over Blunts's original recording.Release and legacy
On April 23, West posted four possible covers for the streaming release of "Cousins", asking fans which cover they "liked the best". The swan cover art, which was featured as the third option counterclockwise, was ultimately chosen. West posted a text message between him and Buster Ross, the director of A&R at distribution label Too Lost, who approved of the cover art. West reaffirmed that this meant the song would be released on digital streaming platforms, and it was later made available that same day.On the song "Animals (Pt. 1)" by American rapper JID, a guest verse from American rapper Eminem references "Cousins", featuring the line "With these magazines, I act out like Ye and his cousin."
Blunts has performed "Cousins" as the opener of his Standing for What I Believe In tour.
In November 2025, West removed "Cousins" from streaming platforms.