Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign have revealed the cover art for their upcoming joint album, Vultures, which draws inspiration from a 19th century painting by German artist Caspar David Friedrich.
The cover, which was posted by Playboi Carti on his Instagram story on Monday (December 11), shows a desolate island with a grave and an owl sitting on a shovel. The painting, titled The Owl's Nest, was created by Friedrich between 1835 and 1837 and is considered one of his most somber and symbolic works.
According to Donda Times, a fan account dedicated to West's creative agency, the painting depicts Cape Arkona on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea, although the landscape is altered. The owl, which is often associated with death and wisdom, adds to the dark and mysterious mood of the cover.
The cover art comes as West and Ty Dolla $ign are gearing up to release their collaborative project, which is expected to drop on Friday (December 15). The duo have been teasing new music at Art Basel in Miami, where they also performed at LIV nightclub on Sunday night (December 10).
The album will feature guest appearances from Young Thug, Future, Playboi Carti, Quavo, Lil Durk, Chris Brown and more, according to a handwritten tracklist shared by Ty Dolla $ign. The tracklist also includes the previously released single Vultures, which features Lil Durk and Bump J, and the long-awaited New Body, which may feature Nicki Minaj.
West also previewed a song that samples the Backstreet Boys' 1997 hit Everybody (Backstreet's Back), and a song that shouts out Young Thug and YSL amid their RICO case.
Vultures will mark West's first album since 2021's Donda and Ty Dolla $ign's first album since 2020's Featuring Ty Dolla Sign. The pair have collaborated on several songs in the past, such as Fade, Real Friends and Freeee (Ghost Town, Pt. 2).
Ty Dolla $ign has hinted at an event on December 12, but it is unclear what it will entail. The duo are still in Miami, where they are reportedly awaiting approvals from the authorities to launch their high-altitude drone Internet hub.
Vultures is part of a wave of Internet tech innovations that aim to provide fast and reliable Internet services to remote areas in Africa. Other players in the field include Amazon, SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile.
