"Black Skinhead" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk. The song's lyrics center on racial tensions and the crumbling mental state of the character West portrays on the album. The song premiered on Saturday Night Live in May 2013, with West performing it in front of a projected backdrop. He has since performed the song live on various occasions, including at the Glastonbury Festival and the Billboard Music Awards in 2015. It was universally praised by music critics and ranked by numerous sites, including Rolling Stone and NME, as one of the best tracks of 2013. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Nick Knight and features computer-generated imagery of West, with interactive options including "screen grabbing" and adjusting the speed of his vocals. The video was released in July 2013 and has received positive reviews from critics.
Daft Punk, pictured in 2010, helped co-produce the song with West.
Figures in the video wear hoodies similar to those worn by the Ku Klux Klan, pictured in 1920.
West performed the song on the Saint Pablo Tour in 2016.
Yeezus is the sixth studio album by the American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, through Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, including Mike Dean, Daft Punk, Noah Goldstein, Arca, Hudson Mohawke, and Travis Scott. The album also features guest vocals from Justin Vernon, Chief Keef, Kid Cudi, Assassin, King L, Charlie Wilson, and Frank Ocean.
West first began work on Yeezus at his personal loft in Paris, and on numerous occasions visited the Louvre (pictured) for inspiration.
West enlisted Def Jam Recordings co-founder Rick Rubin to executive produce the album.
The record production is characterized as raw and dark. West maintains a stripped-down approach while continuing to use eclectic samples.
Described as West's most sonically experimental work, the album is driven by abrasive electronics while drawing from an array of industrial, punk and hip hop subgenres.