The controversial and often outspoken rapper Kanye West has been flying under the radar in Tokyo as he works on a new album, the music journalist Touré reported in his substack. West, whom Touré characterized as “upper-class homeless,” is reportedly living—and recording a record—in a single hotel room in the Japanese metropolis, which a source close to the artist said is a better place for him to work than Los Angeles. “In L.A. he’s got a war with the paparazzi,” the source told Touré. “When he’s in Japan, people see him, but they’re very quiet. They’re very respectful. Very seldom will they even come up and ask for a picture. So he can move around Japan with no security.” In recent years, Ye has faced backlash for making a number of overtly antisemitic remarks, for which he would later apologize in Hebrew. Although West deals with bi-polar disorder, the source told Touré that he is more at ease in Tokyo. “In Japan he has a different level of peace of mind, which obviously leads to being able to make really good music,” according to the source.
