Kanye West has delayed the release of his new album for the second time - just hours before it was due out.

The controversial rapper and fashion designer was due to drop his highly anticipated 11-track album on Friday, promising it would be unveiled at midnight.

But he has now explained on social media why Jesus Is King - the follow-up to his 2018 record Ye - is being delayed.

To my fans



Thank you for being loyal & patient



We are specifically fixing mixes on “Everything We Need” “Follow God” & “Water”



We not going to sleep until this album is out! — ye (@kanyewest) October 25, 2019

"We are specifically fixing mixes on 'Everything We Need' 'Follow God' & 'Water'," he tweeted.

"We not going to sleep until this album is out!"


The album was originally scheduled to drop on 27 September.

Meanwhile, West made a bold declaration about his place in musical history during an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music Beats 1.

He said: "I am unquestionably, undoubtedly the greatest human artist of all time. It's just a fact."

West is one of the most successful and influential artists of the 21st century having won 21 Grammy Awards - one more than Bruce Springsteen, but two fewer than Beyonce.

He also claimed that he would one day become leader of the Free World, saying: "There will be a time when I will be the president of the US and I will remember - any founder that didn't have the capacity to understand culturally what we were doing."

West, who has previously been criticised for wearing a MAGA (Make America Great Again) cap, also defended Donald Trump - claiming they are both "energy dragons".

Image: Kanye West has previously been criticised for wearing a Make America Great Again hat

The rapper, who is a Christian, has also revealed he tried to ban people working on his album from having pre-marital sex.

He explained: "I thought if we could all focus and fast - families who pray together stay together."

West also touched upon his exposure to pornography from a young age, and admitted he became addicted to sex following the death of his mother in 2007.

Image: Kanye West met Donald Trump at the White House

Donda West, 58, died after having cosmetic surgery, with her death having a profound impact on Kanye.

He said: "Some people drown themselves in drugs, and I drown myself in my addiction: sex."

The musician, who shares four children with his reality TV star wife Kim Kardashian West, reflected on his struggles with his mental health after he was taken to a hospital in Los Angeles in November 2016, reportedly suffering from stress and exhaustion.

Image: Kanye West married Kim Kardashian West in 2014

He said: "We're making this money but I'm still ending up in debt.

"My public standing is all in shambles, I'm not in good shape, I'm having ups and downs with my health, people calling me crazy, people not wanting to sit and meet with me, all this is happening and I had to give it all up to God."

West began his music career as a producer, providing several songs for fellow rapper Jay-Z.

When asked by Lowe if he enjoyed his work more now or then, West replied: "I quite enjoy the sound of my own voice and apparently, by the streams, billions of other people do too."

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