Houston police shut down Kanye West's screening for racially-charged music video New Slaves

A public screening for Kanye West's music video New Slaves was shut down by police Friday night.



The rapper, who has been promoting screenings of the clip around the world via Twitter, was scheduled to unveil the visual for his controversial track at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas at 9:45pm.



According to the Houston Chronicle , local authorities broke up a crowd that had gathered to see the video, threatening to arrest anyone who failed to comply for trespassing.

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Projections: Kanye West raps the racially-charged lyrics to New Slaves in one of several building projections used to promote the new track

The outlet described the crowd as 'upbeat' and 'respectful' before authorities intervened.



Some fans reportedly thought police presence was part of the show as cop cars pulled up with sirens flashing.

Confused viewers are said to have left the scene when authorities threatened to make arrests.



Friday's screening marked Kanye's third in the Texas city, none of which went as planned.





Scene: Police arrived to a screening of the music video at the Rothko Chapel in Neartown, Houston on Friday night

Dispersing: The crowd left the area after authorities threatened to make arrests for trespassing

In the daylight: The screening was shut down at the Rothko Chapel, located on Yupon Street, in Houston

An earlier show at the Central Library was shut down due to technical difficulties, according to the Chronicle.



Another at the Bush Memorial was cancelled.



According to attendee Janet Quiroa, the scene there was also chaotic.



'All we saw were the sprinklers come on and obnoxious people screaming Kanye threats,' Quiroa said.

Calls to Houston Police have not been returned.



West has courted controversy with his new track, featured on his forthcoming album, Yeezus, since its release earlier this month.

Taking the stage: West performed two tracks, New Slave and another called Black Skinhead, on Saturday Night Live May 18 Controversy: Black hoods resembling those worn by members of the Klu Klux Klan flashed in the background during the performance

Lyrics to New Slaves make several references to slavery in the US.



'My momma was raised in an era when/Clean water was only served to the fairer skin/Doing clothes you would have thought I had help/But they wasn't satisfied unless I picked the cotton myself,' West raps in the first verse.



The rapper performed the track and another called Black Skinhead on Saturday Night Live on May 18, screaming his way through the performance as images of barking dobermans and slogans including 'Not for sale', 'New Slaves' and images of black hoods resembling those worn by members of the Klu Klux Klan flashed behind him.



Projection locations for West's music video are being promoted on a map featured on the rapper's website .



His new album, Yeezus, is scheduled for release June 18.







'Yeezus': West's pregnant girlfriend Kim Kardashian earlier this month tweeted this image of the rapper's new album, already causing controversy with its title

