Kanye West Locks Himself Up In Wyoming Mountaintop Working On A New Album

After canceling the Life of Pablo tour late in 2016 due to serious health concerns, Kanye West has mostly kept to himself and out of the spotlight. His absence was noted at both his Yeezy fashion show earlier this year as well as this month’s Met Gala (an event he never missed in the past). A devoted father and husband the only online presence West has had in recent months has been on wife Kim Kardashian’s Instagram account.

Now TMZ is reporting the explanation for Kanye’s reclusive behavior is that the rapper has exiled himself on a Wyoming mountaintop. A Wyomingite myself, I can vouch there is little to cell service in that would allow him to post almost anything to social media if these reports are true. Not content with simply taking a break from the sites he used to frequent constantly, West has deleted both his Twitter and Instagram profiles. TMZ adds that West is “all about creating music” and his recent reclusive behavior and actions have “nothing to do with problems at home or problems with his head.”

TMZ is reporting that West has already spent two weeks at an undisclosed location in the wild west of Wyoming and has recently returned for a second session. This is not the first time West has escaped from the limelight during times of stress. The last time West went into exile, the rapper took refuge in Hawaii following the Taylor Swift-VMAs incident in 2009. When West returned from the islands he released My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. This pattern of behavior has led fans and critics to wonder (and hope) if this retreat will give the same sort of inspiration and allow him to bless the world with a new album once he returns from his retreat.

West teased the new title of his next album—Turbo Grafx 16— a little over a year ago but TMZ’s reports of the rapper working on a new album is the first significant sign of him returning to the music that has built his career. Completely based on rumor and gossip, whether or not the project he is working on will see the light this year or next is yet to be known. In the meantime I have one word of advice for him: just say no to Rocky Mountain Oysters.