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Kanye West spends USD 85,000 on a photo of Whitney Houston's drug-covered bathroom

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LOS ANGELES: Rapper Kanye West has bought a picture of late singer Whitney Houston's bathroom, filled with drug paraphernalia, to use it as the cover of an album that he is producing.

The rapper, who has been in the headlines for his controversial statements be it supporting President Donald Trump or suggesting that slavery was a choice, spent USD 85,000 to acquire the 2006 photograph.

It has been unveiled as the cover of Pusha T's album 'Daytona', which West has produced.

The photo was taken secretly by one of Houston's family members in 2006 and ran in the National Enquirer the same year, as Houston struggled with drug addiction, reported Entertainment Weekly.

Houston died of accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub in February 2012.

Pusha T told the publication that the image "definitely does match the energy of my album."

"I feel like the cover represents an organised chaos. The energy of the album is a bit chaotic, but it's all in place. Looking at that cover, I'm sure whoever frequents that bathroom or area knew whatever they wanted to find and knew where it was."

In an interview with The Angie Martinez Show, he said the cover art was a last-minute change by West.

"He changed my artwork last night at 1 a.m. He wasn't feeling it," he said, adding that West told him that the photo had cost him USD 85,000.

"I love it, I actually do love it (but) I absolutely did not want to pay for it."

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