Kanye West’s shocking ‘COUSINS’ tweet exposes the dark impact of childhood exposure to explicit material

Kanye West’s confession about his song “COUSINS” is a reminder of how dangerous children’s exposure to pornography can be.

Kanye West is known to say some pretty outlandish things on X (or Twitter). While most of his commentary can feel like a weird form of rage-baiting or trolling, one of his most recent tweets shines a light on a very real issue that plagues more households than people would like to admit. 

On April 21, the rapper tweeted about his new song “Cousins,” revealing he once had a sexual relationship with his cousin as a minor. 

“This song is called COUSINS,” West wrote in a since-deleted tweet, per E!News. “about my cousin that’s locked in jail for life for killing a pregnant lady a few years after I told him we wouldn’t ‘look at dirty magazines together’ anymore.”

“Perhaps in my self-centered mess, I felt it was my fault that I showed him those dirty magazines when he was six and then we acted out what we saw,” he added, explaining how his parents had X-rated publications that he found hidden in their closets. “My name is Ye and I sucked my cousins d–k till I was 14.” 

The incident West describes in his tweet exemplifies the consequences of children being exposed to pornography and adult content at an early age. Studies have found that early exposure to explicit content can increase the likelihood of risky sexual behavior. In addition to having impacts on children’s development and behaviors, exposure to adult content at a young age can lead to child-on-child sexual abuse (COCSA).

According to Survivor Space, an organization for survivors of child abuse, COCSA refers to any sexual activity between children that occurs without consent, without equality (physically, mentally, in age or status), or as the result of physical or emotional force, coercion, or trickery. Studies have found that at least one-third of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by other children and young people, often against a younger child.

“Kanye West revealed he had a sexual experience with his male cousin as a child, after being exposed to explicit material. This isn’t a joke and shouldn’t be treated like one. Joking about childhood trauma is exactly why so many never speak up or get the help they need,” one user noted on X. 

This is not the first time West has opened up about his relationship with pornography and explicit content. In a 2019 interview with Zane Lowe, the rapper explained how finding his father’s “Playboy” magazines at five years old was a “gateway to a full-on pornography addiction.” 

“It has impacted every choice I have made in my life from age five to now, having to kick the habit,” he said at the time. “It just presents itself in the open like it’s okay and I stand up and say ‘it’s not okay.’”

In 2022, adidas, West’s former business partner for his Yeezy brand, launched an investigation to address workplace complaints from employees of the company who claimed that West would force employees to watch pornographic material at staff meetings, and at times showing explicit material featuring himself and ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.