content warning: drug abuse, death

Christ almighty, will this ever end?

As if there wasn't enough drama surrounding the release of Pusha T's third album DAYTONA (exhibits A and B can be found here and here), there is now huge controversy surrounding the album cover itself.

In case you didn't already know or hadn't already picked it up, the album cover is a photo of late music legend Whitney Houston's bathroom that was taken back in 2006. The bathroom is covered in drugs and drug paraphernalia. Of course, Whitney Houston died in a hotel bathtub back in 2012, after a long and tragic history dealing with drug abuse.

It's reported that Kanye paid $85,000 USD ($112,000 AUD) to license the image. The photo was originally taken by an unknown family member of Houston's and sold to The National Enquirer back in 2006.

Naturally, some people are absolutely livid with Kanye for making such a choice, including Houston's cousin Damon Elliott.

Speaking to People, Elliott spoke about how hurt he is by the controversial move by West. "I was actually in shock because I’m in the music business...To do something for a publicity stunt to sell records, it’s absolutely disgusting. It hurt my family and my daughter. It’s petty. It’s tacky." Elliott has actually worked with Kanye before, on a Keyshia Cole song.

He also spoke about how he found out that the image was being used for the cover - through his daughter. "[She was] frantic. She sent me this picture from the album cover and I immediately got sick to my stomach because it took me right back to six years ago," he said.

However, not all relatives of Houston share the same view as Elliott. Speaking to Good Morning America, Houston's nephew, Gary Michael Houston, believes the anger is being directed to the wrong people.

“Not to be divisive, but I’m of a different mindset when it comes to situations like this. People will automatically look to people like Pusha T and Kanye West and try to place blame or say they have ill or malicious intent in order to gain publicity. But I get it. I get the correlation (sans my aunt but the photo itself),” he said in a statement, “and I actually love the album.”

“The person who violated the trust of my aunt by taking the photo and selling it to tabloids for their own personal and/or financial gain is more of a travesty to me,” he continued. “People should research that — because whoever exposed it are the people who violated her trust, mistreated her, and who should ultimately be held accountable for contributing to circumstances surrounding her demise.”

What are your thoughts? Let us know on Twitter at @MTVAUSTRALIA.

if you or anyone who know is struggling, you can call lifeline australia on 13 11 14 or lifeline auckland on (09) 522 2999 or visit beyond blue here.