While the rest of the world at one point or another has donned protective face masks ever since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Kanye seemingly has other reasons for covering his entire face over the last few months. The rapper hasn’t publicly addressed his reasoning for doing so as of late, but there are some plausible theories behind the decision given the recent circumstances in his personal life.
Although many listeners have only recently noticed Kanye’s constant mask-wearing, die-hard fans likely recall that the “Donda” era is not the only time he has covered his face in public. When he released “Yeezus” in 2013, the rapper was frequently spotted in various diamond-encrusted and otherwise lavishly adorned face coverings, many of which were designed by famed label Maison Martin Margiela. This era has since gone down in history as a defining point for Kanye’s style and stage presence.
During a 2014 concert at London’s Wireless Festival, per Starcasm, Kanye explained why he was wearing masks at the time. He referenced other artists, such as Pharrell, stepping outside of rap into fashion and other creative ventures and effectively being told that they had to stay in their lane.
“That’s too much,” he told fans during one of his famous on-stage rants. “Stay in your place … Save face. Save face. That’s why I got this f—ing mask on, because I ain’t worried about saving face.”