Gemini Season
| "Gemini Season" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Kanye West | ||||
| Released | June 8, 2026 | |||
| Recorded | 2025–2026 | |||
| Genre | Drumless hip-hop | |||
| Length |
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| Label | ||||
| Songwriter | Ye | |||
| Producer | Ye | |||
| Kanye West singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Gemini Season" on YouTube | ||||
"Gemini Season" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It was surprise released as a single for West's birthday on June 8, 2026, along with an accompanying music video through YZY and Gamma. Solely written and produced by West, it features a minimalist instrumental with horn and winds instruments that West sings erotic lyrics over.
"Gemini Season" received generally positive reviews from critics, though was seen more negatively by West's fanbase for its sexual themes. The accompanying music video was directed by West's partner Bianca Censori, featuring her milking a cow before West proceeds to pour the milk on her. It sparked reactions from reviewers and music critics for its erotic imagery, with most praising the video's use of surrealism, although West's fanbase criticized its sexual nature.
Background and promotion
[edit]Before his second concert in Arnhem, Netherlands on June 8, West's partner Bianca Censori celebrated his birthday, posting videos and photos of him on social media captioned "Happy birthday @ye / I love you more than life."[1] After the concert, a music video for a song titled "Gemini Season" appeared on West's YouTube account and was set to release in the same hour. The video's description confirmed that a deluxe version of Bully is meant to release on June 19.[2][3]
West had previously used the phrase "Gemini season" after rapper Kendrick Lamar won five Grammys for his song "Not Like Us" during the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025,[4] sharing a picture of Lamar with his Grammys on Instagram with the caption "Gemini season", attaching a goat emoji.[5] Both West and Lamar share the same zodiac sign, Gemini, which the song title and caption references.[6][7]
Composition and lyrics
[edit]
Lyrically, "Gemini Season" centers around themes of sexual desire and eroticism. West sings over a minimalist, drumless instrumental built around horn and winds instruments, half-singing[8] "I wanna get kinky / I think she'll let me / I think she's pretty / I think she's ready."[9][10] Running at 1:47, critics noted it as "more of a trailer"[9] or a "brief musical preview" rather than a fully developed song.[11]
Music video
[edit]On June 8, 2026, "Gemini Season," along with the music video was released on YouTube, which was directed by West's partner Bianca Censori.[12] Before its release, Censori had previously directed West's music video for his song "Father" featuring Travis Scott,[1] which was her debut.[13][14] She later directed the music video for West's songs "King"[15] and "OK".[16]
The video shows Censori on a barstool in all-white lingerie, milking a cow for the majority of its duration. Near the end of the video, West enters wearing a monochrome leather outfit from 424 Inc. by designer Guillermo Andrade.[17][18] After Censori offers the milk to West, he suggestively pours it on her face and down her torso,[12] referencing a similar scene from the 1992 Roman Polanski film Bitter Moon.[17] The video is set in a mountainous scenery with fake moving clouds, reminiscent of the music video for West's song "Bound 2" from his album Yeezus (2013).[9]
Reactions
[edit]Mike Winslow of AllHipHop praised the music video as "[utterly] unhinged in the best way",[8] while HotNewHipHop's Erika Marie noted the video as "surreal" and "pretty on par" for the way Censori and West approach art.[19] It received mixed-to-negative reactions from West's fans,[20][21] especially as West had previously spoken against the sexual imagery it portrays,[10] though some compared its style to West's earlier works.[22] Samridhi Goel of Mandatory described the milk pouring scene as "the video’s most talked-about moment," writing that it contributed to many social media conversations.[23] Daily Jang writer Sidra Khan reported on negative reactions from West's fanbase, who criticized the video's sexual nature.[21]
Credits and personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from Tidal.[24]
- Ye – vocals, songwriter, producer
References
[edit]- 1 2 Gomez, Jade (June 8, 2026). "Kanye West Sings About Getting 'Kinky' While Bianca Censori Milks a Cow In "GEMINI SEASON" Video". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Ye (June 8, 2026). GEMINI SEASON (Video). Directed by Bianca Censori. Archived from the original on June 8, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Sohail, Hassan (June 8, 2026). "Kanye West and Bianca Censori drop steamy 'Gemini Season' music video on rapper's birthday". The News International. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Coscarelli, Joe (February 3, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' Wins Record and Song of the Year". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
- ↑ Ali, Amina (February 3, 2025). "Kanye West Praises Kendrick Lamar's Historic Grammy Wins". Hot 97. Archived from the original on January 8, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Genai, Shanelle (May 31, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar, Tupac, Prince and Other Famous Black Geminis". The Root. Archived from the original on March 5, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Orcutt, K. C. (May 28, 2019). "Rapstrology | Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar and the Gemini charm of inspiring through words". Revolt. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 Winslow, Mike (June 8, 2026). "Ye's New "Gemini Season" Video Is Udderly Unhinged In The Best Way". AllHipHop. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Saponara, Michael (June 8, 2026). "Ye Releases Milky 'GEMINI SEASON' Video Starring His Wife Bianca Censori & Reveals 'BULLY' Deluxe Release Date". Billboard Magazine. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- 1 2 Yadav, Armaan (June 9, 2026). "Kanye West Releases New Music Video 'Gemini Season' Directed By Bianca Censori: Watch". HipHop-N-More. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Art, Pop Culture & (June 9, 2026). "Kanye West releases provocative 'GEMINI SEASON' music video featuring Bianca Censori". The Express Tribune. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- 1 2 "Ye Pours Milk All Over His Wife Bianca Censori in Provocative 'Gemini Season' Video". XXL Magazine. June 8, 2026. Archived from the original on June 10, 2026. Retrieved June 8, 2026.
- ↑ Iasimone, Ashley (March 28, 2026). "Ye Returns With 'Father' Video, Featuring Travis Scott and Directed by Bianca Censori". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Nevares, Gabriel Bras (March 28, 2026). "Bianca Censori Directs Kanye West & Travis Scott's 'Father' Music Video". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on March 29, 2026. Retrieved March 29, 2026.
- ↑ Peters, Mitchell (June 20, 2026). "Ye Drops 'Bully' Deluxe Edition Featuring New Don Toliver Song, Shares Surreal 'Kings' Video". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
- ↑ Martinez, Jose (August 18, 2026). "Kanye West Shares Bianca Censori-Directed Video for "OK" f/ Don Toliver". Complex Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- 1 2 Van Bussel, Sara (June 9, 2026). "Gemini Season: Ye and Bianca Censori announce new piece". Whoopsie. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Callejo, Fernanda (June 11, 2026). "Ye Wears 424 For His Latest Video "Gemini Season"". Pause Magazine. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ Marie, Erika (June 9, 2026). "GEMINI SEASON - Song By Ye". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- ↑ Lacap, Eliana (June 9, 2026). "Kanye West's 'Gemini Season' Video Directed by Bianca Censori Sparks Debate". Daily Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
- 1 2 Khan, Sidra (June 9, 2026). "Kanye West drops sultry 'Gemini Season' music video starring Bianca Censori". Daily Jang. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
- ↑ "Bianca Censori appears in Kanye West's latest bold creative drop". Geo News. June 9, 2026. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
- ↑ Goel, Samridhi (June 9, 2026). "Kanye West & Bianca Censori's Milk Scene in 'Gemini Season' MV Goes Viral". Mandatory. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
- ↑ Kanye West & Ye - GEMINI SEASON, Tidal, June 8, 2026, retrieved June 9, 2026
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