WATCH: The leaked music video for Kanye West's 'Black Skinhead' [Updated]

(Image credit: Screen shot)

Kanye West is nothing if not a masterful self-promoter, and in the music video for "Black Skinhead" — the first single from his critically acclaimed new album Yeezus — he's putting himself front and center. The video opens with a chorus of snarling wolves before quickly segueing to a bouncing, poorly rendered CGI Kanye stand-in, who raps along to the song in a black-and-white void as he gradually sheds clothing.

The "Black Skinhead" video, like the rest of Yeezus, appeared with almost none of the promotional pomp and circumstance that typically greets such a high-profile release. In fact, the video seems to have been an unintentional leak; though it originally appeared on an official Universal Music website, the original posting has since been pulled, leaving only copies that have been ripped and reposted by fans. Is this edgy, minimalist CGI treatment appropriate for West's provocative first single, or has West botched his latest promotional push? Judge for yourself here.

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UPDATE: In a series of tweets, West confirmed that the video was an unintentional leak, and that a more polished version will be released within the week:

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.