Kanye shows off a funky, bright blue Yeezy sneaker never seen before

Despite making frequent headlines for his Yeezy endeavors, Kanye West has laid low this year — maybe because last year, when he was overly vocal about his marriage and politics, ended in a divorce and a failed presidential campaign. The return of Yeezus has been long-awaited, though, and new photos show West out and about holding a mystery pair of sneakers.

It’s suspected the shoes are an unreleased Yeezy design, since West is known to tease upcoming sneakers via paparazzi shots. But to avoid showing off too much of the footwear, Ye has strategically angled the pair in photos, only allowing the soles of the shoes to be seen clearly. Still, fans have theories as to what the sneakers could be.

Here’s the Poopy-Di Scoop — As seen in the photos, West’s mystery shoes sport a bright blue sole with hits of black. Similar to Nike’s Air Zoom Kukini sneaker, the unreleased Yeezys sport a split sole, although West’s version boasts a more exaggerated gap between the heel and forefoot.

Since the sneakers have more of a performance aesthetic as opposed to Yeezy’s typical casual one, some fans have speculated that the shoes are an updated version of the YZY Rose silhouette made in collaboration with basketball player Derrick Rose. The kicks do look like a basketball shoe, thanks to their beefy sole, and their bright blue outsoles align with the colors of the New York Knicks — the team Rose currently plays for.

A possible YZY Rose redesign — If true, the YZY Rose shoes would have come a long way, given they looked more like clogs when West first teased them. With all-over white ridges, the wave-like sneaker didn’t seem fit for the basketball court, where it would eventually be worn, and promptly after sharing photos of the collaborative shoe, Ye was (rightfully) teased for the design. Twitter users compared the sole of the sneaker to fish bones, worms, and other less-tasteful items — perhaps giving Kanye all the more reason to switch up the footwear’s design.

With Rose and West currently working on the shoe — even sharing hints of project updates, prototypes, on-court plans, and next steps — they’ve seemingly confirmed their sneaker would make it on-foot to NBA courts soon. Prior to the official debut, though, the shoes will have undergone a period of testing and re-design — meaning West’s mystery sneakers could very well be the final YZY Rose prototype.