Exit the Vultures era and enter ‘Bully’. While we can’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment that ‘Vultures 3’ won’t complete the trilogy, the announcement for Kanye’s next solo project is something that has gotten us hyped.
‘Bully’ feels poised to shake up the industry and make waves, just as Kanye always does (though we could live without some of those waves). It’s bittersweet, but we can’t wait to see what he has in store.
In this piece, we cover all the information revealed by Ye himself and sources close to him concerning his next project amid recent separation rumors with his wife, Bianca Censori.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVso_KR3HTU
Wait Till I Get My Mind Right
Besides having a successful music career, Kanye West has dived into entrepreneurial endeavors, which include Yeezy, DONDA, Good Music, KW Foods LLC, Yeezy Home, and KKW Beauty. His influencer partnerships have left an everlasting mark on the world of business.
Over the years, Ye has secured deals ranging from the realms of fashion and music to those of food and beauty.
It’s no surprise that brands, including those from diverse sectors such as finance, tech, crypto, and online casinos, would be eager to collaborate with him and use his global influence to promote their products if only he could clean up his image.
For now, all we have to look forward to is his music, which he doesn’t need anyone’s permission to make and release. So, what do we know about the announcement?
‘Bully’ Announcement
Ye announced his new album in a clip that was captured online. Speaking in one of his recent sold-out concerts to his Chinese fans, Ye said, “I got a new album coming out” One fan captured the moment and posted it on X with the caption, “YE: “I GOT A NEW ALBUM COMING OUT” “BULLY” THIS IS AURA”.
Kanye’s new album ‘BULLY’ is reportedly a concept album, 100% produced by Ye. “’This album is 100% him.’ So, it’s pretty much made by Kanye alone. ‘He’s producing everything 100% himself. This will be 100% Kanye West, which it hasn’t been in many, many years.’”
Fans will be delighted with this news as it could potentially bring out the College Dropout Ye, though we have a hard time seeing how he will live down any of the scandals from recent years.
Normally, the rapper assembles a team of 50+ engineers and staff when working on an album, but this time round, sources reveal he will be going solo mode, doing much of the production on his own with the help of a few right-hand helpers who are with him.
Sources close to the “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” rapper also revealed that he is living in Tokyo and recording the album in his hotel room. Great music with crazy production is definitely on the way!
Ye the Artist
Yes, besides making great music that inspires generations, Ye is also a true definition of aura. Remember the Donda era when Ye officially returned with the best music, and the coolest stage designs, right from the pre-Donda listening parties to the live performances that followed. His uniquely designed, amazing Donda merch including his bold Yeezy boots, and the insane black mesh mask were a highlight for a while.
There is no doubt that Kanye West has the best discography of all time. We are talking about the man who made the best album trilogy with ‘Late Registration,’ ‘The College Dropout,’ and ‘Graduation.’
For the classics, Ye gave us ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,’ a work of art that was ranked the 26th best project on Apple Music’s ‘100 Best Albums’ list, and another masterpiece, ‘The Life of Pablo’ was released in 2016.
While he may be a genius, our boy Ye is troubled, and it makes it harder to evaluate his art when West is out here spreading antisemite conspiracy theories and allegedly falling victim to a laughing gas addiction.
Ye Versus the Industry
Ye finally broke the sequel curse this year with Vultures 2 after unexpectedly releasing it on digital streaming platforms (DSPs). To the surprise of many, the second Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign instalment didn’t live up to the hype, especially after it was dropped prematurely before getting fine-tuned and re-released.
Fans say the timing of the release was poor, adding that the 16-song project was more of a mixtape rather than a proper album. Even the charts were against the rapper this time as the biggest popstar of our generation, you guessed her name, Taylor Swift, blocked the critically acclaimed musician from a No. 1 debut for ‘Vultures 2’.
The music world knows what went down when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs in 2009. The infamous fallout from that moment inspired memes galore and a years-long feud between the two superstars.
It also played a role in the rise of ‘cancel culture,’ with Ye explaining how hard it is for independent artists like him to do numbers in an industry controlled by some powerful people ever since “the incident.”
In his self-titled album ‘Ye’, with the words ‘I hate being Bi-Polar, it’s awesome’ displayed on the cover against the mountainous backdrop of Jackson Hole, Kanye West frames his bipolar condition as a superpower rather than a weakness.
He sings about how his perception and approach to life make him one of the greatest in a world where it’s him versus the industry. It’s easy to see why Kanye West finds it hard to drop his “Part 2” studio albums on DSPs.
With ‘Bully’ on the way, it remains to be seen whether Kanye will tackle personal and industry challenges or take a more casual and entertaining approach.
and then