Earlier this month, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign finally unveiled their eagerly anticipated new album, Vultures 1. The album is the first of three volumes. The second and third are expected to drop in March and April. So far, fans have mostly been pleased with the album, and can’t wait to hear what else the duo has up their sleeves.
Several of the artists’ peers have also weighed in on Vultures 1, including Wiz Khalifa. Earlier this week, the performer took to social media to share his thoughts on the album. Clearly, he had nothing but nice things to say. He gave a nod to Ty Dolla Sign in particular, noting how he has a bright future ahead of him after this release. “I’m super hype for Ty,” he wrote. “Him and Ye’s album slaps uncontrollably.”
Of course, there will always be critics, especially when it comes to Ye and his questionable past. For example, following one of his and Ty’s listening parties in Chicago, Ozzy Osbourne took to Twitter/X to put him on blast. Allegedly, Kanye had asked if he could use a Black Sabbath sample for the project, and was told no. Evidently, however, he allegedly did it anyway. “@kanyewest ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘WAR PIG’ FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY,” the metal icon wrote. “HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”
Donna Summer’s estate took a similar, though far less passionate approach when they accused Ye of “copyright infringement” days later. What do you think of Wiz Khalifa showing love to Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s new album, Vultures 1? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
When Kanye West and Ty Dolla Signannounced their joint album in October 2023, it immediately raised a few eyebrows. However, following their star-studded listening parties around the world helped to build a buzz around the project. Now, it appears that all of the musicians’ promotional efforts have paid off. Today (February 18), it has been revealed that Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s Vultures 1 has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Despite accessibility issues, the outlet confirmed that the controversial body of work pulled in significant numbers. According to Billboard, the metrics for Vultures 1 are 148,000 total units for the week ending on February 15. This number comprises 129,000 streaming-equivalent album units (equaling 167.78 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs), 18,000 album sales, and 1,000 track-equivalent album units (album or song downloads).
Vultures 1 was initially released on February 9 after multiple delays. After its release, fans quickly took to social media to report having difficulties playing the 16-track project on streaming. By February 15, Vultures 1 was removed in totality from Apple Music. That wasn’t the only problem surrounding the project. Ozzy Osbourne slammed West’s sample usage of his song “War Pigs.” Donna Summer’s estate accused West of copyright infringement for including elements similar to the late singer’s record. Even, Nicki Minaj refused to clear a verse for the album.
None of this seems to have derailed Kanye West’s vision as he announced plans to release two more editions of the album.
Vultures 1 will debut atop the Billboard Album 200, giving Kanye West his 11th No. 1 album. Per Luminate, the long-awaited album sold 148,000 copies in its first week. The project beat out Usher, who debuted at No. 2, his highest in a decade, with Coming Home. The album was released on February 11, just hours before Usher headlined the Super Bowl halftime show. The full album chart will have a delayed release due to President’s Day.
The album is stacked with features. The first feature of Vultures 1 is India Love on “Keys To My Life”. Two songs later, Kanye is joined by his daughter North West for “Talking/Once Again”. That is followed by an appearance from Freddie Gibbs on “Back To Me”. Tracks 7 and 8 are another pair of back-to-back features, with Nipsey Hussle & YG appearing on “Do It” and Quavo featuring on “Paperwork”. The final four features can be found between tracks 10 and 13. There are two appearances by Playboi Carti – “Fuk Sum” (also featuring Travis Scott) and “Carnival” (also featuring Rich The Kid). Meanwhile, Chris Brown adds his vocals to “Beg Forgiveness”. Finally, there is the album’s namesake, which features Lil Durk & Bump J.
Meanwhile, Kanye has unveiled the intense cover art for “Carnival”, one of the standout tracks from the recently released Vultures 1. Designed by noted Canadian artist Jon Rafman, the cover art for “Carnival” depicts a close-up of a screaming and bloodied skinhead. Rafman also created the AI-generated music video for “Vultures (Havoc Version)” which was released alongside the album.
“Carnival” features Playboi Carti and Rich the Kid. As mentioned, it is widely considered one of the best tracks on Vultures 1. Many people have already called it the best song of 2024. However, the song proved controversial even before it was released. A version heard at a listening party in Chicago earned the ire of Ozzy Osbourne due to an uncleared sample of Black Sabbath. A later version at a Long Island listening party used a sample of Kanye’s “Hell of a life”, which interpolates the same Black Sabbath song.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s eagerly anticipated new project, Vultures 1, finally arrived last weekend. As the first of three volumes, the album has already managed to make a huge splash. Aside from topping the charts, Ye’s received some major backlash for some of the project’s controversial lyrics. The Chicago MC also got called out by Ozzy Osbourne and Donna Summer’s estate for allegedly using samples without permission.
Regardless, Vultures 1 has been well received by many, and has even reportedly saved a life. During a recent chat with The San Francisco Chronicle, Mike Petkov recalled getting lost on a skiing trip in Kirkwood. He claims that to remain hopeful as he awaited rescue, he recited lyrics from Ye and Ty Dolla Sign’s track with Chris Brown, “Beg Forgiveness.”
Mike Petkov Recalls Reciting Lyrics While Awaiting Rescue
“I thought I was getting into one of those cool backside areas where, if I got stuck, I’d be fine,” Petkov described. “I purposefully didn’t look at the trail map too much because I’ve had a lot of fun exploring [ski areas] and seeing where the day takes me.” In a turn of events, he ended up losing service, leaving him stranded. Fortunately, he was eventually able to contact some friends to give them his coordinates. At that point, however, it was too late. He had to wait overnight to get help, which is when Ye’s lyrics came in handy.
According to him, he continuously recited the lyrics, “You’ve gone too far and you should hang your head in shame/ Don’t die/ Don’t die,” which helped him stay alive. “I don’t blame Kirkwood. I should have at least had a little bit of a plan and an outlook of the resort,” Petkov says of the incident. “And then, just don’t YOLO too much.” What do you think of a man claiming that Vultures 1 lyrics saved his life during a skiing trip? Are you surprised? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
North West has been in the news quite a bit over these past few days. Overall, a lot of this stems from the fact that she was on her father’s new album Vultures 1. She can be found on the track “Talking” where she delivers her debut rap verse. Although it may not be extremely lyrical, some have seen it as the highlight of the album. After all, North is a lot like her father in many respects, and fans think she can be a superstar one day. If anything, this is her first step to getting on that trajectory.
Vultures 1 has certainly been through the wringer as of late. There has been a whole lot of drama around the album, especially as it pertains to distribution. For instance, the album was taken off Apple Music. However, it was eventually put back on the platform fairly soon after. Now, North West is showing her appreciation towards the album. In a journal, North revealed what she appreciates the most right now. Of course, all of her answers were Vultures 1 related. Moreover, she even delivered a drawing of the album cover.
The drawing itself is pretty good even though it wasn’t meant to be entirely realistic. For the most part, she got the silhouettes correct. Moreover, she revealed that her favorite song on the album is “Carnival.” This track features the likes of Rich The Kid, and even Playboi Carti. Ultimately, it makes up one of the best tracks on the project. However, the reviews for Vultures 1 continue to be mixed. Some are impressed with it, while others see it as a complete waste of time.
Let us know what you thought of the album, in the comments section below. What was your favorite track? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on your favorite artists and their upcoming releases.
No Kanye West project ever comes without controversy. His Ty Dolla Sign joint album Vultures 1 is no different. Today (February 15), Vultures 1 was removed from Apple Music.
The album arrived last Friday (February 9) following numerous delays. However, according to a spokesperson from music distributing company FUGA, the company was never supposed to drop the album.
Why was Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign’s Vultures 1 Removed From Apple Music?
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesperson for FUGA said the company never officially agreed to distribute the album.
“Late last year, FUGA was presented with the opportunity to release Vultures 1. Exercising our judgment in the ordinary course of business, we declined to do so. On Friday, February 9, 2024, a long-standing FUGA client delivered the album Vultures 1 through the platform’s automated processes, violating our service agreement. Therefore, FUGA is actively working with its DSP partners and the client to remove Vultures 1 from our systems.”
This isn’t the only controversy the album has faced in the days since its release. Both Ozzy Osbourne and the estate of Donna Summer have said that West had previously asked to sample or interpolate works of theirs, however, they both denied. West used the samples anyway.
Since the album’s initial removal, Billboard has reported that the album is now back on Apple Music, now distributed through Label Engine.
Representatives for Label Engine, Apple Music, and Ty Dolla Sign did not immediately return our request for comment.
Ty Dolla Sign is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Earlier today, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s new joint album Vultures 1 was removed from Apple Music due to distribution issues. The album arrived via FUGA, which later wanted the album removed. “A long-standing FUGA client delivered the album Vultures 1 through the platform’s automated processes, violating our service agreement,” a spokesperson told Billboard today. “Therefore, FUGA is actively working with its DSP partners and the client to remove VULTURES 1 from our systems.”
Now, the album has found a new distributor, Label Engine. The company put out the project’s first two singles, which led to confusion when the full album arrived via FUGA. Luckily, however, this means that the album is back on Apple Music again for fans to stream.
Ye attends the Kenzo Fall/Winter 2022/2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 23, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
These are far from the only hiccups Ye has dealt with following the release of Vultures 1, however. Following the hitmaker’s Chicago listening party, Ozzy Osbourne took to Twitter to accuse him of sampling Black Sabbath without permission. “@kanyewest ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘WAR PIG’ FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY. HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!” he wrote.
Donna Summer’s estate later called Kanye out for alleged “copyright infringement” for his track “GOOD (DON’T DIE),” again insisting he was denied permission. Either way, the album continues to be a success among fans. What do you think of Vultures 1 returning to Apple Music? What about it moving to Label Engine? Are you glad you can stream it on Apple Music again? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep ane ye on HNHH for more updates.
It has been a rough go for the release of Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s album Vultures. First, it was delayed many times, for months, before it was finally released on February 10. Now, it looks like the album is getting… un-released: As of this afternoon (February 15), Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s album Vultures 1 is no longer available to stream on Apple Music.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s album ‘Vultures’ has been removed from Apple Music. pic.twitter.com/HVlJnP8x8J
This follows a statement from FUGA, the album’s distributor, shared with Billboard. A spokesperson said:
“Late last year, FUGA was presented with the opportunity to release Vultures 1. Exercising our judgment in the ordinary course of business, we declined to do so. On Friday, February 9, 2024, a long-standing FUGA client delivered the album Vultures 1 through the platform’s automated processes, violating our service agreement. Therefore, FUGA is actively working with its DSP partners and the client to remove Vultures 1 from our systems.”
The album is currently still available on Spotify… but not all of it: The song “Good (Don’t Die)” cannot currently be played on the platform. This comes after Donna Summer’s estate accused West of copyright infringement, explaining, “Kanye West…asked permission to use Donna Summer’s song I Feel Love, he was denied… he changed the words, had someone re sing it or used AI but it’s I Feel Love… copyright infringement!!!”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
It’s never easy witnessing the downfall of a cultural phenomenon, especially in the way that Kanye went from a beacon of hope to an artistic pariah who became more engulfed in controversy the further he was platformed. Unfortunately, the backlash wasn’t detached from his artistic output, and Ye has frequently failed to deliver an album without allowing his antics to overshadow it. In the case of Vultures 1, the first of three supposed collaborative albums between Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, that was almost the case. From listening events to hotel parties, the two artists delivered the album in different iterations as they tinkered with the final product and presumably, attempted to clear up some of the admin work attached with sample clearance.
At this point, Kanye West has gained notoriety for failing to release albums on schedule and the circus that surrounds these projects heavily contributes to the rollout. Unfortunately, that often means that, despite the wait, the music still sounds unfinished by the time it’s on DSPs and remains that way.
That’s the biggest difference between projects like Donda and Ye and Vultures 1. Though unveiled similarly, Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative effort sounds like a labor of love rather than a byproduct of a new Yeezy campaign. For the first time in a while, there’s a common ground between Ye’s ideas and the execution, largely carried by Ty Dolla $ign’s stellar performances across the album and an attention to detail that was sorely missing in recent albums. However, where Ye lacks from a lyrical standpoint – and there are plenty of those moments – he makes up for tenfold through his production.
Vultures Lands
Without a fresh bout of controversy to go up against, Vultures 1 remains a rather smooth listen from front to back. Since 2015, the chemistry between Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign has delivered on all fronts with each collaboration. On Vultures 1, the two artists complement each other’s styles through plenty of contrast yet without losing a sense of cohesion. The two could weave through wholesome moments like “Talking/Once Again,” where North West makes an adorably assertive rap debut and Ty Dolla $ign leads the gospel to heavenly glory, then leap into a hypnotizingly muddy banger with “Hoodrat,” where Ye and Ty Dolla $ign capture the haziness of hotel afterparties and bathroom sex.
As a producer, Kanye’s ability to lead Ty Dolla $ign – and vice versa – allows the two of them to pull from each other’s respective strengths. Ty’s versatility made him a multi-faceted voice who could easily transition between touching ballads, ratchet bangers for the strip club, and soulful R&B with little effort. Through that, Ty becomes a vessel for Kanye’s ear, executing airy falsettos that elevate the orchestral production on “Stars” or his passionate earworm of a hook on “Burn” that allows Kanye to sound like he’s back in 2005. However, the familiarity that comes with both of these records feels like it lends itself to the formula that Kanye’s utilized since The Life Of Pablo, where he’s pulling ideas from his old catalog.
The Good & Bad Of “Carnival”
Yet he finds new ways to innovate sonic motifs. Kanye often used choirs to bring a sense of spirituality and soul to his music, whether on The College Dropout or Jesus Is King. However, the way he utilizes it on “Carnival” is unlike anything he’s delivered recently. “Carnival” stands as the crown jewel of the 16-song collection, if only because of the rambunctious and drunken collection of European Ultras yelling “head so good, she honor roll” in unison. The blistering chants and grinding synthesizers fuel the high-octane energy, reminiscent of UK punk and sweaty mosh pits.
Despite this, Ye delivers one of his worst lyrical performances of the album, likening himself to R. Kelly and Bill Cosby before landing on Jesus but by that point, you’re startled by Kanye stating that he’s “#MeToo me rich.” No matter how you look at it, it’s a weak attempt to troll, whether he’s crusading against cancel culture or actually advocating for the innocence of sexual predators.
With a wide range of collaborators at their disposal, Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign brought through some unexpected features on the project. Playboi Carti’s appearance on “Carnival” marks one of two stellar performances on the album, alongside the hypnotic ode to Memphis, “F*CKSUMN.” Evolving his delivery from a deeper register adds a level of curiosity to his flow. It’s almost whimsically inquisitive when he emerges on “Carnival” and pays homage to SahBabii or when he asks, “Shawty wanna fuck?” on the latter.
Meanwhile, Freddie Gibbs delivers the verse of the album, if not the year so far on “Back To Me.” He swiftly turns Ye’s cheeky interpolation of Jay’s “beautiful big t*tty women just don’t fall out the sky you know” into a katana-sharp verse that’s equally playful and gruff with bars like, “Turn a bird bitch to my X like I was Elon.” Other standout moments on the project come from Chris Brown who delivers a haunting gospel on “Beg Forgiveness,” and Quavo means business on “Paperwork.” There’s a lot of heavy lifting from collaborators across the project, to the point where this album likely wouldn’t be as digestible without them.
In its totality, Vultures 1 is the first album from Kanye West in a long time that feels like it isn’t trying to harness some bigger picture or push some sort of agenda outside of music. His vulnerability feels sincere on songs like the Timbaland-produced “Keys To My Life,” where he reflects on his dilapidated marriage to Kim Kardashian over sorrowfully pitched-up vocal samples of India Love. Fortunately, these moments are few and far between, which allows them to pack an even more potent punch on the tracklist.
Overall, Kanye sounds like he’s having a blast and it’s refreshing to hear. Ty’s penchant for smooth, sexually charged pen and Kanye’s flagrantly grotesque bars that often lean into the TMI territory fuel the self-indulgent tones. This level of playfulness yields solid results on songs like “Do It” ft. YG and Nipsey Hussle. It’s a return to the form of ratchet raps that both YG and Ty Dolla $ign helped establish in the West Coast alongside Mustard.
Meanwhile, Nipsey’s posthumous contributions, originally appearing on an unreleased Cardi B song titled “Wanna Know,” find an even better home over an eerily mesmerizing vocal loop. Unlike most posthumous features from Nipsey, “Do It” is a firm reminder of how adept he was at delivering stripper-friendly bops as much as lyrically-dense entrepreneurial gems. The addition of YG’s verse at the end, over a sample of Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up,” is the icing top.
Perhaps the only thing that warranted an ounce of excitement surrounding the initial announcement of Vultures was Ty Dolla $ign’s involvement. He and Kanye are polar opposites in many ways, primarily because Ty is as unproblematic as they come while the same can’t be said for Ye. However, they’ve established such a strong rapport over the years that it’s clear Ty Dolla $ign has put some sort of battery in Kanye’s back, one that allowed him to challenge himself beyond what his ego (and his yes men) tells him is genius.
Most importantly, Kanye sounds like there’s a sense of joy in making music on Vultures 1. The past few albums became vessels of communication for larger grievances; an unrelenting wielding of influence in the face of the most influential institutes, whether Adidas, Nike, Disney & Hulu, or the Kardashian clan at large. While that remains prevalent, like in “Burn” when he declares that he “burned 8 billion to take off my chains,” there’s a sense of vindication that comes with no restrictions or major label contracts to adhere to.
Vultures 1 pales in comparison to a discography built on pushing boundaries and shifting the culture. That even extends to the collaborative projects in Ye’s arsenal. However, while Jay-Z and Kid Cudi unlocked new levels out of Kanye on Watch The Throne and Kids See Ghosts, Ty Dolla $ign helped Kanye find a place of comfort amid the chaos that has trailed behind him over the past six years. It’s a new era in Kanye’s career, one that doesn’t veer too far from where he was in 2022. But with Ty Dolla $ign’s companionship, Kanye’s able to hone his focus to deliver an album that’s more worthy of listening to than debating.
Over the weekend, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign released their highly-anticipated new collaborative album VULTURES 1. The project was first announced a few months ago before facing numerous delays. Eventually, it was revealed that the album had become three albums that would be released across the next few months. Once the first volume finally arrived fans were delighted to find a feature-stacked tracklist sporting some of the biggest names in rap.
One of the standout songs on the record for many fans is “Carnival.” In addition to West and Ty, the song also features appearances from Playboi Carti and Rich The Kid. It made waves before the album was even officially released following tweets made by Ozzy Osbourne. The legendary metal singer took issue with an uncleared sample of a Black Sabbath performance that West used during the listening party for the album. The sample was eventually replaced entirely on the officially released version of the song. But now fans are once again talking about the song after a new video emerged earlier this week.
This man Ye really got Inter Milan ultras (fan club of the best football club in Italy rn) in the studio to record the background vocals for Carnival lol. This the type of shit that no one else does pic.twitter.com/UNRLwrZ79U
In a new video making the rounds online, fan got a peek at how the VULTURES standout was made. “This man Ye really got Inter Milan ultras (fan club of the best football club in Italy rn) in the studio to record the background vocals for Carnival lol. This the type of sh*t that no one else does” the caption of a tweet sharing the video reads.
The tweet is accompanied by a video of what looks like more than a dozen Inter Milan fans. They’re in the studio together recording background vocals. The vocals appear to have eventually become the chanting singing in the background of the final version of “Carnival.” What do you think of Kanye West recruiting an Inter Milan fan club to record vocals for his new song “Carnival?” Is “Carnival” your favorite song on West’s new album VULTURES 1? Let us know in the comment section below.
