Last weekend, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign finally unveiled their new album Vultures 2, but the release was anything but typical. For one, it arrived by surprise following multiple delays. Amid complaints about its quality, Ye also promised to deliver updated versions of songs in real time. He also dropped several exclusive bonus tracks in the past couple of days. They boast features from the likes of Kid Cudi, Kodak Black, and more.
Now, the Chicago-born artist has taken to his Instagram Story to put Atlantic Records on blast. In a screenshot, someone lets Ye know that Atlantic Group chairman Julie Greenwald “just got fired.” They added that Greenwald said, “The new head is not going to give [them] a grace period to handle Atlantic’s compensation.” Finally, he warned Ye that “if [they] don’t handle immediately,” meaning paying Atlantic 40% of all revenue from Vultures 1 and Vultures 2, they’ll be taken down.
“This is what ‘they’ do to independent artists,” Ye wrote alongside the screenshot. “Who’s the new head of Atlantic?” His posts come shortly after Greenwald revealed that she’ll be stepping down from her position in September, and staying on board to assist incoming CEO Elliot Grainge until January. Ye’s collaborator, Ty Dolla Sign, is currently signed to Atlantic. This could explain why they’re looking for a cut of Vultures 1 and Vultures 2.
Ye just returned to Instagram earlier this week after months away. Fans were curious what kind of things they’d be hearing from him now that he’s back. Clearly, he didn’t hesitate before using the platform to call out Atlantic. What do you think of Kanye West accusing Atlantic Records of threatening to take down Vultures 1 and Vultures 2 unless they receive 40% of all revenue from both albums? Are you surprised or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Over the weekend, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign unveiled their eagerly anticipated album, Vultures 2. The release took fans off guard, as it arrived by surprise following multiple delays. The project has had listeners split since it dropped. While many were satisfied, others raised issues with the mixing. Ye later announced that he’d be delivering updated versions of various tracks.
He even recently unveiled three new bonus tracks, “Believer,” “Drunk” featuring Bad Bunny and Kodak Black, and “Gun To My Head” featuring Kid Cudi. They’re currently available for purchase exclusively on the Yeezy website until midnight ET. As expected, these too have elicited mixed reactions from fans. While many think these would have been valuable additions to the original release, others are questioning their price point.
“Vultures 2 going from worst album ever to Album of the year,” one X user writes in Kurrco‘s comments section. “They ain’t finished,” another suspects. Vultures 2 is far from the only reason Ye is making headlines as of late, however. Earlier this week, his former Chief of Staff Milo Yiannopoulos made some shocking claims about his dentist Thomas P. Connelly in an affidavit. He alleged that Connelly has been supplying the Chicago-born performer with large quantities of nitrous gas for recreational use since he installed his titanium grill.
Yiannopoulos expressed concern for Ye’s well-being, alleging that he has a “dependence” on the substance. For obvious reasons, fans are worried. #SaveYe began to trend on X earlier today as social media users urged him to seek help. Many are even calling for Ye to put off the release of Vultures 3 so he can focus solely on his health for the time being. What do you think of Kanye West dropping new Vultures 2 deluxe tracks? Which one is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
This weekend Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign unleashed their new album Vultures 2, which has since managed to spark some controversy. While many are enjoying the project so far, others are unimpressed. Many raised issues with the mixing in particular. Luckily, Ye promised updated versions of the tracks, which he delivered several of this week.
Now, the duo has unveiled a new visual for their track “Fried.” As expected, it’s also earned mixed reactions from viewers. It features a pack of masked individuals running through seemingly endless hallways, with no clear goal in sight. While some think it’s interesting and pairs well with the song, others think it left a lot to be desired.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign Deliver New Vultures 2 Visuals
“Ye what am I watching,” one YouTube commenter wonders. “The visuals got my brain fried,” another jokes. Of course, it’s still up for debate whether or not this is a worthy visual, and the same can be said for the rest of the project. Despite some ongoing criticism, however, the duo are expected to have a successful first week in terms of first-week sales. According to Chart Data, Vultures 2 is on track to move 68K units in its first week. While this is certainly no small feat, it would be only the third time in Ye’s career he hasn’t topped the Billboard 200 chart the week of a release.
The other two times this has happened were in 2008 when he dropped his debut The College Dropout, and in 2018 when he unveiled Kids See Ghosts with Kid Cudi. What do you think of Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s new “Fried” music video? What about social media users’ criticism? Are you a fan of it or not? What’s your favorite track from Vultures 2 so far? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Over the weekend, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign finally unveiled their new album Vultures 2 by surprise. The project was originally slated for release earlier this year and after various delays, expected on August 2. It arrived just a day late this time around and has since gotten mixed reactions. While many were quick to praise the duo online after the drop, some listeners had complaints about the quality of the LP. Ye seemingly responded to this by delivering new updated versions of various tracks this week.
Of course, amid all of this debate, social media users were eager to see how the project would perform. Luckily, its first-week sales projections arrived today courtesy of Chart Data, and are nothing short of impressive. Reportedly, Vultures 2is on track to move almost 68K units in its first week.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign’s Vultures 2 Expected To Move 68K Its First Week
Rappers Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign perform onstage during the “Vultures 1” playback concert during Rolling Loud 2024 at Hollywood Park Grounds on March 14, 2024 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
This would put the album in second place on the Billboard 200 chart, just behind Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department. This is certainly no lousy feat, but it would be only the third time in Ye’s career that he doesn’t top the chart after a release. The past two times were with his 2004 debut The College Dropout and Kids See Ghosts with Kid Cudi in 2018.
Either way, this number is something to be proud of, particularly considering some disappointing first weeks fans have seen lately. What do you think of Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign’s Vultures 2 first-week sales projections? Are you surprised or not? Does the number seem low, high, or just right? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
Has there been a more chaotic album rollout? Kanye West continues to raise the bar when it comes to releases that are messy, confusing, and tedious. He dropped VULTURES 2 after months of delays, and now he’s tweaking the song mixes in real time. He also saw fit to drop off a bonus track titled “Take Off Your Dress.” The song is only available for purchase on Yeezy.com. Streaming complications aside, the latest collaboration between Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign is undeniably strong. “Take Off Your Dress” rides a wildly catchy sample to success. It would have improved the standard version of the album.
“Take Off Your Dress” is built around a sample of “Please Make It Good Again” by Talmadge Armstrong. Kanye West is one of the revered beatmakers in hip-hop history, especially when it comes to chopping up soul samples. Unsurprisingly, he excels here. The song manages to generate resignation and weary regret thanks to its slowed drum pattern. The sample keeps the momentum going, though, as do the verses. Kanye West drops some ridiculous bars about getting FaceTime “in person,” and references a classic Lil Uzi Vert song in the process. It’s not terribly lyrical, but it’s fun. Ty Dolla Sign really steals the show towards the middle of the song, though. The R&B singer digs deep, and his vocals deliver on the kind of searing emotion that the original song suggested. He might’ve gotten Ye on this one. We win either way.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Kanye West’s art is impossible to engage with solely at face value, something that his collaborative album series with Ty Dolla $ign, VULTURES, proves in a pretty ugly way. Their latest release, VULTURES 2, is drawing conversation online for reasons related only tangentially to the music it contains. Uncleared samples, verses allegedly generated by artificial intelligence (Ye-I?), unfulfilled release dates followed by surprise launches, and absolutely abysmal mixing on this LP are taking precedence over any considerations of songwriting, creativity, performance, or any other elements you would look for in a new body of work. Of course, that’s not counting all the politically and socially abhorrent narratives that Ty and Ye (mostly and especially Ye) have been involved in or propagated since… well, we’ll let you pick your starting point. After all, even TLOP’s “new Kanye” is old Kanye by today’s standards.
However, what makes VULTURES 2 such a lackluster and disappointing release, even compared to the already dull and unsatisfying first installment, is a shocking lack of effort, originality, and sense of purpose. Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign released half-baked demo editions of these songs on this album, and regardless of whether the ideas behind these mixes are satisfying or not, it contributes to this project feeling like a scam tracklist from a random YouTube page, not the result of deliberate studio time after multiple delays already. If you scrape through quietly mixed verses, muddy rhythmic tones, mid-performance audio shifts, and head-scratching panning, there is certainly some quality throughout this tracklist and even some thematic depth. Still, not only is this achievement scant, but it feels damningly derivative from past (and recent) work.
To start with VULTURES 2‘s highs, there are some engaging, vivid, and appropriately grand excursions into the dramatic, raw, and nocturnal hip-hop/R&B that Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign have championed throughout their collaborations. The big highlight is “SLIDE,” with its THX synths opening the track in an immediate and captivating fashion. The hectic and enveloping percussion makes for one of the most uniquely groovy and enjoyable bounces on the album. It also succeeds at achieving this quality standard in some softer moments on occasion, such as cohesive electronic embellishments to a vocal sample on “FOREVER.” Producers like London on da Track, Wheezy, Fred again.., James Blake, BoogzDaBeast, AyoAA, and The Legendary Traxster make up a massive list of co-producers, but this doesn’t translate into ambitious soundscapes.
Rather, the fact that Kanye West is actually absent from many beats here speaks to how thrown-together and un-curated many of these production ideas feel. For example, nothing comes of a rock sample on “ISABELLA. Cuts like “PROMOTION” and “DEAD” contain some of the most generic synth tones and drum sounds you’ll hear all year. Other Ye albums definitely felt like too many chefs were overcooking their meals in the kitchen, but this time around, we’re not comparing it to last year’s album – we’re comparing it to what we just got in February. Through that lens, there’s even less of a reason to act impressed by Donda and Jesus Is King retreads. Speaking of repetition, “FRIED” is an embarrassing attempt to copy the appeal behind “CARNIVAL” with even worse lyrics, and “TIME MOVING SLOW” sounds like an alternate demo version to the already meager “Flowers” off Donda 2.
Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign’s Pessimistic Performances
Just how VULTURES2‘s most generic missteps overshadow its sonic ambition, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s thematic goals on the album fall victim to some of their most poorly written hedonistic material about money, women, the rap game, and passing partners to their friends like a piece of meat. Similar to VULTURES 1, Ty is a more consistent and skilled performer in this second round thanks to his melodic dominance and despite Ye taking even more of a center stage. The first installment, however, Ty held higher and more dependable peaks far more consistently. The Chicago rapper has some passable verses on here like the first half of “530” and chemistry-filled trade-offs between him, Ty, and Lil Baby on “FOREVER ROLLING,” where he actually tries to engage with wordplay and provides a clear narrative. But alas, his hollow pen is mostly his least inspired and most irrelevant yet.
While guests like Lil Durk and Lil Wayne try to sharpen things up and follow Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s lead, their contributions don’t really amount to much beyond a short but solid reprieve from the monotony. Playboi Carti and Don Toliver go a bit further, providing much-needed vocal dynamism to the eerie “FIELD TRIP.” Yet no one stands out the way that guests did on albums like Donda because of how rickety the foundations for their appearances are. One definite exception is “RIVER,” with progressive production and a charismatic Young Thug verse that (if only for its inclusion) speaks to Kanye’s themes of freedom and justice on the track. Ye’s passionate vocal performance and lyricism are a rare highlight here, and Ty Dolla $ign leads the outro with heavenly vocals.
Sadly, despite occasional glimpses of loving care, VULTURES 2‘s poorly executed formulas don’t earn the benefit of the doubt sequel projects usually get. It takes two steps back from VULTURES 1, which at least had novelty and controversy at its side. Now, it feels like an easy paycheck that doesn’t entice you with its bravado: it just expects you to punch in and praise it for being the same album Kanye West’s made for half a decade. The filler is also staggering, as “HUSBAND” is an unnecessary isolation of the second half of “LIFESTYLE” and “SKY CITY” is a Yandhi-era leak whose official release absolutely guts its previous structure. At least “BOMB” provides a glimmer of West family wholesomeness, even if the discussions of family contrast lazily and messily with disgustingly indulgent misogyny.
That’s perhaps the most salient failure of VULTURES 2: it’s all of Kanye West’s expected vices with his least compelling attempts at contrasting them with his values. The album’s shoddy release, perhaps the shoddiest in Ye’s entire catalog, represents this unwell egomania. As for the moments on here that do have something to say, he and Ty Dolla $ign lack originality, notable production, and noteworthy performances. The last exception to mention is the final verse on “MY SOUL,” delivered by Ty Dolla $ign’s incarcerated brother, which most overtly embodies the album’s “theme”: freedom. But they only focus for a blink of an eye. Elsewhere, it’s a Jersey-house-trap-moody-synth corpse whose scandals, successes, and self-satisfactions not only turn the duo’s few meaningful ideas into ghosts but place shockingly little importance on the album experience that Ye was once so revered for. If they don’t care about their music, why should we?
“VULTURES 2 AVAILABLE ON ALL DSPS. UPDATED SONGS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN REAL TIME”. That is the message that still reads across Kanye West’s yeezy.com site amid the release of VULTURES 2. He shared that news the night of the album’s release, August 3, after fans were voicing their frustrations all day. Many have been dubbing this his worst project of his career thanks to poor mixing, vapid performances, and etc. This is something that the Georgia multi-hyphenate has done before, à la The Life Of Pablo. While there are quite a bit of people out there who feel these changes will help improve V2, others think there’s no saving it.
Regardless of what side you’re on in this ongoing discussion, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign are living up to their promise. According to Kurrco, he shared the first of five tweaks to the 16-song tracklist. Whether or not we receive adjustments to each cut remains to be seen. For now, though, Ye and Ty have brought updates to “RIVER”, “530”, “SKY CITY,” “FIELD TRIP”, and “FRIED”. Kurrco provides extra insight for the first two, which are arguably the most coveted tracks, and the ones fans were disappointed in the most. For “RIVER”, the “OG drums” are back in the mix, so if you were able to hear the demo of that record, that may be a major tweak.
Then, for “530”, Ty Dolla $ign, as well as Alvin from the titular chipmunk band, have vocals added. However, at the time of writing, these changes have not yet been deployed onto streaming yet. Whether or not Kanye actually releases each refined version like he said he would in “real time” or all at once when each track is done, remains to be seen. For now, continue to refresh your streaming platforms.
What are your thoughts on Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign making these adjustments to VULTURES 2? How much does this improve the overall listening experience? Is Ye officially on a decline after these last two projects, why or why not? What other things does he need to fix on the LP? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, and VULTURES 2. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
It appears that all Kanye West is doing with VULTURES 2is making fans angry. To be honest, it’s completely fair criticism. After waiting on the sequel to the inaugural VULTURES 1 for months, the album still sounds extremely unfinished. It especially doesn’t help that a lot of the songs were known about for years thanks to the leak community and DONDA 2. Of course, there are a few ride-or-die supporters of Ye trying to defend the project. Ultimately, though, the amount of disappointment far outweighs the love being shown to this debatably even worse LP. Some predicted this would happen, but some were still holding out hope for Kanye West because of songs like “LIFESTYLE”.
Hip-hop Twitter (now X) is having quite the field day picking VULTURES 2 to pieces. “LIFESTYLE” is one of the handful of songs that Kanye West had hype around thanks to a demo that had been floating around the internet. However, when you listen to each version side-by-side, you can see why fans are confused and upset. Instead of having Ty Dolla $ign sing the chorus –who the better singing voice — Ye instead takes the reins, and it sounds like a non-artist singing in the shower. Additionally, the instrumental is mixed much better, which is another big gripe that people have with VULTURES 2.
However, those few Kanye stans we mentioned earlier are trying to contest that the latest version is better. One user says, “Bruh the new one better lol”. Another even sends some shade at Drake, saying, “Demo version is giving Drake energy. Official version is more Ye”. Someone else even calls out the leaking camp for ruining the official album release. “This is prob with leaks and the reason I don’t listen to them more than once, you guys have an idea what something is SUPPOSED TO SOUND like, ruining ur personal experience when the real thing shows up, now y’all mad smh”.
What are your thoughts on the current version of “LIFESTYLE” off of VULTURES 2? Listening to the demo and official renditions back-to-back, which one sounds better? Where do you currently stand on the new album? Do you agree with the camp out there that Kanye West is tarnishing his legacy? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, and VULTURES 2. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Believe it or not, Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign actually released their long-awaited album Vultures 2. One track that’s generating some attention is “Lifestyle,” which sees Lil Wayne addressing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
On his opening verse, Wayne raps, “I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce.”
It didn’t take long for Swift to deliver what some have interpreted as a response to the line. She performed in Warsaw, Poland hours after the song was released, and at one point, she wore a t-shirt that says “I Bet You Think About Me.”
As Page Six notes, it’s a shirt Swift has worn on stage before, but some fans believe her choosing to wear it at that show wasn’t a coincidence.
One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “She’s so funny for wearing the I bet you think about me shirt after Ka*ye name dropped her and Travis in his song an actual comedian.” Another said, “[When I] saw the k*nye thing a little bit ago and I knew she was gonna wear it lmao.”
In late 2023, Swift addressed her infamous phone call with Ye, calling it a “fully manufactured frame job.” Months later, Ye wrote on social media, “I’m sure I’ve been far more helpful to Taylor Swift’s career than harmful.”
Taylor Swift fans think she may have addressed Kanye West and Lil Wayne mentioning her and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, on their new song, “Lifestyle.” On the track, which dropped as a part of Vultures 2 on Saturday, Wayne raps in his verse to open the song: “I twist my Taylor spliffs tight at the end like Travis Kelce.” Performing on her Eras Tour in Warsaw, Poland, later that night, Swift rocked a t-shirt with the phrase, “I Bet You Think About Me,” on it.
“She’s so funny for wearing the I bet you think about me shirt after Ka*ye name dropped her and Travis in his song an actual comedian,” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter), as caught by Page Six. Another user wrote: “[When I] saw the k*nye thing a little bit ago and I knew she was gonna wear it lmao.”
Taylor Swift’s fans are buying merchandise at a stand outside the national stadium ahead of the last live concert of the ”Eras” tour in Warsaw, Poland, on August 3, 2024. (Photo by Aleksander Kalka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
West and Swift have been feuding for over a decade, dating back to 2009 when Ye infamously interrupted her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2016, he mentioned her on the song, “Famous,” which reignited the feud yet again. Last year, Swift reflected on the beef while speaking with TIME Magazine, accusing Kim Kardashian of attempting to frame her by releasing her phone call with West discussing the song. “Make no mistake—my career was taken away from me,” Swift remarked. “You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar.”
Kanye West Teams Up With Lil Wayne For “Lifestyle”
Outside of the t-shirt, Swift hasn’t officially addressed the West’s latest apparent jab. Be on the lookout for further updates on Taylor Swift on HotNewHipHop.
BELIEVER
