What do we know about Ye's "Vultures"

The wait is over; the album by Ye, produced by Ty Dolla $ign, is set to release on Friday, December 15th. After months of rumors, canceled listening parties, leaks, and much more, the Chicago rapper will debut his 14th official project of his career - counting joint albums with Pusha T and JAY-Z. Yet, even though only a few days separate us from the release of Vultures, we already know many details, perhaps too many. Kanye West officially presented his new album with an official listening party held at the Wynwood Marketplace in Miami a few hours ago, after teasing, on December 11th and 12th, during impromptu DJ sets, additional brief snippets of Vultures.

In addition to the release date, we also know the tracklist of Vultures, thanks to Ty Dolla $ign's Instagram post a few days ago. We still don't know if Ye and the producer will delight us with a Deluxe version of the album, but considering Kanye's unreleased material on YouTube and SoundCloud, we can't rule it out: only the most attentive may have noticed that tracks like Can You Be and 530 The Car Missing, two of the most played by the artist's hardcore fans, are not included in the tracklist.

What happened at the listening party

The listening party in Miami revealed further details about Kanye West's upcoming album. Firstly, the lineup of artists who will join him on the notes of Vultures: Playboi Carti, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Future, Offset, Quavo, Freddie Gibbs Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Lil Durk, Kodak Black, James Blake, North West, Charlie Wilson, and Bump J. Not everyone showed up at the event, yet the rich list of confirmed artists allows us to imagine that the album will not disappoint in any way, at least in terms of quality. James Blake confirms himself as a figure as varied as indispensable, enjoying total respect from the biggest rappers in the scene, such as Kanye West and Travis Scott. The latter's name, surprisingly, was not revealed, and considering the relationship that has developed between the two with the release of Utopia and with Ye's presence at La Flame's Circus Maximus concert, we consider his absence unlikely, at least regarding productions. North West, Ye and Kim Kardashian's daughter, also attended the event in Miami and will surprisingly be credited on the album: Kanye replicates what Drake did with his son Adonis on the track Daylight. To add more fuel to the fire, Ye took the stage in an all-black outfit (after days of dressing entirely in white), embellished with a hood reminiscent of the Ku Kuz Klan style that unmistakably recalls the artwork of Black Skinhead.

Vultures' communication strategy

As for the communication strategy, we cannot affirm that Kanye has opted for a linear path. The communicative side has taken on a particularly confusing character in many aspects. We don't know if this is a choice made by Kanye West or if the rapper has been "forced" to take this type of communication due to a series of events (such as the suggestion of a two-week concert in Campovolo) to improvise this type of dialogue with his fans. Many lyrics of the album releasing on Friday are already known. For example, Back To Me, the song that apparently was produced in some remote location in Tuscany, has been circulating on the internet for months, although only with the listening party a few hours ago did we learn that the chorus will be sung by Freddie Gibbs. Another very important aspect to analyze concerns the culture of the listening party: Kanye, in his recent history, has accustomed us to shows that are clearly more evocative and well-crafted than the one in Miami, and this is another element that suggests that the artist found himself under pressure in terms of timing, deciding to channel most of his collaborators into Magic City, a place that is not at all in line with Ye's current ascetic attitude.

As always, there is no shortage of merchandise launched by the artist on the YZY site just before the album's release: among the items for sale are the new sock-shoes, side bags, long sleeves, and T-shirts depicting an eagle whose inspiration is still vague. Vultures' release is just around the corner, an album that means a lot to Kanye. It symbolizes the artist's rebirth following the numerous controversies in 2022 but also the closure of a circle of a journey that began months ago, in which, in his own way, the artist has managed to create the usual aura of mystery around his image, seeking refuge in what is his specialty, music. If there's one thing time has taught us, it's never to underestimate Ye; therefore, dwelling on the mediocrity of the Miami listening party makes little sense: Kanye West is officially back.