The rapper struggles to succeed after a career tainted by his own antisemitism and hatred.
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The rapper struggles to succeed after a career tainted by his own antisemitism and hatred.
Content warning: antisemitism
After another infamous rant on X, rapper Ye — formerly Kanye West — took a brief reprieve to release his 11th studio album “BULLY V1” March 21.
But is it enough to distract from Ye’s recent antisemitism and derogatory actions? No.
After stating on X the cover would depict a swastika, the hate symbol was removed upon release. Instead, Ye continued to use the original cover depicting his son Saint.
The largely unfinished release was used to gain fan feedback ahead of its planned June 15 debut. Given Ye’s track record of delays and cancellations, it’s unknown if the finished album will be released as scheduled.
On X, Ye said “BULLY V1” contains AI vocals, which he plans to re-record. However, this sentiment seems questionable considering the album is accompanied by a 45-minute music video of purely AI imagery. It’s unconfirmed which tracks contain AI.
The chopped soul samples of “PREACHER MAN” open the album and transport listeners back to Ye’s 2010 prime.
While the track echoes his earlier beats, the lyrics shift between defensive comments and jabs at adversaries — specifically referencing his 2024 legal battle with Adidas. Had Ye focused less on settling personal scores, “PREACHER MAN” would’ve felt more like a triumphant return than a bitter rebuttal.
“Break in, they ain’t let us in / We passed on the settlement / This path, I don’t recommend / We passed what they expected, man,” Ye raps.
The ensuing “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” is another lowlight.
Moving at a lethargic pace, the song’s electronic pulses craft a tranquil atmosphere amplified by Ye’s sung vocals.
Like its predecessor, the lyrics detract from the song’s quality. The chorus acts as a direct apology to fans, acknowledging his previously prejudiced and discriminatory comments, but it lacks sincerity and comes off as mere damage control.
“Think about it every day to try to stay away, to keep my audience / Don’t take this disrespect, I’m still here in a trifecta,” Ye sings.
“WHITE LINES” continues to depart from Ye’s traditional rap sound, delivering a song reminiscent of 2008’s “808s & Heartbreak.”
Ye’s sung vocals are layered with autotune, creating a robotic sound that doesn’t match the muddled beat sampled from Stevie Wonder’s cover of “(They Long To Be) Close To You” by the Carpenters.
The following “LAST BREATH” is a bold shift in style, though it misses the mark.
Featuring Mexican hip-hop artist Peso Pluma, the duo trade verses in Spanish, making for an out-of-place inclusion on the otherwise sonically consistent album. The brass instrumentation feels like an equally cheap attempt to tribute Hispanic culture.
The titular “BULLY” suffers the most from the album’s unfinished nature.
Like “WHITE LINES,” the beat sounds submerged underwater — the instruments struggle to carry their sounds, resulting in a flat, muted effect. Still, “BULLY” has the potential to be a uniquely drab inclusion to Ye’s discography.
“CAN’T HURRY LOVE” returns the album to the heights of “PREACHER MAN” while fixing the latter’s glaring lyrical issues.
The playful piano melody blends seamlessly with the pop-soul sample of “You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes. Ye’s lyrics are more introspective, focusing on himself as an artist — ditching the bellicose words plaguing earlier songs.
“CIRCLES” is a forgettably dull addition.
Sampling “Huit Octobre 1971” by Cortex, the song fails to make use of the iconic sample as effectively as MF DOOM did on “One Beer,” from 2004’s “MM..FOOD.”
The penultimate “HIGHS AND LOWS” is a personal manifesto, reflecting on Ye’s lengthy artistic journey with a sample from French artist Pomme. Like “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,” the track is an apology for the inconsistent quality of releases.
Its inclusion is surprising, considering Pomme publicly stated she wouldn’t clear her sample on the track. Unfortunately, Ye has a history of using uncleared samples as early as 2008, according to Billboard.
“THIS ONE HERE” serves as a lackluster conclusion for the middling album.
Progressing at a mundane pace, the track fails to evolve over its runtime, and neither Ye’s performance nor his lyrics save it from being another forgettable entry.
While “BULLY V1” hints at a promising solo comeback, Ye’s personal actions undermine its quality and casts doubt on the authenticity of certain lyrics.
“BULLY V1” is available to stream on YouTube — assuming you want another boring Ye album.
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