Kanye West has sparked more controversy by donning a black KKK mask at the listening event for his joint album with Ty Dolla $ign.
The Chicago rap icon and California crooner debuted their collaborative project Vultures at an outdoor “rave” at Miami’s Wynwood Marketplace in the early hours of Tuesday morning (December 12), which was also livestreamed online.
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Towards the end of the performance, Ye appeared on stage wearing a black version of the hood famously worn by members of the white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan.
The pointy black mask previously appeared in his animated “Black Skinhead” music video from 2013’s Yeezus.
Ye is wearing a black KKK hat at the listening party pic.twitter.com/bImA7P7J7Z
— Donda Times (@dondatimes) December 12, 2023
KANYE WEST AT THE 'VULTURES' LISTENING PARTY pic.twitter.com/0ctvgAw6r3
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) December 12, 2023
It serves as Kanye West’s latest racially provocative stunt following the White Lives Matter shirt he wore in 2022 and his string of antisemitic and pro-Adolf Hitler comments.
Even his recent single “Vultures” has been condemned by Jewish groups for its allegedly antisemitic lyrics, notably the line: “How I’m antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch.”
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Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign were joined on stage in Miami by Offset, Lil Durk, Chris Brown, Kodak Black, Freddie Gibbs and West’s daughter, North. Playboi Carti was also supposed to attend but was running late, according to Kanye.
The pair premiered a number of songs from Vultures, including collaborations with Nicki Minaj (“New Body”), Lil Baby and Charlie Wilson (“Everybody,” which samples the Backstreet Boys), Young Thug (“River”), Freddie Gibbs (“Back to Me”), and Kodak Black and Bad Bunny.
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Kanye even unveiled his first-ever musical collaboration with his 10-year-old daughter North, with the song also featuring vocals from James Blake (who he’s reportedly making a separate album with).
“I love it here, we gonna take over the year for another year/ It’s your bestie, Miss Miss Westie/ Don’t try to test me, it’s gonna get messy/ It’s gonna get messy, just-just bless me,” she raps.
NORTH WEST & JAMES BLAKE ON KANYE WEST & TY DOLLA'S 'VULTURES' pic.twitter.com/MuGKMV16TE
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) December 12, 2023
KANYE WEST
TY DOLLA SIGN
LIL BABY
CHARLIE WILSONEVERYBODY pic.twitter.com/Q2Jepo6FPV
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) December 12, 2023
this Kanye and Lil Baby song is something special pic.twitter.com/zsQ43oJo85
— Debating Hip-Hop (@DebatingHipHop_) December 12, 2023
— Big 🐰 (@FreddieGibbs) December 12, 2023
Ye, Young Thug & Ty Dolla Sign
"RIVER" pic.twitter.com/624nrQA2zE
— Donda Times (@dondatimes) December 12, 2023
YE, NICKI MINAJ, TY DOLLA SIGN
NEW BODY pic.twitter.com/7496ihIzUC
— Donda Times (@dondatimes) December 12, 2023
wow Kodak Black and Bad Bunny are also on Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign's album Vultures 😭
here's the collab song, the Miami rave listening party stream missed it pic.twitter.com/yd9i6DrMLv
— SOUND (@itsavibe) December 12, 2023
The livestream started later than expected and was plagued by connection and sound issues, with Kanye West seen playing the album off an aux cord connected to his phone.
Following the event, a countdown appeared on Kanye’s Yeezy website, possibly hinting at the album’s arrival. The timer is scheduled to end at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST on Tuesday (December 12).
The Wynwood Marketplace “rave” followed an impromptu listening party inside a Jamaican restaurant in Miami over the weekend.
There, Kanye played more unreleased material from Vultures, including a song featuring Future and one containing a shoutout to the currently incarcerated Young Thug and his YSL collective.
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Ty Dolla $ign recently shared a handwritten tracklist for the 18-song album, while its cover art surfaced online earlier this week.
An official release date has yet to be announced.
