Kanye West has name-dropped Diddy, R. Kelly, Taylor Swift and more on his new album Vultures Volume 1.
Ye hosted a listening party at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday night (February 8) where he debuted his first of three collaborative projects with Ty Dolla $ign.
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The pair played over a dozen new songs during the show, including “Carnival” featuring Playboi Carti and Rich The Kid.
On the track, Kanye West mentions R. Kelly, Bill Cosby, Diddy, Taylor Swift, Jesus Christ, Kris Jenner and Chris Brown, along with the Me Too movement.
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“Now I’m Ye Kelly, bitch/ Now I’m Bill Cosby, bitch/ Now I’m Puff Daddy rich/ That’s Me Too rich,” he raps.
He continues: “I mean since Taylor Swift, since I had a Rollie on the wrist/ I’m the new Jesus, bitch/ I turned water into Kris/ This for what they did to Chris/ They can’t do shit with this.”
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R. Kelly is currently serving decades in prison for sex trafficking and child pornography, Diddy was recently accused of sexual assault by multiple women and Bill Cosby was previously convicted of rape until his prison sentence was overturned in 2021.
The Taylor Swift lyric refers to Kanye famously interrupting the singer on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, leading to a long and complicated saga between the two stars.
Kanye West x Playboi Carti x Ty Dolla Sign x Rich The Kid – "Carnival" off Vultures Vol 1
He samples 'Hell of a Life' from Dark Fantasy album / Black Sabbath 'Iron Man'
"I mean since Taylor Swift, since I had the rollie on my wrist" pic.twitter.com/nxu4FagBnR
— SOUND (@itsavibe) February 9, 2024
Kanye West also addresses his antisemitism controversy on Vultures Volume 1 with the same defiance as he did on the previously released title track.
On the final song played during the Chicago show — and potential album closer — “The King,” he rapped: “And I’m still crazy, bipolar, antisemite… and I’m still the king.”
Ye previously stirred controversy by spitting: “How can I be antisemitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch” on the single “Vultures” which dropped in November.
Kanye West’s Vultures livestream was cut off IMMEDIATELY.
“I’m still crazy, bipolar, antisemite, and I’m still the King.” 👑🔥 pic.twitter.com/K8GmKGiFKy
— ValleyZoomer 🇻🇦✝️ (@ValleyZoomerVZ) February 9, 2024
¥$ – Vultures, Vol. 1
1. In The Stars
2. Timbo Freestyle (feat. India Love)
3. Paid (feat. Leon Thomas)
4. Talking / Once Again (feat. North West)
5. Everybody (feat. Charlie Wilson & Lil Baby)
6. Back To Me (feat. Freddie Gibbs)
7. Hoodrat
8. Do It (feat. YG)
9. Paperwork…— yzyjohnny (@yzyjohnny) February 9, 2024
Collaborations with Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Quavo, Freddie Gibbs, Chris Brown, Timbaland and Charlie Wilson were also played during the listening event, but Playboi Carti, YG and Kanye’s daughter North West were the only guests who appeared on stage.
The performance, which was livestreamed online, lasted for over an hour until it ended abruptly due to reported “venue restrictions.”
Vultures Volume 1 was scheduled to be released on Friday (February 9), but the album has yet to appear on streaming platforms as of this writing. However, the songs “Talking / Once Again,” which features North West, and “Vultures (Havoc Version)” are now available to stream.
Ye and Ty previously announced that Vultures Volume 2 would be released on March 8, followed by the third and final installment on April 5. It’s unclear if listening events will be held for these as well.
