Kanye West, now known as Ye, has officially announced his next studio album titled Bully while debuting a new single, “Beauty & the Beast.” This latest announcement comes after his recent collaborative work with Ty Dolla $ign on Vultures, marking a shift in Ye’s musical style. The debut of “Beauty & the Beast” took place during a listening party for Vultures at Wuyuan River Stadium in Haikou, Hainan, China, where fans were given a preview of Ye’s new direction.
The track “Beauty & the Beast” represents a noticeable departure from the sonic energy of Vultures. Unlike his previous upbeat collaborations, this song takes on a more introspective and somber tone. Lyrically, Ye touches on personal struggles, emotions, and the pressures of maintaining his artistic vision. In the song, he sings about “fresh new tires,” metaphorically referencing renewal, while also discussing his efforts to control his emotions to keep his audience engaged.
In an Instagram video posted from Haikou, Ye described the creative process behind “Beauty & the Beast.” The video featured trippy visuals, and in the caption, Ye wrote: “Live from Haikou. Updated from Tokyo. Ran the ASR through the SP 1200. Bully on the way.” His mention of classic production tools like the SP 1200, a vintage drum machine and sampler, hints at returning to the raw, experimental sounds that defined his earlier albums like The College Dropout and Late Registration.
Journalist Touré also shed light on Ye’s current living situation and creative process. According to Touré, Ye has relocated to Japan, where he resides in a hotel and works extensively on Bully. Uncharacteristically, Ye plans to handle all of the production himself, a notable change for the artist who has traditionally collaborated with other producers and writers throughout his career. Touré described Bully as a concept album, highlighting that this project represents a fresh chapter in Ye’s life as he embraces the solitude and artistic freedom he finds in Tokyo.
In addition to discussing Bully, Ye also gave a shoutout to fellow rapper Drake during his time in China, acknowledging that Drake wrote the chorus for “Yikes” from his 2018 album Ye. The acknowledgement was a rare moment of camaraderie between the two artists, who have had a long and complicated history.
While no official release date for Bully has been announced, the debut of “Beauty & the Beast” and the behind-the-scenes updates from Ye’s creative process have fans eagerly awaiting what promises to be another bold and introspective chapter in his musical career.
