Alright music lovers you know Kanye West now Ye right? Well he's back at it again and this time it is with a brand new album called "Bully". But hold up because the way he dropped this thing is seriously next level bonkers even for Ye standards . Forget streaming services forget traditional releases he dropped it as a FILM. Yes a whole movie starring his son Saint West. Let's dive into this crazy release.
'Bully' Album Drops as Hype Williams Film Starring Saint West in a Wrestling Ring Seriously!
So Ye after some usual X (Twitter) activity unleashed "Bully" on the world not as your typical album but as different versions of a film directed by the visionary Hype Williams. We are talking full-length films here not just music videos.
He first tweeted a link to a film calling it a soundtrack for "Bully". He even mentioned the album was "not finished" and "half the vocals AI" but he wanted to test the waters see what fans thought. Then he dropped not one not two but THREE versions of the "Bully" film: a "screening version" a "post Hype version" and a "post post Hype version". Talk about options!
The films are pretty out there. They feature his son Saint West in a wrestling ring. Saint is wielding a mallet fending off wrestlers for like 30 minutes. The wrestlers are legit New Japan Pro-Wrestling guys: YOH Toru Yano Tiger Mask and El Desperado. Musically the album is sample-heavy with soul vibes. You will hear bits of Cortex’s “Huit Octobre 1971” and The Supremes’ classic “You Can’t Hurry Love”.
Saint West the 'Bully' Inspiration and Skirting Streaming Services - Ye's Unique Release Strategy
Where did the name "Bully" come from? Apparently Ye said the album was inspired by his son Saint. He told Justin Laboy that Saint told him he kicked another kid because he was "weak". Ye's reaction? Call his son a "bully" and name an album after it. Okay then.
This whole project was first teased way back in September 2024 at a show in China where Ye played a song called “Beauty and the Beast”. That track did end up on this "Bully" test version. And get this Ye released it all on X because he is not a fan of streaming platforms anymore. He tweeted "I may stop using DSPs cause streams are fake and the French and Jewish record labels treat artists like prostitutes." Strong words there.
He even hinted that "Donda 2" might be next and asked fans if they wanted "Vultures 3" or "Donda 3". It's all very typical Ye chaotic and unpredictable.
Controversy and Chaos: 'Bully' Released Amidst Ye's Public Spiral and Inflammatory Tweets
Let's not forget the context here. This "Bully" release comes during a seriously turbulent time for Ye. He has been on a public spiral for months now. We are talking about days-long rants online targeting Jewish people selling swastika-branded merch you know the usual Ye stuff.
The "Bully" drop happened right in the middle of yet another tirade. This time he was going after Jay-Z and Beyoncé and even their kids calling them names in now-deleted posts. He even questioned if anyone has actually "seen" Jay-Z and Beyonce's younger children and brought up artificial insemination in a really weird way. It's all pretty messy and uncomfortable to watch.
Sample Mania and Legal Grey Areas: 'Bully's' Uncertain Future and Copyright Questions
Ye's early music was known for innovative samples. But lately things have gotten legally complicated for him and samples. He has faced lawsuits for copyright issues on "Donda" and "Vultures". Remember Ozzy Osbourne and Donna Summer drama? Yeah that stuff.
With "Bully" it seems like all rules are off. The album is packed with samples and covers that are likely not cleared legally. We are talking about huge songs like The Carpenters’ “Close to You” The Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love” and even Can’s “Vitamin C”. There are also samples of less known songs and even Nelson Muntz's "Haw-haw!" from The Simpsons. It is a sample free-for-all.
Adding to the mess the song "Melrose" might feature a verse from Playboi Carti who Ye is currently feuding with. And he claimed "Last Breath" has Peso Pluma. He even said half the vocals are AI which just adds another layer of weirdness. It is a legal and chaotic puzzle.
Since "Bully" is not a traditional album release but a film dropped on X the legal rules are even murkier. Streaming services have guidelines but X is the Wild West when it comes to copyright. Even if Ye deletes the links the copyright issues remain once it's out there. Will anyone sue? Will this album ever get a proper release? Your guess is as good as mine. It's Kanye being Kanye after all.
Fan Reactions Mixed: From "Greatest S--t in Years" to "Never Support His Crap"
Unsurprisingly fan reactions to "Bully" are all over the place. Some fans are actually loving the music itself. They are saying it is the best stuff Ye has done in years praising the soul samples and 2000s vibes. One person on X said it "sounded nuts" and another called it "f--king incredible".
But of course many others are not willing to separate the music from Ye's controversies. They are not overlooking his antisemitic rants hate speech and attacks on other artists. Some fans are saying they will "never listen to his crap" or "support it" because of his bad behavior. One comment summed it up: "This clown is so annoying dawg."
It's a real split. Some fans are able to appreciate the music and others just cannot get past the controversy. "Bully" is definitely a polarizing release in every sense of the word.
Key Things to Know About Kanye West's 'Bully' Album Film:
- Release Method: Dropped as a film on X (Twitter) not traditional streaming.
- Starring: Features Ye's son Saint West in a wrestling themed film.
- Music Style: Sample-heavy soul samples and covers.
- Controversy: Released amidst Ye's antisemitic comments and attacks on other artists.
- Legal Issues: Likely uncleared samples and uncertain copyright status.
- Fan Reaction: Polarizing some love the music some hate supporting Ye.
- Streaming Future: Unclear unlikely to hit major streaming services anytime soon.
- Next Up?: Ye hints at working on "Donda 2" next.