Ye's Upcoming 'Bully' Album: What We Know So Far

Is Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, nearing the finish line on his first solo full-length since 2021’s Donda?

For those who’ve long been following Ye rollouts, this is the kind of question that begets several more questions, due in no small part to the fact that would-be new projects have been announced and swiftly abandoned in the past. The near-mythical Yandhi album, for example, still spawns expertly memed mourning on the anniversary of its originally planned release date each and every year.

Tentatively titled Bully, Ye’s next solo venture follows the 24-time Grammy winner’s pair of Vultures volumes with Ty Dolla Sign. “Carnival,” a track off the initial Vultures album, is presently up for Best Rap Song at the 2025 Grammys. Given past developments of the urination variety, it’s unlikely that distinction means very much in the Ye-iverse.

At any rate, we're taking a look at what we know, and especially what we don’t, about what Ye may or may not have in store for the Bully era.

When was the album announced?

“I got a new album coming out,” Ye told the crowd at a listening party experience in Haikou, China in September 2024. “The album is called Bully and this song is called 'Beauty and the Beast.'”

Additional details were not immediately provided. Not long after, however, Ye had extended the tease by sharing a photo to his then-recently-active-again Instagram. The caption read, simply, “BULLY.”

Is there a release date?

Not at the moment. While Ye himself has (as expected) offered nothing in the way of any release date hints, initial speculation among fans was that the album would arrive in the final months of 2024. However, that ultimately didn't happen, as should be made obvious by the fact that you're reading this article.

What does the title mean?

The word “bully” has been used in association with Ye in the past, especially amid coverage of several lawsuits in recent years. Fans, meanwhile, have resurfaced an old clip in which Ye is seen calling a paparazzo a “bully’ and “fucking mosquito bully.”

Ye's 2024 sharing of Paul McCarthy's 1995 piece "Painter" may also offer clues.

What’s it sounding like?

After making the Bully announcement in Haikou, Ye previewed a song he says is titled “Beauty and the Beast.” In the opening seconds, Ye sings, “It’s been a long time coming/Fresh new tires, I’m still running.” Elsewhere, he seemingly ponders ways to “keep my audience.” Per Mike Dean, this particular track stems from Donda sessions.

At a previous Haikou listening party experience, Ye shared another new solo track, “Preacher Man.” The song sees Ye lamenting that “God didn’t make a couple more of me” and reflecting on his own legacy, namely what he says he went through to “make a way” for other artists.

Additional teases followed in ensuing months, including a possible Bully cut boasting a would-be Pomme sample. The French artist herself, however, later clarified that she had not “given my consent” for the use of said sample, thus potentially rendering the song dead in the water.

What does this mean for Vultures?

Vultures, as fans know, was initially announced as a trilogy. Thus far, we’ve gotten Vultures 1 and Vultures 2, respectively. The former included “Carnival” with Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti, a track that gave Ye his fifth No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. For now, it’s unclear whether Bully’s potential release will have any impact on plans to close out the trilogy with one more entry.

What are the stakes?

While Vultures 1 stands as the fist project from Ye to be released following a string of statements he made in 2022 that were widely called out as anti-Semitic, Bully would mark the first Ye solo album since that period. In late 2022, most notably, Ye said “I see good things about Hitler also” and “I like Hitler” during an interview with Alex Jones. An apology statement was later shared to Ye’s Instagram, though not without some controversy of its own.

Notably, Bully would also mark the first solo Ye full-length to not be released through Def Jam. Both Vultures albums have been released through Ye’s own YZY label.

Is Mike Dean on it?

For now, no one knows. Ye, however, has seemingly suggested some level of Dean involvement, while Dean himself—whose back catalog of Ye credits is lengthy—has neither confirmed nor denied.

How’s the rollout looking so far?

While elements of the Bully rollout have struck a familiar chord, including IG-delivered assessments of his own cultural impact, others—like the much-publicized Kai Cenat beef quashing—are new to the Ye scene.

Has Ye revealed the cover art?

He has indeed, as seen below in a photo credited to Daidō Moriyama. However, it wouldn’t be out of character for Ye to ditch this initially presented option in favor of something else in the months ahead.

What else is on the horizon?

Announced in November, the Nico Ballesteros-directed, Ye-focused In Whose Name? documentary promises to give fans an iPhone-captured exploration of “the overlapping influences of corporate exploitation, racial complexities, and psychological struggles inherent in the American dream.” While expected to arrive this year, a release date hasn’t been publicly set. Meanwhile, Ye has also been active with his YZY brand, leading to a January statement bolstered by more than 30 goat emoji.