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.
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, scored a Best Rap Song nomination at the 2025 Grammys. Given past developments of the urination variety, it’s unlikely that distinction meant very much in the Ye-iverse.
At any rate, we’re laying out everything we know, not to mention everything we don’t, about what Ye may have in store for Bully by taking a look back at what all’s transpired during the lengthy rollout.
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 extended the tease by sharing a photo to his then-recently-active-again Instagram. The caption read, simply, “BULLY.”
Is there a release date?
While Ye himself has (as expected) offered nothing in the way of any concrete release date himself, at least not directly, initial speculation among fans was that the album would arrive in the final months of 2024. This ultimately didn't happen, as should be made obvious by the fact that you're reading this article.
After additional pushbacks, the album is expected to be released on Jan. 30, 2026 as of this writing.
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. Some 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 in 2024, Ye previewed a song tentatively 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.” According to Mike Dean, this particular track stems from Donda sessions.
At a previous 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.
An unfinished cut of the album soundtracked a short film released by Ye in 2025, though it wasn't immediately clear how much of that iteration was set to make it to the final version.
What does this mean for Vultures?
Vultures, as fans know, was initially announced as a trilogy from Ye and Ty Dolla Sign. 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 release will have any impact on plans to close out the trilogy with one more entry.
What are the stakes?
While 2024's Vultures 1 stood as the fist project from Ye to be released following a string of shocking statements he made in 2022 that were widely called out as examples of hate speech, 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. A purported apology statement was later shared to Ye’s Instagram, though not without some controversy of its own.
This would-be apology was followed by even more heinous rhetoric from Ye, including various Nazism-related statements shared as recently as last year. By November 2025, Ye was making headlines for expressing remorse over his past hateful remarks, connecting the behavior, at least in part, to his struggles with bipolar disorder.
Notably, Bully will also mark the first solo Ye full-length to not be released through Def Jam. Both Vultures albums were released through Ye’s own YZY label.
Is Mike Dean on it?
Ye has suggested some level of Dean involvement, though the exact extent of his possible contributions remains unknown for now. Dean’s back catalog of past Ye credits, of course, is lengthy.
How’s the rollout looking so far?
While elements of the Bully rollout have struck a familiar chord, including IG-delivered assessments from Ye of his own cultural impact, others—like the much-publicized Kai Cenat beef quashing—are new to the Ye scene.
In recent months, Ye has made several public appearances, including in Seoul in support of Bianca Censori’s BIO POP performance art project.
Next up is a pair of scheduled performances from Ye in Mexico City, with the first show slated for Jan. 30, the same day Bully is currently expected to be released.
Has Ye revealed the cover art?
He has indeed, as seen below in a Saint West-featuring 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 weeks ahead.
Is there a tracklist?
At the top of the new year, fans spotted a tracklist in a photo of a Bully cassette available for pre-order via an official Yeezy site. While the photo showing the tracklist was quick to make the rounds, as seen here, the image itself no longer appears to be active on the site.
Around the same time, speculation as to whether fans could expect some unfortunate use of AI-generated vocals on the album was seemingly put to rest.