The artist formerly known as Kanye West’s 49th birthday is being commemorated with a message of gratitude from frequent collaborator Aus Taylor, whose extensive work with Ye includes (but is not limited to) the Earth-like stage design seen at his recent shows and the official video for the Vultures 2 track “Slide.”
In a post shared to Instagram on Monday (June 8), Taylor referred to himself as “a young Jedi” who was given a chance by Ye at a pivotal moment in his career. As Taylor put it, he had been “disowned” by the commercial directing industry when he and Ye started working together in earnest.
“Thank you [for] giving a young Jedi a chance when the commercial directing world disowned me for choosing to stand next to someone who I consider a hero, a mentor, and a brother,” Taylor captioned the post. “You breathed light and confidence into me. I chose the right side of history [and] I wish the world knew this man’s heart the way I do.”
Taylor also took to his Stories to share several behind-the-scenes photos, as well as a screenshot of a post recounting his and Ye’s attendance at a basketball game in 2021. While sitting courtside, per Taylor, Ye shared his chicken tenders with him.
“It was only a three-piece,” reads the caption of the photo. “That’s when I knew he was a real one.”
Ye kicked off 2026 with an extensive statement, shared in the form of a full-page Wall Street Journal ad, in which he expressed remorse for his past hateful remarks and detailed his struggles with bipolar disorder.
“You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to love someone who was, at times, unrecognizable,” Ye wrote at the time. “Looking back, I became detached from my true self. In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it.”
Ye went on to state that he’s “not a Nazi or an antisemite.” He also said that he experienced a four-month manic episode in early 2025 characterized by “psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior” that “destroyed” his life.
In March, the 24-time Grammy winner released his long-teased Bully album, ultimately landing a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 chart. See where the project landed on Complex’s ranking of Ye’s catalog here.
