It’s never easy witnessing the downfall of a cultural phenomenon, especially in the way that Kanye went from a beacon of hope to an artistic pariah who became more engulfed in controversy the further he was platformed. Unfortunately, the backlash wasn’t detached from his artistic output, and Ye has frequently failed to deliver an album without allowing his antics to overshadow it. In the case of Vultures 1, the first of three supposed collaborative albums between Ye and Ty Dolla $ign, that was almost the case. From listening events to hotel parties, the two artists delivered the album in different iterations as they tinkered with the final product and presumably, attempted to clear up some of the admin work attached with sample clearance.
At this point, Kanye West has gained notoriety for failing to release albums on schedule and the circus that surrounds these projects heavily contributes to the rollout. Unfortunately, that often means that, despite the wait, the music still sounds unfinished by the time it’s on DSPs and remains that way.
That’s the biggest difference between projects like Donda and Ye and Vultures 1. Though unveiled similarly, Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign's collaborative effort sounds like a labor of love rather than a byproduct of a new Yeezy campaign. For the first time in a while, there’s a common ground between Ye’s ideas and the execution, largely carried by Ty Dolla $ign’s stellar performances across the album and an attention to detail that was sorely missing in recent albums. However, where Ye lacks from a lyrical standpoint – and there are plenty of those moments – he makes up for tenfold through his production.
Vultures Lands
Without a fresh bout of controversy to go up against, Vultures 1 remains a rather smooth listen from front to back. Since 2015, the chemistry between Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign has delivered on all fronts with each collaboration. On Vultures 1, the two artists complement each other’s styles through plenty of contrast yet without losing a sense of cohesion. The two could weave through wholesome moments like “Talking/Once Again,” where North West makes an adorably assertive rap debut and Ty Dolla $ign leads the gospel to heavenly glory, then leap into a hypnotizingly muddy banger with “Hoodrat,” where Ye and Ty Dolla $ign capture the haziness of hotel afterparties and bathroom sex.
As a producer, Kanye’s ability to lead Ty Dolla $ign – and vice versa – allows the two of them to pull from each other’s respective strengths. Ty’s versatility made him a multi-faceted voice who could easily transition between touching ballads, ratchet bangers for the strip club, and soulful R&B with little effort. Through that, Ty becomes a vessel for Kanye’s ear, executing airy falsettos that elevate the orchestral production on “Stars” or his passionate earworm of a hook on “Burn” that allows Kanye to sound like he’s back in 2005. However, the familiarity that comes with both of these records feels like it lends itself to the formula that Kanye’s utilized since The Life Of Pablo, where he’s pulling ideas from his old catalog.
The Good & Bad Of "Carnival"
Yet he finds new ways to innovate sonic motifs. Kanye often used choirs to bring a sense of spirituality and soul to his music, whether on The College Dropout or Jesus Is King. However, the way he utilizes it on “Carnival” is unlike anything he’s delivered recently. “Carnival” stands as the crown jewel of the 16-song collection, if only because of the rambunctious and drunken collection of European Ultras yelling “head so good, she honor roll” in unison. The blistering chants and grinding synthesizers fuel the high-octane energy, reminiscent of UK punk and sweaty mosh pits.
Despite this, Ye delivers one of his worst lyrical performances of the album, likening himself to R. Kelly and Bill Cosby before landing on Jesus but by that point, you’re startled by Kanye stating that he’s “#MeToo me rich.” No matter how you look at it, it’s a weak attempt to troll, whether he’s crusading against cancel culture or actually advocating for the innocence of sexual predators.
The MVPs? Freddie Gibbs & Playboi Carti
With a wide range of collaborators at their disposal, Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign brought through some unexpected features on the project. Playboi Carti’s appearance on “Carnival” marks one of two stellar performances on the album, alongside the hypnotic ode to Memphis, “F*CKSUMN.” Evolving his delivery from a deeper register adds a level of curiosity to his flow. It’s almost whimsically inquisitive when he emerges on “Carnival” and pays homage to SahBabii or when he asks, “Shawty wanna fuck?” on the latter.
Meanwhile, Freddie Gibbs delivers the verse of the album, if not the year so far on “Back To Me.” He swiftly turns Ye’s cheeky interpolation of Jay’s “beautiful big t*tty women just don’t fall out the sky you know” into a katana-sharp verse that’s equally playful and gruff with bars like, “Turn a bird bitch to my X like I was Elon.” Other standout moments on the project come from Chris Brown who delivers a haunting gospel on “Beg Forgiveness,” and Quavo means business on “Paperwork.” There’s a lot of heavy lifting from collaborators across the project, to the point where this album likely wouldn’t be as digestible without them.
YZY x TY$ Set The Stage
In its totality, Vultures 1 is the first album from Kanye West in a long time that feels like it isn’t trying to harness some bigger picture or push some sort of agenda outside of music. His vulnerability feels sincere on songs like the Timbaland-produced “Keys To My Life,” where he reflects on his dilapidated marriage to Kim Kardashian over sorrowfully pitched-up vocal samples of India Love. Fortunately, these moments are few and far between, which allows them to pack an even more potent punch on the tracklist.
Overall, Kanye sounds like he’s having a blast and it's refreshing to hear. Ty’s penchant for smooth, sexually charged pen and Kanye’s flagrantly grotesque bars that often lean into the TMI territory fuel the self-indulgent tones. This level of playfulness yields solid results on songs like “Do It” ft. YG and Nipsey Hussle. It’s a return to the form of ratchet raps that both YG and Ty Dolla $ign helped establish in the West Coast alongside Mustard.
Meanwhile, Nipsey’s posthumous contributions, originally appearing on an unreleased Cardi B song titled “Wanna Know,” find an even better home over an eerily mesmerizing vocal loop. Unlike most posthumous features from Nipsey, “Do It” is a firm reminder of how adept he was at delivering stripper-friendly bops as much as lyrically-dense entrepreneurial gems. The addition of YG’s verse at the end, over a sample of Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up,” is the icing top.
A Strong Return & A Step On The Right Path
Perhaps the only thing that warranted an ounce of excitement surrounding the initial announcement of Vultures was Ty Dolla $ign’s involvement. He and Kanye are polar opposites in many ways, primarily because Ty is as unproblematic as they come while the same can’t be said for Ye. However, they’ve established such a strong rapport over the years that it’s clear Ty Dolla $ign has put some sort of battery in Kanye’s back, one that allowed him to challenge himself beyond what his ego (and his yes men) tells him is genius.
Most importantly, Kanye sounds like there’s a sense of joy in making music on Vultures 1. The past few albums became vessels of communication for larger grievances; an unrelenting wielding of influence in the face of the most influential institutes, whether Adidas, Nike, Disney & Hulu, or the Kardashian clan at large. While that remains prevalent, like in “Burn” when he declares that he “burned 8 billion to take off my chains,” there’s a sense of vindication that comes with no restrictions or major label contracts to adhere to.
Vultures 1 pales in comparison to a discography built on pushing boundaries and shifting the culture. That even extends to the collaborative projects in Ye’s arsenal. However, while Jay-Z and Kid Cudi unlocked new levels out of Kanye on Watch The Throne and Kids See Ghosts, Ty Dolla $ign helped Kanye find a place of comfort amid the chaos that has trailed behind him over the past six years. It’s a new era in Kanye’s career, one that doesn’t veer too far from where he was in 2022. But with Ty Dolla $ign’s companionship, Kanye’s able to hone his focus to deliver an album that’s more worthy of listening to than debating.