Kanye West needs a comeback. Not a 2010, said a mean comment about Taylor Swift comeback, either. The rapper has fallen off musically in addition to the controversy that he's generated in recent years. He needs to refocus, and prove to the fans that he still has what it takes to drop meaningful music. Which is why the snippet he dropped on September 23 was so encouraging. Kanye West uploaded a video of him chopping up a previously unreleased beat with the caption "Producer Man." The beat in question is said to be for West's upcoming single, "Preacher Man."
Few producers have displayed more mastery over the soul chop than Kanye West. He pioneered the Chipmunk Soul sound in the early 2000s, and has proven adept at pretty much every style of hip hop that's ever existed. The beat for "Preacher Man" seemingly brings things back to basics. Kanye West chops up an R&B sample using a keyboard. His face isn't visible in the video, but the camera is fixed on his hands as he works the keys. The sample source is hard to make out, but the catchiness of the chop is undeniable.
Kanye West Chopped Up A Beat In Real Time
The Instagram teaser is the latest in a string of encouraging signs regarding Kanye West's new direction. It was alleged that the rapper was pleased with the reception to his recent performance in Korea. He was so inspired, in fact, that he reportedly decided to start work on a new album. He teased "Preacher Man" as a new single a few weeks later. It's worth noting that Kanye West has yet to drop the third part in his VULTURES trilogy with Ty Dolla Sign. The rollout for the first two have been absolute disasters, from an artistic and PR standpoint.
That said, Ty Dolla Sign recently confirmed that VULTURES 3 is on the way. The R&B singer took to IG on announce that "V3 bouta rip heads off." One can only hope that more care and time is put into the album than its predecessors. Kanye West hasn't commented on the status of the upcoming VULTURES 3 or the rumored solo album, but the fact that he's putting focused effort into "Preacher Man" as a new song is a sign that things are moving in a positive direction. Here's hoping it continues.