Months after rumors first began circulating about their collaborative album, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign have finally delivered their lead single “Vultures.” Including a feature verse from Chicago rapper Bump J, who worked with West on his 2018 album ye, “Vultures” dropped on Wednesday (November 22) at midnight ET, less than a week after it was first previewed on Chicago radio station Power 92.3.
Videos by American Songwriter
The new song contains a relatively gentle, easygoing trap-rap beat, making way for the lyrical content to shine. However, in the first verse by Bump J, he fails to take advantage of the opportunity. Rapping in a slurred, uninspired tone, Bump J’s performance leaves a lot to be desired, even with the first few bars inspiring hope for a quality contribution.
I don’t have no rapper friends, I hang with the vultures
Big-ass toaster, hit you with it, flip it over
Big ol’ n***a, he’s a big ol’ goofy, Rudy Gobert
Jump off in that lane, you gon’ get put on a poster
[RELATED: What’s Going On with Kanye West’s Upcoming Album?]
Next, considering the song was devoid of a chorus, West stepped up to the plate for the second verse. Though with a similarly toned-down, poised demeanor, West compensates for his low-energy delivery with an abundance of entertaining arrogance.
Mid-way through his verse, right when he gets to his most provocative lyric about his recent antisemitic tendencies, the beat seems to quiet down, as if he wants us to hear him loud and clear. And that we do.
Three gang leaders with me, all times
I don’t know who I fucked last night, I got Alzheimer’s
I don’t know who them hoes is, man, they all lyin’
Brody, tell me who them hoes is, man, they all fine
Runnin’ hooligan, and we with the foolishness
How I’m anti-semitic? I just fucked a Jewish bitch
While this pomposity is something fans have grown accustomed to over West’s illustrious career and has often been a successful tactic for him, it just isn’t as hard-hitting as it used to be. Certainly, “Vultures” demonstrates that West can still rap proficiently. But, the brash and unforgiving attitude does not resonate as well without a more inspired performance or intriguing sonic approach.
For Ty Dolla $ign’s portion, though, which closes out the song, he presents the most refined, confident, and exceptional verse of all three MCs on the track. Mixing and matching sung, melodic hooks with a rapping ability that he rarely shows off, the R&B sensation crafts thorough lyrics about the late Migos member Takeoff, the incarcerated Young Thug and YNW Melly, and he and West’s trip to Saudi Arabia where they’ve been crafting their joint LP.
Dolla’d done rather be fuckin’ it up
Still screamin’ “Free TC, Melly, and Thug”
Fuck the police, the DA, and the judge
Way out in Saudi, I found me a plug
Don’t wanna go out, she’d rather do drugs
Can’t be my main if we met in the club
Released under the moniker ¥$, the presumed artist name for for the duo of West and Ty Dolla, “Vultures” is a passable, but far from excellent start to a new era for the new duo. As of now, they have yet to provide any further information about when fans can expect another single or the full-length release of their project. But, now that there is tangible proof that the album is on the way, fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
Check out “Vultures” below.
(Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Live Nation)
