Key Points
Kanye releases surprise album through 45-minute short film
Album features son Saint West in wrestling scene
Controversial online posts continue to spark industry backlash
West maintains non-traditional music release strategy
The rapper dropped his new project, 'Bully,' on social media, presenting it in an unconventional way--through a 45-minute short film posted on his X account.
The film, which features his son Saint West in a wrestling ring fighting off multiple opponents armed with a toy mallet, plays the entire album as its soundtrack.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, West shared links for three different versions of the album, though by Wednesday morning, only one of those links appeared to be working.
The album's release follows a trend set by West in recent years of using non-traditional methods to unveil his music.
In 2022, he launched 'Donda 2' exclusively through a Stem Player, a device that retailed for hundreds of dollars, alienating much of his fanbase.
However, 'Bully' is not just another unconventional album drop--it comes during a period when West has been under intense scrutiny for his online comments.
Over the past week, the rapper has posted controversial remarks about several former collaborators, including Tyler, the Creator and Kendrick Lamar, while also insulting other major artists such as Jay-Z and Beyonce, along with their families.
West's controversial behaviour has extended beyond social media. In February, he used a Super Bowl commercial to promote his website, where the only product available for purchase by the following Monday was a T-shirt emblazoned with a swastika.
The backlash has been swift, with figures in the music industry voicing their disapproval.
Lyor Cohen, former head of Def Jam and now global head of music at YouTube, wrote an open letter to West last month condemning his remarks.
"I am deeply disappointed and troubled by your recent actions involving the use of Nazi symbols and antisemitic rhetoric," Cohen wrote, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
He added, "Your words and actions are not only offensive but triggering to all decent people who recognize the horrors of the Holocaust and the suffering of millions."
