Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign‘s joint album Vultures 1 is reportedly on course to top the Billboard 200.
The collaborative project, which was released on Saturday morning (February 10), is expected to debut at No. 1 on the chart with around 140,000 first-week sales, per HITS Daily Double.
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The album, which was distributed through Kanye’s own YZY imprint after his Def Jam deal ended and major labels reportedly distanced themselves from him over his antisemitic comments, marks the rap mogul’s first independent release.
If it does indeed top the Billboard 200, it would become Ye’s 11th No. 1 album. Ty Dolla $ign has never previously topped the chart but his last solo album, 2020’s Featuring Ty Dolla Sign, peaked at No. 4.
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The pair are expected to release two more Vultures albums on March 8 and April 5.
Despite a star-studded cast that includes Playboi Carti, Travis Scott and Freddie Gibbs, Vultures 1 has received mixed reviews and generated controversy over its lyrics relating to women and Jewish people.
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On the opening track “Stars,” Kanye spits: !I’ma come through and just black out, just black out/ Keep a few Jews on the staff now, I cash out.”
He also defiantly addresses his antisemitism controversy on the closing song “King,” rapping: “Crazy, bipolar, antisemite/ And I’m still the king.”
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Since the album’s release, West has doubled down on his past antisemitic comments despite previously issuing apology.
Speaking to TMZ this week, Kanye said: “So until y’all come up and say, ‘Yo, what he was saying, some of that was true,’ go ahead with all that … Black people can’t be antisemitic. We are Jews, you understand what I’m saying? We are Jew.”
He added: “For all the Jewish kids that love me, I’m sorry if y’all had to hear a grown up conversation with us screaming at each other, but we got to a point where something needed to happen, something needed to be said.”
Late last year, Kanye West released an apology in Hebrew to the Jewish community following a continued stream of antisemitic remarks.
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“I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions,” the apology reads in English. “It was not my intention to hurt or demean, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.
“I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding more in the future. Your forgiveness is important to me, and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.”
