Ye’s Latest Album “Vultures 1” Tops Billboard 200 Chart

At a Glance:

• Ye’s “Vultures 1” dominates the Billboard 200 chart, securing the top spot.
• Despite recent controversies, the album sold the equivalent of 148,000 copies.
• Streaming played a significant role, with almost 170 million official streams.

Retaining Popularity Amid Controversies

Ye’s latest album, “Vultures 1,” has once again showcased the rapper’s enduring popularity, debuting at the number one spot on the Billboard 200 chart. This achievement comes despite a series of antisemitic and other hateful remarks made by Ye, which led to the loss of corporate partners and received widespread criticism.^[1]

11th Chart-Topping Album

The success of “Vultures 1” marks Ye’s 11th album to claim the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. The album garnered an equivalent of 148,000 sales, with a mix of album sales, song downloads, and streams contributing to its chart performance. Streaming played a particularly significant role, with nearly 170 million official streams.^[1]

Challenges and Controversies Surrounding the Album

Despite its commercial success, “Vultures 1” has faced various hurdles leading up to its release. Accusations of unauthorized sampling and other issues arose, with reports initially suggesting that Ye struggled to obtain permission to sample a Backstreet Boys song and incorporate a Nicki Minaj verse. However, these tracks ultimately did not make it onto the officially released 16-track album.^[2][3]

Even despite these challenges, Ye presented a preview of “Vultures” along with collaborator Ty Dolla $ign, generating anticipation before the album dropped.^[4]

Reactions from Artists and Distributors

Ozzy Osbourne publicly expressed his resentment toward Ye, claiming that the rapper had used an unauthorized sample from one of Osbourne’s performances. The rock icon accused Ye of being an antisemite, which further intensified the controversy surrounding the album.^[5]

Additionally, the estate of Donna Summer, the late disco legend, accused Ye of copyright infringement, resulting in the temporary removal of one of the album’s tracks, “Good (Don’t Die),” from the Spotify streaming platform.^[6]

Even the album’s distribution faced obstacles when Fuga, a company approached to distribute “Vultures 1,” declined due to a violation of their service agreement. Fuga, in collaboration with its partners and the client, is currently working to remove “Vultures 1” from their systems.^[7]

However, it was later reported that Label Engine took over the distribution of the album, maintaining its availability on streaming platforms.^[8]

Surpassing Usher’s “Coming Home”

Despite the aforementioned challenges, Ye’s “Vultures 1” outshined Usher’s “Coming Home” and secured the top position on the Billboard 200 chart. Usher’s album claimed the second spot and delivered a strong performance, earning the equivalent of 91,000 sales. This marks Usher’s highest placement on the album chart in more than a decade.^[9]

The Fallout from Antisemitic Remarks

Ye faced severe backlash from business partners and previously supportive fans after making public antisemitic comments. Companies such as Balenciaga, the Creative Artists Agency, and JPMorgan Chase severly distanced themselves from the rapper. As a result, Ye’s net worth plummeted, and he was dropped from his partnership with Adidas, which once accounted for almost 10 percent of the sports brand’s annual revenue.^[10]

An Apology and Ongoing Controversy

Ye issued an apology for his antisemitic remarks through a now-deleted Instagram post written in Hebrew. In the post, Ye expressed regret for causing any harm, committed to learning and growing from the experience, and emphasized the importance of unity.^[11]

In a recent TMZ interview, Ye claimed he survived the backlash thanks to his skills and dedicated fan base, dismissing concerns about his work being removed from streaming platforms due to the insufficient royalties paid to artists by these platforms.^[12]

Interestingly, “Vultures” includes lines in which Ye questions his own label as antisemitic, highlighting his relationships with Jewish individuals.^[12]

In conclusion, despite the controversies surrounding Ye, his latest album “Vultures 1” continues to demonstrate his enduring popularity, claiming the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart. As the music industry confronts a series of obstacles, including allegations of unauthorized sampling and copyright infringement, Ye remains resilient and confident in his abilities as an artist.^[1]

Sources:

1. Luminate – Billboard
2. Billboard – Trouble Getting Permission
3. Vultures 1 – 16-Track Album
4. Style Memo Newsletter
5. Ozzy Osbourne’s Tweet
6. Billboard – Donna Summer’s Estate
7. Billboard – Label Engine
8. Washington Post – Usher Review
9. Washington Post – Kayne West Antisemitic Remarks
10. Washington Post – Adidas Partnership
11. Washington Post – Ye’s Apology
12. YouTube – TMZ Interview