Rating: 3.5/5
Award-winning artist Kanye West, now known as Ye, released his 12th studio album “Bully” on March 28, 2026. This album features 18 songs and many elements of progressive hip-hop, neo-soul, and industrial music.
This album differentiates itself from Ye’s other albums with its heavy emphasis on the neo-soul sound, which we haven’t seen as much of since Ye’s 2004 album “The College Dropout.” The songs on this album that predominantly feature the soul sound include “PUNCH DRUNK,” “WHATEVER WORKS,” and “PREACHER MAN.” I recommend the latter song the most for its catchy chorus.
The album also cleverly uses industrial sounds, which stand out on the intro song “KING.” This song is reminiscent of Ye’s 2013 album “Yeezus,” which features industrial sounds and synths. “KING” is also Ye’s best intro song since his album “Jesus is King.”
Another song on the album that incorporates industrial sounds is “FATHER,” featuring popular American artist Travis Scott. Ye and Scott’s vocals pair well alongside the bass-heavy beat. It was smart to feature Scott on this song, as his voice always meshes well with “heavy” beats.
“WHATEVER WORKS” is noteworthy for its flow and nostalgic, soulful instrumental. This song reminds me most of “old-Kanye,” as he actually raps on this song instead of repeating his typical lazy ad-libs. Again, this soulful beat reminds me of Ye’s “The College Dropout” era, which features a lot of similar rhythms as “WHATEVER WORKS.”
“I CAN’T WAIT” and “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST” captivated me with their groovy and soft vocals. Ye maintains a solid and unbroken cadence throughout these two songs.
The only reason this album loses points is that its rollout and general sound lack the rhythm that I’ve become accustomed to when listening to Ye. The lead-up to the album release felt rushed and abrupt, and in my opinion, the general aesthetic of the album is too bland for Ye. The cover of the album takes on a monochrome color palette, a far cry from the colorful, engaging covers of Ye’s past albums — ignoring “Donda,” of course. Many songs on the album also sound similar to each other and don’t bring many new elements to the table; some lack creativity.
Overall, “Bully” is a solid album and is definitely his best album in the past three to four years. But if Ye spent more time cultivating a more creative, unique rhythm on these songs, then “Bully” would have been able to sit alongside the likes of his past albums.
