‘Bully’ Kanye West album drops early in surprise late-night stream

Kanye West has unveiled his long-awaited album Bully in a surprise late-night livestream, offering fans an early listen ahead of its official release.

The rapper premiered the project on YouTube shortly after midnight on March 26, just hours before its scheduled release on March 27, ending months of speculation and delays.

Bully marks West’s 12th studio album and his first solo release since Donda 2 in 2022. The project is being released through the independent label Gamma.

The album features collaborations with Travis Scott and Nine Vicious, with tracks such as Preacher Man and Beauty and the Beast already familiar to fans after being previewed in earlier versions.

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In the lead-up to the drop, West shared a handwritten tracklist on social media, revealing a packed lineup including Sisters and Brothers, All the Love, King and Mission Control. Several songs had circulated previously in unfinished or alternate forms, adding to anticipation around the final version.

West also moved to address rumours about artificial intelligence being used on the album, stating that Bully does not feature AI-generated vocals despite earlier claims.

The rollout has been anything but straightforward. West first teased the project in 2024 following the release of Vultures 2, his collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, and continued to build hype through snippets, performances and a short film titled Bully V1, which featured his son Saint.

The album arrives amid ongoing controversy surrounding the artist, including legal challenges and backlash over previous public statements.

Despite that, the early premiere has quickly put Bully back at the centre of conversation, with fans finally getting a full listen after a prolonged and unpredictable rollout.