Ye Unleashes 'Bully' Deluxe Edition with Don Toliver, Drops Surreal 'Kings' Video
Ye has released the deluxe edition of his 12th studio album, "Bully," featuring new tracks and updated mixes. The album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, is accompanied by surreal new music videos directed by Bianca Censori. Fans can also look forward to an extensive series of live performances announced across the U.S. and internationally throughout the summer.
The rap superstar Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has recently expanded his discography with the deluxe edition of his 12th studio album, "Bully." The highly anticipated deluxe version, which arrived on Friday, June 19, offers fans an enriched experience with updated mixes of the original tracks and the introduction of new songs. Among these fresh additions are "OK," featuring Don Toliver, and "Mission Control," further diversifying the album's sonic landscape.
Accompanying the deluxe release, Ye also revealed new black-and-white artwork for "Bully," which he shared on Instagram. This striking cover features a close-up of a child's face adorned with metal grills, a visual statement that aligns with the artist's characteristic provocative style. The original "Bully" album was initially launched on March 28 through Larry Jackson’s Gamma and made a significant impact on the charts, debuting at an impressive No. 2 on the Billboard 200, only behind BTS’ "ARIRANG."
In addition to the expanded musical content, Ye has continued to deliver compelling visual narratives. He unveiled a new music video for "Kings," the opening track of the album, once again collaborating with his wife, Bianca Censori, who directed the visual. The surreal clip takes viewers on a journey with Ye at the wheel of a convertible, transporting an eclectic group of passengers. This diverse ensemble includes a nurse, an older man engrossed in a newspaper while sporting sunglasses, and a wildly dancing figure with distinct facial features. The scene unfolds as the vehicle slowly navigates a dusty road against a dramatic mountainside backdrop, with a police car’s flashing lights trailing closely behind. The minimalist video reaches its climax with Ye abruptly applying the brakes, which propels him from the car and into an electric chair, where two officers place a crown-shaped electrode on his head, adding another layer of symbolic imagery to the narrative.
The rollout for the "Bully" deluxe edition commenced with the release of "Gemini Season," also accompanied by a video directed by Censori. Earlier this year, she was also credited for helming the visual for "Father," Ye's collaboration with Travis Scott, which is also featured on the "Bully" album, solidifying her creative partnership with the artist.
Beyond his studio releases and visual projects, Ye is actively preparing for a series of live performances, signaling a return to the stage for his fans. His official website recently announced an Independence Day show on July 4 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Following this, he has scheduled a pair of dates in Chicago at Soldier Field on September 3 and September 4. Having recently performed for a massive crowd of 70,000 fans at Dinamo Arena in Tbilisi, Georgia, Ye is set to return to the United States for two shows at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on June 26 and June 28. These Tampa concerts will mark his first U.S. performances since his April engagements at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The tour schedule also includes additional international dates throughout the summer, with stops planned in Albania and Spain in July, before the tour continues in Portugal in August, promising a global reach for his latest musical endeavors.