These days, Kanye West doesn’t soundtrack your commute or sneak onto a “chill vibes” playlist. With his latest album, ‘BULLY’, he’s here to interrupt your day, raise your blood pressure, and then stare at you while you try to process what the f*ck just happened.
For his 12th full-length project, Ye’s ‘BULLY’ feels like it was created in a makeshift studio with nothing but poor acoustics and mashed-up speakers. I mean this in the best way possible, by the way. The production is somewhat jagged, twitchy, and kind of hostile. Instead of leaning into something polished, Ye has opted for another ‘Yeezus’ approach, creating a project that, in total honesty, is crazy.
Some tracks feel suffocated, as layers crash into each other with no room to breathe. Others are almost empty with random drum patterns that echo into nothingness. The inspiration is all over the place in the best and worst ways. You can hear industrial grit, punk, and flashes of experimental electronics, but none of it is that obvious. It’s like Kanye took a bunch of influences, shook them violently, and poured out whatever survived. There’s a heavy sense that this album isn’t trying to reference. In all honesty, it simply references the chaotic nature of Kanye that we have all come to know.
Lyrically, he’s toggling between self-awareness and full-blown provocation without even batting an eyelid. One minute, he sounds like he’s interrogating his own image, the next he’s doubling down on it like a cartoon villain. It’s messy, sometimes exhausting, but the truth is… It’s never boring. You’re constantly asking yourself: Is this satire, sincerity, or just Kanye being Kanye?
The third track on the album, “FATHER”, featuring Travis Scott, locks into a distorted loop that refuses to shake off. It’s hypnotic in a slightly menacing way. The vocals almost feel tender? The song doesn’t last long, but it packs a punch because of everything surrounding it.
But Ye does open up in parts. Midway through, “MAMA’S FAVORITE” feels slow, heavy, and industrial. You expect a crazy drop, something to drop the tension, but it leads to a touching and inspirational voice memo from Kanye’s mum. It was nice to hear a more personal side.
Ultimately, when it comes down to it, Kanye doesn't care if you like ‘BULLY’ or not. Once again, this is Kanye in full “take it or leave it” mode. It’s rough, uneven, and yeah, sometimes it’s a lot. But, I dig it.
Because even when it’s frustrating, you can’t ignore it. In places, it's the audio equivalent of a public meltdown you know you shouldn’t watch, but absolutely will. And whether you roll your eyes or hit replay probably says more about you than it does him.
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