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Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, dropped his latest studio album, “Bully,” on Friday, March 27.

The project marks his 12th studio album and his first solo release since “Donda 2” in 2022. Released through the independent label Gamma, “Bully” represents a return to form for the controversial rapper, who has fallen from grace in recent years over his espousing of antisemitic and racist beliefs. He has also been accused of sexual misconduct by former employees.

Ahead of the album’s release, Ye took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal to apologize for his past remarks. Featuring cameos from Travis Scott and Nine Vicious, “Bully,” which is out on YouTube, has yet to be released on major music streaming platforms.

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Ye Bully release date

Ye released “Bully,” in the early hours of Friday, March 27, on YouTube. The rapper has a long history of delayed launches, from music releases to fashion projects.

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Bully tracklist

In the days leading up to the release, Ye shared a handwritten tracklist on social media and said the album would contain no AI–generated vocals, addressing speculation tied to earlier versions of the project. Several songs on “Bully” had appeared previously in unfinished or alternate forms before the final release.

See the full tracklist:

  1. Sisters and Brothers
  2. Whatever Works
  3. Father
  4. All the Love
  5. I Can’t Wait
  6. Bully
  7. Mama’s Favorite
  8. Punch Drunk
  9. This a Must
  10. Outside
  11. Preacherman
  12. White Lines
  13. Circles
  14. This One Here
  15. King
  16. Beauty and the Beast
  17. Damn
  18. Last Breath
  19. Highs and Lows
  20. Mission Control

Bully listening party

Listen to the album here.

On first listen, “Bully” sounds not too different from the project that propelled him to fame, sampling gospel songs, blending his quick rhymes over a heavy bass beat and telling a come-up story. For loyal fans, the album may present a welcome reprieve from years of erratic behavior and hate-filled music, but for his detractors, it may be difficult to scrub the phantom image of his former self from the tracks.