On Monday night (Feb. 5), Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign shared a vague post on social media that hinted at a Chicago listening event for Vultures, the artists' first joint project as a hip-hop duo ¥$. “Vultures United Center Chicago 02 08 24,” the post read without further details.
It was met with skepticism at first, given that the United Center had not listed the event in their schedule and the numerous times the album's release date was changed. But since it first appeared on the venue's website the next day – with tickets going on sale at 3 p.m. local time – fans were eager to get their hands on a golden ticket. Before 6pm, the album release party, dubbed Vultures listening experiencewas officially sold out.
Anticipation was high among fans, excited for an early listen to the much-anticipated album, which was originally supposed to be released on December 15th and then moved to December 31st and then January 12th. While it was expected to be released at midnight on Friday (February 2), as of press time, the album has yet to be released.
Around 7 p.m., fans — mostly young teenagers who opted for oversized, dark hoodies or puffers, cargo pants and their favorite sneakers — crowded around the United Center just as the rain and storms cleared. Before the doors open, Advertising sign spoke to a trio of friends who moved to Chicago from Virginia. Mauricio, the team's de facto spokesperson, had a one-word answer when asked what his expectations were for this event. “Visual,” he said flatly. “This guy (Kanye) is really about portraying an image and the aesthetic and the vibe. The music is just the background.”
He was next to Maurisios and his friends Pure from New Hampshire. “Once the event went live on Tuesday, I was able to buy a $235 ticket, but it was a battle with Ticketmaster because the site would crash,” he explained. “My jaw was hitting the floor, but I finally got in. Then I bought a Greyhound ticket, took the bus, booked a hotel and spent almost $1,000. I've been waiting 10 years to see Kanye. I'm just happy to be in the same building as him.”
Shortly after 8:00 p.m. the gates finally opened and people were allowed into the area where official merchandise was being sold — black t-shirts and white hoodies and shorts stamped with the Vultures logo. Once inside, you were treated to a hazy view of the barely visible stage rising from an open space surrounded by white flags with the Vultures logo.
Chance the Rapper was in attendance and made a grand entrance with a group waving to fans who recognized the hometown hero. Once settled in, like everyone else there, he waited patiently for the listening session to begin. And it was around 10:10 p.m., an hour after the scheduled start.
The crowd roared at the sight of Ye and Ty taking the stage. Some of the songs played throughout the night included “Burn,” “Paperwork,” “Everybody,” “Carnival,” “Vultures,” “Hoodrat,” “Paid,” and “Talking/Once Again,” which featured a special performance from the North West. Undoubtedly, the 10-year-old's appearance on stage was one of the highlights of the night with the whole venue cheering her on as she rapped alongside her superstar father.
While the 12 songs played throughout the audition were met with cheers and acceptance from fans who nodded along to every beat, it was in disbelief when the music ended and the venue lights came on signaling the show was over. The confused crowd checked their phones as the event ended. To their surprise (or maybe not), the album hadn't been released.
Ye and Ty are expected to host another audio event today at New York's UBS Arena. Below, a list of takeaways from Chicago's Vultures Listening Experience event:
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A Nod to Chicago
Paying tribute to the music of Chicago rappers, local DJ Pharris made sure to remind everyone that they were in the hometown of Ye. Songs from Juice WRLD, Chief Keef, Lil Durk and of course, Chicago's own Kanye West were played to get the crowd going. “Where are the fans of the day?” asked the DJ. He continued to play songs from Ye's Dropping out of collegewhich is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
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Fit check
First of all. Both Kanye and Ty put on some serious looks that matched the aesthetic of the pair's elemental “Vultures” music video, which dropped on Thursday (February 8). Ye wore a black leather bomber jacket, with 1 written on the back, leather pants and a white hockey mask à la Jason Vorhees. Meanwhile, Ty wore what looked like a long black trench coat that was loose enough to let him dance around the stage, which he often did alongside Ye and, sometimes, making sure they worked each corner separately of the scene.
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“It's Your Bestie”
As soon as North West took the stage for “Talking/Once Again,” she stole the spotlight. “Chicago is making some noise for Miss West,” Ty ordered as she walked up confidently dressed in an oversized outfit and wearing what looked like a furry dark hat. Immediately, the crowd cheered as they watched a sweet moment between North and Ye, who welcomed his daughter with a big hug. He stayed as 'Everybody' played dancing and jumping around the stage with the duo.
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The Special Guests
Those who bought a ticket didn't really know what to expect from the event, much less if any of the collaborators featured on the album would take the stage with Ye and Ty. Only a few special guests appeared, including North West for “Talking/Once Again,” YG for “Do It,” and Bump J for “Vultures.”
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Final thoughts
When the lights came back on around 11pm, people were reluctant to leave the venue. Some stuck around for a few minutes, but were eventually kicked out. That is, the listening session lasted about an hour. Joaquina Chicago native who is a longtime Kanye fan also attended Doda listening party in 2021, was surprised after it ended suddenly. “I wish it didn't end like this, but I think it's because of the space constraints, but who knows. Overall, it was a good show and I was pleased. I hope the album comes out.”
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/kanye-vultures-album-listening-event-ty-dolla-sign-chicago-best-moments/
