Let's be real for a second. The music world has a short memory, but even for us, the Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign saga has been a lot to process. It's messy. It’s loud. It’s been a revolving door of release dates, "retired" statuses, and Instagram rants that make you want to throw your phone across the room.
We’ve watched this duo—officially dubbed ¥$—go from being the industry’s most unlikely pillars of stability to basically being the poster children for creative chaos. People like to frame this as just another "Kanye being Kanye" moment. But that’s a lazy take. If you look closer at the actual timeline and the music, there's a lot more under the hood than just a few leaked tracks and some controversial headlines.
The Weird Chemistry of ¥$: Why This Duo Actually Works
It’s easy to forget that before they were ¥$, they were just two guys making "Real Friends." Honestly, Ty Dolla Sign is probably the only person in the industry right now who knows how to handle the Ye whirlwind without getting sucked into the eye of the storm.
Ty is the "hook king." That’s his brand. But with Kanye, he became something else—a co-pilot. While everyone was busy arguing about Kanye’s public meltdowns, Ty was in Saudi Arabia and Italy, actually putting the work in. He’s the melodic glue. Think about a track like "Burn" from Vultures 1. It sounds like classic, soulful Ye, right? But it only breathes because of Ty’s presence.
He provides a vocal safety net. When Kanye’s verses get a bit too... experimental (or just plain unfinished), Ty is there to remind us why we liked the song in the first place. Their chemistry isn't about being similar; it's about Ty being the grounding force for a guy who has spent the last five years trying to fly into the sun.
The Vultures Trilogy: Chaos by Design?
Nobody likes a delay. And man, have there been delays. When the Vultures trilogy was first announced, we were supposed to have three albums by April 2024. We’re sitting here in 2026, and the road to Vultures 3 has been anything but a straight line.
📖 Related: 97.3 The Sky Listen Live: How to Catch North Central Florida’s Biggest Talk Radio
- Vultures 1 (February 2024): This was the big comeback. It hit Number 1 on the Billboard 200, mostly thanks to "Carnival." But it was also a legal nightmare. Sample issues with Donna Summer’s estate and Ozzy Osbourne turned the release into a courtroom drama.
- Vultures 2 (August 2024): This one felt different. It was darker, weirder, and—honestly—a bit unfinished at launch. Kanye kept updating the tracks after they were out, which is a habit he just can't seem to kick.
- Vultures 3 (The 2026 Question): This is where it gets tricky. Rumors of a feud between Kanye and Ty started swirling in 2025. Ty gave some cryptic interviews—like that "6 7" comment to Complex that had everyone confused—leading many to think the project was dead.
The "6 7" thing turned out to be a weird Gen Alpha meme reference, but it highlighted a bigger truth: the relationship is strained. Kanye started focusing on his solo project, BULLY, which is currently slated for a late January 2026 release. Where does that leave Ty? Well, according to industry insiders and the occasional Instagram Live slip-up, Vultures 3 isn't officially "scrapped," but it's definitely in the "wait and see" pile.
The AI Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about the AI. One of the biggest criticisms of the recent Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign output has been the alleged use of AI-generated vocals. Fans on Reddit and X have spent hours deconstructing verses on Vultures 2, claiming some of Ye’s parts sound... off.
It’s a valid concern. If you’re a fan, you want the artist, not a model trained on the artist. Interestingly, reports coming out about the upcoming BULLY album suggest Kanye is stripping back the AI and focusing on a more raw, "produced-by-himself" sound. This shift might be exactly why Vultures 3 is taking so long; the duo might be trying to find a sound that doesn't feel like it came out of a computer lab.
✨ Don't miss: Where to Watch Terra Nova: Why This Spielberg Dino-Epic is So Hard to Find
What People Get Wrong About Ty’s Loyalty
There’s a narrative that Ty Dolla Sign is just "along for the ride" or that he’s "enabling" Kanye. That’s a bit dismissive. Ty has been vocal about not condoning hate speech, but he’s also been vocal about Kanye being a genius.
It’s a complicated spot to be in. In his 2024 Billboard cover story, Ty basically said he’s seen Kanye at his highest and lowest, and his job is to make the best music possible. It’s a professional partnership that turned into a brotherhood, for better or worse. Ty isn't a silent partner; he's the one who often handles the business end when things get too chaotic on the Yeezy side.
The 2026 Outlook: Is There a Future for ¥$?
Right now, the focus is squarely on Kanye’s solo return. The hype for BULLY is massive, mainly because it feels like a "back to basics" moment. But don't count out Ty Dolla Sign. He’s got his own solo project, Tycoon, on the horizon.
What most people miss is that the Vultures era changed how albums are released. The "living album" concept—where the music changes on your streaming app weeks after release—started with The Life of Pablo but became the standard for ¥$. Love it or hate it, they’ve disrupted the traditional release cycle.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're trying to keep up with the Kanye and Ty saga without losing your mind, here's how to navigate it:
- Don't trust the release dates. Until the music is actually in your library and you've hit play, it doesn't exist. Kanye treats dates like suggestions.
- Check the credits. If you want to know how much Ty contributed, look for his production credits. He’s more than just a singer; he’s a massive part of the sonic architecture.
- Listen to the "unreleased" stuff with caution. A lot of what's on YouTube or TikTok are early demos. The final versions (if they ever come) often sound completely different.
- Watch the solo moves. Kanye’s BULLY will tell us a lot about the future of Vultures 3. If he goes back to a solo-focused creative mode, Ty might focus more on his own Tycoon rollout.
The reality is that Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign created a moment in hip-hop that was as frustrating as it was fascinating. It was a bridge between the old Kanye era and whatever this new, independent, "un-cancellable" era is. Whether we ever get that final chapter of the trilogy or not, the impact of their collaboration is already baked into the charts.
Keep an eye on the January 30th date for BULLY. That’s going to be the real indicator of where this partnership stands and whether the "Vultures" have finally landed for good.