Everything We Know So Far About Kanye West's New Album 'YANDHI'
Kanye West's next album offering — his upcoming ninth studio album— seemed imminent, but after two major delays, a release date is nowhere in sight. Every once in a while a new tweet, or interview sparks hope for the forthcoming drop. So to make things easier, we've pulled up everything we know about YANDHI, so you can be fully prepped when it actually happens.
The project's name is a portmanteau of “Ye” and “Gandhi,” (the same as YEEZUS was of “Ye” and “Jesus"). It was originally predicted to arrive a couple of months after his collaborative album with Kid Cudi Kids See Ghosts, and the eponymous ye.
News of YANDHI began to flutter into the 'Yemosphere last year, when the music mogul dropped a series of cryptic tweets that hinted towards another album release. Now those tweets have been backed with album artwork, and release dates (which have sadly come and gone), potential track samples, and massive billboard takeovers.
For all those details and more, keep scrolling for a rundown of everything we know so far about Kanye West's YANDHI.
Release date:
West was dominating billboards last September, taking over with huge images of an iMessage that reads "YANDHI 9 29 18" — September 29, 2018. In addition, Kanye West tweeted out the below “confirmation,” assuring us that the record would be released on Saturday night, adding "We know it will come in number 2 to my brother Lil Wayne and that's lovely. The universe needs Ye and Wayne music at the same time."
Unfortunately for ’Ye fans, the album did not drop as promised on September 29. On Monday, October 1, West's wife Kim Kardashian tweeted that YANDHI will arrive on Black Friday - November 23, 2018 - adding "TRUST ME it is worth the wait."
Hours after Kim Kardashian's tweet, an interview between 'Ye and TMZ's Harvey Levin surfaced, where he outlined plans to head to the African continent to finish the album. “I felt this energy when I was in Chicago,” Kanye noted, “I felt the roots. But we have to go what is known as Africa.”
As of November 12, 2018, the release date has been pushed back yet again.
Album artwork:
If the 3-D holographic video West shared to Instagram in September is anything to go by, then YANDHI's album artwork will feature a MiniDisc with purple tape. The design, fans will recognize, its not at all dissimilar to that of his 2013 YEEZUS album, which depicted a CD with red tape.
Tracklist:
West stopped by The FADER's offices in New York City on September 27, 2018, playing the staff tracks from his forthcoming full-length. A few songs featured Ty Dolla $ign, with other guest artists including controversial figures 6ix9ine and the late XXXTentacion. A clip in the gallery below features one of the tracks, with the lyrics ""I'm giving up my slave name" repeated multiple times.
He also posted a clip of another unreleased song on his Instagram that same day, but it has since been removed.
West proceeded to drop the track "XTCY" back in August 2018, a potential inclusion on YANDHI, as it was his first release post-ye. Per Complex's observations, the song is likely a reworking of "Extacy," a rough draft that the artist shared back in May.
After returning to Instagram last year, he used the Stories feature to hint at another track. While there's no information about the name of this one, you can wrap your ears around it here.
Potential Collaborators:
Most recently, Ronny J spoke on Kids Take Over about traveling to Uganda with West to record YANDHI. Over FaceTime, the rapper and producer revealed that West set up tents to record outside and disclosed that the album is nature-inspired.
In an interview with Power 106’s The Cruz Show in October 2018, Quavo let slip that he and Migos are also set to be a part of YANDHI. “I did a record for [Kanye], we did a record for Yandhi. He called us,” Quavo stated.
The list of potential collaborators is long given the endless G.O.O.D Music affiliates. However, G.O.O.D guys aside, it could be that Chance the Rapper will appear on YANDHI, given that the pair are already working on an album together called Good Ass Job. This, too, has not seen the light of day.
Lil Pump is another new 'Ye collaborator who could crop up after they united to release "I Love It" earlier this month.
As previously mentioned, Ty Dolla $ign appears on a few songs from the album that West previewed at The FADER. A song featuring late rapper XXXTentacion was also played.
6inx9ine was spotted in the studio working on tracks with West, and it looks like he'll also be on YANDHI, confirmed by West's aformentioned visit to The FADER.
And perhaps Young Thug too after he paid tribute to 'Ye in his single titled "Kanye West" on the 2016 mixtape JEFFERY, and issued the below threat a few days ago.
Are you loving how much music Ye is delivering this year? Let us know in the comments.
For a deeper dive into all things Kanye, here are 40 of the best Kanye West songs.
