"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" is a song by Kanye West that was released as a single on February 9, 2025.[1] The song serves as the lead single to Ye's demo studio album BULLY V1 as well as the final album BULLY (2025) and serves as the eighth track to the record. It features production solely from Kanye West similar to the rest of the album and AI Kanye vocals.
Production[]
The song heavily samples the song "Don't Have To Shop Around" by The Mad Lads. The track is played 4/4 time in 163.5 BPM, and it is in the key of E Minor.
Background[]
According to MIKE DEAN, the song originated during the Donda sessions, though it is unknown which era (most likely the WITH CHILD or Pio Pico sessions). An alleged snippet of this leaked, but it was later confirmed to be fake. It is possible the chorus had been finished around this time as a version previewed later had a fully finished chorus with real vocals though was later replaced with AI.
The song was brought back sometime during the BULLY sessions, with Ye fully finishing his vocals. It was first previewed in full during the VULTURES listening party in China on September 28, 2024, with Ye himself confirming the song's name.[2] It is confirmed the song utilized AI technology on the post-chorus, though the vocals on the chorus were seemingly real as opposed to the further along versions of the song.
The song was briefly posted in full on Kanye's Instagram page on October 15, 2024.[3] The vocals on the chorus of this version of the song seemed to be recorded with AI. A music video of the song was released three days later, exclusively on Apple Music in video form and the Yeezy website.[4] It was also available for preorder on Apple Music and iTunes[5], though it was taken off of all sites the following day.
On February 9, 2025, the song was suddenly released on Yeezy.com, with new drums and new vocals, though they are still AI. However, the song was taken down hours later. After the song's release, Consequence confirmed that he had recorded a reference track for the song.
On February 17, 2025, Consequence would take to Instagram live to preview a new version of the song where he had recorded a reference verse for the song. Given the only versions fully heard are from December 2024 and earlier, it's unclear if this reference was ever used or if the song was ever intended to have a verse in the first place.[6]
BULLY (Film)[]
The song along with the rest of the album would be randomly released by Ye himself on March 18 in film format as a part of the BULLY short film that had been made for the album.[7] Ye would later take to X (fka Twitter) to state that he had released it as it was almost completely AI and Ye had formed a new disdain for AI technology and he was reworking and rerecording the album with real vocals.[8] It's possible a newer version with real vocals exists, though it's unconfirmed as the only song confirmed to have been worked on post non-AI rework has been "MELROSE".
Since then, the film has been taken down, likely as a result of Ye not having cleared the Pomme sample on the song "HIGHS AND LOWS" as just shortly before it was taken off it was confirmed Pomme had knowledge of the song being taken down and was seeking legal action to have it removed.[9]
Streaming Release[]
Months after the film's release, the song would be slated to re-release onto streaming platforms on June 16 alongside "PREACHER MAN", "DAMN", "HIGHS AND LOWS", and "WHITE LINES" according to fanpage YeFanatics.[10] The song was uploaded to digital streaming services as indicated by the International Standard Recording Code which would be discovered 4 days later, though the code revealed it was intended to release on the 16th and had missed its date.[11] The song would not be met with a streaming release for another four days though would be uploaded as a single on the 20th. Despite Ye saying he had plans to update it, The version released onto streaming still featured AI and was nearly identical to the version that dropped as a single four months ago.[12]
Music video[]
As previously mentioned, the music video for "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" was uploaded to Apple Music on October 18, 2024. The video features footage of the Haikou listening party when the song was first previewed as Ye dances to the song in front of a bright circular light.
Writing and lyricism[]
The song is more reflective in nature than West’s previous releases the same year, In it, West looks back at his status following the albums VULTURES 1 and VULTURES 2 with the lines: ("Fresh new tires, I'm still running / It's a few things I'm overcoming.") The line “Man, the checks still clear, still” line represents his self satisfaction. Despite the damage done to his reputation, he’s still financially successful. The lyric emphasizes his cultural relevance, even when he receives widespread criticism and media backlash.
He addresses his fans expectations for him and his music, singing on the chorus, "Think about it every night and day / To try to stay away, to keep my audience / So don't take this as disrespect, I'm sitting here tryna redirect." Lines like “I’m still here in the trifecta” reference his nonstop success, as he reassures listeners that he remains among the top rappers in his field.
Lyrics[]
[Chorus: Kanye West]
It's been a long time coming
Fresh new tires, I'm still running
It's a few things I'm overcoming
When the check still clears, still (Never)
[Post-Chorus: ???]
Think about it every night and day to try and stay away (Put me down, put me down, put me down, down, down)
To keep my heart intact
Don't take this disrespect, I'm sitting her tryna redirect up (Never)
Think about it every night and day to try and stay away (Put me down, put me down, put me down, down, down)
To keep my heart intact
Don't take this disrespect, I'm still here in the trifecta (Any-)
[Chorus: Kanye West]
It's been a long time coming
Fresh new tires, I'm still running
It's a few things I'm overcoming
When the check still clears, still (Never)
[Post-Chorus: ???]
Think about it every night and day to try to stay away (Put me down, put me down, put me down, down, down)
To keep my heart intact
Don't take this disrespect, I'm sitting here tryna redirect up (Never)
Think about it every night and day to try to stay away (Put me down, put me down, put me down, down, down)
To keep my heart intact
Don't take this disrespect, I'm still here in the trifecta (Any-)
[Outro: John Garry Williams]
Never put me down
Put me down, put me down (Down)
Never put me down
Put me down, put me down (Down)
Any-
Trivia[]
- The initial vocal take used for the chorus of this song was not initially AI. It's unclear why this was later replaced with an AI voiceover.
References[]
- ↑ https://genius.com/Kanye-west-beauty-and-the-beast-lyrics
- ↑ https://x.com/Kurrco/status/1840036197424321009
- ↑ https://x.com/yeunrlsd/status/1846166986482438569?t=5xaAxAy7RLypUtTcC6Ei5g&s=19
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodAssSub/comments/1g6v09n/what_happened_today/
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodAssSub/comments/1g791hw/you_can_now_buy_beauty_and_the_beast_on/
- ↑ https://pillowcase.su/f/d881abf312bd38e01e4479a6804c5dc0
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIkI9kjnJ1U
- ↑ https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1902208914319667445
- ↑ https://x.com/yeunrlsd/status/1903417052905242784
- ↑ https://x.com/yefanatics_/status/1934512075989983303
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/GoodAssSub/s/VYfOXvT6A6
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/track/1FLskKiqnrOZdtNSRnC7Ng?si=37caf61e4e56480a
| BULLY | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|