"BULLY" also known as "BULLY V1" is a short film by Kanye West released via West's X on March 19, 2025.[1][2] The film was directed by Kanye West and Hype Williams. The film features West's son Saint West in a wrestling match with various opponents.
Synopsis[]
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"BULLY" is accompanied by a black-and-white short film directed by Hype Williams and starring West's son Saint.[3] The film depicts Saint in a wrestling ring, fending off aggressors with a toy mallet.[3][4] The professional wrestlers Yoh, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask, and El Desperado from New Japan Pro-Wrestling portray Saint's opponents.[3] The album plays over the footage,[4] which lasts for about half an hour.[3] According to Rolling Stone Jayson Buford, Saint represents West himself, "who envisions himself as a martyr being attacked by all sides".[5] However, the film's tone is ridiculous and comedic;[5] GQ Paul Thompson wrote that the visuals feature "a playfulness, a generosity" reflected in the music.[6]
Background[]
The film was released amidst a lengthy and highly controversial X rant.[7] Alongside the film's release, Ye announced that he would no longer be using artificial intelligence and admitted to using it for BULLY era songs.[8] He also mentioned he would be rerecording the tracks and was asking if people enjoyed them. However, the film is suspected by few to use AI itself. Soon after the initial post, he made another X post that contained slightly different versions of the film.[9] The film previewed many new songs as well as many updated versions of previously leaked songs. The film is considered the first "released" version of BULLY. The movie was recorded two months before its release[10] The song later released on Kanye's official YouTube channel on March 22, 2025.[11]
With the release of this project, West announced and also teased the release of Donda 2 and possibly VULTURES 3 or Donda 3.[12]
Track list[]
- PREACHER MAN
- DESIGNED FOR
- WHITE LINES
- CIRCLES
- BULLY
- TAKE MY LAST BREATH AWAY
- LOSING YOUR MIND*
- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
- THIS ONE HERE
- HIGHS AND LOWS
- MELROSE (Feat. Playboi Carti and Ty Dolla $ign)*
Notes[]
- * means the song is only used in certain versions of the film.
References[]
- ↑ https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1902207480563953830
- ↑ https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1902208914319667445
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 https://variety.com/2025/music/news/kanye-west-releases-bully-album-saint-west-film-1236342007/
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/kanye-west-bully-album-released-north-west-birthday-1234991122/
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/ye-surprise-drop-bully-album-short-wrestling-film-saint-west-1235925742/
- ↑ Thompson, Paul (March 19, 2025). "It Brings Us No Pleasure to Report that Kanye West Made a Good Kanye West Album". GQ. Archived from the original on March 22, 2025. Retrieved March 24, 2025.
- ↑ https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250210-kanye-west-s-account-on-x-goes-dark-after-hate-filled-rant
- ↑ https://hiphopdx.com/news/kanye-west-leaks-bully-album-short-film#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20its%20unfinished%20state%2C%20Ye%20admitted%20that%20the%20album%20was%20recorded%20using%20artificial%20intelligence%20%E2%80%94%20a%20tool%20he%20had%20previously%20spoken%20highly%20of%20%E2%80%94%20but%20he%20plans%20to%20redo%20his%20vocals%20because%20he%20%E2%80%9Chates%20AI%20now.%E2%80%9D
- ↑ https://x.com/kanyewest/status/1902208914319667445
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20250319024554/https://app.frame.io/reviews/8d4b148c-f8b4-44ed-b31c-18361cd86801
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkYMss0iUZY
- ↑ https://x.com/yeunrlsd/status/1902198267695555039