$ign shines on ‘Forever’, too, where he uses his elastic pipes to take us to church. His soulful delivery anchors the somber piano melody, elevating what would have been a snooze-worthy seven-minute song into one of the standout tracks of the album. Still, it’s hard to shake off the feeling that the rap industry has moved on, leaving Ye behind. ‘Vultures 1’ is unlikely to change that; if anything, it cements his position on the fringes of mainstream music.
One can’t help but wonder how long West can remain relevant before he completely loses touch with his audience – and reality, for that matter. Perhaps the album title is a self-aware nod to the fact that he’s become a vulture himself, scavenging for scraps and clinging onto a past that’s long gone. Whatever the case, it’s hard to imagine anyone missing him for long if he were to disappear off the face of the musical earth.
‘Vultures 1’ is a middling album that doesn’t deserve to be remembered. Its most noteworthy achievement is that it adds to the growing list of reasons why Ye has become increasingly unpopular, both within the music industry and with the wider public. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow.