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The high ranking also comes despite accusations that the album, Ye’s first since his anti-Jewish rants in late 2022, uses unauthorized samples from other artists, among other issues leading up to and following its release on the 10th. of February.
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West initially announced that the album would drop in December, but its release was postponed multiple times amid reports that Ye was having problem obtaining permission to try out a Backstreet Boys song and use a Nicki Minaj verse for two tracks which finally never made it to the official site 16 tracks album.
More challenges arose after Ye and his collaborator, Ty Dolla $ign, under the name ¥$, previewed “Vultures” at listening parties in Chicago and New York before its release.
Ozzy Osbourne wrote on social media that he had denied Ye permission to try a live performance of “Iron Man” in 1983, “BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTI-SEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNSELLABLE PAIN TO MANY.”
“He went ahead and used the sample anyway at his album listening party last night,” Osbourne continued. “I DO NOT WANT ANY ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”
Spotify then removed one of the tracks from the new album, “Good (Don’t Die)”, following Donna Summer’s estate. accused Ye, accused of copyright infringement for recreating part of her disco hit “I Feel Love” after being denied permission.
And the entire album briefly disappeared from Apple Music on Thursday, amid a music distributor’s attempts to remove it from streaming platforms.
Fuga, who was originally asked to distribute “Vultures 1,” said in a statement that he had declined to do so late last year, “exercising our judgment in the normal course of business.” The company said “a long-time customer” brought the album to streaming platforms anyway, in violation of Fuga’s service agreement. “Therefore, FUGA is actively working with its… partners and the customer to remove ‘Vultures 1’ from our systems.” Fuga did not respond to a request for comment.
At the end of the day Thursday, various media reported that Label Engine, which originally released the album’s first two singles, was now in charge of distributing the album.
Despite the missteps in the album’s release, listeners still heard “Vultures.” She eclipsed Usher’s No. 2 spot with his latest album, “Coming Home,” released just before his Super Bowl halftime performance. With sales equivalent to 91,000, Usher’s ninth studio album earned him his highest position on the albums chart in more than a decade.
Ye’s business partners and many of his former fans turned against him when the Grammy-winning artist suddenly spiraled into public anti-Semitism.
Companies including Balenciaga, Creative Artists Agency and JPMorgan Chase severed ties after Ye wore a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his 2022 Paris Fashion Week show and posted on social media that he would go “death with 3” in “JEWISH PEOPLE.” His net worth plummeted after he was removed from his partnership with Adidas, home of his Yeezy shoe line that accounted for nearly 10 percent of the German sportswear brand’s annual revenue. .
Ye apologized for his anti-Semitic comments last December in a now-deleted Instagram post written in Hebrew.
“I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any ‘unintentional outbursts.’ “It was not my intention to hurt or degrade, and I am deeply sorry for any pain I caused,” the post read. “I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future. “Your forgiveness is important to me and I am committed to making amends and promoting unity.”
When Ye was asked about the same comments in a recent TMZ interview, responded: “Black people cannot be anti-Semitic. “We are Jews.” He also said that he “survived the cancellation” thanks to his skills and his fan base, and dismissed concerns that his work would be removed from streaming platforms because of how little they pay artists.
“Vultures” was also less apologetic. In the title track, Ye questions how she can be anti-Semitic if he has had sex with a Jewish woman, and mentions in his song “Stars” that he now keeps “some Jews on staff.”