Why is Kanye West’s new ‘Vultures 1’ album being removed from streaming services?

The album disappeared from Apple Music and iTunes on Thursday afternoon following reports that its distributor was working to remove it from all streaming platforms.

The rocky saga of Vultures 1 continues…

Following the highly-anticipated release of his collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign, controversial rapper Kanye ‘Ye’ West finds himself embroiled with issues maintaining its presence on streaming platforms.

The album, which sustained multiple delays and changes to its tracklist prior to its final release, vanished from Apple Music and iTunes on Thursday afternoon amidst reports that its initial distributor, FUGA, was aiming to remove it from all streaming services.

Despite the album been briefly pulled off Apple Music and iTunes, it soon reappeared on the platforms through Label Engine, which had previously distributed two of the album’s pre-release lead singles.

Why was the album removed from streaming by FUGA?

Kanye West, left and, Bianca Censori arrive during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game Sunday, 11 February 2024, in Las Vegas.Credit: Mark Von Holden/AP

A FUGA spokesperson told Billboard on Thursday that “a long-standing FUGA client delivered the album Vultures 1 through the platform’s automated processes, violating our service agreement.”

Consequently, the company announced its intention “to remove Vultures 1 from our systems.”

The day before, Spotify took down the track “Good (Don’t Die)” from the album following a complaint from Donna Summer’s estate, complaining unauthorised interpolation of her 1977 song “I Feel Love.”

Amazon Music and Apple Music followed in later removing the soon.

Ozzy Osbourne performs at half time during a Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills game during an NFL football game Thursday, 8 September 2021.Credit: John McCoy/AP

West was also forced to remove a sample from a 1983 Black Sabbath live performance of ‘Iron Man’ after Ozzy Osbourne blasted the rapper on social media for using it without his permission.

Osbourne posted on X: “Kanye West asked permission to sample a section of a 1983 live performance of ‘Iron Man’ from the US Festival without vocals & was refused permission because he is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many”.

He added: “He went ahead and used the sample anyway at his album listening party last night. I want no association with this man!”

Is ‘Vultures 1’ anti-semitic?

Last year, West had been searching for potential distributors after years of releasing music under Universal Music Group. Now as an independent artist, he reportedly faced rejection from multiple companies for their services due to his controversial antisemitic and anti-Black remarks.

The rapper issued an apology in December last year, written in Hebrew via the Notes app to the Jewish community, which has since been removed.

The post, translated into English, read: “I sincerely apologise to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions. It was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.”

However, despite his apology less than two months ago, Vultures 1 contains several eyebrow-raising, questionable references to the Jewish community.

On the first track of the album “STARS”, West raps, “I’ma come through and just black out/ Just black out/ Keep a few Jews on the staff now/ I cash out.”

In the titular track of the album “VULTURES“, West directly references the antisemitism allegations against him with the lyric: “How I’m antisemitic? / I just fucked a Jewish bitch.”

We suspect Vultures 1 will continue to stir up controversy in days ahead…