As Kanye West continues to contend with controversies related to statements he’s made in the past few years, the polarizing rapper is still working. He most recently marked the release of his latest album, Vultures, on which he collaborated with Ty Dolla Sign. One of the ways that he’s capitalized on the debut of the new music is by holding listening parties in different locations. His most recent show was reportedly a last-minute affair that took place in Las Vegas, for which he charged $350 per ticket. Now, according to sources, fans were later upset that he later lowered the price drastically, and they apparently took issue with other aspects of the party.
Ye’s listening party was reportedly held in a tent venue somewhere on the Las Vegas strip following Super Bowl LVIII and was announced by the star on Instagram just earlier that day. The function, which offered fans the opportunity to listen to the artist’s new tunes, was apparently quite pricey, according to The U.K. Sun. While basic tickets cost $350 per head, the V.I.P. balcony option went for $750, and $25,000 was charged for a balcony table. The price for that first option eventually dropped to $150 later in the night, though, and the move allegedly rubbed attendees the wrong way. As previously alluded to, that’s not all that left them fuming.
The “Homecoming” performer was present at the event alongside his legally wed wife, Bianca Censori, who was in the V.I.P. section. His 10-year-old daughter, North West, and Ty Dolla Sign, were also there, and the trio eventually danced together to the music while on stage. However, attendees said that Kanye West didn’t arrive on stage until midnight and was supposedly supposed to arrive an hour earlier. Fans also say that West – who was wearing all black and a mask – never uttered a word during the event. Additionally, he also sectioned off part of the location’s main floor for “space” and restricted fans from using professional cameras, while his own video team moved around the place.
Though a number of fans seemed to be enjoying themselves, others described the situation as chaotic. By the end, two fights broke out, leading to multiple people being removed from the space. When discussing their experience with the Sun, one unnamed person said:
While a lot of loyal fans enjoyed the show, it was disheartening that he never said a single word on stage when the ticket price was so high. It was obvious it was organized very last minute and nobody knew what to expect. It was classic Kanye, I'm surprised he didn't come on at 2 am.
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This isn’t the only one of his recent listening parties that has landed him in hot water. Last week, he held another one at the United Center in Chicago, and one of his new songs caught the attention of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne. The fashion mogul apparently sampled the British musician’s music for his track “Talking / Once Again.” Osbourned proceeded to slam Ye, and his wife, Sharon, later explained that the rapper submitted a formal request. However, they denied it, as they do not want to be associated with him.
Aside from the two listening parties and music sampling, Kanye West has made some questionable decisions as of late. West recently wiped his social media account clean again and also spent $850K to replace his teeth with metal “prosthodontics.” Also, much speculation continues to surround his marriage to Bianca Censori, who he posted a photo of early in January to signify the year of “no pants.”
It remains to be seen whether Kanye West has any other listening parties planned for his new album. And, if any are on the horizon, it’ll be intriguing to see whether any changes will be made to avoid the reported issues that cropped up during his Las Vegas performance.
