Kanye West's 'Vultures 1' Removed From Apple Music

Following the release of ‘Vultures 1’, the collaborative album with Ty Dolla Sign, Kanye West encountered hurdles in maintaining its presence on streaming platforms. The album was initially removed from Apple Music and iTunes, although some singles from the project remained accessible. 

Reports indicated that efforts were underway to have the album pulled from all streaming services. However, the situation took a turn when the album reappeared on the platforms, courtesy of Label Engine, which reportedly took charge of distribution.

FUGA, initially identified as the distribution service in YouTube's metadata for the album, revealed that West had uploaded the album to DSPs through its automated process after the company had previously declined to distribute it. Subsequently, FUGA claimed to be collaborating directly with streaming platforms to eliminate the album from their databases. It was successfully removed from the iTunes store and Apple Music.

Additionally, a track that interpolated Donna Summer's 1977 song, 'I Feel Love,' seemingly without permission, had been pulled from Spotify earlier.

In a statement to Variety, FUGA explained its stance, stating that it had declined to release 'Vultures 1' when presented with the opportunity last year. However, a long-standing FUGA client uploaded the album through the platform's automated processes, violating the service agreement. Consequently, FUGA was actively working to remove the album from its systems in collaboration with its DSP partners and the client.

Amidst these developments, distribution for 'Vultures 1' shifted to Label Engine following FUGA's statement. Label Engine, previously listed as the distributor for two of the album's pre-release tracks, took over the distribution responsibilities.

Last year, West sought potential distributors after transitioning to an independent artist following his departure from Universal Music Group. Reports suggested that several companies denied distribution services to West due to his controversial remarks. Whether these factors contributed to the album's consistent delays or if they were attributed to West's meticulous approach to his music remains unclear.

-Sushmita Sarkar