CHICAGO, Illinois – Rapper Ye’s latest album, “Vultures 1,” has taken the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, signaling a continued strong appeal among fans, despite a series of controversial remarks that led to backlash from corporate partners and fellow celebrities.
This recent accomplishment marks Ye’s 11th time leading the chart, with “Vultures 1” achieving the equivalent of 148,000 in sales, primarily from a combination of album sales, song downloads, and streams. The album garnered nearly 170 million official streams, largely driven by streaming platforms.
The success of “Vultures 1” comes despite ongoing controversy over the album’s release, including accusations of unauthorized samples and other issues. The album’s release was delayed multiple times due to difficulties obtaining permission to use samples from other artists.
Ozzy Osbourne publicly denounced Ye for using a sample without permission and accused him of antisemitism. Various challenges also arose, leading to the removal of one of the album’s tracks by Spotify and a brief disappearance from Apple Music.
Despite these controversies, “Vultures 1” outperformed Usher’s latest album, “Coming Home,” which ranked second on the chart. The success of Ye’s album is particularly notable given the widespread backlash he faced for his public antisemitic comments, which led to a significant loss of business partnerships and fans.
Ye issued an apology for his remarks in December, but during a recent interview, he expressed defiance and dismissed concerns over the impact on his career. His album also included contentious lyrics addressing the controversy surrounding his antisemitic comments.
Despite the challenges and controversies surrounding Ye’s latest album, “Vultures 1” has resonated with listeners, securing the top position on the Billboard 200 chart.