Kanye West denied sample clearance for ‘Bully’ over political disagreements
Kanye West is in the process of making a new album, and the legendary Chicago beatmaker is known for his incredible use of samples. However, one artist has denied him clearance due to the emcee’s numerous controversial political stances.
Over the years, West has dabbled with politics and from showing his support for Donald Trump to his incendiary comments about Jewish Americans, the Graduation creator effectively blackballed himself from the music and fashion industries.
That said, during a recent DJ set in Switzerland, the rapper previewed a track that fans online have named ‘Highs and Lows’. However, it contained a sample of the song ‘Soleil Soleil’ by French singer Claire Pommet, who performs under the name Pomme. The clip began circulating on social media, and it was declared that it would appear on West’s forthcoming project, Bully.
Still, despite the excitement, on January 6th, Pomme took to Instagram to share her thoughts about the track and reveal why she would not be clearing the sample if West approached her. She revealed she was unsure whether the track was official or a work in progress but indirectly assured West that she wouldn’t clear the sample.
Expressing her thoughts on the footage that began circulating X (formerly Twitter), Pomme told her followers, “I do not know the source of the video and audio content that is circulating these days on social media, but I have never given my consent for the use of this sample for reasons that seem obvious to me, being in deep disagreement with the political positions of this artist that I have nevertheless admired in the past.”
Due to his behaviour, West has missed out on many sampling opportunities in recent times. Early last year, Ozzy Osbourne informed him that he would not clear the Black Sabbath sample that was initially meant to be included in ‘Carnival’. However, this did not come as a shock to many. Still, Kanye’s 2022 public meltdown has had long-lasting ramifications for his brand.
Pomme admitted that her decision was made with a heavy heart, writing, “It is sometimes difficult to give up on certain opportunities, but I try to stay true to what I believe in.” The track that was only heard recently features a fusion of styles, such as the chipmunk soul-sampling sound of Kanye’s early career, as well as some gospel.
Although fans have had leaks and videos here and there, not much is known about Bully. Kanye did unveil the album’s cover art last October, which featured a photo shot by Japanese photographer Daidō Moriyama, but aside from this, fans are blissfully ignorant as to its contents.
Currently, Ye seems to be travelling the world with his wife, Bianca Censori and has been spotted in the Maldives and Switzerland, respectively.