Ye (formerly Kanye West) drew in a record-breaking 118,000 fans to Atatürk Olympic Stadium for his first ever live performance in Turkey. Regarded as one of the greatest artist of this generation Ye is back as if he never left. Fresh off the release of his highly anticipated “BULLY” album and coming off a sold out crowd in Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, Ye is having a historic come back.
Despite facing a series of media critiques, show cancellations, burned brand partnerships, and previously being banned from performing in the states before his Sofi Stadium show, it seemed everything was against Ye…everything except his fans. The Chicago native maintains a loyal fanbase that stuck behind him even during his lowest of times and have been highly anticipating his return to live performances.
The stage design is one of Ye’s signature details to his live performances. The unique stage set up in Istanbul featured him on top of a massive globe in the center of the stadium that reflected visuals of a rotating earth. A symbolic reference to Ye being away after all this time yet still remaining on top of the music industry. Starting off the night with “KING” one of the his latest tracks off “BULLY” gives us a raw distorted-like bass sound with defiant lyrics that embodies the theme of reclaiming his spot at the top despite facing global backlash.
Furthermore he continued with a classic in his catalogue. “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” an equally uplifting and upbeat track that features a gospel sample and Kid Cudi vocals. The track is claimed to be one of the greatest production masterpieces. On the other hand, the crowd went ballistic as they heard the lyrics “la la la la wait ’til I get my money right.” The intro to Ye’s infamous “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” a song from one of Ye’s most timeless album, “Graduation.” The track produced one of the most iconic hip-hop beats with a mix of heavy drums, dynamic synths, and powerful melody. It’s a track that stood the test of time and is just as relevant today as it was in 2007.
Alternatively, to end the night in the most iconic fashion he ended with what many revere as his most iconic song, “Runaway.” With the sound of one note, one piano key by itself the stadium erupted in cheers easily recognizing it. One of the most unique identifiable minimalistic beats that’s ever graced a discography. The production features repetitive piano keys mixed with a string of melancholic drum samples and a heavily synthesized outro. The beat drop synced with the pyrotechnics perfectly and the audience sang every lyric alongside Ye to finish off a historic performance.
Ye is a true artistic example of defying the odds and cancel culture. With a catalogue that boasts numerous timeless classics and multiple platinum certified records that millions of fans still stream whether he’s in the spotlight or away from it. There’s not many artists that can match a discography and the magnitude of influence he’s had. Ye (Kanye West) is undeniably an icon not only in hip-hop but music itself. A unique artistic talent that has a valid case as being regarded as one of the greatest artist of this generation.
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