Music fans in Chicago might want to clear their Thursday night plans – it's looking like the United Center will be the hot spot for an exclusive bash, thanks to hints dropped by none other than Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Teaming up with Ty Dolla Sign, the duo took to social media on Monday evening to send cryptic messages about a possible listening party for their upcoming joint effort, "Vultures, Volume One." While Ye's post flaunted a solitary "1," Ty Dolla Sign spelled it out a little more clearly with the single word "Vultures" and a shout-out to the United Center and the Thursday date, as Chicago Sun-Times reports.
In a move that's got Chicago's hip-hop faithful in a flurry, the United Center's event calendar remains conspicuously clear for the advertised date. Peering through the stadium’s site reveals the Chicago Blackhawks are set to cut the ice Wednesday and Friday, but Thursday is wide open for whatever Ye and Ty Dolla Sign are cooking up. Given the teaser and no official word from the venue, representatives for the United Center have been silent, not immediately responding to requests for comment, the Chicago Sun-Times notes.
Meanwhile, per a FOX 32 Chicago piece, the trail of bread crumbs leading to "Vultures" includes a preemptive chance for fans to claim their copy via preorders on Ye's website. The album, stoking the fires of anticipation, had previously been set for a December release, only to tease fans further with a February 9 release for what's announced as just the first installment of a three-part saga.
Fresh off the back of his "Donda" debut at Soldier Field in 2021, Ye isn't new to whipping up a media storm with stadium-sized listening events. Now, with murmurs of the "Vultures" experience possibly taking flight at the United Center, fans might just get another taste of the artist's flair for the dramatic on Thursday, assuming the stars align and the social media teases translate to an actual event. If past engagements are anything to go by, an impressive turnout is almost guaranteed even though the Blackhawks, who are scheduled to dominate the ice Wednesday and Friday, will not be around to witness it firsthand.
