Kanye West is getting ready to return to the spotlight. The rapper has revealed the release date for his upcoming album, Bully, and also announced his first U.S. concert in nearly two years.
On Monday, March 9th, 2026, Ye shared an update on his website, confirming that his 12th studio album will arrive on March 27th, 2026, which is a week later than fans had originally expected.
Also, it has been reported that the album will be distributed by Gamma, a company co-founded by former Apple and Interscope Records executive Larry Jackson. Previously, the company has partnered with artists such as Usher, Snoop Dogg, and Rick Ross.
Work on Bully actually started several years ago. Kanye West began recording the project more than three years ago and even released a short film connected to the album in March 2025. The film was edited by Hype Williams and featured his son Saint West.
After the album’s release, Kanye West is also set to return to the stage. The rapper will perform on April 3rd, 2026, at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. This show will mark his first concert in the United States since his headline performance with Ty Dolla $ign in March 2024 at Rolling Loud in California.
In recent years, many of Kanye West’s live performances have taken place outside the United States. This shift followed several controversial remarks that also affected other parts of his career, including the end of his major Yeezy partnership with Adidas.
As a result, the rapper has mostly performed in international locations such as China, Mexico, and South Korea in recent years.
Because of repeated controversies in recent years, working with Kanye West has also become challenging for booking agencies and concert promoters. In 2022, his longtime agency, Creative Artists Agency, ended its relationship with the rapper. He was later represented by agent Cara Lewis for a period in 2024. By early 2025, he had moved to the booking agency 33 & West, but that partnership reportedly ended after another controversy connected to a Super Bowl advertisement.
Promoters have also been cautious about booking him because of reliability concerns. In 2016, West canceled the remaining dates of his Saint Pablo Tour after a mental health crisis. Later, in 2022, he also withdrew from major festival headline performances at Rolling Loud Miami and Coachella shortly before the events were scheduled.
The new album and tour announcement come after Ye publicly apologized for his antisemitic remarks in the past. The apology was shared in a full-page message published in The Wall Street Journal. In the letter, the rapper expressed strong regret for his actions and said that some of his past behavior was connected to the serious car accident he experienced earlier in his career in 2002.
He wrote in the letter, “Comprehensive scans were not done, neurological exams were limited, and the possibility of a frontal-lobe injury was never raised. It wasn’t properly diagnosed until 2023. That medical oversight caused serious damage to my mental health and led to my bipolar type-1 diagnosis.”
He also stated in the message that he is not a Nazi or antisemitic and expressed regret to the Black community, saying he was sorry for disappointing them and describing them as an important part of who he is.
The rapper ended the letter by saying, “As I find my new baseline and new center through an effective regime of medication, therapy, exercise, and clean living, I have newfound, much-needed clarity. I am pouring my energy into positive, meaningful art: music, clothing, design, and other new ideas to help the world.”
