Kanye West Says He’s ‘Retiring’ From Music In Leaked Texts

Rapper Kanye West has reportedly declared his retirement from the music industry, according to a screenshot of a text exchange posted by fellow rapper Rich The Kid.

The 31-year-old Rich The Kid shared a since-deleted screenshot on Tuesday, in which West allegedly wrote, “I am retiring from professional music.” However, he did not provide a clear explanation for his decision and merely hinted that he was “not sure what else to do” when it comes to music.

Rich The Kid’s response was one of outrage, and he pleaded with West, “Retire? Why? How? The ppl NEED you the music you & Ty & we have made was the BIGGEST STAMP in culture to this date in 2024. Drop Ye about mine & V@ and we do it all over again the kids need you big bra fasho maybe some time to chill but retiring ain’t it.”

Shortly after the screenshot was shared, Rich The Kid announced on X that he would drop new music on Friday, which features a collaboration with West titled “Plain Jane.” This information suggests that West’s alleged retirement may not be as definitive as initially suggested.

The collaboration is not West’s only recent project; he and Ty Dolla $ign, 42, were previously slated to release their sequel project, Vultures 2, on Friday, May 3. Their first collaborative album, Vultures 1, released in February 2024, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following month and earned the duo a 2024 BET Award for Best Group.

According to an Instagram post by Ty Dolla $ign, he and West are set to bring their Vultures listening experience to Korea on August 23. However, the release date for Vultures 2 remains unclear, as Ty Dolla $ign stated in a recent Billboard cover story that the project is almost complete and could drop at any time.

West has been the subject of numerous lawsuits of late. The most recent of which accused him of calling his employees “slaves.”