Kanye West’s latest album, Vultures 1, a collaboration with Ty Dolla $ign, soared to the top of the Billboard 200, raking in over $1 million in its first week.
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The rapper’s move towards independence, with no major label involved, is turning heads in the industry. Recently he had given his guideline for signing of deals it read; “the first thing that changes about Record Deals is actually lawyers.

“We need Plain English contracts. A Lawyers role is to IMPROVE deals…. not charge for contracts we cannot understand or track. Re-write deals to be understandable from FIRST READ.”

Kanye West, who decided to follow his 2020 guidelines for artist-friendly deals, released Vultures 1 through Label Engine for distribution, which means the duo is likely pocketing more than the 80% share West advocated for in his earlier tweets. Billboard estimates their earnings at around $986,000 after streaming and sales.

Contrasting his current success, West’s past contracts reveal a stark difference. In the major label era, he earned a mere 14% royalty on album sales, facing the challenge of recouping advances before making any profit.

Vultures 1’s impressive debut week also highlights his financial success outside music boasting a $19 million single day profit from his clothing line.
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