Can U Be

"Can U Be"
Song by ¥$ and Travis Scott
from the album Vultures 2 (Digital Deluxe)
ReleasedAugust 8, 2024 (2024-08-08)
Recorded2015–2024
Length3:26
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Can U Be" (originally known as "Pressure" and "Never Let Me Go") is a song by the American hip hop supergroup ¥$, composed of American rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla Sign, and American rapper Travis Scott. Initially previewed in 2015, multiple snippets and different versions of the song were leaked online from 2017 to 2024. However, the full finished version of the track remained unreleased until May 26, 2024. At that time, a group of fans organized a crowdfunding campaign and raised $25,000 to purchase the song from a music leaker, resulting in its first complete public release. The song was officially released on August 8, 2024, on the digital deluxe edition of Vultures 2 with an added Ty Dolla Sign verse and new punch-in vocals during West’s verse.

Background and leaks

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"Can U Be" was first publicly previewed in July 2015, showing a video of West dancing to the song.[1][2] The track was originally intended to be included on Kanye West's 2016 album, The Life of Pablo. However, it was ultimately scrapped. According to producer Keyon Christ, West and the album's executive producer Sounwave felt that the song was too futuristic for the album's overall sound.[3] In 2017, hackers MusicMafia leaked snippets of several West songs, including "Can U Be." They also asked for money in exchange for fully leaking the songs. However, they never reached their goal and the songs remained unreleased in full.[4][5]

In November 2023, the American streamer Adin Ross claimed to have purchased the full song for $200,000, before realizing he was scammed and it was a product of artificial intelligence.[6] In May 2024, Ross claimed that West had given him the full version of "Can U Be." Ross previewed a higher quality version of the track, which included new lyrics.[7] On May 26, 2024, a crowdfunding campaign known as a "group buy" was started on the online messaging platform Discord in order to purchase the song from a music leaker for $25,000. The goal was reached that same day and "Can U Be" was released in full for the first time, alongside several other leaked songs.[8][9][10] "Can U Be" was officially released on August 8, 2024 on a digital deluxe edition of Vultures 2.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Kanye West - Can You Be SNIPPET". YouTube. July 11, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Mansfield, Aaron C.; Isava, Nelson (June 4, 2017). "Two Kanye West Tracks With Young Thug, Migos, and ASAP Rocky Surface". Complex. Retrieved May 30, 2024. A snippet surfaced as well. This 36-second preview comes from 'Can U Be,' which Travis Scott teased with a video of Ye dancing to it on Instagram nearly a year and a half ago.
  3. ^ Brain, Eric (December 10, 2021). "Kanye West's Unreleased 'TLOP' Track "Can U Be/Forever Mitus" Is Being Sold as an NFT". Hypebeast. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  4. ^ Platon, Adelle (June 5, 2017). "Three Unreleased Kanye West Songs with Migos, A$AP Rocky & Young Thug Leak". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  5. ^ Cush, Andy (June 17, 2017). "Who Is Music Mafia, the Hacker Group That Is Leaking Kanye West Songs For Bitcoins?". Spin. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Cole, Alexander (November 7, 2023). "Adin Ross Pays $200K For Unreleased Kanye West & Travis Scott Song, Allegedly Gets Scammed Instead". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  7. ^ Fisher, Caroline (May 22, 2024). "Kanye West Allegedly Gives Adin Ross Unreleased Track, He Plays It On Stream". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  8. ^ Singh, Karan (May 28, 2024). "Kanye West, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky & More Have Hundreds Of Unreleased Songs Leak Online". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Cole, Alexander (May 27, 2024). "Kanye West, Travis Scott, Gunna, & More Were The Victims Of Massive Song Leak". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Cummings-Grady, Mackenzie (May 28, 2024). "Hundreds of Leaked Songs From Ye, Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and More Randomly Appear Online". XXL. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  11. ^ Horvath, Zachary (August 9, 2024). "Kanye West Officially Releases Long Lost "CAN U BE" With Travis Scott & Ty Dolla $ign". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
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