The artist formerly known as Kanye West came home on Thursday — and he brought a longtime friend.
At the first of two nights at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ye brought Twista to the stage to perform their two best-known collaborations, “Overnight Celebrity” and “Slow Jamz.”
The two tracks were some of Ye’s earliest hits. “Overnight Celebrity” appeared on Twista’s 2004 LP Kamikaze and, of course, “Slow Jamz” was a highlight of West’s debut The College Dropout, released that same year.
The joining of forces of what were then a rising star and a respected veteran, both from Chicago, received a great deal of notice at the time. There were rumors in that era that Twista was going to sign to Roc-a-fella, and he even got a Roc chain from Dame Dash, but the deal was never finalized.
Thursday’s show marks the latest entry in Ye’s globetrotting series of live performances in support of BULLY, which launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year. The tour, expectedly, hasn’t been without controversy and cancellations.
For the official video for the Travis Scott-featuring “Father,” director Bianca Censori, Ye’s wife, brought a UFO sighting to a church setting. The performance artist has since helmed videos for additional Ye tracks including “King,” “Gemini Season,” and “OK.”
Prior to rolling out BULLY in its near-final form, Ye shared an extended letter in the form of a full-page Wall Street Journal ad, stating that he’s “not a Nazi or an antisemite” despite past remarks and behavior. He also reflected on his bipolar diagnosis, pointing to a months-long “manic episode” that he said “destroyed” his life in early 2025.
