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Can U Be

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"Can U Be"
Song by ¥$ and Travis Scott
from the album Vultures 2 (Digital Deluxe)
ReleasedAugust 8, 2024 (2024-08-08)
Recorded2015–2024
Studio
  • Jungle City (California and New York)
  • Ameryacan (California)
GenreAlternative hip-hop
Length
  • 3:30 (October 15 update)
  • 2:31 (original Yeezy.com version)
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Can U Be" (originally known as "Pressure"[2] and "Never Let Me Go") is a song by American hip-hop supergroup ¥$, composed of rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla Sign. Featuring rapper Travis Scott, it was initially previewed in 2015, with multiple snippets and different versions of the song being leaked online from 2017 to 2024. However, a full version of the track was not made available until May 26, 2024, when a group of fans organized a crowdfunding campaign and raised $25,000 to purchase the song from a music leaker. The song was officially released on August 8, 2024, on the digital deluxe edition of their second studio album, Vultures 2.

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.[3][4] The track was originally intended to be included on West's 2016 album, The Life of Pablo, but was ultimately scrapped. According to producer Keyon Christ, who was heavily involved in the album, West and executive producer Sounwave felt that the song was too futuristic for the album's overall sound.[5] In 2017, hackers MusicMafia leaked snippets of several West songs, including "Can U Be", asking for money in exchange for full versions of the songs. However, they never reached their goal and the songs remained unreleased in full.[6][7]

In November 2023, 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; Scott's bridge was re-recorded by an unknown third party using AI deepfake software.[8] In May 2024, Ross claimed that West had given him the full version of "Can U Be". He previewed a higher quality version of the track, which included new lyrics.[9] On May 26, 2024, a crowdfunding campaign (referred to as "group buys" in music circles) 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 heard in full for the first time, alongside several other leaked songs.[10][11][12]

Composition

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"Can U Be" opens with an excerpt of dialogue from the 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.[2] A vocal sample from the song "Stop, Look, Listen (to Your Heart)", as performed by Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, is prominently used.[13]

Release

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"Can U Be" was officially released on August 8, 2024, on a digital deluxe edition of Vultures 2 through West's website for $5, where the song, alongside four other deluxe versions of Vultures 2, would be subsequently updated.[14][15] The original upload of the song, emailed to those bought the deluxe, was two and a half minutes in length and featured an additional verse from Ty Dolla Sign.[13] A four minute version, which is the original leak of the song, has been available on the official ¥$ topic channel since August 8.[16]

Post-release updates

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On September 15, 2024, West held a Vultures 2 listening party at the Wuyuan River Stadium in Haikou, China, where he would play an updated version of "Can U Be".[17] A month later on October 15, the song was updated on YouTube Music, which changed the length of the song from 2:31 to 3:30, and also altered the production and mixing of the song.[18]

References

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  1. ^ Moore, Sam (August 9, 2024). "New Music Friday: New Singles From Kanye West & Ty Dolla $ign, Quavo, LL Cool J & More". HipHopDX. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Caraan, Sophie (August 8, 2024). "Ye and Ty Dolla $ign Debut 'Can U Be' With Travis Scott". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on August 9, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "Kanye West - Can You Be SNIPPET". July 11, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2024 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ Mansfield, Aaron C.; Isava, Nelson (June 4, 2017). "Two Kanye West Tracks With Young Thug, Migos, and ASAP Rocky Surface". Complex. Retrieved May 30, 2024. A snippet surfaced as well. This 36-second preview comes from 'Can U Be,' which Travis Scott teased with a video of Ye dancing to it on Instagram nearly a year and a half ago.
  5. ^ Brain, Eric (December 10, 2021). "Kanye West's Unreleased 'TLOP' Track "Can U Be/Forever Mitus" Is Being Sold as an NFT". Hypebeast. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  6. ^ Platon, Adelle (June 5, 2017). "Three Unreleased Kanye West Songs with Migos, A$AP Rocky & Young Thug Leak". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Cush, Andy (June 17, 2017). "Who Is Music Mafia, the Hacker Group That Is Leaking Kanye West Songs For Bitcoins?". Spin (magazine). Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Cole, Alexander (November 7, 2023). "Adin Ross Pays $200K For Unreleased Kanye West & Travis Scott Song, Allegedly Gets Scammed Instead". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  9. ^ Fisher, Caroline (May 22, 2024). "Kanye West Allegedly Gives Adin Ross Unreleased Track, He Plays It On Stream". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Singh, Karan (May 28, 2024). "Kanye West, Travis Scott, A$AP Rocky & More Have Hundreds Of Unreleased Songs Leak Online". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  11. ^ Cole, Alexander (May 27, 2024). "Kanye West, Travis Scott, Gunna, & More Were The Victims Of Massive Song Leak". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ a b 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.
  14. ^ Gilbert, Natalee (August 8, 2024). "Ye and Ty Dolla Sign Are Selling Vultures 2 Deluxe Album for $5". XXL. Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Caulfield, Keith (August 11, 2024). "Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Clocks 14th Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  16. ^ ¥$ - Topic (August 8, 2024). CAN U BE. Retrieved June 20, 2025 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ Gee, Andre (September 16, 2024). "Watch Kanye West's Kids Dance With Him at 'Vultures' Listening Event". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  18. ^ ¥$ - Topic (October 15, 2024). CAN U BE. Retrieved June 20, 2025 – via YouTube.
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