Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Bhad Bhabie’s diss track aimed at Alabama Barker, the stepdaughter of his former in-law, Kourtney Kardashian. Following the release of the song, which samples Ye and Ty Dolla Sign’s “Carnival,” featuring Rich the Kid and Playboi Carti, the rapper made it clear that he had no involvement in the track beyond approving the sample.
Reports from HOT 97 revealed that Bhad Bhabie’s track drew heavily from the “Carnival” beat, and the official video features a scene with a faux drummer wearing a Famous Stars & Straps T-shirt—an imprint launched by Alabama Barker’s father, Travis Barker, in 1999. This connection led some to speculate about Ye’s involvement, especially as the song’s diss lyrics seemed to target Alabama, making fans wonder if there was more behind it.
In an Instagram Stories update, Ye directly addressed the rumors and clarified his position. “Yo, I’m not in the middle of none of this A.I. beef, people throwing my voice on things, the whole ‘Carnival’ sample,” he said. “I just talked to Travis Barker. I would never be in the middle. I don’t even know what’s going on.”
Ye then elaborated on his role in clearing the sample. “I just got sent a song and asked if I could clear the sample,” he explained. “The only reason why I clear anything is because so many people try to stop me, they stop clearances. Everything has been very difficult for me, so anybody who asks me for something, I always clear it. But I’m not cool with being put in the middle of all of this at all. So any verse that be going viral using my voice and all that, it’s like, I didn’t do it.”
Bhad Bhabie, in turn, reposted Ye’s comments on her Instagram Stories, acknowledging his clarification on the situation.
Ye’s Thoughts on A.I. and Sampling:
Ye’s remarks about the incident come amidst wider discussions on A.I. and its role in music, a topic that has been controversial, especially in light of his own use of the technology. In a conversation with Justin Laboy, Ye compared A.I. to Auto-Tune, highlighting how both tools have revolutionized music production. His comments largely focused on A.I.’s impact on sampling, particularly the ability to extract stems, which has opened new creative possibilities for artists. Despite the backlash, Ye emphasized that A.I. has significantly transformed the way samples are used in modern music.
Ye and Travis Barker’s Long-Standing Collaboration:
This clarification also sheds light on Ye and Travis Barker’s collaborative history. Both artists have worked together on various projects, including the posthumous XXXTentacion track “One Minute” from 2018. Given their past collaborations and strong industry connections, Ye’s approval of the sample from “Carnival” comes as no surprise, even though he was not involved in the diss aspect of the song.
As the situation continues to unfold, fans and critics alike are keeping an eye on how it will impact the relationships between the individuals involved, especially given the tensions around Kourtney Kardashian’s family dynamics.
