The artist formerly known as Kanye West returned to Chicago on Thursday, bringing a longtime friend along for the ride.
During the first of two nights at Soldier Field, Ye welcomed Twista to the stage for performances of their two best-known collaborations, “Overnight Celebrity” and “Slow Jamz.”
The two songs were among Ye’s earliest major hits. “Overnight Celebrity” appeared on Twista’s 2004 album Kamikaze, while “Slow Jamz” became one of the standout tracks on West’s debut, The College Dropout, released that same year.
The collaboration between a rising star and a respected Chicago veteran attracted plenty of attention at the time. There were even rumors that Twista would sign with Roc-a-Fella, and he received a Roc chain from Dame Dash, though the deal never came together.
Thursday’s performance is the latest stop in Ye’s worldwide run of shows supporting BULLY, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year. As expected, the tour has faced its share of controversy and cancellations.
For the official video for “Father,” featuring Travis Scott, director Bianca Censori, Ye’s wife, brought a UFO sighting into a church setting. The performance artist has since directed videos for additional Ye tracks, including “King,” “Gemini Season,” and “OK.”
Before releasing BULLY in its near-final form, Ye published an extended letter as a full-page Wall Street Journal ad. In it, he stated that he’s “not a Nazi or an antisemite” despite his past remarks and behavior. He also discussed his bipolar diagnosis, referring to a months-long “manic episode” that he said “destroyed” his life in early 2025.
