Mike Dean and Ye haven’t teamed up in a while, with their creative partnership seemingly paused after Ye’s antisemitic remarks.
Still, a future reunion isn’t off the table. In a fresh chat with Rolling Stone, Dean made it clear that there’s no real fallout between them.
“There’s no intense beef or anything,” Dean explained. “We’re cool. We’re just not working. If we saw each other, we’d probably hug and say hello and then keep moving. Yeah, there’ll be a time when we probably get back together. Who knows when. That’s a heavy question.”
Back in December 2022, Dean appeared to cut ties after Ye infamously praised Hitler on InfoWars. While he didn’t mention Ye directly, Dean reposted a statement from Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello that seemed aimed at him.
“When media attention becomes more important than life itself, you’re on a slippery slope,” Angello wrote. “Saying provocative things to trigger social media for clicks and action is pathetic. Sitting there triggering the minds of less educated adults to spread your thoughts like a virus shows pure evil.”
Earlier this year, Ye sparked speculation about Mike Dean’s return to his camp. In January, he posted a throwback photo of himself and Dean at The Life of Pablo listening party, captioning it “Bully” with an eyes emoji — hinting that Dean might be part of his long-awaited solo album of the same name.
Dean has been a cornerstone in Ye’s sound over the years, contributing to nearly every era of his discography. From The College Dropout and Late Registration to Graduation, 808s & Heartbreak, Watch the Throne, Yeezus, and The Life of Pablo, Dean’s production has helped shape some of Ye’s most iconic projects.
