It’s a sad moment when you realize that your favorite artist’s prime may be behind them, and whatever they release now will never reach the heights that their music once did. I’m almost at that point.

Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, is one of the most popular hip-hop artists of all time. His discography spans two decades, with each album serving a purpose in telling the story of his life.

From the humble beginnings of “The College Dropout,” where a young West sets out to prove the industry wrong, to his 2021 album “Donda,” a tribute to his late mother, Donda West. All 12 of his albums released during that time have meaning and were crafted with care.

In 2024, West worked with Ty Dolla $ign to release two collaborative projects, “Vultures 1” and “Vultures 2.” The first installment, released on Feb. 10th, received positive acclaim from listeners and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Despite not seeing the same acclaim as his previous works, it was clear the album received the proper attention to detail that once made his music iconic.

The second “Vultures” installment, released Aug. 3, published in an incomplete state. Over a month later, it is still missing the elements of a finished product. The record leaves a stain on the rapper’s music catalog — it’s lazy and unacceptable.

When the album was first released, it wasn’t properly mixed. If you were listening with headphones, you could only hear some of the songs out of one ear and the “final product” did not sound polished whatsoever. Eventually, West and his team would update the album with finished mixes that made the record easier to digest. But this should have been a nonissue in the first place, the expectation is to release a finished album from the start.

Sure, there are high points on the album that make me believe the West I grew up with is still inside there somewhere. But the flaws and irredeemable qualities seem to creep their way into almost every corner of the album.

Take “530,” for example. The first half finds West reflecting on his strenuous 2022 divorce from Kim Kardashian, struggling with the idea that he won’t be able to see his kids every day like he used to as he attempts to suppress his pain with Patrón.

West raps, “5:30, the car missing/ No text backs or call misses/ I feel like we all victims…/ The past year been a strange time/ visitations on FaceTime/ And who’s gonna break who’s heart first?/ Always just breaks mine.”

The second half? An incomplete mess that lacks any cohesiveness, the song ends on two minutes of West mumbling into the mic about nothing.

Ten years ago, West would never release an incomplete song, let alone put it on his album. Yet the unfinished verse is the least of “Vultures 2” problems.

Two songs on the project — “Field Trip” and “Sky City” — feature AI-generated lines from West. The aforementioned “Sky City” features an entire verse of artificial intelligence. The robotic and empty delivery of West’s lines makes the song feel shallow.

The album’s lowest point isn’t the incomplete verses or the AI punch-ins. It’s “Husband,” the 13th song, which is a complete snoozefest. Arguably one of the worst songs in the rapper’s entire catalog, the track finds West singing for two minutes about a woman needing a husband, which comes off as slightly misogynistic.

Throughout every listen of “Vultures 2,” I get an empty and incomplete feeling once the tracklist ends. Because that’s what the album is, incomplete. It’s disappointing and unacceptable, especially coming from a hip-hop icon like West.

The saddest part is, I still enjoyed parts of the project despite its flaws. But those flaws drag down my enjoyment of the record. I can’t find entertainment in the album when these glaring and extremely fixable issues are present.

Is West still capable of making great music? Absolutely. But the question then becomes whether or not he will ever be motivated enough to release finished products.

I used to hate when people would say, “I miss the old Kanye.” But now, I’m starting to miss when West was a perfectionist with his albums.

I have four words: Wake up, Mr. West.