Kanye West & Jay-Z’s Creative Processes Are Drastically Different, Malik Yusef Reveals

BY Caroline Fisher
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2012 BET Awards - Show
onstage during the 2012 BET Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on July 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Malik Yusef says he sees Kanye West and Jay-Z as equals, despite their differing approaches to making music.

It's no secret that Jay-Z and Kanye West are some of the most iconic hip-hop artists of their generation. According to one of their frequent collaborators, however, they each have drastically different approaches to making music. During a recent appearance on the TFU Podcast, Malik Yusef detailed their creative processes, noting that he sees them as equal despite the stark contrast.

“Hov works the least amount of hard on his music than anybody else I’ve ever met,” he began. “Like with Kanye, we’ll stay up for 36 hours, go to sleep for four and come back and do another 30. Hov — he just too good. Hov’s ridiculous. I mean, Kanye and Hov for me is [equal]; they just have different approaches.”

Malik Yusef Says Jay-Z Works Faster Than Ye

“Hov be like, ‘Can you get to the studio at 6?’ By 10, we got three songs done," Yusef continued. "Kanye, he’ll have three months and have no songs done. Kanye will take a whole album and be like, ‘We have some good stuff on here. Aight, let’s start the album for real now.’” Perhaps this could explain why it took so long for fans to hear Vultures 1, though this could also have something to do with Ye's apparent retirement plans.

Earlier this week, he told Rich The Kid that he was quitting music for good, adding that he's "not sure what else to do." Of course, fans are skeptical of the announcement, though they're still eager to know what this means for Vultures 2 with Ty Dolla Sign. What do you think of Malik Yusef revealing that while Jay-Z works fast, Kanye West spends days at a time working on his music? Are you surprised that their creative processes are so different? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

About The Author
Caroline Fisher is currently a News Editor at HotNewHipHop. Her time at HotNewHipHop began in 2023 when she began writing about music and pop culture full-time. Since then, she has helped cover major stories including the YSL RICO trial, Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s explosive feud, Diddy’s ongoing legal battle, and awards shows such as the BET Awards. Being from Chicago, she also got the opportunity to attend Summer Smash 2024 and review Chief Keef’s historic homecoming show. She additionally covered sets by Flo Milli, Playboi Carti, Bktherula, and more.

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