Kanye West made an unannounced appearance during a comedy show by Deon Cole at the Hollywood Improv on Saturday night (Dec. 27), briefly stepping onstage and confirming that a new album is in the works.
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Cole shared footage from the night on Instagram after the show, posting a short clip and writing, “About last night. What a great time. Laughter & love wins again. Hollywood improv.”
In the video, Cole invites West onto the stage and introduces him to the audience as “a good friend,” thanking the rapper for attending the show. After confirming that he enjoyed the set, West laughs as Cole pokes fun at his famously restrained reactions.
“You weren’t giving me no sympathy laughs, right?” Cole asks in the clip, drawing a grin from West as the crowd reacts.
The moment then turns to what fans might expect next from the artist. “You got anything we could look out for?” Cole asks. “No music, no shirts or sweaters or some boots?”
West responds without elaboration: “New album,” prompting loud cheers from the room.
Cole follows up with a joking request to appear on an interlude on the forthcoming project, then asks whether West could send him a care package of clothes — which West agrees to — before exiting the stage.
Back in November, Ye also popped up during Travis Scott’s Circus Maximus show in Japan last for an unannounced set at the Belluna Dome in Tokorozawa on Nov. 8.
In fan-shot footage circulating online, West — who had his face covered — pulled off his mask mid-show to roaring applause before launching into his 2007 anthem “Can’t Tell Me Nothing.”
Scott remained onstage as a hype man and support act throughout Ye’s mini-set, which included hits like “Runaway,” “Heartless,” “Flashing Lights,” “Stronger,” and “All of the Lights.” The duo performed together in front of a packed Tokyo crowd as part of Scott’s two-night Japan stopover.
Ye will also return to Italy to headline the brand new Hellwatt Festival, which will take place at the RCF Arena over three weekends, from July 4-18, and will be officially presented in late January or early February 2026.
The news of Ye’s concert in Italy comes nearly two years after the lengthy back-and-forth over the live presentation of Vultures, his Billboard 200-topping joint album with Ty Dolla $ign, which concluded without a concert but with a listening party held at the Unipol Forum in Milan and the Unipol Arena in Bologna in February 2024.