Kanye West is contemplating retirement from his rap career and has been texting his closest collaborators about the potential end. On Tuesday, Rich The Kid shared a message from Kanye, stating, "I am retiring from professional music ... Not sure what else to do."

A source close to the situation told Waza News Hip Hop that Kanye feels exhausted from pouring so much heart, soul, time, and energy into the music industry. Despite what fans have seen on TV, he has been giving it his all.


While rappers contemplating retirement isn't new, Kanye's announcement surprised everyone, especially since his "Vultures 1" album and its single "Carnival" were topping the Billboard Charts just a few months ago.

Rich The Kid and Consequence, who both have upcoming collaborations with Kanye, were equally stunned. Rich The Kid's "Life's a Gamble" album, featuring Kanye on the track "Plain Jane," is set to drop on July 19. Consequence is also releasing his latest collaboration with Kanye, "No Apologies," to kick off his new album.


Consequence told the media that he fully supports Kanye's retirement, praising his unmatched contribution to hip-hop history. From "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly" to Beyoncé's "Party," they have created countless classic tracks together.

Recently, Kanye and Ty Dolla $ign announced plans to stream the "Vultures 2" album from South Korea.


Is this a case of laughing now and quitting later? Only time will tell.