Kanye West was seen smiling at a listening party in Los Angeles as he celebrated the long delayed release of his ninth studio album, Bully. The record arrived after multiple postponements and a temporary cancellation that followed a series of antisemitic remarks that sparked widespread backlash and professional fallout.

In a paid advertisement published in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, West apologised and linked his past behaviour to bipolar disorder, which he said developed after a car accident in 2002 that allegedly caused an undiagnosed brain injury. He wrote that the condition left him detached from reality and led him toward destructive rhetoric, adding that he sought help after reaching a low point.

The release comes as West also faces legal and public scrutiny. A jury in Los Angeles recently awarded a contractor 140000 dollars in damages related to an on site injury, far less than the 1.7 million dollars sought. Despite ongoing controversy, West has begun hosting listening events across the country, signalling a renewed push to reengage fans following months of turmoil.