Kanye West surprised fans by appearing at comedian Deon Cole's show at the Hollywood Improv on December 27, where he announced a forthcoming album. The rapper joined Cole onstage amid cheers from the audience. Cole later shared video of the lighthearted exchange on Instagram.
Kanye West, also known as Ye, made an unexpected onstage appearance during Deon Cole's comedy performance at the Hollywood Improv on Saturday night, December 27. Introduced by Cole as "a good friend," West received applause after Cole thanked him for attending the show.
In the clip shared by Cole on Instagram, the comedian noted West's reserved reactions to his jokes, asking, "You weren’t giving me no sympathy laughs, right?" West grinned in response as the crowd laughed. When Cole inquired about upcoming projects—"You got anything we could look out for? No music, no shirts or sweaters or some boots?"—West replied simply, "New album," sparking loud cheers from the audience.
Cole playfully requested a feature on an interlude for the project and a care package of clothes, to which West agreed before leaving the stage. Cole captioned the Instagram post: "About last night. What a great time. Laughter & love wins again. Hollywood improv."
This announcement follows other recent activities for West. In November, he joined Travis Scott for an unannounced set at the Belluna Dome in Tokorozawa, Japan, on November 8, performing tracks including "Can’t Tell Me Nothing," "Runaway," "Heartless," "Flashing Lights," "Stronger," and "All of the Lights." Scott supported as a hype man during the show, part of his Circus Maximus tour stopover.
Looking ahead, West is set to headline the inaugural Hellwatt Festival at the RCF Arena in Italy from July 4 to 18, 2026. The event will be officially presented in late January or early February 2026. This comes nearly two years after the release of his collaborative album Vultures with Ty Dolla $ign, which topped the Billboard 200 and featured listening parties in Milan and Bologna in February 2024, though no full concert materialized.
