Mike Dean and Ye haven't worked together in some time, with their collaboration and camaraderie apparently halting after the rapper made antisemitic comments.
But it seems that a reunion is not out of the question. In a new conversation with Rolling Stone, Dean said that "there’s no intense beef or anything” between him and the artist formerly known as Kanye West.
“We’re cool. We’re just not working,” the venerated producer said. “If we saw each other, we’d probably hug and say hello and then keep moving. Yeah, there’ll be a time when we probably get back together. Who knows when. That’s a heavy question.”
Dean appeared to sever ties with Ye in December 2022 after saying he “sees good things about Hitler” on Info Wars. While Dean didn’t directly name Ye in a response, Dean reshared a statement on Instagram from Swedish House Mafia DJ Steve Angello, which seemed to be about Ye.
"When media attention becomes more important than like itself, you're on a slippery slope," Angello wrote. "Saying provocative things to trigger social media for clicks and action is pathetic."
He added, "Sitting there triggering the minds of less education adults to spread your thoughts like a virus shows pure evil."
Earlier this year, Ye seemed to suggest that Dean would be involved in his long-awaited solo album, Bully. In January, West shared a photo of himself and Dean from his Life of Pablo listening party, captioning it “Bully” with an eyes emoji.
Dean was a staple in Ye’s earlier discography, producing songs on The College Dropout, Graduation, Late Registration, 808s & Heartbreak, Watch the Throne, Yeezus, The Life of Pablo, and more.