Over a year since the initial announcement and three extremely dramatic listening events later, Kanye West has decided the world is ready to stream his tenth studio album: Donda.
The multi-hyphenate artist and Forbes confirmed billionaire eschewed just about every conventional means involved with releasing music on the long and arduous road to providing a follow-up to his polarising gospel album, Jesus Is King; successfully building upon his messianic public persona. For better or worse.
Unsurprisingly, given the latest addition to his oeuvre has been named after his late mother, Donda West, and the emotional turmoil faced elsewhere in recent times โ stemming from struggles with mental health to divorcing Kim Kardashian โ this represents something deeply personal to the man who will soon be known simply as Ye (pending the necessary legal filings and procedures, of course).
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26 tracks, some already previewed at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Soldier Field, Chicago; some of which are alternate versions of the aforementioned songs. A feature-length runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes. And an entire star lineup of special guests:
- Jay-Z
- Pusha T
- Playboi Carti
- Travis Scott
- Young Thug
- Baby Keem
- Don Toliver
- Lil Baby
- Lil Durk
- Lil Yachty
- Jay Electronica
- Roddy Rich
- Pop Smoke
- Jadakiss
- Lauryn Hill (sample)
- and plenty more
In light of Ye and Jay-Zโs reconciliation and reunion on โJailโ, the prospect of Watch The Throne II is once again on the cards. But God knows when that one will ever see the light of day. One thing at a timeโฆ
Listen to Donda by Kanye West below.
UPDATE [30/08/21]: Apparently this was released without Kanye Westโs permission, hence why the better versions of certain songs like โJailโ has remained in place, instead of featuring the likes of DaBaby.