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Donda
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)
Recorded
  • September 2018
  • October 2019 – August 2021
Studio
Genre
Length108:59
Language
Label
Producer
Kanye West chronology
Jesus Is Born
(2019)
Donda
(2021)

Donda is the tenth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. The album was released on August 29, 2021, through GOOD Music, and was distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album is named after West's late mother, Donda West.

The album was initially set to be released on July 24, 2020, but was later delayed indefinitely. The album's release was further delayed multiple times between July and August 2021, with West setting up a provisional recording studio at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where two listening events were held. Following a third listening event at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 27, the album was released on August 29.

Background and marketing

Earlier iterations of the album cover. Top: Initial cover art, shared by West in July 2020 Bottom: Second proposed cover, depicting a Louise Bourgeois drawing from her series Les têtes bleues et les femmes rouges[4]

Cinematographer Arthur Jafa prematurely revealed the project in a conversation with fashion designer Michèle Lamy during an Instagram Live stream on May 25, 2020. Jafa indicated that he was working on video material with West for a single from a "forthcoming album" titled God's Country.[5] On June 26, 2020, following the announcement of a collaboration between West's fashion company Yeezy and clothing retailer Gap, West launched the #WestDayEver promotional campaign on Twitter to announce different projects throughout the day. One of the projects was a music video for "Wash Us in the Blood", directed by Jafa, which was released four days later following a teaser on Twitter in which West officially announced the album, at that point still titled God's Country.[6][7] On July 13, West shared a snippet on Twitter of a song from the album, titled "Donda", which featured a spoken word introduction by his late mother and was accompanied by a short video featuring assorted clips of West, among others.

On July 18, West announced the title had been changed to Donda in honor of his late mother, Donda West; three days later, West stated the album would be accompanied by a film. West's mother is also the namesake of his creative content company. West announced a July 24 release date, which he eventually missed. On July 25, 2020, West tweeted an image of the album cover,[8] which was eventually scrapped in favor of an adaption of a red Louise Bourgeois drawing from her series Les têtes bleues et les femmes rouges, which translates as The Blue Heads and the Red Women.[9] On September 26, West released a 39-second snippet of a track titled "Believe What I Say" on his Twitter account. On October 16, West released a song titled "Nah Nah Nah", calling it his presidential campaign's theme song. On November 13, West released a remix of "Nah Nah Nah" featuring rappers DaBaby and 2 Chainz; notably, the verses were censored, presumably due to West's stated aversion to profanity following his recommitment to Christianity. Both the original song and its remix feature various references to his presidential run. On November 23, rapper Consequence expressed enthusiasm about the album, describing it as "fire".[10]

On March 7, 2021, Cyhi the Prynce stated in an interview with VladTV that West had once again begun working on his upcoming album amid his divorce with Kim Kardashian.[11] On July 17, Consequence posted a video of West in the studio with Tyler, the Creator on Instagram. The caption of the post suggested a late 2021 album release.[12]

On July 19, 2021, American rapper and friend of West Pusha T announced on Instagram that West would be holding a listening event for the album on July 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.[13] The following day Beats Electronics premiered a commercial during game six of the 2021 NBA Finals featuring athlete Sha'Carri Richardson, edited and scored by West using the track "No Child Left Behind". French producer Gesaffelstein later stated that he produced the song, which featured Cory Henry playing the organ. Immediately following the commercial's debut, Def Jam Recordings confirmed the album's July 23 release date and revealed that the listening event in Atlanta would be globally livestreamed on Apple Music.[14] The album ultimately remained unreleased on that date.

West's representatives had confirmed an August 6 release date,[15][16] It was later announced that the album would be released early on August 6, 2021, by a Beats by Dre commercial and on West's Apple Music livestream.[17][18] On August 5, a preorder for the album was launched on iTunes, revealing it to have 24 tracks, along with a release date of August 7, 2021, which was later revised to August 13, 2021.[19][20] Apple Music showed the release date to be August 15, which was later changed to August 20. On August 25, West announced the Donda Stem Player, a standalone music player that would allow users to remix the album's songs using their stems. The player is to be produced in collaboration with Kano Tech.[21][22][23][24][25]

During the album's listening events, guest appearances were revealed including Syleena Johnson, Pusha T, The World Famous Tony Williams, Don Toliver, Lil Baby, The Weeknd, Rooga, Baby Keem, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Lil Durk, Vory, Fivio Foreign, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, 070 Shake, Chris Brown, Roddy Ricch, Conway the Machine, KayCyy Pluto, Westside Gunn, Jadakiss, Jay Electronica, Sheek Louch, Styles P, Pop Smoke, Francis and the Lights, DaBaby, Marilyn Manson, Jay-Z, and the Sunday Service Choir.[26]

"Jail pt 2" originally was absent and only appeared on the Spotify version of the album as an inaccessible track due to DaBaby's manager not clearing the verse at the time of release.[27][28][29] Five hours after the album's official release, West posted that "Universal put Donda out without his approval and they blocked 'Jail 2' from being on the album". Despite this comment from West the song "Jail pt 2" in fact does appear on the album. The consequences of this post are currently unknown.[30][31]

Recording and promotion

Invite to the "Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Release" event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

In March 2020, West recorded new music in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, before returning to Wyoming with his family due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[32] That same month, Pusha T stated in a Discord interview that he had been recording with West recently.[33] Pusha T was planning to meet with West on March 16, 2020, to finish up a project, but cited "flights slowing down" due to COVID travel restrictions as the reason for a delay.[33]

Listening events

On July 19, 2021, it was announced that West would hold a listening event for the album, titled "Kanye West Presents: A Donda Listening Event", at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021.[34][35] Following the listening event, West had taken up temporary residence in one of the stadium's locker rooms, converting it into a recording studio to finish the recording and mixing with Mike Dean.[36][37][38] Videos and photos posted to social media also showed featured artists Playboi Carti and 2 Chainz recording vocals in the locker room a day before the listening event.[39][40][41][42] Jay-Z also allegedly recorded his verse only four hours before the listening event.[43]

A second listening event for the album at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, titled "Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Release", took place on August 5, 2021.[16][44][45] On July 22, West's Kids See Ghosts cohort Kid Cudi had tweeted that he would not be appearing on Donda.[46] However, after the August 5 listening event revealed Cudi singing on two tracks ("Moon" and "Remote Control", alongside Don Toliver and Young Thug respectively), Cudi took to Twitter to clarify the confusion: "I wasnt on Donda when I tweeted that I wasnt. Ye hit me the followin week and we made it work. Realest nigga alive. No need to lie to kick it. Hope u guys enjoy!!"[47]

On August 18, 2021, West announced a third listening event for the album scheduled for August 26, 2021, at Soldier Field in Chicago, titled "Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Experience".[48][49] It was subsequently announced by West's manager that the album would be released the day after the listening event on August 27. The performance included a replica of West's childhood home, appearances by Marilyn Manson, Don Toliver, Shenseea, Travis Scott, DaBaby, and the son of Black Gangster Disciple Nation founder Larry Hoover Sr., and West setting himself on fire, then later remarrying Kim Kardashian.[50]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Daily Telegraph[2]
NME[3]
The Times[51]
iNews[52]

Rhian Daly of NME felt that although Donda "certainly isn't a rushed job", the record could have improved by "West spending a little less time on it and learning when to let things go", finding there to be a large amount of filler alongside "enough gems" to make the album worthwhile.[3] Reviewing the album for The Daily Telegraph, Ed Power said it "perfectly encapsulates the man himself: ego-driven, brilliant, and utterly exhausting", giving it 3/5 stars and writing: "Full of sound and fury it may be – but West's latest ultimately lacks direction."[2] Jonny Coleman, writing for The Hollywood Reporter, gave the album a negative review, calling it a "slog". He elaborated: "It's hard to imagine what this record is supposed to be the soundtrack for. It's not a party record. It doesn't invite introspection. It's not spiritual outside of literal references. It's not really a radio record [...] It's disposable and forgettable, like so much of culture spat down to us during COVID." In particular, Coleman felt the album lacked thematic coherence and reverence for West's mother Donda, viewing the album as self-indulgent.[53]

Track listing

Donda track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Donda Chant"Kanye West0:52
2."Jail"
4:57
3."God Breathed"
  • West
  • Evan Mast
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Aaron Butts
  • Brian Miller
5:33
4."Off the Grid"
5:39
5."Hurricane"
4:03
6."Praise God"
  • West
  • 30 Roc
  • Ojivolta
  • Dean[a]
  • Zentachi[a]
  • Sloane[b]
3:46
7."Jonah"
  • West
  • DrtWrk
  • TT Audi
  • Dean[b]
3:15
8."Ok Ok"3:24
9."Junya"
2:27
10."Believe What I Say"
4:02
11."24"
3:17
12."Remote Control"
3:18
13."Moon"
  • West
  • E.Vax
  • BoogzDaBeast[a]
  • DJ Khalil[a]
2:36
14."Heaven and Hell"
  • West
  • Njapa
  • Gwin
  • Cubina
  • M. Williams
  • Paimon Jahanbin
  • Nima Jahanbin
  • West
  • 88-Keys
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Ojivolta[a]
  • Wallis Lane[a]
2:25
15."Donda"
  • West
  • Gwin
  • Mulé
  • De Boni
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • FnZ[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
2:08
16."Keep My Spirit Alive"
  • West
  • Gwin
  • Mulé
  • De Boni
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • FnZ[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
3:41
17."Jesus Lord"8:58
18."New Again"
  • West
  • Christopher Brown
  • Gwin
  • Abernathy
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • P. Jahanbin
  • N. Jahanbin
  • Laraya Robinson
  • Njapa
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Dem Jointz[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
  • Wallis Lane[a]
  • Mia Wallis[a]
  • 88-Keys[b]
3:03
19."Tell the Vision"
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • FnZ[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
1:44
20."Lord I Need You"
2:42
21."Pure Souls"
  • West
  • Rodrick Moore
  • Gwin
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • M. Dean
  • Tim Friedrich
  • Christoph Bauss
  • Bastian Völkel
  • Orlando Wilder
5:58
22."Come to Life"
  • West
  • Bhasker
  • Ojivolta
  • Campbell
  • Dean[a]
5:10
23."No Child Left Behind"
  • West
  • Hollins
  • Gwin
  • Lévy
  • Jahshua Brown
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Gesaffelstein
  • Cashmere Brown[b]
2:58
24."Jail pt 2"
  • West
  • Jonathan Kirk
  • Warner
  • Njaba
  • M. Dean
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Abernathy
  • Solymar
  • West
  • 88-Keys
  • Dean
  • Ojivolta
  • Dem Jointz[a]
  • Solymar[b]
4:57
25."Ok Ok pt 2"
  • West
  • Boi-1da
  • Louis Bell[a]
3:24
26."Junya pt 2"
  • West
  • Digital Nas
  • Ojivolta
  • Bailey[b]
3:02
27."Jesus Lord pt 2"
  • West
  • Swizz Beatz
  • Gesaffelstein[a]
  • Dean[a]
11:30
Total length:108:49

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer
  • "Donda Chant" features vocals by Syleena Johnson
  • "Jail" features vocals by Jay-Z, and additional vocals by Sunday Service Choir and Dem Jointz
  • "God Breathed" features vocals by Vory
  • "Off the Grid" features vocals by Playboi Carti and Fivio Foreign
  • "Hurricane" features vocals by Lil Baby and the Weeknd, and additional vocals by KayCyy Pluto
  • "Praise God" features vocals by Baby Keem and Travis Scott
  • "Jonah" features vocals by Lil Durk and Vory
  • "Ok Ok" features vocals by Lil Yachty and Rooga, and additional vocals by Fivio Foreign
  • "Junya" features vocals by Playboi Carti
  • "Believe What I Say" features additional vocals by Buju Banton, Stalone, and Dem Jointz
  • "24" features additional vocals by Sunday Service Choir and KayCyy Pluto
  • "Remote Control" features vocals by Young Thug
  • "Moon" features vocals by Don Toliver and Kid Cudi
  • "Donda" features additional vocals by Tony Williams, Dr. Donda West, Sunday Service Choir, MUSYCA Children's Choir, and Stalone
  • "Keep My Spirit Alive" features vocals by Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn, and additional vocals by KayCyy Pluto & Royce da 5'9"
  • "Jesus Lord" features vocals by Jay Electronica and additional vocals by Larry Hoover, Jr.
  • "New Again" features vocals by Chris Brown and additional vocals by Sunday Service Choir
  • "Tell the Vision" features vocals by Pop Smoke
  • "Lord I Need You" features additional vocals by Sunday Service Choir
  • "Pure Souls" features vocals by Roddy Ricch and Shenseea
  • "No Child Left Behind" features vocals by Vory
  • "Jail pt 2" features vocals by DaBaby and Marilyn Manson, and additional vocals by Sunday Service Choir and Dem Jointz
  • "Ok Ok pt 2" features vocals by Rooga and Shenseea, and additional vocals by Fivio Foreign
  • "Junya pt 2" features vocals by Playboi Carti and Ty Dolla Sign
  • "Jesus Lord pt 2" features vocals by Jay Electronica and The Lox, and additional vocals by Larry Hoover, Jr.

Sample credits

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

  • Maurizio "Irko" Sera – mix engineering (all tracks)
  • Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn – record engineering (1-9, 11-18, 20-22, 24-27)
  • Will Chason – record engineering (1, 4, 6-9, 15, 20, 23, 25-26)
  • Gimel Keaton – record engineering (2, 24)
  • Josh Berg – record engineering (2-27)
  • Mikalai Skrobat – record engineering (2-18, 20-22, 24-27)
  • Dem Jointz – record engineering (10, 15)
  • Drrique Rendeer – record engineering (4, 13, 17, 27)
  • James Kelso – record engineering (4, 13, 17, 27)
  • Jonathan Pfzar – record engineering (12, 15, 20, 24)
  • Lorenzo Wolff – record engineering (4)
  • Shin Kamiyama – record engineering (5)
  • Devon Wilson – record engineering (6)
  • Nagaris Johnson – record engineering (15)
  • Todd Bergman – record engineering (15, 20)
  • Kalam Ali Muttalib – record engineering (16)
  • Rashade Benani Bevel – record engineering (16)
  • Jess Jackson – record engineering (19)
  • Scott McDowell – record engineering (23)
  • Louis Bell – vocal editing (2-8, 10-12, 14, 16-18, 20-22, 24-25, 27)
  • Stef Moro – mix assistance (3, 22)


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