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Donda
Black (#020305) square textless cover art for Donda
The Donda album art, a plain black square[a]
Studio album by
Kanye West
ReleasedAugust 29, 2021 (2021-08-29)
Recorded
  • September 2018[b]
  • November 2019 – August 2021
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 108:48
  • 130:52 (Deluxe edition)
Label
Producer
Kanye West chronology
Jesus Is King
(2019) 		Donda
(2021) 		Donda 2
(2022)
Singles from Donda
  1. "Hurricane"
    Released: September 14, 2021
  2. "Life of the Party"
    Released: November 14, 2021
  3. "Believe What I Say"
    Released: November 30, 2021
  4. "Off the Grid"
    Released: November 30, 2021

Donda is the tenth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings on August 29, 2021. Donda was primarily produced by West, BoogzDaBeast, Dem Jointz, Mike Dean, and Ojivolta, and most of the material was recorded between November 2019 and August 2021. Guest appearances include the Weeknd, Jay-Z, Marilyn Manson, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Lil Yachty, Baby Keem, Playboi Carti, Jay Electronica, Lil Baby, DaBaby, Roddy Ricch, Ty Dolla Sign, Fivio Foreign, Lil Durk, Pop Smoke, the Lox, Shenseea, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Young Thug, and KayCyy; the deluxe edition adds guest vocals from André 3000 and Tyler, the Creator.

Donda's sound has been described as an amalgamation of West's previous albums, including 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Yeezus (2013), and Jesus Is King (2019). It encompasses hip-hop, gospel, progressive rap, and pop, with elements of trap and drill. Themes explored include West's Christian faith, righteousness, his estrangement from his then-wife Kim Kardashian, and his late mother Donda West, for whom the album is named. It is both minimalist and maximalist, with darker lyrical content and production than West's prior work, in addition to reduced drums and most instances of profanity being censored.

West promoted Donda with large-scale listening parties at stadiums throughout the US. "Hurricane" was released as Donda's lead single in September 2021, followed by "Life of the Party", "Believe What I Say", and "Off the Grid" in November. Donda polarized music critics, who generally considered it an improvement over West's previous album Jesus Is King and praised the composition, but were divided over its cohesiveness and criticized the long runtime. DaBaby and Marilyn Manson's appearances generated controversy due to the respective allegations of homophobia and sexual abuse against them. Nonetheless, several publications named Donda one of 2021's best albums. It was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the 64th Grammy Awards, and "Jail" and "Hurricane" won for Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance.

Donda received the most first-day streams for an album in 2021 on both Apple Music and Spotify. It was West's tenth consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200, tying the record set by Eminem. It topped the charts in 18 other regions, including France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It has platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and received gold certification in Canada and New Zealand by Music Canada and Recorded Music NZ. In October 2021, West and Kano Computing released the Donda Stem Player, allowing users to remix Donda's songs. The deluxe edition, with five additional songs, was released on November 14.

Background

[edit]

During a conversation with French fashion designer Michèle Lamy in an Instagram Live stream on May 25, 2020, American cinematographer Arthur Jafa revealed that he was working on video material with West for a single from his forthcoming album, titled God's Country.[2] On July 21, West confirmed the album title had been changed to Donda in honor of his mother, after whom he had also named his creative company.[3][4] The album had its name briefly changed to Donda: With Child, which was later reversed.[5] West announced a release date of July 24, and posted a track listing for the album. In the following days, West continued to post track listings, only to subsequently delete them.[3] Ultimately, the album missed its planned release date.[6] In September 2020, West sent out a series of tweets about his relationship with Universal Music Group, mostly addressing his desire to buy his master recordings back from them.[7] The rapper asserted that these efforts were obstructed by his signed contracts, succeeding this by tweeting multiple images that supposedly showed the contracts.[7]

Since his tweet that announces his 2024's run for presidency on November 4, 2020,[8][9] West went radio silent for the entirety of the album's promotion; not saying anything on social media and wearing a full face mask in public.[9] Information about the album and its listening events was relayed through fellow collaborators such as Consequence, Malik Yusef, Justin LaBoy, and Pusha T.[9] West's manager Abou "Bu" Thiam teased the release of Donda on June 8, 2021, commenting on Gap's Instagram post announcing their jacket with Yeezy, "WestDayEver. Album OTW!"[10] On July 17, Consequence posted a video of West in the studio with Tyler, the Creator on Instagram, suggesting a summer 2021 album release in the caption.[11] On July 19, Pusha T announced on Instagram that West would be holding a listening event for the album at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 22.[12] On July 21, West reinstated his Instagram account to share a series of images, alongside a commercial, featuring Sha'Carri Richardson, scored by the song, "No Child Left Behind", teasing a release date of July 23.[13][14]

Recording

[edit]

The recording sessions began a month after Jesus Is King was released.[15] Producer BoogzDaBeast recalled that he was called in to Wyoming with West telling him "Man we're going back in, we're about to do a new album. Let's keep this going.".[15] BoogzDaBeast came to Wyoming with 166 beats, which he later clarified were mostly unfinished ideas.[15] Of those 166 ideas, West freestyled over 99 of them in what the producer calls "That One Night in Wyoming". Songs such as "Wash Us in the Blood"–which was initially set for release on Donda in 2020, but was left off the final album–and "Lord I Need You" were originally conceived during said session.[16]

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.[17] That same month, GOOD Music president Pusha T stated in a Discord interview that he had been recording with West recently. Pusha T was planning to meet with West on March 16, 2020, to complete a project, but cited "flights slowing down" due to COVID travel restrictions as the reason for a delay.[18] On March 12, 2020, rappers Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine were spotted in Wyoming recording material with West.[19] Westside Gunn would later confirm his collaboration with West in an interview for Elliot Wilson on Tidal, alongside recalling that they were set to travel to Cabo San Lucas after recording in Wyoming, until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled their plans.[20] West held further recording sessions at Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Greybull, Wyoming, which he bought for $14.5 million. The ranch spans over 6,700 acres, covering a larger area than the Monster Lake Ranch property in Wyoming that West previously bought.[21] West flew Lil Baby out to Wyoming to record for Donda on July 22, 2020, following on from him tweeting, "Lil Baby my favorite rapper but won't do a song with me."[22][23] The rapper ended up recording his verse for "Hurricane" after Kenyan-American rapper KayCyy suggested to him that he should contribute to it.[24] In September 2020, West recorded music with Buju Banton and Saint Jhn at Gargamel Studio in Jamaica.[25][26]

On March 8, 2021, Cyhi the Prynce stated in an interview with VladTV that West had resumed work on Donda amid his divorce from his wife Kim Kardashian.[27] On May 30, West was joined in the studio by fellow rapper Playboi Carti.[28] On June 14, 2021, court documents were obtained revealing that West was recording for the album in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he held sessions at Island Sound Studio, after reportedly "freaking out" during his deposition in an ongoing lawsuit with tech company MyChannel.[29][30][31] Singer-songwriter Syleena Johnson worked on music in San Francisco around a month later, indicating via an Instagram post that she was collaborating with West.[32] Speaking for Cocktails with Queens on Fox Soul, Johnson said she recorded the song "Donda Chant" as well as vocals for another track that ended up not getting used, in said session.[33]

West held recording sessions inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, taking up temporary residence in the locker rooms for studio spaces and living areas.

After holding a listening event for Donda at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021, West took up temporary residence in one of the locker rooms, converting it into a studio for finishing the recording and mixing with producer Mike Dean.[34][35][36] Playboi Carti, Jay-Z and 2 Chainz joined West for recording in the room, with West posting a photo to Instagram of himself and the former there a day before the event.[34][37][38] Jay-Z reportedly recorded his verse for "Jail" mere hours prior to the listening event.[39][40] After failing to meet the album's scheduled release date of July 23, West continued to record and live in Mercedes-Benz Stadium up until the second listening party held there on August 5, 2021.[41][42] 24 hours before the second listening event commenced, West and several other artists could be seen recording among doing numerous other activities during an Apple Music livestream.[43][44]

Songs

[edit]
Chris Brown (top) and Soulja Boy (bottom) both publicly made comments aimed at West due to the controversial removal of their respective verses from the album.

"Hurricane" was originally previewed via Instagram by West in September 2018 and also leaked online, initially being intended for his scrapped album Yandhi.[1] After the song was first previewed, it went through various iterations, with contributions from artists such as KayCyy, Big Sean, and American musician Ty Dolla Sign,[24][45] of which the latter would feature on "Junya pt 2". However, none of their contributions made the final cut of "Hurricane", and they would be replaced with Lil Baby and Canadian singer the Weeknd.[46] A song titled "Never Abandon Your Family" was previewed at the first two listening events for Donda on July 22 and August 6, 2021.[47] Although the song was not included on the first version of the album,[47] it later appeared on the deluxe edition.[48] "Donda", which was initially titled "South Carolina" when previewed at the aforementioned listening parties, originally featured a verse where West traded bars with Pusha T. The verse contained references to West's South Carolina rally from his 2020 presidential campaign.[45][49]

The song "New Again", featuring vocals from R&B singer Chris Brown on the chorus, originally included a verse performed by the singer that he later leaked, after publicly calling West a "whole hoe".[50][51][52] Several critics expressed negative responses to West's choice to remove the verse, including the co-host of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne tha God, that defined the verse discard as a "poor choice musically".[53] On September 28, 2021, the song was updated on streaming services, with Brown being replaced by West and the Sunday Service Choir.[54] Rapper Soulja Boy originally recorded a verse for the track "Remote Control", although he was not included on the final version of the song, being replaced with fellow rapper Young Thug.[55][56] Following the album's release, Soulja Boy shared a snippet of his verse to Twitter, with the caption of the post reading, "Fuck Kanye".[55] In November 2021, West apologized to Soulja Boy for removing the verse without informing him, though insisted he did so because it was bad.[57] Fellow rapper André 3000 also recorded a verse for an unreleased track entitled "Life of the Party", which had been previewed at a listening event for Donda in Las Vegas. In the song, West disses Canadian musician Drake, who leaked the song in retaliation amidst a feud between them. André 3000 lamented the feud, stating that his verse was written before West's diss.[58][59] The song was later released on the deluxe version of the album, with the Drake diss replaced by an alternate verse from West.[48]

On September 7, 2021, DJ Akademiks shared a screenshot of a conversation between West and an unnamed engineer that worked on Donda, showing West firing the engineer after no response to his morning message to start work.[60] On September 14, 2021, American multi-instrumentalist Todd Rundgren revealed he had recorded heavily for it and was tolerant of West delving into different subjects, but became frustrated with the rapper after a lack of feedback about his material. Rundgren also assumed it should be made clear if he can contribute or not and saw "a possibility" he is "actually in there somewhere" among the album's "junk", concluding by branding West "a dilettante".[61] On September 24, 2021, after multiple artists had revealed that contributions to Donda from them were scrapped, West's sound engineer Nikolai Skrobat revealed that an upcoming playlist consisting of "forgotten tracks" from West's discography may include the album's unreleased material.[62]

Music and lyrics

[edit]

Donda covers the stylistic groundwork of West's previous albums;[63][64] it has been described as a hip-hop,[65][66] gospel,[67][68] progressive rap,[66] and pop record,[69][70] while the album also includes elements of trap, drill, boom bap,[71] hip house, and rock.[72] Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood described it as a blend of Yeezus's rough industrial hip-hop, the "church-organ gospel" of West's previous studio album Jesus Is King (2019), the "gothic swagger" of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and the "bleeping" electropop of 808s & Heartbreak (2008).[64] Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic perceived that "stylistic innovation has driven West's career" continuously, but he possibly "conceives of Donda as the album of his life—a capstone, an anthology".[63] However, the album is unusual in his catalog due to its lack of drums, outside of a light amount of snares and occasional synth basses that imitate rhythm sections.[73][47] Donda's integration of gospel music is more subtle than that of its predecessor,[74][75] instead favoring the usage of trap beats and Auto-Tune.[68][76] At Pitchfork, Dylan Green noted the production "jumps" from trap and drill to boom-bap and gospel, invoking GOOD Music's compilation album Cruel Summer (2012).[71]

According to Ed Power of The Daily Telegraph, the album is a maximalist hip-hop record that follows a "more is more" philosophy through its "gleaming, swooping grooves and several kitchen sinks worth of production"; he noted how the grooves "go off" similarly to monster trucks moving loudly around a stadium.[69] In contrast, Craig Jenkins of Vulture said that Donda's "unifying quality is a subtle minimalism", with prominent silence.[72] Fred Thomas of AllMusic similarly opined that the album is built on "minimal arrangements that linger while feeling eerily unfinished".[73] Jenkins also noticed West's diminished presence on the record, where he felt his "raps and hooks take up significantly less real estate" than any releases of his since Cruel Summer.[72] In The Sydney Morning Herald, Michael Dwyer wrote that the "gospel flourishes of organ and voices" on Donda are elevated by "passionate yearning".[76] According to TheGrio, its length of 1 hour and 48 minutes (1:48), follows the tendency of lengthier albums in the music streaming era started by Chris Brown's 2017 album Heartbreak on a Full Moon.[77] Green said Donda contains "euphoric highs" with a lack of "connective tissue", observing "a data dump of songs searching for a higher calling".[71] Gigwise writer Charlie Brock depicted that the album "ebbs and flows", being "melancholic and subversive" at some points, and "outlandish and snarling" at others.[78]

Donda was inspired by religion, being themed around West's faith across much of the material.[69][70] Some critics have described the album as sombre, with darker lyrical content than West's previous works.[79][80] For Exclaim!, Riley Wallace asserted that it is a lot less clumsy than Jesus Is King and also a "more accessible body of work".[79] References to addiction and mental instability are prominent,[63] as well as Kanye West's ego and his family,[67] including the collapse of his marriage with Kardashian and thoughts about Donda.[64][69] Themes of hope, rebirth, and salvation are also present.[79] Jon Caramanica wrote for The New York Times that in Donda, West continues to trade off the lyrical focus on self-awareness and wordplay of his earlier material for a more "terse and immediate approach, one that complements his musical shifts toward the industrial and the spiritual", which he started to do in the 2010s.[81] In the same vein as Jesus Is King, Donda features no explicit language, with all expletives being edited out.[74][81]

Songs

[edit]

The album's opening track, "Donda Chant", consists of Syleena Johnson chanting Donda West's forename repeatedly for nearly a minute. It has been theorized by fans that the rhythm represents that of Donda West's heart beating.[82][63][76] "Jail" follows and is the first full track, featuring Kanye West and Jay-Z combining metaphors about crime with details of marriage and sin.[63][65] The track is a fusion of "maximalist hip hop",[69] pop, and alternative rock,[74] incorporating auto-tuned vocals and arena rock guitar riffs.[73][64][83] The song contains almost no drums,[84] until the last segment of the track brings a "brief, stilted drum pattern",[73] described as industrial percussion.[85] "God Breathed" has an abrasive, industrial sound that was compared to Yeezus,[73][63] and features West offering redemption, reaffirming his trust in God before a wordless choir performs the outro.[66][67][76] Playboi Carti and fellow rapper Fivio Foreign attempt to find a balance between faith in themselves and faith in God within their verses on "Off the Grid",[63][86] later being followed by West providing a revelation of his religious mission statement in the closing verse and at one point, he dubs God "my bestie".[65][71] The song has an intense drill beat, featuring a "melodically complex" bassline and a "sustained choir".[66] "Hurricane" is an R&B song,[64] with layered organs and processed choir vocals that are cut akin to a sample.[84][87] West touches on personal issues such as his breakup with Kardashian and his house, while the hook sees the Weeknd exude confidence and Lil Baby provides a mournful performance.[64][78][83] "Praise God" contains a vocal sample of Donda West proclaiming, "Even if you are not ready for the day, it cannot always be night."[80] Lyrically, the song features Baby Keem mixing "worship with the dark carnality of the mosh pit" and Kanye West connecting his issues to God's mysterious behavior.[76][83] "Jonah" sees him rapping about his relationship with God,[78] alongside fellow rappers Vory and Lil Durk opening up about their pain of losing friends and family members, respectively.[64][83]

"Ok Ok" includes West commanding his status, while fellow rapper Lil Yachty boasts about sexual action.[74] "Junya" is a tribute to Japanese fashion designer Junya Watanabe and features a skeletal arrangement of handclaps, organs, and heavy bass.[73][72] It contains a Drake diss from West, with him alluding to Certified Lover Boy's delayed release.[74][75] On "Believe What I Say", described as hip house, R&B, and soul,[72][76][83] West offers a reminder to not let fame drag him down and references Kardashian.[69][83] West and the Sunday Service Choir provide worship on "24",[72] which features him delivering a message of hope in relation to God,[65] backed by a discordant organ played by Cory Henry.[74][85] "Remote Control" has an instrumental with a whistling hook over which West comments on technology and its infiltration of life, while Young Thug boasts about his property.[65][72] On "Moon", rapper Kid Cudi provides a wistful performance.[63][72] Throughout "Heaven and Hell", West lets out his thoughts on Jeff Bezos, vinyl, and modern culture.[78] "Donda" contains a vocal sample of a speech by West's mother of the same name, who talks about him being a genius;[68][69] the speech precedes a Christian worship moment from The World Famous Tony Williams.[72] On the boom bap[72] track "Keep My Spirit Alive", West claims to be anti-commercial and links his problems with the behavior of God.[76][83] "Jesus Lord" is Donda's centerpiece and Kanye West details the story of how he changed from who he used to be in his verse,[65][67][68] as well as questioning if he will go to heaven and see Donda there.[71][88] Rapper Jay Electronica then offers a cryptic worldview based on various points, before the song ends with the son of gang leader Larry Hoover thanking West for taking his father's case to the White House of 2017–2021 US president Donald Trump.[74][83][84]

"New Again"
An 18-second sample of the original version of "New Again", a hip house track that features West and Chris Brown touching on salvation and offering repentance, tying in with the religious theme of Donda.[72][80][88]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Throughout the hip house track "New Again", West searches for salvation and showcases awareness of religion's trappings.[72][80] The first version featured Brown crooning repentance for everything he will do again on the chorus,[51][88] though the update replaced him with West and the Sunday Service Choir.[54] "Tell the Vision" serves as an interlude and is an alternate take on the song of the same name from the 2021 album Faith by rapper Pop Smoke, who is the sole performer on the interlude.[65][71] On "Lord I Need You", West goes in detail about divorcing Kardashian and at one point, he begs God to "wrap your arms around me in mercy".[81][83][88] Within "Pure Souls", religious ideas are expressed and West declares there is a new version of him to adapt to,[68][66][71] while Roddy Ricch wonders about truth on the hook.[80][84] West sings about the emotional fallout from getting divorced on "Come to Life", alongside assuring that he is connected with God.[65][84] "No Child Left Behind" is the album's final track before the second versions of songs and features Vory uttering the titular phrase in reference to the educational act signed by 2001–2009 US president George W. Bush, as well as West singing about the guidance and strength that he has received from God.[89][68]

The last four tracks on Donda are either alternate or extended versions of preceding songs.[65] "Jail pt 2" features an additional verse from DaBaby, who confirms his stance on gay people, complains about financial issues, and references his daughters.[90] Singer Marilyn Manson also appears on the version, singing along with West at a few points.[64] "Ok Ok pt 2" and "Junya pt 2" include further contributions from Shenseea and Ty Dolla Sign, respectively.[83][46] Extra verses are performed on "Jesus Lord pt 2" by each member of the Lox, with them opening up about their connections to different gods.[67]

Release and promotion

[edit]

On June 26, 2020, West unveiled a collaboration between his fashion company Yeezy and clothing retailer Gap, and also launched the #WestDayEver promotional campaign on Twitter that accompanied announcements of different projects.[91] One of the projects was a music video for the track "Wash Us in the Blood" that features fellow rapper Travis Scott, directed by Jafa; the video was released simultaneously with the song on June 30, following a teaser in which West officially announced the album's title as God's Country.[91][92] The track was set to be included on Donda, but did not appear on the final track listing.[93][6] On July 13, 2020, Kanye shared a snippet on Twitter of a song titled "Donda", which featured his late mother Donda West reciting KRS-One's "Sound of da Police" (1993) and was accompanied by archival footage, including the Wests rapping together.[94] The song was replaced with another track also titled "Donda" on the final track listing. On September 26, 2020, West shared a 39-second snippet of the track "Believe What I Say" to Twitter.[95] West later released a song entitled "Nah Nah Nah" on October 26, calling the song his 2020 presidential campaign's theme music; it includes him referencing his candidacy.[96] On November 13, 2020, West released a remix of "Nah Nah Nah" that features fellow rappers DaBaby and 2 Chainz.[97] After the original and remix were both removed from streaming services in the lead up to Donda's release, neither of them made the final cut.[98][73]

On July 20, 2021, Audio products company Beats by Dre premiered a commercial during game six of the 2021 NBA Finals with athlete Sha'Carri Richardson, scored by West's track "No Child Left Behind".[99] The commercial also showed the release date for Donda as July 23, 2021, and marked one of the first snippets of the music.[99][89] French producer Gesaffelstein later revealed that he produced the song, marking his second time working with West after having previously contributed to the rapper's sixth studio album Yeezus (2013).[100] Directly after the commercial's debut, Def Jam reaffirmed the album's release date.[101]

In late July 2021, a representative for West announced a release date of August 6 for Donda,[102][103] which was later confirmed via both a Beats by Dre commercial and West's Apple Music livestream.[104][105] A day prior to this, a pre-order for the album was launched on iTunes, revealing it to feature 24 songs, along with a release date of August 27, 2021, before the date was revised to six days later.[106][107] Conflictingly, Apple Music displayed the release date to be August 15, before one set for five days later appeared on the service.[106][108] On August 20, 2021, the service listed a release date of August 28, one day after Donda's third listening party; Thiam reaffirmed that the release would come after the event.[109] A day before the scheduled release, Donda's release date experienced another pushback on Apple Music, setting it to coincide with the release of Drake's sixth studio album Certified Lover Boy on September 3, 2021.[110] It was speculated across social media that the delay was intentional to increase competition between the two artists.[110][111]

On August 29, 2021, Donda was released by GOOD Music, distributed by Def Jam, succeeding several delays during that month.[6][112] It stood as West's last release with the latter label, after his contract expired.[113] "Jail pt 2" was originally not able to be played, showing up on the Spotify version of the album as an "unavailable" track, after DaBaby's manager had not cleared his verse prior to release.[112][114] Hours after its official release, West claimed that Universal Music had released Donda without his approval and blocked "Jail pt 2" from appearing on the album.[4][7] The song later became available on streaming services, including Tidal and Spotify.[112][115] Universal Music denied having either released the album without West's approval or blocked the release of "Jail pt 2", with an anonymous source at the company calling his claims "preposterous".[7][116][117]

On September 3, 2021, "Hurricane" was playlisted by Swedish mainstream station Sveriges Radio P3.[118] The song was sent to American rhythmic contemporary radio stations by GOOD Music and Def Jam as the lead single from Donda on September 14, 2021.[119] Following the album's release, the song entered the US Billboard Hot 100 at number six, giving West his 19th top-10 hit on the chart.[120] It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for amassing 1,000,000 certified units in the US on January 10, 2022.[121] "Hurricane" reached number 12 on the Swedish Singles Chart, with it debuting five places higher on the UK Singles Chart.[122][123] On November 30, 2021, "Believe What I Say" and "Off the Grid" were released as singles to US rhythmic and urban contemporary radio stations, respectively, through Good Music and Def Jam.[124][125] On the Hot 100, the former charted at number 28.[120] "Off the Grid" debuted at number 11 on the chart, alongside reaching number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.[120][123] On November 8, 2021, the song was awarded a gold certification by the RIAA for pushing 500,000 certified units in the US.[126]

West purchased many large billboards to advertise Donda in Drake's hometown of Toronto during September 2021, outnumbering the ones used for Certified Lover Boy on the day of its release.[127] A music video for "Come to Life" was released on September 2, 2021. The visual features footage from the album's third listening event at Soldier Field, showing West setting on fire then reuniting with Kardashian.[128] A music video for "24" was released two weeks after the one for "Come to Life", and begins with footage from Donda's second Mercedes-Benz Stadium listening event of West ascending towards the sky, before he rises above the stadium and floats around among clouds.[129] A clip for "Donda Chant" was shared exclusively to Instagram by West on September 19, 2021. The black-and-white visual incorporates aerial footage from the album's Soldier Field listening event that shows the replica of Kanye West's childhood home, on which flashes of old pictures of Donda are projected.[130] On October 16, 2021, West performed a four-song set for Tiffany & Co. executive Alexandre Arnault and D'estree founder Geralde Guyot after their wedding in Venice, Italy, which included "Come to Life" and "Believe What I Say".[131] He debuted a music video for "Heaven and Hell" during the College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 10, 2022. The visual has a night setting and shows people wearing new Yeezy Gap hoodies wandering around a city; it concludes with floating bodies spiralling through the skies.[132]

Cover art

[edit]
Initial cover art, shared by West in July 2020 and designed by Pierre-Louis Auvray
Second proposed cover, showcasing an adaptation of a Louise Bourgeois painting from 2007
The opened CD jewel case of Donda which, including the disc itself, is entirely plain black

On July 25, 2020, West tweeted out an album cover,[133] showing an infrared scheme of orange and red mirroring the shape of the people, sun, and moon in the sky, backed by green mountains alongside purple and white clouds designed by Pierre-Louis Auvray.[92] In the lead up to the first Donda listening event on July 22, 2021, a possible replacement cover was used as the promo artwork. The cover was an adaptation of a Louise Bourgeois gouache painting that had been created in 2007, the same year as Donda West's death, and included in Bourgeois' series Les têtes bleues et les femmes rouges (2015).[134][135] In the painting, a woman is shown in monochromatic red and a matching ponytail flows behind her, while a fertility idol is also partially present.[134][135] After Kanye West posted numerous potential covers, a plain black square was ultimately used as the artwork for the album.[136]

Streaming performance and updates

[edit]

In its first day of release, Donda earned the second-biggest global Spotify debut for album streams ever, with nearly 100 million streams, and broke the record for the biggest first day streams of 2021 on the service that was set by Olivia Rodrigo's Sour.[137][138] The album also set a new record by reaching number one on Apple Music's top albums chart in 152 countries in its first day, and earned the third-biggest first day debut streams for an album. Donda broke the 2021 record for the most-streamed album in one day on Apple Music, while 19 of the top-20 tracks on the service's Top 100 Global songs chart were from the album.[139] Donda amassed 60 million first day streams in the United States on Apple, setting a streaming record for 2021 in the country.[140] After eight days of streaming, it had reached around 423 million on-demand audio streams in the US.[141] 25 of the tracks debuted with the top-40 of Spotify's U.S. chart, with 10 of them occupying the top-10.[137] The album's 2021 record for first day Spotify streams was broken by Certified Lover Boy, which also surpassed its eight-day total of US on-demand audio streams within three days, amassing over 430 million streams.[141][142] By October 26, the former had amassed over a billion streams on Spotify, becoming West's fastest album to achieve this milestone.[143]

On September 28, 2021, West released an updated version of Donda separately from the original on streaming services.[54][144] The changes included the removal of KayCyy and Brown from "Keep My Spirit Alive" and "New Again", respectively; Brown's writing credits were also removed from the latter.[144] West replaced KayCyy on the former, while he and the Sunday Service Choir appeared in place of Brown on "New Again".[54]

Donda Stem Player

[edit]
Main article: Stem Player

On August 25, 2021, West announced the Donda Stem Player via his website, a standalone music player allowing users to remix the album's songs using their stems.[145][146][147] Users are also given the ability to control vocals, drums, bass, and samples, isolate parts, and add effects.[145][146][148] The player was announced as being set to be released by West's brand Yeezy Tech in collaboration with Kano Computing and sold for $200.[146][147][149] On October 27, 2021, the Donda Stem Player was made available by West, with three extra songs being included. The new songs are a censored edit of "Life of the Party", "Up from the Ashes", and an updated version of "Never Abandon Your Family". In addition, the player contains a version of "Remote Control" that re-adds Kid Cudi's original contribution.[150][151] On November 17, 2021, the Donda Stem Player website was updated to include downloadable stems for Jesus Is King. On December 10, 2021, stems for "Wash Us in the Blood" were added in an update.[152]

In February 2022, West announced that the sequel to Donda would be exclusively released onto the Stem Player.[153]

Deluxe edition

[edit]

On November 5, 2021, in an interview with N.O.R.E. on Drink Champs, West announced that a deluxe version of Donda was set to be released, teasing a song called "Let Go".[154][155] Eight days later, billboards advertising the deluxe edition appeared around Los Angeles.[156] On November 14, 2021, Donda (Deluxe) was released to streaming services.[48] Simultaneously, an explicit version of "Life of the Party" was released as a single from the deluxe edition.[157] The song charted at number 13 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.[158] A 2xCD physical version of the deluxe edition was released on February 11, 2022.[159] A 4xLP deluxe gatefold version was released on vinyl on June 24, 2022.[160]

Listening events

[edit]
Invites to "A Donda Listening Event" (left), "The Donda Album Release" (middle), and "The Donda Album Experience" (right). The first two were held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, while the latter was held at Soldier Field in Chicago.

To promote Donda prior to its release, West held a series of listening events. During the album's events, guest appearances from various artists were revealed, including Lil Baby, Playboi Carti, Pusha T, Jay-Z, Lil Yachty, Vory, KayCyy, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Jay Electronica, Pop Smoke, the Sunday Service Choir, DaBaby, Marilyn Manson, and the Weeknd.[161][162][163] West had updated Donda after each listening event like he did with his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016), changing content such as the features on songs.[164] Speaking with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, Dean depicted the process as "interesting" and "gruelling", remembering "lots of hours" and changes, from which the album "came out great". He elaborated by explaining that "each listening party was like a test" of sorts, with West succeeding each one by taking all "the information he got from everyone, including online reviews [and] personal friends' reviews", then "digest[ing] it all" in a manner to "adjust" Donda "the way" he wanted.[165]

West held a private listening event for the album at ChurchLV in Las Vegas on July 18, 2021, which required registration and was invite-only. It started at 6:30 p.m. and finished at 8 p.m.[166] Clips of the event surfaced online showing West hunched over his laptop, wearing gloves and a ski mask over his head.[167][168] West played the music from his MacBook throughout, not speaking whatsoever.[169] Following the listening event, Revolt host Justin LaBoy posted a photo of himself with West and referred to Donda as album of the year.[168]

On July 19, 2021, it was announced that West would hold a public listening event for Donda, titled "Kanye West Presents: A Donda Listening Event", at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 22, 2021.[170][171] It was set to start at 8 p.m. on the date, though the livestream began nearly two hours behind schedule on Apple Music.[170][172][173] West was completely silent throughout and paced the length of the stage at points, where he was unaccompanied. The listening event sold out Mercedes-Benz Stadium's 2021 capacity of 42,000, alongside setting a record for the biggest Apple Music livestream worldwide, with over 3.3 million viewers.[172][174]

Live Nation Entertainment confirmed at the end of July 2021 that the album's second listening event in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, titled "Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Release", was set to take place on August 5.[175][176] It was scheduled to start at 9 p.m. on the date.[176] An Apple Music livestream commenced from West's room inside the stadium on the morning of August 5, 2021, leading up to the event,[161][177][178] which later began at 9:30 p.m.[43] The event was a grander presentation than its predecessor and on the circular stage, West's room was re-created.[161][178] West was positioned in the center throughout, wearing an all-black outfit and a mask.[162] The event ended with him being elevated to the ceiling of Mercedes-Benz Stadium by harness, in a manner reminiscent of ascending to heaven.[161][162] The listening party had over 40,000 attendees. It surpassed West's own record for the most popular livestream on Apple Music, drawing in 5.4 million viewers.[179] Following the event, Kid Cudi was reported to be featured on "Moon" and "Remote Control" alongside Don Toliver and Young Thug, respectively, though he was only included on the final version of the former on Donda.[45][180][56] However, the deluxe edition of the album included "Remote Control pt. 2" which contained Kid Cudi's verse.[181]

On August 18, 2021, West announced a third listening event for the album entitled "Kanye West Presents: The Donda Album Experience", which was scheduled to be hosted at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 26; the stadium's Twitter account simultaneously gave confirmation.[182][183] The event was slated to begin at 9 p.m.[182] On August 24, 2021, Chopper 7HD flew over Soldier Field, capturing the construction of a replica of West's childhood home at the stadium's center.[184] The event was livestreamed on Apple Music and started nearly two hours behind schedule, beginning at 10:49 p.m.[163][185] Kanye West appeared by coming out from the replica home while wearing an all-black outfit, accompanied by footage and photo collages of Donda.[186][187] West was joined on the porch of the home by Marilyn Manson and DaBaby.[186][188] For the event's conclusion, West came out of the replica home wearing a stunt suit after having been set on fire inside earlier and was quickly extinguished, unmasking himself to reunite with Kardashian.[163][189][190]

Soldier Field was limited from its standard capacity of 63,000 due to COVID-19 restrictions, with the listening event having an attendance of around 38,000.[191] On August 31, 2021, it was reported by the Chicago Sun-Times that the replica was used because Chicago's Buildings Department did not allow West to move his home from the street address, as originally intended. The department explained how moving a home in the city "is a very technical process that requires structural engineer reports and multiple city permits", revealing the denial of West's request was due to "no permit application ha[ving] been received to excavate and move the vacant property" while it was also in Demolition Court.[192]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?5.4/10[193]
Metacritic53/100[194]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar[73]
The A.V. ClubC−[90]
The Daily TelegraphStarStarStar[69]
Exclaim!7/10[79]
The GuardianStarStar[83]
NMEStarStarStar[65]
Pitchfork6.0/10[71]
PopMatters5/10[195]
Rolling StoneStarStar[84]
Slant MagazineStarStarStarStar[80]

Donda polarized music critics.[196] At Metacritic, the album received an weighted mean score of 53, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[194] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it a 5.4 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[193]

Charles Lyons-Burt of Slant Magazine felt impressed with Donda, believing it to feature West at "arguably the most vulnerable and broken that [he] has allowed himself to appear on record".[80] Lyons-Burt also praised the themes and production, and concluded by labeling the album West's "most unforgiving self-portrait yet".[80] Chris Willman from Variety saw its music as "close to unassailable" and praised the pacing, besides "those last four completely superfluous remixes", while he preferred the structure of the gospel elements to those on Jesus Is King.[74] For Consequence, Marchus Shorter hailed Donda as the rapper's best album since Yeezus, describing it as "ambitious, raw, indulgent, and, after several revisions, a cohesive vision".[67] Riley Wallace of Exclaim! regarded the album as "[West's] best body of work in recent memory" and appreciated the narrative behind it, though was mixed about the features and criticized the length.[79] Rhian Daly of NME felt assured the album "isn't a rushed job", although believed it could have been improved by West wasting less time and "learning when to let things go", finding there to be a large amount of filler alongside "enough gems" to make the album worthwhile.[65]

Wood asserted that Donda registers more as a way "of maintaining Kanye's powerful social standing" than "an organized aesthetic experience", characterizing it as feeling "slapdash" due to the disorganized themes.[64] He went on to praise how the album takes from West's various eras of the past, such as Yeezus, Jesus Is King, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and 808s & Heartbreak.[64] Paul Thompson of Rolling Stone saw that the album is "more considered and musically coherent" than any of West's projects over the preceding five years, though considered it to be uneven and too long, with a "radically superior second half".[84] Kornhaber gave the album a negative review, writing that "supposed transcendence comes to feel suspiciously like regression" while surrender feels like "self-exculpation".[63] He complained how the album "aches" for "a miracle to unfold" of similarity to the accompanying listening events and harshly asserted that it seems like "a career's worth of B-sides", despite crediting the highlights for being "pretty good".[63]

Criticism of DaBaby and Marilyn Manson

[edit]
The inclusion of rapper DaBaby (left) and shock rock musician Marilyn Manson (right) as guest artists on Donda led to negative responses from critics.

The revelation of DaBaby and Marilyn Manson as guest artists during Donda's August 26 listening event was met with intense disapproval from critics due to the respective allegations of homophobia and sexual abuse against them.[115][197] According to Jem Aswad of Variety, "West was widely accused of trolling the public, among other things, after [the] event."[114] In response, as Ellen Durney of BuzzFeed News wrote, "some fans" suggested that the inclusion of DaBaby and Manson might have been West's "attempt at commentary on 'cancel culture'",[198] and Consequence writer Alex Young provided a similar presumption.[199] West defended DaBaby's presence, recalling him being "the only person who said he would vote for me in public".[115] An unspecified source told People about West's decision to work with the rapper and Marilyn Manson: "He knows that having controversial figures around will be provocative and will get people to talking." The source continued by opening up that West knows "people are going to be upset" and he will experience "backlash", and is also aware "people are talking about it today when they wouldn't have been otherwise".[115][200][201]

Marilyn Manson's former partner Evan Rachel Wood, who had accused him of sexual assault, "seem[ed] to respond" to his inclusion on Donda a few hours after its release, according to NME's Daly. She did this by posting a video of her covering New Radicals' "You Get What You Give" to Instagram, quoting its title and encouraging recent alleged fellow survivors "who got slapped in the face" to not give up.[202] Aaron Loose of Christianity Today slammed West's decision to work with Marilyn Manson and DaBaby as "an unforgivable insult to marginalised rap fans". Roisin O'Connor of The Independent criticized the presence of the former two, whom she describes as "two of music's most despised figures", finding their inclusion inexcusable. She condemned Universal Music Group for approving the album's release, noting that Marilyn Manson's appearance "speaks volumes of society's apathy towards rape survivors".[75]

Accolades

[edit]

On Complex's list of the best albums of 2021, Donda was placed sixth.[203] Similarly, Time ranked the album at number seven on their list for the year.[204] On Caramanica's list of the best albums of 2021, the deluxe edition was placed at number 10. Caramanica said it "lives at the intersection" of West's Yeezus and Jesus eras, commenting that the "scabrous, churning production that sets a chaotic mood" is accompanied by "moments of intense searching, gasps for air amid the unrest".[205] Associated Press listed Donda as among the top 10 albums of the year.[206] Billboard placed it at number 39 on their "The 50 Best Albums of 2021: Staff List", with Heran Mamo declaring that West confronts his inner demons and "yearns for mercy without two key women" in his mother and Kardashian.[207]

Donda was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2022 Grammy Awards, standing as one of the last two albums to be selected in the category. In the same ceremony, the album was nominated in the category of Best Rap Album. "Jail" and "Hurricane" won the awards of Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance, respectively, at the 2022 Grammys.[208]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Donda debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 after a five-day period of tracking, with 309,000 album-equivalent units that consisted of 272,000 streaming-equivalent album units, 37,000 pure album sales, and less than 1,000 track-equivalent units.[209][210] The album-equivalent units set a record for the highest amount of 2021, exceeding the 295,000 units amassed by Olivia Rodrigo's Sour. Kanye West scored his 10th chart-topper on the Billboard 200 with the album, making him one of seven artists to have gathered this amount of number-ones on the chart. It also marked West's 10th consecutive album to debut at the summit, tying him with Eminem's record.[209] It also reached the summit of the US Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums charts, becoming West's second album to top the two charts and achieving the biggest unit week for both.[211] The album entered atop the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, on which it was the rapper's 10th chart-topper.[212] 23 of Donda's tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, leading to West joining Drake as one of the two artists to have 23 or more songs chart simultaneously. This also increased West's Hot 100 entries to 133, the fifth most of any act, a ranking he attained for top-40 hits as well by having scored 68. "Hurricane" was the highest charting track, reaching number six and becoming West's 19th top-20 hit.[120] The 23 tracks took up the top-23 spots on both the US Christian Songs and Gospel Songs charts, exceeding West's record of all top-10 positions on the former chart and the top-11 on the latter.[211] As a result of the album and its tracks, West went up from number 67 to the top position on the Billboard Artist 100, giving him his third week atop the chart.[213] It was the ninth best-selling digital album of 2021 in the United States.[214] On March 9, 2022, Donda was certified platinum by the RIAA for pushing 1,000,000 certified units in the US.[215]

In Canada, Donda topped the Canadian Albums Chart,[216] and on January 7, 2022, it was certified platinum by Music Canada (MC) for shelving 80,000 album-equivalent units in the country.[217] Elsewhere, the album entered atop the ARIA Albums chart in Australia, standing as West's fourth number-one release on the chart. This led to him joining 5 Seconds of Summer, Justin Bieber, Keith Urban, Kings of Leon, and Lady Gaga as one of the acts to achieve their fourth number-one album in the 2020s decade.[218] The debut increased West's number of chart-topping weeks to five, alongside giving the rapper his ninth top-10 release on the ARIA Albums chart. 19 of Donda's tracks debuted within the top-50 of the ARIA Singles chart; "Hurricane" charted the highest at number four.[218] The entries surpassed Taylor Swift's milestone of 16 debuts in the top-50, as well as the record held by both Post Malone and Michael Jackson for 17 tracks present within this ranking. The album also topped the New Zealand Albums chart,[218] and by March 27, 2022, it had been certified platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for shipments of 15,000 units in New Zealand.[219]

Donda ranked at number one on the midweek album sales chart in the United Kingdom, before debuting at the same position on the UK Albums Chart.[220][221] It gave West his third chart-topper in the UK and stood as his first since Yeezus in 2013.[221] The album pushed 19,617 chart sales, 91 percent of which came from 17,921 streaming-equivalent units, while the other nine percent consisted of 1,696 paid downloads.[221][222] In total, Donda accumulated 33.4 million streams in the UK across its 27 tracks.[221] Three of the tracks debuted on the UK Singles Chart, with "Hurricane" attaining the highest position of number seven.[123] The album entered atop the Irish Albums Chart, standing as West's second number-one album in Ireland and his ninth to reach the top-10.[223] West had the three highest new entries on the Irish Singles Chart with the tracks that debuted; "Hurricane" was the most successful, reaching number seven.[224] Donda opened at the summit of the French Albums chart, becoming West's first number-one album in France and selling 9,476 copies over a five-day tracking period.[225] The album also topped the charts in Austria,[226] Belgium's Flanders and Wallonia regions,[227][228] the Czech Republic,[229] Denmark,[230] Finland,[231] Iceland,[232] Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.[218] On May 3, 2022, it was awarded a platinum certiifcation by IFPI Danmark for shipments of 20,000 units in Denmark.[233] Donda peaked within the top five in Germany,[234] Slovakia,[235] Spain,[236] and Switzerland.[237]

Track listing

[edit]
Donda track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Donda Chant"
West0:52
2."Jail"
4:57
3."God Breathed"
  • West
  • E.Vax
  • Ojivolta
  • Arrow
  • Vindver[a]
  • Allday[a]
5:33
4."Off the Grid"
5:39
5."Hurricane" (with The Weeknd featuring Lil Baby)
4:03
6."Praise God"
3:47
7."Jonah"
3:15
8."Ok Ok"
3:25
9."Junya"
  • West
  • J. Carter
  • Pemberton
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Roark Bailey
  • Walsh
  • C. Young
  • Yusef
  • Thornton
  • Warren Trotter
  • Mills
  • East
2:28
10."Believe What I Say"
4:02
11."24"
  • West
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Mills
  • Mbogo
  • Yusef
  • Daniels
  • Miller
3:18
12."Remote Control"
3:19
13."Moon"
  • West
  • E.Vax
  • DJ Khalil[a]
  • BoogzDaBeast[a]
2:36
14."Heaven and Hell"
  • West
  • Njapa
  • Gwin
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Edgar Panford
  • Nima Jahanbin
  • Paimon Jahanbin
  • Andrew Dawson
  • C. Young
  • Yusef
  • Walsh
  • Wilder
  • T. Smith
  • Michael Oliver
  • West
  • 88-Keys
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Ojivolta[a]
  • Nabeyin[a]
  • Wallis Lane[a]
  • Dawson[b]
2:25
15."Donda"
  • West
  • FnZ
  • Ojivolta
  • BoogzDaBeast
2:08
16."Keep My Spirit Alive"
  • West
  • FnZ
  • Ojivolta
  • Dem Jointz
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Woodley
  • Nichols
3:41
17."Jesus Lord"
8:59
18."New Again"
  • West
  • Gwin
  • Abernathy
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • N. Jahanbin
  • P. Jahanbin
  • Jacqueline Cummings
  • Njapa
  • Yusef
  • Laraya Robinson
  • Magnus Lidehäll
  • Salem Al Fakir
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Dem Jointz[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
  • Wallis Lane[a]
  • Mia Wallis[a]
  • 88-Keys[b]
3:03
19."Tell the Vision"
  • West
  • Bashar Jackson
  • Gwin
  • Mule
  • De Boni
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Yusef
  • Thornton
  • Angie Martinez
  • Jalil Peraza
  • Luke Doyley
  • Ricardo Lamarre
  • Samuel Jackson
  • Thomas Whitfield
  • West
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • FnZ[a]
  • Ojivolta[a]
1:44
20."Lord I Need You"
2:42
21."Pure Souls"
5:59
22."Come to Life"
  • West
  • Bhasker
  • Walsh
  • Ojivolta
  • Campbell
  • M. Dean[a]
5:10
23."No Child Left Behind"
  • West
  • Hollins
  • Lévy
  • Gwin
  • Douglas Brown
  • Yusef
  • Frankie Smith
  • Jahshua Brown
  • West
  • Gesaffelstein
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Cashmere Brown[b]
2:58
24."Jail pt 2"
  • West
  • 88-Keys
  • M. Dean
  • Ojivolta
  • Dem Jointz[a]
  • E.Vax[a]
  • Solymar[b]
4:57
25."Ok Ok pt 2"
  • West
  • Lee
  • Charles
  • Samuels
  • Louis Bell
  • Thornton
  • Ryles
  • C. Young
  • Yusef
  • Walsh
  • Wilder
  • T. Smith
  • East
3:25
26."Junya pt 2"
  • West
  • J. Carter
  • Tyrone Griffin Jr.
  • Pemberton
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Bailey
  • Walsh
  • C. Young
  • Yusef
  • Thornton
  • Trotter
  • Mills
  • East
  • West
  • Digital Nas
  • Ojivolta
  • Bailey[b]
3:03
27."Jesus Lord pt 2"
11:31
Total length:108:49
Deluxe edition - Disc 1[238]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
4."Life of the Party" (with André 3000)
6:31
11."Up from the Ashes"
2:42
12."Never Abandon Your Family"
  • West
  • Bell
  • Yusef
  • Walsh
  • Daniels
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Evan Mast
  • West
  • Ojivolta
  • E.VAX
3:27
17."Remote Control pt 2"
  • West
  • J. Williams
  • Mescudi
  • T. Gomringer
  • K. Gomringer
  • Pemberton
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Njapa
  • M. Dean
  • Walton
  • C. Young
  • Yusef
  • West
  • Cubeatz
  • Digital Nas
  • Ojivolta
  • 88-Keys[a]
  • M. Dean[a]
  • Teddy Walton[b]
5:23
Deluxe edition - Disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Keep My Spirit Alive pt 2"
  • West
  • Mbogo
  • Worthy
  • Price
  • Yusef
  • Parker
  • Mule
  • De Boni
  • M. Williams
  • Cubina
  • Abernathy
  • Gwin
  • Woodley
  • Nichols
  • West
  • FnZ
  • Ojivolta
  • Dem Jointz
  • BoogzDaBeast
  • Woodley
  • Nichols
3:41
Total length:130:52
  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer

Notes

[edit]

[46][74][79][83][239][240]

Sample credits

[edit]

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

[edit]
  • Syleena Johnson – additional vocals (1)
  • Dem Jointz – additional vocals (2, 10, 24)
  • Sunday Service Choir – additional vocals (2, 5, 11, 15, 18,[54] 20, 27)
  • Justin Austin – additional vocals (3)
  • KayCyy – additional vocals (5, 11)
  • Donda West – additional vocals (6, 15)
  • Fivio Foreign – additional vocals (8, 25)
  • Buju Banton – additional vocals (10)
  • Stalone – additional vocals (10, 15)
  • MUSYCA Children's Choir – additional vocals (15)
  • The World Famous Tony Williams – additional vocals (15)
  • Larry Hoover Jr. – additional vocals (17, 27)
  • Briana Babineaux – additional vocals (20)
  • Sam Barsh – keyboards (5)
  • John Mease – keyboards (5)
  • Daniel Seeff – bass (5)
  • Cory Henry – organ (11)
  • Brandee Younger – harp (12)
  • Darius Woodley – drums (16)
  • Rico Nichols – drums (16)
  • Mark Williams – piano (22)
  • Nikki Grier – choir arrangement (2, 5, 11, 18, 20, 24)
  • Jason White – choir arrangement (2, 5, 11, 18, 20, 24)

Technical

[edit]
  • Maurizio "Irko" Sera – mix engineering, master engineering (all tracks)
  • Mike Dean – mix engineering (1–7, 9, 11–16, 18, 20–21, 23–24, 26)
  • Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn – record engineering (1–9, 11–18, 20–22, 24–27)
  • Enzo Rarri – record engineering (1, 3, 23, 27)
  • Will Chason – record engineering (1, 4, 6–9, 15, 20, 23, 25–26), assistant record engineering (12–13)
  • Ronald Lark III – record engineering (2)
  • Gimel Keaton – record engineering (2, 24)
  • Josh Berg – record engineering (2–27)
  • Mikalai Skrobat – record engineering (2–18, 20–22, 24–27)
  • Roark Bailey – record engineering (3–9, 12–13, 21, 26)
  • Dem Jointz – record engineering (10, 15)
  • Drrique Rendeer – record engineering (4, 13, 17, 27)
  • James Kelso – record engineering (4, 13, 17, 27)
  • Jonathan Pfarr – record engineering (12, 15, 20, 24)
  • Randy Urbanski – record engineering (3, 20)
  • Lorenzo Wolff – record engineering (4)
  • Shin Kamiyama – record engineering (5)
  • Zack Djurich – record engineering (5)
  • Jesse Ray Ernster – record engineering (5)
  • Devon Wilson – record engineering (5, 6, 10), mix assistance (6)
  • Wilson "Zaigo" Mejia – record engineering (7)
  • Gentuar Memishi – record engineering (8)
  • Henry Russell Walter – record engineering (14, 22), vocal editing (9, 26), vocal production (12)
  • Preston Reid – record engineering (10)
  • Angad Bains – record engineering (12)
  • Federico Vindver – record engineering (15), vocal production (15)
  • Nagaris Johnson – record engineering (15)
  • Todd Bergman – record engineering (15, 20)
  • Kalam Ali Muttalib – record engineering (16)
  • Sharif Shannon – mix assistance (4, 6)
  • Rashade Benani Bevel – record engineering (16)
  • Jess Jackson – record engineering (19)
  • Scott McDowell – record engineering (23)
  • Rafael Fai Baautista – record engineering (26), mix assistance (26)
  • Louis Bell – vocal editing (2–8, 10–12, 14, 16–18, 20–22, 24–25, 27)
  • Patrick Hundley – vocal editing (3–5, 9–11, 13–14, 16, 21, 24, 26–27)
  • Stef Moro – mix assistance (3, 22)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for Donda
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[217] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[233] Platinum 20,000‡
France (SNEP)[299] Gold 50,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[300] Gold 25,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[219] Platinum 15,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[301] Platinum 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[302] Gold 100,000‡
United States (RIAA)[215] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Donda

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is the tenth studio album by American rapper and producer , released on August 29, 2021, through his imprint and . The project, spanning 27 tracks over 108 minutes, draws its name from West's late mother, , a former English professor and chair of the African-American Studies department at who died in November 2007 at age 58 from compounded by complications following liposuction, , and procedures. The album's development began as early as 2020 and involved extensive revisions, culminating in three high-profile stadium listening events—two at Atlanta's in July and August 2021, and one at Chicago's —that served as both previews and production spectacles, with West performing amid stage replicas of his childhood home set ablaze and surprise appearances by guests including , Drake, and . These events amplified anticipation but also sparked controversies, such as West's platforming of performers facing public backlash—rapper amid HIV-related comments and musician during allegations of abuse—drawing criticism for perceived insensitivity. Featuring collaborations with artists like , , , , and , Donda emphasizes themes of family, faith, loss, and redemption through minimalist beats, choir samples, and introspective lyrics, though its final version prompted West to publicly dispute alterations made by his label without his consent. Commercially, it achieved the largest debut week of 2021 on the chart, entering at number one with 309,000 album-equivalent units in the United States, propelled by streaming and physical sales despite preceding delays and public feuds, including a reignited rivalry with Drake.

Background and Concept

Personal Inspirations

Donda is dedicated to Ye's late mother, , a former English professor and chair of the African-American Studies department at , who died on November 10, 2007, at age 58 from compounded by multiple post-operative factors following cosmetic procedures including , , and mammoplasty. Ye has framed the album as a direct homage to her legacy, incorporating audio samples of her voice from 2007 speeches and interviews, notably in the title track where she recites lines from KRS-One's "" over gospel backing, evoking her role in nurturing his early creative ambitions. The project's gospel-infused sound draws from the Christian upbringing West provided, emphasizing choir arrangements and spiritual motifs as tributes to her values rather than incidental stylistic choices. This dedication extends beyond nomenclature, with interludes and thematic arcs positioning her memory as a catalyst for introspection on loss and influence. Ye's embrace of , publicly articulated in 2019 through weekly Bible studies and the release of on October 25, 2019, recasts Donda as a vehicle for spiritual confrontation with personal failings, prioritizing redemption through faith over unfiltered memoir. Tracks invoke , , and divine intervention, reflecting a post-conversion shift where empirical trials—such as over his mother's —intersect with doctrinal reckoning. Personal upheavals, including Ye's November 21, 2016, hospitalization for a psychiatric emergency attributed to sleep deprivation and exhaustion, which precipitated his bipolar disorder diagnosis, inform the album's undertones of fragility and resilience without glorifying instability. Concurrent family tensions with Kim Kardashian, amid their marriage's dissolution formalized by her February 19, 2021, divorce filing, manifest in pleas for reunion and paternal accountability, grounding redemptive themes in tangible relational fractures.

Initial Development and Announcements

Donda originated as Kanye West's intended follow-up project to his 2018 album Ye, with early production work commencing around that period amid West's pattern of iterative album development. The project evolved over subsequent years, incorporating themes of faith, family, and personal loss dedicated to West's late mother, , who died in 2007. By May 2020, West publicly teased the album on , initially referring to it under the working title and targeting a July 24, 2020, release date. West provided further glimpses into the album's direction through online posts and statements, emphasizing influences with choir arrangements and introspective lyrics reflecting spiritual and familial motifs. These teasers highlighted his vision for a sonically expansive work, but the rollout was derailed when West announced his independent candidacy for U.S. president on July 4, 2020, via , shifting his focus to campaign activities including rallies and media appearances that consumed the ensuing months. This temporal overlap empirically contributed to the postponement, as West's political endeavors—such as a chaotic rally on July 18—preempted finalization efforts, aligning with his history of external distractions compounding perfectionist tendencies. Subsequent delays into 2021 were exacerbated by personal upheavals, including escalating marital tensions with , culminating in her divorce filing on February 19, 2021, which influenced lyrical content but also disrupted workflow through legal and emotional strains. West's insistence on refining tracks—evident in his pattern of last-minute overhauls across prior releases—further extended the timeline, prioritizing artistic exactitude over deadlines despite label pressures. These factors underscore causal hurdles rooted in West's multifaceted pursuits rather than isolated production issues.

Recording and Production

Studio Process and Locations

Recording for Donda commenced in early 2021, with conducting intensive sessions at Island Sound Studios in , , where he reportedly worked 24-hour days in multiple booked recording booths. These initial efforts laid foundational tracks amid West's push for a gospel-influenced sound. By mid-June 2021, activity shifted toward Hawaii-based isolation similar to prior album productions, emphasizing extended creative immersion. Finalization occurred primarily within a makeshift studio inside Atlanta's starting July 2021, where West resided full-time in a confined, cell-like space to oversee production. He rented the venue exclusively, paying an estimated $1 million daily, facilitating marathon overnight sessions with engineers and collaborators. This setup enabled real-time refinements, including integration of live gospel choir elements from the , which provided layered vocal performances evoking traditions across multiple tracks. Production emphasized minimalistic beats built from and church samples, often starting with sparse organ, , and vocal loops before iterative layering. Mixing involved producer Mike Dean, who handled rough mixes and described the workflow as grueling, with West directing post-listening-event adjustments to maintain raw emotional delivery over polished finishes. Sessions prioritized unrefined demos to preserve authenticity, with stems prepared for interactive playback devices.

Key Collaborators and Features

The production of Donda was led by Kanye West in collaboration with engineers and producers including Mike Dean, who handled mixing and keys on several tracks, , (co-producing "Jail"), and BoogzDaBeast. Additional contributors encompassed , , and , focusing on beat construction and instrumentation across the album's 27 tracks. The , a gospel ensemble assembled by West, provided layered backing vocals on tracks such as " Lord" and "," emphasizing spiritual and choral elements integral to the album's thematic core. This group, drawn from West's personal circle, contributed to over a dozen songs, reinforcing the project's autobiographical and redemptive motifs. Featured artists were predominantly male rappers aligned with West's creative network, including delivering a verse on "Jail" (produced by and ), Travis Scott on "Ok Ok pt 2," and appearances by , , , and the late via archival vocals on "." This selection reflected West's emphasis on collaborations with established hip-hop figures from his professional history, with 22 of the 27 tracks incorporating guest verses or ad-libs from male contributors. During pre-release listening events, versions previewed included on an early iteration of "Ok Ok" and Marilyn Manson's guitar and vocals on "Believe What I Say," additions that highlighted West's evolving track refinements amid public scrutiny of the artists' backgrounds.

Iterative Song Refinements

The production of Donda featured iterative refinements to tracks, informed by real-time feedback from listening events and subsequent online reactions, allowing West to test and revise elements causally tied to audience and critic responses. Collaborators like Mike Dean described the events as experimental "tests," where crowd energy—observed directly during performances—and post-event reviews from peers and the internet prompted adjustments to mixes, features, and structures before the next iteration. This process spanned three major pre-release events: July 22, 2021, at in ; August 5, 2021, also at ; and August 26, 2021, at in . Changes were not arbitrary but responsive, such as enhancing vocal clarity or amplifying thematic resonance through added samples and verses. A key example is "Hurricane," which evolved across events to prioritize melodic cohesion and emotional layering. The July 22 version featured West's own hook amid gospel choir and orchestral backing, but by August 5, it incorporated The Weeknd's autotuned refrain in place of West's, paired with Lil Baby's verse, to streamline the hook's delivery. Further refinements included a sample in later playthroughs, heightening the track's introspective depth and production clarity while adapting from its denser precursor as "80 Degrees" on the unreleased Yandhi. Similar updates occurred elsewhere: Kid Cudi's contributions were added to "" (with ) and "Remote" (with ) for the August 5 event, absent previously; The LOX joined "Jesus Lord" with and Larry Hoover Jr.; and "" excised a specific lyrical reference to . These alterations demonstrated targeted causal decisions, removing or integrating elements to better align with the album's evolving sonic identity. The refinements contributed to an overall shift toward gospel-infused , with post-demo adjustments favoring sparse arrangements, prominent elements, and organ-heavy instrumentals over initial complexities—evident in "," where the August 5 iteration emphasized organs and subdued percussion for a more ethereal tone. West demoed extensive versions of tracks, trimming from broader experimentation to a coherent 27-song structure upon release on August 29, 2021, prioritizing thematic unity around and loss. This empirical loop of event-driven changes ensured refinements were grounded in observable reactions rather than isolated studio intuition.

Promotion and Pre-Release Events

Marketing Strategies

Kanye West's marketing for Donda relied on teasers and deliberate delays to cultivate scarcity and anticipation, transforming the album into a prolonged cultural spectacle rather than a standard product drop. West frequently posted incomplete track snippets and production updates on , leveraging his personal brand to amplify organic virality and fan speculation. This unfiltered, iterative approach, including public feuds and revisions shared online, sustained engagement across platforms, with the Yeezy x Gap collaboration alone generating $34.9 million in media impact value from its June 2021 announcement amid Donda's rollout. Central to the campaign was the $200 device, unveiled on August 25, 2021, as an interactive merchandise tie-in enabling fans to remix Donda tracks by manipulating vocals, drums, bass, and samples. The handheld gadget featured stem isolation, effects addition, lossless audio, looping, speed controls, and sharing capabilities, positioning it as a tool for deeper fan ownership and exclusivity. Bundled with the upon shipping, it appealed to dedicated supporters willing to invest in hardware for customized access, bypassing traditional streaming limitations. Synergies with West's Yeezy fashion ecosystem further extended the hype, incorporating apparel and accessory promotions that blurred and style boundaries. Collaborations like Yeezy x Gap yielded rapid sell-outs, such as the $200 recycled-nylon puffer jacket, while event-linked merchandise designed by contributed to multimillion-dollar sales spikes. These tie-ins harnessed West's cross-industry influence to drive experiential buzz, emphasizing limited availability to heighten perceived value and fan loyalty.

Listening Events Details

The pre-release listening events for Donda served as large-scale promotional unveilings, featuring previews of unfinished tracks to gauge audience response and facilitate real-time refinements. Held in major U.S. stadiums, these events drew significant crowds and incorporated elaborate stage designs, including replicas of Kanye West's childhood home from , to immerse attendees in personal narratives. The inaugural event occurred on July 22, 2021, at in , Georgia, attracting approximately 42,000 attendees who purchased tickets ranging from $20 to $100. The production featured a circular stage with an industrial set and a dome structure resembling a simplified home, where West resided on-site during final production sessions to incorporate feedback from the playback of incomplete songs. Attendees experienced snippets of tracks amid visual spectacles, with immediate post-event buzz focusing on the album's evolving state and West's commitment to on-the-spot adjustments. A second event followed on August 5, 2021, at the same venue, again selling out to around 40,000 fans and emphasizing iterative updates to the tracklist based on prior audience reactions. The stage setup retained thematic elements like the home replica, blending live previews with guest appearances to heighten engagement, as West sought direct input to refine the project's sound ahead of release. The final major listening event took place on August 26, 2021, at in , , drawing nearly 40,000 spectators with no or mask requirements enforced. The stage prominently featured a full recreation of West's childhood home on the field, complete with family members including ex-wife appearing in a symbolic wedding reenactment during the finale. Unfinished songs were performed, prompting additions like Marilyn Manson's vocals on "Jail pt 2," which were integrated following the live feedback loop. Across the three events, total attendance exceeded 100,000, underscoring their role as pivotal, experiential previews that directly influenced the album's final form.

Release Details

Launch and Initial Availability

Donda was released on August 29, 2021, through GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings, marking Kanye West's tenth studio album after several postponements tied to pre-release listening events. The rollout followed events at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 22 and Soldier Field in Chicago on August 26, during which West continued refining tracks, leading to final mix adjustments before the digital debut. Initial plans targeted July 23, with subsequent shifts to August 6 amid ongoing production tweaks. The standard edition comprised 27 tracks, available immediately via digital download and streaming on platforms including and . Certain guest features present in listening event versions, such as those by and , were omitted or altered in the initial release due to clearance and controversy-related issues, with placeholders or revisions implemented instead. Physical formats like and vinyl were absent at launch, with commercial availability delayed until February 2022. West publicly contested the timing, asserting Def Jam proceeded without full approval after his requested changes.

Post-Release Updates and Editions

On September 28, 2021, West released an updated version of Donda on streaming platforms, which included the complete removal of Chris Brown's feature from "," replacing it with West's own vocals supported by the . Additional modifications encompassed enhanced bass levels across tracks and the excision of KayCyy's contributions on select songs, such as alterations to vocal mixes. These changes reflected West's pattern of post-release refinements, similar to prior albums like The Life of Pablo. On November 14, 2021, West issued a deluxe edition of Donda, extending the tracklist from 27 to 32 songs through the addition of five new recordings: "Life of the Party" featuring , "Up From the Ashes," "Remote Control pt 2" with , "Never Abandon Your Family," and a reordered sequence that shifted most tracks except the opening "." This edition incorporated previously unreleased material debuted at listening events, maintaining the album's core structure while introducing expanded content. No substantive alterations to Donda's tracklist or production occurred from through October 2025, preserving the November 2021 deluxe as the definitive iteration available on major platforms. This stability contrasted with Donda 2, which underwent a format shift to streaming accessibility in April 2025 after years of exclusivity.

Stem Player Association

The , a $200 handheld device developed in collaboration with , was announced on August 25, 2021, during the promotional rollout of Ye's Donda, with which it shared an initial branding as the "Donda Stem Player." The hardware enables users to isolate, adjust volumes, loop, and apply effects to individual audio stems—such as vocals, drums, bass, and samples—via touch controls, and it comes pre-loaded with stems from Donda tracks to facilitate real-time customization. Promotional materials positioned the device as an interactive extension of the , allowing fans to remix and engage with its production elements beyond passive streaming playback. In practice, the Stem Player's association with Donda remained limited to its pre-loaded content and tie-in, as the device supports loading any compatible audio files from a user's phone for stem separation, rather than offering exclusive or deeply integrated features unique to the . from user reports and device specifications indicates that while Donda stems provided an entry point for interactivity, the hardware's core functionality operates independently of specific albums, with no mandatory or ongoing Donda-exclusive updates post-launch. figures, while not disaggregated solely for Donda-related purchases, reflect broader uptake within Ye's , with claims of over $1 million in revenue from initial units sold shortly after announcement, equivalent to approximately 5,000 devices at the $200 price point. Ye framed the Stem Player as a strategic alternative to traditional streaming platforms, emphasizing artist retention of revenue and creative control by directing sales directly to hardware rather than per-stream royalties, which he argued undervalued musicians. This approach aligned with his public criticisms of industry intermediaries, positioning the device as a tool for empowering direct fan-artist interaction amid Donda's iterative release process, though its tangible link to the album's final content proved supplementary rather than foundational.

Musical Composition

Production Techniques and Styles

Donda's production emphasizes minimalist arrangements, with beats often built around a foundational 808 kick drum and sparse percussion elements like claps or snares, creating vast sonic spaces that prioritize atmospheric depth over dense layering. Church organs provide sustained beds, evoking 1970s influences while juxtaposing warm tones against colder, echoing effects to underscore thematic duality. This approach draws from audio principles of , where reduced elements amplify emotional resonance, as evidenced by the album's average track length of approximately 3 to 5 minutes, allowing builds through vocal and choral swells rather than rapid rhythmic changes. Gospel sampling and live choir recordings form a core technique, with layered vocals from the Sunday Service collective processed to achieve an ethereal, hymn-like quality, often pitched and reverberated for stadium-scale immersion. is applied to Kanye West's lead vocals, distorting pitch for a detached, otherworldly reminiscent of his era but integrated with digital choir stacks over analog-inspired drums. These elements blend live instrumentation—such as organ and choral performances—with digital manipulation, avoiding heavy synthesis in favor of sampled soul loops from eras predating drum machines, which contribute to the album's raw, unpolished edge. In departure from prior works like the trap-heavy Yeezus (2013) or the eclectic, sample-flipped The Life of Pablo (2016), Donda shifts toward arena-rock expansiveness through mixing techniques optimized for large venues, employing reverb and delay to simulate live echo chambers and reduce trap hi-hat rolls in favor of sustained, reverberant tails. This evolution reflects causal priorities in production: prioritizing emotional scale via empirical spatial audio design over genre-conventional density, as West and collaborators like Mike Dean utilized tweaks for instrumental clarity in high-volume environments.

Lyrics and Thematic Elements

The lyrics of Donda primarily revolve around West's grief following the death of his mother, Donda West, on November 10, 2007, from complications arising from liposuction and breast reduction surgery, which he has linked causally to the pressures of his rising fame and relocation to Los Angeles. In a 2015 interview, West stated, "If I had never moved to L.A. she'd be alive," attributing her decision for the procedures to his success-induced lifestyle. This personal accountability frames the album's motifs of loss and redemption, with lyrics eschewing self-pity in favor of direct confrontation with familial and existential failures, as seen in pleas for reconciliation with his children and former spouse amid divorce strains. Faith emerges as a redemptive response to this causality, with invoking and prayers as mechanisms for renewal rather than abstract solace. Tracks like "Jesus Lord" detail life's hardships—drug impacts, incarceration risks, and maternal absence—culminating in affirmations of as a path to overcoming personal voids. Similarly, "Come to Life" opens with "My soul cries out / and I thank for saving me," blending gratitude for with regrets over ignored spousal concerns and a yearning for purification, positioning spiritual intervention as the antidote to relational breakdown. Interludes, such as "Donda Prayer," feature spoken pleas like "God, I know you're listening / Oh, I know you told me to tell you when I'm scared," underscoring a first-principles reliance on direct communion to dispel fear derived from . Critiques of fame's corrosive effects appear without indulgence in victimhood, emphasizing entrapment's self-inflicted nature. In "Jail," West raps, "Take what you want, take everything / Better that than an empty crib and a lonely kid," portraying success as a confining force that exacerbates isolation and paternal shortcomings, with positioned as the ultimate arbiter. Repetitive mantras reinforce these patterns, as in the opening "Donda Chant," where intones "Donda" over 50 times in varying cadences, creating a , ritualistic loop that mirrors obsessive and invites listener immersion in West's causal reckoning with loss. This structural choice prioritizes meditative repetition over linear storytelling, aligning with empirical uplift through gospel-derived persistence amid adversity. Family reconciliation threads through tracks like "Hurricane," where West implores, ", please watch over my family / Protect 'em from the enemy," framing redemption as grounded in tangible restoration rather than vague aspiration.

Track Listing

Standard Edition

The standard edition of Donda, released on August 29, 2021, contains 27 tracks totaling 61 minutes and 7 seconds. The sequence emphasizes an emotional arc from pain to praise, beginning with grief-laden reflections and culminating in redemptive elements. Key producers include (credited on every track), Mike Dean (co-production on multiple, including "Jail" and "Off the Grid"), and (on "Donda Chant" and "Junya").
No.TitleFeaturing artist(s)Length
1Donda Chant0:52
2Jail4:57
3God Breathed5:33
4Off the Grid, 5:39
5Hurricane, 4:03
6Praise God, 3:46
7Jonah, 3:41
8Ok Ok, Rooga, 3:25
9Junya2:27
10Believe What I Say4:02
11Every Hour1:52
12Remote Control3:17
13Come to LifeNone5:10
14No Child Left Behind2:58
15Held Me DownNone2:32
1624None3:04
17Moon, 2:36
18Heaven and HellNone3:18
19New Again3:07
20Tell the Vision1:46
21Lord I Need You2:41
22Pure Souls, 5:58
23Jesus Lord8:59
24Keep My Spirit Alive3:41
25Jesus Is Born1:43
26Never Abandon Your FamilyNone0:51
27DondaThe World Famous Tony Williams2:08

Deluxe Edition Additions

The deluxe edition of Donda was released on November 14, 2021, expanding the original 27-track album to 32 tracks with a runtime increase from approximately 101 minutes to 131 minutes. This version incorporated five new songs, including "Life of the Party" featuring André 3000, "Remote Control (Pt. 2)" with Young Thug and Kid Cudi, "Never Abandon Your Family," "Keep My Spirit Alive (Pt. 2)," and "Happy" featuring Future. These additions drew from tracks previewed during the album's listening events and exclusive content on the Donda Stem Player, which shipped in late October 2021. The release responded to sustained fan anticipation generated by the iterative listening events in Atlanta and Chicago, where alternate versions and unreleased material were performed, prompting demands for a more complete version without major overhauls to the core album. Unlike significant revisions seen in prior event iterations, the deluxe edition featured minimal remixing of existing tracks, primarily shuffling the sequence to integrate the new material while preserving the album's predominant gospel-infused production, auto-tuned vocals, and sample-heavy aesthetic. Empirically, the additions introduced greater stylistic variety through features emphasizing trap-influenced beats in "Happy" and extended introspective segments in "Life of the Party," yet maintained thematic continuity with motifs of , , and redemption central to the standard edition. No substantial alterations to or lyrical content in prior tracks were reported, ensuring the expansions served as supplementary rather than transformative elements.

Reception and Analysis

Critical Evaluations

Donda garnered mixed critical reception, with an aggregate score of 57 out of 100 on based on 28 reviews, indicating general reservations amid pockets of praise. Critics frequently highlighted the album's emotional intensity and personal vulnerability, particularly in tracks exploring grief over West's mother Donda West's death, such as "Come to Life," where West's raw vocal delivery and choir-backed production evoked spiritual catharsis. commended moments of "sly little harmonies and growled raps" that harkened back to West's more visceral past work, awarding an equivalent of 4 out of 5 stars for its sporadic brilliance amid chaos. Conversely, detractors emphasized structural flaws, including excessive length—clocking in at 27 tracks and over 100 minutes in its initial edition—and perceived lack of cohesion, with repetitive production loops and underdeveloped ideas dominating. rated it 6.0 out of 10, describing it as arriving "barely finished and with a lot of baggage," a "data dump of songs searching for a higher calling" featuring euphoric highs undermined by absent connective tissue. The Guardian critiqued the "half-baked ideas" and West's focus on self-pity over introspection, rating it 2 out of 5 stars for misfiring lyricism from a "diminished figure." User and fan evaluations diverged notably from professional consensus, often scoring higher—such as an approximate 8 out of 10 average on user annotations and 70+ out of 100 on Album of the Year—praising the unpolished authenticity as a deliberate rejection of mainstream polish, fostering replay value through its experimental sprawl and guest features. This gap underscores a broader disconnect, where critics attuned to institutional standards of refinement viewed the rawness as bloat, while enthusiasts valued it as emblematic of West's uncompromising vision. Some defenders argued the 's deliberate messiness mirrored West's personal turmoil, prioritizing experiential immersion over tidy artistry.

Accolades and Commercial Benchmarks

Donda debuted at number one on the chart, marking Kanye West's tenth chart-topping album and the largest first-week performance for any album in 2021 with 309,000 equivalent album units in the United States, including 272,000 streaming equivalent units from 357 million on-demand streams. This figure represented the biggest debut week for a hip-hop album that year, driven in part by sustained interest from pre-release listening events at venues like in and in , which generated over 100 million combined streams during the events themselves. The album achieved platinum certification from the RIAA on March 9, 2022, signifying over one million equivalent units sold or streamed in the U.S. Singles from Donda also garnered recognition, with "Hurricane" earning a Grammy for Best Melodic Rap Performance and "Jail" winning Best Rap Song at the in 2022, though the album itself received nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album without securing wins in those categories. These accomplishments underscored Donda's commercial dominance despite production delays and unconventional rollout strategies, as the project's streaming volume—bolstered by high-profile features and event hype—outpaced competitors like Olivia Rodrigo's Sour for the year's top debut.

Thematic and Artistic Interpretations

Donda has been interpreted as a raw Christian testimony, wherein West confronts personal and spiritual redemption amid secular temptations, extending the overt of his prior album into a more shadowed exploration of 's role in healing familial loss. The album's recurring motifs of divine intervention and maternal —evident in tracks like "" featuring archival audio of his late mother—position it as a liturgical processing of bereavement, prioritizing unfiltered emotional over polished coherence. This approach aligns with a causal view of grief resolution, where serves as the foundational mechanism for transcending trauma, rather than psychological abstraction or cultural platitudes, reflecting West's stated intent to honor Donda West's influence on his moral compass. Artistically, the work critiques secular excess through contrasts between gospel-infused and opulent production flourishes, such as stadium-sized choirs symbolizing communal against individualistic ; proponents argue this duality captures the therapeutic rawness of conversion's "messiness," where unresolved human flaws underscore reliance on grace rather than self-perfection. However, execution falters in representational gaps, notably the scarcity of female perspectives beyond sampled maternal elements, which critics attribute to an oversight diminishing the album's tribute to a pivotal , potentially reinforcing male-centric in hip-hop. Defenders counter that this omission preserves personal authenticity, centering West's singular voice in a confessional mode akin to biblical lament psalms, where intent prioritizes introspective testimony over inclusive optics. Retrospectively, Donda resonates enduringly within faith-oriented communities for its unvarnished portrayal of spiritual struggle as redemptive , fostering discussions on art's capacity to evangelize through rather than . Mainstream analytical , often shaped by institutional preferences for thematic balance, has largely dismissed its coherence, favoring critiques of structural sprawl over appreciation of its grief-driven , though this overlooks empirical patterns in West's oeuvre where raw intent yields cultural persistence despite formal imperfections.

Controversies

Collaborator Backlash

DaBaby's verse appears on the track "Jail, Pt. 2" from the deluxe edition of Donda, released on August 29, 2021, following his controversial remarks at the Rolling Loud Miami festival on July 25, 2021, where he made homophobic statements and spread misinformation about transmission, suggesting that individuals with the virus live only a short time and implying attendance only from those who did not engage in certain sexual practices. These comments led to widespread backlash, including canceled festival appearances and public condemnations from figures like and , though issued an initial apology that he later deleted from . Kanye West, who performs under the mononym Ye, included 's contribution despite the uproar and defended the decision in a November 2021 Drink Champs podcast interview, framing it as resistance to by stating, "they can't cancel us all," and positioning the collaboration as an act of solidarity with those facing public ostracism. Marilyn Manson provides vocals on "Jail, Pt. 2" and is interpolated on "Believe What I Say," amid multiple allegations of and leveled against him by over 15 women, including actress , beginning in early 2021; Manson has denied all claims, with his legal team describing them as fabricated, and as of 2025, several civil lawsuits remain ongoing without criminal convictions. Ye invited Manson to perform at the Donda listening event on August 26, 2021, and similarly justified the inclusion in the Drink Champs interview as a stand against perceived overreach in accountability measures, emphasizing themes of redemption through faith that align with the album's Christian motifs, while criticizing what he called "1984 mind-control" in cultural enforcement. Accusers, including one who sued Manson for , condemned Ye's choice as insensitive and profit-driven, but Ye maintained that unproven allegations should not preclude collaboration. Public backlash included social media campaigns and calls for removal of the features, but no formal petitions achieved significant traction or led to alterations in the album's tracklist, with both collaborators' contributions retained in the final release. Despite the disputes, Donda experienced no measurable sales downturn, debuting at number one on the with 309,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, marking Ye's tenth consecutive chart-topping album and setting streaming records.

Broader Cultural Debates

The inclusion of on the track "Jail" during Donda's listening events and final release sparked debates on , with Ye framing his decision as an act of Christian forgiveness and resistance to premature social ostracism absent legal guilt. Ye explicitly stated in a November 2021 appearance that he opposed "," viewing collaborations with accused figures like Manson as a counter to media-driven outrage that bypasses . This positioned Donda's rollout as emblematic of shifting cultural norms where artistic choices challenge moral panics, as analyzed in contemporaneous commentary on the album's "politics of shock." Empirically, Manson faced no criminal convictions from the allegations; in January 2025, prosecutors declined to file charges after a four-year investigation, citing statutes of limitations and insufficient provable elements, reinforcing presumptions of innocence until adjudication. Critics highlighted the album's gender imbalance in features—predominantly male artists such as , , and , with limited female presence like —as reflective of broader in Ye's work, though such selections align with the male-dominated dynamics of his creative and hip-hop networks. Defenders argued this stemmed from meritocratic choices prioritizing sonic and thematic compatibility over demographic quotas, consistent with Ye's of collaborating within trusted circles rather than engineered diversity. The paucity of female-led verses, amid Donda's introspective focus on family, loss, and redemption, fueled accusations of exclusionary artistry, yet empirical patterns in rap production show similar imbalances as genre norms rather than targeted animus. Donda's overt Christian motifs—gospel choirs, interludes, and dedications to amid personal turmoil—intersected with political discourse, where left-leaning outlets often portrayed Ye's expressions as erratic outbursts tied to his prior Trump support and presidential bid, overlooking the album's continuity with his post-2018 spiritual pivot via and Sunday Service. This framing, recurrent in media coverage, emphasized perceived instability over causal links between Ye's bipolar diagnosis disclosures and a deliberate theological arc emphasizing redemption and critique of secular moralism. Such interpretations reflect institutional biases in , prioritizing narrative coherence with progressive norms over Ye's consistent of biblical principles in public statements and album construction.

Commercial Success

Sales and Streaming Data

Donda accumulated 309,000 album-equivalent units in the United States during its first full tracking week ending September 2, 2021, marking the largest debut of the year up to that point per Luminate data reported by Billboard. Of this total, 272,000 units derived from streaming equivalent albums, equivalent to 357.4 million on-demand official streams, while pure album sales accounted for 37,000 units. Globally, the album generated over 520,000 equivalent units in its debut week, driven by 775 million streams across platforms. On , Donda recorded nearly 100 million global streams in its first 24 hours following the August 29, release, securing the second-highest debut day on the platform at the time. In the U.S., it also set a record with 60 million first-day streams on . The 's initial streaming surge aligned with promotional listening events, which preceded the official release and correlated with peak consumption metrics from industry trackers. Subsequent playlist placements sustained streaming activity beyond the debut, though specific longevity figures emphasize cumulative totals exceeding 1 billion streams by late .

Chart Achievements

_Donda debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart dated September 11, 2021, marking Kanye West's tenth consecutive number-one album and the largest opening week for any album that year up to that point. Internationally, the album reached number one on album charts in eleven countries, achieving first-time peaks in France, Italy, and Sweden, among others including Australia and the United Kingdom. Tracks from Donda produced 23 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Hurricane" debuting at number six and "Jail" at number ten, the highest positions among the album's singles.

Certifications and Longevity

In the United States, Donda was certified platinum by the (RIAA) on March 9, 2022, signifying one million album-equivalent units, including streams and track sales. This milestone was reached approximately seven months after the album's August 29, 2021, release, encompassing a mix of pure sales, track equivalents, and streaming activity under RIAA methodology. Internationally, Donda earned gold certification from the (BPI) for 100,000 units in the , awarded effective February 11, 2022. In , certified the album platinum on January 7, 2022, for 80,000 units, while Denmark's IFPI granted platinum status for 20,000 units; received gold for 25,000 units, and gold for 7,500 units. These certifications reflect combined physical sales, downloads, and streaming thresholds specific to each market's accrediting body. The album's sustained metrics highlight its longevity beyond initial rollout, with over 3.3 billion streams on alone as of October 2025, driven by ongoing listener engagement rather than promotional cycles. This accumulation persisted through 2024 and into 2025, including contributions from tracks like "Hurricane" and "Jail," indicating resilience in audience consumption metrics amid West's unrelated public controversies, where empirical data diverged from broader institutional critiques.

Cultural Impact

Immediate Influence

The Donda listening events, particularly the sold-out gatherings at in on August 5, 2021, established a model for experiential album launches by prioritizing immersive spectacles with architectural stage designs, live performer appearances, and real-time track iterations. These events attracted over 50,000 attendees each, generating $7 million in on-site merchandise sales from the second Atlanta show alone, marking the highest-grossing U.S. tour revenue derived solely from merch up to that point. This format influenced immediate industry shifts toward hybrid live-streamed previews, enhancing fan engagement and revenue streams beyond streaming, as evidenced by subsequent artist events mimicking the stadium-scale production. The album's August 29, 2021, release amplified Kanye's fusion of music and , with pre-release and delays driving a 347% spike in Yeezy footwear demand tracked in the weeks leading up to the drop. Yeezy-branded apparel, including hoodies integrated into Donda's visual narrative, achieved record single-item online sales volumes shortly after, underscoring how the project blurred artistic output with direct consumer product tie-ins. Donda's heavy incorporation of gospel elements in rap production, building on West's prior work, contributed to a short-term elevation of faith-infused hip-hop visibility, as the album debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Gospel Albums chart and sustained dominance there from release. This positioned it as a commercial anchor for the subgenre amid 2021's rap landscape, prompting discussions and stylistic echoes in peer outputs during the fall release cycle.

Legacy and Retrospective Views

In retrospective analyses, Donda has been credited with advancing emotional vulnerability in hip-hop by centering themes of personal and familial loss, diverging from the genre's longstanding emphasis on stoic bravado and street narratives predominant in traditions. The album's raw exploration of West's mourning for his mother, , who died in 2007, echoed his earlier shifts toward introspective lyricism but intensified through gospel-infused production and unfiltered pleas for redemption, positioning it as a to hardened personas that dominated and rap. This approach drew praise for humanizing hip-hop's emotional spectrum, though some critics argued it prioritized spectacle over substance. Critics have frequently highlighted the album's structural incoherence, describing its 27 tracks as a disjointed assemblage of unfinished ideas and repetitive motifs, released after multiple public revisions that underscored its improvisational chaos. Defenders, however, frame this as deliberate anti-corporate artistry, rejecting polished label-driven finality in favor of live, audience-influenced evolution during sold-out stadium listening events on August 26 and 29, 2021, at in and in . West's public disputes with Def Jam over unauthorized release claims further portrayed Donda as a against traditional industry gatekeeping. By 2025, Donda's commercial endurance—sustained by over 1.5 billion global streams and enduring playlist placements—has been viewed as validating West's subsequent pivot to independent distribution, serving as a precursor to 's exclusive February 23, 2022, launch via the $200 device, which enabled stem-separated remixing and bypassed streaming platforms like and . This model's viability, rooted in Donda's proven fan mobilization for experiential releases, demonstrated potential amid West's label fallout, influencing artist-led hardware integrations despite limited adoption. The album's integration of Christian motifs into mainstream rap has fueled discourse on faith-based music's challenge to secular industry norms, with its stadium events transforming venues into quasi-worship spaces that blended hip-hop spectacle and spiritual testimony, inspiring debates on gospel rap's cultural penetration beyond niche audiences. While some analyses critique its as superficial or performative, lacking doctrinal depth, others cite it as evidence of hip-hop's capacity to elevate redemptive narratives against prevailing materialistic themes, evidenced by citations in theological reviews of West's oeuvre as a bridge for evangelical expression in . This legacy persists in 2025 discussions, where Donda is referenced as amplifying faith-infused rap's viability, countering narratives of secular dominance through its chart-topping performance and thematic boldness.

Personnel

Core Production Credits

Donda was executive produced by Ye, with significant production contributions from Mike Dean, who also handled mastering. The album's mixing was performed by Irko at Heroic Recording Studios in . Recording engineers included Alejandro Rodriguez-Dawsøn, who captured sessions featuring artists such as and , alongside Josh Berg and Mikalai Bodokhlebau. Additional engineering support came from Will Chason and others during the album's extended production period from November 2019 to August 2021. Donda features a wide array of guest vocalists and performers across its tracks, including prominent rappers and family members. delivers a verse on "Jail," reflecting on themes of incarceration and redemption. contributes ad-libs and vocals to "," enhancing the track's gospel-rap fusion. provides a drill-influenced verse on "Off the Grid," drawing from his New York roots. Other notable appearances include , who performed during listening events tied to tracks like "Jail pt. 2" variants, and , whose processed vocals appear on "Believe What I Say." joins and on "New Again," offering soulful harmonies. The Sunday Service Choir supplies background vocals and choral arrangements on multiple tracks, including "24" and "Heaven and Hell," amplifying the album's spiritual elements. Kanye West's daughter North West performs childlike vocals on "No Child Left Behind," adding a personal familial touch.

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