Stream Kanye West’s Long-Awaited Studio Album ‘Donda’
Written by SOURCE on August 29, 2021
Kanye West’s Donda album is finally here.
The star-studded album boasts numerous features throughout the versions, including Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, Pusha-T, The Weeknd, Fivio Foreign, Lil Yachty, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Baby Keem, Young Thug, Vory, Kaycyy, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, 070 Shake, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, Jay Electronica, Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Styles P., Larry Hoover, Jr., Jhe Rooga, Pop Smoke, Francis and the Lights, Sunday Service Choir, Don Toliver, and Lil Baby.
The much-anticipated Donda hit streaming services at about 8 a.m. on Aug. 29, nearly two years after the drop of ’Ye’s last effort, Jesus Is King. Kanye began teasing his 10th solo album shortly after that release, claiming its follow-up would serve as the gospel record’s sequel. Since then, the studio full-length underwent a number of delays and a handful of title changes, going from Jesus Is King II to God’s Country to Donda: With Child to, finally, Donda.
The album’s title paid homage to Kanye’s mother, Donda West, who died at age 58 in 2007. Donda is also the name of Kanye’s creative content company he launched in 2012.
Word of Donda’s official release was reignited back in July, after West hosted a listening party in Las Vegas. Although it seemed like an album drop was quickly approaching, fans didn’t get an actual release date until Game 6 of the NBA Finals. During the broadcast, Beats by Dre unveiled an ad featuring American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson as well as a snippet of Yeezy’s never-before-heard cut “No Child Left Behind.”
He went on to host another listening party on July 22 at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. It was reported that Donda would drop immediately after the event; however, Kanye scrapped the release date so he could rework the album while residing inside the stadium. He presented another listening event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 5—the same night Beats by Dre debuted a second commercial starring Richardson. The ad was soundtracked by Kanye’s song “Glory”, featuring Dr. Dre.
The first sold-out listening party saw Kanye reveal the album’s all-star features, which included by Jay-Z, Pop Smoke, Lil Baby, Pusha-T, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Lil Durk, and others. Kanye’s first Donda listening event also broke an Apple Music Global Livestream record by getting 3.3 million viewers. Billboard also reported that the ATL events racked between $1.5 million and $2.7 million each for Kanye; that’s on top of the reported $7 million generated from in-person merch sales.
