Donda (sometimes stylized in all caps) is the upcoming tenth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. Named after West's late mother, it is scheduled to be released on August 6, 2021, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. The album was initially set to be released on July 24, 2020, but was later delayed indefinitely. Multiple sources, including Def Jam, announced a July 23, 2021 release date, which was not confirmed by West; the album remained unreleased on that date.[1][2][3][4]
Donda | ||||
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Studio album by Kanye West | ||||
Released | August 6, 2021 | |||
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Background and marketing
![](http://wikiimg.tojsiabtv.com/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/94/Kanye_West_is_using_an_adaptation_of_a_red_Louise_Bourgeois_drawing_from_her_series_Les_t%C3%AAtes_bleues_et_les_femmes_rouges_for_the_cover_of_DONDA.jpeg/247px-Kanye_West_is_using_an_adaptation_of_a_red_Louise_Bourgeois_drawing_from_her_series_Les_t%C3%AAtes_bleues_et_les_femmes_rouges_for_the_cover_of_DONDA.jpeg)
![](http://wikiimg.tojsiabtv.com/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9b/Kanye_West_-_Donda_With_Child.png/250px-Kanye_West_-_Donda_With_Child.png)
Cinematographer Arthur Jafa prematurely revealed the project in a conversation with fashion designer Michèle Lamy during an Instagram Live stream on May 25, 2020. Jafa indicated that he was working on video material with West for a single from a "forthcoming album" titled God's Country.[5] On June 26, 2020, following the announcement of a collaboration between West's fashion company Yeezy and clothing retailer Gap, West launched the #WestDayEver promotional campaign on Twitter to announce different projects throughout the day. One of the projects was a music video for "Wash Us in the Blood", directed by Jafa, which was released four days later following a teaser on Twitter in which West officially announced the album, at that point still titled God's Country.[6][7] On July 13, West shared a snippet on Twitter of a song from the album, titled "Donda", which featured a spoken word introduction by his late mother and was accompanied by a short video featuring assorted clips of West, among others.
On July 18, West announced the title had been changed to Donda in honor of his late mother, Donda West; three days later, West stated the album would be accompanied by a film. West's mother is also the namesake of his creative content company. West announced a July 24 release date, which he eventually missed. On July 25, 2020, West tweeted an image of the album cover,[8] which was eventually scrapped in favor of an adaption of a red Louise Bourgeois drawing from her series Les têtes bleues et les femmes rouges, which translates as The Blue Heads and the Red Women.[9] On September 26, West released a 39-second snippet of a track titled "Believe What I Say" on his Twitter account. On October 16, West released a song titled "Nah Nah Nah", calling it his presidential campaign's theme song. On November 13, West released a remix of "Nah Nah Nah" featuring rappers DaBaby and 2 Chainz; notably, the verses were censored, presumably due to West's stated aversion to profanity following his recommitment to Christianity. Both the original song and its remix feature various references to his presidential run. On November 23, rapper Consequence expressed enthusiasm about the album, describing it as "fire".[10]
On March 7, 2021, Cyhi the Prynce stated in an interview with VladTV that West had once again begun working on his upcoming album amid his divorce with Kim Kardashian.[11] On July 17, Consequence posted a video of West in the studio with Tyler, the Creator on Instagram. The caption of the post suggested a late 2021 album release.[12]
On July 19, 2021, Pusha T announced on Instagram that West would be holding a listening event for the album on July 22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.[13] The following day Beats Electronics premiered a commercial during game six of the 2021 NBA Finals featuring athlete Sha'Carri Richardson, edited and scored by West using the track "No Child Left Behind". French musician Gesaffelstein later stated that he produced the song, which featured Cory Henry on organ. Immediately following the commercial's debut, Def Jam Recordings confirmed the album's July 23 release date and revealed that the listening event in Atlanta would be globally live-streamed on Apple Music.[14]
Recording
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.[15] That same month, American rapper Pusha T stated in a Discord interview that he had been recording with West recently.[16] Pusha T was planning to meet with West on March 16, 2020, to finish up a project, but cited "flights slowing down" due to COVID travel restrictions as the reason for a delay.[16]
Following the July 22 listening party at Mercedes-Benz Stadium West had reportedly taken up temporary residence in one of the stadium's locker-room faculties converting it in to a recording studio to finish the recording and mixing process with frequent collaborator Mike Dean. Videos and photos posted to social media also showed featured artists Playboi Carti and 2 Chainz recording vocals in the locker-room a day before the listening party. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23][24][25][26]
References
- ^ "Kanye West's 'Donda' album to be released on Friday, new song previewed in Beats advertisement". NME. July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West to Release Donda This Friday". Spin. July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- ^ Flam, Charna (July 19, 2021). "Kanye West's 'Donda' album release hyped after secret listening party". New York Post. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West's 'Donda' album to be released on Friday, new song previewed in Beats advertisement". NME. July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ GQ staff (May 25, 2020). "Kanye West Is Working On A New Album Titled 'God's Country'". GQ Australia. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
- ^ West, Kanye [@kanyewest] (June 26, 2020). "#WestDayEver announcement" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ West, Kanye [@kanyewest] (June 29, 2020). "KANYE WEST ARTHUR JAFA PROJECT 02 WASH US IN THE BLOOD FROM THE FORTHCOMING ALBUM GOD'S COUNTRY TODAY STILL #WESTDAYEVER" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ ye [@kanyewest] (July 25, 2020). "DONDA ALBM CVR t.co/Wb9Ql1mSri" (Tweet) (in Haitian Creole). Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ [1] 2021 Album Cover Arts
- ^ Marie, Erika (November 23, 2020). "Consequence Calls Kanye West's "Donda" Album "Fire": "We're Gonna Score"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ "Kanye West Reportedly Working 'Donda' Album Again". Hypebeast. March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
- ^ "Consequence on Instagram". July 17, 2021 – via Instagram.
- ^ King Push [@PUSHA_T] (July 19, 2021). "😇 t.co/tduu5rQTaS" (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Nast, Condé (July 20, 2021). "Kanye West Releasing New Album Donda This Week, Previews New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
- ^ Christina Binkley (March 25, 2020). "The Creation and the Myth of Kanye West". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on March 26, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Trace William Cowen (March 24, 2020). "Pusha-T Talks Working on 3 New Projects, Collabing With Madlib, and More in Discord AMA". Complex. Archived from the original on March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- ^ "KANYE WEST LIVING IN MB STADIUM ...To Finish 'DONDA' Album!!!". tmz.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ 2 Chainz & Kanye recording in the stadium. discord.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ Mike Dean & Kanye at the stadium recording. youtube.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West and Playboi Carti recording in the stadium per Ye's Instagram". instagram.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "We Still Don't Know What's on Kanye's Mind". rollingstone.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "'This is a full-circle moment': inside Kanye West's Donda listening party". theguardian.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "'2 CHAINZ SEEN RECORDING MUSIC FOR KANYE AT MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM". worldwideentertainmenttv.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West Is Reportedly Living In The Stadium Where His 'Donda' Livestream Took Place". junkee.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West Partially Shares "DONDA" Tracklist". hotnewhiphop.com. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
- ^ "Kanye West teases 'Donda' tracklist". revolt.tv. Retrieved July 26, 2021.