KANYE WEST
2021 HIP-HOP/GOSPEL/SOUL
Donda is the tenth studio album by the self proclaimed most impactful artist of a generation, and he’s probably right, Mr. Kanye West. There’s a lot to talk about before you even get to the music when it comes to Kanye these days, the delays, the drama, the divorce, the list goes on. I question what the point is of reviewing a record like this, in fact, I know there is little point. Most people will listen to it regardless of the reception or any analysis. The reactions will be all over the place, the ye stans, the clickbait bashers, the people who will give a positive review because it’s Mr. West and vice versa, no one is impartial. My opinion of the legend is ever shifting, love College Dropout, dislike 808, hate Yeezus, like ye, laughed at Jesus is King; you never know what Kayne is going to give you, no matter how down on him I am, I always listen.
Donda is okay, bloated to be sure, at an hour and forty-eight minutes it’s a stumbling abomination. That being said you can shorten its run time by stopping your experience when the tracks start to have “pt 2” in their names, they are just recuts and largely a waste of time. Particularly Jail pt 2’s guest rap verse which is embarrassingly bad. There are some great tracks, certainly not killers that rank in my favorites but great nonetheless. Jail with its vocals with loads of effects and knockout chorus “GUESS WHO’S GOING TO JAIL TONIGHT”, terrific. The beautiful vocal samples on Praise God and Jesus Lord. Then there’s obnoxious stuff like Off the Grid and Junya. But yeah, I’m not reviewing this, just a brief discussion. I’d give it a five or six outta ten, it’s such a slog to get through. I’m sure there’s some tracks on the back that are better than I am giving them credit for but by the time I got there I couldn’t be made to give a shit. My fault or Donda’s whos to say. I wish ye’s work was simply about the art but it’s not. Every other day there is a new article, a new idiotic rumor, a new absurd, and often negative, happening surrounding his public persona. Some his doing, others not, but beneath all the bullshit Kayne is still a genius. Irrespective of this half a page digression, you should listen to Donda.