UPDATE 3:55 p.m. EDT: Kanye has taken to Instagram to declare that Universal released this album this morning without his approval, writing: “Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album.” Stream at you own risk.
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This is not a drill: Kanye West’s new album Donda is out now, hitting Spotify this morning (August 29) and other streaming platforms at 8 a.m. EDT. The sudden drop comes after a string of high-profile, stadium-filled listening parties — including a wild one in Chicago a few days ago that saw Kanye set himself on fire, faux re-marry Kim Kardashian, and trot out Marilyn Manson and DaBaby — as well as endless speculation about just when, exactly, the rapper and producer’s 10th studio album would see the light of day.
Released through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings, Donda hits more than a year after its original targeted release of July 2020. The album is named in honor of West’s late mother, Donda West, who passed away in 2007, and also shares its moniker with a creative content company he launched in 2012.
Donda features 27 songs, a massive list of features (Kid Cudi, Jay-Z, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and about two dozen others), and clocks in at nearly two hours, taking us on this gray Sunday morning in New England to our brunch plans with new music in hand, heart, and playlist.
Fire it up below, and check the in-real-time reaction on Twitter.
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