Donda 2
Donda 2 is a demo album by the American rapper Kanye West. Although unfinished, it was exclusively released on the Stem Player, with four songs made available on February 23, 2022, and additional songs later included in updates, the first of which were added the following day. West began the recording and production of the album in early January 2022, continuing into the next month. It was preceded by the singles "Eazy" and "City of Gods", released in January and February 2022 respectively—both of which peaked within the top 50 of the US Billboard Hot 100.
Donda 2
February 23, 2022[a]
January–February 2022
- Soho Warehouse (Los Angeles)[3]
- House of Hits (Miami)[4]
47:22
- Kanye West
- Aaron Paris
- Digital Nas
- ATL Jacob
- AyoAA
- Beach House
- Big Duke
- BoogzDaBeast
- Bordeaux
- Budd Dwyer
- Cash Jones
- Cvre
- Dem Jointz
- DJ Premier
- FnZ
- Gavin Hadley
- Hemz
- Hit-Boy
- Jahaan Sweet
- John Cunningham
- JW Lucas
- Kid Krono
- Leonardo Dessi
- Lil Mav
- Luca Polizzi
- Mike Dean
- Non Native
- Ojivolta
- Sean Leon
- Scoop
- Scott Bridgeway
- The Chainsmokers
- Theophilus London
- Tom Levesque
- Tommy Rush
- Tweek Tune
- Twisco
- Wheezy
West held "Kanye West: Donda Experience Performance", an accompanying listening party at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida on February 22, 2022, selling out 47 IMAX theaters across the United States. The event, plagued by numerous technical failures, found audiences paying regard to the album's drastically unfinished state as it were to release the following day.[5] The "V2.22.22 Miami"[6] version of the album was widely panned by music critics, who criticized its subject matter, song structures, and lack of identifiable concept; some were more negative towards West's vocals and lyricism, though a few critics complimented certain elements of the production. Much of West's lyrics on the album are unintelligible. Due to its exclusive Stem Player release, the album was heavily pirated through emulators of the device shared online, leading its circulation on numerous file hosting services. Billboard deemed the album ineligible for its albums charts citing precedented "bundling" rules; the album failed to reach any known record charts of the world either.
Although there was expectation that the album would be updated and completed, the project saw no major updates throughout the remainder of 2022. In light of West's series of antisemitic statements later that year, the Stem Player's parent company Kano Computing dissociated with West and discontinued the original Stem Player.[7] As a result, the album is only available to those who have purchased the original version of Stem Player, released by Yeezy Tech and Kano. Numerous songs from the album in a further state of completeness have since surfaced online through leaks, while others have been reworked and released by other artists.[8] Despite being named West's eleventh album upon release, it has been retroactively downgraded as a demo album.
Background and recording[edit]
In an interview with Complex on January 3, 2022, Victor Victor Worldwide CEO Steven Victor exclusively told the website that West had begun working on a sequel to his tenth studio album Donda (2021), entitled Donda 2.[9] Victor later told the magazine that it is "coming sooner than you think", explaining: "The procession is starting and it's not stopping."[10] On January 27, 2022, West captioned an Instagram photo of his childhood home in flames with a date of February 22 along with the title Donda 2, also mentioning fellow rapper Future will serve the role of executive producer.[11][12] He had worked with Future in the past, featuring on his single "I Won" (2014).[12] Most publications took this as an announcement of the album's release date,[13][14] though it went unreleased on the date.[15] Producer BoogzDaBeast revealed that even though hundreds of songs were recorded during the sessions for the first Donda album, the tracks recorded for Donda 2 were all new songs made after the announcement of the Donda 2 listening event.[16]
Producer Digital Nas revealed that for Donda 2, West instructed him to make the songs sound "more monk-like" and to "simplify the tracks", and if they are "not able to be played at a funeral, childbirth, graduation, a wedding", then inclusion on the album is not appropriate.[17] In late January 2022, the producer stated that singer Marilyn Manson was recording for Donda 2 daily in the studio. Marilyn Manson had previously contributed to Donda and for the sequel, Digital Nas opened up that West does not want the singer to "play rap beats", desiring for him "to play what he makes" and then West would work on parts of his work.[18] Digital Nas compared the creative process to that of West's sixth studio album Yeezus (2013), also saying that some of the producers who contributed to the album were working on Donda 2.[18]
On February 17, 2022, West announced that Donda 2 will not be available on any commercial streaming services and will be exclusive to his Stem Player audio device, priced at US$200, which was previously released with Donda.[13] He explained that his motive is how artists "get just 12% of the money the industry makes" when their music is available on the platforms, calling for a time for freedom from "this oppressive system".[13] According to West, he made around $2.2 million from purchases of the Stem Player within 24 hours of the announcement, having sold over 8,000 copies.[19] However, West making the album only available on the device led to criticism from his fans.[20] As a result of the rapper's decision, Apple reportedly pulled their $2 million sponsorship deal with him, as they were scheduled to stream the accompanying concert.[21] In a series of Instagram posts, West declared that he had turned down a $100 million deal with the company.[22] The first batch of songs that were played at the Miami listening event on February 22, 2022–which were added to the device on February 24–contained half-mumbled reference tracks and incomplete songs; West continued finishing the album during February. The co-inventor of the Stem Player tweeted that official Donda 2 songs are available and always updated via the device, adding that "anywhere else, you're not getting the vision or the latest versions", insinuating that West plans to update the album as he had done previously with The Life of Pablo and Donda in 2016 and 2021, respectively.[23][24]
Music and themes[edit]
Donda 2 is a hip hop album.[25] The album was described in multiple reviews as seeming unfinished, with Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork viewing it as a "undercooked" album posing as an "ever-changing art piece" that may remain incomplete.[26] A production style that incorporates "see-sawing synth patterns" was observed by The Guardian journalist Alexis Petridis in his review of the album, who also commented that there is a lack of focus, seeing certain songs as resembling demos.[27] According to HipHopDX writer Matthew Ritchie, large stretches of the production demonstrate West's "attention to detail" that creates a background for songs.[28]
West delves into relationship problems between himself and Kim Kardashian on Donda 2, particularly discussing their divorce.[29][30][31] Thematically, this topic drew comparisons to West's fourth studio album 808s & Heartbreak (2008) from numerous writers.[29][30][32] He goes into detail about the divorce, focusing on his many emotions and insecurities.[28] West directs insults towards comedian Pete Davidson, who became Kardashian's new partner.[27][31] West also addresses his family's concerns, disregarding them.[28] The rapper conveys a bitter and self-pitying outlook, seeking the sympathy of others, while showing a lack of both happiness and empathy.[27][29][32]
Commercial performance[edit]
Donda 2 was not eligible for entry on the Billboard charts, such as the Billboard 200, since "it is not available apart from the purchase of one of [West's] $200-plus Stem Player devices." Billboard asserted on March 4, 2022, that attaching a new album to a physical device counts as "bundling"—a practice the organization deemed invalid in 2020 and implemented a rule to disregard such tactics from being counted as record sales. West celebrated the album's expulsion from the charts via his Instagram account, writing "Big win for the kid. We can no longer be counted or judged. We make my own systems. We set our own value aaaand [sic] yesterday's price is not todays price baaaaabeeeee [sic] !!!!!".
Stem Player sales within the first 24 hours of the album's release have been estimated at around 11,000 units, which would place the album's gross revenue at $2.2 million.[70] Ye claimed that the total revenue for the album within the first 24 hours amounted to $1.3 million.[71] Variety journalist Chris Willman reported that West has sold 39,500 Stem Players as of February 18, 2022, according to the rapper's claims. Willman noted that the player has been available since October 2021.[72]