Nov. 23, 2021
By Gabe Gomez
Staff Writer
Kanye West released his 10th studio album titled “Donda” on Aug. 29. West dedicated this album to his mother Donda West, who died on Nov. 10, 2007 due to heart failure. In addition to naming the album after her, he also titled two of the tracks, “Donda” and “Donda Chant,” in her honor.
Although this album is truly a work of art, the cover is underwhelming because it is just plain black and reflects no creativity. It is rumored that Universal Music Group released the album without West’s permission, which might explain the cover.
When “Donda” was released, West posted this message on Instagram: “UNIVERSAL PUT MY ALBUM OUT WITHOUT MY APPROVAL AND THEY BLOCKED ‘JAIL 2’ FROM BEING ON THE ALBUM.” “Jail 2” is a track that was added to the album the following day once the controversy between Universal Music Group and Interscope Records was resolved.
While the cover is disappointing, the fusion of hip-hop and gospel—exemplified by the songs “Lord I Need You” and “Praise God”—definitely make up for it.
“Hurricane” and “Moon” are the standout tracks on this album. They are spectacular from start to finish, in part because of the artists who are featured. “Hurricane” transitions nicely between The Weeknd singing, Lil Baby rapping and West combining all the elements.
In the beginning of “Hurricane,” The Weeknd makes a Biblical reference to Jesus walking on water without drowning, singing, “I can walk on water… Father hold me close, don’t let me drown.”
“Moon” also has an amazing singing verse by Kid Cudi, which leads into Don Toliver rapping for the duration of the song. Throughout the entirety of “Moon,” West repeats, “I wanna go to the moon” because he recognizes the moon as a symbol of healing and comfort.
“Hurricane” and “Moon” are the standout tracks on this album. They are spectacular from start to finish, in part because of the artists who are featured.
“Donda” has its hits as well as its misses. Two songs that the album could do without are “God Breathed” and “Tell the Vision.” These tracks simply don’t make the cut because they clash with West’s style and don’t fit with the other songs on the album. “God Breathed” is repetitive and doesn’t work with the overall dynamic of the album. “Tell the Vision” just doesn’t sound professional because of its lack of bass and distorted beat. “Tell the Vision” has a listless quality that clashes with the upbeat sound that characterizes the rest of the album.
Most of the features on “Donda” are exceptional. Some notable features include Don Toliver, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Baby, Lil Yacthty, The Weeknd and Travis Scott. West couldn’t have produced this album without these artists. Lil Yachty definitely had the best feature on the album because in “Ok Ok,” he pays tribute to rapper Juice WRLD, who tragically passed away at the end of 2019.
West created this album to honor his mother and celebrate her life. He undoubtedly achieved that goal by creating a fantastic album and proving that 10 albums later, he is still a lyrical genius.
