Kanye West's "Donda" Do-Over
Just two weeks after the disastrous debut of his tenth studio album, the Chicago rapper attempts another livestream.
VANCOUVER – For a brief moment, as he ascended above Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium, it seemed Kanye West was more than human. In just two weeks he managed to perform a feat of creative alchemy, transforming his unlistenable tenth studio album, Donda, into a set of serviceable songs, which he then presented in another livestream performance. It’s the sort of do-over public figures fantasize about in private but rarely attempt. Kanye West, however, is not your average public figure.
While his second kick at the can was unquestionably better than the first, Kanye’s Donda do-over was by no means good. The Chicago rapper set the bar low and managed to clear it. And even then, only sort of. As of writing, the album still isn’t available to stream or purchase.
Even if it was, little of what was shared is worth revisiting. Despite surrounding himself with some of the most talented musical minds in the world, West’s latest effort still feels like a well-produced demo. Songs meander and overstay their welcome, implying big moments that rarely materialize. Frequently, West buries strong beats beneath cringe-y bars like “If I hit you with a ‘W-Y-D?’/You better not hit me with a ‘H-E-Y’” and “Guess who's goin' to jail tonight? God gon’ post my bail tonight.” Even the guest features, a highlight of the first stream, feel more bland this time around. Of the 22 tracks supposedly included in the final version, about five sounded interesting enough to explore further: Moon, Pure Souls, Never Abandon Your Family, Lord I Need You, and 24.
Part of the problem is that Donda picks up where Jesus Is King left off. West and his team fuse trap and gospel in a way that could be interesting, but instead feels tired. At his best, Kanye’s has an ability to take broad human themes – love, sex, power, death – and make them feel deeply personal. That perspective is largely absent from Donda, replaced instead with West’s kumbaya-approach to Christianity. The few songs that explore something more substantive – his divorce, his mother’s death, his problems with drug and alcohol – are unfortunately few and far between.
As a result, the most captivating part of the second livestream was the performance itself. Where night one felt scattershot and slapped together, night two was more in line with what we’ve come to expect from Mr. West. There was the Demna Gvasalia BDSM drip, the monastic set design, and the gargantuan gesticulations, including a gridiron workout routine. There were also, notably, other people on the stage, suggesting Kanye West and his team read Human Pursuits and agreed the iconoclastic rapper could use some company out there.
At the same time, these improvements do not signal some grand design. West’s most ardent fans have suggested he’s playing 5D chess – that the first stream flopped on purpose to play with the public’s expectations. A more likely explanation is that Kanye West, the embodiment of ego, saw the feedback and decided to win back the public’s affection. He approached My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in a similar fashion. But where that album remains a laser focused masterpiece, Donda feels more like a footnote. A spectacle that’s already starting to lose its lustre.
That said, it’s hard not to root for Kanye West. Problematic as he may be – and really, he is incredibly problematic – he remains capable of inspiring others (granted with a lot of outside help and money). Though not perfect, Donda’s protracted, sloppy rollout is a parable for the creative spirit, a reminder that the process – editing, embellishing, revising – is sometimes more interesting than the finished product. In deciding to give it another shot, Kanye West defied convention, expectation and even gravity. It’s not a full blown resurrection by any means, but it’s a start.
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