(Ed. note: I’ve decided to use a recent image Kanye uploaded to his Instagram page instead, because the album cover is still just a solid Black box.)
I’ve said everything I needed to say about Kanye West‘s DONDA, from its multiple incarnations (like 2016’s The Life Of Pablo, West has been quietly tinkering with and updating the project throughout its current shelf life) to his rather cumbersome (and, at times, somewhat troubling and controversial) stadium performances, so there is no need to rehash that. But it is a bit surprising (if not entirely shocking, given the trend over the past few years) to see West offer up a deluxe edition of the album with some of the tracks fans initially thought would remain vaulted (or, in one case, bootlegged. More on that later).
The deluxe of DONDA now balloons the rather lengthy album to a massive two hours, and it now contains five previously unreleased and alternate versions of tracks, including “Up From The Ashes,” “Never Abandon Your Family,” “Remote Control 2” with Young Thug and a new feature from Kid Cudi, and — perhaps most interesting — “Life Of The Party” featuring André 3000. That song was infamously leaked by West’s longtime rival Drake during an episode of OVO Sound’s Sound 42 show back in September, which led 3 Stacks himself to speak on the matter.
Meanwhile West was recently joined by longtime Drake advocate and mentor J. Prince in an Instagram video, asking to squash their beef and come together onstage in Los Angeles for a December 7 benefit concert to support freeing Larry Hoover. Whether it actually happens remains to be seen.
Either way, listen to the deluxe of DONDA — should you decide to — below.
