Bull Shannon
Well-Known Member
This album is the work of a genius: shapeless and hook-free, yet repetitive; overstuffed, yet entirely lacking in substance. Truly an artistic feat.
Kanye
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so basically i was right about it being TLOP pt 2
i mean i like the album... but legit you have to remove like 14 songs to get the fantastic album that is here... because a song like no child left behind, come to life, jail, jesus lord, and jonah would have been on a fantastic album and had made JIK more tolerable
Bluecloud777
Well-Known Member
I've listened to "Donda" twice so far. Having not listened to any of the songs during the listening sessions before, I think it's too long and some parts are redundant. However, there are also some great tracks on it. My favorites upon first listens are "Off the Grid", "Hurricane", "Believe what I say", "Remote control", "Jesus Lord" and "Pure Souls". Definitely a good album to listen to many times, lots to discover.
BoilerRhapsody
Active Member
Similar thoughts here, Jail and Praise God really up there too.
I don't think theres been this positive of an initial reception to a Kanye album in a long time right? I've only been following Kanye's releases closely since just after TLOP and unless you're counting KSG it feels rare to see outright praise for a brand new Kanye release. I know Yeezus was extremely divisive too.
I don't dislike any of his projects and this is another one for the history books for sure.
I still feel yeezus was masterful specifically as a response to antithesis of 808s and heartbreak.. they are both pretty minimalist, but where 808s was soft, vulnerable, had a major focus on a singular experience and theme, and portrayed Kanye as a truly hurting figure that needed to vent his grief.
Yeezus said "oh you thought that was a disappointment and weird, how about the exact opposite".. so it was abrasive, vulgar, cohesion was only there in that there was basically no transitions, and focused on a trashy and erratic Kanye who lived on the id of his pain
Jdiddlydawg
Active Member
Nah Donda is great. I think the length is the main flaw, but it's also refreshing after the last few records had so many tracks removed. I think the religious lyrics have improved from JIK and it captures Kanye at an interesting point in his life. Best tracks are Off the Grid, Hurricane, Believe What I Say, 24, Moon, Pure Souls, No Child Left Behind, Junya pt 2, Jesus Lord pt 2, and the Thugger verse on Remote Control
Jonathan Y
Well-Known Member
2018: why the hell is Kanye making these short ass albums wtf
2021: yo wtf why is this thing almost as long as To Pimp a Butterfly?!?!? Ewww
lol all jokes aside this shit has 8 songs that are 10/10 and a bunch of 7s and 8s! I love it! So many good songs to throw into playlists!! Is there a focused theme or plot? Nahh but it's Kanye not Kendrick. Kendrick will drop this year for anyone expecting a rising climax, climax, falling climax, and resolution lol
I had to listen to it in chunks because too long lol.
Kinda feel like that he couldn't make up his mind on what to keep on this album and decided to just keep it all. Where as he's ok with scrapping entire albums sometimes - i don't know. Those part 2s are a great example. It's almost like he couldn't decide who's verses to keep and cut so he put them all in.
I did have time to listen and I do like stuff from it but I might just make my own truncated version to listen to so It's easier to digest.
What do you think about the finished version of "Hurricane" vs the old version?
Jonathan Y
Well-Known Member
I love the finished version more!!
I prefer Weekend > falsetto Kanye too but I miss his old verse and production of the old one. But I get why he changed it.
Melt Face Molly Drop
Well-Known Member
Definitely a bit overlong but nothing really feels forced here. It's a slow burn Kanye album which is the kind of artist he is now. People think he's in your face but I think the reclusive part of his personality is showing here more than any other album.
gaporter
Well-Known Member
I got to Hurricane and turned it off, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but I just didn't feel prepared to absorb it all in one sitting. My favorite of the five tracks I heard was probably God Breathed. I'll pick it back up at some point but it just feels exhausting thinking about trying to tackle 108 minutes of Kanye all at once lol
Why did p4k decide to pick off the grid as the song to review (with no BNM because look they weren't going to do that with Kanyes current antics)
It was one of the of worst songs in the album.. Kanye is not great on a brooklyn drill best especially in front of 2 who do it better
It was one of the of worst songs in the album.. Kanye is not great on a brooklyn drill best especially in front of 2 who do it better
Jonathan Y
Well-Known Member
It's easier to be negative about someone they are tired of like most others. By showcasing one of the weak songs, as opposed to one with say Jay Z, where they are obviously ending their period of silence and separation! Lol kanyes hated by alot rn therefore anything slighting him is more shareable according to the numbers
5 Takeaways from Kanye West’s Donda
On his tenth album, Kanye performs the act of creating
holy shit this is a LOOOOOOOOT of salt
like yeah fuck kanye supporting dababy and manson, or his stupid antics... but yall weren't that bitter when he was doing this shit on TLOP (which btw they say this sounds like the emo rap style he started on 808s which no its not.. this is very much as fractured and weird as TLOP)
inconsistent progressivism is pretty stupid... i was saying kanye was stupid back then too and complaining about the dumb shit even though the sonics were solid... him letting manson and dababy show up is horrible to them now but when he outright said he believed bill cosby was innocent it felt like "oooh that qwirky kanye"
i am guessing thats more because nas albums haven't been interesting in a while... not saying that they aren't good i haven't heard the album.. but he is super safe unless you are storf
gaporter
Well-Known Member
It's because Kanye has a much wider appeal than modern day Nas. Quality of their work aside, Kanye has a huge audience outside of those who listen to just hip-hop. Kanye has the ears of the mainstream, the "alternative" crowd and everything in between, so his releases are events. Someone like Nas is a legend in his genre, but doesn't have the same mass appeal in 2021 as a Kanye.
there's definitely a Nas/Mass Appeal Records joke opportunity here, but I'm too lazy to think of one
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Yeah you are both right. Kanye is more of a cultural icon than Nas has ever been. I just find it funny because the music is the reason why and if it’s about the music, Nas is who we should be talking about…..even in a Kanye thread lol.
One thing is for sure, and that is that Kanye should call Hit Boy and start taking credit for his beats instead of who he’s been calling lately.
One thing is for sure, and that is that Kanye should call Hit Boy and start taking credit for his beats instead of who he’s been calling lately.