Kanye West's Donda: A flawed but fascinating portrait of an artist in flux
Kanye West has always been a maximalist - whether in music, fashion, or self-mythology, he doesn't do small. So when Donda finally dropped in August 2021, after multiple delays and three increasingly elaborate stadium listening parties, expectations were appropriately sky-high. The result? A sprawling, 27-track opus that, for all its brilliance, feels burdened by its own ambition. It's a fascinating listen, filled with moments of raw emotional power and undeniable genius, but it's also frustratingly inconsistent. A masterpiece? No. A failure? Definitely not. Donda is something in between: a testament to Kanye's singular vision, even when that vision veers off course.
The good, the bad, and the beautiful
Let's start with what Donda gets right - because there's plenty. Kanye's production remains top-tier, blending gospel, trap, drill, and classic soul samples into a rich sonic landscape. Tracks like Jail, Hurricane, and Off the Grid showcase his ability to craft immersive, stadium-sized anthems, each with its own distinct mood. Hurricane, in particular, stands out thanks to The Weeknd's soaring hook and Lil Baby's urgent verse, making it one of Kanye's most instantly memorable tracks in years.
Lyrically, Kanye swings between moments of introspective brilliance and frustrating vagueness. On Come to Life, he delivers one of the album's most heartfelt performances, reflecting on personal growth and regret over a stunning piano-driven beat. It's the kind of song that reminds you why Kanye is one of the most compelling artists of his generation - when he's focused, he's unmatched. But then you have tracks like Ok Ok and Tell the Vision, which feel half-baked, as if they were rushed to meet a deadline that Kanye himself kept pushing back.
The album's Achilles' heel: length and inconsistency
At 27 tracks and nearly two hours long, Donda is... a lot. Some albums justify their length (My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, for example, never feels excessive despite being an epic), but Donda struggles under its own weight. There are moments of absolute brilliance, but they're buried beneath filler. Tracks like God Breathed and Remote Control feel stretched out past their natural lifespans, while others (Donda Chant, Junya) don't add much beyond a sense of atmosphere.
It's not just the tracklist that feels bloated - it's the features, too. Kanye's always been great at assembling an eclectic roster of collaborators, but here, it feels excessive. Jay-Z's verse on Jail is a moment, sure, but did we really need two versions of the song? Fivio Foreign's appearance on Off the Grid is electric, yet some guest spots (like Playboi Carti's on Junya) feel more like afterthoughts. The result is an album that often feels like it's trying to do too much at once, lacking the sharp editing that made his best work feel airtight.
The shadow of Donda
Then there's the album's namesake - Kanye's late mother, Donda West. Her presence looms over the entire project, from the repeated Donda chants to the themes of faith, loss, and redemption that run throughout. At its best, this adds an emotional depth that makes Donda feel deeply personal. But at times, it also feels like a concept that's never fully realized. Unlike 808s & Heartbreak - which was laser-focused in its grief - Donda meanders, shifting between personal reflection and chaotic energy in a way that can be jarring.
This inconsistency might be intentional. Kanye's always been an artist who thrives on contradiction, and Donda embodies that duality. It's grand and intimate, polished and messy, deeply spiritual yet full of flexes. It's a reflection of Kanye himself - a man torn between ego and faith, still working through the grief that changed his life forever.
Final Thoughts
Donda is a frustrating, fascinating album. When it hits, it soars - but when it stumbles, it's hard to ignore. It's not Kanye's best work, but it's not his worst, either. It's an album that demands patience, asking listeners to sift through its flaws to find the gems hidden within. And maybe that's the point. Kanye West has never been about making things easy; he's about making things feel big. Donda is certainly that.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10