BILLIONo being a Kanye West fan today means expect some headaches and some delay. And in true fashion, the rapper kept his fans waiting for more than two hours for a live listening party to his new album. Donda 2 on Tuesday night.
And when West finally arrives, the sequel to last summer Donda feels more like an over-exaggerated and fragmented track than a full-fledged studio album, chock full of choppy sound and some hiccups.
Instead, West seems to rely on his strained relationship with his family and ongoing divorce from Kim Kardashian to fuel the release of an album, which he only offers on portable audio players. his $200 value, Stem Player.
During the two-hour event in Miami, West strolled around the stage, which was completely outside a burned-out church that, like his childhood home in Chicago, was engulfed by a shallow puddle, as he plays his new tracks, which focus on his selfishness, his feeling of separation from his 4 young children and his estrangement from the Kardashians.
He also did not dare to miss the opportunity to caress Kardashian’s new boyfriend, Pete Davidson. West made his feelings clear about Davidson earlier this month, releasing a series of childish memes about social media comedians while provoking his followers to harass the 28-year-old (he only calls out the dogs when Kardashian complains).
But it was still jarring to hear West specifically targeted Davidson at the sold-out event in LoanDepot Park. “God saved me from that crash, so I could beat Pete Davidson,” he rapped with The Game on “Eazy.”
Another song seems to refer to a text Davidson sent to West, trying in vain to extend an olive branch to him by saying he had no intention of getting in the way of West’s relationship. with your children. “He’s not a threat, text him, put him on timeout,” West raps on “Security.” “I would put your security in jeopardy. Never stand between a man and his children.”
West took a softer approach to Kardashian, who is also mentioned or alluded to several times on the album. The rapper has been intent on getting the Kardashians back, openly begging for a reconciliation ever since his whirlwind expression with Uncut Gems actress Julia Fox collapsed spectacularly last week.
In the intro to “Science Fiction,” West used a video of Kardashian Saturday night live opens the monologue, seemingly trying to bring back happy memories of their relationship. “Honestly, all the ups and downs, all the walking,” she said. “I mean, I’m married to the greatest rapper of all time. Not only that, he’s the richest black man in America,” the audio clip cuts off just before Kardashian goes on to quip that she’s divorcing West because of his personality.
In other parts of the delayed concert, West paid tribute to his late friend Virgil Abloh, CNN and Monica Lewinsky, and even included an “we did” audio. Get that, Joe” made famous by Vice President Kamala Harris on the introduction to “Bag Louis.”
He was also joined on stage by Jack Harlow – who West just announced as his current Top 5 rappers – as well as Alicia Keys, Migos, Pusha T and The Game. And for what can only be considered as shock value added, West also brings out DaBaby and accuses abuser Marilyn Manson side by side with him throughout their journey from Donda “Prison Pt. 2,” never mind that the song isn’t even on the current album.
The show comes to an abrupt end, with an eerie feature due to Playboi Carti dressing up as the Joker-esque clown. All in all, the star-studded cast didn’t seem to make up for the two and a half hours that fans in the stadium were forced to wait after being told that the concert would begin at 8 p.m.—resort to waving to keep themselves amused.
It’s the classic West, who last week announced that the sequel to last summer Donda will only be available on his pricey Stem Player — apparently presuming a $100 million deal with Apple in the process.
“All in all, the star-studded splendor didn’t seem to make up for the two and a half hours that fans in the stadium were forced to wait after being told that the concert would begin at 8 p.m. — yes resort to waving to keep themselves amused.”
And, following in the footsteps of By Donda album listening parties, West announced that he was hosting an event in Miami. (Rick Ross was one of West’s friends who attended the event in Miami, recording appearances by Elon Musk, French Montana, Diddy and DJ Khaled in a VIP room—people who seem to be trying to pass the time by chatting about cryptocurrencies.)
After tickets to the concert quickly sold out, West announced he was partnering with IMAX theaters, selecting 15 cities to stream the concert. Then on Tuesday night, West’s social media channels announced that the event would also be streamed live on his Stem Player website. But showtime is said to come and go, with a technical glitch appearing on the website, which resulted in West and Twitch’s YouTube channel eventually streaming the delayed event.
The album’s drop comes after a grueling couple of weeks with what can only be described as a series of cunningly crafted PR stunts manned by the West., when he began a brief affair with Fox before getting into social media fights with the Kardashians, Billie Eilish and Kid Cudi, and harassing Davidson. When the media storm finally seemed to subside, West announced that he was quitting Donda 2 for the low, low price of $230.
