Before Kanye West’s DONDA listening session event began, there were already people selling event merchandise on eBay. DONDA is one of the most highly anticipated albums of the year, and after rumors of release dates plagued Hip Hop during quarantine, Ye is delivering as he promised. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is the place to be as fans and celebrities joined together to hear the album in all of its glory, and attendees have taken to social media to share first looks at the event.
Kim Kardashian was spotted with the West children as dozens of celebrities made appearances, as well. It was widely reported by people in the audience that Kanye was over an hour late to start the event, and of course, the memes poured in by the thousands.
Once things kicked off, the packed stadium roared in applause as Kanye took to the empty field alone. He danced along to tracks as the lights of camera phones were seen from one side of the stadium to the other. People couldn’t help but draw comparisons as his all-red choice of apparel was similar to his look during his 2010 VMAs performance of “Runaway.”
While the hype surrounding DONDA is thick, Kanye West hasn’t spoken out about the album, himself, since its arrival was announced. We’ve gathered a few reactions, clips of the performance, and first-hand accounts from attendees below.