After a weeklong hype about the album’s release, DONDA has yet to hit streaming services. Fans are holding out hope that when Kanye West said it was arriving on “Friday,” he possibly meant later on in the day and not at the stroke of midnight as everyone expected. Thursday (July 22) evening was an incredible moment for those that were able to make their way to the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Atlanta because they, at least, were able to hear DONDA in all of its glory at the mega-listening event.
There were plenty of noteworthy moments as attendees took to social media to share that Lil Baby, Playboi Carti, Pusha T, and *possibly* Kendrick Lamar were on the record. However, no one expected Jay-Z to make an appearance, and when his voice boomed over the speakers, Hov stole the show.
Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty Images
There are reports that Mr. Carter had only completed his verse on Thursday afternoon, which may play into DONDA‘s delay. There have been speculative reports regarding the alleged dissolution of Ye and Hov’s friendship over the years, and with this DONDA collaboration comes talks that Watch The Throne II may actually arrive. Kanye and Jay-Z’s 2011 joint album has been hailed as arguably one of the best Hip Hop records to date, so to hear these two back in action has fans excited.
Keep your fingers crossed that Ye has some sort of DONDA surprise as the weekend moves forward. Check out a few highlights from the listening event on Thursday in Atlanta along with several disappointing responses from the public after learning DONDA has yet to drop.
View this post on Instagram