We’re just days away from the full Donda 2 experience and Kanye West has offered an update on his coveted project. Next Tuesday (February 22), Donda 2 is slated to arrive in all its glory, but not everyone will be able to stream the record. For years, artists have been complaining about how little they have made from streaming platforms and it seems that West is taking matters into his own hands.
This evening (February 17), the Rap icon shared that fans will only be able to listen to Donda 2 via his Stem Player.
“Donda 2 will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player. Not on Apple Amazon Spotify or YouTube,” West wrote on Instagram. “Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes. It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own. Go to stemplayer.com now to order.”
The reveal arrived along with a preview of Donda 2 and while it was an exciting announcement, not everyone was happy as the news shocked the public and caused a wide-ranging conversation to unfold. Many people stated they would not be purchasing the $200 Stem Player and blasted West, however, his dedicated fans didn’t mind, arguing that he can release his music as he sees fit.
Check out the announcement and a few reactions below.