Donda
by Kanye West
User Score
6.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3155 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,070 out of 3155
  2. Mixed: 161 out of 3155
  3. Negative: 924 out of 3155
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  1. joelboy
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    One has to recognize the attempt at reconciliation with the realm of times that we live in that Kanye West is attempting to portray with this album to appreciate the momentous journey Kanye takes us on with Donda. We start off with Jail, the recognition of the prison industrial complex geared toward the incarceration of black men and so begins the cyclical nature of this system (and album)One has to recognize the attempt at reconciliation with the realm of times that we live in that Kanye West is attempting to portray with this album to appreciate the momentous journey Kanye takes us on with Donda. We start off with Jail, the recognition of the prison industrial complex geared toward the incarceration of black men and so begins the cyclical nature of this system (and album)

    The album starts off dark, angry, aggressive with moments of clarity and transitions into the pure beauty and joyfulness of finding God, (as He has always been present throughout the album). The album progresses, shifts, changes, consistently drawing toward the inevitable connection with Jesus through Come to Life and No Child Left Behind, a meditation on spiritual music and the polar opposite tonally with the starting track of Jail.

    Jail Pt. 2 then goes back to the beginning, again, invoking the cyclical nature of both of the incarceration systems, but this time calling out cancel culture and the forgiveness that God invokes by utilizing two "canceled" artists DaBaby and Marylin Manson. This itself becomes a biblical discussion on forgiveness:
    "Threw me out like I'm garbage, huh?
    And that food that y'all took off my table
    You know that feed my daughters, huh? (Mmm) "
    talks about (without taking responsibility for) his words at Rolling Rock, his own jump face-first into cancel culture through his ignorance and horrifically stereotyping of gay men. DaBaby then talks about being a product of the experience of his reality, growing up with drug dealing parents, and a mother who has to make money to keep her kids alive. It's an explanation without an apology, without taking responsibility, but Kanye seems to be saying in the end only God can judge and God will forgive.

    It's Kanye's best album since Yeezus, possibly his third best album after A Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a collection of spiritual musings, a journey into the cycle of life, and an explanation of so many things Kanye deals with his mental health issues, connection to God, and His pure creative genius.

    10/10.    … Expand
  2. Lalenques
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    This is going to be the best HIp Hop album of 2021 and, at least for me, this is a top 5 Kanye project.
  3. mijijiji
    Aug 31, 2021
    0
    Tremenda basura auditiva, ya retírate mierkanye, urge que se sidaj amén, #StreamFolklore
  4. WhatIsThisWhat
    Aug 31, 2021
    3
    Can he please go away already? He is detached from reality and really has nothing worthwhile to say.
  5. Iliamerk
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Honestly I think Donda is fire. Jail, God Breathed, Off the Grid, Praise God, Ok Ok, Junya, Moon, Heaven and Hell, Keep my Spirit Alive, Jesus Lord with Jay Electronica, Tell the Vision, Lord I Need You, Pure Souls, No Child Left Behind. All great songs. How can you not like these songs?

    Love the choir sound, the emotional energy, the organ and piano melodies. Partial critics upset at    Honestly I think Donda is fire. Jail, God Breathed, Off the Grid, Praise God, Ok Ok, Junya, Moon, Heaven and Hell, Keep my Spirit Alive, Jesus Lord with Jay Electronica, Tell the Vision, Lord I Need You, Pure Souls, No Child Left Behind. All great songs. How can you not like these songs?

    Love the choir sound, the emotional energy, the organ and piano melodies. Partial critics upset at features because of their political stance show how unfairly rated the album is.

    And I cannot sell my soul!    … Expand
  6. COTR
    Aug 31, 2021
    9
    Kanye, from a musical standpoint, rarely ever misses. It’s pretty telling when his worst records are still a lot better than most artists’ best bodies of work, and Donda is far from his worst. Kanye’s music in the post-TLOP era, at least before Donda, arguably falls short of his more focused and polished bodies of work. 2018’s Ye churned out some memorable tracks, but some just lack theKanye, from a musical standpoint, rarely ever misses. It’s pretty telling when his worst records are still a lot better than most artists’ best bodies of work, and Donda is far from his worst. Kanye’s music in the post-TLOP era, at least before Donda, arguably falls short of his more focused and polished bodies of work. 2018’s Ye churned out some memorable tracks, but some just lack the replayability of tracks from MBDTF and even boundary-pushing Yeezus. Also 7 tracks for an album was a bit too short for my liking. KSG was a great project with both Cudi and Kanye bringing the best out of each other. Again a bit too short for my liking. JIK, in my opinion was his weakest project, but that’s not to say it’s terrible at all. I just felt like he was pushing his religious agenda too much. In some ways it felt a bit forced, but it’s still enjoyable to listen to every now and then.

    Donda sees a return to form for Kanye. In what I consider is his best musical project since 2016 (possibly even since 2013 after giving it a few more listens), we’re treated to 27 songs of Kanye at his best. Curating a colossal list of collaborators and bringing out the best in them is just not something anyone can do. I can’t think of a single feature that missed, except Globglagabgalab if you’d want to count that as one, but even that’s growing on me with the way it’s used on the released version. Kanye’s rapping was never his strongest suit, but when was the last time you heard him rap like he does on Off the Grid or Jesus Lord just to name a few standouts. His production and vision on this project are really immaculate. On some tracks, you get droney, atmospheric and ambient sounds, on some, they’re piano/organ-laden, overall just beautifully crafted. Thematically, it’s an emotional body of work where he touches on his relationship with his mother, Kim K., and his family. Of course, he also throws some bars at Drake (presumably). At 27 songs, and almost 2 hours of run time, the album packs a lot, some might say too much, into it. Even if you don’t count the bonus pt.2 tracks at the end, it’s still very long. But when he’s focused and making great music, I don’t mind at all. To describe the sound put forth in the project, it would be as if Kanye took the best parts of his past projects like Yeezus, KSG, JIK, and TLOP and spliced them into one breathtaking, amazing record in Donda. All antics aside, I can’t wait to hear what else Kanye has in store.

    8.5-9/10    … Expand
  7. 7H080255
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    This album is amazing with some of the best songs ever
    And the fuetures killed it Kanye killed it too spacilly in songs like come to live that he did one of his best performances ever
  8. KendrickYe
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    The Taylor and Drake stans will never win. Ye will always make the best music.
  9. sopojojo
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    I am the Glob-glo-gab-galab
    The shwabble-dabble-wabble-gabble flibba blabba blab
    I'm full of shwibbly liber-kind
    I am the yeast of thoughts and minds
    Shwabble dabble glibble glabble schribble shwap glab
    Dibble dabble shribble shrabble glibbi-glap shwap
    Shwabble dabble glibble glabble shwibble shwap-dap
    Dibble dabble shribble shrabble glibbi-shwap glab
  10. YeezusHoops
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Amazing album, cinematic production, fantastic features and lots of varying styles incorporated into the album
  11. Neil_dubs
    Aug 31, 2021
    6
    It’s good, not great. In dire need of editing. There’s a classic 10 to 12 song album buried in the 27 songs Kanye gave us. But editing concerns aside, there are SO many beautiful moments. It’s like watching a gorgeously shot 4 hour movie with virtually no plot. All in all, it’s an enjoyable yet exhausting listen. I would place it up there with the best of the “New Kanye” era (post Yeezus),It’s good, not great. In dire need of editing. There’s a classic 10 to 12 song album buried in the 27 songs Kanye gave us. But editing concerns aside, there are SO many beautiful moments. It’s like watching a gorgeously shot 4 hour movie with virtually no plot. All in all, it’s an enjoyable yet exhausting listen. I would place it up there with the best of the “New Kanye” era (post Yeezus), but don’t think it cracks the top 5 of Kanye’s discography.… Expand
  12. kanyeleaks
    Aug 31, 2021
    9
    Kanye's best work since 2016, arguably 2010. While the tracklist does not seem to flow exactly right and there are some questionable track choices such as a stripped down Tell The Vision interlude, this does not downplay the sheer beauty and artistic ambition of this album. The features are very reminiscent of The Life of Pablo era, all adding their own flair to the song they are on. ThereKanye's best work since 2016, arguably 2010. While the tracklist does not seem to flow exactly right and there are some questionable track choices such as a stripped down Tell The Vision interlude, this does not downplay the sheer beauty and artistic ambition of this album. The features are very reminiscent of The Life of Pablo era, all adding their own flair to the song they are on. There are at least 4-5 tracks here that you could comfortably place in his best songs of all time, and the emotion in his lyricism is at a high here. He may not make tight focused narrative/concept albums like MBDTF anymore, but albums like TLOP and Donda are more of an insight into the mind of a genius at certain points in his life: most particuarly through his personal experience of fatherhood.… Expand
  13. Poopybutt123
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    DONDA IS a masterpiece regardless of the controversy surrounding it. I enjoyed listening to it in its entirety, finally something that's not all about sex, money, and drugs. The album is a cultural reset that will influence generations for many years to come.
  14. Jaque14
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    I love it
  15. ihateea16
    Aug 29, 2021
    9
    may be a lot of filler, but, more bangers than filler in my opinion, genuinely don’t think there’s any really bad songs, just some kinda meh songs here and there, if he got rid of a couple songs it would honestly be a 10

    9/10
  16. Pedrozanin
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Álbum que expressa bem os sentimentos de sua vida a surra na juliette que não é artista
  17. cxnfusedminds
    Aug 31, 2021
    0
    By involving Manson, West has made this impossible. Donda leaves a sour taste that no number of good beats, gospel choirs or church organs will cleanse. Zero stars.
  18. CJack8
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    What an album. The pinnacle of artistry in the generation, pushed though a genre-bending experience.
    As you can tell by the score distribution, the album is polarizing, however the run from Jail to Ok Ok; might be the best 7-song-string on any album ever.
  19. j_mc
    Aug 31, 2021
    5
    While there are undeniable highs on the album, a lost focus, uninspiring lyrical content, lacklustre mixing & mastering at parts and songs left with unrealized potential, the record falls short of lofty expectations. As a dedication to Donda the album fails to be either a tribute or a celebration, feeling instead like a ragtag mashup of half-baked sounds from various eras of Kanye'sWhile there are undeniable highs on the album, a lost focus, uninspiring lyrical content, lacklustre mixing & mastering at parts and songs left with unrealized potential, the record falls short of lofty expectations. As a dedication to Donda the album fails to be either a tribute or a celebration, feeling instead like a ragtag mashup of half-baked sounds from various eras of Kanye's star-studded career.

    The lyrics are nothing new for Kanye - it's not like he hasn't been incredibly vulnerable before on albums like Ye or 808s and much of the religious language is a vague rehash of what we heard on JIK, though the packaging around the lyrics has improved markedly. Much of this falls on my deaf ears given his enthusiasm with which he defends and supports abusers.

    The concept of the album leaves a bad taste in my mouth. He announced an album with the name DONDA, clearing intending it to be a project dedicated to his mum given what we heard at LP1 and since then it has undergone changes that leave it undeniably about Kanye, which is a completely Kanye thing to do.

    As a huge fan of his discography of the whole, I've only managed to get through the whole thing in a single sitting once but that's not to say I haven't been slogging through it; for me it's the first Kanye album that I felt legitimately bored listening to and while I don't think it's as bad as JIK, it also wasn't interesting enough to grip me.

    My score is a 5/10    … Expand
  20. gd221
    Aug 31, 2021
    9
    Kanye’s return to music is on a high note, boasting one of his best albums in recent memory.
  21. Poseidon528
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Sonically this is another style that ye pursues. Tracks here fulfill all tropes a rap album needs to fulfill while still pushing the constraints of music as Kanye always does
  22. Fantonto
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    Gracias Kanye, muy cool Escuchar moon y come to life es lo mejor que me ha pasado en meses, que bonito suena el AOTY
  23. Allie5
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    I enjoyed whole album experience aparat of tell the vision which is miss for me.
  24. Elliottheeskimo
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    This metacritic rating is wayyy too low. Such a great and atmospheric album
  25. tallycritics
    Aug 31, 2021
    9
    A solid 9. Daria 10 se não fosse pela versão extended, unica boa é Jesus Lord pt 2 que poderia ser apenas ela no lugar de Jesus Lord. As demais da extended são dispensáveis principalmente Jail pt 2 que é absolutamente terrível e vem logo depois de No Child Left Behind o que é uma blasfêmia, entendo que ele fez pela ordem que está na versão normal porém odeio igual. Tiraria Lil Yachty de OkA solid 9. Daria 10 se não fosse pela versão extended, unica boa é Jesus Lord pt 2 que poderia ser apenas ela no lugar de Jesus Lord. As demais da extended são dispensáveis principalmente Jail pt 2 que é absolutamente terrível e vem logo depois de No Child Left Behind o que é uma blasfêmia, entendo que ele fez pela ordem que está na versão normal porém odeio igual. Tiraria Lil Yachty de Ok Ok pois ficou meio off the beat, tiraria Shenseea de Pure Souls porque ficou uma musica grande sem necessidade e tiraria Tell The Vision também. Talvez mudar a ordem de algumas musicas para a transição fluir melhor. Fora isso apenas críticas positivas. Muito bem produzido como sempre, Kanye West um dos melhores produtores do mundo. Quero mencionar especialmente Hurricane, botar The Weeknd nessa foi genial. No Child Left Behind foi uma musica perfeita para finalizar essa obra de arte. Adorei as listening party achei muito conceitual tudo e inovador. Fico muito feliz com Jail porque sei o quanto Kanye gosta de Jay Z. Queria dizer que o album é ótimo e Donda estaria muito satisfeita com a homenagem (mesmo contendo feats do comando vermelho).… Expand
  26. joefosterrr
    Aug 30, 2021
    10
    Just the goat doing goat things, no one will ever come close to his ability, the album is practically perfect and will easily win album of the year
  27. erikadizon
    Aug 31, 2021
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. rubbish album rubbish album rubbish album
    rubbish album rubbish album. rubbish album.    … Expand
  28. brianjoseph98
    Aug 31, 2021
    10
    This album gets better and better with every listen. There is serious grown and he has clearly come a long way since Ye and Jesus is King. Clearly Kanye is healing and finding therapy in the music. People clearly cannot understand the artistic genius that is Kanye West. It goes beyond lyrics. Ye is one of the rarer artists who produces with heavy involvement in addition to writing andThis album gets better and better with every listen. There is serious grown and he has clearly come a long way since Ye and Jesus is King. Clearly Kanye is healing and finding therapy in the music. People clearly cannot understand the artistic genius that is Kanye West. It goes beyond lyrics. Ye is one of the rarer artists who produces with heavy involvement in addition to writing and providing vocals. None of what he puts out comes from a filing cabinet in a record label's vault. This album is a work of art and one of his best in years. Truly a sleeper album and undoubtedly those who are hating on it today will be fans down the line talking that "it grew on me" nonsense. I'll be waiting.… Expand
  29. fafajujunior
    Aug 31, 2021
    1
    muy básico, esperaba sonidos nuevos, ritmos nuevos y lamentablemente las letras no me deslumbran. esperaba otra cosa
  30. Kitchenjedi
    Aug 31, 2021
    8
    This album seems to be all of his album's sounds into one album. Musically this album is great. This is better that 90% of the hip hop albums released in the past years.
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. musicOMH.com
    Sep 3, 2021
    60
    Though this isn’t a complete comeback, frustrated Kanye fans certainly have more grounds for optimism after this record than they did before it.
    Read full review
  2. AllMusic
    Sep 2, 2021
    60
    Donda isn't without its highlights, but taken as a whole, it's both confused and confusing.
    Read full review
  3. HipHopDX
    Sep 2, 2021
    62
    There are times where Kanye recaptures the magic of his golden years. ... But there just isn’t enough good here to look past the flaws. The final result is a collection of songs with little binding energy other than a vague Gospel through line, which runs across the tracklist — chaotic like The Life Of Pablo but devoid of the magic.
    Read full review
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