Ye, (formally known as Kanye West) is one of the most recognizable figures today. He has explored many avenues like fashion and business but is most recognizable for his music career. He has released many successful albums in the past and is planning to release another sometime soon. Donda was supposed to be released on Feb. 22 but did not drop as expected until Feb. 23. This is not an irregular occurrence for Kanye. Only eight of his ten albums have been released on time, with many not even being released at all. The first Donda was about two months late, with three listening parties. A listening party was held Feb. 22, a Tuesday, but to no surprise, the album was not released that day. 

Kanye made the decision that when the album release it will not be on any major streaming platforms; only the STEM Player. The product is named after a stem, which is a music term used in audio production. Within a song, a stem is a grouped collection of sounds that are used as one unit. Stems can be removed, edited or changed during a song, which is the basis for the physical Stem Player. Many people are angry because the STEM Player comes in at a whopping $200. This price is out of reach for many people that are excited about the album, causing controversy among the music industry and listeners. Kanye is doing so because he says streaming platforms are corrupted and not paying artists enough. The STEM Player gives all the money to the artists instead. From what has been heard, the album has promised but does not sound finished.  

A student at Rocky Mountain, James Hall, was asked how he felt about the album not being available on streaming platforms. Hall said, “[It’s] kind of annoying; It will definitely make it a lot harder to listen to. The only possible way will probably be by listening to it on YouTube, which may make it a bit less enjoyable.” This is relatable to many because of their unwillingness to pay $200. Going all the way to other platforms will most certainly be difficult, possibly resulting in the album being listened to less frequently. 

A former Rocky student who graduated a few years ago, Jesse Beers, was asked how he felt about the first Donda album. He said, “Personally I liked it, but I felt it was a bit of a letdown because of the long wait and anticipation. I was expecting a bit more out of it. It for sure had some highlights, but there were a ton of weak points in my opinion.”  

As seen, not everyone was a fan of the first Donda, so the second needs to live up to its name and not disappoint.