When Will Kanye West’s ‘Donda 2’ Album Be Available on Streaming Services?
Rapper and producer Kanye West is in the process of releasing Donda 2, the follow-up project to his highly-anticipated tenth album Donda. After fans in Miami got a taste of Donda 2 at a listening party, others questioned just when people will be able to get their hands on the album.
Kanye West had a ‘Donda 2’ listening party in Miami
In summer 2021, West hosted three concert-style “listening parties” for his Donda album. Just a few months later, as Ye finishes up his follow-up album Donda 2, he hosted a similar event in Miami on February 22, 2022.
The Donda 2 show featured an elaborate stage and guest appearances from controversial figures Marilyn Manson and DaBaby, both of whom appeared in the Donda shows last summer.
Besides Manson and DaBaby, other big-name artists stopped by for their collaborations with West on Donda 2. Fivio Foreign, Alicia Keys, Migos, and Jack Harlow were among the night’s guest appearances.
As for celebrities who watch the show, tech magnate Elon Musk and rappers Diddy, Rick Ross, and French Montana were reportedly in attendance.
‘Donda 2’ is only available on West’s Stem Player device
Ahead of the Donda 2 listening party, West revealed that the album would only be available on his Stem Player product, which sells for $200 a pop. He stated that the album will never be available on streaming services.
In an interview with GQ, the product’s co-creator Alex Klein explained just why he and Ye went with the steep price point and unique rollout.
“Remember you’re not spending $200 for just an album. You’re spending $200 for a revolutionary device that allows you to listen to music in a completely new way through stem separation, and that allows you to mix and make music on the go,” he said. “You’re also spending that $200 to become a part of a community that wants to change technology and music for the better. On top of that you’re getting Donda 2, which has enormous value. So I think that’s a really important thing to stress.”
“You’re getting something revolutionary,” he continued. “You’re getting a first-generation technology product that has the best reviews for a first-generation technology product than anything we’ve seen in a decade, maybe since the original iPhone.”
‘Donda’ was released on streaming services without Kanye’s permission
West’s previous album Donda appeared on streaming services after over a month of delays. He hosted his first Donda listening party in July 2021, and the album appeared on streaming services at the end of August.
When the album went live on streaming platforms, West said in a since-deleted Instagram post that his record label didn’t have his permission to release it.
“Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked ‘Jail 2’ from being on the album,” the post read. The album was eventually updated with West’s desired changes.
