Kanye West crumbles to the ground as he pledges to ‘never abandon your family’ while estranged wife Kim Kardashian watches on with the kids as rapper unveils highly-anticipated tenth studio album Donda during livestream broadcast from hometown of Atlanta, Georgia
Kanye West was overcome with emotion as he premiered his highly-anticipated tenth studio album Donda on Thursday night.
The 44-year-old rapper unveiled the album track-by-track during an Apple Music livestream, which was broadcast from his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
After arriving fashionably late to the event, West faced a crowd of adoring fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which boasts a 71,000 seat capacity.
At one particularly moving moment, a song titled LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY, seemingly dedicated to his failed marriage to Kim Kardashian, began to play, which prompted Kanye to crumble to the ground.
Emotional: Kanye West was overcome with emotion as he premiered his highly-anticipated tenth studio album Donda on Thursday night
Facing the music: The 44-year-old rapper unveiled the album track-by-track during an Apple Music livestream , which was broadcast from his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia
The moving track featured the rapper’s late mother Donda’s voice repeatedly saying, ‘No matter what you never abandon your family.’
Kim, as well as the four children she shares with Kanye, were said to be in attendance at Thursday night’s listening party, as per TMZ.
A source told E! News on Thursday that Kanye gave Kim a ‘heads up’ about the deeply personal song.
‘He was respectful and gave her the heads up,’ the insider said, adding that Kanye ‘did not want to blindside’ the 40-year-old SKIMS founder.
Fans: After arriving fashionably late to the event, West faced a crowd of adoring fans at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which boasts a 71,000 seat capacity
Overcome: At one particularly moving moment, a song titled LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY, seemingly dedicated to his failed marriage to Kim Kardashian, began to play, which prompted Kanye to fall to his knees
Kim filed for divorce from the Stronger hitmaker in February after seven years of marriage, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ on court docs.
During Thursday’s album premiere, Kanye frequently paced back and forth under a muted spotlight as he took in each track.
He had on a shiny red puffer coat with matching pants and a pair of bright orange slipper shoes.
Support: West’s estranged wife Kim Kardashian , as well as their four children, are said to be in Atlanta for the listening party held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, as per TMZ; Kim and Kanye pictured with (L-R) daughters North, Chicago, and sons Saint and Psalm in 2019
Heads up: At one particularly moving moment, a song seemingly dedicated to his failed marriage to Kim Kardashian began to play, which prompted Kanye to fall to his knees
The stadium, packed to the brim with West’s friends and supporters, was often times left pitch black – aside from the lights shining from cellphones.
The house lights in the stadium were turned on at certain points of the livestream, giving viewers at home a full view of West and his captivated audience.
Donda’s second track, seemingly titled Glory, featured extensive audio of the rapper’s late-mother Donda, who tragically passed away on November 10, 2007 after having liposuction and breast-reduction surgery.
Listening carefully: During Thursday’s album premiere, Kanye frequently paced back and forth under a muted spotlight as he took in each track
Red: He had on a shiny red puffer coat with matching pants and a pair of bright orange slipper shoes
‘And you know I am my son’s mother,’ proudly declared Donda at one point in the moving audio.
Donda features rap cameos from Travis Scott, Pusha-T, Lil Baby, Baby Keem, Jeremih, Lil Durk, Roddy Riich, and Pop Smoke.
Kneeling down and placing his hands onto the stadium ground, Kanye listened intently to his recently released song No Child Left Behind, which debuted in a Beats By Dre ad earlier this week.
Still with him: Donda’s second track, seemingly titled Glory, featured extensive audio of the rapper’s late-mother Donda, who tragically passed away on November 10, 2007 after having liposuction and breast-reduction surgery
Features on features: Donda includes several notable rap features, including one by Kylie Jenner’s baby daddy Travis Scott
‘He’s done miracles on me,’ sings West on the track, which prompted him to gesture to the sky with one hand.
The tone of the evening quickly switched from melancholy to triumphant as a track boasting the lyrics ‘guess who’s going to jail tonight, y’all gonna post my bail tonight’ blared over the stadium speakers.
As an added surprise, the song featured a rap verse by West’s longtime pal and collaborator Jay-Z, with the rapper referencing to their beloved 2011 album Watch The Throne.
It is their first appearance on a track together since appearing on Drake’s feature-ridden single Pop Style in 2016.
Donda, which is titled after the name of West’s late mother, was originally slated to premiere on July 24, 2020, but was unexpectedly postponed amid West’s failed run for presidency.
Dedication: The album’s name and title track make reference to the rapper’s late mother Donda West, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 58 due to complications caused by a cosmetic procedure
At the time, he released the album’s title track Donda on what would have been his mother’s 71st birthday, alongside a nostalgic visual filled with home video footage of Kanye and Donda.
And now, almost exactly a year later, Donda will be available to purchase and stream starting Friday, July 23.
West confirmed the album’s long-awaited release in the latest ad for Beats By Dre starring track star Sha’Carri Richardson, which premiered during Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday.
The minute-long spot, which was scored and edited by West, features a snippet of his newest track No Child Left Behind.
Donda is the follow-up album to 2019’s Jesus Is King, which saw Kanye enter into the realm of gospel music – inspiring the birth of his weekly Sunday Service sessions.
According to Showbiz 411, West ‘gave away 5,000 tickets’ to Thursday’s Donda listening party to students in the Atlanta, Georgia area, while some fans ‘paid a couple hundred bucks for seats.’
Delayed: Donda, which is titled after the name of West’s late mother, was originally slated to premiere on July 24, 2020, but was unexpectedly postponed amid West’s failed run for presidency
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