Kanye Surprises Fans With 'Donda' Release – 5 Takeaways From The Album

Right as fans had settled on the theory that Kanye West was going to deliver his 10th album, 'Donda,' this coming Friday to rival Drake and 'Certified Lover Boy,' Ye came through with 27 tracks on Sunday morning.

Scroll for the top 5 highlights sparking discussion online.

1. DaBaby's Verse Made The Cut

Hours before 'Donda' arrived on streaming services, Kanye posted a screenshot of a conversation with his manager, Abou "Bu" Thiam, who claimed DaBaby's manager wouldn't clear his verse for "Jail."

The latter called the rumor "cap" and DaBaby was eventually included on "Jail pt 2," though Jay-Z is the only guest on the OG version.

2. The Cover Art Isn't What Was Expected

Yeezy first teased psychedelic cover art for 'Donda' back in July 2020, but the lead image bouncing around during the past several weeks was an adaption of a red drawing by French-American artist Louise Bourgeois. There was also a childhood photo of Donda West, Kanye's late mother.

He finally decided on a simple black square (for now?), matching the aesthetic of his 2 most recent listening events in Atlanta and Chicago.

3. Every Featured Artist Brought Their A-Game

Last year, Kanye told GQ the original inspiration driving 'Donda' was "to have the best of the best working together."

Introducing: Jay-Z, The Weeknd, Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Jadakiss, Pop Smoke, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Playboi Carti, Ty Dolla $ign, Kid Cudi, Lil Yachty, DaBaby, Fivio Foreign, Vory and more.

4. 'Donda' Is Kanye's Longest Album Ever

At 27 tracks and a nearly 2-hour runtime, 'Donda' is the longest album in Kanye's catalog. ('The College Dropout,' his 2004 debut, is the second-longest at 21 songs and an hour and 16 minutes.)

However, Kanye contested that Universal Music Group, the parent company of his label, GOOD Music, uploaded the current edition without his permission and was the reason "Jail pt 2" was delayed.

5. Fivio Foreign Is A Rising Superstar

Despite being one of the lesser-known acts on a stacked project, Brooklyn drill pioneer Fivio Foreign's verse on "Off The Grid," also featuring Playboi Carti, is earning waves of attention.

The 31-year-old sounds hyper-focused as he details his unlikely come-up and his resulting "monster" mentality. Ye is even supposed to produce his next album.