Kanye West – Donda 2 (Album Review)

Years after we decided to trash our STEM players, Ye (aka Kanye West) finally released “DONDA 2” for the masses. Below, I’ll tell you why it’s not worth the wait.

STREAM

TOP 5

5. FIRST TIME

Can you believe that Soulja Boy went from not being on “DONDA” to closing out “DONDA 2?” He’s the prime example of the American dream.

I’m going to need you to trust me on this one: Soulja Boy dropped the best verse on this album. I REPEAT, SOULJA BOY DROPPED THE BEST VERSE ON THIS ALBUM! Knowing the backstory about him being removed from DONDA made his lyrics about being resilient, making money, and getting it out of the mud feel powerful as s**t. Oh, and Soulja also rides the song’s beat fantastically.

4. WE DID IT (Ft. Baby Keem & Migos)

Baby Keem, Migos, and Kanye’s chemistry in “We Did It” is awesome.

“WE DID IT” is the kind of music that boxers walk out to. The song features a jubilant beat, fierce raps by both Kanye and Migos, and a passionate/invigorating/Lil Uzi Vert-Esque hook by Baby Keem. If I were to guess, this song started as a Migos track but ended up on this album.

3. CITY OF GOD (Ft. Alicia Keys & Fivio Foreign)

This song is going to be a helluva trivia question one day. I can see Aaron Rodgers asking folks, “Alicia Keys once made a song with this drill rapper in 2022?” on Jeopardy.

“CITY OF GOD” feels like the spiritual successor to “Off The Grid”—a larger-than-life drill anthem driven by an explosive, cinematic beat that sounds like something straight out of a Marvel movie. If you close your eyes, you might just picture Captain America charging into battle.

Fivio Foreign kicks things off with a fiery, aggressive verse that finds him in full warrior mode, sounding ready to take on his enemies one bar at a time. Alicia Keys adds an uplifting touch with a powerful hook that proudly pays homage to New York City, injecting soul and pride into the chaos. Then comes Kanye West, delivering a chest-thumping verse in which he throws subtle jabs, mentions Drake, and even threatens to bring his goons to SNL.

While the song might feel a bit too heroic at times—like it’s trying a little too hard to be epic—it still hits the mark.

2. BROKEN ROAD (Ft. Don Toliver)

Kanye West and Don Toliver in “Broken Road” = Lebron James and Kyrie Irving in game seven of the NBA finals.

Don Toliver’s vocals on “BROKEN ROAD” are nothing short of legendary. His delivery is smooth, hypnotic, and emotionally rich, blessing the track with a tone that feels both luxurious and vulnerable. It’s one of those performances that sticks with you long after the song ends.

Kanye West brings his own fire to the record, dropping a passionate and well-paced verse that shows off both his lyrical sharpness and emotional transparency. He sounds human—flawed, reflective, and honest. It’s about damn time!

What if Don Toliver ends up being Kanye’s new John Legend? That would be dope as s**t!

1. TRUE LOVE (Ft. XXXTENTACION)

Kanye decided to make you shed tears immediately by making “True Love” the first song on this album.

You’ll probably get goosebumps listening to “TRUE LOVE,” the emotionally charged collaboration between Kanye West and the late XXXTENTACION. The track features a deeply moving chorus delivered by XXX, whose haunting vocals set a melancholic yet heartfelt tone.

Kanye, on the other hand, steps into the role of a family man, offering one of his most focused and emotionally grounded verses in recent memory. His lyrics touch on love, loss, and fatherhood—core themes that resonate with both longtime fans and new listeners alike. What’s even more impressive is how Kanye seamlessly ad-libs alongside XXXTENTACION’s vocals, amplifying the emotional weight of the hook.

GOD, X was such a one-of-a-kind talent.

SONG BY SONG RATING

1. TRUE LOVE (Ft. XXXTENTACION) (5/5)

2. BROKEN ROAD (Ft. Don Toliver) (5/5)

3. GET LOST (2/5)

4. KEEP THE FLOWERS (3.5/5)

5. TOO EASY (3.5/5)

6. PABLO (Ft. Future) (4/5)

7. MR MIAGI (2.5/5)

8. HAPPY (Ft. Future) (3/5)

9. SECURITY (2/5)

10. CITY OF GODS (Ft. Alicia Keys & Fivio Foreign) (4/5)

11. 530 (3.5/5)

12. SCI FI (3/5)

13. BURN EVERYTHING (2.5/5)

14. LOUIE BAG (1/5)

15. WE DID IT (Ft. Baby Keem & Migos) (3/5)

16. MAINTENANCE (3/5)

17. LORD LIFT (3.5/5)

18. FIRST TIME (FT. Soula Boy) (4/5)

RGM RATING

(D+)

Anyone who thinks Donda was a bad album is out of their mind. To me, it featured a wide range of high-quality hip-hop tracks that showcased Kanye West’s artistic range. That said, if you think Donda 2 is a bad album—well, you’re probably right.

Here’s the thing, though: I don’t think the current version of Donda 2 is the final form. If we’ve learned anything from Kanye over the years, it’s that his projects tend to evolve—even after release. I fully expect him to upload new, more polished versions of some tracks, improve the mixes, possibly remove certain songs, add new features, or even pull features that don’t quite fit (cough Soulja Boy cough).

In the midst of navigating personal turmoil, Kanye West turned to music—and I applaud him for that. Throughout his latest album, Kanye touches on everything from his new life as a single man, to past love, mental health struggles, and his evolving relationship with God. As expected, he balances moments of raw, impassioned singing with aggressive raps, giving us a wide emotional spectrum.

Lyrically, many of Kanye’s verses hit the mark, though some moments feel undercooked (yes, there’s even a song where he mumbles near-gibberish). Still, he remains as juicy and headline-worthy as ever, always knowing how to keep listeners tuned in.

The standout aspect of this project is the stellar guest features. Whether it’s Jack Harlow, Migos, Fivio Foreign, or Soulja Boy dropping fire verses, or Vory, Alicia Keys, XXXTENTACION, and Don Toliver delivering soul-stirring vocals, the features elevate this album in major ways. Honestly, Kanye shines brightest when he’s in curator mode—handpicking talent and crafting moments around them. It might be time he leans more into that role.

Kanye West is one of the greatest music minds of all time. He’s also a perfectionist. I refuse to believe that this is the final version of Donda 2.

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