“Donda” is the fifteenth track on Kanye West’s 2021 album of the same name. This version of the song includes background vocals by Ariana Grande, Kanye West, The World Famous Tony Williams, along with a speech by Kanye’s mother Donda herself.
‘Donda’ is Kanye West’s tenth studio album released on August 29, 2021, after being teased and delayed multiple times. Kanye West held two listening parties for the album at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta leading up to the album release, and the third party in Chicago. This track was played at the second listening party.
There is another version of this track with a feature by Pusha T which did not make it into the final album. The Pusha T version was played on the live album listening parties.
Listen to “Donda” by Kanye West
Kanye West “Donda” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Intro
Kanye West and Ariana Grande vocalize on the intro which acts as an angelic call to the heaven above. While they reach out to Ye’s beloved mother, they also usher upon glory in His name.
Verse
The only verse on the track is a speech by Donda West delivered at Chicago Statue University recorded on October 19, 2007. It was a speech celebrating the life and works of renowned poet and writer Gwendolyn Brooks, who would have turned 90 in 2007.
Kanye quoted the poem ‘Speech to the Young: Speech to the Progress-Toward (Among them Nora and Henry III)‘ by Gwendolyn Brooks on the track “Praise God” in this album.
In Donda’s speech, she seems to touch on the influence Kanye has had on a generation of people through his music. She seems to pour out her love for his son and recognize what he has done for the culture.
Donda seemed to be moved about the fact that she could talk about ‘anything’ at this speech. She recognizes that Kanye had opened so many doors for so many people of color in this society. She even goes as far as to say that “And you know, I am my son’s mother.”
Let us hear what you think about this interlude in the comments below. Check out the complete lyrics on Genius.