Lets Be Clear: The things that leaking the new Kanye West, DONDA album could do for G-HOLY.COM are nearly unfathomable, as the owner of the site. Traffic would increase exponentially in seconds. We’d gain a status and reputation that could take us into the future, as a top name for Hip-Hop exclusives. We could live off of it. It’d be our “moment”. We’ll pass…

The number one objective in building this site was to restore integrity in the culture. As a fellow rap artist, I could never spread a leak. I wouldn’t want it done to me; And so the saying goes.

Now, as a journalist, I will report on my findings, good or bad. I just won’t tell you where to get it. There are 20 tracks, total. Ten are addressed here. So without further ado, here is part one of the Kanye West DONDA leak review:

Keep My Spirit Alive feat KayC, Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine

Westside coming with a different flow. Still Westside-ish, but the beat is just not his bag. KayC (whoever that may be) is the first voice you hear. Cool hook, I guess. Eery beat. Nice drop in the hook. A little unmixed, unfinished. Conway sounded unlike I’ve ever heard him. His verse was 8 bars. That’s a joke for The Machine! Kanye does some wordplay gymnastics that I’m not so sure about yet. I’m not sold on his verse in general. It may be great, just not here. Overall, if this didn’t make the final cut, I wouldn’t be mad.

Hurricane feat The Weeknd, Lil Baby

EPIC organs. This beat is FIRE! Lil Baby hits a new level everytime I’ve heard him, ever. Lil Baby CAN’T miss. He’s perfect on this track. The Weeknd is doing Weeknd things. Ye literally starts off the track sayin “mmm mmm mmm”. He loves being left. “Genius gone clueless“. “Made the best tracks, and still went off the rail“. Ye giving his LIFE on this. He shortly addresses Kim. This verse is super fire. Ended a little weak, but overall, this is Kanye at his best. An updated version of Ye’s verse on Jeezy’s “Put On”.

Tell The Vision feat Pop Smoke

Pop Smoke’s “Nigga, we made it” in the beginning feels like something. On the actual verse, his voice is too drowned out in the effect set to it. Kanye doesn’t say one word. It goes off to a sort of crown noise. Also, Pop Smoke was off-beat a little, which is to be expected, considering he most likely didn’t write to this beat. Sounds like Ye took one of his drill songs and tried to put it over a piano beat. Not totally trash but definitely not memorable.

Praise God feat Baby Keem, Travis Scott

Hard to describe this instrumental. 808’s are INSANE. It sounds like church in hell. Travis’ flow is perfect, and as usual, he’s not saying too much. Baby Keem could’ve stayed home. He goes into full out Future on “King’s Dead” mode, with the baby voice (no pun intended). It sounds way worse that when Future did it. Not a bad verse, just not special… and kind of odd.

Jesus Lord feat Jay Electronica, Sheek Louch, Jadakiss, Styles P

Why is Jay Elec or Jesus Lord? Anyway… Another attempt at “Trapping For God“. This beat sounds another trip the Hell’s church. Kanye sounds NORMAL. Like, regular. Seriously, this is the most sober sounding you’ll ever hear Ye. This song is growing on me. He’s doing his thing on this verse. This has to be 50 bars from West. Okay, 70. All real sh*t in that verse! Jay E sounds PERFECT. This is the best track so far. Elect is doing his normal, but he sounds better. This is his best delivered verse. Where the f*ck did Sheek Louch come from? (The LOX weren’t listed) Louch coming off very veteran-y. Jadakiss has to have a pitch down plug-in on his voice. He literally sound like God would. Styles P sounds the best on this instrumental. “Got coke from Jesus, now I’m talkin to Jesus“.  Styles verse ended WAY too soon. Larry Hoover’s son ends the 11:22 second track with a powerful speech about his father. Easily, the best track so far.

Lord I Need You

Choir… of course. “Would you shut up, I can’t hear myself drink“, “Man, I don’t know what would do without me“. Kanye went ULTRA-Ego. This is an anti-love, love song, by the way. Not my favorite Yeezy hook. I do love when Kanye sings anything, though, so… Choir, again. It ends in choir. Not full choir, a quiteter choir.

Jonah feat Vory, Lil Durk

These beats are hard and sleepy. Not a fan of this instrumental. Vory sounds like the beat came with his vocals: One of those SoundClick joints. Lil Durk goes a bit into his personal situations. He mentions that Jay and Ye are still brothers, and he lost his. Kanye comes in immediately denouncing dissing dead humans in recordings. His verse is less of a verse than a warning. A warning to all who play the games that have gotten so many rapper’s, gang members and affiliates killed in the streets of Chicago. This was important for the world to hear, especially with Durk on it. They’ll listen. The youth would’ve for sure tuned in if they would’ve made a better song, though. This is damn near awful. Nothing about this song is appealing. Durk was the highlight.

Off The Grid feat Playboi Carti, Fivio Foreign

If I knew Rick Ross would be placing vocals on this song, I would’ve judged the beat different, honestly. For some reason, I’d love him on this. Carti is trash, as usual. Fivio is in his BAG! He changes the tone of the whole track. He is a FAR better rapper than he was initially. Foreign is 100% one of the highlights of this album. His verse doesn’t stop. Sheesh. He should’ve elected to no black out bar-wise. His last half wasn’t as special as his first. Still a highlight. KW doesn’t actually spit a verse here. He just does the refrain, “We off the grid grid grid grid grid“. Stop putting Playboi Carti on your songs, fellas.

I’m Not OK feat Lil Yachty, Rooga

SIGH…. Why are these beats so epic sounding but not good, at the same time. This just isn’t my Bop. This is fitting for Azalea Banks. Lil Yatchty is acting like he can rap, here. He’s also whispering. No clue why. Rooga is generic. Autotune, same flow, same content. What is this song ABOUT? I got lost. I guess fake friends. Yup, fake friends. Kanye better ra… He doesn’t. Are these songs unfinished, or is Yeezus doing his Puff Daddy and The Family thing?

Never Abandon Your Family

A voice speaks on not walking away from your family. She’s on stage. Forgive me if this is a familiar voice. It’s not registering with me. Kanye West does some of his worse singing ever. I’d say it’s purposeful though since he’s repeating “I’m losing my family” over, and over again. I really just want him to be okay, at this point, in real-life. If the beat wasn’t so bad, this may be a bop. The messaging is powerful.

Best Track: Jesus Lord (Easily)

Worst Track: Off The Grid (Hard To Choose)

Overall, it sounds like our hero was about to go gospel, then changed his mind, and is now stuck in limbo. It’s like he can’t even agree with himself. We’ll see what the second half has in store.

G-HOLY.COM, 2021