What is Donda???: A review of Kanye West's newest self-portrait
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- čas přidán 31. 07. 2024
- I tried to make the review in the style on the album. That is to say it is sprawling, jam packed with themes, a bit raw at points and hopefully quite enjoyable. Not very collaborative, though!
Patreoon: www.patreon.com/professorskye
Skye's Album for Victoria: www.bandcamp.com/professorskye
Skye's "Clean" Yeezus X Harry Potter Videos:
New Dobbies: • Kanye West - New Slave...
I Am Aragog: • Kanye West / Hagrid - ...
On McConagall Sight: • Kanye West - On Sight ...
Bound Vigilance: • Kanye West - On Sight ...
Gilderoy It Up: • Kanye West- Send It Up... - Hudba
Honestly the best reviewer on youtube at this point
100%
Absolutely. He’s so intricate and open mindedly analytical.
was there a good music reviewer in this platform anyway?
This might be the best thing I've watched on CZcams. Can't believe I just finished watching an 1+ hour of a minimally edited album review by one man and didn't get tired. At points I wanted to have a conversation with you about it, that's how personal yet deep your assessment of the album felt to me. Thanks for doing this man, you're doing great, genuine work. A lot of the music we listen to nowadays, gets buried under half-baked reviews written halfway into a first listen by underpaid journalists and unfortunately Donda suffered from those. This brought me back in touch with the actual album, and to a calm environment where I'm able to appreciate it as art. Social media bombardment doesn't let us do that a lot nowadays and it just makes me happy that I've come across this ON social media. What a nice surprise.
Thanks for the kind words.
I hadn’t thought about the intro of Jail being an extension of Donda Chant, but as soon as you said that it instantly clicked in place for me. Absolutely genius observation.
I creamed going back and noticing it
The Donda Chant also represents his mother's heartbeat at the time of her death. It starts out racing then gradually slows then stabilizes then the last "Donda" slows back down to a crawl (Boom flat line).....Then jail breaks in where Ye starts out by saying "Take what you want" which is a plea to God/Higher Powers to take anything but my mother! To me is capsulizes his feelings in moment where all he wanted was retribution for his loss hence "Somebody going to jail tonight" - The doctor who did his mother's procedure or himself because in that moment he wanted to kill the man.... Just food for thought
@@natedg78 I agree with all this except no I don’t think the chant has to do with her final heartbeats that’s a crazy weird connection to draw
@@KalamariFromTheParty it's Art and therefore subjective. Thank you for your opinion. You have every right to disagree...
The first time I heard Donda chant to jail transition was heavenly
If professor skye's Donda review and CLB drop in the same day I'll listen to professor Skye's donda review first
"Do we feel empathy for the guilty?" I, as a law student face this question a lot
Genuinely excited for his insight. Always learn something new from these reviews. Also appreciate that he doesn’t give these pieces of work number ratings. Putting a number on someone’s piece of art has always been a strange concept to me.
agreeeeeee
Knew that this was going to be a great review, i'm posting this to WSE.
It's useful for expressing your musical tastes. Like, your favorite songs you would give a 10 out of 10. You live them and play them all the time. You feel more strongly about those songs than you would maybe some song that you don't really care for or have a connection to that you hear in passing in the grocery store. It's nice to have a personal musical library of your Top 100 albums.
So, I'm a kid from Brazil studying for music school tired of every academic person I know talking about songs from 60 years ago (despite LOVING songs from 60 years ago), making my way into my passion and getting more and more in love with art as time passes, confused about what I want with my life (besides loving things) and then I find you. I can't thank you enough for your videos. I fucking love kanye but I love even more the way you (and I hope myself, someday) talk about art and how much potential there is when the matter is talking Art. I just wanted to say thank you I absolutely love what you make and the way you talk and think art in general, how you correlate the things from the present with the past, I wish I could see more of that in music school, you really got me thinking if my path isn't in History of Art school or something. Actually I wish I could see people thinking of art the way you do and I hope I'm able to change that a little bit someday too. Anyways, sorry if my text structure is kinda messed up i'm not used to writing essays in english but I excited myself while thanking you lol, this video is probably the 10th video from you channel I watched and everytime I think of writing something here, so here it is. Keep going, you're reaching the world. Really hope someday, in a year or in 10, we could manage to have a long and exciting talk about everything we love about art, I would really love that. Love from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. (i'm really afraid that i couldn't elaborate on my idea and kinda lost myself into words cause again, i'm not used to have long conversations in english, sorry about that)
Excellent analysis, professor. I hope you and your family are all doing well and staying safe.
So many HIGHS in this album.
Definitely! Sadly the lows are abundant too... But if this album was just the11-12 best songs, it would be amazing as a whole (obv)
"Vory gets the last word on the album, as he should."
SPEAK THE FACTS PROFESSOR SKYE
I thought I might write a few impressions on Donda, but I think you said it all. I also realize I'm just not qualified to give an informed opinion on Kanye, as I haven't heard all his albums.I do know that after listening to this 4 or 5 times now, that I like it more and more each time. It's wonderfully complex and beautiful at times.I also don't know enough about Hip Hop to put it in proper perspective. That said, I'm loving learning about all of it and feel richer for it. Looking forward to listening to this in more depth.Beautiful review. Insightful ,informed and delivered with wonderful passion. Thanks.
If you want a recommendation on Kanye albums to go to next I'd say Yeezus and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy are probably the two other Kanye albums with as much detail as Donda. Good places to go next but both of them are extremely crude and abrasive in comparison to Donda, so I wouldn't recommend going into them with the same feelings you come out of Donda with. Otherwise, they are great albums and if you decide to dissect those I would go to Pablo after them. Listening to his discography in order is a good idea of getting a general idea of Ye as well.
@@mattbludorn3666 Thanks Matt, I'll give those a closer listen.
@@matthewbrown7572 I’d say start right at the beginning with The College Dropout.
@@j.j.negrontv1111 Thanks, Got some homework.
Well written! Welcome to the club.
more excited for this review than for drake's new album
Honestly bro drake is so overrated imo 😐
@@Yungben-hn5yl he's not bad, just mid
@@zolris5498 yea yea I can totally agree with that not saying hes bad tbh he makes some really good music
That's on god
@@Yungben-hn5yl my dumbass read what you said as overhated oops
Believe what i say is actually one of my favorite songs on the album, but also think its extremely important narratively. I think it serves as a pivot point from the grief and gloom and imprisonment of the first part of the apbum into the more liberated and uplifting second half. Its unfortunate you didn't like it, but I still greatly appreciate your perspective!
same here... shocked he didn't like it. Great review still !
You worded it perfectly. I could feel the idea but couldn’t necessarily verbalize the shift.
professor > fantano. was really looking forward for your review, thank you for the quality content 👌🏻
i kind agree but also Fantano isn't a freaking well read professor lol Hes just a music guy who reviews music while this channel tends to be more analysis of albums rather than straight reviews
@@0oidiedinatimemachineo024 and that's what makes both them important too. Skye says in this review that he can't listen as much as music as others and doesn't know some of the features. Fantano listens to music for a living and listens to god knows how many albums every day. one of his biggest assets is his deep understanding of modern music culture and his knowledge of all the new up and comers.
I think if you look at 'Believe what I say' metaphorically its placing is incredibly significant. Thematically it is between Junya and 24 where there is a transition in the album and he states, "Play somethin' that is very, very vibe-worthy I don't know want my mind alerting" hence the transition. I think and might be wrong but this is the most allegorical song in the album and should not be interpreted literally. Believe what I say is the most important message in Christianity and typically "what is missed"(Junya). It is where the album transforms from the old testament (Jonah )to the new one. 'Believe what I say' is symbolic of the message of Jesus. It is simple and palatable and the use of a Lauryn Hill sample is suggestive of that. With this idea in mind, the song choice and the use of the pt2 songs makes sense imho.
Love this reading.
The thing I love about Jay’s verse is it’s him coming in as Ye’s big brother and addressing the haters trying to come at him and all the rumors about him not fucking with Kanye anymore. It’s just really sweet and densely layered with meaning wile simultaneously hyping ye up like how q tip and Phife used to hype each other on a track. It fits better with the healing moment that is Donda chant too.
jayz is r kellys mate so maybe he should be going to jail, plus he tried digging ye out about the red cap, deserved to be on it and dropped imo.
@@richgreen3459 That’s a wild assumption to make. John Wayne Gacy’s neighbors all liked him, so they must have been in on the his murders too then? Dumb. R Kelly was the biggest r&b artist of all time, everyone was friends with him. And he didn’t offend ye with the red cap line or we wouldn’t have heard the verse in the first place. That’s just the way family talks.
Such an incredible and detailed analysis. You bring up so much I didn’t even think of. Loving these videos so much!
You truly bring a unique offering to this platform and music reviews in general. I appreciate the insights derived from the music as well as your own life. I feel there’s therapeutic value listening to someone speak so passionately about their interests. It’s okay to not be okay… Thank you! Love from New Zealand!
This is one of the best breakdowns of an album I've seen on YT. Incredible insight!
Incredible analysis and insights!
Just finished watching this in its entirety and I can’t say anything but thanks! Loved the way you broke down your experience with the album and it’s meaning, this to me was one of Kanye’s most “Real” albums and it felt very healing for him and us as listeners it’s an honor to be able to experience his work in real time with the world. In 10 years they’ll look back on DONDA as one of those incredible albums in Kanye’s discography and how it changed music. wish you nothing but the best ur Kanye videos have made me love this channel love from Maryland 🙏
Been waiting for this video since I discovered the channel. Very excited for the insights!
I made sure to listen to this album deeply one more time before I watched your review and I still feel like we listened to different albums. Your understanding is so much deeper and your perspective so rich. You're the deepest music reviewer on CZcams.
so good hearing someone who actually has time listen let alone hear and appreciate the gift we've just been given. great review imo, thanks. p.s no cap.
I love the concept of dividing Ye's career into Donda and post-Donda. Fitting the first 3 albums into a top list has always been difficult to me. They're so much fun, but somehow feel different from the other ones. This division is a nice solution and you explain it masterfully
Fantastic review, enjoyed it from start to end. Great work professor!
FANTASTIC VIDEO AS ALWAYS
(I love it when you show off that sweatshirt, I feel so cool)
on remote control the pronoun confusion is cleared up by the line "god just grabbed my hand, had a bigger plan" it conveys this story of letting go of control of everything and letting god take over because his plan is greater and more than we could ever come up with
This also kind of reminds me of the Scarlet Letter, it makes me think that he's also coming to terms with the fact that he's shunned from society and being okay with that.
He went from being shunned to choosing to turn his back in the culture god has changed this man
BINGO....he now understands that the culture is just people who are trying to make a living like him.he now understands that his life is for God and his family...he definitely is coming to terms with the fact that the culture can not define him!PERFECT
to say something to your comments about the lack of drums on the album kanye actually addresses his feeling on drums in an interview with letterman from 2019. he said that drums and 808s r instruments that hit the root chakra and it activates sexual emotions. he stated he wanted to take a step away from that sound and try to make more music that is “sonically healing”
As someone who's been a causal Kanye fan since "Graduation," attended the Yeezus concert (still the best value for money event I've ever attended; 50 bucks to see ye, Kendrick Lamar and surprise guest feature Drake in one show) and very, very casual listener of hip hop/rap, I thoroughly enjoyed "Donda." As someone who loves "808s" and even songs off "Jesus is King" when he sings (even the voice-cracking "God Is" off his last project) I absolutely DIG the penultimate track on this album "Come to Life" where he doesn't need autotune to make what is perhaps his most etherical and beautiful track, showcasing a humble Kanye ("this is not about me"). Love both versions of "Jail" (even though the latter version intentionally makes you uncomfortable as Marilyn Manson says something irrefutably true "We all liars"") and just goes to show that (as you've proved time and time again) Kanye is a true artist.
P.S. Is it out of the realm of possibility that Yeezus himself might "stumble" across this video? Despite the "college sweater wearing incident" of last summer, it's a crazy coincidence that after saying that "Jesus is King" was a religious album but mainly about his father, he comes up with a religious album that is supposed to be about his mother? Hmm. lol
this review and commentary still holds water. your illumination of the album's theme of imprisonment has always stayed with me
Really appreciate your takes on kanye everytime i watch one of your video’s i learn something new
quickly becoming one of my favorite channels
Professor thank you for always teaching me things during these.
Liked immediately. You always go so in depth 🙌🏻
Great review and thoughts professor Skye! Loved the insight. Keep up the great content.
You're my favorite music related youtuber, great analysis
Just found you because of the Donda rollout. Really like how you approach your review. It's good mixture of personal view or if I could say "distant reading" and more objective "close reading". It's refreshing and fun, but still has substance in it. Keep doing this, Prof! Thank you.
Thank you for making this video. Love the in depth review.
I get your point about Believe What I Say not fitting stylistically with the rest of the album, but I love that track so much. It has such a groove and bounciness that acts as a glimmer of light in the darker void that the rest of the album sits in.
This is incredible. Such depth.
The Donda chant is her heartbeat 💓 getting weaker then stopping and it's done the times of her age.
first time watching you and not even half way done, but you deserved a like and follow. my goodness what a wonderful review.
I bet his students love him. ❤
Your videos are incredible! Great work! I love thinking about art and music with you!
J'adore tes vidéos. Les critiques sont toutes à l'honneur des artistes, et l'analyse culturelle est vraiment intéressante pour moi qui ne connait pas bien les USA. Bravo, continue !
W video. W album. W Video and CZcamsr!! Love your vids Professor! 🖤
Educated thoughts on music is an underrated superpower and Skye is killing it!!!!!!
When I talk to people about music I sometimes want to go this deep but people always think I'm so mellow dramatic, so over analytical, or even annoying to them.
Its not like I don't enjoy "passively" listening to music. I'm no prude or anything but sometimes I do listen to things like Lingua Ignota or Kanye or Mike and find myself deeply thinking about the artisticality behind it all.
Personally I find it annoying that nobody thinks about music as deeply as I do in my personal life. Happy that there are many others that have similar, for lack of a better word in my brain thesaurus, "deep" thoughts about music as I do. Very interesting videos I appreciate them, keep them up!
I’ve never come across a more relatable comment to my life. You’re definitely not alone in thinking you annoy people when discussing music. This sounds super pretentious but constantly have to water down my thoughts on something so I don’t weird the other person out really sucks
what an excellent video on Donda, you have very great observations on the album and have given me many things to think about next time I listen to the album.
Love your reviews. Thank you 🙏🏼
been waiting for this...
this the review i was waiting for
One thing I noticed immediately was the intentional tracklisting of Jail as the intro and Come to Life and No Child Left Behind as the outros. Kanye sings “I’m free, I’m free” at the end of Come to Life and then almost ascends to the heavenly instrumental of NCLB. He’s literally freeing himself fron Jail (mentally, religiously, etc) and entering a state of purity and redemption (heaven)
Your 4 bad songs are my favourite off the bunch haha LOVED THE VIDEO!
I love your insight and analysis! I find myself, a 40 year old life long hip hop head, absolutely loving this album for it's complexity, themes, ability to enjoy with my 5 year old and 10 month old, and how it marries all his albums together. I don't believe I would have been able to understand, enjoy, or empathize as much with this art before kids and marriage. (I speak only for myself).
I don’t know who you are but fucking hell this was beautiful to watch and I an still watching it. The music industry needs people like you to review music.
Amazing video! I love Smile by The Beach Boys so I appreciate you bringing it up, I got those same vibes.
I really enjoyed your thoughts on this album 😌
Amazing video. I might revisit this video a couple times in the months to come.
Can't wait!!!
I discovered you through your review of T Swift's Red (TV) and I can't stop watching your reviews!
I learned a lot listening to you Mr. You are very deep in this video.
Thank you for that
Very illuminating takes so far, Thank you for this. I want to add that, I've heard the end of Jail is supposed to sound like the cells shutting in a jail cell
Loving Donda, I have watched many reviews which did not corroborate my thoughts and feelings on the album. But on your review, I totally agree with you, on each point and I did even learn more. Une revue ( faux amis, review) de haute facture. Bravo
This is brilliant. Before starting this review, I just finished watching the DEHH review, which was an amateur train wreck. There really is levels to this game.
When its all said and done, Kanye will go down as one of the greatest artists of all time in any genre of music. His discography is remarkable and has so much range.
However a lot of people can not separate the music from the man when it comes to Kanye. So he receives a lot of hate and therefore people walk into his albums with hatred. It's very childish.
I knew we were in for a great Kanye album after hearing songs from the listening parties. His best album since Yeezus for me right now.
New subscriber.
yes and the sad thing is that Kanye isn't even a bad person. He is a very confident and arrogant man, which somehow is a reason for society to kick someone down. Rather have some mediocre no-names than someone who is pushing boundaries I suppose. And he does do some things that are questionable, even if it might be for a good reason in his mind (red cap /Trump support to drive forward prison reform? But at what cost?), or that slavery thing, which is nothing revolutionary from an artist who says 'we are buying our own chains', as in people are dumbed down and enslaved in consumerism and capitalism, but completely taken out of context. I mean Kanye never hurt anyone, seems to be a good father and makes people happy with his art. Meanwhile there are a lot of actual bad people out there just doing their thing and no one bats an eye. Here we have a saying: tall trees catch a lot of wind.
Moon for me really is the ultimate song for the Donda x Kim x God connection
Great video! looked forward to it all week and it was worth it
edit: I really can't even recall how many verses Kanye actually has on this album and it doesn't even matter. Because I hear Kanyes sound and voice throughout the album, may it be in the music or in the guest verses. And when you look at the production credits, there are only a few songs he was 'main' producer on. Yet everything sounds so 'kanye'. That really is amazing and it really feels like he just builds this giant creative supercomputer of all these people, which are steered by his vision and 1+1 becomes 3.
i can’t waittttt
You make the best ye content ever! I can relate to what you say at 18:10 it is the same for me.
can’t wait
Hey Skye, great video again, I'm 35 yrs old and think we share a lot of the same views when it comes to Kanye!
I was wondering whether you've looked into the stem player that he's got due for release at all, I'd be very interested to see a video of you sharing your personal thoughts on this new device.
I watch a lot of your reviews as I think what you say is more often than not interesting, educated, and valid. Keep doing just what you do please, the efforts are appreciated.
It’s my birthday on Monday and I asked for it. Fingers crossed.
Amazing review listening for the second time
Youre like the internets biggest music nerd but your reviews are actually good
Loved this review! u absolutely deserve a sub
excited 😀
I'm excited
Amazing review!
Off The Grid is great, but Kanye’s verse on Violent Crimes will always be my favorite. Just stunning.
you are a legend sir
Yes *blurgh* rappers can be amazing - Durk especially at his best is incredible with it. It’s pretty rare for a pioneer of a style to not only be able to compete with those within it ten years later, but also be able to outdo them whenever he tries to. A more recent example of him doing so would be “Intro” off his “The Voice (deluxe)” project for anyone reading this who may not be familiar
great analysis, ever thought about putting your content on Spotify podcasts? I'd love that
Beautiful review, thank you professor 🙏🏾 I know god breathed on you
would love to hear you talk about Velvet Underground especially the first 3 albums. great video as always
Your question on if Kanye disdains drums actually made me chuckle. In one of his interviews, I think it was with Letterman, Kanye talks about how 808 drums communicate to our animalistic chakras (Solar Plexus and Sacral) and when music and words are added to that bombastic sounds it activates those innate natures in us (sex, greed etc). Just a by the way, this might explain his reduction of drums.
He did touch on that as to why Kanye didn't use drums throughout the album. He even mentioned his son talking to him about how it was the same on Jesus is King.
I heard someone say that the Donda chant is her heartbeat before she passed since at the Chicago listening party an image of a white dove was shown on the screen after the last “Donda”; Which then would give Jail connotations of a second chance and living on because of the connection you mentioned between the music and the word.
Any update on your Kanye discography ranking? Loved the review. I keep rewatching it. Have a great 2022.
Amazing review! Thanks!
Immaculate breakdown of an album so worthy of such. It’s funny…for the first couple listens, Remote Control was my favorite song on the album. I LOVE how the drums move. The crunchy sound with the dragging bounce is texture you rarely -if at all -hear in today’s Hip Hop.
this is great work man
20:22 tarantino mode
I know u from whole lotta red review and I really like it but this vids I love it. Already subscribe keep it up ❤️
You are very underrated it's criminal!
just thought I'll note down the points you mentioned about Donda that i didn't catch when i listened to donda here:
- he thinks he needs to say that his marriage is over, but deep down he doesnt think it is
- filled with hesitation and lack of certainty that this marriage is over
49:02 when you slow samples it's called "chopped and screwed" a technique created and popularised by legendary Houston DJ, DJ Screw
Wow the value in this video.
So glad I went down The Weeknd Rabbithole that the algorithm sent this. Instant Subscribe
Junya PT 1 and 2 probably the hardest songs professor you tweakin
"Jesus forgives everybody, that's kinda his schtick." Lol
I like remote control. Lol. Great review. Found you tonight and I'm definitely subbing.
If “Jail” is about guilt and Ye’s divorce, why wouldn’t Jay-Z’s verse fit? Lemonade, 4:44 & Everything Is Love is all about him breaking this moral law. That why the line “not me with all this sin casting stones” is so potent because I was under the belief that he is linking himself or reflecting on the similarities between him and Ye failure in this area. I could be off.
I feel like telling this story
It was 13:58 in my country and I’m on my couch looking at my phone. I see a Watching the Throne video titled “Donda is dropping at 8am [time zone]” and check the time. It it is 14:01. I check a website and see it was 8am in the place it was announced. I instantly look at Apple Music and see the album. I tell all of my family, even if they don’t even listen to Kanye. I was also the person who announced the album to the Kanye discord. Honestly that was one of the best things that ever happened to me