Yesterday was 22.02.22 – a big day for manifestation, or a big day for Kanye West fans depending on which group you belong to – and to everyone's surprise, Ye actually performed DONDA 2 in Miami (the album still didn't release, though).
As you may remember, DONDA wasn't as straightforward. Multiple release dates were thrown around, the album kept being tweaked and multiple features were removed, and the record was finally released after three listening parties.
This time around, most of the communications around the album have come from Ye himself through a series of Instagram posts (all of which have now been deleted), communicating that he'd no longer release the album through streaming services, only through his own $200 Stem Player. But, last night we got to listen to the new album as Ye took the stage in Miami.
We saw yet another performance with alleged abuser Marilyn Manson (you'd think maybe by now he'd finally stop working with extremely problematic people, but alas), as he stepped out for "Jail," as well as a Travis Scott feature on "Pablo." It marks the first major move from Scott since the Astroworld tragedy last year, as the rapper has been laying low amongst legal battles following the multiple deaths at the concert.
We also got appearances from Alicia Keys, Playboi Carti, Jack Harlow, and more, and the internet has tuned in to catch every moment.
It's not just on stage that we saw a handful of celebrities. Elon Musk was in attendance hanging out with Rick Ross and French Montana (imagine those conversations), as well as Michelle Lamy, and plenty of other celebrities.
With any Kanye performance, there's plenty of drama.
This time, he sampled Kim Kardashian's SNL monologue where the star says, "I married the best rapper in the world." But, even inclusion in one of his tracks won't make up for the weeks of online abuse through Instagram. Sorry, Ye, you'll have to do better than that.
The performance also saw plenty of sound issues, resulting in Kanye throwing his mic across the stage in frustration. Seems like the right thing to do, considering the stage was also covered in water! I guess he finally got good use out of those Balenciaga Croc boots, though.
If you missed the show, don't worry – there's plenty to catch up on all over the internet, and we've compiled some of the major moments below.
For now, the actual album remains unreleased, even for those who dropped the $200. Yikes. Time to wait for the leak!
