Kanye Claims Donda Release Was Unauthorized

That's 'preposterous,' Universal insiders say
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 30, 2021 1:30 PM CDT
Kanye Claims Donda Release Was Unauthorized
Kanye West arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 9, 2020.   (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

The long-delayed Kanye West album Donda broke streaming records after its release Sunday morning—but West says he never signed off on the release, Pitchfork reports. "Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked Jail 2 from being on the album," he said in an Instagram post hours after the release. Sources at Universal Music Group, parent company of the Def Jam label, tell Variety that West's claim is "preposterous." The "Jail Pt. 2" track was unavailable for streaming when the album was first released at 8am Eastern on Sunday, apparently due to a copyright issue, but it became available around five hours later.

"Jail Pt. 2" caused controversy with the inclusion of DaBaby, under fire for making homophobic comments, and Marilyn Manson, who has been accused of sexually assaulting multiple women, Variety notes. Both artists appeared at West's Donda listening party in Chicago last week. The album, which was delayed for around five weeks, broke an Apple Music record by heading to No. 1 in 130 countries, TMZ reports. Hypebeast notes that if Donda tops the Billboard chart this week, as appears likely, he will break the record for the most No. 1 albums from an artist who debuted on the chart this century. (West has filed to officially change his name to Ye.)

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