Kanye West became a name and a sensation following his debut into the world of rap after freestyling in the early 2000s. Success came calling for him after his first debut album ‘Kon The Louis Vuitton Don’ in 2004 and his first Grammy in 2005. Ever since the rapper went on to release a bevy of albums, with his last coming as an exclusive release of ‘Donda 2’. However, in the actual scenario, 2021’s ‘Donda’ served as his last major worldwide release on all streaming platforms, with ‘Vultures’ now on the line to take flight as the eleventh.

Yet, a major case of delays and no-shows have added to fans’ frustration as the collaboration has kept shooting past rumored dates. Amid such a case, here come two similarities and two differences, respectively, in Ye’s 10th and 11th studio albums.

Donda’s spectacle steals the show from Vultures raves

Months of anticipation, rumors, and fan pleads later, Kanye West finally previewed his Ty Dolla $ign collaboration on 12th December at a Miami rave party. However, the rapper’s re-branding of his listening parties has come at loggerheads with the massive spectacle ‘Donda’ had brought about. On July 22, 2021, the first-ever listening party for the latter took place amid much fanfare. Taking Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium by storm, Ye managed to fill its 20,000-odd seats with an announcement that came hardly moments before the event’s start.

Acoustic sound designs, changing costumes, dancers, and light shows highlighted the event. A total of three such public listening parties took place, with two in Atlanta and one in Chicago. A set piece featuring his childhood home in Chicago, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian walking down in a wedding gown, and Ye himself wearing puffer jackets outside of his trademark monochrome palette highlighted the events. In sharp contrast, the only ‘Vultures’ rave remained marred by glitches, the firing of a DJ on-site, and no-shows.

Donda had Kanye West as its theme

Named after the rapper’s late mother, ‘Donda’ as well as its stem player-exclusive ‘Donda 2’, paid tribute to Kanye West’s late mother, Donda. However, at their core, the albums stood incredibly centered on the ‘Flashing Lights’ singer. The themes covered Ye’s journey of getting over the grief of his mother’s demise back in 2007. Additionally, it also explored the unfortunate event’s impact on his mental health, self-reflection, and vulnerability. Tracks such as ‘Believe What I Say’ and ‘Junya Pt. 2’ highlighted a remarkable self-awareness from West.

Finally, samples from ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Off the Grid’ narrated his familial hardships, including the aftermath of his failed marriage with Kardashian. Regardless, ‘No Child Left Behind’ came as ample evidence of his hope and faith in eventual redemption. Meanwhile, ‘Vultures’ appears to be a take on the alleged predatory nature of the music industry and would majorly focus on factors outside the rapper’s personal life except maybe references to him losing a ton of his earnings and starting from the ground up.

In terms of similarities, here are two poignant ways in which ‘Donda’ and ‘Vultures’ share their bonds.

Kanye West sticks to his ritual of delays

‘Vultures’ rave kicked in adrenaline hype among fans as soon after a possible release date appeared online. Furthermore, Apple Music listings had the collaboration album available for pre-save only for it to disappear completely off its shelves. Ye’s team pushed the release from 15th December 2023 to undefined infinity. Moreover, the possibility of a Christmas, New Year’s Eve, as well as a 1st January drop also shot by. Finally, the latest rounds of rumors have put the album’s availability to the public for February 9, 2024.

Interestingly, in terms of release, ‘Donda’ followed a similar suit. Announced in July 2020 along with track lists, the album went into radio silence for one whole year. After previewing ‘No Child Left Behind’ during the NBA Finals, Ye confirmed the album for a July 23 drop. After listening parties, the release shifted to August 15. At this point, and with over a year of release, fans pleaded for a release, and soon after, Kanye West finally released ‘Donda’ on 29 August 2021.

A grand show of collaboration

Kanye West debuted the ‘Donda’ deluxe edition containing 32 songs and collaborated with a host of artists from across the hip-hop realm. The biggest headline came with Ye working alongside Jay-Z for verses on ‘Jail’. Thereafter, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Lil Baby, Travis Scott, and Kid Cudi came across as notable mentions. However, the list did not stop as more stars got studded soon. Lil Yachty, Don Toliver, Roddy Rich, Young Thug, Baby Keem, and the late Pop Smoke lent their voices.

In many ways, ‘Donda’ surpassed collaboration expectations of even The Sunday Chorus choir giving an ephemeral vibe. Likewise, ‘Vultures’, a prime product of the ‘Y$’ collaboration, also carries a ton of tie-ins. Lil Durk, Bump J, and of course, Ty Dolla $ign have already made their contributions public at the Miami rave. However, surprises came ringing in with Kanye West’s daughter, North West also making her way into the album and a possible list of even more additions coming soon.

As of now, Ye remains likely firm to roll out ‘Vultures’ on February 9, 2024. Yet, there always lies a possibility of a delay. Regardless, what are your thoughts on this comparison and the likening of Kanye West’s ‘Donda’ with ‘Vultures’? Let us know in the comments below.