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DONDA DAY – Thoughts from a Ye Lifer

by Jer7rej•


The Tryin Times was born in the shadow of 2020, amidst media blackout and humankind fearing the future unknown. We remain in this state, despite coverage of talking heads on the telly, heads are removed in the dark spots of the planet. Viruses and vaccines creep over our minds daily and the trusted ones at the top seem to let us down day after day. 

Leaders Rise in Darkness

Kanye West, now officially known as Ye, has always inspired me. My trying times have escaped me for the time being, but each new day presents a challenge and a temptation back to dark decisions. I am a dry drunk and experiment runner, and love a good night run in with debauchery. I’ve had my moments, but I remain true to my good Lord upstairs and realize now I have power to influence and inspire those to get into the good way of life. Kanye has always helped me show that with his music. 

I waited for this album patiently, but enjoyed each step of the release. Each live performance was in itself an emotional experience, leading up to a strange release which happened this morning out of nowhere. After rumors of a scrap last minute, the album surprisingly released this AM and got me outa bed to immediate dancing. I have had 2, maybe 3 serious mental health lows that were completely balanced and dismantled into a clear conscious and conscience from blasting Kanye and getting loose and finding my inner truths. This album featured a lot of that, and more. I highly recommend. 10/10.

Here’s a few highlights of the highly anticipated DONDA-the album.

If you remember that song “I miss the old Kanye,” or you’re the person who says “I liked Kanye’s old stuff” you can find the organic youthful boyish African American intellectual voice of Kanye on “Jonah” and “Pure Souls”. He features his natural Chicago youthful son of an English professor sound, speaking like Kanye of The College Dropout and Late Registration.

“HEAVEN AND HELL” If the era of Kanye featuring stunna shades that began with Graduation was your favorite era, you can find a bit of that on “Heaven and Hell,” “Believe What I Say” and “New Again” with rhythmic bumps that will have you feeling like your feet are stuck to the club floor again. Put your Nike Yeezy 1s on.

Junya/Junya Pt. 2 will give you the deep dark bump of Kanye “Monster” and Yeezus. Deep dark UK grime. I CANT REALLY SEE WHERE DID I MISS? Off the Grid also reminds me of this Yeezus era. LETS GET RIGHT on “Praise God” reminds us of “Wolves” and experimental dark real playful tracks of this era.

Life of Pablo fans will enjoy “God Breathed”, and “Hurricane”. Put your Adidas Yeezys on. Oh and if you love Cudi/Kanye Kids See Ghosts vibes- find it on “Moon.”

Jesus Is King was the first official Gospel album that Kanye brought into the mainstream, and you will find tinges of the Gregorian chants and eerie but beautiful organs and hallelujahs throughout, as he truly blesses the listener with new scripture that hits the soul deep. You can feel this on title track “Donda.” 

Somehow Kanye manages to continue to bury you with your own sins, and cathartically release them as he rejoices and reflects on his own sins and seems to ask for forgiveness and once again reminds us that God always wins and God runs the show and we owe our glory. You can play games with the Devil, but the Lord watches always, and you can empower others to see that in your own way. 

Marylin Manson, amidst dark allegations found himself on Kanye’s childhood porch in the 3rd theatrical performance of Donda, and all I could think was wow lol, Kanye got Manson to stand under a cross? Seems spiritual. Seems demonstrative of what I was taught as a young boy in religion, the dark ones still deserve the light, no matter what. They can always be good, with time and help. We all need help to get through the dark, and sometimes a beautiful album is necessary for us to see what is beautiful in our own lives. 

Buffalo NY stand up.

Both Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine appear on the album, on “Keep My Spirit Alive” bringing with them the same raw unique passion and eerie Griselda sounds. It was amazing to hear them on a Kanye album honestly. 

For me personally, the moment I first heard “Jail” I was immediately hit as I have found myself manically chasing the dark to the point of finding myself snapchatting myself chained to a jail cell bench. I have the lord to thank for my saving, and the unconditional love of my family and fiance that helped me get out of the pit that the devil holds over us all. We are all subject to temptation, but it is unconditional love and the power of what is Good and Great that overcomes the weak frail temptress that is evil and sin. You find yourself a joker in the game, chasing the dark and forgetting what truly matters, which is family. 

“You don’t ever abandon your family.” 

Self explanatory. 

One song that did not make the cut, at least to my knowledge thus far, is one where Ye belted emotional storytelling of what can only be interpreted as a real life tale of “Losing My Family.” It could be interpreted this song, much like the album itself as a whole, was truly part of it’s inception. He may have saved his family with the raw truth and passion of this album. 

Overall DONDA reminds us to remember who is important, the people who love us unconditional, and the unconditional love of God. Dance, release your demons, and give yourself forgiveness and get back on track. Take care of your family and never abandon your family. No one is too dark to save. Everyone can work together to fix this world and remember to believe in something bigger than America. 

PRAISE GOD. Bump it. Feel it. Live it.