Kanye West Surprises Fans with Long-Awaited DONDA 2 Release on Streaming Platforms

After years of anticipation and cryptic teases, Kanye West, now known as Ye, has finally released his elusive album DONDA 2 to major streaming services, including Spotify, YouTube Music, and Tidal. The album, initially launched in February 2022 exclusively on West’s $200 Stem Player, is now available to a broader audience, marking a significant shift from its limited original release. The announcement came via a livestream on April 29, 2025, where West confirmed the album was “uploading now,” accompanied by an updated tracklist shared on his X account with over 33.3 million followers.

The newly released version of DONDA 2, credited under the artiste name Donda, features 18 tracks, many of which echo the original Stem Player iteration but with refreshed mixes and additional songs. Notable tracks include HAPPY and MR. MIYAGI, both featuring Future, as well as 5:30, which previously appeared on West’s collaborative album VULTURES 2 with Ty Dolla Sign. The tracklist also resurrects previously scrapped songs from the 2022 sessions, such as MAINTENANCE, SUZY, and JESSE, alongside a leaked collaboration with Playboi Carti and Future on MR. MIYAGI. West emphasized during the livestream that the album remains a work in progress, with plans to refine mixes in the future, a hallmark of his perfectionist approach.

The release follows a tumultuous period for West, who has been juggling multiple projects, including the flash-released Bully album in March 2025, which was shared through short films on social media before disappearing. Posts on X from collaborators like DJ Akademiks and Digital Nas fueled speculation about DONDA 2’s release, with Akademiks sharing an Instagram video of West working on mixes in the studio on April 29. Fans on X celebrated the news, with some noting West’s claim that DONDA 2represents his first fully independent release, a milestone he described as a “holy war in rap.”

The album’s journey has been anything but conventional. Initially debuted at a Miami listening party in 2022, DONDA 2 faced criticism for its exclusive Stem Player release, which limited access and rendered it ineligible for Billboard charts due to the platform’s merchandise bundle policy. The original version featured only four tracks, including SECURITY and PABLO, leaving fans clamoring for a complete project. West’s decision to revisit and expand the album reflects his ongoing creative evolution, though it has sparked mixed reactions. Some fans on X praised the move as a return to his innovative roots, while others expressed frustration over the album’s unfinished state.

West’s recent activities, including settling a lawsuit related to his now-closed Donda Academy and navigating controversies tied to his public persona, have kept him in the headlines. Yet, his prolific output—sharing new music monthly and teasing projects like the scrapped VULTURES and a re-recorded BULLY—underscores his relentless drive.