Music industry giant and controversial celebrity, Kanye West, has once again delivered his fans a groundbreaking album, one sure to make waves in the music scene of today. Released on April 1st, 888 hours after Donda 2, Donda 3 carries themes of reevaluation and reflection. Concerned fans hope that the album’s message means that West plans to reform his actions surrounding his messy divorce with Kim Kardashian, although West himself has yet to express any similar sentiment outside the album.

“I really think Kanye is going to turn things around. Sure, he’s made a lot of mistakes, and sure, he’s done some things he probably regrets, but how does that make him any different from the rest of us? The subliminal message in his new album clearly shows that he’s leaving things behind,” fan Josh Johnson said.

The album’s artwork embraces the simplicity of the past, showing only an antiquated computer screen displaying an error code. This symbolism continues through the first song on the album, as the song carries no sound and instead sends a virus to the listener’s computer with devastating effects. After the release of “Donda 3”, thousands of Kanye fans flocked to the free album, available for streaming on any platform unlike “Donda 2”. These fans received none of West’s characteristic blend of gospel and R&B, and instead had all of their internet browsing history sent to the contact saved in their phone as “Mom” via the invasive virus.

“I was not happy. I would give this album a zero out of 10 because my mom doesn’t need to know how many times I’ve had to google ‘how to spell thurogh,’” fan Josh Goggans said.

Outrage from fans upset about the privacy violation swept the internet, and cases against West continue to appear. Although the majority of West’s fans reacted negatively, the album’s unprecedented approach has inspired others to follow in the celebrity’s footsteps. Especially for artists struggling to earn money, the album’s format provides a new potential stream of income.

“I used to make original songs from the heart, but now I see that I can make a much bigger impact on those around me through malware. Spotify streams can’t pay my bills, but holding someone’s entire computer memory for ransom and credit card fraud can. I’ve made four thousand dollars just this morning. Ye was my biggest inspiration as a musical artist, and he still inspires me today,” SoundCloud rapper Josh Jake said.

As the number of cases against West mount, critic reviews of the album vary greatly. Pitchfork rated the album eight out of 10 for its innovative approach to music, while popular music critic and YouTuber Anthony Fantano declined to even comment on the album. 

“No comment,” Fantano said.

Although the album has likely caused several unpleasant familial exchanges, the impact “Donda 3” has left on popular culture will remain indefinitely.

The Chant’s Grade: B-

April Fool’s, you fool!

XOXO,

The Chant