As fans await Donda 2’s release, Kanye West has thrown a curveball. Ye, as he is now known by his fans, has thrown a slick rhyme that fans won’t soon forget.
According to his Instagram post, the LP will be available only to the Stem Player, the innovative gadget he designed himself. The problem of micro royalties that Spotify and rivals pass on to creators is receiving unprecedented heat, so West takes matters into his own hands – by owning the content and the delivery device.
Kanye, 44, whose name has been legally changed to Ye, posted a teaser of a brand new song on his Instagram account on Friday (18 February).
Ye unveiled the Stem Player last August, a device created in partnership between Yeezy Tech and Kano Computing. Among the device’s advanced features is the creation of loops, raising and lowering pitch, and even combining stems from various songs.
“Donda 2 will only be available on my own platform, the Stem Player. Not on Apple Amazon Spotify or YouTube,” he writes. “Today artists get just 12% of the money the industry makes. It’s time to free music from this oppressive system. It’s time to take control and build our own. Go to stemplayer.com now to order.”
The $200 digital player from Yeezy features volume controls, built-in speakers, and a flashing light.
Kanye West’s next album, titled Donda 2, is set for release on Feb. 22, 2022, and will be accompanied by a concert at Miami’s LoanDepot Park stadium. It is Future’s follow-up to 2021’s Donda, which bears Kanye’s Mothers name.
