Reception
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022) |
The New York Post ranked "Donda Chant" as one of the worst songs of 2021. [11]
| "Donda Chant" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Kanye West | |
| from the album Donda | |
| Released | August 29, 2021 |
| Recorded | July 14, 2021 |
| Genre | Spoken word |
| Length | 0:52 |
| Label | |
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | Kanye West |
"Donda Chant" is the opening track of American rapper Kanye West's tenth studio album Donda (2021). The song features vocals from American singer-songwriter Syleena Johnson, who had recorded vocals for another song that was eventually scrapped from the album. A music video for the song was released via Instagram by West on September 18, 2021. Throughout the video, pictures of both Kanye and his mother Donda West are projected atop a replica of the former's childhood home.
West first collaborated with Syleena Johnson in 2004 on his single "All Falls Down", where she contributed vocals on the chorus, interpolating lyrics from Lauryn Hill's "Mystery of Iniquity". [1] West continued to work with Johnson during the early years of his career, including producing her 2005 track "Bull's-Eye (Suddenly)". [1] On July 15, 2021, Johnson flew out to San Francisco to record for Donda. [2] Johnson talked more about the collaboration on Cocktails with Queens on Fox Soul on August 31, saying that West told her that he "wanted the album to have some type of healing component", after which Johnson suggested that the consonant sounds in "Donda" kinda sound like a "meditative chant". The singer then laid down vocals repeating "Donda" in different cadences and rhythms after telling West about the idea. She said that she had no idea that West would use the track in the way that he did on the album. Johnson said during the same session that she recorded vocals for another song, which was ultimately not included on the album. [3] Musically, "Donda Chant" is a spoken word song. [4] [5] Johnson repeatedly chants "Donda" for the song's full length of 52 seconds without pausing as a mantra, replicating the sound of a fading heartbeat. [1] [6] She utters the word 60 times, accompanied by no instrumental. [5]
On September 18, 2021, West shared an accompanying music video exclusively to his Instagram. [7] The video was directed by British fashion photographer Nick Knight, who also shot the visual for the album track "24". [7] [8] It is set in black and white, and has a length of 61 seconds. [8] Aerial footage is displayed of the replica of West's replica childhood home from the album's third listening party at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 26, 2021, which two rows of moving cars circle around. [4] [8] [9] Flashes of photographs are projected onto the replica house that show Donda, who is pictured as both a child and an adult, while some images feature Kanye West accompanying her. [7] [10] Pictures of West as a baby and video footage of his mother, including clips where she laughs, are also displayed. [8] [9] [10]
| | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022) |
The New York Post ranked "Donda Chant" as one of the worst songs of 2021. [11]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [12]
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [13] | 57 |
| Portugal (AFP) [14] | 112 |
Syleena Johnson is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television presenter from Chicago, Illinois.
"All Falls Down" is a song by American hip hop artist Kanye West. It was released as the third single from his debut album, The College Dropout. The song was written and produced by West and features singer Syleena Johnson. The hip hop song contains an interpolation of "Mystery of Iniquity" by Lauryn Hill from her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0; Hill is credited as a composer.
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The discography of American R&B and soul singer and songwriter Syleena Johnson consists of nine studio albums, two collaborative albums, one greatest hits album, 29 singles, and eight music videos.
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Donda is the tenth studio album by American rapper Kanye West, released through GOOD Music on August 29, 2021, with distribution handled by Def Jam Recordings, as his final release with the label. The album features a wide range of guest performances from artists including Jay-Z, the Weeknd, Playboi Carti, Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Lil Durk, Lil Yachty, Don Toliver, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Marilyn Manson, Jay Electronica, Roddy Ricch, Baby Keem and Pop Smoke, among others; vocals from Chris Brown were also included prior to the album being updated. A deluxe edition was released on November 14, 2021 and featured guest vocals from André 3000, Tyler, the Creator, and KayCyy. West, BoogzDaBeast, Dem Jointz, Mike Dean, and Ojivolta primarily helmed the albums production. West recorded much of the material at multiple locations in the summer of 2021, including Bighorn Mountain Ranch in Wyoming and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
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Took my heart and voice to San Fransisco[sic] right quick to work on something OUT OF THIS WORLD. ♥️ went vintage @kanyewest on the outfit today with the College dropout original hoodie I got from him in 2004.
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