Kanye West’s manager confirms ‘DONDA’ will be released after Chicago listening event next week

Kanye West’s forthcoming album DONDA will be released following the rapper’s listening event next week, according to his manager.

Fans were frustrated to learn that the rapper is holding a third listening party for his tenth studio album while the record remains unreleased.

Following on from the two previous listening parties held in Atlanta earlier this summer, West announced that a third event is due to take place in his hometown of Chicago on 26 August.

The album is scheduled to arrive the following day (27 August), according to a listing on Apple Music.

As reported by NME, the news appears to have been confirmed by West’s manager, Abou “Bu” Thiam, who replied to many of the rapper’s fans on Instagram this week.

While Thiam did not confirm an exact date for release, he responded “Absolutely!” to one of West’s fans who had asked: “After this will he finally drop the album?”

Asked by another fan whether there is a possibility that the album will be delayed further, Thiam claimed that West will “100%” release DONDA following this third listening event.

The news comes after multiple delays to the album’s release.

Kanye West at his Donda listening party (Getty)
Kanye West at his Donda listening party (Getty)

The follow-up to his 2019 album Jesus is King was postponed last year and rescheduled for July, only to be delayed again after West held his first listening party for 40,000 fans in Atlanta.

A new release date was announced as 6 August, but again the album failed to materialise on that date.