Kanye Pulls a 'Pablo' with 'Donda,' Releases New Version of Album

Kanye scrapped contributions from Chris Brown and KayCyy on the newly updated version of Donda.

Though it was officially released (allegedly against his will) last month, Kanye West isn't done with Donda just yet. In fact, it seems he's applying the "work-in-progress" pathos to his latest album. First introduced in the messy and perpetually updated rollout of The Life of Pablo, West turned his 2016 album into something resembling a living moodboard, plugging in new mixes and even new tracks every few weeks or so.

And now it seems Donda is getting the Pablo treatment. Last night, the rapper released a new version of his towering 2021 project, which happens to have followed a similarly chaotic campaign model with different versions of the album played at each of several livestreamed listening events leading up to its release. The latest version of the album erases contributions from Chris Brown on "New Again" and KayCyy on "Keep My Spirit Alive." Fans have also reportedly spotted new vocal mixes on a number of tracks, including "Jail Pt. 2," which controversially featured DaBaby and Marilyn Manson despite the former's vocal homophobia at a series of recent shows and the latter's string of sexual abuse allegations.

In the case of at least Brown's removal, it might have been a retaliatory move on West's part. Late last month, Brown took a shot at Kanye when "New Again" was released without his larger contribution to the track "Kanye a whole hoe," Brown wrote in a scrapped Instagram story. Brown later shared a clip of his verse for the song in a since-deleted post. But Brown isn't the only airing out grievances from working with West during the Donda sessions. In a recent interview, Tudd Rundgren claimed he worked on Donda for more than a year with Kanye and still isn't sure whether he's actually on the album.

Hear the updated version of Kanye West's Donda below. Hold tight to see what surfaces (or gets pulled) in the next version.