Donda (styled in all caps) is a creative content company founded by American rapper Kanye West. The company was named after West's late mother, Donda West, and shares the name with his tenth studio album, released in 2021.
History West announced the company on January 5, 2012, via a series of Twitter posts. In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; Donda would operate as "a design company which will galvanize amazing thinkers in a creative space to bounce their dreams and ideas" with the "goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford."Graham, Mark, Kanye West's Epic 1600-word Twitter Rant: Neatly Organized for your Reading Pleasure , January 5, 2012, VH1, retrieved August 4, 2015.
Culture
West was secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence.Hope, Clover, Kanye West has a Dream: Inside his Creative Agency Donda, August 19, 2013, Vibe, retrieved August 4, 2015.Pasori, Cedar, How Kanye West's Creative Company Donda is making its own Brand of Cool, November 3, 2014, Complex, retrieved August 4, 2015.
In stating Donda's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel".Graham, Mark, Kanye West's Epic 1600-word Twitter Rant: Neatly Organized for your Reading Pleasure , January 5, 2012, VH1, retrieved August 4, 2015. Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout Donda creative projects.Sargent, Jordan, Donda: Kanye West Goes G.O.O.D. Trill Hunting with His Minimalist Design Company, November 13, 2013, Spin, retrieved August 4, 2015.Babcock, Gregory, Kanye's Stylish Pastor Releases Donda-Designed Book, June 23, 2015, Complex, retrieved August 4, 2015.Lewis, Brittany, Every Music Cover Kanye West's Creative House Donda Has Created So Far…, November 3, 2014, Global Grind, retrieved August 4, 2015.
Continuing a trend consistent in previous Kanye West projects,McQueen, Steve, Kanye West, January 19, 2014, Interview, retrieved August 5, 2015. an additional hallmark of Donda projects has been multi-disciplinary collaboration, often featuring prominent contributions from major figures in various creative fields. Prominent examples include painter George Condo, photographer Luis Tarin, video artist/film director Steve McQueen, performance artist Vanessa Beecroft, artist Wes Lang, stage designer Es Devlin, audio/visual designer Jadis Mercado, artist/sculptor Takashi Murakami, photographer Jackie Nickerson, fashion designer Riccardo Tisci, and fashion house Maison Martin Margiela.Alexander, Ella, Why Margiela Teamed Up With Kanye , November 6, 2013, Vogue, retrieved August 4, 2015.Staff, Behind Kanye West's Methodical Conquest of the Art World, November 28, 2013, Artspace, retrieved August 4, 2015.Saka, Ren & Castro, Vanessa,12 Things to Know About Vanessa Beecroft, Kanye West's Visual Art Collaborator, December 5, 2013, Complex, retrieved August 4, 2015.Deleon, Jian, Wes Lang Designed Kanye West's Tour T-Shirts, and Now You Can Buy Them At PacSun, 2013, 'GQ', retrieved August 4, 2015. NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown is the chair president of the sports fashion line Donda Sports.
Projects Film On May 23, 2012, Donda debuted its inaugural creative project, a film entitled Cruel Summer, as part of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. The film is a seven-screen surround vision experience.
Cruel Summer was shot using a specialized camera rig, which allowed the directors to capture multiple angles simultaneously.Staff, Kanye West Cruel Summer Pavilion , 2x4, retrieved January 9, 2012. The film, developed in collaboration with the Doha Film Institute, design firm 2x4 and architecture firm OMA, was presented in a specially designed theater — christened "Surround Vision" — featuring seven screens which surrounded the audience.Rosenfeld, Karissa, Kanye West's seven-screen pavilion / OMA, May 24, 2012, ArchDaily, retrieved January 9, 2012.
On March 7, 2015, West debuted a collaborative short film with director Steve McQueen entitled All Day/I Feel Like That.Malle, Chloe, West with the Night: Kanye Takes over The Fondation Louis Vuitton , March 8, 2015, Vogue, retrieved August 5, 2015. The film premiered at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, France, followed by its American debut at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in July 2015.Williams, Maxwell, Kanye West and Steve McQueen Debut Collaborative 'All Day/I Feel LIke That' Video at LACMA Gathering, July 25, 2015, The Hollywood Reporter, retrieved August 5, 2015.
Album/singles art Donda provided packaging design for the following albums and singles:
Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne, released on August 8, 2011. Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, and 2 Chainz, "Mercy", released on April 3, 2012. Kanye West, Chief Keef, Pusha T, Big Sean, and Jadakiss, "I Don't Like (Remix)", released on May 1, 2012. Meek Mill featuring Big Sean, "Burn", released on May 4, 2012. Pusha T and Kanye West, "New God Flow", released on July 12, 2012. 2 Chainz, Based on a T.R.U. Story, released on August 12, 2012Greenwald, David, 2 Chainz Enlists Kanye West's Donda For Album Art, July 5, 2012, Billboard, retrieved January 9, 2012. Kanye West, Jay Z, and Big Sean, "Clique", released on September 6, 2012. GOOD Music, Cruel Summer, released on September 14, 2012.Diep, Eric, Kanye West Reveals "Cruel Summer" Album Art, August 2, 2012, Complex, retrieved January 9, 2012. Pusha T, "Pain", released on October 8, 2012. 2 Chainz, "I'm Different", released on November 8, 2012. Pusha T featuring Popcaan and Travis Scott, "Blocka", released on December 5, 2012. Lil Wayne, "Love Me", released on January 18, 2013. Pusha T, Wrath of Caine mixtape, released on January 28, 2013. Pusha T, "Millions", released on January 29, 2013. Lil Wayne, I Am Not a Human Being II, released on March 26, 2013.Strong, Nolan, Kanye West's Company Donda Designs Artwork For Lil Wayne Album, January 30, 2013, AllHipHop, retrieved January 31, 2013. Pusha T, "Numbers on the Boards", released on May 10, 2013. Kanye West, Yeezus, released on June 18, 2013. Pusha T featuring Chris Brown, "Sweet Serenade", released on September 4, 2013. 2 Chainz, B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time, released on September 10, 2013. Pusha T, My Name Is My Name, released on October 7, 2013. Pusha T, "Lunch Money", released on November 18, 2014. Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint, released on December 15, 2014. Kanye West featuring Paul McCartney, "Only One", released on January 1, 2015. Big Sean, "Dark Sky Paradise", released on February 24, 2015. Kanye West, "All Day", released on March 2, 2015. Vic Mensa featuring Kanye West, "U Mad", released on April 10, 2015. Tyga, The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, released on June 23, 2015. Pusha T, "Untouchable", released on November 12, 2015. Pusha T, "M.F.T.R", released on December 8, 2015. Pusha T, "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets", released on December 11, 2015. Pusha T, King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, released on December 18, 2015. Kanye West, "Real Friends", released on January 8, 2016. Kanye West featuring Kendrick Lamar, "No More Parties in LA", released on January 18, 2016. Kanye West, "30 Hours", released on February 12, 2016. Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, Yo Gotti, Quavo, and Desiigner, "Champions", released on June 12, 2016.
Music videos Kanye West, "Black Skinhead" (Directed by Nick Knight), released on July 22, 2013. Big Sean, "Beware" (Directed by Matthew Williams), released on August 16, 2013. Kanye West, "Bound 2" (Directed by Nick Knight), released on November 16, 2013. Kanye West, "Only One" (Directed by Spike Jonze, Concept by Vanessa Beecroft), released on January 29, 2015. Kanye West, "All Day" / "I Feel Like That" (Directed by Steve McQueen)
Print Complex "GOOD Music: New Religion" cover story and article, printed on July 23, 2012.Callahan-Bever, Noah, G.O.O.D. Music: New Religion, July 23, 2012, Complex, retrieved August 4, 2015. Kanye West and Adidas Originals — Season 1 Zine. Photography by Jackie Nickerson. Released on March 11, 2015. Kim Kardashian, Selfish, published on May 5, 2015.Fox, T.S., G.O.O.D. Music: New Religion, January 20, 2015, Hypebeast, retrieved August 5, 2015. Rich Wilkerson Jr., Sandcastle Kings: Meeting Jesus in a Spiritually Bankrupt World cover art, published on November 10, 2015.
Stage design Kanye West — "Surround Vision" concert, debuted at Revel Atlantic City on December 28, 2012. Kanye West — The Yeezus Tour, debuted at Key Arena, Seattle, WA on October 19, 2013. Kanye West — "All Day", debuted at the Brit Awards, February 25, 2015. Kanye West — "Surround Vision" benefit concert, debuted at Fondation Louis Vuitton on March 6, 2015. Marketing Prominent marketing projects include:
Worldwide "New Slaves" guerrilla projection campaign.Schwarz, Hunter, Kanye West Projected "New Slaves" And A Video With Scott Disick Onto The Sides Of Buildings Last Night, June 16, 2013, BuzzFeed, retrieved August 4, 2015. Yeezus "Please Add Graffiti" advertising project.Green, Mark Anthony, Kanye West Gets New Creative Direction, May 2013, GQ, retrieved August 4, 2015. American Psycho homage short film, starring Scott Disick and Jonathan Cheban. Released June 17, 2013. "The Canyons" trailer remix, released August 2, 2015. Kanye West and Adidas Originals — Season One rollout & invitation campaign. February 13, 2015.Li, Arby, The Kanye West for adidas Yeezy Season 1 Anorak, February 12, 2015, Hypebeast, retrieved August 4, 2015.Marcus, Ezra, Kanye West Sends Out Mysterious New York Fashion Week Invites , February 11, 2012, Radio.com, retrieved August 4, 2015.
See also List of unreleased projects by Kanye West
References
External links Complex: The Complete History of Donda's Work So Far High Snobiety: Ten of the Best Donda Projects HotNewHipHop: A Complete List of Kanye West's Donda-designed Music Artwork Jay Z's Roc Nation To Manage Kanye West Donda Music