While Kanye West and soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian may no longer be a couple, it appears their breakup did inspire parts of new album.
The rapper's highly anticipated record Donda was released on Sunday, Aug. 29. This past February, the reality star and mother of their four children—North West, 8, Saint West, 5, Chicago West, 3, and Psalm West, 2, filed for divorce from him after six years of marriage.
Despite their split and her filing, which was made following months of private turmoil between the two, Kim has supported Kanye in his efforts to promote Donda, which he finished making just weeks ago while living inside a stadium. The SKIMS founder, accompanied by their kids, attended all three major listening parties for the album, including the most recent one held at Chicago's Soldier Field last week. There, Kim wore a new wedding dress as she appeared alongside her ex.
While many fans speculated that her gesture symbolized a reconciliation, it was not. "She knew how much this meant to him and was honored to be involved," a source close to Kim told E! News. "The wedding dress was symbolic of their relationship and for the song. It was not a vow renewal. There is still so much love between the two, but they aren't reconciling."
See how Kanye raps and sings about Kim, love, heartache and family on Donda:
On the track, Kanye raps, "Heated by the rumors, read into it too much / Fiendin' for some true love, ask Kim, 'What do you love?' / Hard to find what the truth is, but the truth was that the truth suck / Always seem to do stuff, but this time it was too much."
Kanye also raps, "Here I go actin' too rich, here I go with a new chick." While he does not name the mystery woman, the album was released more than two months after the rapper was spotted vacationing with supermodel Irina Shayk. The two cooled things off after a couple of months.
A source close to her told E! News, "It was never serious. [Kanye] wanted to pursue something with Irina that wasn't going to happen. He got very busy with work, and they were in different places. It kind of fizzled out from there. They are still friendly and there's a lot of mutual respect. It just was never going to turn into a full-blown relationship."
Also on "Hurricane," Kanye references the Southern California home he and Kim bought in 2014 and later renovated to feature a mostly white interior. Architectural Digest featured it in a 2020 issue, alongside an interview with the duo.
"Architectural Digest, but I needed home improvement," Kanye raps. "Sixty-million-dollar home, never went home to it."
In 2019, Kanye purchased a $14 million ranch in Wyoming. He later spent much time there. In January, a month before Kim filed for divorce, a source told E! News that it had gotten to the point where the pair hadn't spent time together as a married couple in months, adding, "They've seen each other for the sake of the kids but have been living separately. Kim knows the marriage is over. She's known for a while."
"Off the Grid" includes the lyrics, "Had to move away from people that's miserable" and "We off the grid, grid, grid / This for my kid, kid, kid, kid / For when my kid, kid, kids have kids / Everything we did for the crib."
On this track, Kanye raps, "I pray that my family they never resent me / And she fell in love with me as soon she met me."
On the track, Kanye sings, "Brought a gift to Northie, all she want was Nikes."
"When you said give me a ring, you really meant a ring, huh?" Kanye raps. "Turned out to be more than just a fling, huh?"
The song also contains the lyrics "You know you'll always be my favorite prom queen."
On the track, Kanye raps, "But you came here to show that you still in love with me."
"Cussin' at your baby mama," Kanye raps. "Guess that's why they call it custody."
He and Kim have yet to finalize their divorce. Both are seeking joint custody of their kids.
On the song, Kanye alludes to a relationship break or breakup. The track includes the lyrics, "Startin' to feel like you ain't been happy for me lately, darlin' / 'Member when you used to come around and serenade me, woah / But I guess it's gone different in a different direction lately / Tryna do the right thing with the freedom that you gave me."
On "Jail," Kanye sings, "Guess who's getting 'exed? / You made a choice that's your bad, single life ain't so bad."