After months of speculation as to when (or even if) it will come, Kanye West has dropped his highly anticipated album ‘Donda’. The 22-time Grammy Winner released the album after hosting three listening parties in Atlanta and Chicago respectively.
The album has received rave reviews from fans and critics alike, with many hailing it as his best work in years. West’s project spans a whopping 1 hour and 49 minutes with features from some of music’s biggest names.
In the 27-track project, one song has resonated with basketball fans the world over. West pays tribute to his friend, the late Kobe Bryant, on the track ’24’.
The name of the song is clearly inspired by Bryant’s jersey number during the second half of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On the song, West and his accompanying choir deliver poignant lyrics like “24 hours, 24 candles” and “never the right time to go”, all that pay respect to the Black Mamba’s tragic passing in January of 2020.
Kanye and Kobe shared a special relationship with each other. The two have worked on several projects, including Nike commercials. West has even name-dropped Kobe during his collaboration with ScHoolboy Q ‘That Part’.
West spoke last year in an interview about the impact Kobe’s passing had on him. So ‘Yeezy’ making a song for his friend is not at all shocking.
Kobe wasn’t the only NBA player involved with ‘Donda’. Kanye even invited Kevin Durant to Las Vegas for a private listening party, where he reportedly had Durant dancing to the songs on the album.
On top of that, Kanye even mention Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent NBA championship win on ‘Junya’, saying “I won with the Bucks boy, let me Giannis”.
But no interaction was more emotional than the one Ye had for Kobe. Their relationship has been seen in the NBA several times.
Kanye was even in the stands for Bryant’s last game as a Los Angeles Lakers, where he dropped 60 points in his swansong. West’s ’24’ is an emotionally beautiful tribute to one of the game’s greatest ever players.
