Kanye West, American Rapper, dropped “Donda,” his newest album, on August 29, 2021. The album was named after West’s late mother, Donda West,  and consisted of songs about God, family, & his separation from Kimberly Kardashian. 

In recent years, the rapper has lived through many influential events, from running for president to having a manic episode &  breakdown, whereas West published tweets towards the Kardashian Family. The public has witnessed the latest drama between West & another rapper, Drake, who also released an album just a couple of days ago on September 3, 2021. 

Many questioned whether the album would be good or worth listening to.  I interviewed a fellow peer, Alyssa Melena. I asked her opinion on the rapper Kanye West. Melena responded, “He’s a singer, and he makes really good music, but he’s crazy sometimes.  He’s a little bit dramatic and interesting crazy, I guess.” When referring to West as “crazy,” Melena says she refers to the artist’s crazy scandals. Another question asked was if she listened to his music and enjoyed it, “ I listen to some of his music, and I do like it.”

One of the last questions asked was whether she would still listen to his music even after the rapper’s controversy. Alyssa Melena responded, “I think, yes, because his mental illness shouldn’t affect whether I listen to his music; I just think he probably needs some help.”

In closing, when it comes to the music industry, everyone will have their own opinions on whether or not to support someone or their music alone. This shows that although some people don’t make the best decisions in public because of their mental state, people still have and want the right to separate the artist and support & like the music.