Latest news with #Donda2
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Kenan Thompson impersonates Kanye West in SNL, leads to colorful reactions
Saturday Night Live's season 50 finale brought a mix of laughter and tension as it revisited its long, complicated history with rapper Kanye West. The episode opened with a nervous Mike Myers trapped in an elevator with Kenan Thompson's sharp impersonation of Kanye, prompting both awkwardness and biting humor. Also read: Kanye West regrets not having kids with Paris Hilton Scarlett Johansson, playing a tourist, witnessed the unfolding reunion, which harked back to some of SNL's most unforgettable moments involving the outspoken musician. This reunion not only reflected the evolving public persona of Kanye West but also revealed the lasting impact of his controversies on the comedy world. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Specialist Down Jackets for Ultralight Adventures Trek Kit India Learn More Undo Revisiting the infamous Hurricane Katrina moment The sketch referenced the unforgettable 2005 Hurricane Katrina telethon when Kanye West shocked millions by stating, 'George Bush don't care about Black people.' Myers, visibly uncomfortable, recalled that moment, poking fun at his own stunned silence. This historic moment remains etched in SNL lore as one of the most unexpected live television incidents. The skit cleverly used humor to revisit that tension, showing how the entertainment industry still grapples with Kanye's unpredictability and bold statements. The complex relationship between Kanye West and SNL Kanye West's appearances on SNL have always been layered with drama. After the telethon incident, he returned as a musical guest seven times, often delivering innovative performances. However, their relationship deteriorated sharply following his 2018 MAGA hat rant. Wearing the red 'Make America Great Again' cap, Kanye launched into an unscripted monologue supporting Donald Trump, leaving the cast visibly uncomfortable. Cast members like Kenan Thompson and Ego Nwodim have since described their unease during that episode. Thompson said, 'It would have been cool if he just did the music thing, and spoke through the hat.' Nwodim's experience was especially poignant, noting that she was the only Black cast member remaining while others left the stage in protest. Live Events Also read: Kanye West drops Donda 2 on YouTube and Spotify after two-year wait Legacy and fallout: beyond the sketch The ongoing feud between Kanye and SNL highlights the broader cultural and social complexities surrounding the rapper's public persona. After the 2018 incident, Kanye has not appeared on the show, but the legacy lingers. The sketch's subtle nod to this fraught history reflects SNL's ability to engage with current events and personal controversies through satire. Meanwhile, Kanye's ex-wife Kim Kardashian's 2021 hosting debut added another layer to this saga, as her romance with Pete Davidson made her a focal point of Kanye's online attacks. The episode not only revisited historic tensions but underscored the challenges of navigating celebrity controversies in live television. SNL continues to be a cultural barometer, using humor to process difficult conversations about race, politics, and fame.
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kanye West reportedly grants wife Bianca Censori power of attorney amid growing legal woes; here's what happens next
Kanye West is facing nearly a dozen lawsuits accusing him of offences ranging from racism and abuse to abhorrent antisemitic rants and distribution of pornographic content by his former Yeezy employees. On the other hand, his growing social media tirades targeting industry insiders aren't helping his case either. Amid this, a new report from InTouch Weekly suggests that he has given his wife, Bianca Censori, power of attorney. This means she can handle his business deals and professional decisions. The move follows the rapper's effort to reconcile with Censori days after he rapped in a new track that she ran away from him. They were recently spotted together in Spain. Also read: Top 10 greatest albums of 21st century: Not Taylor Swift; Grammy's most-awarded artiste takes the top spot According to court papers obtained by InTouch, Benjamin Provo, a former Yeezy employee who filed a lawsuit against Ye and his company in 2024 for discrimination and unfair termination from his job, spoke about Bianca's involvement in the rapper's business in his documents. According to Provo, the rapper admitted that his wife is now his power of attorney after his team failed to provide the necessary documents requested in his case. The report says Kanye agreed to share a document called 'Designation of Agency,' which explains what Bianca can do on his behalf, but only if there is a protective order to keep the document confidential. Kanye's lawyer explained that the document is 'confidential and must not be used or shared outside this legal case unless the court allows it.' They also said they can ask for more protection if needed to stop misuse or leaks. However, Provo argued that needing a protective order just to see the document is illogical, since Kanye himself made the power-of-attorney important to the case, so he has to share it. According to the lawsuit, in this case, Kanye, 'must produce it (the requested documents) or else provide verifications to prior discovery responses signed by himself.' Last year, the plaintiff asked for four documents to prove Bianca's position; however, he claimed, none of them had been submitted by the rapper's team yet. His lawyer asked the court to fine Kanye $2,610 for deliberately delaying the proceedings. Also read: Kanye West finally makes 'Donda 2' available on streaming platforms, 3 years after initial release In recent months, Kanye has had several lawyers drop his case halfway through, after which he recently hired a new one, Eduardo Martorell. According to Provo, he was hired by Yeezy as a security guard at Donda Academy in Los Angeles. However, his role soon changed to running Ye's other errands, including working at Sunday Service and other side businesses. Provo noticed a difference in how Kanye treated Black employees compared to white employees. 'Kanye was polite and attentive to his white employees, but he was abrupt, rude, and disrespectful to me and other Black employees.' In addition to Provo, Ye has also been sued by the Academy's teachers, staff, and two models who claimed he sexually assaulted them. Kanye's lawyer said, 'The actions taken were done in good faith for legitimate business reasons.' They believe they were right to do everything mentioned in the lawsuit. According to the reports, Bianca has already been subpoenaed in the case and is required to testify in court by the end of this month. The court has ordered Kanye to give a deposition.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ye Releases ‘Donda 2' Album to Streaming Services for First Time
Ye's (formerly Kanye West) Donda 2 album is on streaming services for the first time. West premiered the sequel in February 2022, and the project had only been available on the Stem Player until Wednesday (April 30). As of press time, Donda 2 is available on YouTube Music and Spotify, but is yet to hit Apple Music. The project is loaded with 18 tracks and guest appearances from XXXTENTACION, Don Toliver, Migos, Jack Harlow, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Baby Keem, Future and more. More from Billboard CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso: The Duo Disrupting Latin Music's Boundaries With Flair, Friendship and Fearlessness Don Toliver & Doja Cat Hit the Fast Lane for New Song 'Lose My Mind': Watch the Music Video Turnstile Shares New Video & Songs Featuring Vocals From Dev Hynes & Paramore's Hayley Williams: Listen Future served as the album's executive producer and the cover art remains the same, showcasing Ye's childhood home on fire. West originally premiered the album with a listening party inside Miami's LoanDepot Park in February 2022, but many of the tracks were unfinished and never made it to streaming services as Ye focused on the Stem Player technology. Ye also threw in cuts like 'City of Gods' featuring Fivio Foreign and Alicia Keys, which arrived just prior to the Donda 2 listening party, and served as the lead single for the Brooklyn drill rapper's B.I.B.L.E. album. The track reached No. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. '530' was one of the unfinished standouts on Ye and Ty Dolla $ign's Vultures 2 album, but West felt strong enough about the cleaned-up version to include it on Donda 2's streaming release. Kim Kardashian's 2021 Saturday Night Live monologue is still included on 'Sci-Fi.' 'I married the best rapper of all time,' she can be heard saying to start the track. 'Not only that, he is the richest Black man in America. A talented, legit genius who gave me four incredible kids.' West has been holed up in Spain for much of April. A masked Ye hosted a live stream premiere for Donda 2 with popular streamers Digital Nas, Sneako and N3on on Tuesday night (April 29). West has been under fire in recent months for controversial X rants filled with hate speech. On the music side, he released a visual edition of his Bully album in March. Listen to Donda 2 below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kanye West Releases Lost Album ‘Donda 2' to Streaming Services
Kanye West has released his lost album 'Donda 2' after he revealed on a livestream that he was planning to drop the record today. The roots for 'Donda 2' date back to early 2022, when the rapper posted on Instagram that the sequel to his 2021 album would arrive that February and be executive produced by Future. The album was only released on Stem Player, forgoing traditional streaming services, and some songs from the project were reconfigured for artists including Fivio Foreign and the Game. More from Variety Kanye West Sued for Copyright Infringement by Singer Who Denied Sample Usage Over His 'Antisemitic, Racist' Remarks Kanye West's Malibu Mansion on Market Six Months After It Sold (EXCLUSIVE) Kanye West's 'Bully' Is Loaded With (Possibly Uncleared) Samples and Covers: 'Close to You,' 'Can't Hurry Love,' Apparently a Verse From Playboi Carti, More The current version of 'Donda 2,' released on Tuesday evening to YouTube Music and Tidal, features 18 songs, many of which appeared on the original iteration. The lot of the songs appear to be the same, some with different names, and Future cameos on several tracks including 'Happy' and 'Mr. Miyagi.' '5:30,' which was included on West's 'Vultures 2' album with Ty Dolla Sign, also pops up on the tracklist. Jack Harlow features on the track 'Louie Bag,' while Sean Leon cameos on 'SCIFI.' West's ex-wife Kim Kardashian can also be heard on 'SCIFI,' saying, 'I married the best rapper of all time. Not only that, he's the richest Black man in America. A talented, legit genius who gave me four talented, incredible kids.' Amid his unhinged rants on X, West has been prolific, sharing various songs on social media and flash-releasing his most recent album 'Bully.' He dropped 'Bully' in March in the form of various short films that featured his song Saint West in a wrestling ring using a mallet to fend off YOH, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask and El Desperado. The videos swiftly disappeared from social media, leaving the future of 'Bully' and its official release in limbo. Also unclear: If 'Donda 2' will be released to streaming services at large, or will remain on the ones they appeared. On a livestream earlier today, West said that he was eager to release the project and would update mixes later. Listen to 'Donda 2' on YouTube Music and Tidal. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in May 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in May 2025
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kanye West Storms Off Piers Morgan Interview After Four Tense Minutes; Rapper Rants About ‘Being Attacked by the Banks' and ‘My D—‘
Professional troll and occasional rapper Kanye West went head-to-head with professional troll and occasional journalist Piers Morgan, and the results were as uncomfortable as you might imagine. West appeared on Tuesday night's episode of Morgan's YouTube program 'Uncensored,' where he was joined by his associate, social media star Sneako. More from Variety Kanye West Releases Lost Album 'Donda 2' to Streaming Services Kanye West Sued for Copyright Infringement by Singer Who Denied Sample Usage Over His 'Antisemitic, Racist' Remarks Kanye West's Malibu Mansion on Market Six Months After It Sold (EXCLUSIVE) Morgan began the interview by asking how West was, to which the rapper replied, 'I mean…you see that view' and 'judge it on the view.' West was doing the interview in front of a scenic backdrop where he's working in Majorca, Spain. Attempting to dig in on the interview, Morgan continued. 'The view is Majorca, I've been there. It's a beautiful place,' he said. 'For all intents and purposes, you seem very relaxed and happy. That is in direct contrast to your public image at the moment, over the last couple of years, led by your ferocious …' West interreupted Morgan before he got the full question out. 'I already disagree,' West said. 'It's not in contrast — there's so many people and artists that are championing the idea of someone being able to just express who they really are, and have been able to go through the war of being attacked by the banks, being attacked, you know, by the banks — that's the best way to put it. Being attacked by the banks, and to still be here with this view is, you know, that's the win. So I think that's — I'm in contrast to your contrast.' Morgan then asked Kanye about his 32 million followers on X, to which the rapper quibbled with the number, saying, 'Now, look, right now you're not going to take inches off my dick, bro. Like, how many followers do I have?' After Morgan confirmed with a staffer that it was indeed 33 million followers, West continued ranting about the media and accused Morgan of 'not taking accountability or responsibility' and said that the interview could 'circle back when you can count.' West then removed his mic and walked away, leaving Sneako to say, 'That's it for Ye.' Watch the full trainwreck below. Best of Variety Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
