Ex-T.I. Producer DJ Toomp Gives Brutally Honest Critique Of Kanye West's 'Donda' Album So Far

Atlanta, GA – DJ Toomp, who collaborated with Kanye West on 2007’s Graduation, recently sat down with B High ATL where he provided a brutally honest assessment of Kanye West’s forthcoming Donda album. While media personality Justin Laboy swore the project was an instant “classic” after hearing a private listening party in Las Vegas, it sounds like Toomp isn’t so sure.

Speaking candidly to host Brian “B High” Hightower, he talked about his experience at the Apple Music listening party held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on July 22 and confessed the Donda he heard didn’t sound anywhere near complete.

“I hope the album doesn’t sound like this,” Toomp says at the 8:57-minute mark, referring to the lack of drums in Donda’s production. “If I was in the studio with ‘Ye, I’d say ‘Is this shit gonna drop anywhere? Cause you build us up and we thinkin’ that shit finna go crazy but right when you think a beat’s gonna drop, that shit go to another song.’ That’s why I was like ‘This album must not be finished.”

Kanye West has set up shop at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium where he’s been hard at work finalizing the long delayed album. Veteran producers Rick Rubin and Mike Dean, who have both worked with Kanye in the past, allegedly flew to the Georgia metropolis to add their signature touches. Toomp would’ve been up for the job as well.

“I would really love to help him put that album together,” the Atlanta producer said at the 12:40 minute-mark. “I want to hear some more lyrics, man. Definitely beats. But as far as the artist, I want to hear lyrics. Where that shock value at that he usually brings, ya know?”

Later, Toomp noted he was impressed by some of the rumored features expected to be on the project, including JAY-Z and Lil Baby, but is looking most forward to Kanye’s introspective lyrics.

“He just got out of a divorce, so there’s a few things that he wanna pour out personally on that album,” Toomp said at the 29-minute mark. “It may be a real personal album. If you naming this Donda after your moms, where’s that mom record at that’s gonna make every n-gga whose mom ain’t here no more feel like it’s their favorite shit on the album.”

On one particular song, Kanye does croon about losing his family, but he reportedly doesn’t say anything negative about his estranged wife Kim Kardashian.

Donda was expected to arrive on July 23 but now has a projected release date of Friday (August 6), the same day Nas is scheduled to drop King’s Disease II. A second listening party is expected to take place on Thursday (August 5) in Atlanta.