Following the listening event for his 10th studio album, DONDA, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Kanye West was presented with two monumental gifts.
According to TMZ, the City of Atlanta, where Kanye was born, presented the chart-topping trailblazer with a plaque that officially proclaimed July 22 to be “Kanye West Day.”
#ICYMI: Yesterday (June 22) was officially declared ‘Kanye West Day’ within the city limits of Atlanta Georgia.” – @TeamKanyeDaily
(?: @_lanarae ) pic.twitter.com/lPRsDYtShE— ?? Black Music History ?? (@BlackMusicHstry) July 23, 2021
Additionally, Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College, the Atlanta HBCU where Donda West previously worked as an English professor, also presented Kanye with the “Dr. Donda West Meritorious Service to Morris Brown College” award.
A tribute to his late mother, the honor spurred a significant reaction from Kanye — TMZ reported that its “sources” said Kanye’s “family was with him when he received the awards backstage, and he got super emotional about it.”
The presentation occurred after the sold-out listening event, where Kanye premiered the new album while wearing his unreleased adidas YEEZY 1020 boot and a red version of his YEEZY Gap Round Jacket. The show concluded with a track featuring a surprise appearance from JAY-Z.
Kanye is slated to officially release the record today. Ahead of its debut, here’s everything we know about DONDA so far.