Kanye West has revealed that his ‘DONDA’ listening party in Chicago tomorrow (August 26) won’t require proof of vaccination as a condition of entry.
After premiering the album, which hasn’t yet got an official release, at two consecutive in-person events in Atlanta last month, Kanye then announced a hometown listening party.
At the Soldier Field event tomorrow, no vaccination certificates will be required for the 38,000 fans allowed to be permitted entry, Rolling Stone report.
Speaking to the Chicago Tribune earlier this week, Chicago Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons said: “Kanye West’s performance is one of many examples that show that Chicago can be open and safe at the same time.
“We have worked with Soldier Field on Covid-19 safety protocols, as we have other venues including Wrigley and Guaranteed Rate Fields, and feel this event can be safely held with the proper mitigation efforts in place.”
For the listening event, West is reportedly building a structure resembling the house he grew up in inside the Soldier Field stadium venue. The rapper had purchased his childhood home last year.
Ahead of the event, Kanye has filed a petition in a California court to change his legal name to his well-known nickname, Ye.
Back in 2019, West considered changing his name to ‘Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West’, but didn’t follow through with the idea.
Reviewing the Atlanta listening party for ‘DONDA’, NME wrote: “Overall, ‘DONDA’ feels like a return for Kanye West in more ways than one. While audiences are inevitably going to be divided in their opinions on the album, this one wasn’t made for those critiques.
“West has channeled his emotions into a singular work, making it feel just as contorted and wild as the pains of loss and grief, and giving it a brighter resolution with a sense of solace. Whether the fans like it or not, West is finding peace in God and re-discovering the scrappy passion that got him to where he is now.”
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