Kanye West is (in)famous for making changes to his albums after they have been released, and Donda seemed especially prone to that given that West claimed his label released the project without his approval. Now, West has indeed made alterations to Donda, some of which are significant, including the removal of Chris Brown from the album.
Users in the r/hiphopheads subreddit noted that two versions of Donda appeared on streaming platforms, one being the original version and the other being the altered edition. Now, though, it appears only one version of Donda remains. As for the changes, fans noted that Brown’s vocals on “New Again” were replaced by new ones from West and the Sunday Service Choir. Meanwhile, on “Keep My Spirit Alive,” a new hook from West also replaces the original from KayCyy. Beyond that, there are some more subtle mixing changes throughout the album.
Brown is of course a controversial figure given his various legal and personal issues over the years, but it’s not clear if that was part of why West removed him from the album or if other factors were in play. West has yet to offer a public statement about what compelled him to make these new Donda alterations.