Currently, Donda 2 is only available through Kanye West's Stem Player, just as he promised, but it has been reported that the album won't be charted.
Because the project is exclusively available on the device, it violates Billboard's merchandise bundle policy, which disqualifies albums that include merchandise.
“Since the Stem Player is a fairly new concept, however, people familiar with the matter from both Billboard and MRC say they plan to continue to monitor its evolution as it relates to chart eligibility,” the mag writes.
Ye's Stem Player has evidently been a success, with West claiming he made $1.3 million in 24 hours following his announcement about Donda 2. The streaming tool comes loaded with the first installment of Donda, and Jesus Is King in 2019; the second installment can be uploaded using a computer if fans purchase the Stem Player in 2021. Users can remix songs while playing them on the device. Ye announced on Feb. 18 that he had sold 39,500 Stem Player units for a total of $8.6 million.
The rapper debuted Donda 2 in Miami on Feb. 22 before sharing four of the songs on Stem Player a day later. He uploaded another 12 tracks two days later, naming the 16-song package V2.22.22 Miami or the Miami Version.
The first Donda hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last August, selling 309,000 equivalent album units, the biggest week of 2021. Drake’s Certified Lover Boy took the throne the following week with 613,000 units