The Best Features on Kanye West's 'Donda,' Ranked

Kanye West’s new album ‘Donda’ is stacked with great guest features. Who had the best? Fivio Foreign? Jay Electronica? We ranked the top 15.

Kanye West 'Donda'
Publicist

Photo by Philey Sanneh/BFA, courtesy of DONDA

Kanye West 'Donda'

Kanye West’s new album Donda is stacked with guest features. Across the 27-song tracklist, Ye pulled together many of the biggest voices in rap right now, and they all seemed to understand the importance of the moment, stepping up and delivering standout performances. Some of them even came through with career-defining moments.

From up-and-comers like Vory and Baby Keem to veterans like Jay-Z and The Lox, the collaborators on Donda represent the past, present, and future of rap. Some of them took advantage of the moment to introduce themselves to a wider audience, and others simply tapped back in to remind us why they’re legends.

Donda boasts over 30 vocal collaborators, and the majority of them contributed memorable verses. But who was the best? Whose performance will we remember a decade from now? After spending a few days with the project, the Complex Music team ranked the best features. To keep things competitive, we limited it to the top 15 features, which represents roughly half the total voices on the project. So don’t get it twisted, everything that made it on this list (even at the bottom of the ranking) is a standout performance.

15. Baby Keem, "Praise God"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Maybe you love Baby Keem’s verse on “Praise God.” Maybe you hate it. But you definitely have an opinion about it. Keem, at just 20 years old, has already figured out how to stir up conversation every time he steps behind a mic. The way he approaches songs is far from traditional, a trait that throws some people off, while drawing praise from others. On “Praise God,” he somehow manages to squeeze an album’s worth of flows and experimental vocal techniques into a single verse, yelling and baby-voicing his way through an out-of-control feature. It’s the kind of verse that looks a little strange when you read it on paper: “Bada the bada the boom, I bada the boom, I bada the bing/ I need a new girl, my old one was mean.” But when you hear the way he delivers it, it’s oddly addictive. He sounds like he’s having more fun than anyone on this album. Say what you will about Baby Keem, but he’s certainly not boring. —Eric Skelton

14. Shenseea, "OK OK, Pt. 2"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Some people are just now catching up to speed on who Shenseea is. But if you didn’t know then, you definitely know now. As the only prominent female voice on Donda, Shenseea definitely puts on for women. The “Ok Ok Pt. 2” beat is perfect for the Jamaican dancehall artist. Her voice, both sensual and fierce, sits in harmony with the grittiness of the production. She adds an element of fun and sexuality to the song that turns it into an addictive dance floor cut. —Jessica McKinney

13. Rooga, "OK OK"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

It seems Kanye still has his ear to the ground in the city of Chicago. At the third livestreamed listening event, he played Chicago rapper Rooga’s “GD Anthem,” and invited him to join the album for a verse on “OK OK” (which appears on the tracklist right after Lil Durk’s appearance on “Jonah”). Rooga makes the most of the opportunity, delivering an impassioned, heart-on-his-sleeve verse about disloyal associates. By the end, he raps the line, “You can hear the pain ’cause I put my heart in it,” which is the best way you could possibly describe the verse. Big things are ahead for Rooga.​​ —Eric Skelton

12. Westside Gunn, "Keep My Spirit Alive"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Just as the title suggests, “Keep My Spirit Alive” is about each rapper detailing their troubled pasts and keeping their faith through it all. Kicking things off with the first verse, Westside Gunn doesn’t waste time detailing the obstacles he’s overcome on the BoogzDaBeast-produced beat. “I was facin’ fifteen and I beat it,” he raps. There are also braggadocious lyrics that prove that Westside Gunn made it on the other side of the tunnel. “Just spent about twenty up at Neiman’s) Did two hundred in a Demon” he spits. It’s the classic tale of someone who made something out of nothing, giving inspiration to anyone open to hearing the testimony. —Dayna Haffenden

11. Lil Durk, "Jonah"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

On the project that reunited Jay-Z and Kanye, Durk begins his “Jonah” testimony celebrating the moment, but then lamenting, “I lost my brother when we was millionaires/ I wasn’t scared to die, but him, that was my biggest fear.” The verse is dedicated to the late DThang, as Durk promises, “I got your son and your daughter like you still here,” and rhymes, “Twenty-six years, pops got out to see his son killed.” It’s a heartwrenching glimpse of how continued violence shapes ones world, ending with the silver lining that “Kanye did it for the city, he co-signed.” —Andre Gee

10. Lil Yachty, "OK OK"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Lil Yachty delivered one of the best verses of his career so far on “OK OK.” He slides in on the second verse with controlled rhythm as he pushes back on haters. Throughout the verse, Yachty delivers plenty of pungent lyrics, like “Moment of silence, R.I.P to Juice (Yeah, hey)/ If they say it’s up, it’s up, I don’t need a truce (Damn)/ Everything I do is solely for the broken youth.” It’s not every day you hear Yachty outshine everyone on a song as big as this one, but that’s exactly what happened on “OK OK.” —Jessica McKinney

9. Jay-Z, "Jail"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Hearing Jay-Z’s verse at the end of “Jail” during the first Donda listening event was one of the standout moments of this album’s entire rollout. Hearing it again, this time in person in Atlanta at the second event, was still a moment for me. Now, the novelty has worn off a little. By Hov’s standards, it isn’t his best verse. “Made in the image of God, that’s a selfie” is ridiculous, but in the context of the album overall, it works. Jay finds his rhythm on the latter half of the verse, and hearing “this might be the return of The Throne” will always hit different. Still, since we know he recorded it last-minue on the night of the first listening event, it’s not surprising that “Jail” isn’t one of Jay’s best verses (or the best on the album). —Jordan Rose

8. The Lox, "Jesus Lord, Pt. 2"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

As a whole, “Jesus Lord, Pt. 2” is a vulnerable song in which each rapper talks about needing guidance as they contemplate their next moves. A prime example of this is when Jadakiss reflects on losing a loved one. “Broke down soon as I seen him bring the coffin in/ Lord knows, I just really wanna see you walk again,” he spits. It’s a sensitive topic, but each member of The Lox effortlessly vibe off of each other’s energy to share an important message about obstacles, healing, and presence. The track runs over 11 minutes long, and not one second is wasted. Coming off the buzz of their impressive victory at Verzuz, hearing them pop up on Donda was a moment. —Dayna Haffenden

7. Kid Cudi, "Moon"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Over a melodic, DJ Khalil-produced beat, Kid Cudi candidly opens up about his current mindset. He croons about wanting to start over and fighting feelings of loneliness. “Thinkin’ I should be a better me/ Truly I’m blessed from the start/So much to say in these melodies, oh/ Stare at the sky, the moon singin’ sweet,” he spits. The song’s title is fitting for the Man on the Moon artist, who has spoken about his love for Earth’s natural satellite throughout his career. The verse feels like a full-circle moment for Cudi, and serves as a reminder that a Kanye West album isn’t complete these days without some of Cudi’s signature hummmmms. —Dayna Haffenden

6. Vory, "No Child Left Behind"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

“No Child Left Behind” almost sounds like more of a Vory song than a Kanye record. The track is short and Vory’s contributions are consice, but still very memorable. Vory’s angelic chant at the beginning of the song is both haunting and soothing, and it’s followed by a quick verse where sings praises, rapping, “Back again, I used my back against the wall/ Never called on y’all, never count on y’all/ I’ll always count on God.” Vory gets some bonus points on this list for his standout vocals on three different songs on Donda, and he does a great job of closing the album. —Jessica McKinney

5. The Weeknd, "Hurricane"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

In a moment of manifestation (or maybe some calculated promo) the Weeknd actually brought up Ye in an early August interview when asked about which artist he’d like to collaborate with soon. Abel told GQ, “I’d love to work with Kanye again. Especially on production.” Three days later, Mike Dean posted screenshots of a call log with The Weeknd. And at Atlanta’s second Donda listening party, the rumors were confirmed. Abel’s silky vocals are worthy of widespread acclaim, sandwiching a stellar verse from Lil Baby and Kanye’s reminiscent rap. Not only has Ye brought in one of the best voices in pop to reinvigorate a Yahndhi track that’s been around since 2018, he opened up a big opportunity for lasting airplay. For the first time in years, Kanye West has a challenger to compete in a Top 40 slugfest. That likely doesn’t happen without Abel on the hook. —Waiss Aramesh

4. Lil Baby, "Hurricane"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

It shouldn’t be a surprise that whenever Lil Baby is on a track, he’s liable to kill his verse, and he did exactly that on “Hurricane.” Fans were already ecstatic when it was revealed that Baby and The Weeknd would be on the same song together, and neither disappointed. We use the word “slide” too loosely when describing how an artist seamlessly begins his verse, but Lil Baby really slid here. While his cadence is immaculate, the content of his verse is just as important, as he gets introspective when rapping, “Sippin’ ‘til my stomach hurt, this month I done lost three friends.” He delivers real pain, paired with triumphant strength on “Hurricane,” proving yet again how well he can perform on the biggest stages. —Jordan Rose

3. Roddy Ricch, "Pure Souls"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Donda is full of artists delivering their testimonies over soulful Kanye production, and few hit harder than Roddy Ricch’s on “Pure Souls.” The young rapper had only recently began his 20s when “The Box” blew up, and in his verse, he demonstrates how much wiser he’s already become since the early days of his career. He glides in the beginning with “Life change when you famous/ I remember back before the chains, we was nameless,” only to emphasize later how he feels like a beacon of hope. “’Cause when you really came from the trenches/ You was raised in the trenches/ You feel like you trailblazed for the trenches,” he raps. All the while, he vows to never sell his soul on a heavenly hook, as a chorus of organs cascade in the background like a church service. Roddy Ricch demonstrated both his development as an artist and his growth as a person. The end result is one of the best songs on Donda. —Jordan Rose

2. Jay Electronica, "Jesus Lord"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

Donda is full of odes to healing, forgiveness, and salvation, which put Jay Electronica right at home on “Jesus Lord.” His lyrics are always spiritually tinged, which means he didn’t have to revamp his creative approach to offer gratitude to the most high for “bringing me up the rough side of the mountain like Ertuğrul.” His verse is crafted with the kind of technical prowess that few (if any) other MCs on the project met, all while traversing the universe. “Jay Elec-entendre-nica” drops enough historical and geographical references to have one in research mode after every listen to “Jesus Lord.” He manages to big himself up as an MC using the earth as his foil, promising to “shake the tectonic plates of the game if I lay one vocal.” 

He also calls out “Yakub” for leading the world to ruin. Many of us are familiar with end-time proclamations from people predicting the Bushes, Clintons, and Downing Street despots of the world would unleash God’s wrath on us via natural disaster. The imminent climate emergency makes it feel plausible. But what some may think is pre-ordained may just be the irreparable results of imperialistic greed. Some may feel that revelations predicted the rapacity of the West that would lead us here, while others just blame science. Wherever you stand, it’s hard to not feel Jay when he rhymes, “It’s a war outside / It’s like the last days of Sodom and Gomorrah outside.” —Andre Gee

1. Fivio Foreign, "Off the Grid"

View this video on YouTube

youtu.be

This was a difficult list to put together, because so many artists contributed great performances on Donda, but let’s be honest: the No. 1 choice was easy. Fivio Foreign stepped up and delivered a career-defining verse on “Off the Grid.” Over growling drill production, the Brooklyn rapper set his signature “BOW!” ad-libs to the side and ripped through an explosive verse that stuck to the confessional, religious themes of Donda in an impressively natural way. Instead of contorting himself to some preconceived notion of what a “gospel song” should sound like, he stayed firmly anchored in his own world, but allowed himself to open up in new ways. At one point, he admits, “I got some demons I’m not even dealin’ with,” before declaring, “If you got a voice, then you gotta project it.” More than any other collaborator on Donda, it’s clear Fivio internalized how big of an opportunity this was to project his voice to new audiences, and he made sure to deliver a career best. His performance was so good that it even inspired Kanye to record one of his best verses of the past several years. (After debuting an early version of the song at the second listening event in Atlanta, Kanye sat down and added a new verse after Fivio’s part.) What a moment. —Eric Skelton

Latest in Music