Quantcast

TODD'S NO FAN OF YE

A litany of guests populates Kanye West’s Donda, but one Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who spent a year contributing to the album appears not to have made the final cut. And he’s annoyed.

Todd Rundgren gave Ye a tongue-lashing in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, saying, “I kept getting called by Kanye to add vocals to the record. When it got into the homestretch in July, I just said, 'That’s enough for me. I have no idea whether any of this is being used.' I’m still a producer, and I don’t just want to be like driftwood in the process. If I can contribute something, fine. If I can’t, just let me know. I’m out of here."

Rundgren does allow that his contributions—something? anything?—may be on the record buried deep in the mix: “There is a possibility that I’m actually in there somewhere. There’s so much junk in that record."

Rundgren’s involvement owes to the producer 88-Keys, who enlisted him: “He's a big fan of mine and wanted to see us work together. I didn’t mind working on his gospel stuff. If you want to sing about Jesus, go ahead. I don’t care. I’ll help ya do it, you know? If you want to sing about your troubles with your wife, go ahead and do it. I don’t care."

OK, Todd. Now tell us how you really feel.

“[West is] a shoe designer... He’s just a dilettante at this point," Rundgren continues. "Nobody would regularly make records like that unless they had stupid money to throw around. Nobody rents a stadium to make a record in. Nobody flies in the entire world of hip-hop just to croak one syllable, just so you can say that everybody was on it.

"My involvement went on for a year, and in the end I realized why they hurriedly wrapped the whole thing up and put out what is obviously really raw, unprocessed stuff. It’s because Drake was running the whole process. Kanye was too afraid that Drake would one-up him, so he hurried up and released the album the weekend before Drake could get his out. And in the end, Drake ate his lunch anyway.”

Furthermore, the lure of a corned beef sandwich at Slyman's is insufficient: Rundgren says he won't be making it to Cleveland for the RRHOF induction ceremony.

NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country
CAPTCHA code
Captcha: (type the characters above)