Kanye West claims Universal released long-awaited Donda album without his permission

The Donda saga continues.

Hours after Kanye West's tenth album went live on streaming services, West took to Instagram with a post claiming that the label didn't have his permission to release it.

"Universal put my album out without my approval and they blocked 'Jail 2' from being on the album," the Sunday-morning post reads.

Universal representatives did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment. Variety reports that sources at Universal call West's allegations "preposterous."

"Jail Pt 2," the 24th track on Donda, wasn't available on streaming services until several hours after the rest of the album made its debut.

DaBaby, who has come under fire for homophobic comments he made at a Miami music festival last month, appears on "Jail Pt 2." The album's second track, "Jail," features Jay-Z and credits Marilyn Manson as a co-writer under Brian Warner, Manson's real name. Manson is facing lawsuits over accusations of rape and sexual assault.

West, Manson, and DaBaby were already in the news following a Thursday appearance at a Chicago listening party for Donda, the third such event in support of the album.

In a since-deleted Instagram post on Saturday night, Kanye shared screenshots of what appeared to be a text message chain between him and his manager, Bu Thiam, indicating that Donda's release might be delayed because he didn't have DaBaby's clearance for "Jail."

In the purported exchange, when Bu suggested taking DaBaby off the track, West replied, "I'm not taking my brother off. He was the only person who said he would vote for me in public."

On Amazon Music, "Jail" lists both Warner and Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z, as songwriters, while "Jail 2" credits Warner and Jonathan Kirk, DaBaby's given name.

West originally announced Donda, named for his late mother, in 2020. The release date was eventually announced as July 23, 2021, before being moved to Aug. 7, 2021. It finally dropped overnight on Sunday.

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