Kanye West wants Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page to invest in his company
CBC News | Posted: February 15, 2016 5:54 PM | Last Updated: February 15, 2016
Hip-hop star has been trying to expand Donda for 4 years — but could he be broke?
Kanye West has done a lot to attract some odd attention in the past few days. He's insulted "BFF" Taylor Swift again, and he had some trouble releasing his well-received new album The Life of Pablo online.
But on Saturday, things took another turn for the bizarre after he said he was $53 million US in debt. He then demanded that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg invest a $1 billion in his projects.
While many initially suggested his request for money was a joke, West has since doubled down on his $1 billion proposal and expanded to include Google co-founder Larry Page.
After acknowledging that it's Zuckerberg's birthday (actually, it's not — his birthday is May 14), Kanye recommended that Zuckerberg call him by today.
Why does Kanye West, a successful hip-hop artist, need $1 billion? For his project, Donda.
Donda is an ambitious idea for a company that's named after West's mother, Donda West. He first announced the project back in 2012, according to the Daily Beast, in a Twitter rant. The post has since been deleted.
"Donda will be comprised of over 22 divisions with a goal to make products and experiences that people want and can afford. I want to put creatives in a room together with like minds that are all waaaay doper than me. We want to help simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see hear, touch, taste and feel," he wrote, according to the Daily Beast.
Based on the chart and previous discussions, Donda would do everything from research on geothermal energy to making holograms and a "7-screen movie experience."
West said that back in 2012, many venture capitalists rejected his proposal.
Now Donda handles all the marketing for Kanye's recent concerts. The company also designs packaging art for music and releases creative film projects, among other pursuits.