Now Kanye West wants to create a car

In a decidedly unexpected announcement, Kanye West -also known as Ye- has announced his intention to create a car, the Donda Foam Car. To do so, he chose Steven Smith, the rapper's fellow collaborator and among the most prominent designers in sneaker culture, appointed head of Donda Industrial Design, a new filial created for the occasion.

The official pictures show a rough sketch of the vehicle seen in profile, with huge wheels and exposed windows, while the slogan of the Donda Foam Concept reads: 'Donda Foam vehicle, conceptualised, designed and manufactured in the USA, Amen'. The name raises many questions as to how the car could be built given the material - foam - which is as difficult as it is innovative for a car, compared to using the usual materials such as aluminium and steel. Given its concept nature, as well as a total lack of details, it is currently difficult to see how Kanye will bring his four-wheeled vision to life. The only certainty, if it can be called that, is the all too obvious parallels with Elon Musk and Tesla: from West's friendship with the SpaceX founder to the shape of the car, similar to Tesla's Cybertruck. 

What is certain is that, like Yeezy, Donda is entering the field of industrial design, or at least automotive innovation. It seems that West wants to go beyond projects under the Yeezy name, perhaps distancing himself from adidas affiliated ventures, with which he has a contract running until 2026. Whether the car is realised or not, it certainly represents a new trajectory for Ye's future projects, which given his creative pace, are expected to be many.