"donuts" was ready to be released by october 2005, but according to stones throw, their distributor, emi, "didn't think a weird, difficult instrumental album by an underground producer would move the projected 10,000 copies", since dilla's previous album, "champion sound", failed to achieve commercial success. later the label came to an understanding with the distributor and the album was set for release in early february 2006, along with a bonus single "signs".