Few pop music stars have been as publicly close to a parent as Kanye West. His mother, Donda, has been his inspiration, manager, and a frequent guest with her son at various music industry events including the Grammy Awards. Tragically, she passed away suddenly Saturday at the age of 58.
Donda West was a single mother who moved with her only son, Kanye, to Chicago in 1980. There she became a professor at Chicago State University eventually chairing the Department of English and Speech. His father, divorced from his mother when Kanye West was 3, is a counselor and he has paid tribute to the influence of his parents saying "Both of my parents are teachers; I can't help but want to tell somebody something they didn't know." Donda West retired from her teaching position in 2004 to take over managerial duties for her son. Earlier this year she wrote the book Raising Kanye: Life Lessons From the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star.
Listen to "Hey Mama," Kanye West's tribute to his mother.
A publicist for Kanye West has requested that the family's privacy be respected during this time of grieving.
Photo by Vince Bucci / Getty Images
Comments