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By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
A spokesman for Kanye West has confirmed that his mother, Dr. Donda West, died Saturday night in Los Angeles.
A cause of death has not been immediately released to the media.
Dr. West, the former chairwoman of Chicago State University's English department, recently published the book 'Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star.'
She served as chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of the hip-hop superstar's business enterprises.
She also chaired the non-profit organization Kanye West Foundation.
In addition to discussing Kanye's rise to fame, Dr. West discussed the early years of her son's life as well as the years leading up to his birth in the tome.
The majority of the second half of the book explores her feelings on issues like homophobia, community service, and politics through the lens of her multiple Grammy Award winning son's actions.
Earlier this summer, our beloved former Programming Chief Ken Gibbs, Jr. spoke with West about her new book -- which was co-written with black publishing titan Karen Hunter.
"Much of Kanye's spirit, brashness and confidence came directly from his mother," Hunter told The BV Newswire upon hearing the news of Dr. West's demise. "She taught him how to be his own person by example."
"Her own story is incredible, her own talents, vast (in addition to having a PhD, she was a poet, an actress and an activist)," the Hunter College professor and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist added. "I only got to know her a short time ago, but what I know is that she was a woman who lived her life with an enviable freedom and above all else, loved her son and her family dearly."
"This news is heartbreaking," she added. "Dr. Donda West will be surely missed!"
-- Check out Dr. Donda West on the More Than Words podcast.
-- Dr. Donda West and Kanye featured in the Mother's Day Photo Gallery.
UPDATE: According to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC), Dr. West's publicist Patricia Green said she passed away "as the result of complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure." Meanwhile, TMZ has famed black plastic surgeon Dr. Jan Adams on record stating that he performed cosmetic surgery on Dr. West shortly before she died.
She was 58 years old.
Comments: (364)
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By: Thomas Sanders on 11/21/2007 6:34PM
Keep it strong Kanye, your mom is gonna be fine foever.
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By: Martae on 11/23/2007 9:46PM
God bless you kanye.your mom is not gone forever.But is resting in our savior arms in heaven.Waiting to re-united with her beloved son on that wonderful day! Never think you would not see her again! prepare yourself too!For god so loved the world! he gave his only begotten son Jesus Christ. That who so ever!! believe in him shall not perish! but will have everlasting life.God bless you take care of your self.
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By: RONALD L. KELLY, JR. on 11/24/2007 1:17PM
I DONT WISH DEATH ON ANYONE BUT MY GRANNY TOLD ME A HARD HEAD MAKES A SOFT AZZ. I DIDNT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH DONA'S APPEARANCE. SHE IS A DOCTOR HERSELF SO WHY IF ONE DOCTOR TELL HER THAT IT IS A RISK THEN SHE GOES AND TAKE HER FAST AZZ SOMEWHERE ELSE AND GET IT DONE? AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A MEDICAL REASON SHE WAS GETTING COSMETIC SURGERY BUT IN FACT SHE WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH HER APPEARANCE. SHOOT I HAVE A WHITE BIRTHMARK COVERING THE WHOLE LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE AND I AM LIGHT BROWN-SKINNED BUT DO U THINK I AM GOING TO REMOVE IT OR CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT HOW I LOOK? WHEN THEY DOCTOR TELLS ME THAT THIS 220LBS IS AFFECTING MY HEALTH THEN I WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I LOVE ME AND AM COMFORTABLE WITH IT IF NO ONE ELSE IS.
MAY GOD BLESS THE WEST AND HAVE MERCY OF DONDA'S SOUL.
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By: Corey on 12/05/2007 6:54AM
Dear Kanye,
First off I'd like to extend my most sincere condolences about your loss. I would never attest to have the faintest clue what you must be going through. In these trying times though I've often found that one can find solace and comfort in the most unexpected of places. This is my attempt at that however futile it may wind up being.
So that you understand why I would take the time to write this, I'll briefly explain why your situation intrigues me. I've always loved your music for all the reasons that everyone else loves it in my opinion, because your beats are deep and your lyrics are dope and they have the ability to cut to the core of you. When I saw the video for "slow jams" I wasn't sure what to think of you but after "all falls down" hit the airways I was an instant fan.
It's not that I didn't like slow jams but I couldn't recognize your greatness with two other exceptional artists on the track with you. But after all falls down dropped I knew you were a genius. Not cause that beat was sick, which it was, and not cause you were the first rapper I'd heard since the boy's from goodie mob released "soul food" who's lyrics transcended the entertainment value of the song by confronting everyday issues that you and your fans address on a daily basis...
It was because I could recognize in your voice and in the expression of your thoughts that you had, at some point, dealt with situations that I've had to confront and it must have pushed you to be who you are today. And I take comfort in that. Because if you can make it then there is hope for me and the rest of us...those who want to do more then just be famous or make money or live the life.
There are those of us like yourself that strive for success not only for personal gain, which comes anyway if you are a success, but for the right to contribute to the social conversation that is taking place in America right now.
Because of your success you have been able to speak out and create a social dialogue about issues that some are afraid to confront and speak out about.
This is my ambition as well. My background is quit different then yours but there are some striking similarities. Your mother was well educated and expected you to be as well. A different calling is what you have heard your entire life but still out of respect for your mother and all she did for you, you attempted to fulfill your mother had envisioned for you. You went to school and tried to make her proud even though you knew in your heart that God had more in store for you then that. Eventually you listened to that voice from above and tuned out the distracting voices of the world, which seeks to mislead you and deter you from the path that God has intended for us.
Lucky for us God has his hand on everything and if you continue to listen and stay true to what you know his calling is then nothing can get in the way of your mission. I'm here to tell you that wether you know it or not you have managed to stay on the path. You are an inspiration to us all.
I have just moved to LA to pursue avenue's that the odds of me accomplishing are slim to none. I have taken a lot from your music but now, in this trying time, I feel you have an opportunity to have more of an impact then you ever have before. Maybe even more of an impact then you ever dreamed you could have.
I am surprised that the albums of yours I own have not broke from overplay. You are one of those rare and special artists that you can listen to over and over again and that is something you should be extremely proud of and you must accept and know in you heart that you mother feels the same way and even more so. No one on this earth, alive or dead could really feel as proud of you as your mother is. You all were on Oprah for crying out loud!
I told my mother about your song "mama" and told her I would burn her a copy of it and some other songs. Of course I have not done that yet. She ended up seeing Oprah and really dug your song and it helped me express to her what I had hoped to achieve as far as the level of success and being able to provide for her one day instead of always the other way around.
Your second album was a second coming! It was a worthy follow up from an album I didn't think could be toped. Your music is the soundtrack to my life and to so many others. When you came out with graduation my boy's and I were in Michigan for a wedding week and we also bought the new 50 Cent. We must have played "graduation" 100 times that week, and 50 took a back seat.
The point of this letter and what I hope you can take from this is that even though you may not see it, you did your mother proud. I think about my mom and the possibility of losing her, and I know it is going to happen eventually, but I hope I have the chance to make her proud the way you did. Your music honers her as I hope my work honers my mother some day
Your songs touch on the issues of the kind of guy you are. And let me fill you in on something, there are a lot of us out there. Those of us that think we can contribute to society with our art but the beaurocracy of the industry stacks the odds against us until we think about giving up.
The lesson we learn from you is don't stop believing in yourself and your talent because it can happen and you are a shinning example of that.
We can't get through these next few years, tough years with the election and the war without significant contributions from societies key members. You are one of those and I hope to be one day very soon. need someone like you to bring up the issues and organize us. I'm writing something that I hope will create a social dialogue about the toughest issues facing america today and I hope it will inspire the huge non-voting population to turn out to the polls on election day and make a difference the way the founding fathers intended through the voice of the people by way of the vote. It can happen and I hope my script gets made for that reason only. But we need you to do something too. Not for the vote or anything like that but so we can talk about issues that face our american culture like wanting to look better to the point that we undertake drastic measures that risk our health and lives to fulfill an idealistic and unattainable standard that is pushed on us by our own society. I feel it everyday as I know you do and everyone of our citizens does and it's time to wake us all up from this conspiracy of consumption.
My hope is that one day we can discuss these issues not as one fan to one of his inspirations but as two strong willed men who have taken to heart the teachings of our mothers and made something of ourselves. I look forward to your next release. I know you will express the frustrations of every man wether he be black or white, middle class or poor, timid or bold, to accomplish the goals we've set and live the life the way that our God has intended for us. Because it takes courage to follow the path of the Lord. And to listen to that and carry it through to fruition should be the goal of every believer.
You check all the girls on what they be looking for in a man and school them on what they should look for. You bust us for wanting to shine even though you can relate. It's not hypocritical, cause you feel it and can express the thoughts we've all felt about these issues. You create a dialogue about the pressure of American society to make money even though only 6% of americans make $97,000 or more.
You speak for a large sect of society and I guess my point is don't forget that and know that your mom want's you to continue to speak. For her, and to honer what she did for you and the role she played in your success. For the people like me who realize by hearing your music that someone else sees things the way I do. And knowing that we're all not alone because the fact that you are so popular and are such a huge success, means that we feel the way you do. I'm gonna get that mansion that my mom couldn't afford too.
Please continue to speak to us and honer your mother by showing everyone what a strong and talented and amazing boy she created and nurtured and helped to grow into the man you are. And she will be blessed because of what you give to all of us and her part in that.
Your lyrics remind us of the bigger picture and what we should all seek to attain and how we should go about it.
Although I have started to try and rely on myself more and more these past few years, she is always the one I look to for approval or advice. Anything important going on in my life is soon to be disclosed to her for her insight and partly to try and make her proud of me. It's hard to live up to the standard i've set for myself and the one I think my mom would need to recant her comments like, "get your education and have your security. Have something to fall back on". I hope to exceed those goals and prove to her that for once I knew better then she does/did what the right path is for my life.
You give inspiration to millions and you must continue to for our sake and yours. Your mother would expect that from you. At least if she's anything like mine and she sounds like it. PHD, most popular woman at every function and every group she comes across. I hope to become the man I know I can be in the near future, for myself and so I can finally become a man in my mothers eyes and that may be my most important goal.
In my mind I'm going to become a superstar because I have something to offer the field I'm trying to break into. I'm sure you listened to stuff that was hot in the eyes of the public and thought how the hell is this the joint? In the same way I watch movies, even good ones and think I could have made it better. I hope to be doing just that very soon and when it happens for me I would love to work with you on setting up a foundation for your mother. Sean Taylor of the Washington Redskins deserves one to and when I'm big I hope to help in that effort as well. I only want to help people that's the only reason I'm choosing the film industry because I believe it will afford me the money, opportunity and connections to make a difference in peoples lives and in the world. I look forward to working with you soon if I attain the success I think I ultimately will. I have some exciting ideas that involve you and how I can help you to branch out and also honer your mother at the same time.
Sincerely yours,
Corey Ayers
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