Kanye West, A.K.A. Ye, was born in Atlanta (Georgia) and spent one year at Chicago State University before quitting to pursue a career in music. His father was a photographer and a former Black Panther (African-American Revolutionary Organization), and he was raised by a college professor mother.
Kanye, whose real name is Kanye Omari West, was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 8, 1977. While his father, Ray West, is a photographer, his mother, Dr. Donda C. Williams, taught English at the university level. When his parents separated when he was 3 years old, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, where his mother raised him for the majority of his childhood. He continued to spend summers with his father, though.
Donda passed away in 2007 at the age of 58. Before she passed away, Donda told Jet magazine, "I was very grateful that he, in my view, was an instrument; this voice or truth, that was coming through him." A whole generation is paying attention to him. ” She said, "I was glad he had that kind of courage and would step out without being afraid. I was proud that he said those things. I instilled in him the value of critical and analytical thinking as well as the confidence to express one's emotions. That was something I contributed to. Leadership requires doing that, in my opinion.”
During a My Next Guest Needs No Introduction interview, Kanye recalled one of his most cherished tales about his mother. “During the recording of [my] third album, "Graduation," I was a big fan of Takashi Murakami, so when my mother bought me a multicolored bear, she remarked, "That kind of feels like Murakami". When I realized it wasn't a Takashi Murakami bear, I sort of said, "I don't want that." I did everything I could to find that bear and put that bear on top of all the Takashi Murakami memorabilia I had in the house."
Who is Donda Williams?
The mother of Kanye West is Donda C. Williams. Donda, who was born on July 12th, 1949, grew up in Oklahoma's capital city of Oklahoma City. She graduated with an English major in 1971 from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, and a doctorate in 1980 from Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Donda began her teaching career in the early 1970s at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, before accepting a position at Chicago State University. There, she worked as an English professor for 31 years, including 24 years as the department head for English, communications, media, and theater.
“I sat there, listening while partially fighting back tears and partially jamming”, Donda wrote in Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar, her 2009 book. “I had the music loudly playing. As I flung open my window, I wanted to shout to everyone passing by, "Hey, this is my kid!" “
Kanye described her as his "best friend" in an interview with MTV in 2004. “I adore her. I could not imagine having a better friend than her. My mother supported me and drove me to the studio so I could work on music. Actually, she was my first manager. In fact, she's still my general manager." In 2003, Donda also assisted Kanye in establishing his nonprofit organization, the Kanye West Foundation, which educates disadvantaged children through music. After his mother passed away in 2007, he changed the name of the organization to the Donda West Foundation.
How did Donda die?
Donda passed away on November 10th, 2007. She was 58 years old. Donda died at the Centinela Freeman Medical Center in Inglewood, California, a day after undergoing cosmetic surgery with Dr. Jan Adams. Donda's friends and family had called 911 from Donda's Playa Del Rey home to arrange for her transportation there. The coroner at the time issued a statement saying that "the final manner of death could not be determined." The death might have been influenced by a number of post-operative factors. It was impossible to pinpoint how much each factor contributed specifically. A surgical or anesthetic mishap was not borne out by any evidence. Donda's representative added that she descended into a coma "as a result of complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure."
Donda was with a friend when she made the 911 call; she was then transported to the hospital and declared dead upon arrival in the emergency room.
When the results of the autopsy were made public, Dr. Adams said, "What came out of the autopsy released today was exactly what I thought was going to be reported. I want to uphold the confidentiality agreement between the doctor and the patient out of respect for Kanye West's family.” The cause of Donda's death was later determined to be heart failure as a result of numerous post-operative factors, according to Newsweek. According to the magazine, Donda underwent a tummy tuck, breast reduction, and liposuction procedures before she passed away.
Who is Ray West?
Ray West is the father of Kanye West. When Kanye was 3 years old, Ray and Donda Williams got divorced. According to the Daily Mail, Kanye spent his summers with his father in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was born, before moving with his mother to Chicago, Illinois, after their divorce. Ray served as a Black Panther during the 1960s and 1970s. He then worked as one of the first Black photojournalists for the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, where he captured images of Maya Angelou and former President Ronald Reagan. Ray reportedly held additional jobs including paparazzo, marriage therapist, and store owner, according to Hollywood Life.
The Cheat Sheet claims that when Kanye's mother went away, Kanye and her father grew closer. Even in 2019, Ray shot for Kanye's "Follow God" music video. At that moment, Kanye remarked, "It took me 42 years to discover that my dad was my greatest friend."
FAQs
Q. What was the Black Panther Party about?
A. Founded in 1966 and reaching its height a few years later, the Black Panther Party was an African American revolutionary group. Its original mission was to patrol Black communities and safeguard residents from excessive force by law enforcement. Later, it transformed into a Marxist organization.
Q. Where is Ray West nowadays?
A. In spite of receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2018, Ray beat the disease by the end of the year. According to rumors, Ray West is currently residing in the Dominican Republic and managing a charity for prostitution victims there.
Q. How close is Kanye to his father?
A. Kanye and his father didn't always get along, but after his mother died, their relationship improved. Particularly after he beat cancer and spent some time in America, Kanye made an effort to get in touch with his father.
Q. Why did Kanye’s parents get divorced?
A. In an interview, Kanye claimed that his parents' divorce was forced by financial issues, without providing any further details.
