Kanye West

Donda West, mother of Kanye, has died at the age of 58, according to a spokesperson for Kanye West. The West family has issued the following statement to VIBE: "The family respectfully asks for privacy during this time of grief." No other information was released, but sources say Kanye West was in England to rehearse for his upcoming tour, and flew back to the states upon hearing the sad news. For 31 years, Dr. West was a teacher and chairperson at the Chicago State University's English Department. Two years ago, she relocated from Chicago to Los Angeles to take over her son's business operations, where she served as Chief Executive of West Brands LLC. She also chaired the Kanye West foundation, an organization dedicated to decreasing the dropout rate in the nation's public high schools. In May, Dr. West published a book about her experiences as a mother entitled Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip Hop Star. In Raising Kanye, Dr. West expressed her love and pride for her son. "I am fortunate to have a son like Kanye," she wrote. "And from all indications, he feels fortunate to have a mother like me." R.I.P From the Singersroom Staff