Donda West

Background

Donda Williams West was good at teaching students and raising awareness. West was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 12, 1949. She was raised in the Christian faith and is of mixed ancestry. West’s mom and dad are Lucille E. Williams and Portwood Williams, who ran a small business in the United States. Kanye West was her only child. After her separation from his father, Ray West, one of the first black photojournalists at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she raised him independently.

She began her teaching career as an instructor at Brown College in Atlanta in the early 1970s. She enrolled at Virginia Union University in 1971 to finish her Bachelor’s degree in English. Later, she participated at Atlanta University in Georgia to pursue her M.A. in English. She began working at Chicago State University in 1980 and eventually became chair of the English department. West earned her doctorate in English from Auburn University in Alabama. Her son’s 2005 album “Late Registration” was inspired by Donda West’s song “Hey Mama.” “Raising Kanye: Life Lessons From the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar,” which she published in 2007, was her first book.

On November 10, 2007, she died in Marina del Rey, California. Before her death, West underwent several fat removal surgeries. She had a tummy tuck, breast reduction, and liposuction on that day. She requested that she be allowed to go home after only a few hours of surgery. The doctor advised her to stay for observation, but West was adamant. She felt severe pain in her chest and throat when she arrived home, and she was declared dead on arrival due to coronary artery disease after being taken to the hospital. As a mother, she encouraged and supported her son’s desire to pursue a career in music by providing financial assistance. Her Son, West, could not forget his mother’s legacy because he loved her so much. On August 6, he decided to release an album called “Donda” as a tribute to his mother. The album was officially released in 2021 under the Good Music and Def Jam labels.