The mother of rap star Kanye West has died at the age of 58 after
cosmetic surgery developed complications.
Dr Donda West, who managed the star’s businesses and educational
foundation and was the subject of his song Hey Mama, died in Los
Angeles on Saturday.

Her publicist Patricia Green said she passed away “as the result of
complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure”, but gave no more
details.

West’s spokesman said the family “asks for privacy during this time of
grief”.

The 30-year-old often spoke publicly of his close relationship with
his mother. She raised him alone after her husband left when West was
three.

‘Inspirational’

In Hey Mama, on West’s 2005 album Late Registration, he sang: “Hey
Mama, I wanna scream so loud for you, cuz I’m so proud of you. I
appreciate what you allowed for me, I just want you to be proud of me.”

In May, she published the book Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the
Mother of a Hip-Hop Star, in which she paid homage to her famous son.

She was chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation, a non-profit
organisation that aims to improve literacy and stop people dropping
out of school.

Ms Green said: “May Donda’s work and deeds be an inspiration to each
of us, may we start each day knowing that support of family and
community are central to purpose.”