Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Losing your mother is losing a piece of yourself- Donda West & Kanye

Like Momma like Kanye...they even have the same mouth...and nose. :)

A man and his mother...it is a special relationship that may be foreign to women without children or boys of their own womb to understand. Fully grasped or not it is a bond and union that once created is not easily shattered in opposition unless that opposition be death. Well Kanye West faced the greatest opposition of his life this week when his Mother, Dr. Donda West, only 58 passed away after post surgery complications.

The word on the street is that it's always best to marry a man who loves his mother because if he shows her honor then he will surely honor you. Well Kanye West's fashion designer fiance, Alexis Phifer must be a lucky woman because Kanye was known as a man who took care of his mom. Donda West left her job as an English professor in Chicago to run Loop Dreams (teaching kids about the music and entertainment industry) and to aid her son in his career in L.A. The pair were close: they worked together, her as CEO of his entertainment company, Super Good, as a chair of his foundation for children and literacy, Kanye West Foundation, they played together, them attending awards shows together, he supporting her fully on her book about him, "Raising Kanye" this year. Kanye affectionately stated, "My mama's my best friend." and wrote, "Hey Mama" in her living tribute to a single mom who took him to cultural activities in the city when he was younger and always encouraged his artistic endeavours. He gave respect where respect was due to a woman who did her best to raise a man all by herself. Kanye's father left him when he was only 3 years old so it was only Donda and Kanye to fend for themselves in Blue Island and Tinley Park on the South Side of Chicago. Being from the Windy City myself and living on the South Side for a period I can tell you that it is rough. There are no "hoods" in Atlanta like to hoods in Chicago. It is where real gangstas lives and black men are killed for walking on the wrong side of the street or ganked for their new shoes. Yet the Wests still praise Chicago in all its roughness and remembered their roots. Chicago is, "My Kind of Town", Frank Sinatra sang of the Hollywood and more white side of that Midwest piece of America however he wasn't far off the mark. It is a town full of history, old culture and energy.


Despite rough beginnings Donda and Kanye had magical outcomes as she raised this boy to be a successful, albeit emotional man-star! And that star shined and reached back and never forget that mama that loved him in all his boyhood years and through his manhood. I feel saddened by her short life. I wish that she never got the surgery and Donda wasn't even my own mom. I don't even know Kanye intimately but because he wears his emotions on his sleeve I kinda feel a kinship to him and can understand his pain. Just because I have a mother of my own that I admire and appreciate (from childhood to this day my mommy reminds me warmth and all that is good in love and in the earth) I can relate to that kind of agony that can't be soothed in days or even years.

My prayers go out to Kanye, Alexis and the rest of the West family. I know that anyone can get through hard times with God. May HE be closer to Kanye after this hardship than before.

1 comment:

  1. This is a great piece Maven! I can't imagine the pain that he is feeling. I am deeply sorrow for Kanye to loose his mom. It is so true for the bond you talked about the son having for his mom. I hope through time the pain will ease up from his heart. Kanye you are definitely in my prayers.

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