Update: Kanye West's Mother Dies From Cosmetic Surgery Complications

Monday - November 12, 2007 by Brandi Hopper After wide speculation over the weekend, the cause of Dr. Donda West's passing has been confirmed. The mother of hip-hop star, Kanye West, died from complications from cosmetic surgery.

No details have been released, but her publicist, Patricia Green told CNN that the 58-year-old died on November 10, "as the result of complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure."

Kanye's spokesman said the family "asks for privacy during this time of grief." No other statements have been released.

West often appeared at parties, awards shows and red carpet events with his mother on his arm. He spoke openly about their close relationship and penned a song for her on his Late Registration album, "Hey Momma."

He rapped about how hurt she'd been when he dropped out of college to pursue a career in music, but had supported him in his endeavors anyway. The Louis Vuitton mom even left her position as Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University to become Kanye's manager and worked closely with him on other projects as well.

Donda West was chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of her son's business enterprises, at the time of her death. She also served as chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation, an educational nonprofit that works to decrease dropout rates and improve literacy.

"Me and my mother were discussing ways to give back and came up with the concept," Ye told the Associated Press in an August interview.

In May, Dr. West published her book, Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star, chronicling the challenges of rearing the multi-platinum artist as a single parent in Chicago. The rap star's father left the family when he was just three years old.

The unfortunate news of his mother's death came Saturday night, as Kanye was away in London. He made immediate plans to return and was en route back to the U.S. on Sunday (November 11).