Kanye West's mother dies

Rapper Kanye West’s mother has died.

A spokesman for the artist said Donda West died last night in Los Angeles.

Donda West served as chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of her son’s business enterprises, according to a biography on the website of the Kanye West Foundation, which she chaired.

She was the former chairwoman of Chicago State University’s English department and recently published the book Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star. A cause of death has not been released.