Donda West, the late mother of rapper Ye, was honored Tuesday with an honorary street name in Chicago, where the artist returned to his hometown to attend the ceremony. The street renaming took place at 78th Street and South Shore Drive in the South Shore neighborhood, according to local reports.
Ye, who was born in Atlanta but raised in Chicago and is also known as Kanye West, was present at the event and posed after the ceremony with the street sign bearing his mother's name. Local broadcaster WGN reported his attendance, and Block Club Chicago noted that the artist returned to the South Shore area for the occasion.
Donda West was a professor of English at Chicago State University before her death in 2007. She raised Ye largely in the South Shore neighborhood, and her influence on his life and career has been widely documented. Her name has since become attached to several of her son's creative projects, including a 2021 album titled «Donda» and a foundation established in her memory.
The honorary street designation adds to a growing list of tributes to Donda West in Chicago. The ceremony drew local attention as Ye, a figure whose public profile has shifted repeatedly over the years, returned to the neighborhood where he spent part of his childhood. ABC7 Chicago reported that the honorary renaming was for «Professor Donda West,» reflecting her academic career.
Honorary street names in Chicago are typically marked with signs that supplement, rather than replace, the official street name. The designation for Donda West follows a similar pattern, with the sign unveiled during Tuesday's ceremony. Ye's appearance at the event was confirmed by multiple local outlets, including WGN-TV and Block Club Chicago.
The tribute comes nearly two decades after Donda West's death. She was a longtime educator and served as chair of the English department at Chicago State University before retiring. Her son has frequently cited her as a formative influence, and her name has appeared in his music and public statements over the years.
Tuesday's ceremony was held in the South Shore community, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side that has produced a number of prominent cultural figures. The event was attended by local residents and officials, though the reports did not specify which officials spoke or how many people were present.
Ye posed with the street sign after the ceremony, according to WGN, which reported that the sign displays his mother's name. The honorary designation is one of several recent public recognitions tied to the rapper's family and career.
The street renaming is not expected to change official addresses or navigation in the area, as honorary street names in Chicago are ceremonial. The sign will stand at the intersection of 78th Street and South Shore Drive, marking the neighborhood where Donda West raised her son.