Kanye West’s mother, Dr. Donda West, died yesterday due to “complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure“. Kanye is said to be “inconsolable” after hearing that his mother had died yesterday in L.A. He was given the devastating news while he was in London.

Dr. West was a former Chairwoman for the English department at Chicago State University. After 31 years of working in higher education, Dr. West left Chicago State University to become Kanye’s manager in 2004.

Dr. West was also Chief Executive Officer of West Brands, LLC, the parent company of Kanye’s business enterprises. She was also Chair of the Kanye West Foundation.

She had won several awards over the years, including Outstanding Educator of the year, Who’s Who Among Black Americans, Foreign Expert to the People’s Republic of China, and Fulbright Scholar.

Our hearts go out to you, Kanye.

Merv Griffin, 82, died earlier today of prostate cancer. The former radio singer, actor, TV game and talk show host appeared on Forbes’ list of richest American several times.

Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. was born on July 6, 1925 in San Mateo, California. He was the son of a stockbroker. His aunt, Claudia Robinson, taught him to play the piano when he was 4 years old and soon was performing shows on the back porch. He wrote in his 1980 autobiography that he had a show every Saturday, and would recruit all the kids on the block as stagehands, actors, or the audience. He was always the producer.

He studied at San Mateo Junior College and the University of San Francisco. He would quit school to apply to become a pianist at KFRC radio in San Francisco. They were looking for a vocalist instead. He auditioned and was hired.

In 1954, Griffin went to New York where he appeared in a musical show on CBS-TV, “Finian’s Rainbow,” and a music show on CBS radio. He hosted the game show “Play Your Hunch,” in 1958. He would also substitute for Jack Paar on “Tonight”.

Griffin married Julann Elizabeth Wright in 1958. Their son Anthony was born the following year. They divorced in 1973 because of “irreconcilable differences.”



Read more about Merv and see photos below…