2021Released
0:52

Did You Know?

Interesting facts and trivia about Donda Chant. By Songfacts®.

Dr. Donda West, the mother of Kanye West, was born on July 12, 1949. Donda West was a single mom, and Kanye was her only child. After stints as professor of English at Clark Atlanta University and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University, she retired to serve as his manager. Kanye's mom passed away aged 58 in late November 2007 because of heart problems resulting from cosmetic surgery. This prompted Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the "Donda West Law" legislation, making it mandatory to prove well-being prior to undergoing cosmetic surgery. This song is the title track of Kanye West's tenth studio album, which he named in tribute to his late mom.

The song features excerpts from an address by Donda West at Chicago State University recorded on October 19, 2007, a few weeks before her passing. It was a speech celebrating the life and works of renowned poet and writer Gwendolyn Brooks, who would have turned 90 in 2007. West later includes snippets from his mother reciting a Gwendolyn Brooks poem on the Donda track "Praise God."

Other Kanye West songs about his mother include: 2005 "Hey Mama," where he tells her how proud he is of her. Donda West used it as her ringtone on her cellphone. 2008 "Coldest Winter," Kanye's graveside eulogy for his late mom. 2011 "Mama's Boyfriend" where he talks about his mother's love interests after she divorced his father when Kanye was three years old. 2014 "Only One," a collaboration with Paul McCartney that came out of the pair bonding over the losses of their mothers.

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Song Analysis

Key, BPM (tempo) and time signature of Donda Chant.
D♯Key
MinorMode
4/4Time Signature
103BPM

Album

The album Donda Chant is released on.

Released By

The record label that has released Donda Chant.
Rock The World/IDJ/Kanye LP7
© 2021 Getting Out Our Dreams II, LLC Distributed By Def Jam, A Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
℗ 2021 Getting Out Our Dreams II, LLC Distributed By Def Jam, A Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

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