Kanye West has opened up about his late mother during a new interview with talk show icon David Letterman.
In November of 2007, Kanye West was celebrating the two-month anniversary of his latest album, Graduation. However, while the record was climbing charts around the world, the musician was knocked back down to Earth with the news that his mother had passed away.
With this event having a devastating effect on West, the rapper explored new emotional territory on his next album, 808s & Heartbreak, while he also founded a number of ventures and charities in honour of his late mother.
Now, the divisive artist has spoken to David Letterman about this dark time in his life, opening up as part of the new season of Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.
Check out a preview of Kanye’s chat with David Letterman:
“This would have been the funnest time of her life to have those kids running around that house, and being able to, like, go and buy them toys,” Kanye West explained to David Letterman.
“I remember my mother bought me a bear that was multicoloured, and I was very into Takashi Murakami at the time (of my) third album, Graduation, so she bought it and she said, ‘That kind of feels like Murakami,” he continued. “And then I was sort of like, ‘I don’t want that—that ain’t no Takashi Murakami bear.’”
While the audience chuckled at the light-hearted story, West soon revealed how important this memory had become to him, noting how his mother passed just weeks later.
“I did everything I could to find that bear (and) place that bear on top of all the Takashi Murakami stuff I had in the house,” he explained. “But she’s here with us, and she’s guiding us.”
The second season of David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction is set to premiere on Netflix on May 31st, with guests including Lewis Hamilton, Melinda Gates, Tiffany Haddish and Ellen DeGeneres.
Check out ‘Stronger’ by Kanye West:
