(AllHipHop News) Kanye West’s childhood home in Chicago is to be turned into a community arts center.
Kanye’s protege Rhymefest has purchased the South Shore property, and plans to convert it into a “community arts incubator”.
It will also become the permanent home of the Donda’s House organization, operated by Rhymefest and his wife Donnie Smith, which was set up in honor of Kanye’s late mother Donda West.
The hip hop artist posted the news on Instagram, and encouraged his followers to donate to the cause.
“I’m excited to announce the purchase of Kanye’s childhood home as a community arts incubator,” Rhymefest captioned a photo of himself sitting outside the house.
“It will be the first of our Nationwide Lite-Houses. A state-of-the-art recording studio, a curriculum space for @dondashouse and Southside music museum. We want to show bright spots in communities that’ve been divested from, we know more Lights exist here, they just need to be activated,” he added, before including a link to the Donda’s House project so people can “invest in Chicago’s creative future.”
The organization said purchasing Kanye’s childhood home was a way of honoring Donda, who they said supported up and coming artists in Chicago.
“Donda’s House envisions this facility as not only a homegrown hub of economic activity for the southside but also a gathering place for the community with events and concerts,” they added.
Rhymefest was also full of praise for Kanye’s mother, who died in 2007, who he said inspired him to pursue his musical career.