Kanye West Pays Tribute to His Mother on New Song ‘DONDA’

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On what would have been her 71st birthday, Kanye West is paying tribute to his late mother.

On Sunday, the rapper-turned-presidential hopeful shared a surprise song called “DONDA,” which opens with his mom, Dr. Donda West, reciting the powerful lyrics to KRS-One’s “Sound of da Police.”

“There can never really be justice on stolen land,” she says. “Are you really for peace and equality? Or when my car’s hooked up — know you wanna follow me? Your laws are minimal because you won’t even think about the real criminal.”

Ye comes in 90 seconds into the track to rap about starting a revolution, fake leaders, and racism. “Mama I need you to tuck me in / I done made some mistakes and they rubbed it in,” he raps. “I know you and grandma had enough of them / Why I gotta be so stubborn then? / I’m doin this one for y’all / So we can end racism once and for all.”

He shared a visual along with a message to his mother, who died in 2007 from surgery complications. “In loving memory of my incredible mother on her birthday 🕊 My mom reciting KRS1 lyrics,” he tweeted. “This song is called DONDA.”

Earlier in the day, Kim Kardashian shared a throwback video of her husband and his mother rapping along to his 2005 song “Hey Mama.”