November 20, 2007 -- Despite the media attention that surrounds how his mother died, Kanye West was apparently able to keep the funeral of his mother, Dr. Donda West, private. Few details have surfaced about today's funeral, scheduled for 1 p.m. in Donda's hometown of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. But Accesshollywood.com. reports that Kanye was supported today by his many famous friends, including Jay-Z, Beyonce, Pharell Williams and Erykah Badu.
Reports say that both John Legend and Anita Baker peformed at the private service. Dr. West was a big fan of Baker's attending a show just weeks before her death. Baker sang "Summertime" while Legend played the piano. Flowers arrived in droves at the True Vine Ministry church, which seats up to 2500 people. Donda's body was transported to the burial ground in a horse-drawn carriage. Reportedly, a tearful Kanye, who had trouble getting through his eulogy but said that his mother would have wanted him to get up and speak, said that he wanted his mother not to rest in peace, but in paradise.
Those close to the family say Kanye gets his famous outspokenness from his grandfather. Donda's father, Portwood Williams, Sr. is a noted civil rights leader in Oklahoma City. Williams says his family was a tight-knit one. “We were real close — very close,” Williams said. “She was just number 1. One in a million. We have four children, and I’ve never heard them have an argument with each other. She was just a number 1 person.”
Kanye West has been on a European tour which lasts through the month. In shows in both Paris and Brussels, he's remembered his mother with emotional moments on stage.
West's mother, 58, died November 10 from what is believed to be complications from cosmetic surgery. Her doctor, Dr. Jan Adams, walked off of the Larry King show last night after Kanye and the West family sent a letter threatening to have the doctor's license revoked if he appeared on the show. In the past, Adams has appeared on both the "Oprah Winfrey" show and hosted a show, "Plastic Surgery: Before and After" on the Discovery Health Channel has admitted to performing the surgery but says he did nothing wrong.