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Rhymefest Will Turn Kanye West's Childhood Home into an "Arts Incubator"

The Chicago house will be the permanent HQ of the Donda’s House project.

Rhymefest, Oscar-winner and unlikely pal of British premieres, has purchased Kanye West's childhood home in Chicago with the intention of turning it into an "arts incubator." He announced the purchase on Instagram Friday.

The charity, started in 2013 in honor of Kanye West's late mother Donda, provides access to arts education for young people in the Chicago area. Rhymefest runs the project alongside his wife, Donnie Smith.

The decision to purchase West's childhood home was explained further on a Donda's House donation page:

"In order to deepen the organization's impact, Donda's House has acquired a home facility that will provide a permanent location for all of the Donda's House family to gather, offer programming, and grow. 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. Donda's House selected this location in particular, because it is the former home of the organization's namesake Dr. Donda West, who at one time provided similar services and support to incubate young artists. Donda's House is committed to the success of Chicago's young creatives and this property will help these young people flourish."

Rhymefest, who is listed as a co-writer on "Jesus Walks" and "New Slaves," announced that he had stopped working with Kanye West at the beginning of this year. "My brother needs help in the form of counselling," he tweeted in February. "Spiritual & mental. He should step away from the public & yesmen & heal."

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