U.S. rapper Kanye West has revealed his intention to auction a replica of his childhood home used for his 2022 “Donda 2” concert. The 900 sq. ft. modular house contains elements from the tour’s stage design and is modeled after the home that once housed West’s late mother Donda West.
The Levy Recovery Group has listed the replica of the Chicago home on its website. The auction for this replica will begin in October, with the set currently housed in a Chicago warehouse. A production company will reassemble the pieces for the new owner, subject to a fee.
West stood in front of the model during the listening party for his yet-to-be-released Donda 2 album in Miami last year. It is not clearly known if it is the same replica house the rapper used in three other listening parties in Chicago and Atlanta in 2021 for his first Donda record.
The 2021 Donda album was a tribute to his late mother, Donda West, a civil rights activist and esteemed educator. She chaired the University of Chicago’s English department and collaborated with West until her passing in 2007, caused by coronary artery disease and complications from cosmetic surgery.
Donda West’s tragic death prompted a legal change mandating medical clearance for elective cosmetic surgery, signed into law by then-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
West faced backlash in the past year, leading to severed ties with significant partners like Gap, Balenciaga, CAA, Foot Locker, and Adidas due to publicized anti-Semitic remarks. Nevertheless, his Yeezy products remain in demand, with Adidas reporting sales exceeding $425 million between April and June.
In a unique auction move, West’s childhood home offers fans a chance to own a piece of his artistic journey while raising questions about the intersection of his personal and professional life. The reconstructed house symbolizes West’s creative vision and honors his mother’s legacy, encapsulating both triumphs and controversies that have shaped his career.
