Kanye's Emotional Comeback

Mon., Nov. 19, 2007 9:42 AM PST by Sarah Hall

The show must go on for Kanye West, but nobody said it would be easy.

The rapper returned to the stage Saturday in Paris for the first time since the death of his mother, only to break down as he attempted to dedicate a song to his late parent.

As the opening bars of "Hey Mama" began, West managed to say, "This song is for my mother," before visibly losing his composure.

Video footage from the concert (available on youtube.com) shows him doubled up with grief on stage, as various members of his band attempt to comfort him.

The sell-out crowd at Paris' Le Zenith did its best to support the rapper, chanting, "Kanye, Kanye," and cheering and clapping in encouragement.

"He said the word, 'Mother' and just couldn't go any further," French journalist Meddy Magloire told People. "A back-up singer, the DJ and a guitar player came over to console him. It looked like he might collapse. He just couldn't continue. He just stood there in a spotlight, crying while the band continued playing."

West eventually left the stage, returning after several minutes to wrap up the concert with a performance of "Stronger."

"He kept shouting out to the audience, 'I need you…I need you right now.' and the public was screaming back. It was magic," Magloire said.

West has been largely unseen since Donda West's death on Nov. 10, which was allegedly the result of complications following plastic surgery.

He pulled out of performing at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last Thursday and did not attend a memorial service Friday at Chicago State University, where Donda was a faculty member for 24 years.

He was expected to return to the U.S. to attend his mother's funeral in Oklahoma City Tuesday, before returning to Europe to perform in London on Thursday.

Donda West, 58, died following a tummy tuck and breast reduction surgery reportedly performed by Dr. Jan Adams on Nov. 9. Since the operations, Adams' record has been called into question, though he has denied that he was at fault.

An autopsy was performed last week, but officials will not have a full report on the official cause of death for four to six weeks, pending the results of standard toxicology tests.