This weekend Kanye West's mother (and manager), Dr. Donda West, died after surgery - which the BBC is reporting was cosmetic (UPDATE: she was warned prior to getting the surgery). West was very close with his 58-year-old mother, often speaking publicly about their bond and even writing a song for her. Just this summer the two were at Borders to promote her new book, Raising Kanye. Kanye was in London when told of the death,......

This Sunday there will be a screening of the 1983 classic Wild Style at Summerstage, followed by performances by some of the rappers in the movie. Busy Bee, The Cold Crush Brothers, GrandMaster Caz, Fab 5 Freddy and more, including some special guests. More info on the event, which is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the movie, is here, but let's take a look back to when it was filmed. Wild Style was the first......

It’s already two decades since the unlikely hit song Luka put Suzanne Vega on the map; six albums later she’s still swinging with her New York-themed Beauty and Crime. Along the way she’s had a divorce and a daughter (Ruby, now 13), married the man who proposed to her back in her pre-Luka days, and been dubbed "The Mother of the Mp3" when her song Tom’s Diner was used as the model for the algorithm......

Today in Central Park a Save Darfur event will be taking place that aims to educate through speakers, music and more. The Save Darfur Now: Voices to Stop Genocide rally has an impressive list of people involved, so head up there and get involved yourself: Speakers Madeleine K. Albright (former United States Secretary of State) Joey Cheek (U.S. Olympic Team speed skater, Gold & Silver medalist) Irwin Cotler (Member of Parliament, Canada, Mount Royal) Larry......

At noon today, Suzanne Vega and Lou Reed will play a free concert at the opening of 7 World Trade Center. As we all know, 7 WTC is the only tower to be rebuilt since 9/11; the plaza already opened this week. The first tenants (the developers of the building - Silverstein Properties) will move in Friday, followed by the architects (Norman Foster, Jean Nouvel and Richard Rogers) working on the three buildings being......

- Cheating the MTA - Red wine helps you - How to make an egg cream - Learning to drive at 43: The Suzanne Vega Story - Hot police fashion - Excellent ideas on how to save the movies from themselves - Will Ferrell in tights: Comedy gold - Bill Murray's Oscar movie? - No more TVs in city taxis - Airport screening tries to show its worth - Gothamist's next food field trip Or......

Suzanne Vega writes in today's Times' City section, about how at age 43, she finally is going after her driver's license. Like many city folk, there's no need for a license, unless you really want a driver's license for ID purposes. Vega's essay is a great look at her Morningside Heights neighborhood (or SoHa - south of Harlem - haha) and the peculiarities of taking driving lessons in New York. Gothamist likes how one instructors......