Kanye West praised for extra hours of community service after 'battery' conviction

By Staff Writer | Sep 17, 2015 | 06:00 AM EDT

Kanye West, 38, was convicted of misdemeanor "battery" in 2013 after beating up a paparazzi photographer, Daniel Ramos, at the Los Angeles International Airport, the Independent reports. He was sentenced to two years of probation, 250 hours of community service, and anger management therapy sessions.

It is believed that the rapper-songwriter did his community service at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College. In a letter by the dean of the institution, West was praised: "The contribution of the hands-on community service Mr. West has completed with our school has been of great benefit to our students and program."

According to TMZ, the letter was presented by West's lawyer Blair Berk Tuesday morning in court. West put in extra 12 hours in the fashion design program of the college which amounted to a total of 262 hours.

Earlier this year in May, West also gave a speech to the fashion students of the technical college.

"It's a tough world out there. You're going to prepare yourself for politics, bad bosses, hating employees, and usually when you're the absolute best, you get hated on the most," the rapper said, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.

West is still under probation but apologized to the photographer he attacked after he was sentenced.

In a report by Vanity Fair, West tried to explain himself and his point of view to a group of LA paparazzi. The pop star feels that some boundaries should be respected.

"My family is growing up, if you think about it. If you had a daughter, and you guys say, like, crazy shit to me all of the time, right, and to my family? I couldn't imagine my daughter being, like, four years old and you guys screaming at [her]," West said.

The pop star understands that photographs help people like him a lot but adds that paparazzi should come at him and his family decently.

"I know you guys are going to try to photograph me. It's all good. But you know, it's like, we're in this together," he continued. You guys help me influence. You help with the family. You help Kim's power and everything. I'm not trying to be at you guys in any kind of negative way. . . . I would prefer that we just have a decent relationship."

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