Ye[a] (/jeɪ/YAY; bornKanye Omari West/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/KAHN-yay; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper and record producer. One of the most prominent figures inhip-hop,[3] he is known for his varying musical style[4] and polarizing cultural and political commentary.[5] After dropping out of college to pursue a career in music, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer forRoc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums includingJay-Z'sThe Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. West's debut studio album,The College Dropout (2004), was met with critical acclaim and yielded theBillboard Hot 100-number one single "Slow Jamz". He peaked the chart on four other occasions with the singles "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "Carnival" (2024).
West was raised in a middle-class environment, attending Polaris School for Individual Education[21] in suburbanOak Lawn, Illinois, after living in Chicago.[22] At the age of 10, West moved with his mother toNanjing, China, where she was teaching atNanjing University as aFulbright Scholar.[23] According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but he settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it.[24] When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's."[25]
West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old.[26] West started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists.[27] West crossed paths with producerNo I.D., who became West's friend and mentor.[28]: 557 After graduating from high school, West received a scholarship to attend Chicago'sAmerican Academy of Art in 1997 and began taking painting classes. Shortly after, he transferred to Chicago State University to study English. At age 20, he dropped out to pursue his musical career.[29] This greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university, although she would later accept the decision.[28]: 558
Musical career
1996–2002: Early work and Roc-A-Fella
West began his early production career in the mid-1990s, creating beats primarily for burgeoning local artists in the Chicago area. He received his first official production credits at age nineteen, when he produced eight tracks onDown to Earth, the 1996 debut album of Chicago-basedunderground rapper Grav.[30] In 1998, West was the first producer signed to the management-production companyHip Hop Since 1978, founded by Gee Roberson and Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua.[31] For a time, West acted as a ghost producer forDeric "D-Dot" Angelettie. Due to his association with Angelettie, West was not able to release a solo album, so he formed the Go-Getters, a hip-hop group composed of him and fellow Chicago nativesGLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar.[32][33] The Go-Getters independently released their first and only studio album,World Record Holders in 1999 through West's company,Konman Productions.[32] West spent much of the late 1990s further producing for several musical acts.[34] He produced the third track onFoxy Brown's second studio albumChyna Doll (1999), which became the second hip-hop album by a female rapper to peak atop the USBillboard 200 chart.[34]
West received early acclaim for his production work onJay-Z'sThe Blueprint. The two are pictured here in 2011.
In 2000, West began producing for artists onRoc-A-Fella Records as an in-house producer. West is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with extensive contributions to his 2001 albumThe Blueprint,[35] whichRolling Stone ranked among their list of greatest hip-hop albums.[36] West produced songs for label cohorts such asBeanie Sigel andFreeway, but also produced beats which were used by artists on other labels includingLudacris,Alicia Keys, andJanet Jackson.[35][37] Meanwhile, West struggled to attain a record deal as a rapper.[38] Multiple record companies, includingCapitol Records,[27] denied or ignored him because he did not portray thegangsta image prominent in mainstream hip-hop at the time.[28]: 556 Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label headDamon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella as a recording artist.[28]: 556 [39]
A 2002 car accident, which shattered his jaw,[40][41] inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he recorded "Through the Wire" at theRecord Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut.[40] The song was first included on West's debutmixtapeGet Well Soon..., which was released in December 2002.[42] At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album titledThe College Dropout, whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'"[43]
2003–2006:The College Dropout andLate Registration
West recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. It was leaked months before its release date,[38] and West used the opportunity to remix, remaster, and revise the album before its release;[44] West added new verses,string arrangements,gospel choirs, and improved drum programming.[38] The album was postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003,[45][46] and was eventually released in February 2004, reaching No. 2 on theBillboard 200 as his debut single, "Through the Wire" peaked at No. 15 while on theBillboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks.[47] "Slow Jamz", his second single, featuringTwista andJamie Foxx, became the three musicians' first No. 1 hit.The College Dropout received critical acclaim, was nominated for the top album of the year byAmerican Music Awards andBillboard,[48][49] and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists.[50][51]
"Jesus Walks", the album's fourth single, reached the top 20 of theBillboard pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to the radio.[50][51]The College Dropout was certifiedtriple platinum in the U.S., and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, includingAlbum of the Year, andBest Rap Album (which it received).[52] During this period, West foundedGOOD Music, a record label and management company that housed affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. andJohn Legend,[53] and produced singles forBrandy,Common, Legend, andSlum Village.[54]
West invested $2 million and took over a year to make his second album.[55] West was inspired byRoseland NYC Live, a 1998 live album by Englishtrip hop groupPortishead, produced with theNew York Philharmonic Orchestra,[56] incorporatingstring arrangements into his hip-hop production. Though West had not been able to afford many live instruments around the time of his debut album, the money from his commercial success enabled him to hire astring orchestra for his second albumLate Registration.[56] West collaborated with Americanfilm score composerJon Brion, who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks.[57][58]Late Registration sold over 2.3 million units in the United States alone by the end of 2005 and was considered by industry observers as the only successful major album release of the fall season, which had been plagued by steadily declining CD sales.[59]
When his song "Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the 2006MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented toJustice andSimian for "We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead.[60][61] Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act forU2 for their Vertigo concert inBrisbane.[62] He later spoofed the incident on the 33rd-season premiere ofSaturday Night Live in September 2007.[63]
2007–2009:Graduation,808s & Heartbreak, and VMAs incident
West's third studio album,Graduation, garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper50 Cent'sCurtis.[64] Upon their September 2007 releases,Graduation outsoldCurtis by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S.Billboard 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week.[65]Graduation continued the string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, "Stronger", garnered his third number-one hit.[66] "Stronger", which samples French house duoDaft Punk, has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporatehouse andelectronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival ofdisco andelectro-infused music in the late 2000s.[67] His mother's death in November 2007[68] and the end of his engagement to Alexis Phifer[69] profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter.[70]
West performing in 2008
Recorded mostly inHonolulu, Hawaii in three weeks,[71] West announced his fourth album,808s & Heartbreak, at the2008 MTV Video Music Awards, where he performed its lead single, "Love Lockdown". Music audiences were taken aback by the uncharacteristic production style and the presence of Auto-Tune, which typified the pre-release response to the record.[72]808s & Heartbreak was released byIsland Def Jam in November 2008.[73][74] Upon its release, the lead single "Love Lockdown" debuted at number three on theBillboard Hot 100,[75] while follow-up single "Heartless" debuted at number four.[76] While it was criticized prior to release,808s & Heartbreak is considered to have had a significant effect on hip-hop music, encouraging other rappers to take more creative risks with their productions.[77]
WhileTaylor Swift was accepting her award for Best Female Video at the2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West went on stage and grabbed the microphone from her to proclaim thatBeyoncé deserved the award instead. He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions.[78][79][80] West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst,[78][81][82][83] and by PresidentBarack Obama, who called West a "jackass".[84][85][86][87] The incident sparked a large influx ofInternet photo memes.[88] West subsequently apologized,[82][89] including personally to Swift.[90][91] However, in a November 2010 interview, he seemed to recant his past apologies, describing the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless".[92][93]
2010–2012:My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,Watch the Throne, andCruel Summer
Following the highly publicized incident, West took a brief break from music and threw himself into fashion, only to hole up in Hawaii for the next few months writing and recording his next album.[94] Importing his favorite producers and artists to work on and inspire his recording, West kept engineers behind the boards 24 hours a day and slept only in increments. Noah Callahan-Bever, a writer forComplex, was present during the sessions and described the "communal" atmosphere as thus: "With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire."[94] A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi andPusha T, as well as collaborations with artists includingJustin Vernon ofBon Iver andGil Scott Heron.[95]
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to widespread acclaim from critics, many of whom considered it his best work and said it solidified his comeback.[96] In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound,Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess.[53] The record included the international hit "All of the Lights", andBillboard hits "Power", "Monster", and "Runaway",[97] the latter of which accompanied a35-minute film of the same name directed by and starring West.[98] During this time, West initiated the free music programGOOD Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday, a portion of which were included on the album. This promotion ran from August to December 2010.[99]Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States,[100] but its omission as a contender forAlbum of the Year at the54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.[101]
Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel.[106] Determined to "undermine the commercial",[107] he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicagodrill,dancehall,acid house, andindustrial music.[108] Primarily inspired by architecture,[106] West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producerRick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach.[109] Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances.[110][111]Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013, to rave reviews from critics.[112] It became his sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales.[113]
In September 2013, West announced he would be headlininghis first solo tour in five years, to supportYeezus, with fellow American rapperKendrick Lamar accompanying him as a supporting act.[114][115] The tour was met with rave reviews from critics.[116]Rolling Stone described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers".[116] Writing forForbes, Zack O'Malley Greenburg praised West for "taking risks that few pop stars, if any, are willing to take in today's hyper-exposed world of pop", describing the show as "overwrought and uncomfortable at times, but [it] excels at challenging norms and provoking thought in a way that just isn't common for mainstream musical acts of late".[117] West subsequently released a number of singles featuringPaul McCartney, including "Only One"[118] and "FourFiveSeconds", also featuringRihanna.[119]
In November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014,[120] with production by Rick Rubin andQ-Tip.[121] Having initially announced a new album entitledYeezus II slated for a 2014 release, West announced in March 2015 that the album would instead be tentatively calledSo Help Me God.[122] In May 2015, West was awarded anhonorary doctorate by theSchool of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture.[123][124][d] The next month, West headlined at theGlastonbury Festival in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance.[126] Another petition aimed to block West from headlining the2015 Pan American Games, garnering 50,000 supporters.[127]
West announced in January 2016 thatSwish would be released on February 11, and later that month, released new songs "Real Friends" and a snippet of "No More Parties in LA" with Kendrick Lamar. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album fromSwish toWaves.[128] In the weeks leading up to the album's release, West became embroiled in severalTwitter controversies.[129] Several days ahead of its release, West again changed the title, this time toThe Life of Pablo.[130][131] On February 11, West premiered the album atMadison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season3 clothing line.[132] Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the tracklist once more before its release to the public.[133] He released the album exclusively onTidal on February 14, 2016, following a performance onSNL.[134][135] Following its release, West continued to tinker with mixes of several tracks, describing the work as "a living breathing changing creative expression"[136] and proclaiming the end of thealbum as a dominant release form.[137] Despite West's earlier comments, in addition to Tidal, the album was released through several other competing services starting in April.[138]
In February 2016, West stated on Twitter that he was planning to release another album in the summer of 2016, tentatively calledTurbo Grafx 16 in reference to the 1990svideo game console of the same name.[139][140] In June 2016, West released the collaborative lead single "Champions" off the GOOD Music albumCruel Winter, which has yet to be released.[141][142] Later that month, West released a controversial video for "Famous", which depicted wax figures of several celebrities (including West, Kardashian, Taylor Swift, businessman and then-presidential candidateDonald Trump, comedianBill Cosby, and former president George W. Bush) sleeping nude in a shared bed.[143]
In August 2016, West embarked on theSaint Pablo Tour in support ofThe Life of Pablo.[144] The performances featured a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling.[144] West postponed several dates in October following theParis robbery of several of his wife's effects.[145] On November 21, 2016, West cancelled the remaining 21 dates on the Saint Pablo Tour, following a week of no-shows, curtailed concerts and rants about politics.[146] He was later admitted for psychiatric observation atUCLA Medical Center.[147][148] He stayed hospitalized over the Thanksgiving weekend because of a temporary psychosis stemming from sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration.[149] Following this episode West took an 11-month break from posting on Twitter and the public in general.[150]
It was reported in May 2017 that West was recording new music inJackson Hole, Wyoming, with a wide range of collaborators.[151][152] In April 2018, West announced plans to write a philosophy book entitledBreak the Simulation,[153] later clarifying that he was sharing the book "in real time" on Twitter and began posting content that was likened to "life coaching".[154] Later that month, he also announced two new albums, a solo album and self-titled collaboration with Kid Cudi under the nameKids See Ghosts, both of which would be released in June.[155] Additionally, he revealed he would produce upcoming albums by GOOD Music label-matesPusha T andTeyana Taylor, as well asNas.[156] Shortly thereafter, West released the non-album singles "Lift Yourself" and "Ye vs. the People", in which he andT.I. discussed West's support of Donald Trump.[157]
Pusha T'sDaytona, "the first project out of Wyoming", was released in May to critical acclaim, although the album's artwork—a photograph of deceased singerWhitney Houston's bathroom that West paid $85,000 to license—attracted some controversy.[158][159] The following week, West released his eighth studio album,Ye. West has suggested that he scrapped the original recordings of the album and re-recorded it within a month.[160] The week after, West released a collaborative album with Kid Cudi, titledKids See Ghosts, named after their group of the same name. West also completed production work on Nas'Nasir[161] and Teyana Taylor'sK.T.S.E., which were released in June 2018.[162]
In September, West announced his ninth studio albumYandhi to be released by the end of the month and a collaborative album with fellow Chicagoan rapper Chance the Rapper titledGood Ass Job. That same month, West announced that he would be changing his stage name to "Ye".[163]Yandhi was originally set for release in September 2018 but was postponed multiple times.[164] In January 2019, West pulled out of headlining that year's Coachella festival after negotiations broke down due to discord regarding stage design.[165] In July, it was reported that songs from West's unreleased albumYandhi were leaked online.[166] The following month, Kim Kardashian announced that West's next album would be titledJesus Is King, effectively scrappingYandhi.[167][168] By October, the entire unfinished album was available for a short time on streaming services Spotify and Tidal.[169]
On January 6, 2019, West started his weekly "Sunday Service" events, which included soul variations of both West's and others' songs and were attended by multiple celebrities, including the Kardashians,Charlie Wilson, and Kid Cudi.[170] West previewed a new song, "Water" at his "Sunday Service" orchestration performance at Coachella 2019,[171] which was later revealed to feature on his upcoming albumJesus Is King;[172] West released the album on October 25, 2019.[173] It became the first to ever top theBillboard 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums, Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums at the same time.[174] On December 25, 2019, West and Sunday Service releasedJesus Is Born, containing 19 songs, including several re-workings of older West songs.[175]
West released a single titled "Wash Us in the Blood" on June 30, 2020, featuring fellow American rapper and singerTravis Scott, along with the music video, which was set to serve as the lead single from his tenth studio albumDonda.[176] However, in September 2020, West stated that he would not be releasing any further music until he is "done with [his] contract with Sony and Universal".[177] On October 16, he released the single "Nah Nah Nah".[178] West held several listening parties atMercedes-Benz Stadium for his upcoming albumDonda in the summer of 2021, where he had taken up temporary residence in one of the stadium's locker rooms, converting it into a recording studio to finish the recording.[179][180] After multiple delays,Donda was released on August 29, 2021.[181] West claimed the album was released early without his approval and alleged that Universal had altered the tracklist.[182] He released a deluxe edition ofDonda, including five new songs, to streaming services on November 14, 2021.[183] On November 20, days after ending their long-running feud,[184] West and rapperDrake confirmed that they would stage the "FreeLarry Hoover" benefit concert on December 9 at theLos Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[185]
On January 5, 2022, West was announced as one of the 2022 headliners ofCoachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.[186] Later that month on January 15, West released the first single for his upcoming albumDonda 2, "Eazy" featuringThe Game,[187] to be executive produced by American rapperFuture.[188] West hosted a listening event for the album atLoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on February 22.[189] In April, shortly before Coachella, West pulled out as headlining act,[190] then proceeded to pull out of headliningRolling Loud.[191] West and The Game performed the single on July 22, marking West's first performance in five months following the low profile he had been keeping sinceDonda 2 remained unfinished.[192] A day later, despite cancelling as headliner, he appeared at Rolling Loud duringLil Durk's set.[193] In December 2022, afterweeks of controversial antisemitic statements, West released a new song, "Someday We'll All Be Free", on his Instagram.[194]
On August 25, 2023, West was reported to be in the process of recording his eleventh studio album, with two sources close to him stating that the release of new music was "imminent".[195] On October 13,Billboard reported that West had finished recording acollaborative studio album withTy Dolla Sign and was in the process of shopping the album to distributors, adding that the album was originally intended for an official release that day but was ultimately pushed back for unknown reasons and expected to drop within the coming weeks.[196] The eponymous lead single for the album, "Vultures" featuringBump J, was released on November 22, 2023.[197]
Throughout late 2023 and early 2024, West and Ty Dolla $ign held several concerts previewing songs from the album. In a trailer for the album, West announced thatVultures would be released as a trilogy of albums, with each of the album's three volumes set to be released on February 9, March 6, and April 5, 2024. In January 2024, West co-signed4Batz and called him his favorite new artist.[198][199] On February 8, 2024, West released the first volume's second single, "Talking / Once Again" featuring his eldest daughter North.[200][201] A day later, producerErick Sermon revealed in an interview that West's upcoming eleventh studio album was titledY3, while also stating that he had contributed to the album in 2023.[202] West has since denied working on an album titledY3.[203]
On February 10, 2024, hours after West held a listening party at UBS Arena, the first volume of theVultures trilogy, entitledVultures 1, was officially released.[204][205] The album debuted at number one on theBillboard 200, becoming West's eleventh consecutive and Ty Dolla Sign's first number one album, respectively.[206]Vultures 2 released later that year on August 3.[207] On September 28, during a concert inHaikou, China at theWuyuan River Stadium, West announced his eleventh solo albumBully, debuting the track "Beauty and the Beast".[208][209]
Musical style
West performing in 2012
West's musical career is defined by frequent stylistic shifts and different musical approaches.[2] In the subsequent years since his debut, West has both musically and lyrically taken an increasinglyexperimental approach to craftingprogressive hip-hop music while maintaining accessiblepop sensibilities.[210][211][212] Ed Ledsham ofPopMatters said that "West's melding of multiple genres into the hip-hop fold is a complex act that challenges the dominant white notions of what constitutes true'art' music."[213] West's rhymes have been described as funny, provocative and articulate, capable of seamlessly segueing from shrewd commentary to comicalbraggadocio to introspective sensitivity.[214] West imparts that he strives to speak in an inclusive manner so groups from different racial and gender backgrounds can comprehend his lyrics, saying he desired to sound "just as ill asJadakiss and just as understandable asWill Smith".[215] Early in his career, West pioneered a style of hip-hop production dubbed "chipmunk-soul",[216][217] a sampling technique involving the manipulation of tempo in order tochop and stretchpitched-up samples from vintage soul songs.[218][219]
Early in his career, West made clear his interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry.[2][106] He launched his own clothing line in spring 2006,[234] and developed it over the following four years before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009.[235][236] In January 2007, West's first sneaker collaboration was released, a special-edition Bapesta fromA Bathing Ape.[237][238] In 2009, West collaborated withNike to release his own shoe, theAir Yeezys, becoming the first non-athlete to be given a shoe deal with the company.[239] In January 2009, he introduced his first shoe line designed forLouis Vuitton duringParis Fashion Week. The line was released in summer 2009.[240] West has additionally designed shoewear for Italian shoemakerGiuseppe Zanotti.[241]
In fall 2009, West moved toRome, where he interned at Italian fashion brandFendi, giving ideas for the men's collection.[242] In March 2011, West collaborated withM/M Paris for a series of silk scarves featuring artwork fromMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[243] In October 2011, West premiered his women's fashion label at Paris Fashion Week.[244] His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews.[245] In March 2012, West premiered a second fashion line at Paris Fashion Week.[246][247] Critics deemed the sophomore effort "much improved" compared to his first show.[248]
On December 3, 2013,Adidas officially confirmed a new shoe collaboration deal with West.[249] After months of anticipation and rumors, West confirmed the release of theAdidas Yeezy Boosts. In 2015, West unveiled a Yeezy clothing line, premiering in collaboration with Adidas early that year.[250] In June 2016, Adidas announced a new long-term contract with Kanye West that extended the Yeezy line to a number of stores, planning to sell sports performance products like basketball, football, and soccer,[251] although Adidas terminated the partnership with West in October 2022 due to his antisemitic remarks.[252] In May 2021, West signed a 10-year deal linking Yeezy withGAP to createYeezy Gap, however, in September 2022, West announced that he was ending the deal.[253]
In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area after his company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago. The first location opened in September 2008 in Orland Park and a second followed in January 2009.[256] The Orland Park location closed in early 2011 due to poor sales performance.[257]
In January 2012, West announced his establishment of the creative content companyDonda, named after his late mother.[258] In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up whereSteve Jobs left off"; Donda would operate as a "design company" with a goal to "make products and experiences that people want and can afford".[259] In stating Donda's creative philosophy, West articulated the need to "put creatives in a room together with like minds" in order to "simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see, taste, touch, and feel".[259] West is notoriously secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence.[260][261] Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout Donda creative projects.[262][263][264]
West expressed interest in starting an architecture firm in May 2013, saying "I want to do product, I am a product person, not just clothing but water bottle design, architecture... I make music but I shouldn't be limited to one place of creativity"[265][266] and then later in November 2013, delivering amanifesto on his architectural goals during a visit toHarvard Graduate School of Design.[267] In May 2018, West announced he was starting an architecture firm called Yeezy Home, which will act as an arm of his already successful Yeezy fashion label.[268] In June 2018, the first Yeezy Home collaboration was announced by designer Jalil Peraza, teasing an affordable concreteprefabricated home as part of asocial housing project.[269][270]
In March 2015, it was announced that West is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in themusic streaming serviceTidal. The service specialises inlossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal,Aspiro, in the first quarter of 2015.[271] Sixteen artist stakeholders including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna,Chris Martin,Nicki Minaj co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake.[272] In October 2022, in direct response to bans he received on Twitter and Instagram stemming from his antisemitic comments,[273] West reached anagreement in principle to acquire thealt-tech social networkParler for an undisclosed amount.[274][275] Parler and West mutually agreed to terminate the proposed deal in mid-November.[276]
Philanthropy
West, alongside his mother, founded the Kanye West Foundation in Chicago in 2003, tasked with a mission to battle dropout and illiteracy rates, while partnering with community organizations to provide underprivileged youth access to music education.[277] In 2007, West and the Foundation partnered withStrong American Schools as part of their "Ed in '08" campaign.[278][279] As spokesman for the campaign, West appeared in a series of PSAs for the organization, and hosted an inaugural benefit concert in August of that year.[280] In 2008, following the death of West's mother, the foundation was rechristened The Dr. Donda West Foundation.[277][281] The foundation ceased operations in 2011.[282] In 2013, Kanye West and friendRhymefest founded Donda's House, Inc., a program aimed at helping at-risk Chicago youth.[283]
West madecameo appearances as himself in the filmsState Property 2 (2005) andThe Love Guru (2008),[288][289] and in an episode of the television showEntourage in 2007.[290] West provided the voice for "Kenny West", a rapper, in the animated sitcomThe Cleveland Show (2010–2012).[289][291] In 2009, he starred in theSpike Jonze-directed short filmWe Were Once a Fairytale (2009), playing himself acting belligerently while drunk in a nightclub.[292] West wrote, directed, and starred in the musical short filmRunaway (2010), which heavily features music fromMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[98] The film depicts a relationship between a man, played by West, and a half-woman, half-phoenix creature.[293]
In 2012, West co-directed another short film, along withAlexandre Moors,[294] titledCruel Summer, which premiered at the2012 Cannes Film Festival in a custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens constructed for the film. The film was meant to tie in with the compilation albumof the same name to be released later that year.[295] West made a cameo appearance in the comedyAnchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) as aMTV News representative in the film's fight scene.[296] In September 2018, West announced the starting of a film production company named Half Beast, LLC.[297] A documentary shot over 21 years featuring footage of West's early days in Chicago through the death of his mother to his presidential run was announced to debut in 2021. TitledJeen-Yuhs, it was acquired byNetflix for $30 million[298] and released in 2022.[299]
A documentary shot over six years with a billion-dollar budget was announced to debut in 2024. TitledIn Whose Name?, it was directed by Nico Ballesteros and will be released in 2025.[300][301]
On July 4, 2020, West announced on Twitter that he would be running in the2020 presidential election.[302][303] On July 7, West was interviewed byForbes about his presidential run, where he announced that his running mate would be Wyoming preacher Michelle Tidball, and that he would run as anindependent under the "Birthday Party", explaining his decision of why he chose the name, saying, "Because when we win, it's everybody's 'birthday'."[304] West also said he no longer supported Trump because he "hid in [a] bunker" during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[305] Continuing, he said, "You know? Obama's special. Trump's special. We say Kanye West is special. America needs special people that lead.Bill Clinton? Special.Joe Biden's not special."[305]
West conceded on Twitter on November 4, 2020.[313][314] He received 66,365 votes in the 12 states he had ballot access in, receiving an average of 0.32%. Reported write-in votes gave West an additional 3,931 votes across 5 states. In addition, theRoque De La Fuente / Kanye West ticket won 60,160 votesin California (0.34%).[315] According toReuters, on January 4, 2021, a Kanye West-linked publicist pressured a Georgia election worker to confess to bogus charges of election tampering to assistTrump's claims of election interference.[316][317][318] In December 2021,The Daily Beast reported that West's presidential campaign received millions of dollars in services from a secret network of Republican operatives, payments to which the committee did not report. According to campaign finance experts, this was done to conceal a connection.[319][320]
2024
West stated his intention to run for president again in the2024 presidential election, saying at a November 2019 event, "When I run for president in 2024, we would've created so many jobs that I'm not going to run, I'm going to walk." He was met with laughter from the audience.[321] In response to a request for additional information from theFederal Election Commission regarding the creation of apresidential exploratory committee, West's representatives emphasized that he "has not decided whether to become a candidate for president in the 2024 election" and refused to file additional paperwork with the commission.[322] West officially launched his presidential campaign in November 2022.[323] West claimed to have asked former president Donald Trump to be his running mate; according to West, Trump was "caught [...] off-guard" by the request and warned him of losing if he decided to run.[324][325] In October 2023, an attorney for West said that he "is not a candidate for office in 2024".[326]
West has been an outspoken and controversial celebrity throughout his career, receiving criticism from the mainstream media, industry colleagues and entertainers, and three U.S. presidents.[2][106] In a 2005 speech, West criticized both the media and the government's racial disparities in their response toHurricane Katrina, stating on live television "George Bush doesn't care about black people".[327] He apologized for the comment in 2010, saying he "didn't have the grounds to call [Bush] a racist" and later stated in regard to the remark that he "was programmed to think from a victimized mentality".[328] West voiced hisopposition to abortion in 2013, citing his belief in theSixth Commandment,[329] and in 2022 deemed abortion "genocide and population control" of black people.[330] In 2018, West stated thatthe 400-year enslavement of Africans "sounds like a choice",[331] before elaborating that his comment was in reference to mental enslavement and argued forfree thought.[332] He later apologized for the comment.[333]
In late 2022, West made a series ofantisemitic statements,[334] resulting in the termination of his collaborations, sponsorships, and partnerships withVogue,Universal Music Group,CAA,Balenciaga,Gap, andAdidas.[335][336] West was widely condemned after appearing at a dinner hosted byDonald Trump atMar-a-Lago besideNick Fuentes, awhite nationalist.[334] In a subsequent December appearance onAlex Jones'sInfoWars, West praisedAdolf Hitler,denied the Holocaust,[337] and identified himself as aNazi.[338][339] After the interview, West used his Twitter account to post a picture of aswastika entangled in aStar of David, and his account was terminated.[340][341] In July 2023, Twitter reversed the ban, citing assurances from West that he would not post harmful content.[342][343] According to a 2023 report published by theAnti-Defamation League, West's antisemitic rhetoric has caused several instances of hate-speech vandalism, harassment, and violence across the United States.[344] In December 2023, weeks before the release of his upcoming album, West apologized for his antisemitic remarks in a written statement on Instagram.[345][346][347] In a subsequent interview, he said "[s]ome of the stuff I was saying was true"[348] and that Black people cannot be antisemitic because they "are Jew".[349] In February 2025, he went on an anti-Semitic rant onX, professing his love for Hitler, and purchased local advertising duringSuper Bowl LIX which directed viewers to his website, where he was selling a swastika t-shirt.[350] He also defendedSean Combs fromsexual abuse allegations.[351][352]
Personal life
West has been one of thewealthiest musical artists; his net worth was as high as $1.8 billion in 2021.[353] In October 2022,Forbes estimated his net worth to have dropped to $400 million in large part due toAdidas's termination of their partnership following a series of public antisemitic statements.[354]
Name change
In August 2021, West applied to court to have his legal name changed from "Kanye Omari West" to "Ye",with no middle or last name;[355] he cited "personal reasons" for the change.[356] The request was granted byMichelle Williams Court, aLos Angeles County Superior Court judge, in October 2021.[355] West had alluded to wishing to change his name since 2018 and had used Ye as a nickname for several years prior,[356] stating in a 2018 interview that he believed "ye" (/jiː/) was the most commonly used word in the Bible:[e] "In the Bible it means 'you'. So, I'm you. I'm us. It's us. It went from beingKanye, which means the only one, to just Ye."[358]
Relationships and family
Kim Kardashian
In April 2012, West began dating reality television starKim Kardashian, with whom he had already been long-time friends.[359][360] West and Kardashian became engaged in October 2013,[361][362] and married atFort di Belvedere inFlorence in May 2014.[363] Their private ceremony was subject to widespread mainstream coverage, with which West took issue.[364] The couple's high-profile status and respective careers have resulted in their relationship becoming subject to heavy media coverage;The New York Times referred to their marriage as "a historic blizzard of celebrity".[365]
West and Kardashian have four children:North West (born June 2013),[366][367] Saint West (born December 2015),[368] Chicago West (born viasurrogate in January 2018),[369][370] and Psalm West (born via surrogate in May 2019).[371][372] In July 2020, during a presidential campaign rally of his, West revealed that he had previously considered abortion during Kardashian's first pregnancy but has since taken anti-abortion views.[373] In April 2015, West and Kardashian traveled toJerusalem to have North baptized in theArmenian Apostolic Church at theCathedral of St. James.[374][375]
In September 2018, West announced that he would be permanently moving back to Chicago to establish his Yeezy company headquarters there.[376][377] This did not actually occur, and West instead went on to purchase two ranches nearCody, Wyoming, where he recorded his eighth solo studio album,Ye. Kardashian resides with their children in a home that the now-divorced couple owns in California,[378] whereas West moved into a home across the street to continue to be near their children.[379] In October 2021, West began the process of selling his Wyoming ranch.[380]
In July 2020, West acknowledged the possibility of Kardashian ending their marriage due to his adoption of anti-abortion views. Later that month, West wrote on Twitter that he had been attempting to divorce Kardashian. He also wrote that theKardashian family was attempting "to lock [him] up".[373] In January 2021,CNN reported that the couple were discussing divorce.[378] A month later, Kardashian filed for divorce,[381] with the couple citing "irreconcilable differences", agreeing to joint custody of their children, and declining spousal support from each other.[382] The divorce settlement was finalized in November 2022, and West was ordered to pay $200,000 in monthly child support and be responsible for half of the children's medical, educational, and security expenses.[383]
Other relationships
West began anon-and-off relationship with the designer Alexis Phifer in 2002, and they became engaged in August 2006. They ended their 18-month engagement in 2008.[384] Phifer stated that the pair had split amicably and remained friends.[385] West dated modelAmber Rose from 2008 until mid-2010.[386] In an interview following their split, West stated that he had to take "30 showers" before committing to his next relationship with Kim Kardashian.[387] In response, Rose stated that she had been "bullied" and "slut-shamed" by West throughout their relationship.[388]
In January 2022, actressJulia Fox confirmed in anInterview essay that she was dating West.[389] West continued to say that he wanted his "family back" and publicly lashed out at Kardashian's new boyfriend, comedianPete Davidson.[390] His treatment of Davidson and Kardashian has been described by commentators as harassment and abusive; the64th Annual Grammy Awards dropped him as a performer in response to his "concerning online behavior".[391][392][393] Less than two months after confirming their relationship, Fox said that she and West had split up but remained on good terms.[394] She later said that she dated West purely to "give people something to talk about" during theCOVID-19 pandemic[395] and to "get him off Kim's case".[396]
In January 2023, it was reported that West had informally married Australian architectBianca Censori, who works for West's Yeezy brand, in a private ceremony in Beverly Hills.[397][398] The ceremony had no legal standing; the couple did not file for a marriage license.[399] In response to West's subsequent trips to Australia to visit Censori's family, Australian Minister for EducationJason Clare commented that West may be denied avisa due to his recent antisemitic remarks. TheExecutive Council of Australian Jewry[400] and theAnti-Defamation Commission further argued against granting West entry.[401]
He has been accused of the extensive use of uncleared samples in his music, leading to numerous lawsuits.[402] In December 2006,Robert "Evel" Knievel sued the rapper for trademark infringement of his name and likeness in West's video for "Touch the Sky". Knievel took issue with the "vulgar and offensive" and "sexually charged video" in which West takes on the persona of "Evel Kanyevel" that Knievel claimed damaged his reputation. The suit sought monetary damages and an injunction to stop distribution of the video.[403] West's attorneys argued that the music video amounted to satire and therefore was covered under theFirst Amendment. Days before his death in November 2007, Knievel amicably settled the suit after being paid a visit by West, saying, "I thought he was a wonderful guy and quite a gentleman."[404]
In 2014, after an altercation with a paparazzo at theLos Angeles Airport, West was sentenced to serve two years' probation for a misdemeanor battery conviction, and was required to attend 24 anger management sessions, perform 250 hours of community service, and pay restitution to the photographer.[405] A separate civil lawsuit brought by the paparazzo was settled in 2015, a week before it was due for trial.[406] According toTMZ, an appeal to have West's convictionexpunged from his criminal record was granted by a judge in 2016.[407][408]On June 29, 2022, a complaint was filed in U.S. District Court in New York claiming copyright infringement due to unauthorized use of a sample on the song "Flowers". The complaint claims that West sampled Marshall Jefferson's 1986 house track "Move Your Body" without gaining permission or providing compensation.[409] In July 2022, West was sued for $416,000 by the fashion rental company theDavid Casavant Archive. The lawsuit claimed that West had failed to make payments on and return 13 rented pieces.[410]
West was sued for wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and breach of contract by a former assistant in 2024.[411] West denied the allegation.[412] That same year, he was sued by a former model for sexual assault and strangulation. In the lawsuit, she claims that during a music video set, West choked and gagged her in the mouth.[413][414]
Religious beliefs
After the success of his song "Jesus Walks" from the albumThe College Dropout, West was asked about his beliefs and said, "I will say that I'm spiritual. I have accepted Jesus as my Savior. And I will say that I fall short every day."[415] In a 2008 interview withThe Fader, West stated that "I'm like a vessel, and God has chosen me to be the voice and the connector".[416] In a 2009 interview with online magazineBossip, West stated that he believed in God, but at the time felt that he "would never go into a religion".[417] In 2014, West referred to himself as aChristian during one of his concerts.[418] Kim Kardashian stated in September 2019: "He has had an amazing evolution of beingborn again and being saved by Christ."[419] In October 2019, West said with respect to his past, "When I was trying to serve multiple gods it drove me crazy" in reference to the "god of ego, god of money, god of pride, the god of fame",[420] and that "I didn't even know what it meant to be saved" and that now "I love Jesus Christ. I love Christianity."[13]
On June 29, 2024, he arrived inMoscow, Russia, to celebrate the 40th birthday of Russian fashion designerGosha Rubchinskiy.[429] West was labeled an "enemy of Ukraine" after his trip to Moscow.[430]
Mental health
On November 19, 2016, West abruptly ended a concert[431] before being committed at the recommendation of authorities to theUCLA Medical Center with hallucinations and paranoia.[432] While the episode was first described as one of "temporary psychosis" caused by dehydration and sleep deprivation, West's mental state was abnormal enough for his 21 cancelled concerts to be covered by his insurance policy.[433] He was reportedly paranoid and depressed throughout the hospitalization,[434] but remained formally undiagnosed.[435] Some have speculated that theParis robbery of his wife may have triggered the paranoia.[436] On November 30, West was released from the hospital.[437]
In his song "FML" and his featured verse onVic Mensa's song "U Mad", he refers to using the antidepressant medicationLexapro, and in his unreleased song "I Feel Like That", he mentions feeling many common symptoms of depression and anxiety.[438] In a 2018 interview, West said that he had become addicted toopioids when they were prescribed to him afterliposuction. The addiction may have contributed to his nervous breakdown in 2016.[439] In addition to his opioid addiction,[440] West has stated that he has had addictions to alcohol,[441] sex,[442] and pornography.[443][444] West said that he often hassuicidal ideation.[445] West was diagnosed withbipolar disorder in 2016,[446] though his diagnosis was not made public until his 2018 albumYe.[447] He told PresidentDonald Trump that it was amisdiagnosis.[448] He had reportedly accepted the diagnosis again by 2019,[449][450] but again suggested that it had been a misdiagnosis in 2022.[451] In December 2022, he suggested that he may beautistic,[452] and later said in February 2025 that he had received a professional diagnosis.[453][454]
In August 2024, West's former Chief of StaffMilo Yiannopoulos stated in an affidavit filed to theCalifornia Dental Board that West was addicted tonitrous oxide.[455][456] He alleged that dentistThomas Connelly, who installed permanent titanium prosthodontics for West in January 2024, had moved into West's apartment building and was charging him $50,000 a month to supply the drugs.[457][458]
Musical influence
West is among the most critically acclaimed popular music artists of the 21st century, earning praise from music critics, industry peers, and cultural figures.[459][460] In 2014,NME named him the third most influential artist in music.[461]Billboard senior editor Alex Gale declared West "absolutely one of the best, and you could make the argument for the best artist of the 21st century."[219] Sharing similar sentiments, Dave Bry ofComplex Magazine called West the twenty-first century's "most important artist of any art form, of any genre."[462]The Atlantic writerDavid Samuels commented, "Kanye's power resides in his wild creativity and expressiveness, his mastery of form, and his deep and uncompromising attachment to a self-made aesthetic that he expresses through means that are entirely of the moment: rap music,digital downloads, fashion, Twitter, blogs,live streaming video."[463] Joe Muggs ofThe Guardian argued that "there is nobody else who can sell as many records as West does [...] while remaining so resolutely experimental and capable of stirring things up culturally and politically."[464]
Rolling Stone credited West with transforming hip-hop's mainstream, "establishing a style of introspective yet glossy rap" while deeming him "a producer who created a signature sound and then abandoned it to his imitators, a flashy, free-spending sybarite with insightful things to say about college, culture, and economics, an egomaniac with more than enough artistic firepower to back it up."[465] Writing forHighsnobiety, Shahzaib Hussain stated that West's first three albums "cemented his role as aprogressive rap progenitor".[466]AllMusic editor Jason Birchmeier described West as "[shattering] certain stereotypes about rappers, becoming a superstar on his own terms without adapting his appearance, his rhetoric, or his music to fit any one musical mold".[2] Lawrence Burney ofNoisey has credited West with the commercial decline of thegangsta rap genre that once dominated mainstream hip-hop.[467] The release ofhis third studio album has been described as a turning point in the music industry,[468] and is considered to have helped pave the way for new rappers who did not follow thehardcore-gangster mold to find wider mainstream acceptance.[469][470][471]
West is the fourth-highest certified artist in the U.S. by digital singles (69 million).[496] He had the mostRIAA digital song certifications by a male artist in the 2000s (19),[497] and was the fourth best-selling digital songs artist of the 2000s in the U.S.[498] InSpotify's first ten years from 2008 to 2018, West was the sixth most streamed artist, and the fourth fastest artist to reach one billion streams.[499] West has the joint-most consecutive studio album to debut at number one on theBillboard 200 (9)[500] and was the first rapper to top theBillboard Hot 100 in three distinct decades (2000s, 2010s, 2020s).[501] He ranked third onBillboard's 2000s decade-end list of top producers[502] and has topped the annualPazz & Jop critics' poll the joint-most times (four albums) withBob Dylan.[503]
^abYe has been his legal name since October 2021(see§ Name change).
^West and Censori were reported to have married in a private ceremony in December 2022, though without an official marriage license. Censori has since been referred to as West's wife by media publications, as well as West himself.[1]
^Most biographies and reference works state that West was born in Atlanta, although some sources give his birthplace asDouglasville, a small city west of Atlanta.[14][15]
^The school rescinded the honorary degree in late 2022 in light of West's public antisemitic statements.[125]
^In theKing James Bible, the most commonly used translation of the Christian Bible in the United States, the word that appears the most is not "ye", but rather "Lord" (not counting indefinite articles).[357]
^Musical artists and groups naming West as an influence:
^abcdeBirchmeier, Jason (2007)."Kanye West—Biography". AllMusic. All Media Guide.Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. RetrievedApril 24, 2008.
^"Gee Starts Own Label".Hits Daily Double. December 21, 2012.Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2020. "Gee, Is He Making Moves?".Hits Daily Double. September 20, 2017.Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 3, 2020.
^West, Kanye (February 12, 2016). "The album is being mastered and will be out today... added on a couple of tracks...". Twitter. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
^Chesna, Benjamin (September 26, 2012)."G.O.O.D. Music is Founded by Kanye West".The Complete History of G.O.O.D. Music. Complex.com.Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. RetrievedDecember 3, 2013.
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