Kanye West

Kanye West
West in 2009
Born
Kanye Omari West

(1977-06-08) June 8, 1977
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Other names
  • Ye[a]
  • Yeezy
  • Yeezus
  • Saint Pablo
  • Louis Vuitton Don
Occupations
  • Rapper
  • record producer
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • fashion designer
Years active1996–present
Organizations
  • Donda
  • Yeezy
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2014; div. 2022)​
PartnerBianca Censori (2022–present)[b]
Children4, including North
MotherDonda West
Relatives
  • Devo Harris (cousin)
  • Tony Williams (cousin)
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginChicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Works
  • Albums
  • singles
  • songs
  • production
  • unreleased
Labels
Member of
Formerly of
  • Child Rebel Soldier
  • Kids See Ghosts
Websiteyeezy.com
Signature

Ye[a] (/jeɪ/ YAY; born Kanye Omari West /ˈkɑːnjeɪ/ KAHN-yay; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop,[4] he is known for his varying musical style[5] and polarizing cultural and political commentary.[6][7] After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums such as Jay-Z's The 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 the US Billboard Hot 100-number one single "Slow Jamz". He topped the chart on four other occasions with the singles "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "Carnival" (2024).

The College Dropout, and five of West's subsequent albums—Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and Yeezus (2013)—were all included on Rolling Stone's 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.[8] One of the world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold,[9] West has won 24 Grammy Awards, making him the 12th-most awarded of all time. His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.[10] West holds the joint record (with Bob Dylan) for most albums (4) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.[11][12]

West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage. He has been a frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on social media, at award shows and in public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, race, and slavery. His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, feuds with Taylor Swift and with Drake, and mental health have also been topics of media attention.[13][14][15] In 2020, West ran an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign. Starting in 2022, West has drawn widespread condemnation—and lost sponsors and partnerships—for his antisemitic views. He has self-identified as a Nazi, praised Adolf Hitler, used swastika imagery, and denied the Holocaust.


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  1. ^ Ocho, Alex (February 12, 2024). "Kanye West Responds to Fans Commenting About Posting His Wife Three Times: 'Leave the King the F*ck Alone'". Complex. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024. 'I just wanted to tell everybody I posted my wife three times on purpose,' said Ye in a new video also shared on Monday from an airport.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference amg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Francese, Andrea (June 19, 2025). "No, Kanye West Hasn't Changed His Name Again". Showbiz Cheatsheet. Archived from the original on September 18, 2025. Retrieved September 18, 2025. Kanye West changed his name to Ye back in 2021, despite most people and outlets still referring to him as Kanye West.
  4. ^ Coscarelli, Joe; Sisario, Ben (October 26, 2022). "Can Kanye West Find Refuge, or Money, in Music?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  5. ^ Andrews, Travis M. (October 26, 2022). "Kanye West may have finally reached the point of no return". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  6. ^ Hsu, Tiffany; Gross, Jenny (October 17, 2022). "Kanye West to Buy Parler, Joining the Right-Wing Social Media Crowd". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 4, 2024. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  7. ^ Lamarre, Carl; Mitchell, Gail; Murphy, Keith; Saponara, Michael; Thomas, Datwon; Elibert, Mark; Diep, Eric; Ketchum III, William E.; Mamo, Heran (February 8, 2023). "50 Greatest Rappers of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  8. ^ "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  9. ^ Ellie Abraham, Ellie (July 19, 2021). "Kanye West is rumoured to be dropping a new album this week – but not everyone's convinced". The Independent. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Tyrangiel, Josh (April 18, 2005). "The 2005 TIME 100 – Kanye West". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Selby, Jenn (April 17, 2015). "Emma Watson and Kanye West named in TIME 100 most influential people of 2015". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  13. ^ Gajewski, Ryan (October 8, 2022). "Instagram Restricts Kanye West's Account and Deletes Content for Violating Policies". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
  14. ^ Graham, Ruth (October 28, 2019). "Evangelicals Are Extremely Excited About Kanye's Jesus Is King". Slate. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  15. ^ Schaffstall, Katherine (October 25, 2019). "Kanye West Unveils New 'Jesus Is King' Album; Talks "Cancel Culture" and "Christian Innovation"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
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