Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

and raised in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for several artists and developing the "chipmunk soul" sampling style. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, he released his debut studio album, '' The College Dropout'' (2004), to critical and commercial success. He founded the record label GOOD Music later that year. West explored diverse musical elements like orchestras, synthesizers, and autotune on the albums '' Late Registration'' (2005), ''

Graduation Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...

'' (2007), and '' 808s & Heartbreak'' (2008). His fifth and sixth albums '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010) and '' Yeezus'' (2013) were also met with critical and commercial success. West further diversified his musical styles on '' The Life of Pablo'' (2016) and '' Ye'' (2018) and explored Christian and gospel music on '' Jesus Is King'' (2019). His tenth album '' Donda'' (2021) was released to continued commercial success but mixed critical reception. West's discography also includes the two full-length collaborative albums '' Watch the Throne'' (2011) with Jay-Z and '' Kids See Ghosts'' (2018) with Kid Cudi. One of the world's best-selling music artists, with over 160 million records sold, West has won 22 Grammy Awards and 75 nominations, the joint tenth-most of all time, and the joint-most Grammy awards of any rapper along with Jay-Z. Among his other awards are the ''Billboard'' Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Six of West's albums were included on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

''s 2020

500 Greatest Albums of All Time * Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time * NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is a 2013 special issue of British magazine '' NME'', available digitally or in newsstands on October 23. The li ...

list with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. He holds the joint record (with

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

) for most albums (4) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll, and has the 5th most appearances on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (133 entries). ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, t ...

'' named him one of the

100 most influential people in the world ''Time'' 100 (often stylized as ''TIME'' 100) is an annual listicle of the 100 most influential people in the world, assembled by the American news magazine ''Time''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, po ...

in 2005 and 2015. As a fashion designer, he has collaborated with Nike, Louis Vuitton, Gap, and A.P.C. on clothing and footwear and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas. He is also the founder and head of the creative content company Donda. West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage; he has been a frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social me ...

and at awards shows and public settings, as well as his comments on the

music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...

and fashion industries, U.S. politics, race, and

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

. His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, and mental health have also been topics of media attention. In 2020, West launched an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign that primarily advocated for a consistent life ethic. In 2022, he was widely condemned and lost many sponsors and partnershipsincluding his collaborations with Adidas, Gap, and Balenciagaafter making a series of antisemitic statements. In November 2022, he announced his 2024 presidential campaign, appearing publicly with white supremacist Nick Fuentes. He later publicly praised

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

, denied the Holocaust, and identified as a Nazi.

Early life

West was born on June 8, 1977, in

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

. After his parents divorced when he was three years old, he moved with his mother to

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

. His father, Ray West, is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at '' The Atlanta Journal-Constitution''. Ray later became a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland, with startup capital from his son. West's mother,

Donda C. West Donda C. West ( Williams; July 12, 1949 – November 10, 2007) was an American professor and chair of Chicago State University's Department of English, Communications, Media and Theater. She was the mother of rapper Ye, better known as Kanye We ...

(née Williams), was a professor of English at Clark Atlanta University and the Chair of the English Department at

Chicago State University Chicago State University (CSU) is a predominantly black public university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1867 as the Cook County Normal School, it was an innovative teachers college. Eventually the Chicago Public Schools assumed control o ...

before retiring to serve as his manager. West was raised in a middle-class environment, attending Polaris School for Individual Education in suburban

Oak Lawn, Illinois Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 58,362 at the 2020 census. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It shares borders with the city in two areas but is surrounded mostly b ...

, after living in Chicago. At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China, where she was teaching at Nanjing University as a Fulbright Scholar. According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's." West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old. West started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists. West crossed paths with producer No I.D., who became West's friend and mentor. After graduating from high school, West received a scholarship to attend Chicago's

American Academy of Art The American Academy of Art College is a private art school in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 1923 for the education of fine and commercial arts students. The school's Bill L. Parks Gallery is open to the public and features exhibitions ...

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. This greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university, athough she would later accept the decision.

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 around his area. His first official production credits came at nineteen when he produced eight tracks on ''Down to Earth'', the 1996 debut album of a Chicago rapper, Grav. In 1998, West was the first person signed to the management-production company

Hip Hop Since 1978 Hip Hop Since 1978 (HHS78) was a management and production company based in New York City. It was started by Gee Roberson and Kyambo "Hip-Hop" Joshua. HHS78 has been involved in the daily operations of Roc-A-Fella Records since the label's inceptio ...

. For a time, West acted as a ghost producer for Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. Because of his association with D-Dot, West was not able to release a solo album, so he formed the Go-Getters, a rap group composed of him, GLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. The Go-Getters released their first and only studio album ''World Record Holders'' in 1999. West spent much of the late 1990s producing records for several well-known artists and music groups. He produced the third track on Foxy Brown's second studio album '' Chyna Doll'', which became the first hip-hop album by a female rapper to debut at the top of the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart. Jay-Z Kanye Watch the Throne Staples Center 9 (cropped)

Jay-Z Kanye Watch the Throne Staples Center 9 (cropped)

In 2000, West began producing for artists on Roc-A-Fella. West is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with his contributions to Jay-Z's 2001 album '' The Blueprint'', which ''Rolling Stone'' ranked among their list of greatest hip-hop albums. Serving as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella, West produced music for other artists on the label, including Beanie Sigel,

Freeway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...

, and Cam'ron. He also crafted hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson.Mitchum, Rob
Review: ''The College Dropout''
Pitchfork. Retrieved July 23, 2009.Serpick, Evan
Kanye West
''Rolling Stone'' Jann Wenner. Retrieved December 26, 2009. Meanwhile, West struggled to attain a record deal as a rapper. Multiple record companies, including Capitol Records, denied or ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella. A 2002 car accident accident, which shattered his jaw, inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he recorded " Through the Wire" at the Record Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut.Kearney, Kevin (September 30, 2005)
Rapper Kanye West on the cover of Time: Will rap music shed its "gangster" disguise?
World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved September 23, 2007. The song was first available on West's "''Get Well Soon..."'' mixtape, released in December 2002. At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album called ''The College Dropout'', whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'"

2003–2006: ''The College Dropout'' and ''Late 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, and West used the opportunity to remix, remaster, and revise the album before its release; West added new verses, string arrangements, gospel choirs, and improved drum programming. The album was postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003, and was eventually released in February 2004, reaching No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 as his debut single, " Through the Wire" peaked at No. 15 while on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for five weeks.Kanye West—Through the Wire—Music Charts
aCharts.us. Retrieved July 3, 2010. " Slow Jamz", his second single, featuring Twista and Jamie Foxx, became the three musicians' first No. 1 hit. ''The College Dropout'' received near-universal critical acclaim, was voted the top album of the year by two major music publications, and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists. " Jesus Walks", the album's fourth single, reached the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to the radio. ''The College Dropout'' was certified triple platinum in the US, and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, including

Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...

, and Best Rap Album (which it received). During this period, West founded GOOD Music, a record label and management company that housed affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. and

John Legend John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...

,Sheffield, Rob (November 22, 2010)
Review: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''
. ''

''. Retrieved November 11, 2010. and produced singles for Brandy, Common, Legend, and Slum Village. West invested $2 million and took over a year to make his second album. West was inspired by '' Roseland NYC Live'', a 1998 live album by English trip hop group Portishead, produced with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, incorporating string 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 a string orchestra for his second album '' Late Registration''. West collaborated with American film score composer

Jon Brion Jon Brion is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and composer. He performed with the Excerpts, the Bats, 'Til Tuesday and The Grays (band), the Grays before becoming an established producer and film score comp ...

, who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks.Perez, Rodrigo (August 12, 2005)
"Kanye's Co-Pilot, Jon Brion, Talks About The Making Of Late Registration"
MTV. Viacom. Retrieved March 2, 2006.Brown, p. 124 ''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. When his song " Touch the Sky" failed to win Best Video at the 2006 MTV Europe Music Awards, West went onto the stage as the award was being presented to

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

and Simian for " We Are Your Friends" and argued that he should have won the award instead. Hundreds of news outlets worldwide criticized the outburst. On November 7, 2006, West apologized for this outburst publicly during his performance as support act for U2 for their Vertigo concert in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

. He later spoofed the incident on the 33rd-season premiere of ''Saturday Night Live'' in September 2007.

2007–2009: ''Graduation'', ''808s & Heartbreak'', and VMAs incident

West's third studio album, ''

'', garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper 50 Cent's '' Curtis''.Reid, Shaheem
50 Cent Or Kanye West, Who Will Win? Nas, Timbaland, More Share Their Predictions
MTV. Viacom. Retrieved December 24, 2009. Upon their September 2007 releases, ''Graduation'' outsold ''Curtis'' by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week. ''Graduation'' continued the string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, " Stronger", garnered his third number-one hit. "Stronger", which samples French house duo Daft Punk, has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro-infused music in the late 2000s. His mother's death in November 2007 and the end of his engagement to Alexis Phifer profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008 Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter. Kanyewestdec2008

Recorded mostly in

Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the islan ...

in three weeks, West announced his fourth album, '' 808s & Heartbreak'', at the

2008 MTV Video Music Awards The 2008 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 7, 2008, live from Paramount Pictures Studios (which, like MTV, is owned by Viacom), honoring the best music videos from the previous year. Nominations for a majority of the categories were a ...

, where he performed its lead single, "

Love Lockdown "Love Lockdown" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his fourth studio album, '' 808s & Heartbreak'' (2008). The song was produced by West, while co-produced by Jeff Bhasker. The producers co-wrote it with Esthero, Malik Yusef, and ...

". 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. ''808s & Heartbreak'' was released by Island Def Jam in November 2008. Upon its release, the lead single "

" debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, while follow-up single "

Heartless Heartless may refer to: Books * ''Heartless'' (Carriger novel), a 2011 novel in the ''New York Times'' best-selling "Parasol Protectorate" series by Gail Carriger * ''Heartless'' (Pretty Little Liars), a 2010 novel in the "Pretty Little Liars" se ...

" debuted at number four. 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. While

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...

was accepting her award for Best Female Video at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, West went on stage and grabbed the microphone from her to proclaim that Beyoncé deserved the award instead. He was subsequently removed from the remainder of the show for his actions. West was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst, and by President Barack Obama, who called West a "jackass". The incident sparked a large influx of Internet photo memes. West subsequently apologized, including personally to Swift. However, in a November 2010 interview, he seemed to recant his past apologies, describing the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless".

2010–2012: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', ''Watch the Throne'', and ''Cruel 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. 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 for '' Complex'', 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."Callahan-Bever, Noah (November 2010)
Kanye West: Project Runaway
'' Complex''. Retrieved November 30, 2010. A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and Pusha T, as well as off-the-wall collaborations, such as with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Kanye West SWU Music & Arts Festival 2011 (crop)

Kanye West SWU Music & Arts Festival 2011 (crop)

'' 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. 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. The record included the international hit " All of the Lights", and ''Billboard'' hits " Power", " Monster", and "

Runaway Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to: Engineering * Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable * Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...

", Kanye West Album & Song Chart History—Hot 100 '' Billboard''. Retrieved November 30, 2010. the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name directed by and starring West. During this time, West initiated the free music program GOOD 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. ''Dark Fantasy'' went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for

at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets. 2011 saw West embark on a festival tour to commemorate the release of ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' performing and headlining numerous festivals including;

SWU Music & Arts SWU (Starts With You, or "''Começa Com Você''" - CCV, in Portuguese) is originally a Brazilian sustainability movement, which organised the rock music festival SWU Music & Arts Festival. The festival had its first edition in October 2010. It was ...

, Austin City Limits, Oya Festival,

Flow Festival Flow Festival (commonly known simply as Flow) is an urban music and arts festival in Helsinki, Finland. The music presented at Flow Festival is a varied selection of artists from indie rock to soul and jazz and from folk to contemporary club soun ...

Live Music Festival Live Music Festival (previously known as Coke Live Music Festival) is a music festival which has been taking place in Kraków, Poland since 2006. The main organizer of the festival is the concert agency Alter Art, and until 2014 the festival's p ...

, The Big Chill, Essence Music Festival, Lollapalooza and

Coachella Coachella may refer to: * Coachella, California * Coachella Canal, in California * Coachella (festival), an annual music and arts festival in California * "Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind "Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind" is a song by Ame ...

which was described by ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...

'' as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time", West released the collaborative album '' Watch the Throne'' with Jay-Z in August 2011. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, ''Watch the Throne'' became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. " Niggas in Paris" became the record's highest-charting single, peaking at number five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The co-headlining Watch the Throne Tour kicked off in October 2011 and concluded in June 2012. In 2012, West released the compilation album '' Cruel Summer'', a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music.

2013–2015: ''Yeezus'' and the ''Yeezus Tour''

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. Determined to "undermine the commercial", he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances. '' Yeezus'', West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013, to rave reviews from critics. It became his sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales. Yeezus tour

In September 2013, West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support ''Yeezus'', with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar accompanying him as a supporting act. The tour was met with rave reviews from critics. ''Rolling Stone'' described it as "crazily entertaining, hugely ambitious, emotionally affecting (really!) and, most importantly, totally bonkers". Writing for ''Forbes'', 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 texcels at challenging norms and provoking thought in a way that just isn't common for mainstream musical acts of late". West subsequently released a number of singles featuring Paul McCartney, including " Only One" and " FourFiveSeconds", also featuring

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...

. In November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014, with production by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip. Having initially announced a new album entitled ''Yeezus II'' slated for a 2014 release, West announced in March 2015 that the album would instead be tentatively called ''So Help Me God''. In May 2015, West was awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture. The next month, West headlined at the

Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contempo ...

in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance. Another petition aimed to block West from headlining the 2015 Pan American Games, garnering 50,000 supporters.

2016–2017: ''The Life of Pablo'' and tour cancellation

West announced in January 2016 that ''SWISH'' would be released on February 11, and later that month, released new songs "

Real Friends Real Friends may refer to: *Real Friends (band) Real Friends is an American pop punk band from Tinley Park, Illinois. To date, the band has released seven EPs and three studio albums. Previously signed to Fearless Records, the band is currentl ...

" and a snippet of "

No More Parties in LA "No More Parties in LA" (often stylized as "No More Parties in L.A.") is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his seventh studio album, '' The Life of Pablo'' (2016), featuring vocals from fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was produced by ...

" with Kendrick Lamar. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album from ''SWISH'' to ''Waves''. In the weeks leading up to the album's release, West became embroiled in several Twitter controversies. Several days ahead of its release, West again changed the title, this time to '' The Life of Pablo''. On February 11, West premiered the album at Madison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season3 clothing line.Phillips, Amy (February 11, 2016)
"Kanye West New Album The Life Of Pablo Debut Live Stream: Watch It Here"
Pitchfork. Retrieved February 11, 2016. Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the tracklist once more before its release to the public. He released the album exclusively on Tidal on February 14, 2016, following a performance on ''

SNL ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

''. Following its release, West continued to tinker with mixes of several tracks, describing the work as "a living breathing changing creative expression" and proclaiming the end of the

album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

as a dominant release form. Despite West's earlier comments, in addition to Tidal, the album was released through several other competing services starting in April. Saint pablo tour

In February 2016, West stated on Twitter that he was planning to release another album in the summer of 2016, tentatively called ''Turbo Grafx 16'' in reference to the 1990s video game console of the same name. In June 2016, West released the collaborative lead single " Champions" off the GOOD Music album ''Cruel Winter'', which has yet to be released. 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 candidate

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of ...

, comedian Bill Cosby, and former president George W. Bush) sleeping nude in a shared bed. In August 2016, West embarked on the Saint Pablo Tour in support of ''The Life of Pablo.'' The performances featured a mobile stage suspended from the ceiling. West postponed several dates in October following the Paris robbery of several of his wife's effects. 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. He was later admitted for psychiatric observation at UCLA Medical Center. He stayed hospitalized over the Thanksgiving weekend because of a temporary psychosis stemming from sleep deprivation and extreme dehydration. Following this episode West took an 11-month break from posting on Twitter and the public in general.

2017–2019: ''Ye'' and the Wyoming Sessions

It was reported in May 2017 that West was recording new music in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a wide range of collaborators. In April 2018, West announced plans to write a philosophy book entitled ''Break the Simulation'', later clarifying that he was sharing the book "in real time" on Twitter and began posting content that was likened to " life coaching". Later that month, he also announced two new albums, a solo album and self-titled collaboration with Kid Cudi under the name Kids See Ghosts, both of which would be released in June. Additionally, he revealed he would produce upcoming albums by GOOD Music label-mates Pusha T and Teyana Taylor, as well as Nas. Shortly thereafter, West released the non-album singles " Lift Yourself", a "strange, gibberish track" featuring nonsensical lyrics, and "

Ye vs. the People "Ye vs. the People" is a song by American rapper Kanye West. It stars a guest appearance from fellow rapper T.I., with him being credited as the People. The song was solely produced by West, who co-wrote it with T.I., and due to the work of the F ...

", in which he and T.I. discussed West's controversial support of Donald Trump. Yandhi Cover Art (Free License)

Pusha T's '' Daytona'', "the first project out of Wyoming", was released in May to critical acclaim, although the album's artwork—a photograph of deceased singer

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...

's bathroom that West paid $85,000 to license—attracted some controversy. 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. The week after, West released a collaborative album with Kid Cudi, titled '' Kids See Ghosts'', named after their group of the same name. West also completed production work on Nas' '' Nasir'' and Teyana Taylor's ''

K.T.S.E. ''K.T.S.E.'' (an initialism of ''Keep That Same Energy'') is the second studio album by American recording artist Teyana Taylor, released on June 22, 2018, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. Following the release of ''VII'' in 2014, Taylor ...

'', which were released in June 2018. In September, West announced his ninth studio album '' Yandhi'' to be released by the end of the month and a collaborative album with fellow Chicagoan rapper Chance the Rapper titled ''Good Ass Job''. That same month, West announced that he would be changing his stage name to "Ye". ''Yandhi'' was originally set for release in September 2018 but was postponed multiple times. In January 2019, West pulled out of headlining that year's Coachella festival after negotiations broke down due to discord regarding stage design. In July, it was reported that songs from West's unreleased album ''Yandhi'' were leaked online. The following month, Kim Kardashian announced that West's next album would be titled '' Jesus Is King'', effectively scrapping ''Yandhi''. By October, the entire unfinished album was available for a short time on streaming services Spotify and Tidal.

2019–present: ''Jesus Is King'', ''Donda'', and ''Donda 2''

On January 6, 2019, West started his weekly " Sunday Service" orchestration which includes soul variations of both West's and others' songs attended by multiple celebrities including the Kardashians,

Charlie Wilson Charles, Charlie, Charley, or Chuck Wilson may refer to: Entertainment * Charles Heath Wilson (1809–1882), Anglo-Scottish painter, art teacher and author * Charles C. Wilson (1894–1948), American film actor * Charles Banks Wilson (1918–2013) ...

, and Kid Cudi. West previewed a new song, "

Water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

" at his "Sunday Service" orchestration performance at Coachella 2019, which was later revealed to feature on his upcoming album '' Jesus Is King''; West released the album on October 25, 2019. It became the first to ever top the ''Billboard'' 200, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums, Top Christian Albums and Top Gospel Albums at the same time. On December 25, 2019, West and Sunday Service released ''

Jesus Is Born ''Jesus Is Born'' is the debut studio album by American gospel group Sunday Service Choir, with American rapper Kanye West acting as executive producer. It was released on December 25, 2019, through INC. The album was released to coincide with Ch ...

'', containing 19 songs including several re-workings of older West songs. West released a single titled " Wash Us in the Blood" on June 30, 2020, featuring fellow American rapper and singer Travis Scott, along with the music video, which was set to serve as the lead single from his tenth studio album '' Donda''. However, in September 2020, West stated that he would not be releasing any further music until he is "done with iscontract with Sony and Universal". On October 16, he released the single " Nah Nah Nah". West held several listening parties at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for his upcoming album ''Donda'' 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. After multiple delays, ''Donda'' was released on August 29, 2021. West claimed the album was released early without his approval and alleged that Universal had altered the tracklist. He released a delux edition of ''Donda'', including five new songs, to streaming services on November 14, 2021. On November 20, days after ending their long-running feud, West and rapper Drake confirmed that they would stage the "Free Larry Hoover" benefit concert on December 9 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. On January 5, 2022, West was announced as one of the 2022 headliners of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Later that month on January 15, West released the first single for his upcoming album ''

Donda 2 ''Donda 2'' is an album by American rapper Kanye West. Although unfinished, it was exclusively released on the Stem Player, with four songs made available on February 23, 2022, and additional songs later included in updates, the first of which ...

'', " Eazy" featuring

The Game The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * ...

, to be executive produced by American rapper Future. West hosted a listening event for the album at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on February 22. In April, shortly before Coachella, West pulled out as headlining act, then proceeded to pull out of headlining Rolling Loud. 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 since ''Donda 2'' remained unfinished. A day later, despite cancelling as headliner, he appeared at Rolling Loud during Lil Durk's set. In December 2022, after weeks of controversial anti-Semitic statements, West released a new song "Someday We’ll All Be Free" on his Instagram.

Musical style

West's musical career is defined by frequent stylistic shifts and different musical approaches. In the subsequent years since his debut, West has both musically and lyrically taken an increasingly experimental approach to crafting progressive hip hop music while maintaining accessible

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

sensibilities.Tannenbaum, Rob. "Playboy Interview: Kanye West." ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' (March 2006), 49. West's rhymes have been described as funny, provocative and articulate, capable of seamlessly segueing from shrewd commentary to comical

braggadocio Braggadocio may refer to: *Braggadocchio, a fictional character in the epic poem ''The Faerie Queene'' *A braggart or empty boasting *Braggadocio (rap), a type of rapping *Braggadocio (typeface), a typeface *Braggadocio, Missouri Braggadocio is ...

to introspective sensitivity. 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 as Jadakiss and just as understandable as Will Smith".VH1 staff (October 12, 2005). .

VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...

. Viacom. Retrieved May 16, 2008. Early in his career, West pioneered a style of hip-hop production dubbed "chipmunk-soul", a sampling technique involving the manipulation of tempo in order to

chop Chop, CHOP, Chops, or CHOPS may refer to: Art *Embouchure, in music, a synonym for chops (and later, more broadly, musical skill or ability) *CHOPS, an Asian-American hip hop producer, rapper and member of rap group Mountain Brothers * ''Chops'' ...

and stretch pitched-up samples from vintage soul songs. On his debut studio album, '' The College Dropout'' (2004), West formed the constitutive elements of his style, described as intricate hip-hop beats, topical subject matter, and clumsy rapping laced with inventive wordplay. The record saw West diverge from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop in favor of more diverse, topical lyrical subjects,Davis, Kimberly
"The Many Faces of Kanye West"
(June 2004) ''

Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...

''. including higher education, materialism, self-consciousness, minimum-wage labor, institutional prejudice, class struggle, family, sexuality, his struggles in the music industry, and middle-class upbringing.Love, Josh
Review: ''The College Dropout''
. Stylus Magazine. Retrieved on July 23, 2009. Over time, West has explored a variety of

music genre A music genre is a conventional category that identifies some pieces of music as belonging to a shared tradition or set of conventions. It is to be distinguished from '' musical form'' and musical style, although in practice these terms are som ...

s, encompassing and taking inspiration from

chamber pop Chamber pop (or Chamber rock; also called baroque pop and sometimes conflated with orchestral pop or symphonic pop) is a music genre that combines rock music with the intricate use of strings, horns, piano, and vocal harmonies, and other compon ...

on his second studio album, '' Late Registration'' (2005), arena rock and europop on his third album, ''

'' (2007), synth-driven electropop on his fourth album, '' 808s & Heartbreak'' (2008), acid-house, drill,

industrial rap Industrial hip hop is a fusion genre of industrial music and hip hop. History 1980s The origins of industrial hip hop are in the work of Mark Stewart, Bill Laswell, and Adrian Sherwood. In 1985, former The Pop Group singer Mark Stewart rel ...

and

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

on '' Yeezus'' (2013),

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

and Christian rap on '' The Life of Pablo'' (2016), '' Jesus is King'' (2019) and '' Donda'' (2021), and psychedelic music on '' Kids See Ghosts'' (2018).

Other ventures

Fashion

Early in his career, West made clear his interest in fashion and desire to work in the clothing design industry. He launched his own clothing line in spring 2006, and developed it over the following four years before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009. In January 2007, West's first sneaker collaboration was released, a special-edition Bapesta from A Bathing Ape. In 2009, West collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, the Air Yeezys, becoming the first non-athlete to be given a shoe deal with the company. In January 2009, he introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton during Paris Fashion Week. The line was released in summer 2009. West has additionally designed shoewear for Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti. In fall 2009, West moved to Rome, where he interned at Italian fashion brand Fendi, giving ideas for the men's collection. In March 2011, West collaborated with M/M Paris for a series of silk scarves featuring artwork from ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''. In October 2011, West premiered his women's fashion label at Paris Fashion Week.Kanye West—Spring/Summer 2012 ready-to-wear show—The Internet Fashion Database
Retrieved and verified on October 2, 2011 His debut fashion show received mixed-to-negative reviews. In March 2012, West premiered a second fashion line at Paris Fashion Week. Critics deemed the sophomore effort "much improved" compared to his first show. On December 3, 2013, Adidas officially confirmed a new shoe collaboration deal with West. After months of anticipation and rumors, West confirmed the release of the Adidas Yeezy Boosts. In 2015, West unveiled a Yeezy clothing line, premiering in collaboration with Adidas early that year. 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. In May 2021, West signed a 10-year deal linking Yeezy with GAP, however, in September 2022, West announced that he was ending the deal.

Business ventures

West founded the record label and production company GOOD Music in 2004, in conjunction with Sony BMG, shortly after releasing his debut album, '' The College Dropout''. West, alongside then-unknown

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

singer

and fellow Chicago rapper Common were the label's inaugural artists. The label houses artists including West,

Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...

, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Yasiin Bey / Mos Def, D'banj and

, and producers including Hudson Mohawke, Q-Tip, Travis Scott, No I.D., Jeff Bhasker, and S1. GOOD Music has released ten albums certified gold or higher by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/ ...

(RIAA). In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T the new president of GOOD Music. In August 2008, West revealed plans to open 10 Fatburger restaurants in the Chicago area; the first was set to open in September 2008 in Orland Park. The second followed in January 2009, while a third location is yet to be revealed, although the process is being finalized. His company, KW Foods LLC, bought the rights to the chain in Chicago. Ultimately, in 2009, only two locations actually opened. In February 2011, West shut down the Fatburger located in Orland Park. Later that year, the remaining Beverly location also was shuttered. In January 2012, West announced his establishment of the creative content company Donda, named after his late mother. In his announcement, West proclaimed that the company would "pick up where Steve Jobs left off"; Donda would operate as a "design company" with a goal to "make products and experiences that people want and can afford".Graham, Mark
Kanye West's Epic 1600-word Twitter Rant: Neatly Organized for your Reading Pleasure
January 5, 2012, 'VH1', retrieved August 4, 2015. 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." West is notoriously secretive about the company's operations, maintaining neither an official website nor a social media presence. Contemporary critics have noted the consistent minimalistic aesthetic exhibited throughout Donda creative projects. 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" and then later in November 2013, delivering a manifesto on his architectural goals during a visit to Harvard Graduate School of Design. 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. In June 2018, the first Yeezy Home collaboration was announced by designer Jalil Peraza, teasing an affordable concrete prefabricated home as part of a social housing project. In March 2015, it was announced that West is a co-owner, with various other music artists, in the music streaming service Tidal. The service specialises in lossless audio and high definition music videos. Jay-Z acquired the parent company of Tidal,

Aspiro Aspiro AB was a Norwegian-based, legally Swedish-domiciled technology company founded in 1998. The company mainly provided subscription-based lossless music streaming services under its two brands, Tidal and WiMP. The company was headquartered ...

, in the first quarter of 2015. Sixteen artist stakeholders including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Madonna, Chris Martin, Nicki Minaj co-own Tidal, with the majority owning a 3% equity stake. In October 2022, in direct response to bans he received on Twitter and Instagram stemming from his antisemitic comments, West reached an agreement in principle to acquire the alt-tech social network Parler for an undisclosed amount. Parler and West mutually agreed to terminate the proposed deal in mid-November.

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. In 2007, West and the Foundation partnered with

Strong American Schools Strong American Schools, a project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a nonprofit organization supported by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that seeks to promote sound education policies for all A ...

as part of their "Ed in '08" campaign. 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. In 2008, following the death of West's mother, the foundation was rechristened The Dr. Donda West Foundation. The foundation ceased operations in 2011. In 2013, Kanye West and friend Rhymefest founded Donda's House, Inc., a program aimed at helping at-risk Chicago youth. West has contributed to hurricane relief in 2005 by participating in a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert after the storm had ravaged black communities in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Hurricane Sandy benefit concert. In January 2019, West donated $10 million towards the completion of the Roden Crater by American artist James Turrell. In June 2020, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the following protests, he donated $2million between the family of Floyd and other victims of police brutality, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. The donation funded legal fees for Arbery and Taylor's families, as well as establishing a 529 plan to fully cover college tuition for Floyd's daughter.

Acting and filmmaking

West made cameo appearances as himself in the films '' State Property 2'' (2005) and '' The Love Guru'' (2008), and in an episode of the television show '' Entourage'' in 2007. West provided the voice for "Kenny West", a rapper, in the animated sitcom '' The Cleveland Show''. In 2009, he starred in the Spike Jonze-directed short film '' We Were Once a Fairytale'' (2009), playing himself acting belligerently while drunk in a nightclub. West wrote, directed, and starred in the musical short film ''

'' (2010), which heavily features music from ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy''. The film depicts a relationship between a man, played by West, and a half-woman, half- phoenix creature. In 2012, West wrote and directed another short film, titled '' Cruel Summer'', which premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in a custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens constructed for the film. The film was inspired by the compilation album of the same name. West made a cameo appearance in the comedy '' Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues'' (2013) as a MTV News representative in the film's fight scene. In September 2018, West announced starting of film production company named Half Beast, LLC.

Politics

2020 presidential campaign

Kanye West North Charleston Rally, July 2020

On July 4, 2020, West announced on Twitter that he would be running in the 2020 presidential election. On July 7, West was interviewed by ''Forbes'' about his presidential run, where he announced that his running mate would be Wyoming preacher Michelle Tidball, and that he would run as an independent under the "Birthday Party", explaining his decision of why he chose the name, saying, "Because when we win, it's everybody's 'birthday'." West also said he no longer supported Trump because he "hid in bunker" during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

. 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 William Jefferson Clinton (Birth name, né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 ...

? Special. Joe Biden's not special." Various political pundits speculated that West's presidential run was a publicity stunt to promote his latest music releases. On July 15, 2020, official paperwork was filed with the Federal Election Commission for West, under the "BDY" Party affiliation amid claims that he was preparing to drop out. West held his first rally that weekend, on July 19. West aligned himself with the philosophy of a consistent life ethic, a tenet of

Christian democracy Christian democracy (sometimes named Centrist democracy) is a political ideology that emerged in 19th-century Europe under the influence of Catholic social teaching and neo-Calvinism. It was conceived as a combination of modern democratic ...

. His platform advocated for the creation of a culture of life, endorsing environmental stewardship, supporting the arts, buttressing faith-based organizations, restoring school prayer, providing for a strong national defense, and "America First" diplomacy. In July 2020, West told ''Forbes'' that he is ignorant on issues such as taxes and foreign policy. West conceded on Twitter on November 4, 2020. 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, the ''

Roque De La Fuente Roque "Rocky" De La Fuente Guerra (born October 10, 1954) is an American businessman and politician. A perennial candidate, De La Fuente was the Reform Party nominee in the 2016 and 2020 United States presidential elections. He also appeared ...

/ Kanye West'' ticket won 60,160 votes in California (0.34%). According to ''

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was est ...

'', on January 4, 2021, a Kanye West-linked publicist pressured a Georgia election worker to confess to bogus charges of election tampering to assist Trump's claims of election interference. 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.

2024 presidential campaign

West has stated his intentions to run for president again in the 2024 presidential election. In November 2019, he said at an 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. On October 24, 2020, while running for president, West told Joe Rogan on his podcast that he would be open to running for

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constitution of California, t ...

. On May 19, 2021,

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is ...

reported that it had obtained a letter concerning an RFAI (Request for further information) from the Federal Election Commission regarding an exploratory presidential committee. West's representatives stated, "Kanye West has not decided whether to become a candidate for president in the 2024 election, and the activity of the Kanye 2020 committee that prompted this RFAI is strictly exploratory." On subsequent interviews, merchandise, and in songs lyrics, West would repeatedly insinuate that he will indeed run. On November 20, 2022, Kanye announced his intention to run in 2024.

Controversial views

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. West has voiced his

opposition to abortion Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respons ...

in 2013, citing his belief in the Sixth Commandment, and in 2022, deeming abortion "genocide and population control" of black people. He has stated that the 400-year enslavement of Africans "sounds like a choice", before elaborating that his comment was in reference to mental enslavement and argued for

free thought Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an epistemological viewpoint which holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and that beliefs should instead be reached by other meth ...

. He later apologized for the comment. In late 2022, West made a series of antisemitic statements, resulting in the termination of his collaborations, sponsorships, and partnerships with '' Vogue'', CAA, Balenciaga, Gap, and Adidas. West was widely condemned after appearing at a dinner hosted by

at Mar-a-Lago beside white nationalist Nick Fuentes. In a subsequent December appearance on Alex Jones's '' InfoWars'', West praised

, denied the Holocaust, and identified as a Nazi. Following the interview, West's Twitter account was terminated after he posted an image depicting a swastika entangled within a

Star of David The Star of David (). is a generally recognized symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the '' seal of Solomon'', which was used for decorat ...

. Subsequently, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago rescinded West's honorary degree.

Personal life

Relationships and family

Kim Kardashian

In April 2012, West began dating reality television star Kim Kardashian, with whom he had already been long-time friends. West and Kardashian became engaged in October 2013, and married at Fort di Belvedere in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

in May 2014. Their private ceremony was subject to widespread mainstream coverage, with which West took issue. 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". West and Kardashian have four children: North West (born June 2013), Saint West (born December 2015), Chicago West (born via surrogate in January 2018), and Psalm West (born via surrogate in May 2019). 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. In April 2015, West and Kardashian traveled to

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

to have North baptized in the

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at the Cathedral of St. James. Their other children were all baptized at

Etchmiadzin Cathedral Etchmiadzin Cathedral) or simply Etchmiadzin. Alternatively spelled as Echmiadzin, Ejmiatsin, and Edjmiadsin. ( hy, Էջմիածնի մայր տաճար, Ēǰmiatsni mayr tačar) is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church, located ...

, the mother church of the Armenian Church, in October 2019. In September 2018, West announced that he would be permanently moving back to Chicago to establish his Yeezy company headquarters there. This did not actually occur, and West instead went on to purchase two ranches near Cody, 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, whereas West moved into a home across the street to continue to be near their children. In fall 2021, West began the process of selling his Wyoming ranch. In July 2020, West acknowledged the possibly 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 the Kardashian family was attempting "to lock imup". In January 2021, CNN reported that the couple were discussing divorce. A month later, Kardashian filed for divorce, with the couple citing "irreconcilable differences", agreeing to joint custody of their children, and declining spousal support from each other. On several occasions in 2021, West said that he would rather stay with Kardashian than divorce. The divorce 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.

Other relationships

West began an

on-and-off relationship An on-again, off-again relationship (also known as an on–off or off–on relationship) is a form of personal relationship between two persons who keep breaking up only to reconcile afterwards, thus repeating a cycle. Researcher Kale Monk, an a ...

with the designer Alexis Phifer in 2002, and they became engaged in August 2006. They ended their 18-month engagement in 2008. West dated the model Amber Rose from 2008 until mid-2010. In January 2022, actress Julia Fox confirmed in an '' Interview'' essay that she was dating West. West continued to say that he wanted his "family back" and publicly lashed out at Kardashian's new boyfriend, the comedian Pete Davidson. His treatment of Davidson and Kardashian has been described by commentators as harassment and abusive; the 64th Annual Grammy Awards dropped him as a performer in response to his "concerning online behavior". Less than two months after confirming their relationship, Fox said that she and West had split up but remained on good terms. She later said that she dated West purely to "give people something to talk about" during the

and to "get him off Kim's case".

Legal problems

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. West's attorneys argued that the music video amounted to satire and therefore was covered under the First 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." In 2014, after an altercation with a paparazzo at the

Los Angeles Airport Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the ...

, 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.

Religious beliefs

After the success of his song " Jesus Walks" from the album '' The College Dropout'', West was questioned on 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." In a 2008 interview with ''

The Fader ''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes. It is o ...

'', West stated that "I'm like a vessel, and God has chosen me to be the voice and the connector". In a 2009 interview with online magazine

Bossip ''Bossip'' is an online gossip and entertainment magazine with a focus on African American celebrities. The site is owned by iOne Digital, an Urban One Inc. company. The magazine is based in Atlanta, Georgia. ''Bossip'' has interviewed celeb ...

, West stated that he believed in God, but at the time felt that he "would never go into a religion". In 2014, West referred to himself as a Christian during one of his concerts. Kim Kardashian described West's Christian born-again experience in September 2019: "Kanye started this to really heal himself and it was a really personal thing, and it was just friends and family... He has had an amazing evolution of being born again and being saved by Christ." 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", and that "I didn't even know what it meant to be saved" and that now "I love Jesus Christ. I love Christianity."

Politics

In September 2012, West donated $1,000 to

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

's re-election campaign, and in August 2015 he donated $2,700 to

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States senat ...

's 2016 campaign. He also donated $15,000 to the Democratic National Committee in October 2014. In December 2016, West met with President-elect Donald Trump to discuss bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago. West subsequently stated he would have voted for Trump had he voted. In February 2017, however, West deleted all his tweets about Trump in purported dislike of the new president's policies, particularly the

travel ban A travel ban is one of a variety of mobility restrictions imposed by governments. Bans can be universal or selective. The restrictions can be geographic, imposed by either the originating or destination jurisdiction. They can also be based on indiv ...

. West reiterated his support for Donald Trump in April 2018. In October 2018, West donated to

progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy par ...

Chicago mayoral candidate Amara Enyia. That same month, he voiced support for the

Blexit Blexit may refer to: * Blexit, a movement towards black economic independence by encouraging African-Americans to leave traditional financial systems perceived to have taken advantage of the black community. Blexit was formed in Minnesota in 2016 ...

movement, a campaign started by conservative commentator Candace Owens, whom he had previously associated with.

Mental health

On November 19, 2016, West abruptly ended a concert before being committed at the recommendation of authorities to the UCLA Medical Center with hallucinations and paranoia. 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. He was reportedly paranoid and depressed throughout the hospitalization, but remained formally undiagnosed. Some have speculated that the Paris robbery of his wife may have triggered the paranoia. On November 30, West was released from the hospital. In his song "FML" and his featured verse on Vic Mensa's song "U Mad", he refers to using the antidepressant medication Lexapro, and in his unreleased song "I Feel Like That", he mentions feeling many common symptoms of depression and anxiety. In a 2018 interview, West said that he had become addicted to

opioid Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Other medical uses include suppression of diarrhea, replacement therapy for opioi ...

s when they were prescribed to him after liposuction. The addiction may have contributed to his nervous breakdown in 2016. West said that he often has suicidal ideation. West was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2016, though his diagnosis was not made public until his 2018 album ''Ye.'' He told

President Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

that it was a misdiagnosis. He had reportedly accepted the diagnosis again by 2019, but again suggested that it had been a misdiagnosis in 2022. In December 2022, he suggested that he may be autistic.

Name change

On August 24, 2021, West applied to have his legal name changed from Kanye Omari West to Ye, with no middle or last name; he cited "personal reasons" for the change. The request was granted on October 18. West had alluded to wishing to change his name since 2018 and had used Ye as a nickname for several years prior. In a June 2018 interview, he said that " ye" () was the most commonly used word in the Bible: "In the Bible it means 'you'. So, I'm you. I'm us. It's us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye."

Wealth

West’s net worth was as high as $2 billion in 2021. '' Forbes'' estimated his net worth at $400 million as of October 2022, making him among the wealthiest musicians in the world.

Musical influence

West is among the most critically acclaimed popular music artists of the 21st century, earning praise from music critics, fans, industry peers, and wider cultural figures. In 2014, ''NME'' named him the third most influential artist in music. Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' said that West has been "a bombastic figure who can count rankling two presidents among his achievements". Nieson elaborates, "He is talented enough that he has made the calculation that you can dislike him and you will still listen to his music." Ed Ledsham from ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, f ...

'' said "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." ''

'' called West "as interesting and complicated a pop star as the 2000s produced—a rapper who mastered, upped and moved beyond the hip-hop game, 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."

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...

editor Jason Birchmeier writes of his impact, "As his career progressed throughout the early 21st century, West shattered 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." ''Rolling Stone'' credited West with transforming hip-hop's mainstream, "establishing a style of introspective yet glossy rap", while '' Highsnobiety'' said his first three albums – "a triumvirate of uber-successful records" – "cemented his role as a progressive rap progenitor". West also has been credited with the commercial decline of the gangsta rap that once dominated mainstream hip-hop. Erik Nielson, a University of Richmond professor who teaches courses on hip-hop culture, opines that West is a "mediocre rapper, but an extraordinary producer". Nielson states, "He will take a concept to an extreme, and flesh it out and explore it in some sort of depth," with a "broad, eclectic range of sounds that he draws on that has opened up new possibilities for artists who came after him". In 2013, Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of '' Spin'' described West as fronting a "new art-pop era" in contemporary music, in which musicians draw widely on the visual arts as a signifier of both extravagant wealth as well as creative exploration. West maintained a preppy fashion sense that helped expand hip-hop's definition of masculinity. Nielsen concedes that West said when he came out that he wasn't a thug. He was the kid who went to school, his mom was a college professor. He definitely challenged some of the authenticity that had to be there at the moment." The outcome of a highly publicized sales competition between rapper 50 Cent's ''Curtis'' and West's ''Graduation'' marked a turning point in the music industry. With its emotive raps and confessional details, the album altered the direction of hip hop and helped pave the way for new rappers who did not follow the hardcore-

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix ''-ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

mold to find wider mainstream acceptance. According to Ben Detrick of ''XXL'' magazine, West effectively led a new wave of artists, including Kid Cudi,

Wale Wale or WALE may refer to: Places *Wale, Devon, a hamlet in England *Wale, Tomaszów Mazowiecki County, a village in Poland People *Wale (surname) *Wale (rapper), stage name of American rapper Olubowale Victor Akintimehin Radio and television ...

, Lupe Fiasco, Kidz in the Hall, and Drake, who lacked the interest or ability to craft lyrical narratives about gunplay or

drug-dealing The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs throug ...

. Rosie Swash of ''The Guardian'' deemed the sales competition a historical moment in hip-hop, because it "highlighted the diverging facets of hip-hop in the last decade; the former was gangsta rap for the noughties, while West was the thinking man's alternative." '' 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." Sharing similar sentiments, ''Complex'' called West the twenty-first century's "most important artist of any art form, of any genre." ''

The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...

'' writer David 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." Joe Muggs of ''The 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." Hip-hop artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, and Chance the Rapper have acknowledged being influenced by West. Numerous other artists and music groups of various genres have named Kanye as an influence on their work. West's success in the fashion industry has led to him being recognized as an influential popular culture figure. 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. Titled '' Jeen-Yuhs'', it was acquired by Netflix for $30 million.

Awards and achievements

West has won a Webby Award for Artist of the Year, an Accessories Council Excellence Award for being a stylemaker, International Man of the Year at the '' GQ Awards'', a Clio Award for ''The Life of Pablo Album'' Experience, and an honour by The Recording Academy. West is one of eight acts to have won the Billboard Artist Achievement Award. In 2011, he became the first artist to win Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards three times, he is the male artist with the most wins for Video of the Year at the ceremony, and the only person to have been awarded the Visionary Award at The BET Honors. In 2015, he became the third rap act to win the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. West has won 22 Grammys, he has the second most

wins WINS may refer to: *WINS (AM), an all-news radio station in New York City *WINS-FM, a radio station in New York City *World Institute for Nuclear Security *Windows Internet Name Service *WINS (solution stack), a set of software subsystems *Wireles ...

(21) and nominations (68) for a rapper (both behind Jay-Z). He has been the most nominated act at five ceremonies, and won the most Grammys by a male artist, and fourth most overall in the 2000s decade. In 2008, West became the first solo artist to have his first three albums receive nominations for

. West is the fourth- highest certified artist in the US by digital singles (69 million). He had the most RIAA digital song certifications by a male artist in the 2000s (19), and was the fourth best-selling digital songs artist of the 2000s in the US. In Spotify'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. West has the joint-most consecutive studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 (9). All of West's first six solo studio albums were included on ''Rolling Stone''s

(2020), with '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (17) being the highest ranking 21st century album. ''Entertainment Weekly'' named '' The College Dropout'' the best album of the 2000s decade, ''Complex'' named ''

'' as the best album released between 2002 and 2012, '' 808s & Heartbreak'' was named by ''Rolling Stone'' as one of the 40 most groundbreaking albums of all time, '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' was named by numerous publications as the best album of the 2010s decade and one of the greatest albums of all time, '' Yeezus'' was the most critically acclaimed album of 2013, and '' The Life of Pablo'' was the first album to top the Billboard 200, go platinum in the US, and go gold in the UK, via streaming alone. West made the most appearance on ''Complex's'' "Best Producers of every year since 1979" list (five). On ''Billboard''s 2000s decade-end charts, West was third on the list of top producers. West has made more appearances (four) than any other act on ''The Guardian''s "The Best Albums of the 21st Century" list, having topped the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll the joint-most times (four albums). In 2015, West became the second-ever rapper to headline

Discography

Studio albums * '' The College Dropout'' (2004) * '' Late Registration'' (2005) * ''

'' (2007) * '' 808s & Heartbreak'' (2008) * '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010) * '' Yeezus'' (2013) * '' The Life of Pablo'' (2016) * '' Ye'' (2018) * '' Jesus Is King'' (2019) * '' Donda'' (2021) * ''

'' (2022) Collaborative albums * '' Watch the Throne'' (2011) (with Jay-Z) * '' Cruel Summer'' (2012) (with GOOD Music) * '' Kids See Ghosts'' (2018) (with Kid Cudi, as Kids See Ghosts)

Videography

* '' The College Dropout Video Anthology'' (2004) * '' Late Orchestration'' (2006) * '' VH1 Storytellers'' (2010) * ''

'' (2010) * '' Jesus Is King'' (2019) * '' Jeen-Yuhs'' (2022)

Tours

Headlining tours

* School Spirit Tour (2004) *

Touch the Sky Tour The Touch the Sky Tour was the second tour by American rapper Kanye West, in support of his second studio album, '' Late Registration'' (2005). Def Jam announced the first tour dates across North America in September 2005, three months before W ...

(2005–06) * Glow in the Dark Tour (2008) * Watch the Throne Tour (with Jay-Z) (2011–2012) *

The Yeezus Tour The Yeezus Tour was a concert tour by American rapper Kanye West in support of West's sixth solo studio album, ''Yeezus'' (2013). The venture served as West's first solo concert tour in five years. Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Travis Sc ...

(2013–2014) * Saint Pablo Tour (2016)

Supporting tours

* Truth Tour (with

Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** Fiel ...

) (2004) * Vertigo Tour (with U2) (2005–2006) * A Bigger Bang (with The Rolling Stones) (2006)

Books

* ''Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar'' (2007) * ''Thank You and You're Welcome'' (2009) * ''Through the Wire: Lyrics & Illuminations'' (2009) * '' Glow in the Dark'' (2009)

Notes

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Kanye 1977 births Living people 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American rappers 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American businesspeople 21st-century American rappers African-American businesspeople African-American candidates for President of the United States African-American Christians African-American fashion designers African-American film directors African-American investors African American–Jewish relations African-American male rappers African-American male singer-songwriters African-American record producers American male pop singers American consistent life ethics activists American conspiracy theorists American fashion businesspeople American fashion designers American food industry business executives American hip hop record producers American hip hop singers American Holocaust deniers American investors American music industry executives American music publishers (people) American music video directors American performers of Christian hip hop music American restaurateurs Pop rappers Black conservatism in the United States Brit Award winners Businesspeople from Atlanta Businesspeople from Chicago Candidates in the 2020 United States presidential election Chicago State University alumni Child Rebel Soldier members Christianity and antisemitism Christian conspiracy theorists Christian nationalists Converts to Christianity Critics of Black Lives Matter Def Jam Recordings artists Film directors from Illinois Former billionaires GOOD Music artists Grammy Award winners Grammy Award winners for rap music Hip hop activists Illinois Independents Kardashian family Kim Kardashian Midwest hip hop musicians MTV Europe Music Award winners NME Awards winners Obscenity controversies in music Participants in American reality television series People stripped of honorary degrees People with bipolar disorder Philanthropists from Illinois Race-related controversies in music Rappers from Atlanta Rappers from Chicago Record producers from Georgia (U.S. state) Record producers from Illinois Roc-A-Fella Records artists Singers from Chicago Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Singer-songwriters from Illinois Shoe designers Twitter controversies World Music Awards winners Wyoming Independents

Early life

Musical career

1996–2002: Early work and Roc-A-Fella

2003–2006: ''The College Dropout'' and ''Late Registration''

2007–2009: ''Graduation'', ''808s & Heartbreak'', and VMAs incident

2010–2012: ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'', ''Watch the Throne'', and ''Cruel Summer''

2013–2015: ''Yeezus'' and the ''Yeezus Tour''

2016–2017: ''The Life of Pablo'' and tour cancellation

2017–2019: ''Ye'' and the Wyoming Sessions

2019–present: ''Jesus Is King'', ''Donda'', and ''Donda 2''

Musical style

Other ventures

Fashion

Business ventures

Philanthropy

Acting and filmmaking

Politics

2020 presidential campaign

2024 presidential campaign

Controversial views

Personal life

Relationships and family

Kim Kardashian

Other relationships

Legal problems

Religious beliefs

Politics

Mental health

Name change

Wealth

Musical influence

Awards and achievements

Discography

Videography

Tours

Headlining tours

Supporting tours

Books

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links