American rapper, songwriter, singer, record producer, fashion designer, and rapper Kanye West hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Kanye West began his career as a producer for Roc-A-Fella, working with several of the label’s recording artists to create big tracks. Jay-album Z’s “The Blueprint,” as well as big singles like “Izzo (H.O.V.A. ),” “04′ Bonnie & Clyde,” “Stand Up,” and “Jesus Walks,” all benefited greatly from West’s production work.
Since then, Kanye has developed into an international star through his music career, fashion label, shoe collections, and other endeavors. According to data Kanye just released, his investment in Yeezy has increased his net worth into the billions, according to a recent Forbes report.
Around 140 million recordings have been sold globally, and Kanye has earned countless honors, including 21 Grammys. He has made over $150 million from tours and is one of the top musical draws. Since entering the field, Kanye has topped charts, sparked debates, created contentious songs and videos, and established himself as one of the wealthiest rappers in the hip-hop business.
Kanye West’s Early Life
West was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 8, 1977. Following his parents’ separation, he relocated to Chicago, Illinois, with his mother when he was three. His father, Former Black Panther Ray West, was one of the first black photojournalists employed by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Ray then changed his profession to that of a Christian counselor, and in 2006, with startup funding from his son, he built the Good Water Shop and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland. Donda C. West (née Williams), the mother of West, served as his manager before retiring as an English professor at Clark Atlanta University and chair of the English department at Chicago State University.
After living in Chicago, West attended Polaris School for Individual Education in the suburb of Oak Lawn, Illinois, where he was raised in a middle-class household. When West was ten, his mother relocated to Nanjing, China, where she was a Fulbright Scholar and taught at Nanjing University. West’s mother claims that despite being the only outsider in his class, he adjusted well and took up the language rapidly, albeit he has now lost most of it. When asked about his grades, I got As and Bs in high school,” West remarked.
West was early interested in the arts; he started writing poetry at age five. In the third grade, West began rapping, and in the seventh grade, he started writing songs that he later sold to other musicians. Producer No I.D., who later became West’s buddy and mentor, crossed paths with him.
West started studying painting classes at Chicago’s American Academy of Art in 1997 after receiving a scholarship after high school. He soon transferred to Chicago State University to pursue an English degree. He left school at age 20 to focus on his musical career. Although she would eventually accept the choice, his mother, who was also a professor at the university, was deeply disappointed by this.
Kanye West’s Career
Kanye West worked on little music-producing projects from the middle of the 1990s to the beginning of the 2000s. He produced songs for regional musicians and worked as Deric “D-Dot” Angelettie’s ghost producer. In 2000, West finally got his long-awaited chance when he started working as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records artists. He produced smash singles for well-known vocalists like Common, Ludacris, Cam’Ron, etc. Jay-Z, a well-known rapper and entrepreneur in the entertainment industry, hired West to produce many of the songs on his successful album The Blueprint in 2001.
He continued creating music around this time for artists like Alicia Keys and Janet Jackson. He later found fame as a producer, but his primary ambition was to break into the rap game. He found it to be a very difficult scenario to gain acceptability as a rapper and land a record deal. Oddly, Kanye achieved the breakthrough he sought in 2002. He had an accident on the way home after a protracted recording session in Los Angeles after falling asleep behind the wheel. He wrote the song Through the Wire, recorded at Record Plant Studios while in the hospital. Later, the song was included on his debut record, The College Dropout.
Kanye West’s debut album, The College Dropout, was released in 2004 and immediately became popular with music fans. In its first week, 441,000 copies were sold. It earned the second spot on the Billboard 200. Twista, Jamie Foxx, and West were all featured on the song Slow Jamz from the album. Two significant music publications chose it as the best album of the year. Jesus Walks, a different song from the album, displayed West’s feelings regarding religion and Christianity.
| Real Name/ Full Name | Kanye Omari West |
| Girlfriend | Alexis Phifer(Ex), Amber Rose(Ex) |
| Age | 47 years old |
| Spouse/Ex | Kim Kardashian(Married. 2014) |
| Father | Ray West |
| Mother | Donda West |
| Children | Chicago West, North West, Saint West |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5’8″ or 173 cm |
| City | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Notable Alumni | Chicago State University |
| U.S State | Georgia |
| Founder/Co-Founder | Kanye West Foundation |
In 2005, West teamed up with American film composer Jon Brion to create his latest album, Late Registration. Brion also co-executively produced many of the album’s tracks. He could engage a string orchestra for the album with the money he had made with The College Dropout. In the US, 2.3 million copies were sold. West stated in the same year that he would launch his Pastelle Apparel line in 2006, but it was scrapped in 2009.
Graduation, Kanye West’s third studio album, was released in 2007. He made it available at the same time as Curtis by 50 Cent. Graduation vastly outsold Curtis and took the top spot on the US Billboard 200. In its first week alone, it sold nearly 957,000 copies. Stronger, a song, became a major smash.
West’s fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak, was released in 2008. The album topped the Billboard charts during its first few weeks and sold 450,000 copies. The sad passing of West’s mother, Donda West, and his breakup with his fiancée Alexis Phifer served as inspiration for this album. According to reports, the album inspired other rappers and the hip-hop genre to experiment more with their productions. West declared that he would open 10 Fatburger eateries in Chicago in the same year. At Orland Park, the first one debuted in 2008.
The Life of Pablo, Kanye West’s seventh album, was released on February 14th, 2016. On June 1st, 2018, he released his eighth studio album, Ye. In August 2018, he issued the non-album single XTCY. Kanye West launched his weekly Sunday Service orchestration in January 2019. It features soul-influenced tunes, West’s songs, and songs by other famous people. He declared the arrival of Donda 2, his eleventh studio album, in January 2022.
Business Ventures
Besides being one of the most successful musicians in the world, West is also a successful entrepreneur. His business includes the manufacture and design of clothing and footwear. He has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Adidas and produced his sneakers, which are very popular with fans. In addition, West founded companies such as DONDA and GOOD Music, which helped him become one of the richest men in the entertainment industry.
Kanye West’s Family and Relationships
Donda West, the mother of Kanye West, passed away from heart illness in November 2007—shortly after having plastic surgery. At the time, she was 58 years old. West was devastated by this because he was very close to his mother, who had written a book called Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Superstar before passing away.
Before proposing to designer Alexis Phifer in August 2006, Kanye West dated her intermittently for four years. The couple dated for 18 months before calling it quits in 2008. From 2008 until 2010, he was dating the model Amber Rose.
West and Kim Kardashian started dating in April 2012. They were married on May 24, 2014, at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy, after becoming engaged in October 2013. West and Kim Kardashian are parents to four kids: sons Saint West (born December 2015) and Psalm West (born January 2018 via surrogate), and daughters North West (born June 2013) and Chicago West (born May 2019 via surrogate).
Kardashian filed for divorce from West in February 2021. Actress Julia Fox and West started dating in 2022, but their relationship ended in less than two months. Reports surfaced in January 2023 claiming that West had wed Bianca Censori, an architect, in an unreported wedding. Afterward, Angelina Censori, Bianca’s sister, verified the marriage rumors.
He submitted a request in August 2021 to change his legal name from “Kanye Omari West” to “Ye.” In October, his request was granted a month later, and he formally took his new name.
Kanye West’s Net Worth
American producer, rapper, fashion designer, and businessman Kanye West. As of this writing, Kanye West has a net worth of approximately $500 million in 2024. When he was a multi-billionaire, Kanye was among US history’s three richest self-made black people. Once his 2004 album The College Dropout was released, Kanye became extremely well-known. With 21 Grammy wins from 69 nominations, he is among the most popular and honored performers. He has recently turned away from music and towards business, making at least $100 million a year from his many ventures. His royalties and other earnings from his Yeezy brand and Adidas collaboration account for most of his earnings.
Facts about Kanye West
- Kanye West’s mother was quite disappointed with him when he walked out of college in 1996. Still, after his success as a musician, she admitted that not everyone needs to complete formal schooling to establish their worth.
- West recorded his first solo song Through the Wire in the studio with his jaw still wired shut following a near-death experience in 2002.
- West declared he would never participate in a music award ceremony again after Gretchen Wilson won the Best New Artist prize at the American Music Awards 2004. Nonetheless, he eventually expressed regret for his approach.
- West is one of the select few celebrities to grace the cover of Time magazine. In 2005, the magazine included him on its list of the top 100 figures.
- While co-hosting the televised Concert for Hurricane Relief event, West deviated from his prepared remarks and declared abruptly that “President Bush doesn’t care for black people.” His comment was the subject of a national headline, and George Bush referred to it as the most embarrassing moment of his presidency.
FAQs on Kanye West
How much is Kanye West worth?
According to estimates, Kanye West is worth approximately $500 million in 2024.
When was Kanye West born?
June 8, 1977
How old is Kanye West?
47 years old
What is Kanye West’s height?
Kanye West is 5 feet 8 inches tall, or 1.73 meters.
Conclusion
Kanye West is undoubtedly one of the greatest rappers of all time. West has worked with celebrities worldwide and built a name for himself by founding a record label and a fashion line.
