Bo Weber
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Last updated on April 16th, 2022 at 06:08 pm
There’s a good chance you’ve heard about Kanye West, or at least one or two of his songs. While famous for his music, Kanye West has also had a significant impact in other areas and has seen his fair share of scandals.
Who is Kanye West? If you want to find out more about the life of this renowned producer and singer, as well as some of his most recent and controversial shenanigans, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s begin, shall we?
Who Is Kanye West?
Kanye West, now legally known as Ye, was born in Atlanta, Georgia on June 8, 1977. He’s a popular, critically acclaimed rapper who began his career as a producer in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
He grew up in Chicago in a middle-class family and attended Chicago State University, only to drop out after a year to pursue a career in music.
Where Was Kanye West Born?
Kanye West was born in Atlanta, Georgia.
When Is Kanye West’s Birthday?
Kanye West’s birthday is on June 8. He was born in 1977.
What Is Kanye West’s Zodiac Sign?
Having been born in June, Kanye West is a Gemini.
Early Career
West amassed considerable success as a music producer in Chicago after dropping out of college. He later relocated to New York City, where he made a name for himself in the production landscape thanks to his involvement in rapper Jay-Z’s album Blueprint in 2001.
His skills and innovative approach to music production soon made him much in demand. However, he struggled to make his own music and recordings, mostly because of his personal belief that his middle-class background provided him with little to no credibility as a rapper.
He finally got around to releasing his first solo album in 2004, called The College Dropout, and it was a huge success. It was acclaimed by critics, and one of the songs, “Jesus Walks,” even won a Grammy Award for the best rap song in 2005.
After his first release, West quickly rose to stardom. He released his second album, Late Registration, in 2005, which was as successful as the first one. Sales skyrocketed as soon as it came out, and West received three Grammy Awards for his work.
While his career as a performer took off, he had the chance to work with renowned artists such as Beyoncè and Mariah Carey, and even founded the record label GOOD Music.
His third album, Graduation, came out in 2007, and the fourth, 808s and Heartbreak, was released in 2008.
808s and Heartbreak was significantly different from the two previous albums in terms of sound and style. One particularly interesting change is that the artist chose to sing rather than rap the lyrics of his songs.
Taylor Swift Feud and Repercussions
In September 2009, when West was at the peak of his career as a performer, he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV VMAs.
Taylor Swift won the award for Best Video by a Female Artist, and Beyoncè was among her fellow nominees. West went on stage as soon as Swift started thanking his family, friends, and fans for their support and said: “I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!”
Videos and pictures of the incident quickly flooded the internet, and that moment went down in history as one of the most scandalous situations at an award ceremony.
The feud has only evolved with time, but the stage irruption was a turning point for West. He went from being in the spotlight for his talent to being scrutinized and criticized by the media and music enthusiasts for his actions against young Taylor Swift. So, in 2009 and 2010, the rapper had to work hard to rebuild his image.
A Triumphant Return: Kanye West’s Latest Albums
The feud with Swift prompted West’s successful return to music in 2010.
In that year, he released his ambitious fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which explores the nature of celebrity life. It included a lot of famous guest performers, including Wu Tang Clan’s The RZA, Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Chris Rock, and Jay-Z.
Kanye’s sixth album, Watch the Throne, came in 2011. Cruel Summer, a compilation album featuring Kanye along with some of the artists he had signed to GOOD Music, was released in 2012.
In 2016, West released his long-awaited eighth studio album, The Life of Pablo, and followed that with Ye in 2018.
Kanye’s music took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he released his gospel album, Jesus is King.
In 2021, he released his tenth studio album honoring his mother, Donda, which featured collaborations with many artists. Its successor, Donda 2, came out in early 2022.
Kanye West Albums
Kanye West has released a total of 10 albums:
- 2004: The College Dropout
- 2005: Late Registration
- 2007: Graduation
- 2008: 808s & Heartbreak
- 2010: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
- 2013: Yeezus
- 2016: The Life of Pablo
- 2018: Ye
- 2019: Jesus is King
- 2021: DONDA
- 2022: DONDA 2
Did Kanye West run for president?
Surprisingly, Kanye announced in 2020 that he was running for president. He did minimal campaigning but did release a platform focused on reforming the police and legal system and reducing student debt. He generated 0.04% of the national vote.
How Much Is Kanye West Worth?
As of 2022, Kanye West’s net worth is $1.8 billion.
What Religion Is Kanye West?
West recently stated that he is a Christian. “The true principles of Christ can and will make you a better person,” he said.
Where Does Kanye West Live?
Following his divorce from Kim Kardashian, West purchased a new home right across from his ex-wife’s house in Hidden Hills, California, where he now lives. According to people close to the rapper, he wanted to stay close to his kids.
How Many Kids Does Kanye West Have?
West has four children with his former wife, Kim Kardashian: North West, Psalm West, Chicago West, and Saint West.
How Tall Is Kanye West?
Kanye West is 5 feet 8 inches tall.
What Did Kanye West Change His Name To?
West’s real name is Kanye Omari West. However, he changed it to “Ye” in late 2021 after an LA judge approved his request.
Kanye announced his name change on Twitter in 2018: “the being formally [sic] known as Kanye West. I am Ye.”
That same year, radio host Big Boy interviewed him. During their conversation, West explained his name change: “I believe ‘Ye’ is the most commonly used word in the Bible. In the Bible it means ‘you.’ So, I’m you. And I’m us. It’s us. It went from being Kanye, which means the only one, to just Ye, just being a reflection of our good, our bad, our confused – everything. It’s more of a reflection of who we are [as] beings.”
Who Is Kanye West Dating?
Kanye West married Kim Kardashian in 2014. However, she filed for divorce in February 2021.
Nearly one year later, the musician was linked with actress Julia Fox. The couple was first spotted in Miami on New Year’s Day in 2022, and just three days later, they were seen together again in New York City.
The 31-year-old actress addressed the rumors on a podcast episode she participated in and declared their relationship to the world. “I call him my boyfriend, and he calls me his girlfriend,” she said. However, the couple recently broke up, and there is no news regarding West’s love life.
How Did Kanye West’s Mom Die?
West’s mother, Donda West, died in November 2007 from heart failure caused by multiple postoperative factors after liposuction and breast reduction surgery. The rapper named his tenth album in her honor.
Through the years, Kanye has expressed a feeling of guilt concerning his mother’s passing, as she left the operating room in good health but died the following day at home. “She would still be alive if I had never moved to Los Angeles,” West has stated.
What Is Wrong With Kanye West?
A lot has been said about West’s mental health struggles over the past few years. The discussion around his mental health has flooded the online world several times, with many people wondering what’s wrong with him, especially after his well-known Twitter meltdowns.
Kanye’s mental health is, of course, a personal topic. So, only Kanye, his doctors, and his inner circle truly know what’s going on with him. However, West has been public on certain occasions regarding his mental health issues.
West checked into the UCLA Medical Center after suffering from hallucinations and paranoia in 2019. He later experienced an episode of temporary psychosis likely caused by dehydration and sleep deprivation.
In a 2018 interview with TMZ, West confessed he was addicted to opioids from liposuction days before his hospitalization.
During a chat with David Letterman in 2019, West shared that he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. “When you’re in this state, you’re hyper-paranoid about everything,” West said. “Everyone – this is my experience, other people have different experiences – everyone now is an actor. Everything’s a conspiracy. You feel the government is putting chips in your head. You feel you’re being recorded. You feel all these things.”
Kanye West’s Netflix Documentary “Jeen-yuhs”
In early 2022, Netflix released a three-part documentary on the life and career of Kanye West, which was filmed over two decades. Directed by Chike Ozah and Clarence “Coodie” Simmons Jr., it explores West’s journey from middle-class childhood to becoming a superstar.
The documentary includes a lot of unreleased footage and fly-on-the-wall access to different moments of West’s life and professional career.
Kanye West’s Most Recent Scandals
West has been involved in several scandals. One of the most recent involves his support for and collaboration with Marilyn Manson, who has been accused by over a dozen women of rape, physical assault, and mental cruelty.
West and Manson have been in a working relationship since the Donda launch, where Manson was credited as a songwriter.
Last November, in an episode of Drink Champs, West stated that he supported Manson because he wanted to stand against cancel culture. He even downplayed the allegations against him.
“When I sit next to Marilyn Manson and DaBaby right after both of them got canceled, for five songs, you know, it’s like they can’t cancel us all,” West said.
“[Somebody will] hit you with the accusations of somebody who you was with 10 years ago. And also, there’s women who’ve been through really serious things, pulled in alleys against their will — that’s different than a hug, but it’s classified as the same thing.”
Some music enthusiasts and even West fans have deemed this collaboration unacceptable, and it has caused an uproar.
West has also had issues with Pete Davidson, his ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s current partner. The couple says they have reached a breaking point, feeling they are being “pushed to the limit” by West.
The problem arose recently when some text messages between Davidson and West were leaked. West had begun to criticize her parenting skills online and said he was worried for his children and only wanted to protect them.
Davidson, in an attempt to defend his new girlfriend, texted him asking him to calm down, saying, “Kim is literally the best mother I’ve ever met. What she does for those kids is amazing and you are so f—king lucky that she’s your kids mom. I’ve decided I’m not gonna let you treat us this way anymore and I’m done being quiet. Grow the f—k up.”
Since then, neither party has made any further comments, so only time will tell how this quarrel unfolds.
Kanye West’s Legacy
Let’s end this on a more positive note. Despite West’s controversial feuds with other artists, he has definitely had a massive impact on the music industry. He will probably go down in history as one of the world’s most renowned rappers and producers.
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