Kanye Omari West, born June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of the biggest names in hip-hop. Since his 2004 debut, The College Dropout, West has been a constant presence in the music business, and he’s had a heavy hand in the sound of popular music throughout the 21st century. In addition to his musical endeavors, he’s a well-known fashion designer and businessman whose work has debuted at New York Fashion Week.
Kanye is also well known for his relationship with Kim Kardashian, with whom he has four children, although the couple got a divorce in early 2021. He’s also notorious for a scandal involving Taylor Swift, in which he interrupted her acceptance speech for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), stating that Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” video deserved to win. Beyond his behavior in public, he’s been controversial for his tweets and social media posts and his relationship with Donald Trump.
He’s been labeled one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME 10 years in a row, and he’s landed six studio albums on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time List. Beyond his own music, he’s worked on songs for Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, and more.
Let’s explore the wild life and wildly influential music of Kanye West.