Kanye West, now known as Ye, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and fashion designer born in 1977. He is associated with hip hop and related styles including chipmunk soul, Christian hip hop, conscious hip hop, contemporary R&B, deep house and electropop.

Career

West begins his music career after leaving college to focus on music. He first works as a producer for artists in the Chicago area, then becomes an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records. In that role, he co-produces Jay-Z’s The Blueprint before signing to the label as a recording artist.

His debut album, The College Dropout, is released in 2004 and receives critical acclaim. It includes the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “Slow Jamz”. He later reaches number one on the same chart with “Gold Digger”, “Stronger”, “E.T.”, as a featured artist, and “Carnival”.

Late Registration and Graduation both debut at number one on the Billboard 200, with Graduation becoming his most commercially successful album to date. 808s & Heartbreak, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and The Life of Pablo are certified triple platinum, while Yeezus is certified double platinum. Ye, Jesus Is King and Donda continue his run of consecutive number-one Billboard 200 debuts.

Collaborative work and labels

West releases collaborative albums with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne, with Kid Cudi on Kids See Ghosts, and with Ty Dolla Sign on Vultures 1 and Vultures 2. He is part of groups and collectives including Child Rebel Soldier, KIDS SEE GHOSTS, ¥$, Go Getters, Sunday Service Choir, Roc-A-Fella Family, Madvillainz and The Hooligans.

He is connected with the labels G.O.O.D. Music, Very Good Beats, Yeezy Sound, Ye World Music, Konman Productions and Roc the World.

Recognition and public profile

West sells 160 million records worldwide and wins 24 Grammy Awards, the joint 11th-most of all time and the most for any hip hop artist along with Jay-Z. His other honours include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. He also holds the joint record with Bob Dylan for most albums topping the annual Pazz & Jop critics poll.

Time names him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015. In 2020, his first six solo albums are included on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, and the same publication names him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

West is also a prominent public figure outside music. His fashion work includes collaborations with Nike, Louis Vuitton and Gap, and he leads the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas. His public comments on music, fashion, politics, race and slavery draw sustained media attention, as do his Christian faith, marriage to Kim Kardashian and mental health. In 2020 he launches an independent presidential campaign. In 2022, he is widely condemned after making antisemitic statements, including Holocaust denial, and loses sponsors and partnerships including Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga.