Kanye West: Age, Net Worth, Biography and Facts

Kanye West (legally Ye since 2021) is an American rapper, record producer and fashion designer, a 24-time Grammy winner and the founder of Yeezy. He is one of the most influential and most controversial figures in modern music. This profile covers his full name and biography, every studio album, his best-known songs, his wives and children, his business and the latest news as of October 2026.

Age and net worth

Kanye West was born on June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia and is 49 years old.

Forbes has put his net worth at $400 million since Adidas ended the Yeezy partnership in October 2022 (Forbes). Figures like this are published estimates, not official statements of wealth.

Who is Kanye West

Kanye West (full name Kanye Omari West, legally changed to Ye in 2021; born June 8, 1977, in Atlanta) is a rapper, songwriter, producer and designer. He rose to fame as a producer for Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records and went on to release a series of albums that reshaped hip-hop, from the soulful "The College Dropout" to the electronic minimalism of "808s & Heartbreak" and the maximalist "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." He has won 24 Grammy Awards, and Time named him to its list of the 100 most influential people in 2005 and 2015.

West is also one of the most polarizing artists of his time. His comments on slavery, politics and, from 2022, his repeated antisemitic statements led companies including Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga to end their partnerships with him. In January 2026 he apologized in a full-page newspaper ad, but his past statements continued to shape how venues and governments responded to him.

Kanye West in Numbers

Metric	Value (as of October 2026)
Date and place of birth	June 8, 1977, Atlanta, USA
Full name	Kanye Omari West; legally Ye since 2021
Grammy Awards	24
Debut album	"The College Dropout" (2004)
Latest album	"Bully" (March 2026)
Fashion brand	Yeezy
Time 100	2005, 2015
Marriages	Kim Kardashian (2014–2022), Bianca Censori (since 2022)
Children	4: North, Saint, Chicago, Psalm

Childhood in Chicago

West was born in Atlanta. When he was three his parents divorced, and he moved to Chicago with his mother, Donda West, an English professor who later chaired the English department at Chicago State University. His father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther who became one of the first Black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and later a Christian counselor. At ten Kanye spent a year in Nanjing, China, where his mother taught as part of an exchange program.

He began writing poetry at five, rapped from the third grade and was making beats by seventh grade, when his mother bought him his first keyboard. He studied briefly at the American Academy of Art and at Chicago State University but dropped out at 20 to pursue music, a decision that later gave his first albums their education-themed titles.

Producer and "The College Dropout" (1996–2006)

West built his reputation as a producer in Chicago and then in New York, where his sped-up soul samples defined Jay-Z's album "The Blueprint" (2001), including "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Takeover." Labels were reluctant to sign him as a rapper. In October 2002 he was badly injured in a car crash in Los Angeles; he recorded "Through the Wire" with his jaw still wired shut. Roc-A-Fella released his debut, "The College Dropout," in February 2004. With "Through the Wire," "Slow Jamz," "All Falls Down" and "Jesus Walks," it earned ten Grammy nominations and won Best Rap Album. "Late Registration" (2005), with "Gold Digger" and "Touch the Sky," won Best Rap Album again. That year, during a live hurricane relief telethon, he said that "George Bush doesn't care about Black people," one of the most widely discussed moments of the decade.

From "Graduation" to "Yeezus" (2007–2015)

"Graduation" (2007), led by the Daft Punk-sampling "Stronger" and "Good Life," outsold 50 Cent's "Curtis" in a heavily publicized same-day release and won Best Rap Album. In November 2007 his mother died of complications after cosmetic surgery. Grief and the end of his engagement shaped "808s & Heartbreak" (2008), a sparse, Auto-Tuned record with "Heartless" and "Love Lockdown" that influenced a generation of rappers and singers. At the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards he interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech, an incident that followed both artists for years.

"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" (2010), with "Power," "Runaway" and "All of the Lights," is often ranked among the greatest albums of the century. He followed it with "Watch the Throne" (2011) with Jay-Z, which included "Otis" and a song whose title references Paris, and the abrasive, industrial "Yeezus" (2013), with "Black Skinhead" and "Bound 2."

"The Life of Pablo" to "Donda" (2016–2021)

"The Life of Pablo" (2016) was released first as a streaming exclusive on Tidal and was updated after release, with "Ultralight Beam," "Famous" and "Father Stretch My Hands." His Saint Pablo Tour was cut short in November 2016, when he was hospitalized; he later said he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2018 he produced a run of seven-song albums in Wyoming, including his own "Ye" and "Kids See Ghosts" with Kid Cudi. "Jesus Is King" (2019) grew out of his Sunday Service gospel performances and won Best Contemporary Christian Music Album. "Donda" (2021), named after his mother, was previewed in stadium listening events and produced the Grammy-winning "Hurricane" and "Jail."

Vultures and "Bully" (2024–2026)

With Ty Dolla Sign, as the duo ¥$, he released "Vultures 1" (February 2024) and "Vultures 2" (August 2024). "Carnival," from the first volume, reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His next solo album, "Bully," was postponed many times before its release in March 2026 on his own YZY label; reviews were mixed, and a deluxe edition followed.

Kanye West Albums

Year	Album	Key songs
2004	"The College Dropout"	"Through the Wire," "Jesus Walks," "Slow Jamz"
2005	"Late Registration"	"Gold Digger," "Touch the Sky," "Heard 'Em Say"
2007	"Graduation"	"Stronger," "Good Life," "Flashing Lights"
2008	"808s & Heartbreak"	"Heartless," "Love Lockdown"
2010	"My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"	"Power," "Runaway," "All of the Lights"
2013	"Yeezus"	"Black Skinhead," "Bound 2"
2016	"The Life of Pablo"	"Ultralight Beam," "Famous"
2018	"Ye"	"Ghost Town"
2019	"Jesus Is King"	"Follow God"
2021	"Donda"	"Hurricane," "Jail"
2026	"Bully"	"King"

Collaborative albums: "Watch the Throne" (2011, with Jay-Z), "Kids See Ghosts" (2018, with Kid Cudi), "Vultures 1" and "Vultures 2" (2024, with Ty Dolla Sign).

Kanye West Songs and Music

His Hot 100 No. 1 hits include "Slow Jamz" (2004, Twista's single featuring West and Jamie Foxx), "Gold Digger" (2005), which spent ten weeks at the top, "Stronger" (2007) and "Carnival" (2024). His best-known songs also include "Jesus Walks," "Touch the Sky," "Flashing Lights," "Heartless," "Love Lockdown," "Power," "Runaway," "All of the Lights," "Bound 2," "Ultralight Beam" and "Hurricane." As a producer he shaped records for Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Common, John Legend and many others, and his 2008 Auto-Tune experiments and 2013 industrial sound were widely imitated.

Influence

West's influence on hip-hop is hard to overstate. "The College Dropout" helped open mainstream rap to middle-class, introspective and openly religious themes at a time when gangsta rap dominated the charts. "808s & Heartbreak" made melodic, emotionally vulnerable rap acceptable, a path followed by Drake, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott and many others. His G.O.O.D. Music label launched or boosted the careers of artists including Kid Cudi, Big Sean and Pusha T, and his stadium-scale listening events changed how albums are rolled out.

Grammy Awards

West has won 24 Grammys, including four for Best Rap Album ("The College Dropout," "Late Registration," "Graduation" and "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"). Other wins include "Jesus Walks," "Gold Digger," "Stronger," "Run This Town," "All of the Lights" and, in 2022, "Hurricane" and "Jail." He has never won Album of the Year, despite several nominations.

Yeezy, Fashion and Merch

In 2009 West released the Air Yeezy sneaker with Nike, one of the first major shoe deals for a musician. In 2013 he signed with Adidas, and from 2015 the Yeezy Boost sneakers became one of the most sought-after lines in fashion. His Yeezy Season runway shows, the Yeezy Gap partnership (2020–2022) and his collaborations with Balenciaga made him a significant figure in fashion. Adidas ended the partnership on October 25, 2022, saying it did not tolerate antisemitism and hate speech, and later sold off its remaining Yeezy stock. Since then he has sold apparel and merchandise directly through his own Yeezy website. Some products sold through the site in 2025, including a T-shirt bearing a swastika, drew condemnation and led platforms to remove the store.

Politics, Name Change and Controversies

In 2020 West ran for President of the United States as an independent; he appeared on the ballot in about a dozen states and received roughly 70,000 votes. In October 2021 a Los Angeles judge approved his request to change his legal name to Ye, a nickname he has used for years and which he said means "you" in the Bible.

In October 2022 he made a series of antisemitic statements on social media and in interviews, which led Adidas, Gap, Balenciaga, his talent agency CAA and others to drop him. He apologized in Hebrew in December 2023, but in 2025 he again posted antisemitic messages and released a song titled "Heil Hitler," which streaming platforms removed. On January 26, 2026, he published a full-page apology in The Wall Street Journal titled "To Those I've Hurt," in which he apologized to the Jewish and Black communities and linked his behavior to bipolar disorder, which he said followed an undiagnosed brain injury from his 2002 car crash. In April 2026 the UK Home Office blocked his entry to the country, saying his presence would "not be conducive to the public good," and the Wireless Festival in London, where he was due to headline all three nights, was canceled.

Wife and Children

West married reality television star Kim Kardashian on May 24, 2014, in Florence, Italy. They have four children: North (born June 2013), Saint (December 2015), Chicago (January 2018) and Psalm (May 2019). Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021, and it was finalized in November 2022, with joint custody of the children. In December 2022 he married Bianca Censori, an Australian architectural designer who worked at Yeezy; the ceremony was reported in January 2023. Censori's revealing outfits, including her appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards, have drawn wide media attention. West was previously engaged to designer Alexis Phifer and dated model Amber Rose.

Instagram and Public Presence

West has a long, turbulent relationship with social media. He has deleted and restored his Instagram and X accounts several times, and both platforms have restricted his accounts after antisemitic posts. Many of his announcements, including album dates and merch drops, are made through his own websites and livestreams rather than traditional promotion.

Quick Facts

Full name	Kanye Omari West (legally Ye since 2021)
Born	June 8, 1977, Atlanta, USA
Parents	Donda West and Ray West
Occupation	Rapper, producer, songwriter, designer
Best known albums	"The College Dropout," "Graduation," "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"
Awards	24 Grammy Awards
Business	Yeezy
Wife	Bianca Censori (since 2022)
Children	North, Saint, Chicago, Psalm

Timeline

• June 8, 1977: Born in Atlanta.
• 2001: Produced key tracks on Jay-Z's "The Blueprint."
• October 2002: Seriously injured in a car crash.
• February 2004: Released "The College Dropout."
• September 2007: Released "Graduation."
• November 2007: His mother, Donda West, died.
• September 2009: Interrupted Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs.
• November 2010: Released "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy."
• 2013: Released "Yeezus"; signed with Adidas.
• May 24, 2014: Married Kim Kardashian.
• 2016: Released "The Life of Pablo."
• 2020: Ran for President of the United States.
• 2021: Released "Donda"; legally changed his name to Ye.
• October 25, 2022: Adidas ended its partnership with him.
• November 2022: Divorce from Kim Kardashian finalized.
• December 2022: Married Bianca Censori.
• 2024: Released "Vultures 1" and "Vultures 2"; "Carnival" topped the Hot 100.
• January 26, 2026: Published an apology in The Wall Street Journal.
• March 2026: Released "Bully."
• April 2026: Barred from entering the UK; Wireless Festival canceled.

Photo: David Shankbone, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons