Kanye West

Ye (/jeɪ/ YAY; born Kanye Omari West /ˈkɑːnjeɪ oʊˈmɑːri/ KAHN-yay oh-MAH-ree, June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and businessman. He has been listed among the greatest rappers of all time and referred to as one of the most prominent figures in hip-hop. His music, characterized by frequent stylistic shifts, has been credited with facilitating the emergence of rappers who did not conform to gangsta rap conventions. He is also known for his controversial public persona, including his polarizing cultural and political commentary.

West was born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago. After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, he became a producer for Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records and garnered recognition for his "chipmunk soul" production style before signing with the label as a recording artist. His debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), received acclaim, and his second album, Late Registration (2005), became his first of eleven US Billboard 200 number-one albums. He has five US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles―"Slow Jamz" (2003), "Gold Digger" (2005), "Stronger" (2007), "E.T." (2011, as a featured artist), and "Carnival" (2024)―and was the first rapper to top the chart across three decades. Beyond his musical career, he has collaborated with Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Gap on clothing and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas.