Kanye West is 49 years old. Born Kanye Omari West on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia, the American rapper, record producer and fashion designer rose from behind the boards to become one of the most influential and most talked-about figures in modern music. He first made his name producing hit records for Jay-Z, then built a recording career of his own that has brought him 24 Grammy Awards, more than 160 million records sold and 11 albums at the top of the US Billboard 200. Along the way he also built the Yeezy fashion empire, ran for president of the United States and married — and divorced — Kim Kardashian. In 2021 he legally changed his name to Ye.
Kanye West Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kanye Omari West (also known as Ye) |
| Date of Birth | June 8, 1977 |
| Age | 49 |
| Birthplace | Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
| Wife | Bianca Censori (m. 2022) |
| Children | 4 |
| Occupation | Rapper, record producer, fashion designer |
| Net Worth | Approx. $350 million (Celebrity Net Worth, 2026) |
| Known For | The College Dropout; 24 Grammy Awards; Yeezy |
Who Is Kanye West?
Kanye West is an American rapper, record producer and fashion designer whose career has spanned more than three decades. He began in the mid-1990s as a producer in Chicago, and his big break came in 2001, when he produced five tracks on Jay-Z‘s landmark album The Blueprint. His own debut album, The College Dropout, arrived in 2004 and turned him into a star in his own right, winning the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and producing the chart-topping single “Slow Jamz”.
Since then West has released a run of albums that have reshaped the sound of popular music, from the orchestral soul of Late Registration and the stadium anthems of Graduation to the stark electronics of Yeezus and the gospel of Jesus Is King. He has won 24 Grammy Awards from 75 nominations, tying Jay-Z for the most Grammys ever won by a rapper, and he has sold more than 160 million records worldwide. He has also been a constant presence in fashion, first with Nike and then with Adidas, where his Yeezy line became one of the most successful celebrity fashion brands ever made.
Kanye West’s Early Life & Background
Kanye West was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved to Chicago with his mother when he was three years old, after his parents divorced. His mother, Donda West, was an English professor at Chicago State University, and his father, Ray West, was a former Black Panther who later worked as a photojournalist and a Christian counsellor. West grew up in a middle-class home in Chicago, attended Polaris High School in the suburb of Oak Lawn, and briefly enrolled at Chicago State University, where his mother taught, before dropping out to pursue music full time.
West began making beats in the mid-1990s, and his first production credits came in 1996, on the album Down to Earth by the Chicago group Grav. He sold beats to local artists before catching the attention of the industry, working with Jermaine Dupri and Foxx, and in 2000 he began producing for artists on Roc-A-Fella Records. His work on Jay-Z’s The Blueprint in 2001 — including “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, “Heart of the City” and “Takeover” — made him one of the most in-demand producers in hip-hop. In October 2002, on his way home from a recording session in Los Angeles, he was involved in a serious car accident that left his jaw wired shut; he recorded his first single, “Through the Wire”, while his jaw was still wired, rapping through the pain.
Kanye West’s Career
West’s debut album, The College Dropout, was released in February 2004 and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 441,000 copies in its first week. Built on sped-up soul samples and songs about college, faith and family, it won the Grammy for Best Rap Album and produced the number-one single “Slow Jamz” and the hit “Jesus Walks”. Its follow-up, Late Registration (2005), topped the chart, and Graduation (2007) sold 957,000 copies in its first week, outselling 50 Cent’s Curtis in one of the most publicised chart battles of the decade. 808s & Heartbreak (2008) traded rapping for Auto-Tuned singing and proved hugely influential on the next generation of hip-hop and R&B.
In 2009 West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, a moment that dominated the news cycle and that he later apologised for. He answered the backlash with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of its era, and then with the collaborative album Watch the Throne (2011) alongside Jay-Z. The electronic, abrasive Yeezus (2013) and the gospel-inflected The Life of Pablo (2016) both reached number one, as did Ye (2018) and Jesus Is King (2019), the latter recorded after West began his Sunday Service gatherings in January 2019. His tenth studio album, Donda (2021), named for his late mother, also topped the chart.
Alongside his music, West built a fashion business. He founded the record label G.O.O.D. Music in 2004, signing artists including John Legend, Common, Big Sean, Kid Cudi, Pusha T and Teyana Taylor. His Nike Air Yeezy trainers arrived in 2009, and his Adidas Yeezy line, launched in 2015, became one of the most successful celebrity fashion brands ever made — until Adidas ended the partnership in October 2022 after West made a series of antisemitic statements, a break that cut his fortune sharply. In July 2020 he launched a bid for president of the United States as an independent candidate under the Birthday Party, appearing on the ballot in 12 states and winning around 70,000 votes. In 2024 he released two collaborative albums with Ty Dolla Sign, Vultures 1 and Vultures 2, and in March 2026 he returned with the solo album Bully, which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and was followed by stadium shows in Los Angeles and Mexico City that grossed more than $62 million. In May 2025 he posted that he was “done with antisemitism”, and in January 2026 he published an open letter in The Wall Street Journal apologising to the Jewish community and asking for forgiveness.
Facts About Kanye West
- West has won 24 Grammy Awards from 75 nominations, tying Jay-Z for the most Grammys ever won by a rapper.
- He has sold more than 160 million records worldwide and scored 11 number-one albums on the Billboard 200.
- He legally changed his name to Ye in October 2021, though he continues to release music under the name Kanye West.
- He was married to Kim Kardashian from 2014 to 2022; they have four children together — North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm.
- His fortune peaked at $6.6 billion in March 2021, before the end of his Adidas partnership cut his net worth sharply.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Kanye West?
Kanye West is 49 years old. He was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Who is Kanye West’s wife?
Kanye West is married to Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, since December 2022. He was previously married to Kim Kardashian from 2014 to 2022.
What is Kanye West’s net worth?
Kanye West’s net worth is approx. $350 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026). His fortune peaked at $6.6 billion in March 2021, before Adidas ended its partnership with him in October 2022.
What is Kanye West’s real name?
Kanye West’s real name is Kanye Omari West. He legally changed his name to Ye in October 2021.
How many Grammys has Kanye West won?
Kanye West has won 24 Grammy Awards from 75 nominations, tying Jay-Z for the most Grammys ever won by a rapper.
How old is Kanye West?
Kanye West is 49 years old. He was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Who is Kanye West’s wife?
Kanye West is married to Bianca Censori, an Australian architect, since December 2022. He was previously married to Kim Kardashian from 2014 to 2022.
What is Kanye West’s net worth?
Kanye West’s net worth is approx. $350 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth (2026). His fortune peaked at $6.6 billion in March 2021, before Adidas ended its partnership with him in October 2022.
What is Kanye West’s real name?
Kanye West’s real name is Kanye Omari West. He legally changed his name to Ye in October 2021.
How many Grammys has Kanye West won?
Kanye West has won 24 Grammy Awards from 75 nominations, tying Jay-Z for the most Grammys ever won by a rapper.
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