Kanye West

Kanye Omari West (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, fashion designer. West is among the most critically acclaimed musicians of the 21st century. His music has spanned a broad range of styles, incorporating an eclectic range of influences including hip hop, soul, baroque pop, electro, indie rock, synth-pop, industrial, and gospel.

West is one of the world's best-selling music artists with over 100 million records sold worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time. Among West's other awards include the Chicago Chapter's Recording Academy Honor, the Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone's 2012 update of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list and he is tied-holder for the most albums topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll with four. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.

Early life
Kanye was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. After his parents divorced when he was three years old he moved with his mother to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ray West was later a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland with startup capital from his son. At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China, where she was teaching at Nanjing University as part of an exchange program. According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'."

Mother's death
On November 10, 2007, West's mother Donda West died at age 58. In January 2008 the Los Angeles County coroner's office said that West had died of coronary artery disease and multiple post-operative factors from, or as a consequence of, liposuction and mammoplasty".

West played his first concert following the funeral at The O2 in London on November 22. He dedicated a performance of "Hey Mama", as well as a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", to his mother, and did so on all other dates of his Glow in the Dark tour.

California governor subsequently signed the "Donda West Law", legislation which makes it mandatory for patients to receive medical clearance through a physical examination before undergoing elective cosmetic surgery.

Name 'Ye'
In September 2018, West announced on Twitter that being "formally known as Kanye West," he was now "YE." He had been using that name for some time as a nickname and as an album title.

Albums

 * The College Dropout (2004)
 * Late Registration (2005)
 * Graduation (2007)
 * 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
 * My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)
 * Yeezus (2013)
 * The Life of Pablo (2016)
 * Ye (2018)
 * Jesus Is King (2019)

Collaborative albums

 * Watch the Throne (with Jay-Z) (2011)
 * Kids See Ghosts (with Kid Cudi as Kids See Ghosts) (2018)
 * Jesus Is Born (with Sunday Service) (2019)