Kanye West

Kanye Omari West (; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West first became known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, contributing to hit singles for artists such as Jay-Z, Ludacris and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success, and founded the record label GOOD Music. He went on to pursue a variety of styles on subsequent albums, including the polarizing but influential 808s & Heartbreak (2008). He released the critically acclaimed album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010, and followed with albums such as the abrasive Yeezus (2013) and fragmented The Life of Pablo (2016), full-length collaborations with Jay-Z and Kid Cudi, and production work for artists such as Pusha T and Nas.

West's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention. He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows, on social media, and in other public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, and race. As a fashion designer, he has collaborated with Nike, Louis Vuitton, and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear, and have most prominently resulted in the YEEZY collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013. He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA. His marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been a source of substantial media attention.

West is among the most critically acclaimed musicians of the 21st century and one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist of his generation. Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone's 2012 update of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.