section_path: Abstract
section_name: Abstract
paragraph_text: Ye (/ j eɪ / YAY; born Kanye Omari West / ˈ k ɑː n j eɪ / KAHN -yay; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. He is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, though his artistic achievements are frequently overshadowed by his controversial public persona.
  
  West was born in Atlanta and was raised in Chicago. After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums such as Jay-Z 's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), was met with critical acclaim and yielded the US Billboard Hot 100 -number one single " Slow Jamz ". He topped the chart on four other occasions with the singles " Gold Digger " (2005), " Stronger " (2007), " E.T. " (2011, as a featured artist), and " Carnival " (2024).
  
  The College Dropout, and five of West's subsequent albums— Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and Yeezus (2013)—were all included on Rolling Stone ' s 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. His next four albums— The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), Jesus Is King (2019), and Donda (2021)—continued his series of consecutive number one debuts on the US Billboard 200. West also released the collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Jay-Z, Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Kid Cudi, and two Vultures (2024) albums with Ty Dolla Sign. His first visual album, Bully, and eleventh studio album, Donda 2 (both 2025), followed thereafter. In fashion design, he has collaborated with Nike, Inc., Louis Vuitton, and Gap Inc. on clothing and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas.
  
  One of the world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold, West has won 24 Grammy Awards, making him the 12th-most awarded of all time. His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. West holds the joint record (with Bob Dylan) for most albums (4) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.
  
  West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage. He has been a frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on social media, at award shows and in public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, race, and slavery. His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, and mental health have also been topics of media attention. In 2020, West ran an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign. Starting in 2022, West has drawn widespread condemnation — and lost sponsors and partnerships — for his antisemitic views. He has self-identified as a Nazi, praised Adolf Hitler, used swastika imagery, and denied the Holocaust.
  
  Ye (/ j eɪ / YAY; born Kanye Omari West / ˈ k ɑː n j eɪ / KAHN -yay; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. He is regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, though his artistic achievements are frequently overshadowed by his controversial public persona.
  
  West was born in Atlanta and was raised in Chicago. After dropping out of college to pursue a music career, West began producing for regional artists in the Chicago area. As an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, he co-produced albums such as Jay-Z 's The Blueprint (2001) before signing with the label as a recording artist. West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004), was met with critical acclaim and yielded the US Billboard Hot 100 -number one single " Slow Jamz ". He topped the chart on four other occasions with the singles " Gold Digger " (2005), " Stronger " (2007), " E.T. " (2011, as a featured artist), and " Carnival " (2024).
  
  The College Dropout, and five of West's subsequent albums— Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), 808s & Heartbreak (2008), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), and Yeezus (2013)—were all included on Rolling Stone ' s 2020 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, with the same publication naming him one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. His next four albums— The Life of Pablo (2016), Ye (2018), Jesus Is King (2019), and Donda (2021)—continued his series of consecutive number one debuts on the US Billboard 200. West also released the collaborative albums Watch the Throne (2011) with Jay-Z, Kids See Ghosts (2018) with Kid Cudi, and two Vultures (2024) albums with Ty Dolla Sign. His first visual album, Bully, and eleventh studio album, Donda 2 (both 2025), followed thereafter. In fashion design, he has collaborated with Nike, Inc., Louis Vuitton, and Gap Inc. on clothing and footwear, and led the Yeezy collaboration with Adidas.
  
  One of the world's best-selling music artists with 160 million records sold, West has won 24 Grammy Awards, making him the 12th-most awarded of all time. His other accolades include a Billboard Artist Achievement Award, a joint-record three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. West holds the joint record (with Bob Dylan) for most albums (4) topping the annual Pazz & Jop critic poll. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.
  
  West's outspoken views have received significant media coverage. He has been a frequent source of controversy due to his conduct on social media, at award shows and in public settings, as well as his comments on the music and fashion industries, U.S. politics, race, and slavery. His Christian faith, high-profile marriage to Kim Kardashian, and mental health have also been topics of media attention. In 2020, West ran an unsuccessful independent presidential campaign. Starting in 2022, West has drawn widespread condemnation — and lost sponsors and partnerships — for his antisemitic views. He has self-identified as a Nazi, praised Adolf Hitler, used swastika imagery, and denied the Holocaust.