Kanye West has slowly but surely become one of the most polarizing entertainers in Hollywood. At times, he is the voice of reason who doesn’t stand for social injustices but just as quickly he can become a public bully to anyone who doesn’t share his beliefs in life.
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We don’t really want to judge or nitpick Kanye West and his opinions but instead want to learn how he got here. Join us, as we take a look at the most monumental moments of West’s life. From his mother’s untimely passing to the women who he dated before Kim, everything and everyone had an influence on Kanye and not all of it was good.
Smash Hit
Kanye West first burst onto the hip hop scene with his smash hit single “Through the Wire”. The song appealed to fans across the world with its heartfelt lyrics and topics of overcoming odds and feelings of isolation.
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The single quickly went platinum and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. West quickly garnered himself a huge fan following and great praise from critics, but even today not everyone knows the true story behind the poignant words of the song.
Hard Times
The truth was that the smash-hit single had been inspired by some very difficult times in West’s life. While he was still working towards becoming a successful rapper, West was involved in a serious car accident, that left him with grievous injuries.
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The future superstar had to have his jaw wired shut, and it was through this pain that he wrote what was to be his breakout song. “’ Through The Wire’ is the worst thing that could’ve possibly happen to me,” he said to Yahoo! News. “And now it’s obviously the best thing. Look at how it exploded!”
Life Lessons
Even though he had been through one of the most difficult times of his life, this experience proved invaluable to Kanye West in his growth as a person. Not only did the struggles he went through inspire one of the most moving songs in hip hop history, but the recovery period enabled him to grow even more as an artist.
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“The accident gave me the opportunity to do what I really wanted to do,” he said to Interview magazine. “During that recovery period, I just spent all my time honing my craft and making The College Dropout.”
Demo Drop
West was, of course, referring to his first major-label album, 2004’s The College Dropout. Prior to this, the rapper had worked as a producer for a variety of well-known hip hop stars, such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli.
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But now it was time for West to prove himself as a rapper in his own right. And prove himself he did—the album sold almost half a million copies in its first week of release, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2005.
School Days
The truth was, that Kanye West was inspired to write this album by the events that followed his decision to drop out of college. It may surprise you to know that the young Kanye West was a keen student in school, excelling in subjects like art and English.
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In fact, West enrolled at Chicago State University to study a degree in English. However, his college schedule interfered with his musical commitments, so he decided to drop out. He was confident that this was the right choice—but someone else in his life found this very hard to accept.
A Mother’s Love
One of the most important people in his life, Kanye West always had an incredibly strong relationship and close bond with his mother. West’s parents had split when he was very young, and he was raised mostly by his mom, a college professor and teacher.
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In fact, the young West even lived in China for a year while he was growing up, as his mother was working at the university there. He even learned to speak Chinese, although he has since forgotten most of it.
Big Dreams
Because of his mother’s successful career in academia, she was keen for her son to follow in her footsteps and gain for himself a thorough and strong education. West’s mother must have been delighted when he enrolled to study at university, and therefore his decision to drop out came as a crushing blow.
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“It was drummed into my head that college is the ticket to a good life,” West’s mother, Donda West, said to the Chicago Tribune. However, her son’s massive success would one day cause her to reconsider this outlook.
Mega Star
Hot on the heels of the success of his first single Through the Wire, West quickly became known throughout the showbiz world as one of hip hop’s biggest stars. Over the years, the rap mogul has released an amazing 1 albums, most of them going platinum or double platinum.
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His Heartless single also became one of the most iconic sounds of the 2000s. These mega-selling hits are what we all know Kanye West for—but not many people know what really went on behind the scenes.
Critics’ Darling
And it’s not just in his album sales that have cemented Kanye West as one of the biggest stars in the world. He also has received worldwide acclaim and praise for his work—with a whopping 21 Grammy Awards to his name, he is one of the most decorated artists in history.
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In total, West has been nominated for 758 awards and won 255. Amazing! So it was no surprise when in 2012, Rolling Stone magazine named him on their list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Making Mom Proud
Once she saw the incredible heights of success that her beloved son had achieved, Donda West realized that he had done the right thing in dropping out of college—even though she hadn’t thought so at the time.
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“Some career goals don’t require college,” she said to the Chicago Tribune. “For Kanye to make an album called College Dropout it was more about having the guts to embrace who you are, rather than following the path society has carved out for you.”
Like Father, Like Son
Even though the young Kanye West was mostly raised by his mother, both of his parents took care to keep the young boy connected and bonded to his father. West saw his father infrequently, but regularly—he would spend each summer with him—and the two formed a strong bond.
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“My father was a paparazzo,” West said of his father’s many jobs. “My father was a medical illustrator, a Black Panther, a Christian marriage counsellor. My dad came to visit me at one of our ranches in Cody, Wyoming. He talked about his love for fishing, and how he could come here in the summers,” West tweeted upon the video’s arrival. “It took me 42 years to realize that my dad was my best friend.”
Giving Back
Now that Kanye West was a bona fide superstar, he had achieved both staggering fame and also gained a massive fortune. But for West, he didn’t simply want to sit back on his earnings and enjoy his wealth. It was incredibly important to him to use his new-found wealth for good and give back to the community.
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That’s why in 2003, together with his beloved mother, he founded the Kanye West Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to “enabling underserved youth access to programs that will unleash their creativity and reach their full potential.”
Top of the World
Worldwide fame, heaps of awards, and megabucks in the bank—what more could a person possibly want? The answer, of course, is love—which is what West was lucky enough to find next.
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Around this time, he started dating fashion designer Alexis Phifer, and the two quickly fell for each other. In August 2006, the happy couple announced their engagement. It seemed that the hip hop megastar was truly on top of the world—but something was about to happen that would bring his whole world crashing down.
Tragedy Strikes
It seemed like Kanye West had everything he could have ever wanted. One of hip-hop’s undisputed megastars, he had legions of fans around the world and critics and contemporaries at his feet.
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With his beloved Alexis Phifer on his arm, it seemed that things were utterly rosy for the superstar rapper. But West’s idyllic life suffered a crushing blow in 2007 when his beloved mother, Donda West, passed away suddenly from heart disease. She was 58, and had seemed perfectly healthy—it came as a shock to everyone, but most of all to her cherished son.
Devastated by the Loss
Kanye West was completely devastated by the loss of his beloved mother. Throughout his entire youth and adult life, she had been his one stalwart through everything. She had supported him in all his endeavours and constantly encouraged him to grow as a person.
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West released a statement thanking fans for their support, and asking for donations to charity in her honour—but otherwise seemed too devastated to talk about his loss. Without his mom, West felt completely lost. Could he make it on his own in this crazy world, without his cherished mother leading the way?
Missing Mom
Slowly, West attempted to begin returning to some semblance of normality in his life. This also meant returning to music, and eventually taking the stage. Following his mother’s funeral, West returned to a public gig for the first time at London’s iconic venue The O2 in November 2007.
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West performed his song “Hey Mama”, which he had written in honour of her before she died. He dedicated this song to his mother and gave an incredibly emotional performance, breaking down on stage and sharing his grief with his equally moved fans.
Heartbreak Hotel
And it wasn’t just the loss of his mother that would be a terrible blow to Kanye’s personal life in this period. In 2008, Kanye West and his partner of six years, fashion designer Alexis Phifer, announced that they were ending their 18-month engagement.
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“It’s always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends,” Phifer said to People magazine. “I wish him the best in his future and all of his endeavours. He’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met.”
A New Hope
Despite the tragedy that had surrounded Kanye West in the past few years, the superstar rapper didn’t let the devastating effects rob him of his spirit or his determination in life. Not only did the hip hop legend continue making music and inspiring fans worldwide with his art, but he also continued in his pursuit of finding true love.
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Later in 2008, West confirmed that he was dating international supermodel Amber Rose. The two seemed happy and in love, but West’s true soulmate was still to come—in the most surprising of ways.
Keeping it Real
As well as his love for hip hop, Kanye West had always had a keen interest in fashion. So much so, that he decided to pursue a career as a designer. But it may surprise you to know that the worldwide superstar went about this in the most ordinary of ways. In 2009 he began an internship at major fashion label Fendi to learn the ropes.
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And don’t think that the superstar received any special treatment—he revealed to Hot 97 that he was just like any other intern, “Going to work, walking to work, getting cappuccinos…!”
Fashion Mogul
Of course, nowadays most people know that Kanye West isn’t just a giant of the hip hop world. He has also achieved colossal success and acclaim as a celebrated fashion designer. Though people might not know the truth of the dedicated and humble way he pursued this new career, everyone now has heard of his super-successful clothing and shoe lines.
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He has teamed up with brands such as Nike and Adidas to create his own “Yeezy” line of shoes, as well as launching his own label, also called Yeezy. The brand has been systematically setting fashion trends, ever since it was released.
Surface Level
At first glance, it seemed that West was doing pretty well in the wake of his mother’s death. He had found a new love in Amber Rose, and the relationship was still going strong. He continued to release bestselling singles and dominate the hip-hop airwaves.
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He had also, of course, launched his career as a fashion designer, with millions of sales and rave reviews from critics. But behind the scenes, West was still struggling. And one, in particular, very public outburst, was brewing under the surface.
Swift Takedown
In 2009, Kanye West made headlines in what is still one of the most memorable moments in his career. While attending the MTV Music Awards, millions of viewers around the world watched as young singer Taylor Swift accepted the trophy for Best Female Video.
Screenshot from “VMA 2009”
But in the middle of her speech, fans and celebs alike were stunned when West stormed the stage, interrupting Swift and demanding that the award should have gone to Beyoncé instead. The world was shocked, and not only did everybody feel incredibly sorry for Swift, but talk quickly turned to West’s mental state.
Facing Facts
The truth was, Kanye West was just as shaken by these surprising events as anyone else. He simply did not know what he was doing that day he rushed the stage and made that impromptu, now infamous and much-memed speech.
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West knew he had hurt Taylor Swift deeply, and he apologized profusely for his actions. “I’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment,” he wrote on his blog. “I really feel bad for Taylor and I’m sincerely sorry.”
Making Amends
Taylor Swift later revealed that West had called her personally and apologized. “Kanye did call me and he was very sincere in his apology,” she said to ABC Radio. “And I accepted that apology.”
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However, West knew that making amends with Swift was not the only thing that needed to be done. He also had some very serious work to do on himself—work that he would later open up about, speaking openly to the world about his personal struggles and growth.
Firm Friends
Throughout this time, West was learning to navigate his life without the strong, guiding influence of his beloved mother. However, there was another super-powered female providing support to the superstar rapper, who he leaned on for inspiration and guidance.
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That female was his long time friend and fellow superstar, Kim Kardashian. West and Kardashian had known each other for years and supported each other in their rise to fame. However, they were both in relationships with other people, so had never considered each other as more than friends—or so Kardashian thought.
True Romance
The truth was, West had admired Kardashian from afar for a long time. Though he appreciated her friendship, he wanted something more to happen between them. “I just knew I wanted her to be my girl for a long time,” West said in an interview with Ryan Seacrest.
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“I remember I saw a picture of her and Paris Hilton, and I remember telling my boy, ‘Have you seen that girl Kim Kar-dijon?’”Soon enough, West had broken things off with Amber Rose, and the newly single rapper began thinking about taking his relationship with Kardashian to the next level.
Super Soulmates
Kanye West’s super determined persistence and unshakeable faith eventually paid off. He and Kardashian eventually began dating, taking their friendship to a more romantic level. The world was entranced by this new super fabulous celebrity power couple, and the strength they clearly brought to each other.
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The couple announced their engagement in 2013 and wed in 2014 in an intimate ceremony in Florence, Italy. “She’s the love of my life,” West gushed in a radio interview with 99.7 NOW. “She has a beautiful amazing family that is now my family.”
Blushing Bride
One of the reasons that West and Kardashian bonded so greatly is that they both understand the craziness and pressure of living life in the spotlight. As the star of reality TV show Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
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West’s bride understood better than most the wild ride of fame, something that he spoke about openly to 99.7 NOW. “Just the stability in this astronaut ride of life, particularly of fame,” he said. “To have someone who understands, who’s that sweet, who doesn’t want me for my money.”
Family Matters
West and Kardashian are famous not only for their respective careers but also for the loving and inspirational family they have created. Together they have four children, North “Nori” West, Saint West, Chicago West, and Psalm West.
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Chicago and Psalm West were both famously born via a surrogate, but there’s something else you may not know about the births of the celeb couple’s children. With the birth of their first child, West and Kardashian asked their fans and well-wishers not to send gifts, but to donate to Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in their honour.
Internet Sensation
Though Kanye West is undoubtedly revered as a hip hop legend and creative genius—not to mention his stellar success in the fashion world—that doesn’t mean he is immune to occasionally being poked fun at.
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In fact, it becomes even clearer how greatly he is adored across the world when you look at the various memes people post about some of the sillier things he has done. For example, the world went wild in 2014 when a video of West’s less-than-conventional dance moves hit the internet.
More Memes
As West’s super popularity continued, his fans and admirers across the world continued to enjoy posting memes and viral messages about him on the internet. One particular meme that stood out during this time became known as “Sad Kanye”.
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The meme featured a photograph of a smiling Kardashian posing with a fan, with a depressed-looking West sitting in the background. Users started photoshopping “Sad Kanye” into a variety of hilarious backgrounds. Though obviously everyone meant well, in fact, they did not realize the truth of what was going on behind the scenes—and what West would soon reveal about himself.
Criminal Damage
In 2016, West and Kardashian hit the headlines again—but this time it was nothing to do with their high-profile careers or endorsements. The world was surprised when the news came out that the showbiz couple’s luxury residence in Paris had been broken into, and masked robbers had held up Kardashian at gunpoint.
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Fortunately, Kardashian emerged safely from the attack, but it was a terrible shock for both her and West. “She is badly shaken but physically unharmed,” a spokesperson for Kardashian said to Entertainment Tonight.
Hard Times
In 2016, Kanye West surprised the world when he opened up and revealed that he had been hospitalized for some mental health issues. The hip hop superstar spoke candidly about his condition and shared that he had been diagnosed with a temporary psychosis, paranoia, and depression.
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Obviously, with all that West had gone through over the last few years, it was no surprise that his mental health could suffer as a result. Sharing his journey with the world, West gained even more fans with his honest and open discussion about mental illness.
Keeping Faith
One of the things West has been incredibly open and honest about his fans is how the strength of his religious beliefs has helped him through the more difficult times in his life. West has made no secret of the fact that he is a committed Christian.
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“Now that God has called me and I now have given my life to Jesus Christ and I work for God,” he said in a revealing interview with Jimmy Kimmel. “Now we have Christian innovation in our time.”
Next Generation
And it’s not just his fans that West wants to inspire with his religious beliefs. He is so passionate about his commitment to Christianity, that he and his wife Kim Kardashian West have had all four of their children baptized.
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Their first child, North West, was baptized in the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Cathedral of St. James in Jerusalem. Their other three children, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm were baptized in Armenia, at Holy Etchmiadzin, mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Sense of Humor
As Kanye West continued to work through his issues and better himself as a person, he also showed that even though he was a massive superstar, he wasn’t afraid to poke fun of himself.
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In 2015, when musician Beck was awarded Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, beating out fan favourite Beyoncé, West rushed the stage once again. The crowd held their breath as they thought West was once again about to make a scene. However, West then laughed and jumped back down, and the crowd went wild at the hilarious joke.
Mind Matters
However, even though West was completely happy to poke fun at himself and his past actions, he has also been incredibly open about the more serious side to what he has been through.
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Though many might dismiss their past gaffs as merely a faux pas, West has spoken candidly about the mental health struggles he has faced over the years. The superstar rapper shared in an interview with David Letterman about his battle with bipolar disorder.” It’s a health issue that has a strong stigma on it,” he said.
Peaceful Progress
Over the years, West has worked hard on his own personal growth and to overcome the challenges of living with bipolar disorder. His wife, Kim Kardashian, opened up about how proud she was of him for the incredible progress he had made and the life he has created for their family.
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“I think we’re in a pretty good place with it now,” she said in an interview with Vogue. “It is an emotional process, for sure. Right now, everything is really calm. But we can definitely feel episodes coming, and we know how to handle them.”
Life Partner
West’s wife is undeniably proud of him and the incredible achievements he has made in his life. But the truth is, it’s the strength of them together that has got this hip hop superstar through the difficult moments.
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From firm friends to supportive life partners, it is clear that West and Kardashian’s relationship is made from incredibly strong stuff, and they are both there for each other to lean on. “I’ll do everything to be supportive and help to calm the situation,” Kardashian said.
True Hero
There is no denying that Kanye West has achieved more in his 20 years in the spotlight than most people do in a lifetime. From becoming one of hip-hop’s most legendary icons to cementing his place as a bona fide fashion mogul, West has inspired millions to achieve their dreams.
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But it’s his personal achievements—coping with the loss of his beloved mother, the loving family he has created, and facing his own demons—that truly makes him an inspiration to us all.